A Permanent Home - repreach 2009

July 21, 2024 2 Samuel 7:1-14 A Permanent Home 9th Sunday After Pentecost Year B Prelude Call to Worship Come away, disciples of Christ, and rest from your labors. We are weary from our work. Come away, disciples of Christ, and leave the demands of the crowds. There are always more who need our help. Come away, disciples of Christ, and be renewed in fellowship with our shepherd. We too love the sheep, but need our own renewal. We too need to hear anew the teachings of Jesus, to give us strength for the journey. Come away, disciples of Christ, and draw courage from the one who gives us peace. (United Methodist Ministry Matters, BJ Beu) Invocation Wonderful Creator, you come to us with power and gentleness, strength and compassion, peace and joy. We come to you with hope and hopelessness, love and heartbreak, thanksgiving and lament. You fortify us as we go on our journey, assured of your presence and renewed by your love. Give us rest in our coming and our going. Give us joy in ministering in your name. May our worship restore our soul as we dwell in your presence. Amen. (Disciples of Christ Worship Ways, Cheryl Lindsey) Song Near to the Heart of God UMH 472 Children’s Sermon Title: God’s Promise to David Scripture: 2 Samuel 7 Target Age Group: 3rd-5th grade Lesson Opening Ask: Has someone ever made a promise to you? What was the promise? Did they keep it? Say: People don’t always keep their promises, but you know who does? God! Throughout the Bible we read about many promises that God made to different people, and He always kept those promises. Our story today is about a promise God made to King David, and what’s really cool about this promise is that in some ways it was fulfilled in David’s lifetime, but in other ways God’s promise was kept throughout all eternity! Tell the Story Explain It (Book): This is where you school ‘em! Say: Our story comes from the Old Testament book of 2 Samuel. This is the book that tells the story of David’s life. We have heard several stories from 2 Samuel already, including David being anointed as king, and David fighting Goliath. Last week we learned that Saul, Israel’s first king, was so jealous of David that he wanted to kill him! Say: During a battle between Israel and the Philistines Saul and David’s friend Jonathan, Saul’s son, were both killed. David was finally free from Saul’s attempts to take his life, but he was still saddened by the news that they had died. Say: God had strengthened David and given him victory over all his enemies. Finally there was peace in Israel and David settled into his palace. As he looked at all the splendor around him he said to Nathan the prophet, “How can I possibly go on living in such a beautiful palace while the ark of God stays in a tent on the outskirts of the city?” Say: You see, David had brought the Ark of the Covenant back to Jerusalem, but there wasn’t yet a place for it to rest permanently. So the Ark remained in a tent that David had set up for it. Say: David wanted to build a house for God! Ask: If you were to build a house for God, what would it look like? What would be inside? Ask: Can any building or house truly contain God? Of course not! But David wanted to build a house, or a temple, where God’s presence would dwell and the people could worship the Lord. David wanted to honor God by building a temple. Say: That night the Lord spoke to Nathan telling him what to say to David. God said, “During all the years that Israel traveled in the wilderness I never asked anyone to build me a house. My presence was with you and I traveled in a tent so that I could be near to you. But now I will establish my people in this land and they will have peace at last. I will make David’s name great and I will bless him greatly.” Say: As God continued speaking He made an incredible promise to David. Let’s hear to God’s Word together, and as I read, listen for the promise that He made… Read 2 Samuel 7:11a-16 The LORD declares to you that the LORD himself will establish a house for you: When your days are over and you rest with your fathers, I will raise up your offspring to succeed you, who will come from your own body, and I will establish his kingdom. He is the one who will build a house for my Name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever…Your house and your kingdom will endure forever before me; your throne will be established forever.” Ask: Did you hear the promise God made to David? What was it? Say: God promised that even though David wouldn’t be the one to build a house for him, David’s son would. God also promised that there would always be someone from David’s family on the throne ruling over Israel! Ask: If you were David and had just heard God promise all these wonderful things to you, how do you think you would feel? How would you respond to God? Say: David responded by worshipping God. He was overwhelmed by God’s goodness toward Him and he prayed a prayer of thankfulness. Let’s read David’s response to God. Read 2 Samuel 7:18-29 (portions) Who am I, O Sovereign LORD, and what is my family, that you have brought me this far? And as if this were not enough in your sight, O Sovereign LORD, you have also spoken about the future of the house of your servant. Is this your usual way of dealing with man, O Sovereign LORD?…. How great you are, O Sovereign LORD! There is no one like you, and there is no God but you, as we have heard with our own ears…. And now, LORD God, keep forever the promise you have made concerning your servant and his house. Do as you promised, so that your name will be great forever. Then men will say, ‘the LORD Almighty is God over Israel!’ Connect it (Look): Apply it & Answer “How?” Ask: Do you think God kept His promise to David? You bet He did! After David died his son Solomon became the next King over Israel. And just like God promised, Solomon built a beautiful temple for God. We’ll hear more about Solomon and the temple in a few weeks! Ask: What was the other promise God made to David? (That someone from David’s family would always rule over Israel.) Say: God also kept that promise! Ask: Did you know that Jesus was David’s great, great, great, great, great, great grandson? Say: Even though Jesus didn’t sit on a literal throne in Israel, Jesus is the King of kings! He is the ruler of the entire universe! God kept His promise to David by sending Jesus through David’s family. God’s promise is still being fulfilled even to this day, because Jesus is still the King over all creation. Ask: Will there ever be a time when someone else becomes king instead of Jesus? Say: No way! Jesus is our King forever. There is no one more powerful than Jesus, and we can praise Him because He is a good and perfect King in every way. Ask: What are some reasons that Jesus is a good king? Say: One thing that makes Jesus a wonderful King is that He truly loves and cares for us, His people. He cares so much for us in fact that He was willing to die for us. Apart from King Jesus we are totally separated from God because of our sin. But Jesus is such a kind and good king that He died on the cross so our sin could be forgiven. Jesus has made a way for us to be brought back to God! Now, whoever puts their faith in Jesus is part of His forever kingdom! God’s Kingdom isn’t just in heaven when we die. His kingdom is also here and now! We can live in God’s kingdom now by following Jesus. Ask: What are some ways that we can be part of God’s kingdom? (Obey and love God, love God’s Word, care for others, share the gospel, etc.) Say: We can thank God for inviting us to be part of His Kingdom by sending Jesus to be our forever King. Let’s pray and thank God now! Review Questions • What did David want to build for God? (A temple) • Who did God use to tell David that he wouldn’t be the one to build the temple? (Nathan) • What was God’s promise to David? (David’s son would build a temple, and someone from David’s family would always be on the throne.) • Who is our forever King? (Jesus!) • What does this story teach us about God? Affirmation of Faith UMH #887 Passing of the Peace Scripture 2 Samuel 7:1-14 Sermon Walls – why we need them Walls are an important part of our life. What would we do without them, especially in our climate. They protect us, they help us define ourselves, it separates us from people and things that are not in our best interest. And there are certain walls, in certain buildings with have great meaning for us. They tell our story of who we are and what is important to us. Houses – beautiful homes Walls are an important part of our dwellings. They create beautiful homes and buildings. Beautiful houses of God Some of the most beautiful buildings in the world are the ones that we build for God. Churches are beautiful buildings dedicated to God. We just got someone asking to get married in our sanctuary, because it was such a beautiful place. Creating a beautiful place to worship God is a part of our worship experience. So when David decided that he was going to build a beautiful house for God – he was just trying to make sure that his God, had the same respect that all of the others gods of the people around him had. When a national leader came into power, it was expected that you would