In the Midst of the Storm

June 24, 2018 Mark 4:35-41 Pentecost 5 In the Midst of the Storm Children’s Sermon……… But he was in the stern, asleep on the cushion; and they woke him and said to him, "Teacher, do you not care if we perish?" (v. 38) Object: A cushion or pillow. Good morning, boys and girls. How many of you have ever gone fishing? (Let them answer.) Fishing is really fun if you catch some fish, but if you have to just sit and do nothing but wait for the fish to nibble on your line every once in a while, it can be pretty boring. Have you ever been fishing in a boat? (Let them answer.) That seems like a lot more fun, doesn't it? Even if you can't catch fish, you can always have a nice ride while you sit in the warm sunshine, and let your hands skim through the cool water. The disciples and Jesus used to take a lot of boat rides. They didn't have cars or buses, so it was one of the ways that they chose to get from place to place. They often rode in a boat from one side of a lake to the other. This was also a good place for Jesus to take a nap, since he had little time for sleeping when he was around people. They wanted him to heal their sick or teach them about the ways of God. Once in a while, Jesus would tell the disciples that he wanted to go somewhere else and that they should get a boat, so that they could cross over to the other side of the lake. It was a day like this, that Jesus was sleeping on a cushion at the front of the boat, when a terrible wind storm came up and made great waves. Riding in a boat, with his head upon the cushion, Jesus was sleeping after some very busy days. But the disciples were not asleep. They saw the huge waves and became very much afraid that the boat would turn over in the storm and they would all drown. They knew how tired Jesus was and they hoped that he would wake up on his own, when he felt the boat toss and turn in the storm. But Jesus was so tired and completely unafraid that he never moved. He remained very quiet with his head upon the cushion. Finally, one of the disciples became so afraid that he screamed at Jesus to wake up and do something about the storm before they all drowned. Jesus did wake up, and he looked at the waves which were pounding at the boat and then, with a very quiet voice, he told the waves to calm down. The waves were no more. The lake was calm and the disciples were almost more afraid of his power than they were of the storm, "Just think," they said, "he speaks and even the seas listen to him and obey him." No one had ever seen such power before. Maybe you have a cushion that you sleep on sometimes. The next time you sleep on it, you can think about the day that Jesus spoke to the sea, and the waves calmed down and became quiet. Will you do that? Good. Amen. Mark 4:35-41 Common English Bible (CEB) Jesus stops a storm 35 Later that day, when evening came, Jesus said to them, “Let’s cross over to the other side of the lake.” 36 They left the crowd and took him in the boat just as he was. Other boats followed along. 37 Gale-force winds arose, and waves crashed against the boat so that the boat was swamped. 38 But Jesus was in the rear of the boat, sleeping on a pillow. They woke him up and said, “Teacher, don’t you care that we’re drowning?” 39 He got up and gave orders to the wind, and he said to the lake, “Silence! Be still!” The wind settled down and there was a great calm. 40 Jesus asked them, “Why are you frightened? Don’t you have faith yet?” 41 Overcome with awe, they said to each other, “Who then is this? Even the wind and the sea obey him!” Common English Bible (CEB) Copyright © 2011 by Common English Bible I checked weather forecast, it has been a pretty stormy week, but it looks like we will get a little break from the rain until at least Tuesday. Have you noticed that life seems to be full of storms. I have heard it said that in life, either, we have just gotten over a storm, we are in the midst of the storm, or we are about to go into a storm. We don’t ask for trouble in life, it just seems to have a way of finding us. Thrown into the Fire I read a story about an Ohio gentleman whose oil well caught fire, and he put out an all-points' bulletin for help, to make sure that anybody and everybody would come and help him. He offered a $30,000 reward to whoever could put out that fire. With all the large firehouses from cities like Newell, Chester, Wellsville, Dillonvale sent help. They sent their best companies accompanied by the most modern fire- fighting equipment available, but not one of the trucks could get within 200 yards of the blaze because the heat was just too intense and the fire was too big. Finally, the Calcutta Township Volunteer Fire Department appeared on the scene. Amazingly they had only one rickety truck equipped with a single ladder; only two buckets of water, three buckets of sand, and a few blankets. It didn't even come with a hose. When that old truck reached the point where all those other fire companies had stopped, the driver didn't even hesitate. He just kept barreling ahead until he and his crew were right in the thick of that blaze. They jumped out of that truck, threw the two buckets of water and three buckets of sand on that fire and then beat the fire out with those blankets. That oil man was so