Rev. Harriette Cross
Englewood and Rust Memorial United Methodist Church
October 31, 2010
Habakkuk 1:1-4; 2:1-4
Luke 19:1-10
Trick or Treat….
Year C
23rd Sunday after Pentecost
In search of meaning
Just yesterday, a friend told me that she was at borders, looking for a book, she was at the end of her rope and she hoped that this book would help her get her life together. It was just a self help book, but she needed to believe in something that was going to make a difference and help her to find meaning in her life.
All I could do was respond …hmm, as I sat preparing my sermon on finding meaning in our lives. I responded to her that perhaps it would be too simple to try the best selling self help in the world, the one that has been saving lives not only for years, but for generations …the bible.
From Genesis to revelation it is the story of what it means to be a human being, what it means to be a loved child of God, to move from just being a child of God, to knowing that you are a child of God, and that God is always working in our lives.
There is this heart shaped hole in the middle of all of our souls, there are times in our lives when we all feel it, we all know that its empty and we are looking for something, or someone to fill it.
The hole in our lives
We fill it with food, we fill it with possessions, we fill it controlling other people, we fill it with working too much, we fill it with relationships that don’t help us, we fill it with reading self help books, and try as we may nothing seems to fill that hole.
Until we realize that that hole was intentionally put there in our hearts, and it is not meant to be filled... it is meant to stay empty... because it is the place where God enters our lives and takes residence in our souls.
It us only when we realize that the things that we put there are not working for us, when we realize our need for salvation.
Zaccheus story
Perhaps that is why Zaccheus found himself out on a limb, up in a tree that day – attempting to get a glimpse of Jesus. He was in search of salvation. He had no idea of where to find it, or what it even meant, but he was hoping that maybe Jesus had a clue to lead him in the right direction.
Jesus doesn’t spend a whole lot of time talking to us in the crowd- he comes straight to Zaccheus. We will never know if Jesus knew this man at all. Or why he would invite himself to lunch with a tax collector. Matthew was a tax collector before he was a disciple. There are other references to Jesus working with the tax collector.
Our fascination with greediness
The crowd would have had plenty to say to Jesus. And yet the scriptures show that Jesus intentionally went after these people.
Even though this would have been a traitor who sold out his own people and a greedy cheater who lined his pockets with the money of the poor
There seems to be something in our hearts that admires people that get rich taking advantage of other people.
I just saw in the news where the richest man in the world just built a 27 story house – with three helicopter ports, a parking lot, and a weather making room. A building that towers way above one of the poorest cities in the world. When they did interviews on the street to see how people felt- most just hoped that they would be able to get a job in the house.
And just this year they did a remake of the movie Wall Street – where Michael Douglas plays a stockbroker who enjoys cheating everyone – in order to get rich. Greed is good, is his motto. Greed is right, greed works, greed clarifies, cuts through and captures the essence of the evolutionary spirit, greed in all of it forms – greed for life, for money, knowledge – has marked the upward surge of mankind.
I will agree with him on one point, greed is not just about money. Greed is about trying to fill the unfillable hole inside of our hearts. We can get greedy about our involvement in church, trying to fill that hole which can never be filled.
And isn’t it funny that no matter how close to God we claim to be, how much time we spend in church – we can’t help but to admire the things that greed brings us. We see the things it buys, the people it attracts, the personal power it affords – and we can’t help but to be interested. That is why movies like Wall Street and money never sleeps makes millions of $.
One of the lines from the movie says however, no matter how much money you make, you’ll never be rich. Until you learn to fill the hole with the things of God. Until you come to think about what real salvation is.
Salvation
The good news for us is that we don’t have to seek salvation, because God sent Jesus into the world to seek us in the midst of our sin, and to hand us salvation on a silver platter.
Salvation is the choice to let God come into that empty hole in your life. We always have a choice to be greedy or to be right with God. We can play into the things that that world admires the cars, the money, the popularity, and the possessions. Or we can choose to listen to God- and in the long run – have the things that truly make us happy- true love, true acceptance, true beauty, true assurance of salvation.
The prophet Habakkuk
The standard of the world have not changed a bit. Our Hebrew bible lesson for today was from Habakkuk. We don’t know who Habakkuk was, or even what time he was talking about – and yet his words remain because they speak a truth. He complained to God – because he needed to acknowledge the fact that the world was winning. The greedy people truly were conquering the world. They were winning and getting their way by taking advantage of everyone else. What is the point of being righteous, when time and time again the righteous always end up on the bottom as losers?
God answers Habakkuk and God answers us today – he says that may be true- the greedy are getting ahead. But that is only true for today. In the long run... whatever has been acquired from greed won’t last. The only eternal things in the world – are those things that we get from God. Those who choose to live right with God will always have the final word. The righteous choose to live in faith – willing to weather the storm for the only thing that is true – God’s love and salvation.
Jesus tried to talk to Nicodemus – a righteous man, who was stuck in his righteousness and what he had gained from the world. Nicodemus refused to change, and Jesus went on his journey – knowing that if he was not willing to give up his riches, then there was nothing else that he could do- there was no hope for salvation. Jesus talked to Zaccheus, someone that he knew was a thief and a liar, and when Jesus asked him to Change – Zaccheus was willing to help others less fortunate and to pay back what he had took.
Repentance
What was the difference? In honor of Halloween, I will use the example of Frankenstein. When Frankenstein’s owner created him, he treated him with love and affection. So when he went out into the world he was truly hurt when the world did not accept him. He didn’t understand their screams, and need to run away from him. Until one day he went home and looked in the mirror- and he saw just how ugly he was. He saw what everyone else was seeing in him – and he got scared too. He changed his demeanor and his appearance. I some ways you could say he repented of his ways.
Zaccheus was willing to change and repent of his ugly ways. Nicodemus was not.
Salvation came to Zaccheus’ house that day – not to Nicodemus.
Jesus must have known that the name Zaccheus means pure, holy and righteous. He saw Zaccheus for who god created him to be, not what the world had made him out to be. He treated Zaccheus as pure, holy and righteous – and that is who he chose to be?
What about you – do you chose to be what the world makes you- or who god created you to be? Do you get your meaning from filling the bottomless pit with the things of the world, or can you leave it empty and let Christ fill it with the right things? Do you choose greed or salvation? Life is full of choices, some lead us nowhere, and others lead us to life everlasting.
Sunday, October 31, 2010
Sunday, October 24, 2010
We All Have to Stand Before God
October 24, 2010
We all have to stand before God
2 Timothy 4:6-8, 16-18
Luke 18:9-14
Year C
Introduction – the church leader and the drug dealer
Two people, one a church leader and the other a drug dealer, went into the church to pray. The church leader prayed “God, I thank you that I am not like other people, welfare cheats, pornographers, or even like this drug dealer, who had the nerve to step into church. I go to church every Sunday, I tithe, I give time in mission, I even spend my vacation building homes for the poor.