build a momument for God. What better monument to God could there be besides a house to come and to worship, and say thank you and to acknowledge God as the king of our lives. David’s intention -If he was going to be king – God had to be king David’s intention were very pure. He realized that if he was going to be King, that God had to also be King. God ad brought him from a very long way. God had brought him through some pretty tough times. God had bought his people through some times which questioned the very foundation of who they were and who they were supposed to be. But God had bought David to a good place now, he had bought the country to a stable place. And it was time to make sure that God was in that same place, and taken care of just as well. David had to learn an important lesson that day. Just because the world changes, just because our understanding of God changes – God remains the same. Nathan said no David was told that he was not the build God’s house. That God was not ready to join him in the mist of his success God is still king. God lives with the people.God doesn’t live inside of walls. David could not build a house for God – but God would build a house for David. God promised David that there would always be a member of his family on the throne. That his son would build the temple That his sons would be blessed, and that his son would have to power to be raised up so that David’s name would be remembered forever. People are the true house of God. God doesn’t live within walls, and never will. The true house of God is the hearts of his people. That is where God has always lived and where God will always live. God is free to live with the people. The real problem are walls of our hearts. Walls are important to us, they protect us. They define us, they tell our story. But walls can also hold us in, they can keep us trapped in beliefs that no longer serve out best interest, they can keep other people out, they can keep us from really witnesses what god is doing in the world. They do not contain the spirit of God. The real problem is not the walls that we build around us, the real problem is the walls that we build inside of us. Soldier story In World War I, there was a soldier who was killed in France. His friends wanted to make sure that he was buried before they had to move on. They went to the nearest cemetery to ask if they could bury their friend. The priest asked if he had been baptized catholic – and he had not. So the priest said that he could not be buried. Distraught they buried their friend right outside of the walls of the cemetery. The next day – the priest feeling guilty for not allowing the soldier to be buried within the walls –went outside and moved the fence, so that the soldiers grave would be inside. There are barriers that still need to be torn down People still need to bring them down. Ephesians talks about the walls of our hearts. The ways that we define ourselves in order to exclude those who are not like us. There were still ways that the congregation was dividing itself. Jews felt that they could not associate with gentiles. Greeks felt they could not talk to barbarians. - Anyone who is not like me is an outsider was the mindset. Ephesians message was that through Christ we are a new people. We are one people. Like to priest of the cemetery. He doesn’t change the rules, he just expands them to include everyone else. He changes definitions. The jews separated themselves as a way to get close to God – Through Christ, we are all bought near to God. Ephesians – we go from strangers to family All people, no matter who we are go from strangers and aliens to citizens, saints, members of the household of God. We go from divided, suspicious, self destructive to unified, loving and most importantly hopeful. Kindergarten story There is a television documentary about a kindergarten teacher who noticed that the thing she heard most on the playground was “No you cant play with us”. So she made a rule that from now on, all children had to play with whomever asked to play. Even in kindergarten, the children protested. How could we play with anyone who asked. We have a right to define who we want to play with. Other kids in the school could not understand this rule either. Why would you play with just anyone? The kindergarten agreed that they would try to go along with the rule for a week. When they say it worked – they agreed to do it all of the time. It helped them to meet new friends. A few years later, the teacher saw one of her former students in the store. Lisa was twelve now. She asked her old teacher if she still used the play with anyone rule. Yes replied the teacher. Lisa told her teacher that she too stuck to the rule – if including anyone who wanted to play with her in her world. It was very difficult. She got a lot of flack from her friends. A lot of people did not understand her, even more criticized her. But it was important for her to carry on with the rule to learn to play with anyone. How do we play with others? Walls are beautiful things. They are an important part of our life. But they also keep us locked in, they trap us, they stop us from seeing what God is doing in the world, and they stop us from participating in the real work of God. God inside of our walls, but God is also in the world. God dwells in the homes created for God, but God also lives in the hearts of his people. Those inside and outside. Who are the outsiders today? Who are the ones asking to play with us, and what are the ways that we tell them no? Today we live in a world that is so global, that we are neighborhood is bigger them we can comprehend. Jesus is calling us to think beyond being a good neighbor – to become a family of brothers and sisters. In spite of our differences, inspite of our different understandings – there is only one God. One god who has been with the people and always will. Where are we? Song I Love Thy Kingdom Lord UMH 540 Pastoral Prayer God of peace and hope, we are a nation focused on activity. From every source of media we have opportunities to go and see and do a host of activities. They beckon us to come and have fun, there are activities for all ages. But one of the most necessary activities we neglect is our need for rest. We crowd each day, that has been given by you as a blessing, with busyness. We forget what it is like to sit and listen, to rest, to take time to reflect. Help us to find the quiet moments in which our souls can be made whole again. We know that there will always be much for us to do to serve you in this world, but if we keep up this hectic pace, we will be unable to accomplish anything. We have lifted before you this day names of dear ones for whom we have concern. We feel helpless to lift their burdens and their sorrows. Let us turn these concerns over to you, for you are the Master Healer who restores our souls. Help us to place our trust and our lives in your unending care. For we ask this in Jesus’ Name. AMEN. (United Methodist Ministry Matters, Nancy Townley) Lord’s Prayer Stewardship Moment Paul, writing to the Christians in Corinth, describes in great detail how he and his companions have engaged in ministry despite the hurdles they needed to overcome. How are we engaging in ministry in our own community, in 2024? Are you, are WE, engaging every day with patience, kindness, genuine love and truthful speech? Can we honestly declare and defend our work as servants of God? We can demonstrate our own desire to join with Paul as loving followers of Jesus as we share our morning offering. Will you let your financial contribution be one signal of your desire to fully engage in ministry? When you give a significant gift (meaning a portion, not a pittance; a tithe, not a token), you show your connection to those who endured much to share the Gospel. With a wide-open heart Paul appeals to the Corinthians to respond to his letter by opening their own hearts. Today, I do the same. Friends, let’s share our gifts, helping us open wide our own hearts to the love of God we know in Jesus Christ. Prayer of Thanksgiving With deep gratitude, God, we offer these gifts to you. We’re grateful for the many people of faith who have gone before us: Paul, Lydia, Peter, many from our own congregation. Help us use each gift to extend your Realm here on earth, sharing Good News with those who yearn to live in loving relationship with you, with others in this community, and with the wider world. AMEN (Disciples of Christ Center for Faith and Giving) Announcements Closing Prayer for Facebook Beloved, listen! God calls us to worship in our gathering and in our scattering. May the Triune God bless you as you go from this place to answer God’s call to worship in everything you do in thought, word, and deed that you may be a blessing of love, hope, and peace to all you meet. Amen. Written by Dr. Lisa Hancock, Discipleship Ministries, May 2024. Community Time – Joys and Concerns Benediction In your coming and going, may you encounter Jesus on the journey. In your coming and going, may you touch the source of power and healing. In your coming and going, may you find rest. Come and go in peace. (United Church of Christ Worship Ways, Cheryl Lindsey) Additional Illustrations

