Now is the Time

September 29, 2024 Esther 7:1-6, 9-10; 9:20-22 19th Sunday after Pentecost Year B Now is the time! Prelude Greeting Call to Worship L: It’s a great day to be here. P: There are so many things we can do to serve the Lord. L: Just listen for God’s call to you. Let God guide your life. P: We are willing to open our lives to God’s service. L: Come, let’s worship and celebrate God’s good news for us. P: Let us bring our hopes and prayers to God with joy. AMEN (United Methodist Ministry Matters, Nancy Townley) Opening Prayer (James 5, Mark 9) Christ Jesus, we come into your presence from many different places. We come with songs of joy and shouts of gratitude. We come carrying heavy burdens and sighs of suffering. As you welcome us into your house, lift our burdens and receive our praise. Salt us with your grace and flavor us with your mercy. Bind us together, that we may be at peace with one another and be strengthened to go forth in service to the world. In your holy name, we pray. Amen. (United Methodist Ministry Matters, Mary Scifres) Responsive Reading Psalm 124 UMH 846 Song A Mighty Fortress is our God UMH 110 A Sermon for all Ages God created you and me. He tells us in His Word that He knit us together while we were inside our mother’s wombs. Psalm 139:13-15 He knows every little detail about us. He knows how many hairs we have on our heads. Matthew 10:30 He knows what we like and what we don’t like. He made each of unique and there is no one created exactly like us in the whole world. We live in a world that sometimes makes us think that we aren’t special because we are not popular, pretty, athletic, or as smart as others. Our value to God isn’t based on any of those things. He loves us because He created us and placed us in this world for a purpose. His purpose for placing each one of us on this earth is to glorify Him and enjoy Him forever. We glorify God when we live a life that pleases Him and points others to Him. When we live that kind of life we will enjoy God and all the blessings that come from Him. Because God’s purpose is for each of us to glorify Him and enjoy Him forever, He has given us gifts or talents that we can use to help others see that God exists and wants them to be a part of His family too. Sometimes we know clearly what our gifts/talents are and how God wants to use us in this life. Other times we may not know what our gift and purpose is in this life. (If possible take a gift-wrapped box out of a bag and set on your lap.) Our lives are like this unopened present. We have received a present but we don’t know exactly what is inside until we take the wrapping paper off the present. As each of us walk with God by faith day by day, obeying His Word He begins to prepare us for what is inside that present. In God’s perfect time He allows the wrapping on the gift we have to come off and He allows us to see what the talent/ability for serving Him will be. Whether we know what gift God has given us or not, we are to live a faithful and obedient life that pleases God. Because even though we might not feel like we have a purpose and are not useful to God, He sees all that is going on around us. He knows how your life will affect the people around you. We all influence the lives of others around us. Whether it’s your brother/sister or your classmates there is someone who is affected by the way you live your life. The question we need to think about this morning is: are you influencing people to want to know God and live for Him, or are you influencing people to disobey and rebel against God? Scripture Esther 7:1-6,9-10; 9:20-22 Sermon Now is the Time! I think it was the theologian Karl Barth who said that faithful people should practice their faith while holding the bible in one hand and the newspaper in the other. In other words, we should keep up with the signs of the times. I think in church, we try to do the exact opposite. We want the world to comply with biblical teaching. I know I intentionally try to do that in my sermons. I try to avoid making any comments on current events, since there are so many different opinions on matters going on in our world. Gayle and I usually look at the scriptures for the day well in advanced. When I looked at the scripture this week, and then looked all of the things going on the news, I got a little worried because it was all there in the scripture staring me in the face. How do I address all of these things. From Israel fighting Hamas at all cost to defend itself, to Puff Daddy getting arrested for having wild parties and disrespecting women, even a political climate that is divisive. It is all right there in this scripture. These are all topics that I wouldn’t touch with a ten foot pole in a sermon. And get this, all these things are mentioned, but in the entire book of Esther makes no mention of God, or prayer, or worship, or even faithful living. Many theologians and church fathers have wondered why this book is even a part of the bible, what does it have to do with faith? Many preachers refuse to preach from this book – because they feel that there is no lesson. As a matter of fact, the lectionary, which gives us our readings every week only includes the book of Esther once in the three year cycle. I know that I have preached on this text before, but interestingly, I can’t even find it. So I am stuck preaching today with the bible in one hand and the newspaper on the other. First, it is important go back and to tell the whole story – our scripture is just the end to a much longer saga. It starts with a wild party that got out of hand. King Xerxes ( his name sound a lot like the word for big headache in Hebrew) had a big party for all of his friends. The party was so big and so intense he was the most beautiful woman in the world. Vashti was the hostess of her own party, when she get a message that her husband wants her to stop what she is doing at her party and come to the men’s party for a parade – literally just wearing nothing but her crown. Being a respectable married women, already doing an important role for her kingdom – she refuses and tells the king no thank you. When word gets to the men’s party that the queen disobeyed a direct order from the king. The men of the party convince King Big headache that this is a grave injustice. If the queen disobeys the king, then that would encourage all of the women of the land to disobey their husbands too. They convince the king to make an edict that wives disobeying their husbands will not be tolerated. Even though the king loves his beautiful wife, she has to go. In some versions I think she is beheaded, in other stories she is just deposed and banished. So not the king realizes that he is alone, and needs a new queen. So he has a nationwide beauty contest to find a new bride. Esther, a young orphaned Hebrew girl wins the contest. Esther is beautiful, but she is young, she is not Vashti – but the king is happy for awhile. After awhile, he gets bored with her and stops calling her to be by his side. Meanwhile, those who are close to the king think they are powerful too. One of his commanders, is so full of himself that he orders everyone who passes by him to bow. Everyone in the land does, but it seems that those Hebrew people seem to act to proud. One of them, a servant named Mordecai refuses to bow at all. Whenever he runs into Mordecai, there is tension. Haman gets do frustrated that he asks the king to kill not only Mordecai – but all of the Hebrews. Another of those strange edicts that once it is said it cant be taken back goes out that in a year all of the Hebrews will be killed. It just so happens that Esther, the new queen is Mordecai’s niece, or some say cousin. Mordecai reminds Esther that she is Hebrew, if the king kills her people, he will kill her too. Unless she uses her influence as the queen. She explain to Mordecai – that is just it, lately she has on influence as the queen. No one talks to the king unless he asks for them, even her. Mordecai convinces her that she had to do something or they will all die. In the meantime, Haman is so angry at Mordecai’s disrespect that he is building a special gallow in his back yard to hang him on. Meanwhile King Headache is doing some reading of some old records and realizes that Mordecai once saved his life and he never thanked him. The king asks Haman how to repay someone who did the king a favor. Mordecai is honored which makes Haman madder. Esther decides that the best way to the kings heart is to have a party, and to expose Haman in public. At the party, Hamans plan to kill all Hebrews is exposed, King headache kills Haman on the same gallows that were planned for Mordecai. The king realizes that he cant change the edict that all Hebrews will be killed, but he does make an edict that when the time comes – the Hebrews have a right to defend themselves from all personal threats. No one knows if this is a true story – but the story of how Queen Esther saved her people is still told every year. Every year in the spring, Purim is celebrated – it is kind of like Halloween. Everyone dresses up in costumes. They tell the story of Esther. You relive the story, laugh and joke and parade around the neighborhood asking for candy. Today the parties are always kid friendly – to make light of such a dark story. You boo whenever Haman is talking, you cheer for Mordecai. You celebrate Esther. This is a semi religious holiday – sort of like a church sponsoring a trunk or treat celebration. No God, no prayer, no worship. But that does this story have to do with us today? In convincing Esther to act, Mordecai explained to her that she had been placed in her role as Queen for such a time as this in order to go God’s work. I have a tshirt that says “For Such a time as this”. Reminding me that in God’s world there are no accidents or coincidences. We are all here for a reason. We all have purpose. And there is a reason that God placed us in this time, with these headlines, and each of us have a responsibility to live faithful lives and to witness to what is going on in the world around us. When we listen to the news, it is easy for us to wonder where is God in the midst of this situation. Why doesn’t God speak up and stop all of this chaos and confusion. Why does God allow human misbehavior to get so out of hand. If God is a God of grace and peace, why are so many people getting killed. Why are people and property being destroyed in the name of God? Where is the respect for life, where is the spirit of God, where is prayer, where is worship. Far be it from me to be able to explain why the book of Esther is even in the bible. Far be it from me why we only hear this story in the lectionary once every three years. But I think the point of the story is to help us realize – that God works in mysterious unspoken ways. Even in the most human of story – God is working, sometimes behind the scenes. We have to learn to look for the presence of God. Sometimes we have to be reminded that We were placed in the middle of that story for such a time as this. The presence of God is inside of us – God’s faithful people. I think that the moral of the story of Esther – in the midst of the booing and cheering for the characters, to remember that we are called to be Esther. – to speak up for injustice, to remember that our actions are about others and not ourselves, and most importantly to look for God in the midst of struggle. God is always there. Let us pray. Song What Gift Can we Bring UMH 87 Prayers of the People Prayers of the People (James 5, Mark 9) (Any person may offer a brief spoken prayer or lift a name following each petition. The unison response may follow individual prayers or the group of prayers.) (United Methodist Board of Discipleship) (Just print the instructions, but not the prayer) God of love and power, hear our prayers as we raise our thoughts and our voices to you. We pray for those who suffer and are sick . . . God of love and power, hear our prayer. We pray for those who struggle with temptation and sin . . . God of love and power, hear our prayer. We pray for those who lead and guide others on the journey of faith . . . God of love and power, hear our prayer. We pray for those who serve and share in ministry around the world . . . God of love and power, hear our prayer. We pray for the world and its leaders . . . God of love and power, hear our prayer. We give thanks for those who are cheerful and who bring joy to our lives . . . God of love and power, we give you praise. We give thanks for those who are loving and kind . . . God of love and power, we give you praise. We give thanks for those who serve and lead us in our journeys of faith . . . God of love and power, we give you praise. We give thanks for this earth and its bounty . . . God of love and power, we give you praise. We give thanks for Christ’s grace in our lives, and for the presence of God in our world . . . God of love and power, we give you praise. God of love and power, hear our prayers as we raise our thoughts and our voices to you. Amen. Lord’s Prayer Stewardship Moment Invitation to the Offering Offertory Gracious God, we dedicate these offerings to your service, inspired by Esther's wisdom and courage. Just as she sought deliverance and found grace, may our gifts bring hope and relief to those in need. Guide us to use these resources to promote justice, mercy, and compassion in our community. May we always act with gratitude and wisdom, recognizing your providence in all we do. Bless these gifts and those who give them so that, together, we may reflect your love and grace in the world. In Christ, our savior and redeemer, we pray. Amen. (Esther 7:1-6, 9-10; 9:20-22) (United Methodist Board of Discipleship) Announcements Closing Prayer for Facebook May the holy wisdom of God Guard your ways and guide your paths May the living truth of God Enlighten your hearts and open your minds And may the living Spirit of God Give you life, and life to the full! Amen! (Posted on Literature & Liturgy) Community Time – joys and Concerns Benediction Go in peace to serve the Lord. Remember the healing love that has taken place in your life.. Be open to all the wonders and opportunities that God puts before you. Go in peace. AMEN. (United Methodist Ministry Matters, Nancy Townley)