The drug dealer in the back of church could not even look up at the altar. He wrung his hands and said God forgive me, I am a sinner.
Who do you identify with – are you the church leader, or the drug dealer. Most of us would prayer – God I am not like the drug dealer. Now let me ask you another question- which prayer do you think God appreciated more – a prayer of rightouesness, or a prayer of confession?
The Pharisee and the tax collector
In some ways this could be thought of as a modern day version of the old parable of the Pharisee and the tax collector.
A Pharisee was a lay person, who committed to following the law to the letter. He did what was right all of the time. He tithed, the prayed, he studied the scripture, he lived right.
The tax collector of Jesus day, was not the IRS man of today. The tax collector was thought of as a thief and a traitor. He stole from his own to give it to the government. Sometimes the money made it to the government, most of the time it did not. He kept it in his pocket.
Jesus understood the plight of the tax collector very well – he had lunch with them all of the time. Jesus did not get along real well with the Pharisees. And when we hear the prayer of the Pharisee, thank you lord that I am not a heathen, a woman, or an uneducated man. It is easy for us in this story to say - God I am not as arrogant in my faith as a Pharisee. The truth is, we would be thinking too highly of ourselves. There is nothing wrong with the Pharisee or his prayer. He was praying as he was instructed to do. In Timothy – Paul thanks God that he has always done what was right, even in the midst of trials and hardships, in the midst of persecution, he stayed faithful to the God that was faithful to him. The Pharisee’s prayer that they have done what is right, is a prayer for strength. The Pharisee;s prayer was an example of ordinary and standard faith. Jesus points to him, because he is calling us beyond faith that is ordinary – to faith that is extraordinary. Faith that is dependent of grace. To a life that is dependent on prayer.
Some people pray because it is the right thing to do as a person of faith, some people pray because their lives depend upon it. Everything we have is a gift from God – our wealth, our health, our lives, everything.
The importance of prayer in Luke
Prayer is a major theme of the book of Luke. Luke talks about prayer in all types of prayer. The five major types of prayer, intercession on behalf of others, adoration, confession, petition and thanksgiving. Luke gives models of all of them.
As a matter of fact, there are 3 models of prayer in chapter 18. Last week we heard of the woman persistent in her prayer. – prayers of petition. You could say that the Pharisee was praying a prayer of adoration – even if it was adoration of his own faith. And the tax collector prayed a prayer of confession. Which is a better prayer? Which is better for us to pray? There is no comparison. There are times in our lives when we need to pray all five prayers. The comparison is not with the widow, the Pharisee and the tax collector. The comparison is with Jesus Christ – does the prayer draw us closer to Jesus Christ? Does it help us to acknowledge the need for grace in our lives, as our only source of salvation?
The test of grace
I want us to take a test- everyone get a pen and keep score o you bulletin. This test is to see if you have gained enough points to get into heaven. You don’t need to keep exact score – you can estimate if you would like.
If you have been baptized, you get 25 points. Now give yourself 2 points for everytime you have ever been to a church service in your life – just guess-. Give yourself an extra point if you made a prayer request when you came to church. Give yourself 5 point for each bible verse that you have ever remembered. 10 points for doing a personal devotion for 10 days in a row.
Now you also get points for deeds of kindness. An act of kindness for a neighbor is worth 10 points. If you have ever volunteered at a hospital you get 1 point for each hour worked. If you have never cheated on a test you get 1 point per test. If you have had to turn the other cheek instead of seeing revenge – you get 20 points each time. If you have ever gave someone your coat when they were cold – yo get 25 points. For giving all of your possession to the poor you get 10,00 points. But if all that you had to give away from the start was less than $100 – it is only worth 5 points. If you have ever been on a church mission trip you get 1000 points.
Now you also have to deduct points for incorrect attitudes.
If you have ever gone to church – you get two points for each service. But if you were thinking of something else during the sermon – then you lose 4 points for each service. If you made fun of the pastors clothes or hair- then you lose 2 more points. If you have ever said something unkind or mean then you lose 10 points for each time. If you have ever done something that you knew was wrong then you lose 1000 points for each time. If you have had an argument with a family member – any family member – then you lose 150 points for each time. If you have ever forgot to water your plants – them you lose 100 points for each time.
Now there is a chance to win extra bonus points. If you have are willing to give a million $ toward upkeep of the church – you get a million points. Or if you prefer to donate $3 millions to mission work of the church you get 3 million points.
You need 3 million points in order to get into heaven. Did anyone come even close? I usually give this test to my confirmation classes. It is much more fun to give to youth because they aren’t so stuck on being righteous, and are more willing to admit when they have done things wrong. So they see their point disappearing pretty fast.
The point of the exercise is to realize that no matter who much we do right, no matter how much money we give to god (that doesn’t mean don’t give), no matter how much many good things we do for others, no matter how much we pray – It is not enough to be right with God. never a time in your life when you will have a right to say- I am justified – I am okay. The point is, You can’t earn grace from God Grace is a gift that is freely given.
The pilgrim’s prayer
My favorite prayer in times of trouble is: Lord Jesus, son of God have mercy on me a sinner. That is a very old prayer, called the pilgrims prayer. In the 1400’s a man walked the world teaching people that simple prayer that when you don’t know what else to day say it all. Let’s say it - lord Jesus, son of God have mercy on me a sinner.
Sometimes that is all we ever want to know, when will things get better, when will we finally see God, when will the peace of God finally come to the world - That was the question behind all of these parables on prayer – we pray because we want to know that God is near us. God is near – in a reign of justice and mercy.
Commentary on Timothy
In our verses from Timothy – we come to the end of the line for this lesson on being a church leader and for Paul. He says that the time for my departure has come. But his words are not about death, but about the beginning of a journey. The greek work for departure is the word for letting a boat off of the dock and freeing it for its journey. What ever happens, he is putting his life in God’s hands. That is what we do when we pray. – we give our lives over to God’s will not ours.
The reign of justice and mercy
There was a conference on religions, and the question came up – what makes Christianity so special? What makes it different from the rest? Is it prayer? No all religions pray in some form of another, is it the incarnation, of god present with us, is it the resurrection? Is it living holy? There are forms of those things in all religions. What does Christ bring that no one else brings?
Jesus just told us in the parable – in the Buddhist 8 fold path, Hindu karma, the muslim code of law, even the prayer of the Pharisee – the only salvation you have are your actions, how well you stick to the plan, how good you are. It is up to you to earn divine favor.
We just saw that if our salvation is up to us, none of us will ever get too far. Only through Christ dying for us on a cross are we fully forgiven of our sins, and we know the gift of God’s unconditional love for us. God’s reign of mercy and justice is as close to us as a prayer. Lord Jesus Son of God, have mercy on me a sinner. Amen.
