Her Legacy Lives On

May 11, 2025 Acts 9: 36-43 Mother’s Day Year C Her Legacy lives on Prelude Greetings Call to Worship One: Today we celebrate our mothers, grandmothers, aunties, and all the women who have loved us. Many: Thank you God for giving us mothers. One: We remember with deep gratitude all the ways they demonstrated their love for us. Many: Sometimes we did not understand them, but we know that God understood. One: We take time to remember our mothers because a mother's love is most like God's love. All: For their tears, for their hugs, for their wisdom, for their unfailing trust in our abilities, we give thanks today. (United Methodist Board of Discipleship, LaGretta Bjorn) Opening Prayer (Do not Print) Loving God, we know your love because we have mothers. We thank you for the mothers who carried us in their wombs, nourishing, protecting, and bringing us into the world. We thank you for the mothers who did not give birth to us, yet loved us just the same. With gratitude we remember their words of encouragement when we have felt unsure or afraid; we thank you for their kindness when the world has treated us unkindly; we thank you for their soft, comforting arms and the gentle way they kissed away our tears; we thank you that they protected us with the fierceness of a lioness protecting her cubs; we thank you for the times when they corrected us rather than letting us continue down wrong paths. Help us to live so that their investment in us might not be in vain. We honor our mothers with lives of service to you in the name of the Risen Christ, for it is in his Name we pray. Amen. (United Methodist Board of Discipleship, LaGretta Bjorn) Song Easter People Raise your Voices UMH 304 A Sermon for all Ages Hello, children of God! Hmm…wow. So much for my great plans. I have some special tools and equipment here, but I don’t think I have the skills to use them correctly. I thought I would try my hand at sewing, because it sounds like fun, and it would be pretty impressive to be able to create things like clothing and blankets and gifts for people. I gathered all of these items that should go with sewing. (Hold up items as described) I have some needles, and some scissors, and fabric, and thread, and string…I thought it should be simple enough. I should be able to just put these fabric pieces together. But…I think I messed up a little (exhibit attempted, but obviously failed craft). In fact, I’m not even sure I used the right kind of tools here. This looks a bit like a big mistake. I guess I’m not cut out to be a seamstress. But you know what? I know some people who are excellent at making things using sewing. I have some friends who love to create beautiful clothing and quilts. I’ll bet if I take these tools to them, they might be able to fix my mess-up and make something new and useful! In the hands of people who know what they’re doing, things will be done right. This sort of reminds me of what God can do in our lives. He creates each of us with special skills and abilities that we can use for Him. But sometimes we make mistakes. Sometimes things get messed up and seem bleak and even hopeless. But God can turn our lives around and use even hardships for His glory. He can and will take all of our abilities and use them for His purposes. There’s a wonderful story in the Bible about a time that something that looked sorrowful turned joyful. In fact, this story features a lady who liked to sew. Her name was Tabitha. She’s also called Dorcas, but I kind of prefer the Tabitha name. Anyway, Tabitha made clothing for people, and she did a lot of great charitable things for people. Sadly, Tabitha got sick and died. Those around her were very sad, and they mourned as they remembered all of the wonderful things she made and did. They sent for Peter, that good old disciple of Christ, and he came to the house where Tabitha’s body was. As everyone was weeping, Peter knelt and prayed. Then he called to her and said, “Tabitha, get up!” And you know what? She did! It was like she’d just been taking a nap. Tabitha got up after being completely dead, and she was alive and well again! Naturally, word spread about this event, and it caused many people to believe in Jesus. A sad event was turned around and used for God’s glory and purposes. And I’ll bet Tabitha went back to making things for people, so that God could use her gifts for His purposes. The same thing can happen with us. God gives all of us special talents and ways to serve Him. You might feel that you are not enough for the task. Maybe you don’t know how to best live for the Lord. Maybe you’ve made mistakes and feel like things are hopeless. On your own, it might be tough to do, well, anything. But in the hands of the Master, anything is possible. God wants to use you, and will make it happen! God also wants to use all things for His purposes. Place your life and all things in His hands. No matter who you are, He can and will use you! And no matter what happens in your life, He will use that, too. Let’s say a prayer to thank God for the opportunity to use all gifts for His glory: (MinistrytoChildren.com, Kristin Highley) Prayer of Blessing for Mother’s Day (and other days): Holy One, today we pray for all who share in your creative power, your nurturing energy, your fierce protection, your unconditional love. Whatever titles they carry, Whatever genders they are, We offer this prayer for all who bear your Mothering Spirit: Protect the protectors; Comfort the comforters. Nourish those who provide nourishment for others. Grant your holy energy to those birthing new life in this world. Provide sacred rest for the weary, Divine wisdom for the bewildered, Grace upon grace for the brokenhearted. For all who gasp and pant with you in life-giving labor, Grant your blessing, Grant your peace. Amen. (From Expecting Emmanuel, Joanna Harader) Scripture Acts 9:36-43 Sermon Her Legacy Lives on May is the month of teacher appreciation, nurses appreciation, and even bus driver appreciation. In the midst of all of these appreciation days, I saw a Facebook post that said if there if your profession has to have an special appreciation day, then you are not getting paid enough for what you do for the world. I thought that sounds about right. May is also the month of rebirth. It is the month that we celebrate the gift of resurrection. – so our scripture for this morning is perfect for the fourth Sunday of Easter. It is the story of Dorcas, a woman who dedicated her life to serving those who were not celebrated, appreciated, or even acknowledged. Her mission was to make clothes for the widows. In those days, widows were a hidden part of society. They could not work, they had no means of support, they could not be seen, they were totally dependent on the kindness of others to survive. The old testament states that these are the people who we all have an obligation to take care. That was Jesus ministry – to take collect money to support the widows. That was Peter and the disciples ministry after the resurrection. That was Paul’s ministry to the gentiles – to raise money for the widows of Israel. Dorcas is the only woman in the bible who has earned the title of female disciple, because she diligently continued the mission of Jesus. You can’t tell the gospel story without acknowledging the contributions of women. In the midst of doing their work, women were the first to witness the resurrection. They were not named as disciples, and yet they were the backbone of the early church. Often times, they were behind the scenes cooking and taking care of practical things, so that the twelve disciples could be out in front telling the story and raising money for Jesus’ charity. Also they were the ones who financially supported the early church. So it is fitting that when one of these important benefactors dies, that they would call Peter to come and to do the funeral and to comfort the community. Dorcas was one of those important women. Everyone loved her, because not only did she support Jesus ministry to the widows. But she also held everyone thing together. She was known for helping the widows and for that matter anyone. She inspired others to believe and to help with the mission. When she died, the community lost a shining light that could not be replaced. Peter, not only comes to see her, he is able to put life into her body, and to bring her back to life. We never know if she returns to her ministry, or if she is as active in her new life as she was before, or if the community is just grateful to have her presence. What we do know, if that her gifts for ministry are present. At her wake, not only do the people gather to tell stories of how she helped them, they bring all of the clothes that she made for them as they honor her life and her ministry with them. This is a very fitting story for Mother’s Day. Mother’s Day is one of the most emotional Sunday’s of the year. Because it is a day that can trigger so many different emotions. There are so many things going on in our heads about mothers. But this morning, we seek to honor our mothers. And while this a happy day for most, we need to realize that, for some women, Mother’s Day feels more like a day of mourning than a day of celebration. It stands as a reminder of what some have lost. Perhaps it’s a woman who lost her child through miscarriage, stillbirth, illness, or tragedy. Perhaps it’s someone who recently lost or who is estranged from his or her mother. Perhaps it’s a mother who is challenged by a rebellious child. Or perhaps, it’s an infertile woman who is pleading and praying for the gift of motherhood. Perhaps it’s a woman who had an abortion before she came to Christ. We all have different experiences that color our view of things, and so there may be some here this morning with pain and suffering that makes it difficult to celebrate. Meredith Hodge was a woman like that. She was infertile and unable to have a child. Regarding Mother’s Day, she has written, “Infertility had darkened my heart and tempted me to despair. Anticipating [Mother’s] day in fear, internally I wished over and over: ‘Please don’t make the moms stand up. Please don’t hand out flowers to moms. Please, no one wish me a happy Mother’s Day.’” She went on to say, “It wasn’t anger or jealousy, but my attention was more focused on my isolation and brokenness. I was grieving the loss of my longtime dream to be a mother. I felt as though all eyes were on me: the barren, childless woman in the congregation, the one who ‘wasn’t blessed.’ I assumed people were staring at me thinking, ‘I wonder what’s wrong with her and why she doesn’t have kids yet.’ “It wasn’t until I applied the gospel to my circumstance, prayed for guidance, and allowed the Spirit to take over my heart that I began to see heart transformation and change in my response to Mother’s Day.” As we honor the mothers in our lives, as we honor the experience of mothering and nurturing that we have received. I think that it is important for us to remember the themes of our scripture – the power of the resurrection, the gifts of the spirit, the mission to help those who can’t help themselves and the contributions of women. Mother’s Day is a chance to acknowledge all of the women in our lives, and their faithful service. Who are the women in our lives who have contributed to the tapestry of our lives, of our church. How do we say thank you for all that they have done for us. This story in Acts 9 says that Peter was here and there. In other words Peter couldn’t sit still, he needed to go out and tell everyone the story of Jesus resurrection. Everywhere the he went, he was able to who others how the spirit was alive and at work in the world. When he is called to do Dorcas’ funeral – he asks everyone to leave and then he puts the spirit back into her body. He is able to do the same things that Jesus did – and bring her back to life. That was his way of acknowledging her part in Jesus ministry, it was his way of saying thank you. Wouldn’t we love to have the power to bring back those important women of faith, who showed us what love is, who supported us and who invested in us. On this mother’s day, all that we can do is remember them in or hearts. In the midst of their grief, those who loved Dorcas, not only used words, but they also used actions to who their appreciation for all that she had done for them. They bought her work in order to spread the good news of her faithfulness. They showed all of the clothes that she had made as a testament to her character and good works. Her good works spoke far louder then her words. We are the results of all of the Dorcas in our lives, their work lives on in us. We are living sermons of those who came before us. I read of a father who often reminds his children: “Your life is God’s gift to you. What you do with your life is your gift back to God. So do something great for God with your life.”[5] That’s good advice. So do something great for God. Make a difference to others by lifting them into life. For when you do, you too will be lifted up from your problems and brought back to life. You will experience the ecstasy of generosity because you will feel a little like how God feels when we allow him to love us. And when these sacred moments of generosity occur, I believe God smiles, for he sees the world the way he created it to be. As Peter is here and there and out and about, he shares the story of Dorcas to tell the power of the holy spirit working within us. The holy spirit worked within Dorcas life in order to make a difference to others. Her life spread love to the whole community. Her life was love in action. The Apostle Paul says that none of us live to ourselves and none of us die to ourselves. There is a link, a tie that binds us together, and although it is a matter of faith, something that is unseen, that cannot be weighed or measured, it becomes visible in the ways we practice mutual aid. There's a song that says, "They'll know we are Christians by our love." Let's hope so. Let's hope they know us by the mutual aid that we practice, by the caring we display for each other, by the words that we share and the lives that we live. And our living faith. Amen. CSS Publishing Company, Inc., Sermons for Sundays in Lent and Easter: The City of Justice, by Frank Ramirez I heard about a kindergartener who was asked to define love and he responded by giving the teacher a big hug and he said, “That’s the way we define love at my house.” And that’s why motherhood is such a beautiful model for Christian love – because mothers translate love into action every day. But, as much as your mother loves you, there’s only so much she can do for you. Someone has written a piece called “Reflections of a Mother”, and in it, says such things as: I gave you life, but cannot live it for you. I can teach you things, but I cannot make you learn. I can take you to church, but I cannot make you believe. I can teach you right from wrong, but I cannot always decide for you. I can love you as a child, but I cannot place you in God’s family. I can pray for you, but I cannot make you walk with God. I can teach you about Jesus, but I cannot make Jesus your Lord. And it’s true. As much as your mother may love you, she can’t follow God for you. And that’s true of our love for one another here this morning. As much as we may love one another, we can’t obey the gospel for one another. That’s something we’ve all got to do as individuals. In the midst of all of the pain and the pitfalls of Mother’s Day, it is important to honor this day. It gives us a chance To honor the love in action that we have received from so many women in our lives. But it also reminds us – to be love in action in the lives of others. We all get the chance to participate in the continued work of the spirit. Let’s pray….. Song All Hail the Power of Jesus Name UMH 155 Prayers of the People (Do not Print) On this fourth Sunday of Easter, with the scent of lilies from the flower- ing cross not yet a distant memory, hold your resurrection glory before us as our guide and hope, O God. May this season plant seeds of new life and yield growth and maturity in Christ. May the gift of your Spirit be our steady leader and faithful friend. We praise you, Savior God. Blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and might be to our God forever and ever! (Revelation 7:12) For mothers around the world today, we give you thanks, O God. We give thanks for the countless ways mothers and mother-figures nurture, educate and inspire. Bless the women who hold and heal, who shelter and protect, who liberate themselves and others from that which dis- courages and curbs potential. Within our varied roles and with our differ- ing gifts, help us recognize the Divine’s image in all her people. We praise you, Savior God. Blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and might be to our God forever and ever! (Revelation 7:12) Righteous God, in a world torn by war, keep us from hate that hardens and scorekeeping with human lives. When our world is troubled and vi- olence the chosen path, draw near to judge and save. Guide our leaders with your wisdom. Help us walk with humility as our constant compan- ion. Move our hearts with compassion, justice and love. p2We praise you, Savior God. Blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and might be to our God forever and ever! (Revelation 7:12) As the Body of Christ, hear us now as we pray as Christ taught us, (Presbyterian Outlook, Terri McDowell Ott) Lord’s Prayer Stewardship Moment In the book of Acts, Luke tells about the beginning of the life of the church. The disciples keep finding ways to share the Good News Jesus had taught. In Acts 9, we hear of Peter coming to Joppa, where Tabitha had died. Peter heard others tell how Tabitha shared her talents with the widows, providing clothing for them. Then Peter prayed and gave what he could, bringing Tabitha back to life. In our life together, what can you give to build up the community? Some of us can create, some can provide compassion and care, some can bring new life to those drowning in despair or depression. Most of us can share financially, letting our checkbooks and wallets attest to the faith we claim. This is a time to offer your gifts. With joy-full hearts, let us present signs of our own identity as disciples of Christ. Prayer of Thanksgiving God, we offer these gifts to you. Please receive them. Help us translate this offering back into ways of building up these people and the ministries to which you call us. Use us. Use our talents and our treasure. Help us each, and all, proclaim the Good News of your love, which we know best in Jesus the Living Christ. AMEN (Disciples of Christ, Center for Faith and Giving) Announcements Closing Prayer for Facebook Christ is risen! Christ is risen, indeed! Live into the hope of Christ’s resurrection! Honor the God who calls you to new life! May the grace, hope, peace and love of God our Creator, Redeemer and Sustainer be with you now and always. Amen. (Presbyterian Outlook, Terri McDowell Ott) Community Time – Joys and Concerns Benediction God’s hand holds us fast and will never let us go. Let us leave this place in sure and certain faith that we swim in the love of our Creator, to the east, the west, above us, below us, and within us. Written by Sally Johnson, United Methodist Creation Justice Movement Additional Illustrations She Knew the Good Shepherd Missionary Herb Schaefer tells about a thirteen-year-old Chinese