impressed by that unbelievable display of courage, he gave the driver $30,000 in cash on the spot and said, "What are you and your men going to do with all of that money?" The driver, shaking like a leaf, said, "The first thing we're going to do is to get those stupid brakes on that truck fixed." Sometimes we are thrown into the fire through no fault of our own. James Merritt, Collected Sermons, www.Sermons.com Trouble has a way of finding us. Have you noticed that when trouble comes, no matter how calm and faithful we may be otherwise, no matter how much we know about Jesus and faith, it all seems to go out the window. We forget all that Jesus taught us about life. For instance take the disciples as an example. They were all fishermen, they were used to being on the water, summer storms were not something new to them. But this time as they are on the sea and a storm comes up, Jesus is in the boat with them asleep. And this time they are afraid and worried about what would happen. This story is very important for us to remember, it has a lot of symbolism. If you go back all the way to the story of creation, in the Hebrew bible, you have to remember that Jews are naturally afraid of water. The sea is the place where the enemy of God lives and rules. In the creation story, God had to defeat the sea monster chaos in order to create order. For the Hebrew people, being in the middle of the sea in the midst of a storm was a very dangerous place to be. If a storm were to come up, the only person with the power to save you was God, only God could calm the sea. Mark tells this story to help us to understand that Jesus holds the power of God. It is interesting that when this summer storm comes up, these lifelong fishermen get scared and they think of Jesus to come and save them. Jesus is not a fisherman, he is a carpenter. He is an honored guest on the boat, and since he is not working, he is sleeping. When they wake Jesus, he is able to calm the sea. Who is this person who has the power to tell the sea to be quiet and it listens? I have heard it said that this story was about the calming of the disciples, when they were able to calm down, they were able to deal with the situation. They say that sometimes God can calm the storm and sometimes God calms the frightened child in the midst of the storm. But this is not just about the disciples calming down, or about us learning to dance in the rain. If you look at the scripture, when Jesus speaks, He does not speak to the disciples to tell them to calm down, he speaks to the storm and tells it to calm down. He has the power to control the environment and make things better. As a matter of fact, his power over the storm seems to lie in his words. It is his words that change the whole situation. That power comes directly from God. Little Faith in a Great God There was a woman in a community who was well known for her simple faith and great calm in the midst of many trials. Another woman who had never met her but had heard of her came to visit one day. "I must find out the secret of her calm, happy life," she thought to herself. As she met her she said:" So you are the woman with the great faith I've heard so much about." "No," came the reply. "I am not the woman with the great faith, but I am the woman with the little faith in the great God." Can you say the same? Donald L. Deffner, Seasonal Illustrations, San Jose: Resource, p. 89 Having faith is not in having the answers, most of the time faith is in being able to ask the right questions. Our answers don’t satisfy everyone, but we all have the same questions. If we go back to the story – when the disciples are afraid and talk to Jesus – they ask a question. Do you want to watch us die? Jesus comes back with a question of his own – why were you afraid? Where is your faith? The bible is a series of questions to each of us about our faith. Look just at the new testament and its questions. Listen for the Questions The Scriptures include a significant number of life-and-death questions about meaning, purpose and value in life. Consider some of the questions posed by Scripture: What will it profit us if we gain the whole world but forfeit our life? (Matthew 16:26) Who do you say that I am? (Matthew 16:15) What are you looking for? (John 1:38) Who is my neighbor? (Like 10:29) What must I do to inherit eternal life? (Mark 10:17) Who can separate us from the love of Christ? (Romans 8:35) Are you able to drink the cup that I drink, or be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with? (Mark 10:38) Which commandment is the first of all? (Mark 12:28) Where can I go from your Spirit? (Psalm 139:7). What is this new teaching, with authority? (Mark 1:27) Who is this about whom I hear such things? (Luke 9:9) What is truth? (John 18:38) And this morning’s Gospel lesson ends with the question, “Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?” (Mark 4:41). Who is this Jesus, the one who speaks with a new level of authority, the one who is able to bring calm into the storms of life, the one who comes among us as prince of peace, suffering servant, fount of compassion and grace? Joel D. Kline, Listen for the Questions If life is like a storm, and faith is like a question, and Jesus is the one who calms the sea, then the church