The Church, Food, Prayer and Thankfulness

November 22, 2012 Joel 2:21-27 Psalm 126 1 Timothy 2:1-7 Matthew 6:25-33 Year B Connection between food and Christian living You know, as I have been reflecting on Thanksgiving this year, there seems to be this very clear connection between the Christian life and food. Everything that we do in the church seems to resolve around food. It goes even broader than that. We are a community love to eat. Whenever we get excited about something – we celebrate by eating. We might judge our wealth in life by what we have in our bank account, but when it comes down to it, we judge our happiness by how much food we have in our pantry. The book of Joel talks about how the Israelites will be repaid for all of their pain. God will restore their happiness, and they will forget about all of the pain they had in exile, but how will they know that things have been restored? Verse 24 says that the threshing floors shall be full of grain and the vats shall overflow with wine and oil. Now the church potluck is not a sacrament or even an official church duty – but it may as well be, because when we celebrate, what do we do? We eat. And as Christians when we eat – we pray. In one of his sermons, Dr. Harry Ironside tells of the occasion when, as a young man, he went into a cafeteria to eat. The tables were crowded and the only place he could find to sit down was at a table across from another man. So he sat down and as was his habit, Dr. Ironside bowed his head and gave thanks. The other man glowered while he did so and as soon as Dr. Ironside had finished, the man looked at him and said, “What’s the matter with you. Is something wrong with your food?” He looked down at it and said, “No, it looks fine to me.” The fellow said, “Have you got something in your eye? Do you have a headache?” Dr. Ironside said, “No, I’m feeling fine.” The fellow said, “What are you doing then? Why did you bow your head?” Dr., Ironside said, “Well, I was just giving thanks to God for the food I was about to eat.” The man looked at him and said, “You believe that stuff, do you? That’s crazy.” Dr. Ironside said, “Sir, don’t you give thanks for your food?” The man said, “I never give thanks. I just jump right in.” Dr. Ironside looked at him and said, “Well, you’re just like my dog then. He doesn’t give thanks either. He just jumps right in.” The lesson is not about praying before a meal. The lesson is about being truly grateful to God for all of his blessings. There are basically two ways you can live your life. You can live your life with a big M and a little G or a big G and a little m. The first step to daily bread living is to get on the big G and the little m side. That’s gratitude to God for all his blessings. Someone said that often times thanksgiving is the only time that some families take the time to pray before a meal. When there should be something about food and sitting down and being thankful to God that should be automatic. Food is a part of our prayer life. Grace before meals I have heard it said that people started saying grace before meals, because there was no refrigeration, so you never knew what bacteria was in the food. But actually, grace is an important part of the Christian prayer life, because it was custom in Jewish life to say a prayer over the bread. When Jesus taught us to say the Lord’s prayer, the first point of the prayer is to give honor to God. The first prayer request of God that we have is to ask God to give us this day our daily bread. In a world were we have refrigerators, and ovens, and canned food that can last for ages, why would do we still ask God for our daily bread? It reminds us that everything we have comes from God. Everything that we have comes from God The story is told of a poor man who was given a loaf of bread. He thanked the baker, but the baker said, “Don’t thank me. Thank the miller who made the flour.” So he thanked the miller, but the miller said, “Don’t thank me. Thank the farmer who planted the wheat.” So he thanked the farmer. But the farmer said, “Don’t thank me. Thank the Lord. He gave the sunshine & rain & fertility to the soil, & that’s why you have bread to eat.” The challenge for us in life can be to be able to find God in everything in our lives. No matter how hard we work for the harvest, it is always God who plants the seeds. Bread is more than foo But Jesus reminds us that bread, is not just about what we put in our stomaches, bread is the essence of life. it is what we drink, it is the clothes we wear, the shelter we have, the education we have, it is our family, it is our wellbeing. Bread is what keeps us alive, and yet we say thank you for bread – because without enough to eat – our lives would be nothing. We could accomplish nothing else. Our response to God’s presence in our lives is always thank you. Eucharist As a matter of fact, one of the most important rituals of the church is communion. Eucharist. Eucharist literally means thank you in Greek. In greek you would say – F Harry Stowe. In modern Greek, ch is pronounced f. Say it, at least you can say you know one greek word. The most important word. If I break it down a little more – eu charist – good character. In response to what God has done for me, I wont just say thank you, I will live thank you. When I take the eucharist, I pledge that I will not just say words of gratitude, but I will be gratitude. It is not so much about thanksgiving – as much as it is thanksliving. The message of Matthew 6 is not to worry about what God will provide, but to do the will of God in your life. But strive first for the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you. In a sense, gratitude is an expression of modesty. In Hebrew, the word for gratitude - hoda’ah - is the same as the word for confession. To offer thanks is to confess dependence, to acknowledgment that others have the power to benefit you, to admit that your life is better because of their efforts. That frame of mind is indispensable to civilized society. I can be thankful