girl who continued with her family to worship God secretly in their home during the Cultural Revolution in China, that time when religion was forbidden and worship was banned by the Chinese rulers. One evening the Red Guards burst into their small home and threatened them for worshiping Jesus. A small altar with a crude cross stood in one corner of the room. Determined to put a stop to their worship and command complete allegiance to the Communist state, the Red Guard lieutenant demanded they spit on the cross. They refused. The lieutenant became indignant and shouted at them that unless they spat on the cross they would be killed. Finally the elder in the group came forward, spat on the cross and left. One by one they followed, doing the same disgusting thing until only the thirteen-year-old remained. She refused to do what the others had done. "I cannot and I will not," she replied. Then she told the lieutenant the depth of her faith and said that she was willing to die for it. Remarkably the Lieutenant seemed pleased. "This is the kind of devotion we want for the new China: people who will commit themselves so totally that they are willing to die for what they believe." But he wanted that devotion directed toward Chairman Mao. "We will change you," he promised and left. She was spared, but she never saw the rest of her family again. The story doesn't end there, however. For shortly thereafter, that little girl fled to Hong Kong and was taken in. Later she entered the Lutheran seminary there and today she is a pastor of the Hong Kong Lutheran Church, serving the needs of countless souls. She prays for the day when she will be allowed to return to her village and minister to her people there and perhaps even to that Red Guard lieutenant who spared her but murdered her family. She was able to endure, to overcome that tragedy in her life, because she knew the Good Shepherd. Lee Griess, Taking The Risk Out Of Dying, CSS Publishing Company How many times have we heard, “Sorry, too late, or “The deadline has passed, or “Time has expired.” Life does not always give us a timeout to tend to urgent matters. Life does not always grant us double and triple overtime. Some things we must do now because the circumstances require immediate action. Time is the most important of all of our resources. It’s the only thing we can give to others and never get back. The clock is ticking down on all of us. We must find ways of giving our immediate attention to priorities that require our utmost urgency. Peter went with the disciples immediately and Tabitha was brought back to life. The people who loved Tabitha did not delay notifying Peter of the problem and Peter did not delay addressing the problem. They both were concerned about time. They both acted with the utmost expediency. They all had a sense of urgency in a matter of critical importance. The slightest delay could end in disaster. We feel like we know Tabitha because we all have been blessed to know someone like her somewhere along the way. Perhaps it was our grandmother, an aunt, or a neighbor lady. Perhaps it was an older gentleman from church, a customer on the paper route we carried as a youngster, or a former teacher. Some saintly soul whose skillful hands and generous spirit combined to leave behind a lovely legacy of good works. Personally, I know that all of Gladys' adult grandchildren still have Christmas stockings that she sewed for each of them when she was alive. Elizabeth's crocheted afghans are still gracing count¬less homes so many years after her death. Jack's carefully crafted stained-glass art hangs now in the windows of the homes of family and friends all over the country. And William built more book¬cases, picture frames, cabinets, and shelves than he could remem¬ber before he died, but those of us who have pieces of his crafts-manship all remember him. So it was with Tabitha. The family members, friends, and neigh¬bors gathered together in her home, clothed and armed with the good works that she had left behind. Together they admired her loving handiwork. Together they fondly remembered her. Together they showed the symbols of her goodness to the apostle. Why? Because that's what he had seen Jesus do. Years before, when Peter and the rest of the twelve had accom¬panied Jesus all along the dusty roads of Galilee, Peter had been in a similar bedroom. The twelve-year-old daughter of Jairus had died, and the house was full of mourners. But Jesus sent them away. Or at least out of the room. And then, accompanied only by a select few disciples and the grieving parents themselves, Jesus spoke to the little girl. And in speaking to her, he raised her to life. So, now, the disciple followed the example that he had seen set by the Master. He sent the mourners out of the room, and then he spoke to the corpse. "Tabitha, get up," Peter said, and the dead woman opened her eyes. Then she sat up. And then, next thing you know, Peter is leading her out to present her to her astonished friends and loved ones. Where Tabitha had been, she left behind symbols of love and generosity, tokens of thoughtfulness and sweetness. Where Peter had been, he left behind life and health, gladness and rejoicing. We consider the example of Tabitha, and we observe that the good works she left behind remind us of her Lord. For he is the original artisan, after all, and he has generously shared his handi¬work with us. We see both his skill and his sweetness in what he has made. The works of his hands inspire our praise and adoration. Likewise, we consider the example of Peter, and we see that the works he left behind also remind us of his Lord. We follow Peter, and we remember the one who sent his followers out "to proclaim the good news ... Cure the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, cast out demons. You received without payment; give without payment" (Matthew 10:7-8). We remember the one who went about doing good (Acts 10:38) and then told Peter and the rest that they would do the works he had done and even greater works (John 14:12). The deeds and lives of his people, you see, remind us of him. For in the end, they are — we are — the good works that he leaves behind. Amen. CSS Publishing Company, Inc., Sermons on the First Readings, by David J. Kalas Now we are introduced to another woman. A woman role model? What? Right. A woman role model. She must have been a special lady, this Tabitha — Dorcas. I am not even sure if either of those was actually her given name, because both, in Aramaic or Greek, mean "Gazelle." A nickname? Was she swift? Fleet of foot? We have no idea. Perhaps the "gazelle" moniker applied because she was so quick to respond when someone needed help. "Always doing good and helping the poor" (Acts 9:36), says scripture. Good for her. A role model — a woman! Women have always been uniquely important in the life of the church, whether or not men want to admit it. It started with Mary. Women were accorded special status during Jesus' ministry; in fact, it was probably women who were major financial supporters of the itinerant rabbi and his friends. Women were the first witnesses to the resurrection. This is not a feminist statement but a factual statement: from the first day to this day, if it were not for the women, there would be no church. It is that simple. Have there been any women important in your Christian experience? What's that? Foolish question, you say. I guess, but I can think of some. Mom — it was at her urging that I knelt down by my bed one night at the age of seven and asked Jesus to be my Savior. There was Iris — Iris was our youth leader, always there, dependable as the day is long. There is my wife, Christie, of course. Her love over this past quarter-century-plus has taught me what grace is all about — she loves me no matter what. No, I cannot explain it, but no one can explain grace. There was Naomi in Fort Myers, Florida, a feisty eighty-year-old redhead who offered her preacher unfailing encouragement through difficult days. Speaking of feisty, I could never forget Mildred in Greensboro, North Carolina, who lived and breathed her church and would have eviscerated anyone who would do it harm. I also remember Judy, whose wonderful faith through some tough times was a beacon of inspiration to me. I could go on and on and on. So could you. Needless to say, no one is especially startled at such statements these days, but they would have been almost scandalous in New Testament times. Women's place in society was not much more than property, and Jesus' willingness to speak to women in public and even include women in his entourage was just a bit outrageous. Beneath the surface of this text lies several hidden treasures. Among these are service and witness, faith and resurrection, testimony and promise. Tabitha, or Dorcas as translated in the Greek, holds the distinction of being the only woman in the New Testament who is specifically referred to as a disciple. Dr. William H. Willimon writes in The Interpretation Bible Commentary, "She merits the only use of the feminine form of the Greek word for 'disciple' in the New Testament." There is also in this text a sub-theme of faith and resurrection. Faith in the promise of God to raise those who died in Christ to new life again, and faith in the power of resurrection in life's everyday disappointments. While our text tells of the personal resurrection of Tabitha, it also reveals the communal resurrections for the widows, once the down-trodden of the community. The resurrection of Tabitha represented hope in the midst of despair, faith in the midst of failure, victory in the midst of defeat. When will the breakthroughs occur -- when will we become living sermons? It must begin at the household of