is meant to be the boat. This is a postmodern church, but in a lot of churches, if you look up, you will see a series of beams, that is intentional. It represents the bottom of the ship. The sanctuary is the nave, the body of the boat. Tied to the Shore Often, the alternative to risking the dangerous, stormy crossing, is to stay tied up on the shore. Unfortunately, that is the picture of many churches -- a peaceful, restful club house on the shore rather than a boat following Jesus' command to take the fearful risk to cross the lake. We are often more willing to be safe than to answer Jesus' call to go to the other side. A quote that is in my notes from many years ago ties in with this image: "The church is 'not a luxury liner, granting passage and comfort to all who qualify and clamber aboard' but rather 'like a rescuing lifeboat, sometimes listing, or even leaking, but always guided by the captain, Jesus, at the helm.'" (Bishop Lyle G. Miller in opening worship at the Sierra Pacific Synod assembly, 1991, quoted in "The Lutheran," June 19, 1991, page 38) Brian Stoffregen, Exegetical Notes The Boat Is a Symbol for the Church The boat is a symbol for the church. It has been that way from the beginning. The ship has always been a symbol for the church. The logo for the ecumenical movement in our day is the symbol of a ship upon the sea. The Roman Catholic Church refers to itself as "the bark of Peter" which means "the ship of Peter." Architecturally, that part of the sanctuary in which all of you sit is called the "nave." Up front we have the chancel. Out back we have the narthex. That's "churchspeak." But where you are is the nave. The word "nave" is obviously linked, linguistically, to the word "naval." Literally, "nave" is the Latin word for "ship." Even as we sit here in church, we are in the boat with the disciples. And, as Al Gurley is fond of pointing out, if you look up at the ceiling, you can see the ship's prow, albeit upside down. William A. Ritter, Collected Sermons, www.Sermons.com As we sit hear together, each of us dealing with our own personal storms – looking for the right questions. Let us remember that Jesus is our savior – not just calming our nerves, but indeed calming the storm itself, creating a better life for us. Traveling together as we set sail for the other shore – the shore of forgiveness the shore of peace. This is an important story for us. It has lot of important symbols of life and faith. But let us remember that in the midst of the storms of life, to trust in Jesus. He calms us, but he also calms the sea. Who is this that even the seas obey? That person is Jesus. Let us pray… Humor: Sucked In, Washed Up, Blown Over Chippie the parakeet never saw it coming. One second he was peacefully perched in his cage. The next he was sucked in, washed up, and blown over. The problems began when Chippie’s owner decided to clean Chippie’s cage with a vacuum cleaner. She removed the attachment from the end of the hose and stuck it in the cage. The phone rang, and she turned to pick it up. She'd barely said "hello" when "ssssopp!" Chippie got sucked in. The bird’s owner gasped, put down the phone, turned off the vacuum cleaner, and opened the bag. There was Chippie - still alive, but stunned. Since the bird was covered with dust, hair and all the stuff you find in a dust bag, she grabbed him and raced to the bathroom, turned on the tap, and held Chippie under the running water. Then, realizing that Chippie was soaked and shivering, she did what any compassionate bird owner would do . . . she reached for the hair dryer and blasted the pet with hot air. Poor Chippie never knew what hit him. A few days after the trauma, a friend who had heard about Chippie’s troubles contacted his owner to see how the bird was recovering. "Well," she replied, "Chippie doesn't sing much anymore - he just sits and stares." Who can blame him? Sucked in, washed up, and blown over . . . That's enough to steal the song from the stoutest heart. Things happen in our lives that come along unexpectedly and we end up feeling a bit like Chippie - sucked in, washed up, and blown over – the song stolen from the stoutest of hearts. I reckon there are very few here this morning who couldn’t stand up and give testimony to some aspect of their lives where they feel a bit like the disciples in that boat - afraid, vulnerable, a decidedly sinking feeling! You know what it’s like to feel as though you are in the middle of a storm, tossed this way and that, and you wonder how you’re ever going to get to calmer waters. Vince Gerhardy, Calm in a Storm Why Not You? A ministerial colleague tells of a conversation he had one day with a female medical assistant in a doctor's office, as he was waiting to see the doctor. The woman recognized him because she had occasionally attended his church, though she was a member of another church. "I want to tell you about my experience," she said. "I got saved in the Assemblies of God Church ... I gave my life to God ... and guess what? ... Life tumbled in! I developed a heart problem. My husband lost his executive job ... and he recently died of cancer." The minister says he tried to mumble a few theological sounding explanatory words about God's mysterious ways, thinking that was what the woman wanted. But she went right on with her story, indicating that she had repeatedly asked God, "Why me?" "And what do you think God told me?" she continued. "'Why not you?' That's what God said. 