The Greatest Among Us

September 22, 2024 Mark 9:30-37 18th Sunday after Pentecost The Greatest Among Us Year B Prelude Greeting Call to Worship L: Jesus calls us to servant ministry. P: We must be willing to help others, not counting the cost or rewards. L: Pretense, disharmony, greed have no place in discipleship. P: Serving God means receiving each person as though they were a beloved child. L: Lord, help us to truly become your disciples. P: Create in us hearts for ministries of compassion and kindness. AMEN. ( United Methodist Ministry Matters, Nancy Townley) Opening Prayer Lord, be with us this day, helping us to put our priorities in order; so that we may faithfully serve you by serving your people. Heal our spirits. Enable us to follow your ways all the days of our lives. AMEN. (United Methodist Ministry Matters, Nancy Townley) Song Jesu Jesus UMH 432 A Sermon for all Ages Good morning, boys and girls. What's one of the biggest, strongest animals on earth? It's got a great big body, and thick legs, and tough skin, and a really, really long nose. Do you know what animal I'm talking about? That's right, it's an elephant. Elephants are one of the biggest, strongest animals on earth. They weigh thousands of pounds, and they can eat over one hundred pounds of food a day. Can you believe that? And elephants are so strong that they can knock over trees, or turn over a car with their long noses. But did you know that elephants are really gentle animals too? Elephants take care of one another. If one elephant gets sick, others will stay with it to protect it until it gets better again. Bigger elephants always stay around the baby elephants to keep them safe until the baby elephant is big enough to take care of itself. Elephants may be big and strong, but they can be loving too. Our Bible story today is about the disciples, the men who followed Jesus around and helped Him with His work. One day, the disciples started arguing over who was the best disciple. Who was the biggest, who was the strongest, who was the most important? But Jesus told them to stop arguing. Jesus didn't care who was the biggest, or the strongest, or the most important. Instead, Jesus wanted to know who was the most loving, the most gentle, the most caring. Those are the things that are important to Jesus. Jesus doesn't care if we're big or we're little, if we're rich or we're poor, if we're white or we're black. Jesus only cares if we love other people and do nice things for other people. Dynamic Preaching, Collected Sermons, by King Duncan Affirmation of faith (from A Brief Statement of Faith) In a broken and fearful world the Spirit gives us courage to pray without ceasing, to witness among all peoples to Christ as Lord and Savior, to unmask idolatries in Church and culture, to hear the voices of peoples long silenced, and to work with others for justice, freedom, and peace. In gratitude to God, empowered by the Spirit, we strive to serve Christ in our daily tasks and to live holy and joyful lives, even as we watch for God’s new heaven and new earth, praying, “Come, Lord Jesus!” With believers in every time and place, we rejoice that nothing in life or in death can separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit. Amen. Passing of the Peace Jesus came to bring peace among us. Let us sow the seeds for peace in our world by sharing the peace of Christ with one another, stranger and friend alike. (United Methodist Ministry Matters, Rebecca Gaudino) Scripture Mark 9:30-37 Sermon The Greatest Among Us Today I invite you to listen to the lessons of Chapter 9. I will tell you 3 seemingly unrelated stories, each with a lesson of their own. They each have their own lesson related to Jesus lesson. The scripture begins, Jesus was on his way – his way to Jerusalem to be crucified. It started in chapter 7, and will continue to the end of the gospel lesson in November. Now that the disciples know who the messiah is, he is telling them that the messiah must suffer. This is not a time of hope and resurrection. But a time of suffering, of facing tough times, of dark days of finding faith in the everyday struggle of life. Jesus us preparing his friends and us – what it means to be disciples. What is means to follow Jesus to the Cross. The virtues for today – service and humility. First off – Jesus loves the little children. In the midst of his discipleship lessons, jesus always brings in the children. In church we are reminded that children are an important part of who we are. We have to make sure that the children are included in what we do. Including the children are important part of our discipleship journey. Children are the hope of the future. But sometimes in the church it can be hard to connect to the younger generation, they don’t always see life the same way we do. Dealing with them does not always turn out the way we expect. The Turtle Picnic A turtle family went on a picnic. They had prepared seven years for their outing. The family left home, searching for a suitable place. During the second year of their journey, they found it. For about six months they cleared the area, unpacked the picnic basket, and completed the arrangements. They discovered, however, that they had forgotten the salt. A picnic without salt would be a disaster, they all agreed. After a lengthy discussion, the youngest turtle was chosen to retrieve the salt at home. Although he was the fastest of the slow-moving turtles, the little turtle whined, cried, and wobbled in his shell. He agreed to go on only one condition: that no one would eat until he returned. The family consented and the little turtle left. Three years passed—and the little turtle had not returned. Five years. Six years. Then in the seventh year of his absence, the eldest turtle could no longer contain his hunger. He announced that he was going to eat and began to unwrap a sandwich. At that point, the little turtle suddenly popped out from behind a tree shouting, “SEE! I knew you wouldn’t wait! Now, I’m not going to get the salt.” Where to Take It from Here… Some of us, like that little turtle, don’t trust anyone or give anyone the benefit of the doubt. We waste away our whole lives waiting for Jesus loves the little children, and sometime so do we. Young people can challenge us, but they teach us valuable lessons about being family, especially being the family of God. Jesus will bring children into his discipleship lesson a few more times. But you have to know that in Jesus day, children were not anything special, they were not the hope of the future. They represented people with no power or control. Children were to be seen and not heard. People really didn’t care about children’s feelings, they were to work along side of adults, with no thanks and no acknowgement. Jesus uses children as the ultimate object lesson on service and humility. In God’s kingdom everything is flipped. The greatest among us must be like a child- a humble servant. The Measure of Greatness - Mark 9:30-37 Some years ago St. Paul School of Theology in Kansas City was seeking a new president. Over one hundred candidates applied for the position. The search committee narrowed the list to five eminently qualified persons. Then somebody came up with a brilliant idea: let's send a person to the institutions where each of the five finalists is currently employed, and let's interview the janitor at each place, asking him what he thinks of the man seeking to be our president. This was done and a janitor gave such a glowing appraisal of William MacElvaney that he was selected President of St. Paul's School of Theology. Somebody on that search committee understood, in a flash of genius, that those who live close to Christ become so secure in his love that they no longer relate to other people according to rank or power or money or prestige. They treat janitors and governors with equal dignity. They regard everybody as a VIP. Children seem to do this intuitively; adult Christians have to relearn it. It is a telling little piece of scripture in verse 32: "But they did not understand." That's a picture that can be hung in the halls of the museum of mankind. When confronted by true greatness, we simply do not see it… The president was picked based on his service and his humility. The janitor would have a similar status as the children. Jesus loves the little children. Jesus is patient and kind and understanding with them. Jesus also has to be kind and understanding with the disciples – who often act like children. In the scripture they are arguing amongst themselves, but refuse to tell Jesus what they are arguing about. They all want to be number one, because number one gets to sit closest to Jesus. Jesus reminds them that the greatest is the one who is able to serve and remain humble. In the God’s world, the first is last and the last is first. Everything is turned upside down. Even today we still struggle with what that means. – to strive to be humble and to put others first and to serve. The way up- is always to look down. The Way Up Is Down! - Mark 9:30-37 There once was a palace servant who longed for more than anything else in life to be a knight. He yearned to represent his king and vowed within himself that if he ever had a chance to be a knight he would serve his king as the noblest knight who ever lived. His dream came true. His great day came. At his knighthood ceremony, the former servant, now a knight, made a special oath within himself. He vowed that from that day forward he would bow his knees and lift his arms in homage to no one but his king. As a knight, he was assigned to guard a remote city on the edge of the kingdom. On the day he took up his duties standing at attention in full armor at the city gate, an elderly peasant woman passed by on her way to the market. In a rickety cart, she carried some vegetables she had grown and hoped to sell. As she passed the knight, her rickety old vegetable cart hit a bump on the road and turned over. Potatoes, onions, carrots, and peas spilled everywhere. The peasant woman scurried to get them all back in her cart to no avail. She looked toward the knight in hopes he would help her but already he had forgotten what it was to be a servant. The knight stood there, unmoved, holding his pose. He would not bend to help her. He just stood at attention keeping his vow to never again bow his knees or lift his arms in homage to anyone but his king. Years passed, and one day an elderly one-legged man hobbled by on his old crutch. Directly in front of the knight, the old man's crutch finally gave out and broke in two. "Sir knight," the old one-legged man begged, "please reach down and help me to get up again." The knight, unmoved by the old man's predicament, made no response. He held his pose proudly and remembered he had vowed that he would neither stoop nor lift a hand to help anyone but his king. Decades passed, and the knight grew older. One day his granddaughter came by and said, "Papa, pick me up and take me to the fair." But, even for his own granddaughter the knight would not stoop, for within himself he had made a vow to bow only to his king. Finally, the day came for the king to come. This was the day for which the knight