faith, with the people of God. During this Easter season we have an opportunity to break down barriers that separate us from one another, and demonstrate that which we say we are about. Women in ministry, pulpit exchanges, ministry in cross racial settings, ministry to persons who are homeless, ministry to persons living with AIDS, persons from different cultural groups, persons from different religious expressions, and people who need to know that God cares for them regardless of who they are, where they've been, or where they are now. God's redemptive grace is for all people. Our challenge in today's world is overcoming the temptation to follow the crowd. The desire to be among the in-crowd often damages our witness. It's so easy to discriminate against others when we have the support of the crowd. It takes real courage to confront injustice and stand for what models Christ's example. A living witness must look beyond the status quo and seek to reach people at their point of need. Taking the gospel where people are will sometimes take me into places that are unfamiliar. When we commit to "walk the walk" and not just "talk the talk," then we're released to share the good news with integrity, compassion, and love. CSS Publishing Company, TURNING OBSTACLES INTO O, by Rodney Thomas Smothe A minister recently shared with me an experience of one of his friends. His friend had cancer. He was undergoing chemotherapy treatment, and the prognosis was not very good. Then, at Christmas, he received a special treat from his nine-year-old granddaughter. His granddaughter made a Christmas stoc_esermonsking for him and she sent it to him along with this letter. Dear Granddaddy, Here is a stoc_esermonsking for you. This year the only thing I'm asking for for Christmas is for my grandfather (you!) to get better. I wanted some other stuff, but I can have that anytime I want. But there's only one of you. You're the best! Maybe Santa will come to your house and put magic stuff in your stoc_esermonsking that will make you all better. Love - Laura Just as you and I feel the pain of our loved ones, God feels our pain. Just as we reach out in tenderness to those who need it most, God reaches out to us. In our times of pain, we must continue to trust in God's loving presence in our lives. Trust In God's Power In April of 1995, our country experienced the worst act of terrorism ever exacted on U.S. soil -- the bombing of a federal building in Oklahoma City. Don Hull of the Oklahoma City Police Department was one of the first to arrive on the scene. As he crawled through the debris and smoke, he saw a baby that looked to be dead. The baby had a gash on the side of its face but no blood was flowing from the wound. The baby's arm was also severely twisted. Even though he was looking for possible survivors and even though he knew the baby was dead, Hull felt compelled to pick him up. As he did so, he could hear the baby gasp for air. Suddenly blood burst forth from the baby's wounds. It was as if picking the baby up had jump-started his heart. Holding the baby tightly against his chest, Hull crawled out of the wreckage of the building. Twice on the way out he had to administer CPR to keep the baby alive. The baby turned out to be Joseph Webber. Joseph's dad says that his son would not be alive today if not for the efforts of Don Hull. He goes on to say, "It is nothing less than a series of miracles that Don Hull saw Joseph, that he picked him up, that he felt hope, that he breathed life into him and carried him out. It is truly miraculous. The work of God."2 Even in the face of great adversity, God can do miraculous things through those who respond faithfully to his call. If we will follow the compelling heart and the gentle nudgings of God's spirit, we can be effective servants for the kingdom of God. We are unlimited in what we can accomplish for God, but we must seek God's empowerment of us. It is that power that enabled Peter to raise up Tabitha and it is that power that will enable us to rise above the constraints and the trauma of life in this world. Testify To God's Faithfulness When God empowers us to overcome the difficulties of life, our call is to bear witness to others. We must share the message of the good God has wrought in our lives. In this way our times of difficulty can be opportunities for bringing glory to God. A fifteen-year-old boy was taken in for open-heart surgery. His heart lacked the oxygen necessary to live an active life. The surgery would last for several hours. The boy's parents anxiously sat alone in the surgical waiting room, wondering how they would pass the time and hoping that all would be all right. After sitting alone for a few minutes, they saw a familiar form walking down the long hospital corridor toward where they sat. It was a man who was a good friend of theirs. He was also an active deacon in their church. As he got closer to them, they could see he was carrying something under his arm. He sat down with the boy's parents and he showed them that he had brought his checkerboard and checkers with him to help them pass the time. So, for the next three hours, they played checkers together. Before they knew it, the time had passed. The surgery was over and all was well. When we have experienced God's presence and God's power in our lives, we are changed. We are left wanting to witness to others about this glorious transformation in our lives. The things we do and the things we say reflect our new master. And when we encounter people in need, we can carry Christ's gracious and compassionate presence to them. Similar to Tabitha, they too may be raised from death to life." CSS Publishing, Lima, Ohio, Returning To God, by Douglas J. Deuel Dorcas, in our text, falls ill and dies, leaving behind her a whole group of poor widows to whom she has ministered and for whom she has provided clothing and support. Widows in Israel were among the destitute, having no one to protect them or to furnish them the necessities of life. Thus, there are repeated admonitions in the Old Testament to show mercy toward widows, orphans, and strangers, and Dorcas is an example of that mercy. But now Dorcas is dead, and the poor widows, whom she has helped, weep in grief, not knowing what will become of them or to whom to turn. Their grief is overcome with joy when Peter raises Dorcas from the dead and presents her alive to the bystanders and church in Joppa. The result is that many in Joppa, who do not belong to the church there, are converted to faith in the Lord. Once again, Luke, the writer of Acts, is presenting us with the on-going power of the Spirit that is rapidly converting the Mediterranean world. No one deserves a special day all to herself more than today's Mom. A cartoon showed a psychologist talking to his patient: "Let's see," he said, "You spend 50 percent of your energy on your job, 50 percent on your husband and 50 percent on your children. I think I see your problem." Source Unknown. A Sermon Opener: This is a Mothers’ Day sermon. I’m preaching without apology and with appreciation for that time—honored institution without the benefit of which we wouldn’t be here! Every Mother’s Day sermon I’ve run across starts with an explanation —— this one’s no exception. As ministers, we’re reminded not to get too sentimental about motherhood because: (a) for some, motherhood is an accident, and not always a welcome one; (b) for some, biological motherhood isn’t possible; (c) for some, mothers weren’t all that nice; (d) for some, motherhood under the very best of circumstances is still less than abed of roses and a primrose path. If I can take some liberties with poet Wilhelm Busch’s words, I’d have to say: “(Mutter) werden ist nitch schwer; (Mutter) sein dagegen sehr.” (To become a (mother) is not so difficult; on the other hand, be-ing a (mother) is very much so!) So, with all those qualifications, why bother with Mothers’ Day at all? I’ll tell you why —— because for all its stumbling blocks, pitfalls and broken dreams, for all the soiled diapers, soiled wallpaper and spoiled plans, we’re talking about a beautiful ideal, a natural part of God’s creative plan to bring love and caring to light. Motherhood is a constant demand for the gift of love and caring. Proclaim, “A Mother’s Day Sermon,” May 14, 1989. I believe in Jesus Christ, the Son of the loving God, who was born of the promise to a virgin named Mary.. I believe in the love Mary gave her son, that caused her to follow him in his ministry and stand by his cross as he died. I believe in the love of all mothers, and its importance in the lives of the children, they bear. It is stronger than steel, softer than down, and more resilient than a green sapling on the hillside. It closes wounds, melts disappointments, and enables the weakest child to stand tall and straight in the fields of adversity. I believe that this love, even at its best, is only a shadow of the love of God, a dark reflection of all that we can expect of him, both in this life and the next. And I believe that one of the most beautiful sights in the world is a mother who lets this greater love flow through her to her child, blessing the world with the tenderness of her touch and the tears of of her joy. An Affirmation from John Killinger's, Lost in Wonder, Love, and Praise. Illustration: "As we began to pastor our first church, my wife, Lori, and I found we were going to have a third child," Bill wrote. "Several weeks later, Lori was going through her clothes, which no longer fit. Watching her, our 5-year-old son asked, ‘Mom, now that you're going to have a baby, are you going to have to wear 'eternity' clothes?'" (Source: Bill McKibben, Woodlake, California) Eternity clothes? Yes, it seemed that way at the time!