'Why should you be spared all the crises of life that everyone else must go through?'" Then she wound up her story saying, "One day I said to God, 'Lord, you've forgiven me. Now I forgive you.'" There is a woman who, from my point of view, has a healthy faith. Her faith is not a series of propositions, it is a relationship, and as in all relationships, it is one that changes and can tolerate challenges. It is vital because it is honest. David G. Rogne, Sermons for Sundays after Pentecost, CSS Publishing Company What Is The Question? In his book Listening to Your Life Frederick Buechner writes of Gertrude Stein asking on her deathbed, “What is the answer?” Then, after a long silence, she asks yet another question. This time she asks, “What is the question?” Buechner concludes: "Don’t start looking in the Bible for the answers it gives. Start by listening for the questions it asks. "We are much involved, all of us, with questions that matter a good deal today but will be forgotten by this time tomorrow — the immediate where’s and when’s and how’s that face us daily at home and at work — but at the same time we tend to lose track of the questions about the things that matter always, life-and-death questions about meaning, purpose, and value." Joel D. Kline, Listen for the Questions Now You Know Why During his years as premier of the Soviet Union, Nikita Khrushchev denounced many of the policies and atrocities of Joseph Stalin. Once, as he censured Stalin in a public meeting, Khrushchev was interrupted by a shout from a heckler in the audience. "You were one of Stalin's colleagues. Why didn't you stop him?" "Who said that?" roared Khrushchev. An agonizing silence followed as nobody in the room dared move a muscle. Then Khrushchev replied quietly, "Now you know why." Fear has a way of paralyzing us. Today in the Word Sleeping When the Wind Blows God also works through other people to assure us in the midst of difficult times. A young man applied for a job as a farmhand. When the farmer asked for his qualifications, he said, "I can sleep when the wind blows." This puzzled the farmer. But he liked the young man, and hired him. A few days later, the farmer and his wife were awakened in the night by a violent storm. They quickly began to check things out to see if all was secure. They found that the shutters of the farmhouse had been securely fastened. A good supply of logs had been set next to the fireplace. Meanwhile, the young man slept soundly. The farmer and his wife then inspected their property. They found that the farm tools had been placed in the storage shed, safe from the elements. The tractor had been moved into the garage. The barn was properly locked. Even the animals were calm. All was well. The farmer then understood the meaning of the young man's words, "I can sleep when the wind blows." Because the farmhand did his work loyally and faithfully when the skies were clear, he was prepared for the storm when it broke. God wants us to rely on others when there is turmoil, especially to those who are faithful. Keith Wagner, Sailing Through the Storms of Life Crossing Over The story is told of old Bishop Warren Chandler, after whom the school of theology at Emory University was named. As he lay on his death bed, a friend inquired as to whether or not he was afraid. "Please tell me frankly," he said, "do you fear crossing over the river of death?" "Why," replied Chandler, "I belong to a father who owns the land on both sides of the river." In life, in death, in life beyond death, God is with us. That is our great salvation hope. I want you to know that God cares if you are immobilized by some fear in your life. He cares because that fear is intruding upon His destiny for you. It is perfect love that casts out fear. At the foot of the cross you can lean back into the arms of an ever loving and gracious God and echo the words of the old hymn: "God will take care of you, He will take care of you." Staff, www.eSermons.com I Have Seen the Face of the Captain Robert Louis Stevenson delighted in the story of a ship tossed in a storm. The sea was rough and the rocky coast perilous. Danger was real and dread expectancy active among the seamen. One frantic sailor who was laboring below the water line could contain himself no longer. He rushed to the control room, closed the door behind himself, and stood frozen in fright watching the captain wrestle with the controls of the huge ship. Skill of mind and strength of hand enabled the captain to guide the vessel through the threatening rocks into open water. The Captain turned slightly, looked at the frightened sailor, and smiled. The youth returned below deck and assured the crew all danger was over. When they inquired how he knew, he answered, "I have seen the face of the Captain, and he smiled at me." If you will only "turn your eyes upon Jesus, look full in his wonderful face, the things of earth will grow strangely dim in the light of his glory and grace." When you know who is in control there is no fear. Eric S. Ritz, www.Sermons.com

A New Definition of Family