What's Inside

March 22, 2020 1 Samuel 16:1-13 What’s Inside 4th Sunday of Lent Year A Children’s Sermon Object: Box of chocolates with mixed fillings and Card stock printed with 1 Samuel 16 (reference only) (Open the box of chocolate. Take one out, bite it, and announce its filling. Take out a second piece of chocolate, bite it, and announce its filling.) These pieces of chocolate are very good! From the outside, they very much alike, but when you bite into them, you find out that they are very different. Without the map that sometimes comes with the box, you have to break or bite the chocolate to know what’s inside. Sometimes we judge people by how they look on the outside, but a story in the Bible lets us know that God looks at us differently. (Hold up the card stock with 1 Samuel 16 printed on it.) In 1 Samuel, chapter 16, God told Samuel, his prophet, to anoint a new king for Israel. Anointing is an old practice that involved pouring oil onto the head of a person chosen for a special job. God sent Samuel to the town of Bethlehem, where he was to meet a man named Jesse. Jesse didn’t know it yet, but one of his eight sons was going to be chosen as the next king. So Samuel came to town, and Jesse called together his sons. First, Samuel met Eliab. The Bible doesn’t tell us what Eliab looked like, but Samuel was impressed. After seeing Eliab, Samuel thought that he must be the next king. But do you know what God said? In verse 7, God said to Samuel, “Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him; for the Lord does not see as mortals see; they look on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.” Samuel looked at Eliab on the outside and was sure that he would be the next king, but God told Samuel that he was looking at our hearts. Finally, Samuel met David. David was the youngest. Usually, the Bible doesn’t say much about the way a person looks, but in this case, it does give us some clues. The middle part of verse 12 says, “Now he was ruddy, and had beautiful eyes, and was handsome.” Do you know what ruddy means? It means “red.” We don’t know if verse 12 means that David had red hair or if he had a reddish complexion from being out in the sun while he was watching the sheep, but the Bible says that he was ruddy and handsome. The Bible doesn’t say this, but it’s possible that David was short. Remember that in verse 7, God told Samuel not to consider Eliab’s height. Saul, the first king of Israel, was tall, so Samuel and the other people might have expected another tall man to be the new king. When Samuel saw David, he probably thought, “He’s young, he’s short, and he smells like the sheep he watches all day. He couldn’t possibly be the next king.” But remember what else God said in verse 7. God looks at our hearts, not our faces or our heights or anything else on the outside. God knew that David loved him very much and that David was the best choice for the new king. So God told Samuel to anoint David. Stewardship Moment When Alaska experienced a terrible earthquake a couple decades ago, the governor’s wife said that she had received many letters and phone calls asking her to help people’s relatives and friends. She also received many offers of help. But she received one letter she won’t forget. It was from a ten-year-old boy from Bemidji, Minnesota, who sent her two nickels. He said he hoped it would help some of the suffering the quake had caused. In a postscript to his letter he had written these words: "P.S. If you need more, please let me know." scripture 1 Samuel 16:1-13 Common English Bible (CEB) Samuel anoints David 16 The LORD said to Samuel, “How long are you going to grieve over Saul? I have rejected him as king over Israel. Fill your horn with oil and get going. I’m sending you to Jesse of Bethlehem because I have found[a] my next king among his sons.” 2 “How can I do that?” Samuel asked. “When Saul hears of it he’ll kill me!” “Take a heifer with you,” the LORD replied, “and say, ‘I have come to make a sacrifice to the LORD.’ 3 Invite Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will make clear to you what you should do. You will anoint for me the person I point out to you.” 4 Samuel did what the LORD instructed. When he came to Bethlehem, the city elders came to meet him. They were shaking with fear. “Do you come in peace?” they asked. 5 “Yes,” Samuel answered. “I’ve come to make a sacrifice to the LORD. Now make yourselves holy, then come with me to the sacrifice.” Samuel made Jesse and his sons holy and invited them to the sacrifice as well. 6 When they arrived, Samuel looked at Eliab and thought, That must be the LORD’s anointed right in front. 7 But the LORD said to Samuel, “Have no regard for his appearance or stature, because I haven’t selected him. God[b] doesn’t look at things like humans do. Humans see only what is visible to the eyes, but the LORD sees into the heart.” 8 Next Jesse called for Abinadab, who presented himself to Samuel, but he said, “The LORD hasn’t chosen this one either.” 9 So Jesse presented Shammah, but Samuel said, “No, the LORD hasn’t chosen this one.” 10 Jesse presented seven of his sons to Samuel, but Samuel said to Jesse, “The LORD hasn’t picked any of these.” 11 Then Samuel asked Jesse, “Is that all of your boys?” “There is still the youngest one,” Jesse answered, “but he’s out keeping the sheep.” “Send for him,” Samuel told Jesse, “because we can’t proceed until he gets here.”[c] 12 So Jesse sent and brought him in. He was reddish brown, had beautiful eyes, and was good-looking. The LORD said, “That’s the one. Go anoint him.” 13 So Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him right there in front of his brothers. The LORD’s spirit came over David from that point forward. Then Samuel left and went to Ramah. Footnotes: a. 1 Samuel 16:1 Or seen b. 1 Samuel 16:7 LXX; MT lacks God. c. 1 Samuel 16:11 MT; LXX we won’t sit down (that is, to eat) Common English Bible (CEB) Copyright © 2011 by Common English Bible Sermon Speaking of Facebook, there was a facebook post that said, when I decided to give up something for lent, I wasn’t planning on giving up quite this much. Lent, the season of preparation for Easter, now there is a concept. It seems like so much has happen since the beginning of lent. This is the fourth Sunday of lent. There are some years, where I get to do lent, and then there are years like this where lent does me. Lent is definitely doing me this year. It seems like the whole world has changed, every day there is a new development in this coronavirus pandemic. In the next few moments, I am going to invite us to put all of that stuff aside, and get back to the lent at hand. Let us focus, and think – where do we find God in the midst of all of the things going on in the world. And how do we continue in our busy lives to develop a relationship with God. Our scripture for today is an invitation for us to look at David as an example of someone with an awesome relationship with God. Whatever David did in life, whereever he was – he always stayed in touch with God. He found God in every circumstance. The stories of David are some of the most lively in the bible. David was the king of Israel, but he was also a father, a husband, a sinner, a child of God – given a purpose in life. There are many stories of David, - David and Goliath, David and Bathesheba, David and Jonothan, David and Saul. The psalms are David’s writings about how we went through life and hound God in the good and the bad. Our scripture is the story of how David was chosen and anointed by God. – God must have know all along that God wanted David to be king. But it was not obvious to Samuel the prophet. He sets out on a journey to Bethlehem. He does not know who he is looking for. And since Saul was tall, and strong, he assumed that the new king would be also. When he went to the house of Jesse, the father of 7 sons, Saul assumed that the oldest would be God’s choice, or at least the second or even third choice. Michael Jordan was actually not the first choice of the