had longed since the day of his knighthood. As the king approached to inspect him, the knight stood proudly and stiffly at attention. As he did, the king noticed a tear rolling down the proud knight's cheek. "You are one of my noblest knights," said the king, "why are you crying?" "Your majesty," the knight replied, "I took a vow that I would bow and lift my arms in homage to you alone, but now that you are here I am an old man unable to keep my vow any more. The years of standing here stiffly at attention, waiting for you to come, have taken their toll. The joints of my armor are rusted and I can no longer lift my arms or bend my knees." The wise king replied, "Perhaps if you had knelt to help all those people who passed by you, and lifted your arms to reach out to all the people who asked for your help, you would have been able to keep your vow to pay me homage today." Jesus Christ says, "If anyone wants to be first, he must be the very last, and the servant of all" (v. 35)… Discipleship is about service and humility. It is about how we live out those virtues in our everyday life. It is about practicing those virtues in everything that we do. It is making a commitment to follow Jesus in every situation, with every person. Following Jesus to the cross is the only way to see the hope of the resurrection. When we live as the children of God- we become the hope for the future. What is Hope? There is a theologian named Victor Havel who defined hope in this way. "Hope," he said, "Is not the conviction that something will turn out well, but the certainty that something makes sense regardless of how it turns out." I believe that part of what that means is that hope looks to the intrinsic value of people and of whatever we do. Hope determines the worthwhile-ness of someone or something at the very beginning, so that outcomes become secondary to that person, or that project’s very existence. Edmund L. Hoener, Jr., Losing Place Discipleship, service, humility, hope. Let us pray….. Song Are You Able UMH 530 Prayer God, how amazed we are at the solutions Jesus offers to his disciples when they question their importance to him and his kingdom. They want to know if they will receive the great rewards, if they will be recognized and praised for their accomplishments or at least their efforts. We are still so much like those early disciples. We want you to know how hard we work. We want to be praised and recognized for our efforts and successes. And we want you to pass over our failures as though they were inconsequential. When Jesus was confronted with their fears and concerns, he responded that they should be ready for service rather than adulation, And then he placed a small child in their midst; a child with no guile, no pretense. “Whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me, and whoever welcomes me, welcomes not me but the One who sent me.” Help us to reach out to others, not with thought of importance or gain, but in love and compassion; truly caring for each one we meet. When we have done this, we will have truly give our hearts and our service to our Lord. AMEN. (United Methodist Ministry Matters, Nancy Townley) Lord’s Prayer Stewardship Moment Invitation to the Offering (Proverbs 31:20, Mark 9, James 3) (just print the title) The writer of Proverbs teaches that God’s Wisdom is present and active in our lives in this way: “She opens her hand to the poor, / and reaches out her hands to the needy.” Jesus lived this wisdom in his life, and called his disciples to this same generosity. Let us give out of this same generous wisdom—a wisdom that seeks a presence and purpose in our lives on behalf of all. Offering Prayer (James 3) You are the generous one, full of mercy and goodness for your creation. Send your wisdom with these gifts, that they may reach those who need your love and welcome. Bring about a harvest of goodness through these gifts sown in peace. Amen. (United Methodist Ministry Matters, Rebecca Gaudino) Announcements Closing Prayer for Facebook Go forth into the world in peace. Be of good courage. Hold fast to what is good. Render to no one evil for evil. Strengthen the fainthearted, support the weak, help the afflicted. Honor all people. Love and serve the Lord, rejoicing in the power of the Holy Spirit. May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit nourish you, animate you and lead you — this day and forever more. (Episcopal Book of Common Worship) Community Time – Joys and Concerns Benediction Go in confidence and peace, joyfully serving the Lord who walks with you. Bring hope to the hopeless, joy to those who sorrow, peace to the afflicted. Be true witnesses to the love of God through Jesus Christ. AMEN. (United Methodist Ministry Matters, Nancy Townley) Additional Illustrations Teaching The mediocre teacher tells. The good teacher explains. The superior teacher demonstrates. The great teacher inspires. William A. Ward Carry Someone with You There was a tribe of Indians who lived a long time ago in the state of Mississippi. They lived next to a very swift and dangerous river. The current was so strong that if somebody happened to fall in or stumbled into it they could be swept away downstream. One day the tribe was attacked by a hostile group of settlers. They found themselves with their backs against the river. They were greatly outnumbered and their only chance for escape was to cross the rushing river. They huddled together and those who were strong picked up the weak and put them on their shoulders; the little children, the sick, the old and the infirm, those who were ill or wounded were carried on the backs of those who were strongest. They waded out into the river, and to their surprise they discovered that the weight on their shoulders carrying the least and the lowest helped them to keep their footing and to make it safely across the river. Jesus is trying to teach the disciples an object lesson about greatness, about servanthood, about leadership. He is saying to them and to us, "Have you lost the childlike joy and love and faith that once were yours?" He is also saying to them and to us, "If you want to walk on secure ground in this world it helps to carry someone with you." King Duncan, Collected Sermons, www.Sermons.com Good Enough to Teach Years ago, after a celebrated international career on the stage, the world-famous violinist Jascha Heifetz became a professor of music at UCLA. When someone asked him why he had left the glamour of performing to become a teacher, Heifetz answered, "Violin-playing is a perishable art. It must be passed on; otherwise it is lost." Then he went on to say, "I remember my old violin professor in Russia. He said that (if I worked hard enough) someday I would be good enough to teach." From a speech by William Graves, editor of National Geographic magazine, Speaker's Idea File The Disciples' Culture Shock In the summer of 1971 I had gone to Munich to study German. It was my first time in "the Fatherland," and I suppose I had half expected to find blond, blue-eyed kids yodeling on street corners, or adults heading to work in Lederhosen humming Beethoven’s 9th. Instead, blaring from every Italian Pizza Parlor, every Turkish shish kabob stall or ubiquitous McDonald’s was the 1971 Lynn Anderson hit song, "I beg your pardon, I never promised you a rose garden." Some of you may even remember the words: it was a rather banal ditty, uttering the commonplace wisdom that sunshine and rain are part of every life. But hearing this American hit song in Munich played havoc with my expectations. In fact, it was such a culture shock that the memory remains vivid even today, three decades later. Two millennia later Mark’s Gospel continues to recall the culture shock the apostles had when the cost of discipleship finally dawned on them; when their expectations of the reign of God came face-to-face with hard-nosed reality; when fascination and enthusiasm with this Jesus began to be transformed into self-sacrificing commitment. Father George Griener _________________ A Biblically Illiterate America Pollster George Gallup Jr. has long referred to America as a "nation of biblical illiterates." Only four in 10 Americans know that Jesus delivered the Sermon on the Mount. A majority of citizens cannot name the four Gospels of the New Testament. Only three in 10 teenagers know why Easter is celebrated. Two-thirds of Americans believe there are few, if any, absolute principles to direct human behavior. A poll by the Barna Research Group suggested that religious illiteracy has increased. For example, three out of four Americans (and nearly half of "born-again" Christians) believe the Bible teaches that "God helps those who help themselves." George Barna argues that self-reliance is not only not scriptural, but that it contradicts revelation. Only God determines a person's destiny, the pollster notes. To believe otherwise "exposes our false theological cornerstone - that we are the center of things, that it is up to us to determine our destiny, and that God is merely our assistant ..." A similar number of born-again Christians deny the existence of the Holy Spirit and Satan. One in five denies Jesus' physical resurrection and believes he was a sinner. Earlier surveys of mainline Protestants revealed that barely half of Lutherans, Methodists, and Presbyterians believe in the devil, but 56 percent of Lutherans and 49 percent of Methodists believe in UFOs. One-third of Methodists and Presbyterians have faith in astrology. While nearly three-fourths of all Americans believe in hell, hardly any believe it to be their likely destination in eternity. This Barna poll is intended to help Christian pastors and groups focus their ministries. The sheer number of "errant theological positions" among believers underscores "the magnitude of the challenge facing churches today," Barna notes. University of Wisconsin historian Thomas Reeves indicts popular religious belief and service. "Christianity in modern America is, in large part, innocuous," he writes. "It tends to be easy, upbeat, convenient, and compatible. It does not require self-sacrifice, discipline, humility, an otherworldly outlook, a zeal for souls, a fear as well as love of God. There is little guilt and no punishment, and the payoff in heaven is virtually certain." Former Secretary of Education William Bennett concludes that "We have become the kind of society that civilized countries used to send missionaries to." These are harsh judgments. Perhaps we have been so busy pursuing the American Dream of the good life that we have neglected to nurture the faith on which the Dream is founded. If so, our only fault is inattention. If at the millennium our common faith has faltered, or has shriveled for lack of nourishment, or has been supplanted by sentimentality, at least we have not succumbed to cynicism. Faith has not been lost, only misplaced. As a people, we can retrieve it together. David Yount, "Beggaring Belief," September 04, 2000, Scripps Howard News Service. _________________ The Difficulty of Dealing with Death Russell Anderson tells a story about the time his father was nearing the end of his earthly life. He had finally realized the gravity of his situation. "I got some bad news," he said. "What's that?" Russell responded. "I'm not going to make it," he retorted. Summoning my store of knowledge from my Clinical Pastoral Education course and years of dealing with sickness and death, I asked, "How do you feel about that, Dad?" My father, who was always loathe to reveal too much of his feelings, shot back: "How do you feel about it?" (He had turned the question on me, asking me how I felt about my own death). I remained mute. My first thought was, "But, Dad, I'm not dying, you are." On a deeper level I knew that he was right, I too was dying. I needed to deal with my death as well as his own. Yet I wanted to deny that the shadow of my own death was looming ever larger. The reaction of Russell Anderson is about the same reaction that all of us have when reminded of our own mortality. And it was the same reaction as the disciples in our text for today. They did not know how to deal with Jesus' death or with their own. Denial had set in. Russell Anderson, Lectionary Preaching Workbook, Series V, Cycle B, CSS Publishing, p. 294 people to live up to our poor expectations of them—and they always do. We can be thankful that God doesn’t treat us that way. He accepts us just the way we are. He believes in us. He cheers us on. He thinks the best of us. He is proud of us. When we mess up, he forgives and forgets, and gives us another opportunity to do good. That’s how God treats us, and that’s how we are to treat others. Let’s not think the worst of each other. Let’s expect the best.