June 10, 2018 Mark 3:20-35 5B Pentecost A New Definition of Family Children’s Sermon: "Whoever does the will of God is my brother and sister and mother." (v. 35) Object: wear a strange piece of clothing or hat (or something completely out of character, like wearing a wastebasket for a hat) Good morning, boys and girls. What do you think of my new piece of clothing? (Let them answer.) It's pretty strange looking, isn't it? I might wear this one time and get away with it. If I wore this all the time, you might think I was strange. My family would become pretty concerned about me. What do you think would happen if I wore this everyday for one week? (Let them answer.) I think I know what would happen. My family would probably sit down with me and have a long talk about how I've changed. They would ask me if something were the matter with me. They would then suggest that I get some help from someone about my problem. Even though I like this (name the object), I think I'll take it off. I want to tell you a story about someone else who did something that made his family very concerned. They wanted to talk with him also. This person was Jesus. Can you believe that? When Jesus started his ministry he began going from place to place healing people. He soon became so popular that people followed him everywhere. Soon his family became concerned. They went to talk to him. He was in a house when someone told him, "Your mother and your brothers and sisters are outside asking about you." They were worried about him. They didn't understand his mission from God. Here's how Jesus replied to them. He said, (point to the children and the congregation) "Here are my mother and my brothers! Whoever does the will of God is my brother and sister and mother." Jesus was saying that our family is larger than we think. He was saying that anyone who does what God says to do is your brother or sister. This week I want you to think about this. We all have families that you came to church with. You are also part of God's larger family. God's family members are those around you this morning in church. All people who do what God tells them are your brothers and sisters. CSS Publishing Co., Mark 3:20-35 Common English Bible (CEB) Misunderstandings about Jesus 20 Jesus entered a house. A crowd gathered again so that it was impossible for him and his followers even to eat. 21 When his family heard what was happening, they came to take control of him. They were saying, “He’s out of his mind!” 22 The legal experts came down from Jerusalem. Over and over they charged, “He’s possessed by Beelzebul. He throws out demons with the authority of the ruler of demons.” 23 When Jesus called them together he spoke to them in a parable: “How can Satan throw Satan out? 24 A kingdom involved in civil war will collapse. 25 And a house torn apart by divisions will collapse. 26 If Satan rebels against himself and is divided, then he can’t endure. He’s done for. 27 No one gets into the house of a strong person and steals anything without first tying up the strong person. Only then can the house be burglarized. 28 I assure you that human beings will be forgiven for everything, for all sins and insults of every kind. 29 But whoever insults the Holy Spirit will never be forgiven. That person is guilty of a sin with consequences that last forever.” 30 He said this because the legal experts were saying, “He’s possessed by an evil spirit.” 31 His mother and brothers arrived. They stood outside and sent word to him, calling for him. 32 A crowd was seated around him, and those sent to him said, “Look, your mother, brothers, and sisters are outside looking for you.” 33 He replied, “Who is my mother? Who are my brothers?” 34 Looking around at those seated around him in a circle, he said, “Look, here are my mother and my brothers. 35 Whoever does God’s will is my brother, sister, and mother.” Common English Bible (CEB) Copyright © 2011 by Common English Bible Today’s scripture begins with the words – Jesus entered a house. Usually when you enter into a house you enter into a the dwelling place of a family. Indeed the theme of the scripture is what it means to be family. The question is asked, who is my mother and brother. And Jesus ultimately responds that those who do the will of God are my family. In other words, the house that Jesus enters is the house of God. And those who are present are all family. But sometimes we don’t treat one another like family. Today’s scripture is also about a house divided. As many of our churches are. I am struck that Jesus says that a house divided cannot stand. What does that mean for us? I have told a similar story before, but this one has a little bit of a different twist. Dr. Eugene Brice tells a delightful but disturbing story about a minister who returned to visit a church he had once served. He ran into Bill, who had been an elder and leader in the church, but who wasn't around anymore. The pastor asked, "Bill, what happened? You used to be there every time the doors opened." "Well, Pastor," said Bill, "a difference of opinion arose in the church. Some of us couldn't accept the final decision and we established a church of our own." "Is that where you worship now?" asked the pastor. "No," answered Bill, "we found that there, too, the people were not faithful