bulls, ot even the second, but the third choice – but I am sure they picked him, even though he wasn’t the first choice. Our ways are not God’s ways – we look at outward appearance, God looks at the heart. Sometimes God does not look for A people, or even B people. God looks for C people – ordinary people who are committed, consecrated and compassionate. God chose David because he was humble, good hearted and filled with the Holy Spirit. When we look at people how do we judge them worthy? What do we look for? What God Sees In the midst of our Lenten journey, God doesn't see us as everyone else sees us. People around us may see us as cool, successful, unattractive, popular, old, whatever. It doesn't matter at all how others may see us. God sees our hearts, sees us as we really are. Perhaps we wish we had him fooled, like those we've led to believe that we're less frightened, more confident, happier than we really are. Or perhaps we're deeply grateful that God sees through all the shallow, negative judgments which so many people have placed on us. Probably it's both. Our Lord, to our joy and to our sorrow, looks into our hearts and sees us as we really are. In Lent, that's a call for introspection: to confess that we have not loved our Lord with our whole hearts, nor loved our neighbors as ourselves. In Lent, it's especially important that we confess our sinfulness as specifically as we're able. In what ways have we failed God and ourselves? Because we can't hide from God, we dare not use all our usual ways to avoid our sinfulness. We're used to denying our sins, minimizing them, excusing them, blaming them on others. This Lent, let's examine ourselves, asking God to search our hearts. We benefit from naming our sins, our needs, and losses, and failings. And we admit to God that only by his grace and guidance can we find healing and help. G. Edward Whetstone, Caught in the Acts, CSS Publishing When we look at people it is important that we look at them as God sees them, not as we see them. God sees the inner heart. That makes all of the difference in the world. Jim Eaton, looks back on his life and remembers being in high school in 1965. His family moved around a lot so as Freshman, he was a little insecure. Until they moved to small town in Michigan. His English teacher was Mrs. Sonnebonne. He remembers her as a short lady who always wore high heals, but she had a spunky personality. Everyone’s desk was arranged in a circle. And everyone, the boys and girls has long hair. It was important for Mrs. Sonnebonne to look you in the eye, if your hair was in your face, she would take a hair clip and pin it back so she could see you. It only took one time for the students to get the point. One of their assignments was to rewrite a fairy talk. This student took that task seriously, and wrote a play. Not only did he get an A – the teacher had students in the class perform the play. After class, she had the student stay after. She said to him, Jim I didn’t know who you were until today – not I know that you are truly a writer. Those words meant the world to a young insecure man looking for identity. That was who he became from that day forward – writer - he went on to write several more plays for Mrs. Sonnebonne’s class. He continued to write, he still writes for the church as an adult. He will always be grateful – that teacher gave him a very special gift – the gift of himself. The Lord sent Samuel into a small desert town – to anoint a king. I small, insecure you shepdherd boy became the king of Israel. When Samuel anointed David, he gave David the gift of himself – a man after God’s own heart – and he lived that role for the rest of his life. How does God see you? What gift of self has God given you, how are you using it? We cant’ love anyone else until we love ourselves as God loves us. We cant give to others that we have not given ourselves, we cant see the gift of light in others, unless we see the light within ourselves. In the mist of the chaos and confusion – get back to finding God in every person and every situation – especially within ourselves. That is God’s gift to each of us. Let us pray….. Amen. Take a moment to remember God’s grace as we listen. Not go forth. Additional illustrations Humor: It's The Blind Man Mrs. Smith was stark-naked and just about to step into the shower when the doorbell rang. She hollered, "Who is it?" He shouted back, "It's the blind man." She figured it was safe, so she opened the door. He looked at her in shock and asked, "Where do you want me to hang these blinds, lady?" Ann Landers, The Washington Post, October 13, 1998. Years ago, there was a story of a candidate for Congress who never missed an opportunity to go after a vote. Just before election time, he would tear all around his district getting acquainted and passing out campaign brochures. On one occasion, he walked into a backyard where a little girl happened to be milking a cow. As usual, he introduced himself and explained that he was running for Congress. Just then the mother stuck her head out the back door and called, "Mary, who is that fellow you're talking to?" Mary explained that the visitor was a man running for Congress. "You come right in the house," commanded the mother, with great concern in her voice. And then as an afterthought, she added, "And if that fellow is a politician, bring the cow in with you." Politics, politics - vote when the time comes, but do it as properly as you can. Not on the basis of simple partisan politics, not on the basis of pure self-interest, and not on the basis of image. Paul makes it clear that, whether we are voting or doing anything else, as Christians we should "do it as unto the Lord." Wilma, 20th of 22 children, suffered from polio as a very young child. By age six, Wilma had also survived double pneumonia, scarlet fever, and whooping cough. She was frail and weak, often needing assistance to accomplish even the smallest tasks at home or school. Based only on her outward appearance, Wilma was destined for a life of poverty, dependence, and frustration. However, Wilma had a fierce determination to overcome this crippling illness. Through grueling exercises and relentless discipline, Wilma not only began to walk, she started to run. Then Wilma not only ran, she ran fast, faster than anyone in her school. The little girl with frail legs and a fragile body had become a young woman with a powerful body and a courageous heart. At the 1960 Olympics in Rome, Wilma Rudolph didn’t just run, she sprinted her way to three Olympic gold medals: for the 100 and 200 meter dashes and as anchor in the 400 meter relay. “The Lord does not see what mortals see… the Lord looks on the heart” (1 Samuel 16:7). Second, our scripture lesson reminds us that the Lord’s presence and power are deep inside our own hearts. Few, if any of us, will become great world leaders like David or Olympic champions like Wilma Rudolph. Nevertheless, it is the Lord’s power within us that prepares us to enter the new and challenging spaces that lie just before us. The world's greatest detective, Sherlock Holmes, and his faithful companion, Dr. Watson, were on a camping trip. They were in their sleeping bags looking up at the sky. Holmes said, "Watson, look up. What do you see?" Watson answered, "Well, I see thousands of stars." "And what does that mean to you?" Holmes inquired. "Well," said Watson, "I guess it means we will have another nice day tomorrow." Watson paused for a moment and then asked, "What does it mean to you, Holmes?" "To me," said Holmes somberly, "it means someone has stolen our tent." This world is governed by "C" people - not "the best and the brightest" only, but the committed, the consecrated, and the compassionate. In scriptures you find over and over again that "C" people also prevail. Indeed, God chooses ordinary people to achieve extraordinary tasks. The things we say we'll never do - "It's not in me" - become the very things God's grace leads us into. God gives us the resources we need at the time we need them.