A Second Chance for Lazarus

Lent 5 April 6, 2025 John 12: 1-8 Year C A Second Chance for Lazarus “Connection” Lent Five Prelude Greeting Over the Threshold Leader: Persian mystic Rumi is one of the most often quoted mystics in our day, transcending religious lines. He said this: “Do not feel lonely, the entire universe is inside you. Stop acting so small. You are the universe in ecstatic motion. Set your life on fire. Seek those who fan your flames.” Sing Open the Eyes of My Heart - See insert Lent is often considered a solitary journey as we traditionally use it as a time to examine ourselves and engage in practices that bring us closer to God. While this is a part of the spiritual journey, we also know that human beings were made for relationship. This is why it is so vitally important that we experience collective awe. As we continue to explore what it means to be “purveyors of awe,” we learn of the powerful benefits of togetherness. In a time when we have been through one of the most isolating times in human history, we remember and are grateful for a renewed ability to seek connection. Sing Open the Eyes of My Heart – see insert Awe is a gateway to connection. As we have experiences that give us a sense of being part of something larger than “just us,” our penchant for self-preservation and obsession with the competitive default-self gives way to a renewed commitment to the greater whole. We need moments of “collective effervescence” that increase hope and joy at being part of the human family. Let us rise in body and/or spirit and pray: Awe-inspiring God, we come together this day because we need to be reminded to see through the lens of connection. It is too easy to have everything we need without seeking out relationship or connection to another human being. Open us to perceive anew. Inspire us to receive our surroundings with awe. Forgive us when we hold back unnecessarily from wholehearted participation and dedication to eradicating loneliness. Be with us on this journey as we seek again to marvel at your works. Sing Open the Eyes of My Heart - see insert God does not sever connection. Ever. God forgives us. Jesus embraces us. The Spirit enlivens us. We are whole. With awe, we accept this belovedness. And all God’s people say, “Amen.” Opening Hymn/Song When I Survey the Wondrous Cross UMH 299 In Awe of Children A husband is kidnapped and the kidnapper calls the wife and demands a ransom of 100,000. She tells the kidnapper that is much more than she is willing to pay to get him back. She will give him 30,000 and that is about it. When the husband returns, he asks why she was not willing to pay the full ransom for him. He felt that he was worth so much more. How much are you worth? It depends on who you ask. But to God we are all priceless. In this story, a friends spends a lot on a gift for Jesus. She too is criticiczed. People say that she could have used that money on better things. Giving a gift from the heart is always priceless. Jesus really appreciated the gift. More importantly, Jesus explained that a gift given to God is never too much. In church, we used to sing a song – you can’t beat God giving. Whatever you give – God gives so much more to you. And he is able to feed the poor and those in need. PRAYER OF CONFESSION Like Judas, God of new things, we like to complain about your generous ways, rather than living in your grace. The poor are always with us, we believe, which justifies our ignoring them. In our memories, we focus on a perceived golden past, and so we ignore the new things you do in our midst. We are so enamored with our achievements that we are not willing to throw them away in order to follow Jesus. Forgive us, Restoring God, and help us to notice the kingdom springing forth in our midst. By your grace, may our fears turn to faith, our seeds of grief produce a bumper crop of joy, and our tears turn into torrents of tenderness as we journey with Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior, to Jerusalem. Silence is kept. Assurance of Pardon Making a way through all the foolishness and mistakes of our lives, God leads us into new life, where we are restored to grace, to hope, and to peace. Do we notice what God has done for us, what God is doing in us? This is good news for everyone. Thanks be to God, we are forgiven! Amen. Adapted from Thom Shuman, posted at https://pilgrimwr.unitingchurch.org.au/?p=2008. The Peace The peace of Christ be with you. And also with you. I invite you to share the peace of Christ with those around you, [remembering to greet those online with a wave to the camera]. Contemporary Reading Reader: Our first reading is a contemporary one–an excerpt from an article by researcher Brené Brown entitled, “Why Experiencing Joy and Pain in a Group Is So Powerful:" “Experiences [of collective effervescence] contribute to a life filled with less loneliness and greater meaning, positive emotions, and social connection… Collective assembly meets the primal human yearnings for shared social experiences. A collective assembly can start to heal the wounds of a traumatized community. When we come together to share authentic joy, hope, and pain, we melt the pervasive cynicism that often cloaks our better human nature.” Ancient Reading John 12:1-8 In Awe of Music In Awe of the Word A Second Chance for Lazurus Human beings live most of our lives through sight. We depend on our vision for most things in life. But our sense of smell is connected to our memories and our feelings. Scents trigger something deep inside of us. Scents can transport us back in time to scenes long ago. One of my greatest memories – was driving to grandma’s house. We would get there late at night. She would put me to bed, and I would wake up in the morning to the smell of bacon and eggs and hot biscuits for breakfast. That smell was magical. They say that the best way to get people to join your church is to cook or bake something. When people come in the door and smell that fresh bread, or spaghetti sauce – they swear that they have found their church home. Smells can trigger happy memories. But smells can also trigger tragic memories. I was in high school standing at the bus stop, when all of a sudden a car barrelled around the corner and hit a little girl right in front of me. I remember that day as if it was yesterday, because the smell of burn rubber from the car slamming on the brakes is still in my nose. John the gospel writer was able to recall the day of Jesus crucifixion with such detail, because he remembers the smell of perfume. The smell of that perfume triggered some happy memories and some tragic memories – it lingered in his head for days. The Power of Fragrance Isn’t it amazing that John could remember this fragrance so many years after Christ’s ascension? That, when his mind drifted back to that last week of Christ’s life, it was the fragrance of Mary’s offering that framed his memory. What once was an oasis for Jesus, that helped comfort him so he could go forward, was now an oasis in John’s memory that helped him deal with the rigors of his trials. Still today, two thousand years later, Mary’s gift brings fragrance to our lives and while Mary was condemned by the apostle’s that day for her extravagance, she provided a gift that has been remembered for thousands of years. Her fragrance still fills our lives with the presence of Christ. Jerry Goebel, The House Was Filled With the Fragrance of the Perfume According to John 6, it was six days before the crucifixion. Jesus friend Lazarus invites Jesus and the disciples to a meal. You have heard of the last supper, well this was the supper before the last supper. The characters present: Lazarus, Jesus, his sister Martha, his sister Mary, Jesus, Judas and the other disciples. Lazarus is celebrating a second chance at life. He was brought back from the dead. Jesus is literally enjoying the last seconds before his death. Martha takes this chance to be of service to her Lord. Mary pours a heavy scented oil over Jesus feet. Not knowing that she is preparing him for death. Judas, the treasurer for Jesus ministry, always conscious of spending scolds Mary for wasting such an extravagant gift. That money could have been used for the poor. A friend used to tell me – things are not always how they look. In spite of being brought back to life, one day Lazarus will die just any other person. Jesus