and a small group of us began meeting in a rented hall at night." "Has that proven satisfactory?" asked the minister. "No, I can't say that it has," Bill responded. "Satan was active even in that fellowship, so my wife and I withdrew and began to worship on Sunday at home by ourselves." "Then at last you have found inner peace?" asked the pastor. "No, I'm afraid we haven't," said Bill. "Even my wife began to develop ideas I was not comfortable with, so now she worships in the northeast corner of the living room, and I am in the southwest." King Duncan, quoting Eugene Brice, Collected Sermons, www.Sermons.com A house divided…… I just returned from annual conference at the beginning of last week. Tony is the lay delegate, and I would expect that he will give a report of his experience soon. Did you know that the United Methodist Church turns 50 years old this year? In 1968 – the Evangelical United Brethren Church and the Methodist Episcopal Church merged in order to become the United Methodist Church. The EUB church was of a German church and the Methodist Episcopal was more of an English church – both started by John Wesley. They realized that they had more in common than they had differences. But in the merger they had to spend some time working out those differences and finding new grounds. For instance, when the EUB church says the Lord’s prayer – they said Forgive us our debts. When the ME’s said the Lord’s prayer they said – Forgive us our trespasses. In order to find new common ground, this church says forgive us our sins. Having served a former EUB congregation, I always have to be sensitive to what wording is used in a church. Another issue that had to be thoroughly ironed out was the new church’s stance on racism. In the ME church, the African American churches had their own conference. All afircan American churches irregardless of where they were in the world belonged to the central conference. The EUB’s insisted that all churches were equal and had to be integrated into the general church. I have also served one of the few remaining churches that was actually a member of the central conference. One of my former members still speaks of how her mother vehemently opposed the new merger, because losing the central conference meant losing their identity as a church. And yet it was that integration and unity that made me decide to become a United Methodist. The Baptist church is still divided into the Northern and Southern and separate black denominations. And there will never be a reason for the three to unite – as time goes on, they really don’t have anything in common but a name. I guess that is why it pains me to think that 50 years after putting their differences aside, that the United Methodist church once again faces a division. This time over the question of homosexuality. Not so much in how the church accepts homosexuality, but in the question of whether homosexuality is in keeping with the teachings of the bible. In 2019 – there will be a special general conference of the entire church just to deal with this issue. The regular general conference is in 2020. But there are many on both sides who have threatened to break off from the denomination. The bishops have three proposals for what to do next. The one that seems to have the most support is the One Church model, where the church stays intact, but each conference, church, pastor and parishioner is free to have their own conscious on the matter. But the bishops don’t make the decision. No one knows what will happen in 2019 when the actual vote is taken. But I appreciated our bishops words to the clergy – that whatever happens, whether we split or we stay united – the work of each of us as United Methodist stays the same. – we need to make disciples and save souls for Jesus Christ. To relate to our scripture – we have to remember who our brothers and sisters – and work to stay a family. The conference is preparing itself for how to move forward whatever the decision. And the feelings have been boiling on both sides of this issue for quite some time. But the conference shepherding team offered the word liminal – a state of preparation, prayer and paying attention to what God is telling us. I think that is a very good place for us to be as a congregation – asking God what is next for us. What is it mean to be family here in Wilmington? What do we need to be doing to bring more people into the family. I sat in with the Morning Glory Circle Tuesday for refreshments. We got to talking about transferring to the Presbyterian Church from another denomination. One said when she joined the Presbyterian Church, her mother didn't speak to her for several weeks. Herloise said when she told her mother that she was going to join the Presbyterian Church when she and Jimmy got married, her mother said, "Well, you never were much of a Baptist anyway!" It happens all the time: A son chooses a different line of work instead of joining his father's business; a woman chooses to marry a man her parents don't approve of; couples decide to have children – or not to have children – over their parents' wishes; even deciding who you're going to vote for in the Presidential election can be a problem. Of course, there's no expiration date on parenthood – loving parents