In the Presence of Sin

2 Samuel 11:1-15 John 6:1-21 July 29, 2012 Ninth Sunday of Pentecost Year B “In the Presence of Sin” The church has a responsibility to address the needs of others A few years ago in the city of Chicago, a crowd of community residents did something unusual. They picketed the churches in their community to do something other than have church. They picketed them to be church. They seemed to say the Christ you claim and proclaim each Sunday seems more than enough in the sanctuary, but never seems to get out in our neighbor-hoods. Why are you open only on Sunday? Need happens 24/7. There are six other days in the week, but you're closed. I don’t know if that is true or not, I don’t remember hearing that story. But it is important for us to think about during this time, as we hear of so many people taking to the streets, like the nation of islam, and the coalition of Chicago pastors who were out on the street corners to address the violence that happens this summer. But I want to start where we left off last week – we have to remember that need is a 24/7 situation. It never goes away, there is always someone in need, in need of even the most basic things in life. God created us to have needs God created us to have needs, we have to eat, we have to drink water, we have to sleep. And those are basic needs that we have to tend to each and every day. Eat, drink, sleep, those things can even take control of our lives. The importance of fasting For the muslims, the month of Ramadan is a month of fasting. A month to step out of the day to day routine of needing to spend so much time in our lives, trying to satisfy our most basic needs. I thought of the importance of a time of spiritual cleansing on Friday as I had to take a blood test. I was supposed to fast for at least 12 hours before the test. But for some reason I did not schedule the test until 2:30 pm. I spent most of the morning, literally 3 hours – staring at the clock waiting for 2:30 to come so that I could get something to eat. But was I hungry because my body needed nutrients, or out of the habit of needing something to eat. And what does it mean to satisfy the hunger? Had I not gotten hungry, I would never have thought about what hunger really means. When I was a little girl, I used to wonder why I had to eat today, when I had something to eat yesterday. It has been a long time in life since I had that problem. Natural hunger the beginning of sin We all get hungry, we all need to eat – God created the human body that way. But in reality we run into another problem. God gave us all certain needs. But there are days when we cross the lines. We no longer think about whether those needs are satisfied, we just continue to want more and more and more. It is when we cross that line from hunger into greediness that we have turned to sin. It is easy for any of us to cross that line. And it is usually not until we have gone too far, that we even become aware that we have crossed that line. The importance of this story The Hebrew bible lesson is one of the most famous stories in the bible. It is also one of the most graphic stories in the bible. It is designed for us to gasp, for us to get mad at the participants, for us to hear the story and place judgement on what a horrible person King David was for committing adultery with the wife of his most faithful servant. It is clear for us to see how David was wrong, and should have known better. We don’t think about why this story is here, why we are reading it now. For is to realize that David wanted to make an example if his life and his story in hopes that we would do differently. It happened late one afternoon The story starts out – that it happened late one afternoon. David was just out on his balcony, he just happened to see a woman, he just happened to commit adultery, she just happened to get pregnant, he just happened to have to kill her husband, he just happened to marry her, they just happened to have a boy, that boy just happened to become the heir to his throne. Nice story, but one problem. Sin does not just happen. There is always a moment when we could have turned away and avoided the consequences. And panic and hiding the sin doesn’t make it go away. They usually get us into more trouble. And even after God has forgiven us, we still live with the consequences of our sin. The bible makes it clear that David was one of God’s favorite persons. There is story after story of how God was with David, and God brought David through some tough times. God made an eternal promise to David. And yet the one thing that always sticks out to me, is that david spent most of his adult life as a very unhappy person. He was very sick, there was chaos in his family, the threats to his leadership came from his own sons. This was the point where things seemed all down hill. In his story one thing led to another because of the consequences of his life. He repented and he asked for forgiveness – but what good did it do. Cleaning lady cleaning up after her own party A lady had been the cleaning lady for one company for over 70 years. When the new managers of the company found out about their most loyal employee, they wanted to give her an appreciation party. When she found out, she asked her supervisor to please not do her any favors. The managers thought she was just being modest and insisted. She insisted also, please no party. I am still the cleaning lady, and it will be my responsibility to clean up the mess that you all make from this party. So please don’t do me any favors. That must be how God felt about David, and how he feels about us most days. We are the ones who commit the sin, and we expect God to clean up the mess. It is one thing for us to be hungry, it is another for us to be hungry for other peoples things. God says thou shalt not covet. It is one thing for us to be hungry, but it is another for us to get greedy. When we are hungry, we have to depend upon God to supply all of our needs, and to be satisfied with what God gives us. David’s sin not living up to his responsibility David’s sin did not start with adultery, it started with him not honoring his responsibilities to others. The king