will dies – but will open the doors of eternal life for all of us. Mary will move from scolded one to the star of the story. She will become an example of discipleship and devotion to Christ. Whereas Judas doesn’t really care about the poor. He is just gaining confidence to betray Jesus. A Simple Answer Could that have been Judas' greatest downfall, the inability to see himself as a sinner and hence receive God's forgiveness? For without that sense of forgiveness, life holds little joy and the future is hopeless. Someone once said that the person who knows himself or herself to be a sinner and does not know God's forgiveness is like an overweight person who fears stepping on a scale. I once read about a very bitter man who was sick in soul, mind, and body. He was in the hospital in wretched condition, not because his body had been invaded by a virus or infected with some germ, but because his anger and contempt had poisoned his soul. One day, when he was at his lowest, he said to his nurse, "Won't you give me something to end it all?" Much to the man's surprise, the nurse said, "All right. I will." She went to the nightstand and pulled out the Gideon Bible and began to read, "For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have eternal life." When she finished she said, "There, if you will believe that, it will end it all. God loves you, forgives you and accepts you as his child." Such a simple answer. But it worked for that man. He realized after much soul-searching that she had spoken truly. And over a period of some time, he came to believe and accept God's love for him. There is a way to God. Jesus died to provide it. We may not be Mary or that "woman of the city," but there are sins that weigh upon our hearts. There are scars and cuts that we have inflicted on others. There is a darkness within each of us that no one knows of but God. But that same One, our loving God, sees all and forgives all and calls us to God. Remember, the one who is forgiven little loves little. But the one who is forgiven much loves with all the heart! May that be true of us. In Jesus' name. Amen. Lee Griess, Taking the Risk out of Dying, CSS Publishing Company. _______________________________________________ Meanwhile Mary teaches us the greatest lesson of the story – how to give from the heart. Gratitude Pastor Victor Shepherd tells the story of a missionary surgeon he met who was rather gruff and to the point. On one occasion the surgeon was speaking to a small group of university students about his work in the Gaza Strip. He was telling us that we North American "fat cats" knew nothing about gratitude. Nothing! On one occasion he had stopped a peasant hovel to see a woman on whom he had performed surgery. She and her husband were dirt poor. Their livestock supply consisted of one Angora rabbit and two chickens. For income the woman combed the hair out of the rabbit, spun the hair into yarn and sold it. For food she and her husband ate the eggs from the chickens. The woman insisted that the missionary surgeon stay for lunch. He accepted the invitation and said he would be back for lunch after he had gone down the road to see another postoperative patient. An hour and a half later he was back. He peeked into the cooking pot to see what he was going to eat. He saw one rabbit and two chickens. The woman had given up her entire livestock supply--her income, her food, everything. He concluded his story by reminding us that we knew nothing of gratitude. He wept unashamedly. The incident will stay with me forever. There is another incident concerning gratitude that will never be forgotten. It's about a woman who poured costly perfume over our Lord as she wiped his feet with her hair. Make no mistake--the perfume was expensive, three hundred denarii, a year's income for a laborer in Palestine. Enough to keep a family alive for twelve months. Victor Shepherd, Preacher's Annual 1992, Nashville: Abingdon p. 122. Intentional Acts of True Devotion IATDs - that's what this passage is all about. People were becoming more and more devoted to Jesus and they were expressing it openly in ever increasing ways. They even started doing IATDs - Intentional Acts of True Devotion. Jesus called Lazarus out of the grave and he came out struggling in the bondage of his grave clothing. But he came out, he had new life! Jesus had power even over death! The result was IATDs! People started following Jesus. Not only did they start following him, they become devoted to him, and their devotion was radical! Those who saw this resurrection put their faith in Jesus. The sense of the Greek in verse 45 is that people without reservation, without growing into it, at this one miracle put all their faith in him. And it showed in IATDs. At one time the Jews had been devoted to the Pharisees and the law. Now in wholesale crowds they were turning to Jesus, becoming devoted to him, radically devoted to him with the kind of devotion that is dangerous: "He'll upset the applecart! We can't have that around here! We'll lose our place and our power!" That was the thinking of the Pharisees, so they plotted to take Jesus life. We often think it was Jesus who got himself in trouble with the Pharisees, but the Pharisees wouldn't have cared a bit if he didn't have these followers with their IATDs. Their IATDs got him in trouble, too. Intentional Acts of True Devotion - they're powerful, they're dangerous, and they mark the lives of those who put their faith in Jesus. Bill Versteeg, Intentional Acts of True Devotion ______________________ As Mary anointed Jesus for the tragic events coming ahead. Mary was preparing her heart to become a disciple and to carry on in Jesus footsteps. She was preparing to step up and to be in ministry. In 7 days from today – we celebrate the triumphant entry of Jesus. In 12 days we remember Good Friday. In 14 days we experience new life of resurrection. Acts of kindness humility and forgiveness prepare our hearts for the days to come. Let us Pray….. Song O How I Love Jesus UMH 170 Approaching an Awesome God [Prayers] Holy and Living God, we approach this time of prayer with a desire to connect with your world. With all our senses, we open to you. Give us lenses of awe with which to perceive and love others as you perceive and love us. We imagine in our mind’s eye now the people in our lives, the people of our communities, and the people of our world. Each of them is beloved by you, and this alone creates awe in us. We especially lift up those who need our prayers in this moment… [continue with prayers of thanksgiving and care for people]. For all these people and those we name in our hearts, Hear our prayer, Awesome God. Give us lenses of awe with which to perceive and love your creation as you perceive and love it. Each thawing path under the warmth of the sun reminds us that all things are interconnected. You are making all things new all around us. Help us to care for the nature around us. This week, we name… [continue with prayers about specific entities of nature in your area]. For all these places, creatures, and lifeforms, and those we name in our hearts, Hear our prayer, Awesome God. Give us lenses of awe with which to perceive and love life as you perceive and love the life you have given us. Open us to the awe of sharing our joy and our pain with others. Slow us down in this season of Lent so that we might savor anew the gift of life. We pause in this silence, setting intentions of awe for the week ahead. [pause in silence] For all these intentions, Hear our prayer, Awesome God. Let us pray the prayer Jesus taught us… [Lord’s Prayer]. Responding with Awe Stewardship Moment In John’s Gospel we hear how Martha served, Lazarus kept Jesus company at the table, and Mary poured out a pound of costly nard on Jesus’ feet, in an act of compassion and care. Each of these siblings offered a fine gift to their dinner guest, Jesus. I wonder what I would offer, if Jesus were to come to my home for dinner? Would I cook a fabulous meal? Would I provide a calm atmosphere and listen to what Jesus said? Would I express my love in some extravagant way, seeking to help Jesus relax and find refreshment after a long day of teaching and healing? What about you? If Jesus were to come to your home, what would you give? What about if Jesus were to show up here? Week by week we have an opportunity to share our gifts with this