for everything in life… ....the taxes I pay ....because it means I’m employed. ....the clothes that fit a little too snug ....because it means I have enough to eat. ....my shadow who watches me work ....because it means I am out in the sunshine. ....a lawn that needs mowing, windows that need cleaning and ....gutters that need fixing ....because it means I have a home. ....the spot I find at the far end of the parking lot ....because it means I am capable of walking. ....my huge heating bill ....because it means I am warm. ....all the complaining I hear about our government ....because it means we have freedom of speech. ....the lady behind me in church who sings off key. ....because it means that I can hear. ....the piles of laundry and ironing ....because it means my loved ones are nearby. ....the alarm that goes off in the early morning hours ....because it means that I’m alive. ....weariness and aching muscles at the end of the day ....because it means I have been productive. The art of thanksliving. It is gratitude in action. It is thanking God for the gift of life by living it triumphantly. I am going to let you go, it is getting time for us to eat – to celebrate. But let it also be a day of thankfulness of all God is doing in your life and in the life of those around you…let us pray… It is thanking God for your talents and abilities by accepting them as obligations to be invested for the common good. It is thanking God for all that men and women have done for you by doing things for others. It is thanking God for happiness by striving to make others happy. It is thanking God for beauty by helping to make the world more beautiful. It is thanking God for inspiration by trying to be an inspiration to others. Principle 1: Everything you have comes from God. Principle 2: Everything that is given to you is given in trust to you. Principle 3: The blessings that you have are not given to you for your own personal benefit. Principle 4: What is given to you in trust is given that you might share it with others.

Our Final Victory Over Death

November 4, 2011 All Saints Day Revelation 21:1-6a John 11:32-44 “Our Final Victory over death” 23rd Sunday After Pentecost Year B Jack defeats death One day Jack was about to go to work, before leaving he looked in on his mom. She did not look so well. Her color was off, she had not gotten out of the bed yet, and she was not very responsive when Jack talked with her. Even so, so encouraged Jack to go on with her day. She would be fine, just go on she encouraged. Reluctantly, Jack walked out of the door, down the sidewalk and out onto the street. But he noticed that there was a man, dressed in black from head to toe, with a black cape covering his face so you couldn’t see his face. And a sickle in his hand. Jack turned around to look at this strangely dressed man. He noticed that the man was heading up the driveway of his house. So Jack yelled at the man, can I help you. The man responded no thank you, I just have some business to take care of. You have some business headed that way? Jack asked. Yep said the man. No, I don’t think you have any business in this house, so you need to go on about your business. I am sorry but I cant do that said the man, I have my instructions and I have to follow them. Realizing now who this man was, Jack jumped in front of him and said I am sorry but I cant let you go into that house. As a matter of fact, Jack reached out and bopped death in the nose. Death was a little taken off guard and did not fight Jack back. Jack just kept hitting death and bopping him. Every time Jack hit, death got a little smaller and smaller. Once death was smaller even then a peanut, Jack looked around the ground and found a acorn with a hole it in. He smashed death into to acorn and ran to the beach and threw the acorn into the ocean. At last, he had victory over death, he had won the fight, and put death far away. Jack decided that he would go check on his mom to see if she was okay. And sure enough, she was up , she looked better than she had in years, her hair was done and she even had on one of the best dresses the she owned. She said that she had the energy that she had as a teenager. Her color was in her cheeks, she was really happy. She told Jack that she wanted to cook him a good lunch since he was home. She went into the kitchen to cut up some carrots, but she noticed that everytime she cut the carrot, she could cut it, it would just bounce off of the cutting board. Never mind, she would cut up some potatoes - the same thing happened. She couldn’t cut into it. By this time Jack comes into the kitchen to make sure everything is okay. Mom responds, I am having a little trouble with the vegetables, but that is okay because we need some meat. She asked Jack to go to the butcher to get some pork chops. Jack goes into town, but he notices that everyone is walking around aimlessly. He goes to the butcher shop and asks for some pork chops. But butcher tells him that he cant give him any pork chops, he could kill the pig this morning. Jack says that okay, them give me beef, the butcher shakes his head, I cant do it. What about chicken, the butcher shakes his head again. As Jack walks home he notices everyone is just walking along, everyone seems to be upset, no one can prepare anything to eat. They cant kill nothing and wont nothing die. Jack wonders what he is going to tell his mom about the meat. When he gets home he tells his mom what happens at the butcher shop, and how everyone in town is in a total panic. He also tells her- I think I know what is going on. You see, this morning I got into a fight with death. I beat death and through him into the sea. You beat death – why would you pick a fight with death – because he was at your doorstep – and you didn’t look so good this morning, so I needed to get rid of him, so that you would be okay. His mom puts her hand on her head, o my God Jack, what have you done. You cant get rid of death, death is a part of life. In order for things to live, some