was expected to lead his people in battle. His people were in battle, but david decided that as king he needed to stay at home. Not only was Bathsheba married, but David was married also. But he had decided that rules were for other people, he had the freedom to do what he wanted. We will hear more about this story next week, but David had to realize that no matter how many other people who had hurt with his actions, that he also hurt God. He needed to ask for God’s forgiveness in the midst of this. Jesus 4th temptation There is an old African American story that the devil tempted Jesus Christ not three times, but 4. When jesus was in the wilderness, the devil tempted Jesus to trust himself to take care of his needs and not God, the take power over the world, and to save himself. As Jesus was in agony on the cross, in pain for all of our sins, the devil whispered in his ear – they are not worth it, they will continue to sin again and again, your death is a waste, because these people are not worth it. It was at that moment that Jesus cried out for all to hear – Father forgive them for they know not what they do. David was highly favored by God, David confessed his sins, and yet David himself realized that he would have to live the consequences of his sin forever. He never saw God’s promise for us- Jesus Christ is God’s only provision for truly taking away the effects of our sin on our lives. Sin is rooted in love, love of money, love of pleasure, love of the things of this world. Salvation is rooted in the understanding that God loves us more. Jesus Christ has the power to satisfy all of our hungers and all of our needs. The feeding of the 5000 is so important that it is the only miracle in all five gospels. Jesus understand that the need to eat is given to all of us. Jesus understands that we live in a world that does not provide for everyone, so people are hungry. People need to eat. Sometimes, you cant address the spiritual needs of a person, until you address the physical needs. You have to feed them food before you feed them the Word. John tells this story – helping us understand why Jesus sacrificed himself so that we would not have to be hungry forever. Jesus says that man cannot live by bread alone, when we just seek bread, we are on the road to sin. Sin is an outward expression of the rebellion in our hearts. A refusal to let God take care of all of our needs. John is the only version of the feeding story that ends with Jesus walking on water, in order to calm the fears of his disciples. John wants us to remember that even as disciples we have needs, we have fears, but we have to believe that Jesus has the power to overcome all of our circumstances. Sin happens in the circumstance of life, but Christ has shown us time and time again, that he is Lord of circumstance. There is always a way to rise above our circumstance, if we are willing to follow Jesus. Sailing the see according to the waves In Plato’s Republic, there is a story of a ship sailing the seas. The captain directed the ship through the sea by looking at the stars. Yet the crew felt that he should have been looking at the water and the waves in front of him. They were more responsible for the direction of the boat than the stars. They locked him in his cabin and navigated the ship themselves, according to what they could see of the waves and the water. By navigated according to what was happening in front of them, they were headed for a wreck. When we live our lives according to what we see in front of us, we are headed for disaster, because we are headed for sin. When we live in a world where things happen one late afternoon, - sin will prevail. That is the natural course of human nature. Jesus overcame human nature, Jesus overcame circumstance, Jesus died for our sins, so that we could understand to power of forgiveness and a right relationship with God. Keep you head up, looking at the stars, the heavens, to God. Then we can always steer our way clear. Let us pray…..

The House of God

2 Samuel 7:1-14a
Ephesians 2:11-22
Year B
7th Sunday after Pentecost
“The House of God”
July 19, 2009

Walls – why we need them
Walls are an important part of our life. What would we do without them, especially in our climate. They protect us, they help us define ourselves, it separates us from people and things that are not in our best interest. And there are certain walls, in certain buildings with have great meaning for us. They tell our story of who we are and what is important to us.

Houses – beautiful homes
Walls are an important part of our dwellings. They create beautiful homes and buildings.

Beautiful houses of God
Some of the most beautiful buildings in the world are the ones that we build for God. The cathedrals of Europe are amazing. Oak Park has some beautiful churches also, which sanctuaries which truly make you think of the throne room of God. St Edmunds is a truly amazing sanctuary. People constantly compliment our own sanctuary. The stain glass says worship God in a place of beauty.

Long tradition – tradition of all to say thank you
Creating a beautiful place to worship God is a part of our worship experience. So when David decided that he was going to build a beautiful house for God – he was just trying to make sure that his God, had the same respect that all of the others gods of the people around him had. When a national leader came into power, it was expected that you would build a momument for God. What better monument to God could there be besides a house to come and to worship, and say thank you and to acknowledge God as the king of our lives.

David’s intention -If he was going to be king – God had to be king
David’s intention were very pure. He realized that if he was going to be King, that God had to also be King. God ad brought him from a very long way. God had brought him through some pretty tough times. God had bought his people through some times which questioned the very foundation of who they were and who they were supposed to be. But God had bought David to a good place now, he had bought the country to a stable place. And it was time to make sure that God was in that same place, and taken care of just as well.