part of the Body of Christ which we know as _______________ Church. May the gifts we bring demonstrate our desire to share our finest and best with the One who understood his life was coming to a close. Let us share our gifts, our tithes and our offerings now. Offering/Offertory [as is your custom] Doxology [Tune: Old 100th] Prayer of Thanksgiving Ever-giving God, You created our world–filled it with air, water, food, and all we need for life. You sent Jesus to show us your ways of love and compassion, teaching us we are all sisters and brothers of every living being. So receive these gifts which we offer as a portion of what you’ve first given us. Help us use each gift (money, time, talent) to help share the Good News we have been given in Jesus, the Christ. AMEN (Disciples of Christ Center for Faith and Giving) [Communion] We Go Forth with Awe Closing Prayer for Facebook Benedictions are blessings. And blessings are all around us. So for this season, instead of bowing your head as I offer a Benediction blessing, I invite you to open your palms in a position of receiving, and hold your head high, imagining a radiant stream of light from above shining upon you and everything else around you. And this week when you need to be reminded of the gift of community all around you, take this stance again. Open your palms to receive, look around to perceive, and notice one small thing that can light up your heart for a moment. And now may you go forth remembering Rumi’s words: “Set your life on fire. Seek those who fan your flames.” Be a purveyor of awe this week. Seek out connection with others whose life and love can be multiplied because you are together to help light up the world. Invite renewed connections to live and breathe new life in you. Be a “purveyor of awe,” curating a life of spiritual depth that inspires others to join you on the journey. May the Creator, Redeemer, and Sustainer of Awe, the Holy One-in-Three, be with you now and throughout these days, Amen. Community Time (Joys and Concerns) Benediction May you go out from this place in the blessing of God, who turns your weeping into laughter and your laughter into joy that plants seeds of restoration, justice, and abundance for all of God’s creation. Amen. Written by Dr. Lisa Hancock, Discipleship Ministries, September 2024. Postlude Worship Notes Contemporary reading excerpted from the following source: Brown, B. (2019, January 6). Why experiencing joy and pain in a group is so powerful. Greater Good Magazine. https://greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/item/why_experiencing_joy_and_pain_in_a_group_is_so_powerful ______________________ I Love Mankind The musical Hair has within it a most provocative song called "Easy to Be Hard." The gist of the song is that it is easy to "care about the bleeding crowd" while yet totally ignoring "a needy friend." A little joke you may have heard makes the same point: "I love mankind ... it is people I can't stand!" Jesus does not set himself apart from the poor. He simply points out that he himself, as one of the specific poor, has needs - and that Mary has been sensitive to those needs. By contrast, Judas pretends to be concerned for the poor (in general) but is actually only concerned about himself. Carl L. Jech, Channeling Grace, CSS Publishing Company _______________________________________________________ How Much to Spend on The Poor? What happened at Jesus’ anointing in Bethany has plagued the followers of Jesus from then until now. How much do we spend on ourselves and how much do we give to missions? Couldn't we do more good by giving all this money to the poor instead of spending it on, say, a new building? In partial response to this question, my mind goes back to an experience of William Willimon, chaplain at Duke University. Willimon tells of the time the faculty of Duke was discussing a proposal to renovate the seminary chapel. They had received a modest proposal from the architect. But, would the chapel be renovated? No. "With all the poverty and hunger in the world," said one faculty member, "how can we as Christians justify spending $50,000 to pretty-up our chapel?" Of course, this person failed to offer similar objections when faculty salaries were raised each year, (a figure that collectively exceeds $50,000) nor does he question the morality of the luxurious faculty lounge. Obviously the man was posturing, just as Judas was posturing. Even so, the problem is tough. How much should we give to others and how much should we reserve for ourselves? Richard Meyer, Break a Vase ____________________ Acts of Humility and Love Patricia Long, pastor at First United Church of Christ, Berkley, California said it best. "Performing acts like the one Mary did are acts of extravagant caring that remind us we are called to be in equal partnership with each other, and that we all ought to be humbled as we come together before God." She says "acts of humility and love are empowering! They remind us that though power, control and domination are the ways of the world, there are some places where simple gestures of kindness and caring still count, still make a difference." Rev. Long says that Mary’s act of anointing Jesus was not unlike Rosa Park’s act of moving from the back of the bus to the front. Whenever a person stands up for love, the world notices. It can also be changed for the better as the oppressed are liberated or the presence of God becomes more visible. Keith Wagner, The Supremacy of Love _____________________ Aroma: Bringing Back an Emotion Taste is 95 percent smell. What happens when you get a cold? Can't taste anything? In talking with others about their smells, what I have discovered is that there are regional differences to our favorite smells that often depend either on our food habits or on our outdoor customs. East Coast people prefer floral scents and Northerners the smell of the seasons. Southerners seem to prefer hearty snorts of pine. Midwesterners like the whiff of hay and farm animals. Westerners like the aroma of barbecuing meat. Whatever our pet smell, huge histories of time are relived within the microseconds of a sniff. Nothing can bring back a time, a place, or an emotion better than an aroma. Leonard Sweet, Collected Sermons, www.Sermons.com A Sense of Gratitude On a recent religious talk show the hostess was interviewing a young woman who had just recently come to know Christ and had been received into the church. Until her recent conversion, she had lived on the wrong side of the tracks, lived in the fast lane, and teetered on the brink of destruction. So overwhelming was the sense of forgiveness that this young woman practically gushed with joy as she spoke. "I can't express," she said, "the sense of gratitude that I feel that God has changed my life." The talk show hostess knew where she was coming from -- for she, too, had walked on life's wild side before coming to Jesus. She said, "I know what you mean. Every day I thank God for saving me!" And then she added a very profound statement: "You know what I've noticed though? People who have always been in the church, people who always do what they ought, who have never really gotten into trouble, always been prim and proper, don't have the same sense of gratitude that I do. In fact, I've noticed that for most church people, it's not so much what God had done for them, but what they still want God to do!" If you can identify with that statement, perhaps we can appreciate the story in today's Gospel reading from John 12. It's an unusual story -- this story of the anointing of Jesus' feet with oil. Lee Griess, Taking The Risk Out Of Dying, CSS Publishing Company __________________________________________ The Women Become the Model If perhaps not its original setting, now the story belongs in the last days of Jesus. The woman’s response stands in contrast to that of Judas, but also of Peter and the disciples. Both in Mark and in John, as in the common tradition which feeds them directly and indirectly, Jesus is pictured as abandoned by his inner circle of disciples. In the end it will be a few women who are left standing near Golgotha and who will venture to the tomb. The unlikely ones in Mark and John’s world, the women, become the models. This is deliberately subversive and reflects so much of the experience of Jesus’ ministry. Others were so good, so devout, and so busy being so, that they missed the point. This is grindingly obvious, when a woman like this inarticulately breaks the perfume container open and spreads the contents over Jesus’ feet. Mark even suggests that Jesus predicted how memorable her act would be. Let the memory live! William Loader, First Thoughts on Year C Gospel Passages from the Lectionary ____________________