She has to be fed first

Mark 7:24-37 16th Sunday after Pentecost Year B She has to be fed first Prelude Greeting Call to Worship Leader: Welcome, Beloved! Why have you gathered today? All: We have come to worship God, who is the maker of us all! Leader: What do you seek from God, our Creator? All: We seek God’s wisdom to guide us and show us how to live. Leader: Are you ready to follow when God’s wisdom leads down unexpected paths? All: We will trust, and we will follow wherever God’s wisdom leads us. Leader: Well then, Beloved of God, what are you waiting for? All: Come! Let us worship and seek God’s uncommon wisdom together! Amen. Written by Dr. Lisa Hancock, Discipleship Ministries, June 2024. Opening Prayer From the depths of our hearts we reach out to you, God. We offer you our worship, for you are worthy of praise! Thank you for each one present, for each one tuning in, for all who seek to connect with you in this hour. Open the eyes of our hearts, God, that we might see you more clearly, and love you more dearly, day by day. AMEN (Disciples of Christ Center for Faith and Giving) Song O For a Thousand Tongues to Sing UMH 57 A Sermon for all Ages Children’s Time Baptism Waters Props: Place a clear pitcher of water near the baptismal font. Today we are going to talk about how God uses water to show us how we are cared for, protected and loved. When the pastor baptizes someone, they take a pitcher of ordinary water and pour it into the baptismal font (that’s a fancy word for the bowl) and they say a prayer of blessing. They remember many times in the bible that God uses water as a sign. Sometimes it is a sign of God’s power, as in the beginning God created the water, the water in the sky we call rain and the water below we call oceans and rivers. Sometimes the water is a way God show the people that he is with them, like the time there the people were being chased by some bad people and God made a path through river so the people could get away. Sometimes water is a sign of God’s love – when Jesus was baptized he stood in a river and when he went down under the water and when he came up there was a voice that came from heaven saying that Jesus was God’s son and that he loved him very much. Today we are going to pour this water into the baptismal font, I am going to ask you to help me. Then we are going to say a prayer of thanks for the water that God created. Water that keeps us healthy, water that we use to grow food, water that we enjoy. We will thank God the protector who keeps us safe. We will thank God for all the love God shows us because we are all children of God. Come with me and lets pray together. Baptism of UMH 39 Scripture Mark 7:24-37 Sermon She has to be Fed First We have been looking at the seventh chapter of Mark. For the rest of the year, we will get a lot of the story and lessons of Jesus. This week is a continuation of last week. In chapter 7 – there is sort of a gospel challenge to see who can get the best of the other. It is not disrespectful. In the bible, it is common for people to kinda bargain with God, it’s a form of prayer. If something bad happens to you, you bargain with God, in hopes of changing God’s mind. If it is bedtime, then you banter with you parents in hopes that you can change your bed time. Last week, at the beginning of the chapter the pharisees challenge Jesus – why don’t your disciples wash your hands. Jesus is able to get the best of them, by challenging their faith. We learn a lot about our faith through Jesus comebacks and parables. Jesus is usually the winner in the gospel challenge. But in the second half of chapter 7, Jesus gets into a different challenge – where he doesn’t win. As a matter of fact Jesus’ response gets a little insulting. He intentionally travels in a territory of people who are different, one of them recognizes as a healer and asks for help and he calls her a dog. A lot of preachers make excuses for Jesus, but there is no excuse for calling a foreign woman out of her name. She moves beyond Jesus’ insult. As a matter of fact, she seems to know the rules of the gospel challenge very well. Jesus insults her, she responds with a comeback – it is through her comeback that she gets to best of Jesus. She wins. Jesus loses. Jesus says it is her faith that heals her, her courage to come back at him. It is not so much that she wins, but her love wins. She asks for healing for her daughter, she loves her daughter so much, that she has the courage to stand up in the gospel challenge. She tells Jesus that even the dogs have to eat crumbs intended for the children. A Model of Faith It may come as a shock to most Christians today, but we would do better to use this woman as a model of faith even more than the disciples. After all, we are neither Jewish nor Galilean; we have no familial claim or geographical claim to Jesus. While the woman learns that the power of faith lies internally, the disciples learn that faith can’t be measured by proximity to Jesus. They are right next to the Lord and yet they see the woman as a bother. They don’t lead her to Jesus or attempt to heal her daughter, her faith does that. They are too blinded by their social and religious prejudice to offer miracles to anyone. Jesus words are obviously not meant to cut down the woman (her compassion runs too deep to care if she is insulted). The words of Christ are meant to reprimand the disciples—and us—when our politics and religious agenda blind us to compassion. Which faith most resembles mine? Am I like the cocksure disciples steeped in religious and cultural prejudice, deeply self-assured of my proximity to Jesus? Or, am I like the outcast woman of Lebanon, indentured by compassion and uncaring of insults if I can just save one soul? Jerry Goebel, Even the Dogs Staring Up at the Sky When I re-read this story a few days ago, I couldn't help but think of Anne Lamott, the writer, who tells the story of taking her father on errands one day. His brain cancer had progressed to the point where he was reverting to some behaviors of a three-year old. Just before Anne trotted into the local bank one day, she gave Dad a candy bar and strapped him into the passenger seat of her car. There was a huge line at the teller's window where Anne was standing. So, every so often, she would run over to peek out the bank's front window to make sure that Dad was still there … as if someone was going to kidnap him or something. She writes: "The last time I looked, he wasn't there. The car was empty. I felt like adrenaline had been injected into my heart. I stared … out the window and saw this crazy old man pass by the window. His face was smeared with chocolate. He was just walking on by, holding his candy bar, staring up at the sky as if maybe his next operating instructions were up there." Jesus mysteriously stared up at the sky while massaging the tongue and the ears of a distressed man. We don't know why he was looking up and surveying the clouds. Perhaps it was as if his next operating instructions were up there. Maybe he was looking for power from God, power he did not have apart from God. Maybe God actually spoke to him at that moment and concurred with him that this particular man's bondage - his mental torture - must definitely end. Maybe Jesus was looking for help to shake the crowd he could not shake. Or maybe (and this is my best guess), maybe God was reminding Jesus that he should be ready for bystanders there to get a whole lot more excited about the physical miracle than the spiritual miracle of healing. In other words, "Get ready, Jesus, for the people to be much more infatuated by the spit and the ear poke than by the change that will be wrought in this man's spirit and attitude." Peter Marty, It's Time We Open Up! _________________________________ She knew where to go to get her help and healing. She knew that God was present in that moment, and so did Jesus. She didn’t win, love won. Through faith she was able to open up the doors of heaven. Today our lesson is about two stories of healing. They are two different stories, in two different situations. But each of them speak to us today about the power of love and faith. In the next story, Jesus is in Greek speaking part of town. And the friends of a man who is deaf bring him to Jesus. And he does something else a little disgusting, he spits and rubs it on his ears and his mouth and the man is healed. That reminds me of those time when I was little, and my mother would notice that my face was dirty and she would wet her finger with her tongue and wipe off the dirt. There was a time in my life when I was too young to notice what she was doing, and a time when I would walk away and not let her touch me. In this story, Jesus looks up to heaven for his help from God. But he also says Ephaphata – the arimaic word for open up. Jesus encourages those of us who can hear – to open up our ears and to listen. Listen to God’s voice speaking in our lives. Listen to the voice of faith telling us God is here with us. Listen to the presence of love in our lives. It is the power of love that opens up doors that are closed. Setting Lofty Goals Richard Wilkie wrote a book on the Lord's Prayer. In it, he described how Dr. Albert Schweitzer loved to play Bach on the organ. In fact, even while he was serving as a surgeon in the steamy jungles of Africa, he was still known throughout the world for his musicianship. He loved music, but he loved people more. One evening, as one of the nurses was preparing to leave, he stood at the gang plank preparing to bid her goodbye. As he took her hand he said, "Before you go, I want to recall an incident that happened several months ago. One night, you took a sick baby into your own bedroom so that you could care for it even as you slept. All through the night I heard cries coming from your room. Finally, in the wee hours of the morning, the tone in the baby's cry changed. Immediately I knew that the fever had broken and that the child would get better. I'm supposed to be something of a musician but I want you to know that was the most beautiful music I've ever heard." Schweitzer sought for excellence as a musician but he also sought for excellence in loving human beings. That would be a lofty goal, wouldn't it - to be the most loving human being in our community? To be the most trustworthy? To be the most generous? The call to follow Christ is the call to set lofty goals. King Duncan, Collected Sermons, www.Sermons.com Love is the real winner in both of these stories, it was love that called God into the healing of a sick daughter, and it was Jesus love that helped the man and those around him to hear. That is what our faith is all about – opening up doors and letting love come in. Today we open to doors of our hearts and of heaven for a little one as she is baptized. Originally, when Martin Luther designed his baptismal liturgy – the priest was supposed to out spit on the babies ears and mouth and says ephaphtha – open up. There was this whole ritual of blowing on the babies face to scare away the devil, then putting spit on the face to open the baby to the spirit, lighting a candle. As a matter of fact, it was Martin Luther who said that if you didn’t have water, then you could use milk or even beer to baptize the baby in an emergency. Luckily, a lot of that symbolism was taken out – today the power of the baptism is in the water and the holy spirit. And yet the lessons of love and faith remain. As the holy spirit opens her life to the presence of grace, may our hearts to be open to the love of God. May we experience God anew. o My church’s prayer of illumination every Sunday: “Holy Spirit, open our hearts to the story of your love, open our minds to new ways