We all have to stand before God
2 Timothy 4:6-8, 16-18
Luke 18:9-14
Year C
Introduction – the church leader and the drug dealer
Two people, one a church leader and the other a drug dealer, went into the church to pray. The church leader prayed “God, I thank you that I am not like other people, welfare cheats, pornographers, or even like this drug dealer, who had the nerve to step into church. I go to church every Sunday, I tithe, I give time in mission, I even spend my vacation building homes for the poor.
The drug dealer in the back of church could not even look up at the altar. He wrung his hands and said God forgive me, I am a sinner.
Who do you identify with – are you the church leader, or the drug dealer. Most of us would prayer – God I am not like the drug dealer. Now let me ask you another question- which prayer do you think God appreciated more – a prayer of rightouesness, or a prayer of confession?
The Pharisee and the tax collector
In some ways this could be thought of as a modern day version of the old parable of the Pharisee and the tax collector.
A Pharisee was a lay person, who committed to following the law to the letter. He did what was right all of the time. He tithed, the prayed, he studied the scripture, he lived right.
The tax collector of Jesus day, was not the IRS man of today. The tax collector was thought of as a thief and a traitor. He stole from his own to give it to the government. Sometimes the money made it to the government, most of the time it did not. He kept it in his pocket.
Jesus understood the plight of the tax collector very well – he had lunch with them all of the time. Jesus did not get along real well with the Pharisees. And when we hear the prayer of the Pharisee, thank you lord that I am not a heathen, a woman, or an uneducated man. It is easy for us in this story to say - God I am not as arrogant in my faith as a Pharisee. The truth is, we would be thinking too highly of ourselves. There is nothing wrong with the Pharisee or his prayer. He was praying as he was instructed to do. In Timothy – Paul thanks God that he has always done what was right, even in the midst of trials and hardships, in the midst of persecution, he stayed faithful to the God that was faithful to him. The Pharisee’s prayer that they have done what is right, is a prayer for strength. The Pharisee;s prayer was an example of ordinary and standard faith. Jesus points to him, because he is calling us beyond faith that is ordinary – to faith that is extraordinary. Faith that is dependent of grace. To a life that is dependent on prayer.
Some people pray because it is the right thing to do as a person of faith, some people pray because their lives depend upon it. Everything we have is a gift from God – our wealth, our health, our lives, everything.
The importance of prayer in Luke
Prayer is a major theme of the book of Luke. Luke talks about prayer in all types of prayer. The five major types of prayer, intercession on behalf of others, adoration, confession, petition and thanksgiving. Luke gives models of all of them.
As a matter of fact, there are 3 models of prayer in chapter 18. Last week we heard of the woman persistent in her prayer. – prayers of petition. You could say that the Pharisee was praying a prayer of adoration – even if it was adoration of his own faith. And the tax collector prayed a prayer of confession. Which is a better prayer? Which is better for us to pray? There is no comparison. There are times in our lives when we need to pray all five prayers. The comparison is not with the widow, the Pharisee and the tax collector. The comparison is with Jesus Christ – does the prayer draw us closer to Jesus Christ? Does it help us to acknowledge the need for grace in our lives, as our only source of salvation?
The test of grace
I want us to take a test- everyone get a pen and keep score o you bulletin. This test is to see if you have gained enough points to get into heaven. You don’t need to keep exact score – you can estimate if you would like.
If you have been baptized, you get 25 points. Now give yourself 2 points for everytime you have ever been to a church service in your life – just guess-. Give yourself an extra point if you made a prayer request when you came to church. Give yourself 5 point for each bible verse that you have ever remembered. 10 points for doing a personal devotion for 10 days in a row.
Now you also get points for deeds of kindness. An act of kindness for a neighbor is worth 10 points. If you have ever volunteered at a hospital you get 1 point for each hour worked. If you have never cheated on a test you get 1 point per test. If you have had to turn the other cheek instead of seeing revenge – you get 20 points each time. If you have ever gave someone your coat when they were cold – yo get 25 points. For giving all of your possession to the poor you get 10,00 points. But if all that you had to give away from the start was less than $100 – it is only worth 5 points. If you have ever been on a church mission trip you get 1000 points.
Now you also have to deduct points for incorrect attitudes.
If you have ever gone to church – you get two points for each service. But if you were thinking of something else during the sermon – then you lose 4 points for each service. If you made fun of the pastors clothes or hair- then you lose 2 more points. If you have ever said something unkind or mean then you lose 10 points for each time. If you have ever done something that you knew was wrong then you lose 1000 points for each time. If you have had an argument with a family member – any family member – then you lose 150 points for each time. If you have ever forgot to water your plants – them you lose 100 points for each time.
Now there is a chance to win extra bonus points. If you have are willing to give a million $ toward upkeep of the church – you get a million points. Or if you prefer to donate $3 millions to mission work of the church you get 3 million points.
You need 3 million points in order to get into heaven. Did anyone come even close? I usually give this test to my confirmation classes. It is much more fun to give to youth because they aren’t so stuck on being righteous, and are more willing to admit when they have done things wrong. So they see their point disappearing pretty fast.
The point of the exercise is to realize that no matter who much we do right, no matter how much money we give to god (that doesn’t mean don’t give), no matter how much many good things we do for others, no matter how much we pray – It is not enough to be right with God. never a time in your life when you will have a right to say- I am justified – I am okay. The point is, You can’t earn grace from God Grace is a gift that is freely given.
The pilgrim’s prayer
My favorite prayer in times of trouble is: Lord Jesus, son of God have mercy on me a sinner. That is a very old prayer, called the pilgrims prayer. In the 1400’s a man walked the world teaching people that simple prayer that when you don’t know what else to day say it all. Let’s say it - lord Jesus, son of God have mercy on me a sinner.
Sometimes that is all we ever want to know, when will things get better, when will we finally see God, when will the peace of God finally come to the world - That was the question behind all of these parables on prayer – we pray because we want to know that God is near us. God is near – in a reign of justice and mercy.
Commentary on Timothy
In our verses from Timothy – we come to the end of the line for this lesson on being a church leader and for Paul. He says that the time for my departure has come. But his words are not about death, but about the beginning of a journey. The greek work for departure is the word for letting a boat off of the dock and freeing it for its journey. What ever happens, he is putting his life in God’s hands. That is what we do when we pray. – we give our lives over to God’s will not ours.
The reign of justice and mercy
There was a conference on religions, and the question came up – what makes Christianity so special? What makes it different from the rest? Is it prayer? No all religions pray in some form of another, is it the incarnation, of god present with us, is it the resurrection? Is it living holy? There are forms of those things in all religions. What does Christ bring that no one else brings?
Jesus just told us in the parable – in the Buddhist 8 fold path, Hindu karma, the muslim code of law, even the prayer of the Pharisee – the only salvation you have are your actions, how well you stick to the plan, how good you are. It is up to you to earn divine favor.
We just saw that if our salvation is up to us, none of us will ever get too far. Only through Christ dying for us on a cross are we fully forgiven of our sins, and we know the gift of God’s unconditional love for us. God’s reign of mercy and justice is as close to us as a prayer. Lord Jesus Son of God, have mercy on me a sinner. Amen.