will always love their children – but there are boundaries. And to cross the line; that is, to hold on to the dependency of the parent-child relationship is to violate the parental role and thwart the growth and development of the child. As loving parents we have to cut the apron strings and insist that our children stand on their own two feet. We have to let go and entrust them to God: "He who loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me." This is the goal of healthy parenting – to enable our children to become the men and women God intends them to be, created not in our image, but in the image of God. John Power says this in a delightful way in his book, The Unoriginal Sinner and the Ice Cream God. In the form of a letter from a father to his teenage son, he writes, "Dear Son: Ever since the day you were born, I have made your life worth living. Make no mistake about it. I have done everything for you. And during all those years, just by being my son, you have made life worth living for me. I would have lived without you, but I would have never lived so well. Let's call it even. And if we see each other after today, let it be because we're friends, not family." (p. 243) Here's the bottom line: Jesus clearly defined the boundaries of parenthood when he asked the question, "Who are my mother and my brothers?" There could be no mistake about it, his relationship to God came first and foremost, and so must ours. Philip W. McLarty, Who Are My Mother and My Brothers? Jesus ends by saying – Whoever does God’s will is my brother, sister or mother. What does that mean for each of us? Amen. Who Are My Mother and My Brothers? A friend named Bill is a minister. He also has been accused of being a little bit nuts. Bill does workshops for churches on clowning. Not long ago, he was in a distant city, packing up after a workshop. The phone rang. Nobody was around. He answered. "Are you a minister?" somebody asked. "Yes, actually I am." "Come quickly," said the voice, "our child is dying of leukemia." Bill dropped everything. He ran out to his rental car and drove to the hospital. He parked the car, ran up the steps, through the double doors, and down the hall. Suddenly it hit him: he was still dressed as a clown, with a white face, red nose, orange hair, and green suspenders. He didn't have time to change. It was an emergency. He kept going. He found the room, knocked on the door, and entered the room where a young girl in a hospital bed lay surrounded by her family. "We called for a minister, not a clown," said the father. The child replied, "He's better than a minister. Can he stay?" No one dared to deny her request. Bill sat on the edge of the hospital bed. He sang songs. He told Bible stories. He cradled the little girl in his arms until the end. When the last moment came, she made a final request. "Would you come to my funeral?" So that's how it happened. On the third day, crazy Bill stood with white face, red nose, orange hair, and green suspenders. He never spoke a word, yet he led the people as they laughed, and cried, and remembered the little girl's life. A few people present thought it was wrong to have a clown at a funeral, much less lead the service. They murmured afterwards, "That minister is out of his mind! He's crazy!" By all the proper canons of pastoral protocol, they were probably correct. But there he stood, acting as if God's joyful power has already defeated death. Was he crazy? Who can say? All we know is that Bill heard Jesus say, "I am the resurrection and the life," and he acted accordingly. "You don't have to be crazy to work around here, but it helps." Likewise, you don't have to be out of your mind to do the work of Jesus Christ, even though a faithful life can provoke the world to think of you that way. Should evil conspire against you, listen closely. You may hear Christ say, "You're my brother -- you're my sister -- you're my family." William G. Carter, Water Won’t Quench the Fire, CSS Publishing Company One of the Lucifer legends tells how one day a priest noticed in his congregation a magnificently handsome young man. After the service the young man stayed for confession. He confessed so many and such terrible sins that the priest’s hair stood on end. “You must have lived long to have done all that,” the priest said. “My name is Lucifer and I fell from heaven at the beginning of time,” said the young man. “Even so,” said the priest, “say that you are sorry, say that you repent and even you can be forgiven.” The young man looked at the priest for a moment and then turned and strode away. He would not and could not say it; and therefore he had to go on still desolate and still damned. There is only one condition of forgiveness and that is penitence. So long as a man sees loveliness in Christ, so long as he hates his sin even if he cannot leave it, even if he is in the mud and the mire, he can still be forgiven. But if a man, by repeated refusals of God’s guidance, has lost the ability to recognize goodness when he sees it, if he has got his moral values inverted until evil to him is good and good to him is evil, then, even when he is confronted by Jesus, he is conscious of no sin; he cannot repent and therefore he can never be forgiven. That is the sin against the Holy Spirit.