of knowing you, open our doors to all whom you would welcome. Amen. Let all of us remember this prayer Ephphatha! Be opened. “Let your ears be open to Christ’s word of forgiveness for your sin. Ephaphatha! Be opened. “Let your eyes be open to see the opportunities God is making available in your world. Ephaphatha! Be opened. Let your mind be open to new ways of thinking that will expand your understanding of God’s will for you and yours. Ephaphatha! Be opened. Let your mouth be opened to share with your friends what God is doing in your life. Ephaphatha! Be opened. Let your life be opened to the movement of the Spirit, open to release from whatever is scaring you stopping you, holding you back, from becoming the person you want to be, the person God wants you to be. Amen. Song He touched Me UMH 367 Response to the Word It is easy to be overwhelmed by the pain of the world. We want to turn off the evening news and tune out the stories of human suffering, but God calls us to pay attention to those around us, to do more than simply give to worthy causes, to do more than pray the situation into God’s hands. Our faith is to be lived out in righteous actions, that we might resist wickedness and avoid condemnation for our lack of compassion. We are challenged to meet the needs of others, to reach out with hand and heart, to provide for the real human needs of others. (United Methodist Ministry Matters, June Boutwell) Pastoral Prayer Lord’s Prayer Stewardship Moment In the scripture reading from Mark 7 we heard reports of the healing Jesus accomplished in Tyre and the Decapolis. Both in the recovery of the child, and the healing of the man who was deaf and had a speech impediment we hear of Jesus giving new and different lives to the girl and to the man. His healing gift surely affected those directly healed, but also their families and communities as they were freed to engage more fully. As followers of Jesus, we, too, have opportunity to share our gifts with those around us. In this congregation we have some who ___________________ (name one or two ways people engage in your tutoring, food pantry, meals for unhoused…). In this congregation, we have others who _________________________ (name your outreach to the nursing home, your care group leaders, your program planners) What are the gifts you bring today? How can you offer support and engagement? Your financial gifts are one important way to provide life-enhancing and life-changing moments as we help expand the Body of Christ in (your town). With joyful hearts, standing with Jesus, let us offer our gifts in this time of offering. Prayer of Thanksgiving Giver of all good gifts, Thank you for the ways you’ve equipped each one of us with gifts we can share. Open our hearts, our wallets, and our calendars, so we might freely offer our individual and congregational gifts to a world yearning for release from “unclean spirits”, physical challenges and scarcity. Renew in us our desire to be generous followers of Jesus, the Christ. AMEN (Disciples of Christ Center for Faith and Giving) Announcements Closing Prayer for Facebook Go into the world as agents of healing Appreciating the wonder of creation In all forms, expressions, and ways Boldly embracing the fullness of humanity Welcoming the stranger And considering the other as friend. Go in peace. (United Church of Christ Worship Ways, Cheryl Lindsay) Community Time Joys and Concerns Benediction Beloved, may God bless you today and all days with wisdom that guides you to notice the needs all around you and to share in the work of nurturing abundant life for all of God’s creation. Amen. Written by Dr. Lisa Hancock, Discipleship Ministries, June 2024. Additional Illustrations In ancient Greece it was customary for peddlers who walked the streets with their wares to cry out, "What do you lack?" The idea was to let people know they were in the vicinity, and also rouse the curiosity of the people. Coming out of their houses they would want to know what the peddler was selling. It might be something they lacked and needed, or simply something they desired. What do you lack? We may have sight and hearing, but what do we lack? Take an honest inventory of yourself. Have you found contentment? Are you close enough to God to receive his guidance and strength? Have you secured peace of heart and peace of mind, invaluable assets in life? Deciding what we lack is the first step in securing it. Christ can fulfill our needs -- needs that are to some extent physical, but, more so, the deepest needs of heart, mind, and soul. The man in Mark 7 lacked the physical ability to hear. But many of us lack the spiritual ability to hear. We suffer a kind of a spiritual deafness. The affliction of not listening to people, or, to put it another way, the affliction of physically listening to people, yet failing to comprehend, to understand, and come to grips with what they are saying, is a plague upon the Church. For, you see, it is possible to listen to a person, yet fail to really hear them… The Buzzard, the Bat, and the Bumblebee If you put a buzzard in a pen that is 6 feet by 8 feet and is entirely open at the top, the bird, in spite of its ability to fly, will be an absolute prisoner. The reason is that a buzzard always begins a flight from the ground with a run of 10 to 12 feet. Without space to run, as is its habit, it will not even attempt to fly, but will remain a prisoner for life in a small jail with no top. The ordinary bat that flies around at night, a remarkable nimble creature in the air, cannot take off from a level place. If it is placed on the floor or flat ground, all it can do is shuffle about helplessly and, no doubt, painfully, until it reaches some slight elevation from which it can throw itself into the air. Then, at once, it takes off like a flash. A bumblebee, if dropped into an open tumbler, will be there until it dies, unless it is taken out. It never sees the means of escape at the top, but persists in trying to find some way out through the sides near the bottom. It will seek a way where none exists, until it completely destroys itself. In many ways, we are like the buzzard, the bat, and the bumblebee. We struggle about with all our problems and frustrations, never realizing that all we have to do is look up! That's the answer, the escape route and the solution to any problem! Just look up. Source Unknown _________________ The Kingdom of Heaven Breaks Open Jesus' referring to Gentiles as dogs - clearly this is one of those difficult gospel moments with which Christians must wrestle. Who is this Jesus who is scornful of other nationalities and religions? What kind of savior doesn't want to heal a young girl simply because of who her family is? What are we to do with such an indifferent and despising Christ? Because this passage is so troubling, Christians through the centuries have tried to sweeten or domesticate it, for example pointing out that the Greek word translated here as "dogs" literally means "small dogs," that is, puppies or house dogs. I don't think that mitigates the insult much. I will admit, however, to getting a chuckle out of the images -- such as Sebastiano Ricci's Christ and the Canaanite Woman -- in which a smiling Jesus seems to change his mind because that puppy is just so darn cute! But I think a more productive approach in this case is not to domesticate this scriptural quandary but to embrace it as a moment in which the Kingdom of Heaven breaks opens and becomes more inclusive, a moment in which we are reminded that no one is outside the embrace of God. Karen A. Keely, The Crumbs Under the Table: Bread Enough for All Be Opened When Martin Luther put together a baptismal liturgy in 1523, the actual rite required the pastor to take some of his own saliva and touch the ears and lips of every child getting baptized. At the same instant, the pastor was to repeat the words of Jesus to the deaf man, that one with the speech impediment. The baptizing pastor was to say: Ephphatha - That is, be opened. We don't do this anymore in the Lutheran Church. And I'm not sure I'd be serving my congregation very long if I started using this saliva ritual. But the idea isn't bad. From the very get-go in life, with a lot of help from parents and pastors and adult mentors, we need to find better ways to not be so bound-up with our lives and so tongue-tied with our faith. Have courage. Grab hold to what is good. Loosen up and love a bit more freely. Support the weak. Strengthen the faint-hearted. Honor all people. And for Jesus' sake, keep looking for those ways to open your life to the power of the Holy Spirit … relying on that great prayer of the Psalmist if it helps: O Lord, open thou my lips, and let my tongue declare your praise. Peter Marty, It's Time We Open Up! Success Is Sometimes Measured in Inches Success is sometimes measured in inches. After winning the Pontiac 400 in Richmond, Virginia, several years ago, stock car driver Mark Martin discovered that the spacer between the carburetor and the intake manifold was one-half-inch too long according to NASCAR rules. He was fined $40,000 and penalized 46 points in the season standings. Something that small seemed very significant for Mark. In his book The Range of Human Capacities, Dr. David Wechsler says that if Cleopatra's nose had been just a fraction of an inch longer, the face of Europe might have been changed because Caesar might have shown less interest in the lady. This is another example of how the size of the difference can be small, but the size of the consequences can be huge. A tragic illustration of the crucial importance of little things was furnished a few years ago when a jet crashed shortly after takeoff. All 95 people on board were killed. An exhaustive study of the wreckage determined that it could have been caused by the rudder-control system's losing a bolt that was less than one inch long. For want of a bolt, so many lives were lost. Success can sometimes be measured in inches. Take for example, the distance between the lips and the heart. Jesus was chastising the religious leaders of his day and he quotes the words of Isaiah: "These people worship me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me." God on the lips, but not in the heart. A fatal distance of less than 12 inches. King Duncan, www.Sermons.com _________________________________ She Thinks That I Am Real A story is told of a family that went into a restaurant. The waitress walked up and, looking at the young boy, said: What will it be? The boy eagerly shouted back: “I'll take a hamburger, French fries, and a chocolate shake.” The mother immediately interrupted: Oh, that's not what he wants. “He'll take the roast beef, a baked potato, and a glass of milk.” Much to the surprise of both the mother and the boy, the waitress completely ignored her and again asked the boy: “And what do you want on that hamburger?” The boy shouted back, “ketchup, lots of ketchup.” “And what kind of shake?” “Make it chocolate.” The boy then turned to his parents with a big smile on his face and said: “Say, ain't she something. She thinks that I'm real!” Well, let me give you fair warning. If you once, just once, start really hearing people they are suddenly going to become real to you. Staff, www.eSermons.com The Miracle Bridge Perhaps you have heard the story of the Miracle Bridge. (Chicken Soup for the Soul, No. 3) In l883 a creative engineer, John Roebling was inspired to build the Brooklyn Bridge. Experts told him to forget it. He convinced his son Washington, an up and coming engineer to build the bridge. They hired a crew and began to build their dream bridge. The project was only a few months old when there was a tragic accident. John