Saturday, October 09, 2010
Did you say thank you today?
October 10, 2010
Jeremiah 29:1, 4-7
Luke 17:11-19
Did you say thank you, or just keep going?
20th Sunday after Pentecost
Year C
Introduction
Two angels are sent to earth to collect all of the prayers of the people. One was sent to retrieve all of the request, and the other all of the thanksgivings. Each was given a basket to collect the prayers and take them to heaven. Expecting to be overwhelmed with request, the one to collect thanksgivings got a huge basket. It turns out that the one collecting request had to return to heaven time and time again to empty his basket. The angel collecting thanksgivings returned with a basket half full. We all have things to be grateful for in our lives, and we are truly grateful for the gift that we have, so what is it that keeps us from remembering to say thank you each and every day? I think that sometimes it is the very gifts of life that stand in the way of us being grateful.
Explanation of the text
Imagine being a young man, in the prime of your life, just married the woman of your dreams, and one day she notices some white spots on your neck – and your life as you know it is over – because she has to report to the community and the priest that you have leprosy – and have to immediately move away from the community. Or imagine that your first child has been born two months ago – a son to carry on your name – and you too are diagnosed with leprosy- Or after a long period of trying to find your life work – you realize that you want to go into farming with your father – and as you celebrate your new found life – you lose it to leprosy. The laws in the book of Levitcus are very clear – if anyone notices a swelling in his skin or a scab or boil or pimple with transparent skin they are to be brought to the priest for examination. If the spot turns white – or if it looks more than skin deep, then the priest must declare him a leper. It could happen to anyone at any time in life. If they were a leper- the most important thing was protecting the rest of the community from they – so they were to live outside the gates of the city. They were to keep their distance from everyone and to declare to all that they were one of the untouchables. Life as they knew it was over – no family, no job, no meaning in life.
With everything taken away from them, their gratefulness turned into a deep need to be healed. And they knew exactly where to turn to.
No one really knows why Jesus would have been in this no man’s land on his way to Jerusalem. He was somewhere between Galilee and Samaria. Galilee was the home of the Jews, the people he was trying to reach with his message. Samaria was the home of their cousins – those who were no longer considered Jews. Yet Jesus noticed that these were the people most likely to listen to his message and to apply it to their lives. So as he was traveling to Jerusalem, this was the perfect place to stop and to preach. As he passes by the lepers – they cry out – Lord have mercy on us. To ask for mercy is to ask for what it due to you – what you deserve but for some reason it has been denied you- They wanted their lives back – they wanted the right to return back to their lives, their wives, their children, their jobs, their community – all the things that made life worth living. They had heard enough to know that Jesus had the power to give them just what they asked for. With no special potions, no special words – Jesus tells them that they will be healed. All they need to do is to show themselves to the priest, so that they can be restored into community.
They don’t even question Jesus – they immediately go back to their lives. Only 1 returns to thank Jesus for what he has done. Jesus gives him an additional blessing and tells him that his faith has made him whole. The others are healed on the outside – and yet Jesus knows that this one has been made whole on the inside too.
Jesus was in between Galilee and Samaria – his audience was mixed – we really have no idea how many of the lepers were Jewish and how many were Samarian. We never hear what happens in their lives after they return. What we do know that the one who thought to return to thank Jesus was a Samarian. Maybe he did not have a priest to return to. Maybe he did not have a family or life to return to. Maybe his mom had always taught him to say thank you – we don’t know what it was that made this one leper out of ten return to Jesus.
The one who stood out from the rest
What we do know is that this one was different – when all ten asked for mercy – nine were looking for cosmetic changes. Leprosy back then was understood as any type of skin condition. One was looking for changes in mind, body and spirit. Nine lepers were looking to get on with their lives – one wanted to live. Nine were looking for the acceptance of society – one was looking for the acceptance of God. One was looking for their past to be restored – one was looking toward the future. Nine were looking for changes – one was looking to be transformed. He was changed from the inside out. He was not the same person that he had been. He knew that from this moment on, once he had been touched by Jesus – things would never be the same. His life would be so much more than those dreams of the life that had been taken away from him. God had shown him a love that he could never imagine in a million years.
The interesting thing about this story, is that it is not about lepers. Jesus knew that no matter who they were, what was going on in their lives, or where they were from. There was nothing really wrong with them – but that they lives in a community of insiders and outsiders. You were considered a part of the church or not, by how pure you were. And it was very easy to be considered unclean. An outsider. Leprosy is not a deal breaker today – but what is. Many pastors I know are using this Sunday to talk about the large amount of young people who are committing suicide because they are gay – and feel that they have no place in society. Who are the people who stand outside of our lives, who we don’t accept, or talk to or deal with, or even remember to tell them that they are a child of God, thus always welcome.
Gratitude is faith
When you look at your life, which one are you – one of the nine or the one who stood out? Bear in mind that in those days- to say thank you was the last thing that you said to someone when the knew the relationship was over. If you knew you would never see the person again – you said thank you. The nine others had their lives restored – they were a part of the community again – they probably were not quite ready to saw good bye to Jesus – whereas the one – realized that no matter how hard he tried – things would never be the same for him- he could never go back to the man he used to be. That gesture of thanks seemed to really make a difference to Jesus. But this is not a sermon on gratitude – but on faith.
Story of ungratfulness
I can really relate to the story of Edward Spencer – he and I went to the same seminary – Garrett Evangelical Theological Seminary in Evanston. Edward attended that school in 1860 – a little bit before my time. One night, he was woken in the dorm – people were shouting that there had been an accident in the Winnetka harbor. A cargo ship has hit a cruise ship- people were in lake Michigan drowning. Edward was a good swimmer – so he ran the 31/2 miles to Winnetka to do what he could to help. He jumped in the water and started pulling people out- by dawn he had been able to rescue 15 people. He lay exhausted on the beach, when someone yelled that two more people were trapped on the ship. He swam back into the water and rescued them two. 300 people perished in the accident. 98 were rescued – Edward had saved 17 by himself. Unfortunately, Edward was never able to run the 3 ½ miles back down Sheridan Road to Garrett. As a matter of fact, Edward never returned to Garrett. After that night he lost the use his legs. He died an invalid in California. Late in his life, a reporter from the LA times interviewed him about his heroic rescue- he was asked what he remembered most about that night. He said that he remembered that of the 17 people that he rescued – not one of them ever said thank you. At least Jesus did get a thank you from one person. That one person who made all of the difference in the world.
I am sure that we can all identify with those 17 people. Some probably were healed – some did go on with their lives – some were genuinely grateful for being saved on that night, some probably even remembered that courageous seminary student who saved them. They just never got the chance to say thank you in person to him. Having no idea of what difference it would have made in the life story of the one who gave his legs, his hopes, his calling to save them. We are all grateful for the saviors that God has sent into our lives – who have given us life in so many ways. We really are grateful in our hearts – even though we don’t think to say it with our lips. Today is a perfect day to write a note, to make a phone call, to take someone out to lunch – to say thank you for all of the Edward Spencers in our life. But this is not a sermon about being thankful – this is a story about being faithful.