things have to die – that is just the will of God. how are we supposed to eat lunch if we cant get kill anything. Leave it up to my son to not only ruin lunch, but to upset the whole order of life. She looks at Jack and tells him that he has to go and make this right. How I am supposed to make this right. Death is in an acorn at the bottom of the ocean, I will never find him. Jack, I don’t know what you are going to do, but you better get out of this house right now – and do something. Jack walks out of the house, and walks to the beach and just staring at the ocean, totally at a loss of what to do. All of a sudden the tide blows in, and an acorn washes up on shore. Jack cracks the acorn open, in sure enough there is death, still smaller then a penny. Jack has to take death and stretch him out. He pulls him left and right until he is back the size of a man. He gives death back his black robe and his sickle. Death thanks Jack for restoring him, and he looks at his watch as says that he still have a busy schedule. But he turns to Jack and says, since you now seem to understand the concept of death, I wont be going to your house today. But you need to understand that when the time comes I will be back for her, and the next time she has to go with me. Jack said that he understood. When he got home, lunch was ready for him. He treasured each moment that he had with his mom. Until many years later his mom passed away. Jack is a popular character in English folktales. Jack represents the ordinary guy – he is not the smartest person in life, but he not the dumbest. He is not a good person, but he is not necessarily the worst person. He doesn’t go to church, so sometimes he has to learn his lessons the hard way. In the earlier centuries, people used to carve out turnips, and put a candle in it in order so that when Jack got lost, he would see the light and have a safe place to sleep at night. He would sleep in the turnip – today in America – people carve out pumpkins and call them Jack o Lanterns. Jack never did really come to terms with death – that is why he is roaming the earth still looking for a safe place to sleep at night – but that is a story for another time and another place. Not a story for today Today is All Saint Day – the day we remember those who have lit the path of wisdom for us, so that we could follow in their footsteps of faith. Today is the day that we remember those who were important to us, who are no longer with us. We miss them and all that they have given to our lives. We are grateful for the faith lessons that they taught us. We are grateful for the time that God allowed us to have with them. We honor the grace that God gave them in their lives, we hold onto the grace that they passed onto us. The presence of the spirit that we have witnessed in their presence. They may have experienced physical death. – but we rejoice with them that they are indeed the ones who have conquered death, and are now a part of eternal life. We rejoice in the fact that we are now connected to them in the faith that we have in Jesus Christ. Along with them we are a part of the communion of Saints. The body of Christ expands across the generations, to include both the living and the dead. The good news of Jesus Christ – is that even in the midst of the grief and pain that we feel here on earth – It is Jesus Christ who has indeed declared true victory over death. And if we live in that faith, if we believe in the power of Jesus on the cross. We may cry for now, but not forever. I want to take you to another story, another family, another attempt to save a lost love one. In John 11 – Jesus returns to the house of his friends. And Lazurus sister greets him and says – Jesus had you been here my brother would not have died. She knew that Jesus had the power over life and death. Many of us have to same words for Jesus – had you been there, this or that would not have happen. Had you been there my loved one would not have become sick, had you been there in that meeting I would not have been yelled at, had you been there that accident would not have happen, and the list goes on for us of our griefs and pains. The list goes on of prayers of things for Jesus to take care of, for Jesus to solve. True Jesus knows all of needs, he knows all of our pain. The lesson of John 11 is that Jesus did not come to spare us from all pain. Pain and grief is a part of life. Jesus came so that when we are in pain, he suffers with us. Verse 35 says that when he saw that Mary was crying and all those around her were crying he cried too. Jesus wont keep us from crying, but when we do cry he came to wipe away our tears. To give us a chance to heal, to get better and to get better. All Saints day is for the living. To acknowledge our grief and pain. To realize that just as death is a part of life, tears are a part of living also. Without the tears, there would be no healing. Without death there would be no resurrection, It is in dying that we have eternal life. In John 11:23 Jesus tell Mary – I am the resurrection and the life. Those who believe in me, even though they die, will live. And everyone who believes in me will never die. Saints are those who believe in the words of Jesus and live. Saints are those who have faith in eternal life. that fact that he is our resurrection, our hope for new life Jesus didn’t say that we had to understand resurrection, we just have to believe in him and, our connection between those who are here and those who have passed away. Jack represents that life of the everyday person, not too smart and not too dumb, but who has to learn the lessons of life the hard way. In a way we are all a little like Jack in our lives. But if we believe in Jesus, if we believe there is eternal life beyond this one, then we too are saints. Jack needs to light of a jackolantern to show him the way. But if believe that Christ is the resurrection, we are all saints – may the light of Christ shine brightly through our lives and the lives of those we honor today. Let us pray….