Roebling was killed and his son was severely brain damaged. He was unable to move or talk, but his mind was sharp as ever. He was able to move one finger and touched the arm of his wife. From that point on they learned how to communicate. For the next l3 years he tapped out instructions to the bridge builders who then completed the spectacular bridge. Our ability to communicate is our greatest asset. The best way to be disciples is to be people who are understood and at the same time be folks who are willing to listen. Keith Wagner, Is Anyone Listening? Seeing the Face of God There is a scene in the Hollywood motion picture, Ben-Hur. Ben-Hur is by a well, and he is filthy, stooped in the dirt, and overcome with a fierce thirst. The camera focuses on Ben-Hur's face. His countenance is twisted in misery. Then the shadow of a man crosses his visage. We do not see the man. The camera remains fixed on Ben-Hur's face. The man offers Ben-Hur water. As Ben-Hur lifts his wretched face to behold the merciful stranger, we see a sudden radiance transform his face. We know instantly, by the radical change of his countenance, that when he lifts his head he looks directly into the face of Christ. What a difference it makes when someone is in the presence of Jesus. When someone is in the presence of Jesus he may not regain his physical hearing, but still he hears things he's never heard before--words of assurance and love and hope. He may not regain his physical vision, but he sees things he's never seen before--inwardly he sees the face of God. King Duncan, Collected Sermons, www.Sermons.com Little Annie As a young girl, "Little Annie" was diagnosed as being hopelessly insane, and was locked up in a mental institution. An elderly nurse believed there was hope for the child, and day after day she would visit with her, even though she was often rebuffed. Over a long period of time, Little Annie gradually improved, and was finally released from the institution. Filled with compassion for others because of what she herself had gone through, Anne Sullivan, whose own life had been miraculously opened, was able to open the life of Helen Keller. Kenneth C. Landall, Being Open • The infirmity harkens back to Isaiah 35:6, “Then the lame will leap like the deer, and the tongue of the speechless will sing. Waters will spring up in the desert,and streams in the wilderness” - eschatological implications. o This is the passage of Isaiah that is talking about the one who will prepare the way and make the paths straight. o This is a part of the work of Jesus, which continues with the highway which is the Holy Way. • “Open Up” - United Methodist slogan of “Open hearts, open minds, open doors.” o Many progressive UM’s question the validity of this statement because we continue to be closed to the LGBTQ community. o I read the “opens” as verbs, not adjectives. Instead of the slogan being a description, I see it as a prescription. It is what we are called as a church to do - to go out and open hearts, open minds, and open doors. polis is on the opposite side of Galilee from Tyre. Tyre is far northwest, on the Mediterranean Sea. Decapolis is on the other side of the Sea of Galilee. There has to be a significant amount of time passing between these stories, yet they are tied together. There were other aspects of this service that are not commonly done today. Near the beginning, salt was placed in the mouth of the child with the words, “(Name) receive the salt of wisdom. May it aid thee to eternal life.”[9] Following the reading of Mark 10:13-16, the priest put spit on his finger and touched the child’s nose and ears, saying, “Ephphatha, that is, Be thou opened. But thou, devil, flee; for God’s judgment cometh speedily.”[10] There were also anointings both before and after the baptism. Overall, Luther’s main concern was that the parents and sponsors hear God’s Word and pray for the one being baptized. He mentions that some of the other “external things” were less important.[11] And so when the 1526 revision was published, many of these rites were gone. Gone was the blowing under the eyelids, the salt, the spit, the anointing and even the baptismal candle. Several prayers were omitted. In general, the whole service was shortened. Previously Luther had left many of these ceremonies in because of “weak consciences,” but three years later he was comfortable removing them.[12] In our day, some of these practices have come back (e.g. the baptismal candle). Other new ones have been added (e.g. the welcome by the congregation). In Luther’s day it was necessary to pare back the ceremonies a bit, as they were distracting from the baptism itself. Luther found it necessary to emphasize that the water and the Word of God were the main thing in the baptismal rite by reducing the number of ceremonies. In some places the additional ceremonies have been found to be helpful to teach and emphasize what is happening in baptism. “Each generation trims a little, adds a little (extolling is never finished); but always the actual Baptism itself remains the same: ‘one Lord, one faith, one baptism’ (Eph 4:5).”[13]

Is Jesus traditional or contemporary?

September 1, 2024 15th Sunday of Pentecost Labor Day Is Jesus Traditional or Contemporary? Mark 7:1-8,14-15,21-23 Year B Prelude Greeting Call to Worship L: Summer wanes and the autumn draws close. P: Lord, help us to be ready for opportunities of service. L: We have felt the refreshment of time-away. P: Lord, give us spirits of joy for the times ahead. L: Come, let us celebrate God’s eternal presence and love. P: Let us open our spirits to receive God’s direction for our lives. AMEN. (United Methodist Ministry Matters, Nancy Townley) Invocation Loving God, we rejoice to be with you and with one another. You are the God who makes all things new and who redeems our past. In life, we find the fullness of life—from joy beyond measure to despair that consumes. Your presence sustains us through the depths and the plateaus. We acknowledge your sovereignty and express our bold trust that hope is our portion and assigned position in your everlasting and incomparable realm. Amen. (United Church of Christ Worship Ways, Cheryl Lindsay) Song Just as I am without one Plea UMH 357 A Sermon for all Ages Hello, children of God! We have come to realize how important it is to keep things clean, right? We make sure to wash our hands and sanitize surfaces, because we want to keep germs away. Well, I have several items here that you might use to clean. Let’s see if you can identify them. What might I use this product for? (Hold up different types of cleaning products, inviting students to describe their purposes. Examples could include hand soap, dish soap, laundry soap, sanitizer, or body wash.) Each of these items will be useful for me in different ways, depending on what and how I need to clean. But which of these things will help me be clean inside? Will any of these products be able to wash my sinful heart? If I swallow some soap, will that do the trick? No, of course not! And you should never EVER put cleaning products in your mouth… So what can I rely on to clean me up on the inside? Well, we know that Jesus does that! Did you know that there were people who got angry at Jesus about washing hands? It’s true! You see, the Pharisees and church leaders had a lot of special rules about things. In fact, outside of the Ten Commandments, they added hundreds of special rules and regulations about how they should live and do things. One of the things they had a lot of rules about was washing. They wanted people to wash their hands and pots and everything in just a certain special ceremonial way. The purpose of this wasn’t even to be clean, really. The rule was just in place to make people say they followed the rule! They criticized Jesus and His disciples for not following their special rules. They said He wasn’t clean because He ate with hands that hadn’t been properly washed, and He was going to be dirty and sinful if He didn’t follow their specific rules. They were concerned and focused on what Jesus did not do, rather than recognizing who He was and noticing the amazing things that He did do! So Jesus explained to them that life was not about following rules or doing things in just a specific certain way. Things that we eat cannot make us sinful, but things that we do. Jesus tried to communicate that the attitudes of our hearts are more important than the words that we say or the rules that we have. Washing hands in just the right way wasn’t going to truly impact how the Pharisees followed God. Jesus turned the criticism back onto the Pharisees by pointing out how they were so upset about the rules that they failed to consider the reason for the rules. They didn’t follow God with their hearts. It might seem silly to us to get so worked up over the method of washing things. However, we can easily become distracted by the wrong thing. For instance, in church we might be concerned with the way people are dressed, or the order that we have our services, or what kind of juice we serve for snacks afterwards…we can become focused on these details, and forget what the most important things are. It’s more important to recognize that we come to worship, to put our hearts and minds on Jesus. He is the center of our faith. And that’s the really good news! Jesus came to transform what we rely on. The temple leaders were worried over following all of the rules and doing things just right to make themselves look good. They thought they could somehow be closer to God if they stuck to the law. Jesus gave Himself for us, so that even when we make mistakes and don’t keep all of the rules just right, we have forgiveness. His blood cleanses us from our sinful thoughts and behaviors. He helps us to have faith and believe in that truth to give us new hope and peace. So, of course, we still wash our hands and make sure we clean things on the outside. But we can realize that the most important kind of cleanliness is how we become clean inwardly. Christ has washed us inside and made us new. Whether at church, home, or school, we give thanks to Him for that and focus on Him for all we have and who we are. Let’s say a prayer to thank God for cleaning us on the inside: Prayer: (Have kids repeat each line) Dear God, Thank you for cleaning our hearts Help us remember to put our hope in you And not in outward things You are the most important thing to focus on Thank you for your love We love you, God! In Jesus name, Amen! (Ministry to Children.com, Kristin Highley) Apostles Creed UMH 881 Prayer for illumination Gracious God, we see as in a mirror dimly. Your Spirit offers clarity, wisdom and understanding. Open our eyes, that these many words of Scripture may bear witness to your true Word: Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. ( Presbyterian Outlook, Ginna Bairby) Scripture Mark 7:1-8, 14-15, 21-23 Sermon Is Jesus Traditional of Contemporary So let me ask you a question this morning. Did you wash you hands this morning, before worship? Well the baptismal font is sitting right there as you walk in, filled with water for that very reason. The pharisee’s criticized Jesus and the disciples for that very reason, they did not wash their hands before eating. It was tradition to clean your hands, not for hygienic reasons but for religious reasons. In their understanding of religion there were well established rules that you followed. The pharisees considered themselves to be the keepers of the tradition. Even to this day, they don’t like Jesus because he didn’t always follow tradition. Our lesson for today is Jesus response to the pharisees, explaining that he is not against tradition. He is against using