This is not a sermon about the nine lepers who went on with their lives – it is a sermon about that one who had been transformed and given new life by Jesus Christ. Jesus told the Samaritan- that his faith had made him well – not his thank you.
It is our faith that makes us well- not our thank you’s. The more faith is focused on Christ – the easier it is for us to remember to say thank you for each and every gift that we have been given.
Christ is always faithful, Christ always hears our cries of mercy. Christ always gives us love and life, but it is our response to Christ that gives us transformation and new life. It is our desire to say thank you that indeed makes the world a wonderful place to live for all people. What do you have to be thankful for today? How will you choose to live a thankful life today?
Story of thankfulness
In 1973 a missionary had been sent to acapolco to start a church, with no money, no building, no people. It was a struggle, but in the midst of his tears, he would look up on a hilltop every day and see a large cross. It was that cross that kept him focused on what needs to be done. He kept praying for guidance. One day he decided to climb the hill to find out why the cross was there. Expecting to find a church – he found it on top of a hotel. He asked to speak to the owner to say thank you. When he got to the owner, the owner cried. Everyone else stopped by to complain about the cross, he was the first person in five years to say thank you.
What most people thought of as a complaint, one faithful person found to be a source of gratitude. The hotel owner allowed him to have church services, and the Presbyterian church of America was born.
Gratefulness is faithfulness
Gratefulness is faithfulness. Every moment we have on earth brings a gift. Every person we meet is here for a reason, every word that we hear brings a lesson. Even if it is a lesson of faith, to become a stronger person and to receive our blessings in unexpected packages. Let us pray…..
Jeremiah 29:1, 4-7
Luke 17:11-19
Did you say thank you, or just keep going?
20th Sunday after Pentecost
Year C
Introduction
Two angels are sent to earth to collect all of the prayers of the people. One was sent to retrieve all of the request, and the other all of the thanksgivings. Each was given a basket to collect the prayers and take them to heaven. Expecting to be overwhelmed with request, the one to collect thanksgivings got a huge basket. It turns out that the one collecting request had to return to heaven time and time again to empty his basket. The angel collecting thanksgivings returned with a basket half full. We all have things to be grateful for in our lives, and we are truly grateful for the gift that we have, so what is it that keeps us from remembering to say thank you each and every day? I think that sometimes it is the very gifts of life that stand in the way of us being grateful.
Explanation of the text
Imagine being a young man, in the prime of your life, just married the woman of your dreams, and one day she notices some white spots on your neck – and your life as you know it is over – because she has to report to the community and the priest that you have leprosy – and have to immediately move away from the community. Or imagine that your first child has been born two months ago – a son to carry on your name – and you too are diagnosed with leprosy- Or after a long period of trying to find your life work – you realize that you want to go into farming with your father – and as you celebrate your new found life – you lose it to leprosy. The laws in the book of Levitcus are very clear – if anyone notices a swelling in his skin or a scab or boil or pimple with transparent skin they are to be brought to the priest for examination. If the spot turns white – or if it looks more than skin deep, then the priest must declare him a leper. It could happen to anyone at any time in life. If they were a leper- the most important thing was protecting the rest of the community from they – so they were to live outside the gates of the city. They were to keep their distance from everyone and to declare to all that they were one of the untouchables. Life as they knew it was over – no family, no job, no meaning in life.
With everything taken away from them, their gratefulness turned into a deep need to be healed. And they knew exactly where to turn to.
No one really knows why Jesus would have been in this no man’s land on his way to Jerusalem. He was somewhere between Galilee and Samaria. Galilee was the home of the Jews, the people he was trying to reach with his message. Samaria was the home of their cousins – those who were no longer considered Jews. Yet Jesus noticed that these were the people most likely to listen to his message and to apply it to their lives. So as he was traveling to Jerusalem, this was the perfect place to stop and to preach. As he passes by the lepers – they cry out – Lord have mercy on us. To ask for mercy is to ask for what it due to you – what you deserve but for some reason it has been denied you- They wanted their lives back – they wanted the right to return back to their lives, their wives, their children, their jobs, their community – all the things that made life worth living. They had heard enough to know that Jesus had the power to give them just what they asked for. With no special potions, no special words – Jesus tells them that they will be healed. All they need to do is to show themselves to the priest, so that they can be restored into community.
They don’t even question Jesus – they immediately go back to their lives. Only 1 returns to thank Jesus for what he has done. Jesus gives him an additional blessing and tells him that his faith has made him whole. The others are healed on the outside – and yet Jesus knows that this one has been made whole on the inside too.
Jesus was in between Galilee and Samaria – his audience was mixed – we really have no idea how many of the lepers were Jewish and how many were Samarian. We never hear what happens in their lives after they return. What we do know that the one who thought to return to thank Jesus was a Samarian. Maybe he did not have a priest to return to. Maybe he did not have a family or life to return to. Maybe his mom had always taught him to say thank you – we don’t know what it was that made this one leper out of ten return to Jesus.
The one who stood out from the rest
What we do know is that this one was different – when all ten asked for mercy – nine were looking for cosmetic changes. Leprosy back then was understood as any type of skin condition. One was looking for changes in mind, body and spirit. Nine lepers were looking to get on with their lives – one wanted to live. Nine were looking for the acceptance of society – one was looking for the acceptance of God. One was looking for their past to be restored – one was looking toward the future. Nine were looking for changes – one was looking to be transformed. He was changed from the inside out. He was not the same person that he had been. He knew that from this moment on, once he had been touched by Jesus – things would never be the same. His life would be so much more than those dreams of the life that had been taken away from him. God had shown him a love that he could never imagine in a million years.
The interesting thing about this story, is that it is not about lepers. Jesus knew that no matter who they were, what was going on in their lives, or where they were from. There was nothing really wrong with them – but that they lives in a community of insiders and outsiders. You were considered a part of the church or not, by how pure you were. And it was very easy to be considered unclean. An outsider. Leprosy is not a deal breaker today – but what is. Many pastors I know are using this Sunday to talk about the large amount of young people who are committing suicide because they are gay – and feel that they have no place in society. Who are the people who stand outside of our lives, who we don’t accept, or talk to or deal with, or even remember to tell them that they are a child of God, thus always welcome.
Gratitude is faith
When you look at your life, which one are you – one of the nine or the one who stood out? Bear in mind that in those days- to say thank you was the last thing that you said to someone when the knew the relationship was over. If you knew you would never see the person again – you said thank you. The nine others had their lives restored – they were a part of the community again – they probably were not quite ready to saw good bye to Jesus – whereas the one – realized that no matter how hard he tried – things would never be the same for him- he could never go back to the man he used to be. That gesture of thanks seemed to really make a difference to Jesus. But this is not a sermon on gratitude – but on faith.