God grows with us – David’s relationship with God
In many ways, it seemed that as David’s life changed, God changed with him. There was a time when God was a war God. God was the one who called the Isrealites into war to conquer the land and take it from others. God was the one who supported them in battle, God was the one who strengthened them to survive and to establish a homeland, in the midst of enemies. God protected David when he was a warrior, and God anointed him when he became King.

Isreal’s relationship with God
There was a time when Israel was given strict instructions not to have a King. God was their king. But they realized that as time went on that they needed a king in order to survive as a nation of people. God permitted the change, because as the people changed, their needs and what was best for them changed.

History of God
God is still a God of change. And as we grow as a people – so does our God. It was not that long ago in history that churches used scripture to justify slavery, and the ensuing racism that followed. We still use the bible to justify wars, and killings and all sorts of bad things that hurt other people. And it has taken us years to change the definition of those words – to realize that there are other ways to treat people.

Example of road to freedom
Yesterday, a friend and I went to see the Road to Freedom exhibit with the Chicago Urban League at the field museum. It was a collections of photos from the civil rights era. It was a pretty moving event, but one photo struck my attention. It was a picture of one of the nine young people who first desegrated the school in Little Rock. One of the girls arrived a day early because she did not get word that the event had been postponed a day. This photo was of her walking to school – and there were a large group of girls from the school behind her – they were scowling at her, and her their fist raised. The girls in the picture were 15-16 years old. I would imagine that by now they would be grandmothers. Both my friend and I wondered what conversation would ensue if these women had a conversation with their grandchildren today about that picture. How would they respond when their grandchildren asked them why they were so upset with that little girl just because she was going to school.

Who is God today? Who do we worship as our God
The world which we live in had changed dramatically even in the last 40 years. And so has our view of God. Who is the God which we worship today? What does that God stand for in society? And it is will be interesting what views that we are stuck with and that we use God to defend, will be totally useless in 10 – 15 years, because the world has changed.

David learned an important lesson
Our view of God changes with our understanding of the world. Yet David had to learn an important lesson that day. Just because the world changes, just because our understanding of God changes – God remains the same.

Nathan said no
David was told that he was not the build God’s house. That God was not ready to join him in the mist of his success

God is still king. God lives with the people.God doesn’t live inside of walls.

David could not build a house for God – but God would build a house for David.
God promised David that there would always be a member of his family on the throne. That his son would build the temple That his sons would be blessed, and that his son would have to power to be raised up so that David’s name would be remembered forever.

People are the true house of God.
God doesn’t live within walls, and never will. The true house of God is the hearts of his people. That is where God has always lived and where God will always live. God is free to live with the people.

The real problem are walls of our hearts.
Walls are important to us, they protect us. They define us, they tell our story. But walls can also hold us in, they can keep us trapped in beliefs that no longer serve out best interest, they can keep other people out, they can keep us from really witnesses what god is doing in the world. They do not contain the spirit of God. The real problem is not the walls that we build around us, the real problem is the walls that we build inside of us.

Soldier story
In World War I, there was a soldier who was killed in France. His friends wanted to make sure that he was buried before they had to move on. They went to the nearest cemetery to ask if they could bury their friend. The priest asked if he had been baptized catholic – and he had not. So the priest said that he could not be buried. Distraught they buried their friend right outside of the walls of the cemetery. The next day – the priest feeling guilty for not allowing the soldier to be buried within the walls –went outside and moved the fence, so that the soldiers grave would be inside.


There are barriers that still need to be torn down
People still need to bring them down.
Ephesians talks about the walls of our hearts. The ways that we define ourselves in order to exclude those who are not like us. There were still ways that the congregation was dividing itself. Jews felt that they could not associate with gentiles. Greeks felt they could not talk to barbarians. - Anyone who is not like me is an outsider was the mindset. Ephesians message was that through Christ we are a new people. We are one people. Like to priest of the cemetery. He doesn’t change the rules, he just expands them to include everyone else. He changes definitions. The jews separated themselves as a way to get close to God – Through Christ, we are all bought near to God.

Ephesians – we go from strangers to family
All people, no matter who we are go from strangers and aliens to citizens, saints, members of the household of God. We go from divided, suspicious, self destructive to unified, loving and most importantly hopeful.

There are Changes in language, Changes in understanding,
Changing the way we include people

Kindergarten story
There is a television documentary about a kindergarten teacher who noticed that the thing she heard most on the playground was “No you cant play with us”. So she made a rule that from now on, all children had to play with whomever asked to play. Even in kindergarten, the children protested. How could we play with anyone who asked. We have a right to define who we want to play with. Other kids in the school could not understand this rule either. Why would you play with just anyone? The kindergarten agreed that they would try to go along with the rule for a week. When they say it worked – they agreed to do it all of the time. It helped them to meet new friends. A few years later, the teacher saw one of her former students in the store. Lisa was twelve now. She asked her old teacher if she still used the play with anyone rule. Yes replied the teacher. Lisa told her teacher that she too stuck to the rule – if including anyone who wanted to play with her in her world. It was very difficult. She got a lot of flack from her friends. A lot of people did not understand her, even more criticized her. But it was important for her to carry on with the rule to learn to play with anyone.



How do we play with others?
Walls are beautiful things. They are an important part of our life. But they also keep us locked in, they trap us, they stop us from seeing what God is doing in the world, and they stop us from participating in the real work of God. God inside of our walls, but God is also in the world. God dwells in the homes created for God, but God also lives in the hearts of his people. Those inside and outside.
Who are the outsiders today? Who are the ones asking to play with us, and what are the ways that we tell them no? Today we live in a world that is so global, that we are neighborhood is bigger them we can comprehend. Jesus is calling us to think beyond being a good neighbor – to become a family of brothers and sisters. In spite of our differences, inspite of our different understandings – there is only one God. One god who has been with the people and always will. Where are we?

Dancing for God with all of our might

July 12, 2009
“Dancing for God with all of our might”
2 Samuel 6:1-19
Ephesians 1:3-14
Year B
6th Sunday after Pentecost


The story of David
This summer, we have been following the life of David. We have learned about his anointing as the King. And now we learn more about his life. What is it that makes him so special. Why is it that the people love him so much, that they follow him. We learn about his personal life. His first wife is Saul’s daughter Michal. They grew up together, and eventually got married.