tradition to control people. You don’t have to follow tradition in order to follow Jesus. Jesus calls them hypocrites – one thing on the outside and another inside. The Rabbi and the White Horse A young man once came to a great rabbi and asked him to make the younger man a rabbi. It was wintertime then. The rabbi stood at the window looking out upon the yard, while the rabbinical candidate was droning into his ears a glowing account of his piety and learning. The young man said, "You see, Rabbi, I always go dressed in spotless white like the sages of old. I never drink any alcoholic beverages; only water ever passes my lips. Also, I live a plain and simple life. I have sharp-edged nails inside my shoes to mortify me. Even in the coldest weather, I lie naked in the snow to torment my flesh. Also daily, I receive forty lashes on my bare back to complete my perpetual penance." As the young man spoke, a white horse was led into the yard and to the water trough. It drank, and then it rolled in the snow, as horses sometimes do. "Just look!" cried the rabbi. "That animal, too, is dressed in white. It also drinks nothing but water, has nails in its shoes and rolls naked in the snow. Also, rest assured, it gets its daily ration of forty lashes on the rump from its master. Now, I ask you, is it a saint, or is it a horse?!?!" Which is more important – what goes into us or what comes out of us? Which defines us more – our outside behavior or our inside motivation? Carla Thompson Powell, Insides vs. Outsides? What Really Matters? When you follow Jesus, real religion is not about what you believe it is about who you are as a person. So let me ask you a 2nd question- who would you prefer to have a neighbor who lived next door to you? A neighbor who is highly organized, or a neighbor who cares about you? Sermon Opener - Creeds or Deeds - Mark 7:1-8, 14-15, 21-23 Rev. David Chadwell posed a rather interesting question: Which would you prefer for a next-door neighbor: a person of excellent habits or a person with a good heart? Which would you prefer for a good friend: a person of excellent habits, or a person with a good heart? Which would you prefer for a husband or a wife: a person of excellent habits, or a person with a good heart? Which would you prefer for a child: a child with excellent habits, or a child with a good heart? It is wonderful to have a neighbor who conscientiously cares for his property while respecting your property. It is wonderful to have a friend who always treats you with consideration. It is wonderful to be married to a husband who always is thoughtful and courteous, or to a wife who always is gracious in her comments and deeds. It is wonderful to have a son or daughter who shows respect and uses good manners. As wonderful as those situations are, none of them compare to having a neighbor, a friend, a husband, a wife, a son, or a daughter with a good heart. When you discuss good behavior, you are discussing the quality of a person's self-control. When you discuss a good heart, you are discussing the quality of the person. This is the focus of today’s Scripture… Back to my original question, having clean hands and having clean hearts are two different things. Heart Trouble Statistics reveal the high percentage of people who suffer from heart attacks, heart disease, and hardening of the heart arteries. But we can lower the risk of heart trouble. A balanced, healthy diet, aerobic exercise, less stress, and good rest are all ways each person can treat their heart better. And there are medicines and medical procedures that can help the human heart. Because, left alone, heart trouble can kill you. Jesus spoke of the heart in a different way. He wasn't speaking about the central organ of the human body. He meant the center of our personality. Our heart in this sense is the source of our desires, our intentions and actions. And according to Jesus, this heart is not only prone to weakness and trouble, it is positively toxic. C. Michael Cunningham, Curing the Toxic Heart • Jesus tells us the source of all evil. It is not the Devil. It is not Satan, or some otherworldly power. “It’s from inside the human heart that evil thoughts come… All these evil things come from inside and contaminate a person in God’s sight.” This leads me to my 3rd question – where is you heart at today? Their Hearts Are Far from Me A young coed being interviewed on television about her religious beliefs said, "Oh yes, I believe in God, but I'm not nuts about Him." According to the Gallup Poll that is a good description of how most Americans feel about God. Ninety-four percent of us believe in God. When it comes to translating that belief into action, however, most of us are clearly not nuts about Him. We have something in common with the Pharisees. Jesus once summed up the Pharisees chief problem like this: "These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me." King Duncan, Collected Sermons, www.Sermons.com We have another thing in common with the pharisees – we like our traditions. We sometimes forget that you don’t have to follow tradition in order to follow Jesus. The pharisees had good intentions. And Jesus never meant to criticize their intentions. He just pointed out that their outsides had started to replace their insides. And they had lost sight of the important thing – is a heart for God. The inner person is the person who counts. The apostle Paul desired that we be strengthened in the inner man. It boils down to relationship. We are only as strong as our personal relationship with Christ. J. David Hoke, The Inside Story, Mark 7:14-23. Routines While on vacation in Daytona Beach one summer, our family quickly fell into a regular daily routine. The first thing on the agenda every morning was a power-walk on the beach. We usually wore our tennis shoes and walked as fast as we could on the firm beach the mile or more to the pier, where we enjoyed a nice breakfast at Crabby Joe's place. Then we completed our daily exercise as we hiked back with the morning sun beginning to warm the day. Then after all the day's activities of shopping, swimming, sailing, and surfing, we took another long walk on the beach at dusk. This time we often walked barefoot in the edge of the water. This was a leisurely stroll in which we soaked up the serenity of the day's end. The constant movement of the water and the close presence of the resting gulls and sandpipers had a hypnotic effect on us. By the end of the pleasant walk on the beach, the mellowness of the ocean had worked its way inside of us. We were only there a week, but the routine became a habit that we didn't want to break. Isn't it amazing that we so easily fall into a routine like that? I guess we are all creatures of habit. We easily become accustomed to doing things the same way. We do the same thing in church. We quickly learn to count on a certain predictability of the activities of Sunday school and worship, and we are very hesitant to see them change. If we are not careful, some of these expectations become full-fledged traditions. They take on a significance far greater than simply being a convenient routine. Some things become almost holy and unchangeable. When that happens they have moved from being a routine to become a sacred cow. Then, when someone tampers with a sacred cow, people become very upset. Mickey Anders, ChristianGlobe Illustrations Our most important habit is to follow Jesus every single day. Let us pray….. Song Take my Life and Let it Be UMH 399 Prayers of the people (Do not Print) (Presbyterian Outlook, Ginna Bairby) God of all compassion, in Jesus Christ you have laid claim to our entire selves and shown us that nothing is too grand or insignificant for your mercy to touch. Therefore, we are bold enough to lift our prayers to you this morning. We give you thanks for the goodness that overflows in our lives. For sunsets and tree frogs. For family, friends, and loved ones around us. For little ones and not-so-little ones returning to school. For potlucks and T-ball games. For the sweetness of the last watermelon of the season. We ask for your healing and grace for those places that are broken, in the world and in our lives. For nations plagued by warfare and souls plagued by shame. For people without food and people without friendship. For your loved ones in hospitals, domestic violence shelters and refugee camps. Purify our religion, O God, that it might bear fruit in the world. Send forth your church that we might care for all people in distress. All this we pray in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, the one who taught us to pray say ….. Lord’s Prayer Stewardship Moment Offertory Prayer Gracious God, we bring these offerings with hearts full of love and gratitude, inspired by the beauty of your creation and the love that binds us. Just as the Song of Solomon celebrates love's arrival, we dedicate these gifts to further your kingdom with joy and patience. May they bring hope, peace, and transformation, reflecting your love for all. Help us to be stewards of your grace and love in the world. In Jesus' name, we pray. Amen. (Song of Solomon 2:8-13) United Methodist Board of Discipleship Communion Page 13 Announcements Closing Prayer for Facebook May the everlasting love of God give you peace, The surprising grace of God give you courage, And the creative will of God give you joy, As you release the traditions that have served their time, Hold the traditions that inspire new life, And create traditions for a future promising and unknown. (United Church of Christ Worship Ways, Cheryl Lindsay) Community Time – Joys and Concerns Benediction As Christ has fed and redeemed your life, now go into the world in peace and love offering ministries of hope and justice. Go in peace and may the peace of God always be with you. AMEN. (United Methodist Ministry Matters, Nancy Townley) Additional Illustrations You Are What You Eat - Mark 7:1-8, 14-15, 21-23 The Pharisees were grumbling -- doesn't it seem like they were always grumbling? Of all the things they could be concerned about, they were upset that Jesus' disciples weren't washing their hands before they ate. As I read this passage over earlier in the week I could hear my mom asking me and my brother and sisters before a meal, "Did you wash your hands?" This was an appropriate question for parents trying to teach their children good hygiene. But, at first glance, a strange concern for a religious leader, don't you think? It wasn't like they were afraid that these guys would get their food all germy, they were concerned that the disciples were breaking one of their rules; one of the traditions of their elders. It was a good way to take a pot-shot at Jesus. See, he couldn't possibly be who people say he is because either he doesn't know the rules of the game, or he chooses to ignore them. These religious powers that be were claiming that everyone had to follow human precepts in order to be acceptable to God. The Pharisees were preaching that, like computer programmers of today, "Garbage in, garbage out." Or, in the words of nutritionists, "You are what you eat." Jesus uses their rigid interpretation of these human rules to teach the crowd that "there is nothing outside a person that by going in can defile, but the things that come out are what defile" (Mark 7:15). Then he recites a list of nasty sins that can come out of a person's heart and defile a person. Even if this is true, what goes into a person does not define what comes out of a person in terms of their behavior, I think it's still safe to say, we ought to hedge our bets and make certain that good things go into a person, so we can expect that good things are going to come out. I'd