Story of ungratfulness
I can really relate to the story of Edward Spencer – he and I went to the same seminary – Garrett Evangelical Theological Seminary in Evanston. Edward attended that school in 1860 – a little bit before my time. One night, he was woken in the dorm – people were shouting that there had been an accident in the Winnetka harbor. A cargo ship has hit a cruise ship- people were in lake Michigan drowning. Edward was a good swimmer – so he ran the 31/2 miles to Winnetka to do what he could to help. He jumped in the water and started pulling people out- by dawn he had been able to rescue 15 people. He lay exhausted on the beach, when someone yelled that two more people were trapped on the ship. He swam back into the water and rescued them two. 300 people perished in the accident. 98 were rescued – Edward had saved 17 by himself. Unfortunately, Edward was never able to run the 3 ½ miles back down Sheridan Road to Garrett. As a matter of fact, Edward never returned to Garrett. After that night he lost the use his legs. He died an invalid in California. Late in his life, a reporter from the LA times interviewed him about his heroic rescue- he was asked what he remembered most about that night. He said that he remembered that of the 17 people that he rescued – not one of them ever said thank you. At least Jesus did get a thank you from one person. That one person who made all of the difference in the world.
I am sure that we can all identify with those 17 people. Some probably were healed – some did go on with their lives – some were genuinely grateful for being saved on that night, some probably even remembered that courageous seminary student who saved them. They just never got the chance to say thank you in person to him. Having no idea of what difference it would have made in the life story of the one who gave his legs, his hopes, his calling to save them. We are all grateful for the saviors that God has sent into our lives – who have given us life in so many ways. We really are grateful in our hearts – even though we don’t think to say it with our lips. Today is a perfect day to write a note, to make a phone call, to take someone out to lunch – to say thank you for all of the Edward Spencers in our life. But this is not a sermon about being thankful – this is a story about being faithful.
This is not a sermon about the nine lepers who went on with their lives – it is a sermon about that one who had been transformed and given new life by Jesus Christ. Jesus told the Samaritan- that his faith had made him well – not his thank you.
It is our faith that makes us well- not our thank you’s. The more faith is focused on Christ – the easier it is for us to remember to say thank you for each and every gift that we have been given.
Christ is always faithful, Christ always hears our cries of mercy. Christ always gives us love and life, but it is our response to Christ that gives us transformation and new life. It is our desire to say thank you that indeed makes the world a wonderful place to live for all people. What do you have to be thankful for today? How will you choose to live a thankful life today?
Story of thankfulness
In 1973 a missionary had been sent to acapolco to start a church, with no money, no building, no people. It was a struggle, but in the midst of his tears, he would look up on a hilltop every day and see a large cross. It was that cross that kept him focused on what needs to be done. He kept praying for guidance. One day he decided to climb the hill to find out why the cross was there. Expecting to find a church – he found it on top of a hotel. He asked to speak to the owner to say thank you. When he got to the owner, the owner cried. Everyone else stopped by to complain about the cross, he was the first person in five years to say thank you.
What most people thought of as a complaint, one faithful person found to be a source of gratitude. The hotel owner allowed him to have church services, and the Presbyterian church of America was born.
Gratefulness is faithfulness
Gratefulness is faithfulness. Every moment we have on earth brings a gift. Every person we meet is here for a reason, every word that we hear brings a lesson. Even if it is a lesson of faith, to become a stronger person and to receive our blessings in unexpected packages. Let us pray…..
Sunday, October 03, 2010
Alone in a crowd, fulfilled by only one - World Communion Sunday
Rev. Harriette Cross
Englewood and Rust
October 3, 2010
A repreach of October 7, 2007
World Communion Sunday
Psalm 137
Luke 17:5-10
Alone in a crowd, fulfilled by only one
Year C
The first Sunday in October is always world communion Sunday, this is a time when we know that we are united with Christians all over the world in a common task- and we can think of the power that we have to build God’s kingdom and celebrate that it is working – the world is changing. The power of transformation is in our unity – in what we are able to do together.
Every first Sunday is a Sunday where Christians all over the world are taking communion. But we don’t think about it- we don’t think about our brothers and sisters in other churches in this neighborhood, in our community as doing the same thing as us. We get caught up into our own little bubble of understanding.
while thinking about unity this week , I was struck with an email that I received from another pastor. She was asking for prayers for her cousin, Danny – who felt isolated and alone in Thailand. She says,
Dannie is an American and a cousin of a friend of mine. His wife is Thai
(she isn't a Christian). She became homesick for her village in Thailand
so Dannie agreed to move. I spoke of Dannie last year on World Communion
Sunday because he had sent an e-mail that touched my heart so very much.
It read, "Keep me in your prayers. Believe me, I need it. It's so hard
to be alone as a Christian. But I do talk to my Lord a lot." Because of
his request for prayers, members of my church committed to praying for
him. When I relayed that to Dannie, his response was, "I am sitting here
in tears. I can feel the prayers of my brothers and sisters. I praise
God and I give Him the glory. Now the prayers that I and so many other
Christians who are alone need are coming to fill us with the joy of Jesus
Christ. Please let the people who are praying for me know that they are
also in my prayers."
That was a year ago. The e-mail I just received read, "I will take
Communion 'with you'. I will be alone, but not alone in spirit. Jesus is
with me everywhere I go. There are no churches in the mountain village
where I live. No missionaries either. Your prayers are important to me.
I do try to 'walk the walk' and I have been able to witness several times.
This is a hard land for Christians, but it is full of wonderful people."
I was touched by the email – because I think that it is important to always remember the other side of unity – isolation. We don’t have to be stuck somewhere alone in a foreign land to feel a sense of isolation- that we are out there all by ourselves.
I got in trouble at a church once, when a lady made a comment that you cant be a Christian on a desert island. People tell me all the time that they are Christian. They are very spiritual, but not are religious, but they don’t want to go to church. To believe that is to totally miss the point of all of Jesus teachings. I truly believe that the only way to be a Christian is to go to church – to be in community.
It is real easy for any of us to sit at home and to read the bible, and to watch the latest televangelist on tv, and to believe in our heart that we love everybody. That is not the faith that Jesus called us to. When you go to church and you sit on a church board, and you deal with someone who is always arguing and disagreeing with you. When you have to deal with someone who you don’t like and you don’t understand. When you are asked to do something, that you know is impossible. And you stick with it, and you find a solution, and you are a witness to what God can do in spite of you – that is the faith that Jesus Christ calls us into. Our faith is only challenged, and thus only grows when we are around people- people that we don’t understand, people that we don’t agree with, people that we have to learn to love.