The Story of Michal
In the story, David is the hero. But Michal is depicted as a bitter woman. She didn’t seem to understand David. And may have mourned her father’s role as the first king of Isreal. She scolds david in this story – and later it says that she never had kids because she could not accept David as the king of Isreal.
But I think Michal is getting a bad wrap- as many women in the bible usually do.
Imagine this – you have been sitting home all day cleaning house and waiting for your husband to come home after a long day at work. You hear a commotion outside, and you look out the curtain of the front window to see what is going on. You see your husband dancing – You notice that there is nothing under his outgarment – so his private parts are showing as he is dancing all over the place. If that is not bad enough – you notice that three young girls are standing on the corner - with their eyes glued to his groin area. All of these young girls are from your neighborhood – you have known them all since they were born, and today they are all staring at your husband’s private parts. When he finally comes in the house – what do you say to him? How was your day? Or why were you dancing like that in front of all of the neighborhood? Given the circumstance, that would seem like a very likely question. Not a sign of bitterness at all.
Some even say that Michal was actually a very wise woman, concerned about what others would think of her husband and protective of his reputation.
We will never know – because the story depicts her otherwise.

David’s point – dancing with all of your might
The story is not about Michal, but about David. More importantly about David’s faith, and the point of the story is that David was willing to worship God with all of his might.

David was not the best of persons, did some pretty bad things.
The bible is a very vulnerable story about David. It doesn’t depict him in a very good light. David did some pretty bad things. And the bible even admits that he did not pay as much attention to his family as he should have. Not only did he not listen to Michal, he never seemed to care about his wives, and he let his children do whatever they wanted. With no discipline.

This was a political story – he claimed the kinghood, not only over the past, but also the future.
There is also the fair accusation that the only thing David really cared about was becoming King. Marrying Saul’s daughter in the first place could have been a political move. He united Israel and Judah, and established Jerusalem as his capital. He did not want anyone to question him – or his ancestors behind them.

But he loved God – he devoted his life to God both the good and the bad.
But the one thing the Bible wants to make clear – David was not the best of persons – but he loved God. He worshipped God and he devoted his life to God. He was not the best of persons – but he bought God with him wherever he went.

The center of the story is not David, but the presence of God – the ark of convenant.
As a matter of fact, the center of this story is not Michal of David, it is the presence of God in the Ark of Covenent. The isrealites took the ark with them in every battle. It helped them to win.

What was in the ark of convanent?
The ark was a wooden box with angels on top of it. It was believed to have to tablets of the ten commandements inside, along with a lot of others things, which contained the power of God. Today there is a legend that the ark is in South Africa. A group of people who say there were descendents of the keepers of the ark, took it there and they keep it inside of a church – no one is allowed to come near them inside of the church so there is no way to verify if it is really the ark.

The presence of God represented both promise and danger - Uzzah was killed for touching the Ark, but Obed prospered.
The point is that the ark is thought to be very powerful presence. On the one hand, Uzzah was killed just for touching the ark to save it from falling. David asked another family to keep the ark for safekeeping. David noticed that for three months Obed and his family did very well while keeping the ark. One the one hand the presence of God is dangerous to handle, something to be feared, and yet on the other hand God is wonderful and someone to depend on. God is promise and danger – isn’t that a lot like our thought s on God. Someone to fear, yet someone to depend on?

David had reached a point in his life when he realized that he could not serve without God – He realized that he needed God in his life.
Weighing both sides of God – promise ad danger, David realized that he could not go forward as King, without the blessing of God. There was no way he could serve the people – without God’s presence.

We all have to reach the point in our lives – when we see that God’s power never serves us and our person power and plans – We come to understand that our power and our plansis to to serve God and God’s purpose.

Ephesians speaks to that point

Ephesians is a Lots of words – but basically it makes three points: God adopts us; God redeems us; God unites us

We are given a purpose in life – to praise God

We should Praise God in everything

Dancing on the chips
A friend of mine tells a story of a day in her life. She had had a long week at work, and she was having friends over for the weekend. Of course on Saturday morning, she had a lot that needed to be done before her friends arrived. She went to the bank – and the teller made a mistake. She went to the store and realized that she had forgot half of what was on her list. She had 45 minutes to fix lunch for her friends. She thought of soup – but realized she had forgot milk. She thought of leftover bake beans only to see they had been in the refrigerator too long and had molded. She thought she would have potato chips and hot dogs. She went to open the bag of potato chips that she had just bought. And no matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t open them, when she got them opened them, she did not realize that she opened the wrong side. All of the potato chips fell on the ground. That was the last straw. She started to scream and cry. Her husband immediately came in to see what was wrong. She expected that he would at least help her clean them up. Instead he laughed at her, and then started to dance on the chips – grinding them into her floor. All she could do was laugh – laugh at herself, laugh at the situation. She had expected her husband to clean up her mess and make it all better, instead, he have her the moment of gladness that broke her mood and helped her to take her day in stride and keep on going forward.

How many times in life does God do that for us. We are waiting for God to come in an clean things up and make things better, and instead God comes into our lives and dances. Giving us a moment to stop and to think about the important things in life, and to realize that messes come and go, but we have to take it all into perspective. And just dance along with the situation. And with God.


Our purpose is not only to be aware of the presence, but to also respond to it – to dance to the rhythm of life.

Life flows, life comes and goes, there are ups and downs. Seasons of life

Question to you – what dance do you do? Foxtrot, the moon walk Just dance Where is your ark of convenant – the presence of God to keep you centered? What is God’s purpose for your life?

Lee Ann Womacks song – I hope you dance is one of my favorite songs – because it reminds us to dance like full out, without no regard for who is watching or what they think, no matter what.
She says….I hope you never lose your sense of wonder You get your fill to eat But always keep that hunger May you never take one single breath for granted God forbid love ever leave you empty handed I hope you still feel small When you stand by the ocean Whenever one door closes, I hope one more opens Promise me you'll give faith a fighting chance And when you get the choice to sit it out or dance I hope you dance I hope you dance

Live, love, serve, cry, pray with all of your might.