be the last person to give anyone dietary advice; what foods are good,and will product good health, and what foods are bad for you. A friend once said to me, pardon the expression, we shouldn't eat crap, and we all know what crap is. Likewise, we need to be careful about what we hear and see, what values we're exposed to, what values are crap, lest the wrong things come bursting out of our hearts.... Melting Mountains of Ice William Lloyd Garrison was the greatest abolitionist this country has ever known. He was a publisher of a newspaper called the Liberator, an antislavery publication. Garrison was an angry man, angry with indignation caused by the unbelievably inhumane treatment many of the slaves experienced. He hated slavery with everything that was in him. One day one of his best friends, Samuel May, tried to calm him down. He said to Garrison, "Oh, my friend, try to moderate your indignation and keep more cool. Why, you are all on fire." Garrison replied, "Brother May, I have need to be all on fire, for I have mountains of ice around me to melt." Well, the only way any of us can melt mountains of ice is to be on fire. The only way Christ can use any of us is when we are driven by a great passion, when we feel or hear his voice within our heart showing us a great cause that needs to be championed. Nothing is accomplished in this world by people who have no passion. That's one reason we need God in our hearts as well as on our lips. King Duncan, Collected Sermons, www.Sermons.com Is Your Heart In It? Frederick Buechner imagined a youngster learning to play the piano. "The child holds her hands just as she's been told...she has memorized the piece perfectly. She has hit all the proper notes with deadly accuracy. But her heart's not in it, only her fingers. What she's playing is a sort of music, but nothing that will start voices singing or feet tapping." When it comes to faith and life, let me ask you a question: Are our hearts in it or only your fingers? Are you allowing God's renewing grace to work in you from deep within? Brett Blair, www.Sermons.com. Adapted from Verne Arens, “Matters of the Heart” Tradition Is a Powerful Thing Years ago Harry Emerson Fosdick told about a church in Denmark where the worshipers bowed regularly before a certain spot on the wall. They had been doing that for three centuries -- bowing at that one spot in the sanctuary. Nobody could remember why. One day in renovating the church, they removed some of the whitewash on the walls. At the exact spot where the people bowed they found the image of the Madonna under the whitewash. People had become so accustomed to bowing before that image that even after it was covered up for three centuries, people still bowed. Tradition is a powerful thing. The Pharisees had learned to substitute tradition, custom, habit for the presence of the living God. Traditionalism rears its head in many ways, in many times and in many places. King Duncan, Collected Sermons, www.Sermons.com Fault-Finding Shakespeare said, "What's in a name? That which we call a rose, by any other name would smell as sweet." Would a rose by any other name smell as sweet? I'm sure it would. You see, the truth is that the thing is what it is, not what someone calls it. Names are assigned to us, based on our outward circumstances by ourselves and other people. "Sinner, Failure, Stupid, Dummy, Unclean" all are names which label us. But what we are called, either by others or by ourselves does not determine who we are. It might speak of those external circumstances, but it might be wholly inaccurate. You see, a failure is not someone who fails. In reality, the people who fail the most are the ones who succeed. You only get to success by taking risks and risk-taking brings many failures along the way. A failure is someone who simply doesn't try. No, names do not determine who you are. You are who you are on the inside. So, the first important lesson is that we must cultivate the inner person. he Shoeshine Boy A certain downtown businessman became fond of the little boy who shined his shoes every day. He did such a good job that one day the businessman asked him, “Son, how come you are so conscientious about your work?” The boy felt complimented. He looked up to the man, and said, “Mister, I’m a Christian and I try to shine every pair of shoes as if Jesus Christ were wearing them.” The businessman saw something genuine in the shoeshine boy. Soon after that he began reading his Bible. When he decided to be a Christian himself, he credited his decision to the little boy who shined every pair of shoes “as if Jesus Christ were wearing them.” That’s a blessing. Charles R. Leary, Mission Ready!, CSS Publishing Company. Which Flowers Are Real? The queen of Sheba came to visit Solomon, and one day she put him to the test. She brought artificial flowers so perfectly formed that no human eye could detect them from real flowers. She put them in a vase on Solomon’s table, in his throne room next to his flowers. As he came in, the queen of Sheba is reported to have said, "Solomon, you are the wisest man in the world. Tell me without touching these flowers, which are real and which are artificial." It is said that Solomon studied the flowers for a long time and spoke nothing, until finally he said, "Open the windows and let the bees come in." There are ways to tell the artificial from the real — let the bees come in; they will know where the real is. If we live with the authentic Jesus long enough, we will recognize the artificial when we see it. Brooks Ramsey, When Religion Becomes Real Humor: A Tradition of Fighting There is a story about a young, newly ordained minister who went to serve his first church. He noticed that on the first Sunday, when he said the prayers, the congregation on the left side of the church stood at the beginning of the prayers, and the congregation on the right side remained seated. The young minister thought this was a bit odd, but he kept going in the prayers — until he began to hear some murmuring between the two sides, then the murmuring turned into grumbling and then people yelling at each other, proclaiming that they were doing the right thing when came to the tradition of the church. Distressed by what he had seen and all that was taking place, the young pastor went to seek the council of the former, now elderly pastor, who had served this congregation for years. He asked him, “So is it the tradition of the congregation to stand during the prayers?” The older minister, whose memory was now failing, stroked his beard, replied, “No, that is not the tradition, as I recall.” “So, the tradition is that they remain seated during the prayers?” To which the old minister responded, “No, that’s not the tradition either.” The young pastor threw his hands in the air in exasperation, and said, “There must be some solution to this! The way things are now, half stand and half sit and all end up screaming at one another during the prayers.” The old pastor’s face lit up in a smile; he lifted his finger high into the air and said, “Ahh, yes! Now I remember — that was the tradition!” Traditional What’s Eating You? For Jesus the food laws became critical arguing points to challenge the exclusion of Gentiles from the kingdom of God. A new identity for Israel was unfolding and it required a shift in understanding the purpose of the law. Table manners are not after all meant for banishing to the basement those who aren’t worthy enough to eat. They are meant to help make dining a pleasurable experience for everyone. But the controversy over food laws persisted, and in the early Church reflected tensions between Jewish and Gentile Christians that kept them from table fellowship together. Today, for us, other controversies keep Christians from coming to the table together. Opinions about policies having to do with genetic research, war, medical care, education, the environment, and gender give us all the opportunity for violent disagreement, if we let them. Each of these areas of contention represents deeply held convictions about how we are to live. These convictions in part, tell us who we are. When they are challenged, we get scared. It feels as if our very existence is threatened. And it is fear, ultimately, that fuels the evil intentions of the heart. What defines us? Jesus perhaps might have said, it’s not so much that “you are what you eat,” but “what’s eating you.” Mary Ogus, untitled sermon Lip Service According to the story, Queen Victoria was once at a diplomatic reception in London. The guest of honor was an African chieftain. All went well during the meal until, at the end, finger bowls were served. The guest of honor had never seen a British finger bowl, and no one had thought to brief him beforehand about its purpose. So he took the finger bowl in his two hands, lifted it to his mouth, and drank its contents--down to the very last drop! For an instant there was breathless silence among the British upper crust and then they began to whisper to one another. All that stopped in the next instant as the Queen, Victoria, silently took her finger bowl in her two hands, lifted it, and drank its contents! A moment later 500 surprised British ladies and gentlemen simultaneously drank the contents of their own fingerbowls. It was "against the rules" to drink from a fingerbowl, but on that particular evening Victoria changed the rules -- because she was, after all, the Queen. It is "against the rules" not to wash your hands before you eat and on that the Pharisees called the hand of the disciples who follow Jesus. But Jesus recognizes their hypocrisy and he quotes from Isaiah, "These people honor me with their lips but their hearts are far from me." Brett Blair, www.Sermons.com. Thanks to Winfield Casey Jones for this story. “You Might Be a Pharisee if…” Jeff Foxworthy has made a career of telling "redneck" jokes. For instance, "You might be a redneck if someone asks you for some identification and you show them your belt buckle." The South doesn't have a lock on rednecks. The North has them also. For instance, "You might be a northern redneck if you've ever burned a tire on the hood of your car in winter to help get it started." Here in the church I'd like to poke fun at some of the straight-laced, self-righteousness that passes for Christianity. So, behold, I bring you the Pharisee joke! For instance, you might be a Pharisee if you've ever shouted, "Amen!" more than 51 times during a single sermon on somebody else's sin. You might be a Pharisee if you think the only music God listens to is at least 100 years old ... if you're sure nobody has ever had to forgive you ... if your black leather Thompson Chain Reference Bible is so big it takes two hands to hold it up. You might be a Pharisee if you think the world would be a better place if everyone were just like you ... if you think Jesus might have overstepped his bounds when he turned water into wine ... if you think big hair is a sign of holiness ... if you go to church to prove you're good! Stephen M. Crotts, Sermons for Sundays after Pentecost, CSS Publishing ____________________ • What are the differences between custom and God’s Law? What is cultural tradition and what is essentially Christian? What are the things that we do because they are the rules the elders passed on? The way bread is served at Communion, the Christmas pageant, who are ushers, is the flag hung in the sanctuary, what do we do on secular holidays, how we dress, when we meet, what a church looks like. Is Christianity that doesn’t look like ‘our’ Christianity still authentic? What happens when the customs of our elders get in the way of following God’s law of love? Civil rights, LGBTQ rights, etc.