And yet we have all had those moments in our lives when we have felt like Danny – we felt lonely and alone – not necessarily by chance – but by situation. We have all had our moments when life didn’t make sense. Times when the normal things in life that gave us so much comfort – are painful because they bring back memories of the way things used to be- when they are no more. All summer, we have been following the plight of the isrealites. They have been threatened with exile from their land because of their sin. Well the moment happened – the Babylonians didn’t let them starve, they went in to the city and led some of them away. Those who had money, and power are taken away. The remnant is left to survive. Those who are taken captive are fed, they are taken care of, the young are even educated – but as they sit by the canals of Babylon – dreaming of the rivers of Isreal – they become keenly aware that they are not at home – God has broken the promise to them – that they would always have a home. They got such joy in singing songs of praise- songs that celebrated God’s promise to them. To make a bad situation worse – their captors taunt them – seeing their grief by asking them to sing. But how can we sing the songs of zion in a foreign land.
There are many people in the world today – who are just like Danny, just like the isrealites – wondering how to maintain their faith in a foreign land. On this world communion Sunday – let us remember those who are in exile from their countries – like those from Darfur, in Africa who are escaping famine and a government who are killing them. There are many in Africa who have to escape widescale genocide. There are those who are in Pakistan who are still trying to escape the effects of an earthquake. Those from Cuba, who come to America seeking a life of freedom.
But you know there are also a lot of people on this block, on the block we live on, in our lives, who don’t come to church, because they feel isolated. They wont fit in, no one will understand them. They are insecure because they feel that that don’t have the same faith that you have. We remember these people and many more today – because they are a part of the Christian family – when we take communion – we are solidarity with their situations and we pray for God’s healing of their situations.
Exile is a physical situation, but it is also a spiritual situation. There are times when we can feel cut off from God and what God has called us to do. Many years later, when the isrealites were able to return to community, jesus was on the way to Jerusalem with his disciples. Jesus was reminding them of the importance of forgiveness. No matter what happens to us – it is okay to feel our grief. To refuse to sing the songs of praise. But as some point we have to move on, and the only way to move on is to forgive our brothers and sisters. The disciples were a lot like we are – how do you just forgive, when someone has done you wrong. We are faitfhful people – but reality always challenges our belief of the way things are supposed to be. They asks Jesus a question that we have to ask everyday. Can you increase our faith – because as it stands – we are not able to do what you asks of us. We want to be able to forgive and forget, but we just cant. We are inadequate, there are still things that we need to learn and understand, it will be a minute before we have the energy to move on, right now – we are still in our grief and we still need time to heal.
Jesus tells the disciples – that they don’t need to increase their faith. Any amount of faith at all with make a difference. Jesus tell them that the faith of a mustard seed can move a mountain into the sea. A friend of mine says that she used to go outside and try to will the mountains in her back yard to move. Of course nothing would ever happen. Yet the real focus of this story is the power of our faith. Jesus is telling us that we don’t need to increase our faith – we can witness the power of God with what we have – even if it is just a small glimmer of hope. That glimmer can change our life – and is enough to change the world. Faith is not about our positive thoughts – faith is our willingness to trust that God will take care of us. God always does all of the work. Faith is a willingness to let God do the work without us needing to be in control.
A small congregation on the smoky mountains built a new church on a piece of land willed to them by a member. Before the church opened, the building inspector came to the church to tell them that they could not open because the parking lot was not sufficient. The only way to expand the parking lot was to move a mountain behind the church. We all know by now that mountains don’t move. The pastor was determined to see the church opened. So she held prayer meetings every day. After the last amen on Friday – she told them that the church would be open on Sunday. Later that day – some men came to the church, explaining that they were building a shopping mall and they needed some dirt to build the foundation. They needed to get started immediately, if they could just take the dirt from the mountain. The mountain was literally moved, so that the parking lot could be built and the church could be opened.
It only takes a little – to make a big difference. Most of us – in this area of the country it would be safe to say that none of us have a mountain in our back yard that needs to be moved. But all of us have prayers, all of us have dreams, all of us have hopes that something in the world will be different. We don’t know how things will change, we don’t know what we need to do to change things. We just have a little bit of faith – that things should change. It is that small glimmer of hope that will make a difference-God will do the rest. God wants us to remember that each and everything that we do in life is about God. Every situation that we find ourselves in, we need to ask – what does this have to do with God. Every challenge that we have we need to ask – how is God at work in this situation. We don’t need to increase our faith – we just need to use the little that we have. Even in the toughest of situations, remember that all things are possible with God.
As we celebrate world communion Sunday, we are all keenly aware that unity amongst all Christians is not a reality – our differences still separate us. Even in our own church family – we all can’t work together on everything. There are many people who are not in exile from the Christian community, we still feel alone in a crowd. Who feel that no one is listening to them, no one cares for them. There are those who are suffering from grief. There are those who ask - how can I sing the songs of Zion, when I am amongst strangers. How can I praise God – when I have nothing to celebrate.
Jesus request to us all – is to just sing, just pray, just hope, just go forward, just celebrate our unity – God will do the rest!
The power of the gospel, of our belief in Jesus Christ is that it takes us from where you are now – to where God God wants you to be. Where you are – to where God wants you to be.
The gospel saves, brings you to life and offers you life everlasting. Salvation is restoring your life back to what it was meant to be.
God has big plans for you – for you to move on from where you are to live faithful, and compassionate. In return we can expect big things from God – the strength to go on, much farther than you were expecting. That is what faith is all about.
Let us pray…..
Englewood and Rust
October 3, 2010
A repreach of October 7, 2007
World Communion Sunday
Psalm 137
Luke 17:5-10
Alone in a crowd, fulfilled by only one
Year C
The first Sunday in October is always world communion Sunday, this is a time when we know that we are united with Christians all over the world in a common task- and we can think of the power that we have to build God’s kingdom and celebrate that it is working – the world is changing. The power of transformation is in our unity – in what we are able to do together.
Every first Sunday is a Sunday where Christians all over the world are taking communion. But we don’t think about it- we don’t think about our brothers and sisters in other churches in this neighborhood, in our community as doing the same thing as us. We get caught up into our own little bubble of understanding.
while thinking about unity this week , I was struck with an email that I received from another pastor. She was asking for prayers for her cousin, Danny – who felt isolated and alone in Thailand. She says,
Dannie is an American and a cousin of a friend of mine. His wife is Thai
(she isn't a Christian). She became homesick for her village in Thailand
so Dannie agreed to move. I spoke of Dannie last year on World Communion
Sunday because he had sent an e-mail that touched my heart so very much.
It read, "Keep me in your prayers. Believe me, I need it. It's so hard
to be alone as a Christian. But I do talk to my Lord a lot." Because of
his request for prayers, members of my church committed to praying for
him. When I relayed that to Dannie, his response was, "I am sitting here
in tears. I can feel the prayers of my brothers and sisters. I praise
God and I give Him the glory. Now the prayers that I and so many other
Christians who are alone need are coming to fill us with the joy of Jesus
Christ. Please let the people who are praying for me know that they are
also in my prayers."