The Gifts of Confirmation

Psalm 139:1-6,13-18 Confirmation The gifts of confirmation 2nd Sunday of Pentecost Year B Children’s Sermon – bring something knitted Psalm 139 For the music leader. Of David. A song. 139 LORD, you have examined me. You know me. 2 You know when I sit down and when I stand up. Even from far away, you comprehend my plans. 3 You study my traveling and resting. You are thoroughly familiar with all my ways. 4 There isn’t a word on my tongue, LORD, that you don’t already know completely. 5 You surround me—front and back. You put your hand on me. 6 That kind of knowledge is too much for me; it’s so high above me that I can’t fathom it. Psalm 139:13-18 Common English Bible (CEB) 13 You are the one who created my innermost parts; you knit me together while I was still in my mother’s womb. 14 I give thanks to you that I was marvelously set apart. Your works are wonderful—I know that very well. 15 My bones weren’t hidden from you when I was being put together in a secret place, when I was being woven together in the deep parts of the earth. 16 Your eyes saw my embryo, and on your scroll every day was written that was being formed for me,[a] before any one of them had yet happened.[b] 17 God, your plans are incomprehensible to me! Their total number is countless! 18 If I tried to count them—they outnumber grains of sand! If I came to the very end—I’d still be with you.[c] Footnotes: a. Psalm 139:16 Correction; Heb lacks for me. b. Psalm 139:16 Heb uncertain c. Psalm 139:18 Correction Common English Bible (CEB) Copyright © 2011 by Common English Bible A few years ago I posted this poem on facebook. "I believe in the sun even when it's not shining. I believe in love even when not feeling it. I believe in God even when He is silent." In many ways this was a faith statement about God - I believe that God is always with us. There are times in our lives when we don’t really feel the presence of God. But God is always there. That is the point of psalm 139 – it is a reminder that God is with us. It is a reminder that God was present in our lives before we were even born and that God knows us better than we know ourselves. You know that this was a psalm of the heart, because it is written not in Hebrew, but in Aramaic. Aramaic is the original language of Jesus. And whenever he was speaking from the heart, he used Aramaic words. When the psalm says lord you know me, the original language says Lord you dig deep into my heart and you know what is there. Our relationship with God is the deepest relationship that we have it goes beyond friends, family and even ourselves. And the good news is that we don’t have to go looking for God, because God always comes to find us. As a matter of fact a little piece of God is inside of us. Psalm 139 is one of my favorite verses in the bible because it reminds me of how special I am. So I think it is a perfect verse for us to reflect on for confirmation Sunday. It is a perfect verse to remind our young people that they are special, and that God has been waiting for eons for this day – to welcome you into the fold through your own choosing. In confirmation class we learned that these young people are not the ones who is confirming their faith – God is confirming God’s faith in them. When they were baptized God made a promise to them that God was there. And as we journey we have days like this where God for just a glimpse says hey remember me? Because I remember you. I hope that you realize that today is a beginning, not a graduation. It is your opportunity to be aware and to take part in what God gives to you. It is your chance to make it a part of your life and your plans. We are gather and work out our faith, and work on our selves together, we invite you to join us and to be a part of our community. The church is not made of perfect people, but we are sincere, and we learn more about God from one another. Just this year, I learned that when we are confirmed, the holy spirit brings us seven gifts…. 137628 It is difficult to name another Catholic doctrine of as hallowed antiquity as the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit that is subject to such benign neglect. Like most Catholics born around 1950, I learned their names by rote: "wis-dom, un-derstanding, coun-sel, fort-itude, know-ledge, pie-ety, and fear of the Lord!" These are all tools to have a better relationship with God. In those times when we doubt that God is around, these 7 gifts help us to see God more clearly. To know that God is always with us. There once was a fish who asked his mother what water was. She explained that water was the source of their life. She explained that they used water for everything, but that it was a clear substance that you couldn’t see. The little fish started to believe that there was no such thing as water, because he could not see the water for himself. Not realizing that he couldn’t see it because he was immersed in it and never saw anything else. God goes far beyond anything that your parents have taught you. God goes far beyond anything that happens in church. God goes far beyond anything that we may understand about God. God is the source of all that we are and ever will be. Let god lead us all through this moment. The last verses of our scripture for today says your eyes saw my embryo and on your scroll was written everyday of my life before I even lived it. Go forward from this moment and live your life to the fullness, remembering that a full life includes God. Let us all be grateful for the gifts that we have received today. : "wis-dom, un-derstanding, coun-sel, fort-itude, know-ledge, pie-ety, and fear of the Lord!" And Eileen, Evelyn chandler and Nell- Amen.