That was a year ago. The e-mail I just received read, "I will take
Communion 'with you'. I will be alone, but not alone in spirit. Jesus is
with me everywhere I go. There are no churches in the mountain village
where I live. No missionaries either. Your prayers are important to me.
I do try to 'walk the walk' and I have been able to witness several times.
This is a hard land for Christians, but it is full of wonderful people."
I was touched by the email – because I think that it is important to always remember the other side of unity – isolation. We don’t have to be stuck somewhere alone in a foreign land to feel a sense of isolation- that we are out there all by ourselves.
I got in trouble at a church once, when a lady made a comment that you cant be a Christian on a desert island. People tell me all the time that they are Christian. They are very spiritual, but not are religious, but they don’t want to go to church. To believe that is to totally miss the point of all of Jesus teachings. I truly believe that the only way to be a Christian is to go to church – to be in community.
It is real easy for any of us to sit at home and to read the bible, and to watch the latest televangelist on tv, and to believe in our heart that we love everybody. That is not the faith that Jesus called us to. When you go to church and you sit on a church board, and you deal with someone who is always arguing and disagreeing with you. When you have to deal with someone who you don’t like and you don’t understand. When you are asked to do something, that you know is impossible. And you stick with it, and you find a solution, and you are a witness to what God can do in spite of you – that is the faith that Jesus Christ calls us into. Our faith is only challenged, and thus only grows when we are around people- people that we don’t understand, people that we don’t agree with, people that we have to learn to love.
And yet we have all had those moments in our lives when we have felt like Danny – we felt lonely and alone – not necessarily by chance – but by situation. We have all had our moments when life didn’t make sense. Times when the normal things in life that gave us so much comfort – are painful because they bring back memories of the way things used to be- when they are no more. All summer, we have been following the plight of the isrealites. They have been threatened with exile from their land because of their sin. Well the moment happened – the Babylonians didn’t let them starve, they went in to the city and led some of them away. Those who had money, and power are taken away. The remnant is left to survive. Those who are taken captive are fed, they are taken care of, the young are even educated – but as they sit by the canals of Babylon – dreaming of the rivers of Isreal – they become keenly aware that they are not at home – God has broken the promise to them – that they would always have a home. They got such joy in singing songs of praise- songs that celebrated God’s promise to them. To make a bad situation worse – their captors taunt them – seeing their grief by asking them to sing. But how can we sing the songs of zion in a foreign land.
There are many people in the world today – who are just like Danny, just like the isrealites – wondering how to maintain their faith in a foreign land. On this world communion Sunday – let us remember those who are in exile from their countries – like those from Darfur, in Africa who are escaping famine and a government who are killing them. There are many in Africa who have to escape widescale genocide. There are those who are in Pakistan who are still trying to escape the effects of an earthquake. Those from Cuba, who come to America seeking a life of freedom.
But you know there are also a lot of people on this block, on the block we live on, in our lives, who don’t come to church, because they feel isolated. They wont fit in, no one will understand them. They are insecure because they feel that that don’t have the same faith that you have. We remember these people and many more today – because they are a part of the Christian family – when we take communion – we are solidarity with their situations and we pray for God’s healing of their situations.
Exile is a physical situation, but it is also a spiritual situation. There are times when we can feel cut off from God and what God has called us to do. Many years later, when the isrealites were able to return to community, jesus was on the way to Jerusalem with his disciples. Jesus was reminding them of the importance of forgiveness. No matter what happens to us – it is okay to feel our grief. To refuse to sing the songs of praise. But as some point we have to move on, and the only way to move on is to forgive our brothers and sisters. The disciples were a lot like we are – how do you just forgive, when someone has done you wrong. We are faitfhful people – but reality always challenges our belief of the way things are supposed to be. They asks Jesus a question that we have to ask everyday. Can you increase our faith – because as it stands – we are not able to do what you asks of us. We want to be able to forgive and forget, but we just cant. We are inadequate, there are still things that we need to learn and understand, it will be a minute before we have the energy to move on, right now – we are still in our grief and we still need time to heal.
Jesus tells the disciples – that they don’t need to increase their faith. Any amount of faith at all with make a difference. Jesus tell them that the faith of a mustard seed can move a mountain into the sea. A friend of mine says that she used to go outside and try to will the mountains in her back yard to move. Of course nothing would ever happen. Yet the real focus of this story is the power of our faith. Jesus is telling us that we don’t need to increase our faith – we can witness the power of God with what we have – even if it is just a small glimmer of hope. That glimmer can change our life – and is enough to change the world. Faith is not about our positive thoughts – faith is our willingness to trust that God will take care of us. God always does all of the work. Faith is a willingness to let God do the work without us needing to be in control.
A small congregation on the smoky mountains built a new church on a piece of land willed to them by a member. Before the church opened, the building inspector came to the church to tell them that they could not open because the parking lot was not sufficient. The only way to expand the parking lot was to move a mountain behind the church. We all know by now that mountains don’t move. The pastor was determined to see the church opened. So she held prayer meetings every day. After the last amen on Friday – she told them that the church would be open on Sunday. Later that day – some men came to the church, explaining that they were building a shopping mall and they needed some dirt to build the foundation. They needed to get started immediately, if they could just take the dirt from the mountain. The mountain was literally moved, so that the parking lot could be built and the church could be opened.
It only takes a little – to make a big difference. Most of us – in this area of the country it would be safe to say that none of us have a mountain in our back yard that needs to be moved. But all of us have prayers, all of us have dreams, all of us have hopes that something in the world will be different. We don’t know how things will change, we don’t know what we need to do to change things. We just have a little bit of faith – that things should change. It is that small glimmer of hope that will make a difference-God will do the rest. God wants us to remember that each and everything that we do in life is about God. Every situation that we find ourselves in, we need to ask – what does this have to do with God. Every challenge that we have we need to ask – how is God at work in this situation. We don’t need to increase our faith – we just need to use the little that we have. Even in the toughest of situations, remember that all things are possible with God.
As we celebrate world communion Sunday, we are all keenly aware that unity amongst all Christians is not a reality – our differences still separate us. Even in our own church family – we all can’t work together on everything. There are many people who are not in exile from the Christian community, we still feel alone in a crowd. Who feel that no one is listening to them, no one cares for them. There are those who are suffering from grief. There are those who ask - how can I sing the songs of Zion, when I am amongst strangers. How can I praise God – when I have nothing to celebrate.
Jesus request to us all – is to just sing, just pray, just hope, just go forward, just celebrate our unity – God will do the rest!
The power of the gospel, of our belief in Jesus Christ is that it takes us from where you are now – to where God God wants you to be. Where you are – to where God wants you to be.
The gospel saves, brings you to life and offers you life everlasting. Salvation is restoring your life back to what it was meant to be.
God has big plans for you – for you to move on from where you are to live faithful, and compassionate. In return we can expect big things from God – the strength to go on, much farther than you were expecting. That is what faith is all about.
Let us pray…..
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