Life Goes On

November 15, 2020 Judges 4:1-7 Life goes on 24th Sunday after Pentecost Year A Opening Song Welcome Call to Worship inspired by Psalm 123 O God, you have been our help in ages past. You’ve reminded us what was possible and pushed us beyond our fears. You’ve raised our eyes to higher groundand made our hearts soar with the hope of years to come. Be our guard while these troubles last and dare us to dream in this new day. Surprise us, O God, with good trouble in our worship this day. Stewardship Moment Offertory With great joy we receive our morning offering today. This is a vital reminder of the many ways in which we can serve God through the ministries and mission of this church. Let us joyfully receive this morning’s offering. Prayer of Dedication Lord of blessings and hope, we give to you these gifts as tokens of our lives. Use these gifts for healing and hope in your world. Use us as instruments of peace; for we ask this in Jesus’ name. Amen. Scripture Judges 4:1-7 Deborah, Barak, and Jael 4 After Ehud had died, the Israelites again did things that the LORD saw as evil. 2 So the LORD gave them over to King Jabin of Canaan, who reigned in Hazor. The commander of his army was Sisera, and he was stationed in Harosheth-ha-goiim. 3 The Israelites cried out to the LORD because Sisera[a] had nine hundred iron chariots and had oppressed the Israelites cruelly for twenty years. 4 Now Deborah, a prophet, the wife of Lappidoth,[b] was a leader of Israel at that time. 5 She would sit under Deborah’s palm tree between Ramah and Bethel in the Ephraim highlands, and the Israelites would come to her to settle disputes. 6 She sent word to Barak, Abinoam’s son, from Kedesh in Naphtali and said to him, “Hasn’t the LORD, Israel’s God, issued you a command? ‘Go and assemble at Mount Tabor, taking ten thousand men from the people of Naphtali and Zebulun with you. 7 I’ll lure Sisera, the commander of Jabin’s army, to assemble with his chariots and troops against you at the Kishon River, and then I’ll help you overpower him.’” Sermon Life Goes On One of the challenges of preaching from the lectionary, is that after 3 years, you have already preached all of your sermons on the scriptures. And you have to strive to be come up with a new message every year. I have always worked to be creative and to come up with new messages every Sunday, so that I don’t get caught in a sermon rut. So today is very interesting. I have honestly never preached a sermon on the book of Judges. So this is truly a first. As I said before, this is the only time in the three year lectionary that Judges even comes up. The title of my sermon is Life Goes On. For the last weeks we have been following the history of the Israelites out of Egypt into forming an identity as a people. We heard about Moses leadership, and eventual death. Last week we heard the story of his predecessor Joshua. At the end of his rule, Joshua makes one last appeal to a generation that he did not understand to stay united and to follow God. The first chapter of Judges beings by saying that Joshua died, and there was no obvious leader to rise up and to keep the Isrealites united and focused. So they move away, they come in contact with other cultures, they are not as connected as a family. Each person kinda goes their own way and does what they think is best. A new form of leadership emerges – it is more democratic. When there is a dispute or disagreement – they go to a judge. The Book of Judges is a story of 12 judges, 6 major judges and 6 minor judges. We have all heard the story of Samson and Delilah – Samson was the last judge. Our Scripture for today – is the story of the 4th judge – Deborah. I had never heard Deborah’s story until seminary. Deborah was a married woman. But she has a huge reputation of being a fair judge. People came from miles around, to sit under the Deborah tree with her, as she make judgements and settled disputes. Interestingly, history does not make a big deal about the fact that she is a woman. Her story stands out because oppressors have been making the people miserable for years. And Deborah has a strategy to defeat them and to free the people. Chapters 4 and 5 are her story. Her leadership is important because she recognizes the gifts of others, and empowers them to be true heros. She leads by example. Ronald Sisk remembers his first pastorate in rural Kentucky. The church possessed an old-fashioned belfry with a bell that could be rung by pulling on a rope. This fascinated him. In his mind, he envisioned ringing that bell every Sunday morning, calling the faithful to worship, and announcing faithful witness to the community at large. However, when he asked about the bell, he was told the sad tale that the bell had not been rung in years. "That bell keeps rusting, pastor," one of the men of the church explained, "the roof is high and steep and we can't get anybody to crawl up there and grease it." Ron admits that he was both "young and stupid." One Saturday morning, he climbed the roof, crab crawling his way to the belfry with a can of grease. His wife stood on the ground thirty feet below holding a safety rope. He got it greased and made it down safely. Several church members saw their new, young pastor on the roof of the church that day. By the next day, the new pastor's stunt was the talk of the congregation. Before church was over that morning, at least two members of the building and grounds committee made a point of telling their pastor, "You don't have to worry about that bell next time, pastor. That's our job." Ron proudly claimed, "We rang the bell every Sunday for the rest of my tenure with that congregation."2 Deborah’s story is the story of how every day people became heroes because they were willing to do what is necessary. Barak goes into battle to destroy the oppressor. He fights diligently, but does not kill the leader. Deborah tells him that he is not intended for that role – Jalil a young women finds the leader in her tent and drives a stake into him. When Barak says that he must destroy the leader, Jalil says it is already taken care of - all in a days work. Its gory – but Jael becomes the hero of the story – just by doing what was necessary in a time of need. The story of how the Hebrews developed is the story of their relationship of God and also a story of leadership. A charismatic leader brought them out of Egypt. When he is gone, they are told not to have a strong leader, because they are supposed to put God first as their leader. Eventually, they would choose a king to lead them, but that is down the road. The form of leadership evolves with the needs of the community. Those who step up for leadership are responding to those needs? What are the needs of our church, our community our world? What leadership will respond to those needs? Judges is actually a pretty long book. It is 21 chapters. Many of the stories are pretty gory and even upsetting with its level of violence. But it teaches some very important lessons about leadership and in many cases lack of leadership. There is one overarching lesson in the book of Judges. It seems that over and over again in all circumstances, the people get sidetracked and forget to put God first. God gets mad at them and punishes them by sending an oppressor. They cry out to God, a leader emerges to lead them to freedom. Lives get better and life goes on. Debbie’s story is an important example of that. I think one reason that the lectionary designers left this story out of the 3 year cycle is because it is pretty gory. This is all that we know about Deborah. But it teaches us some important lessons as we look at our lives, our times and our leadership. • In tough times, When we cry out – God sends a leader to get us through • Salvation comes from unexpected places. No one would have expected a woman to be the leader in such an important battle. Even in its goriness, this is a powerful story. Barak, the general is afraid to go into battle, so he asks Deborah to go with him. Deborah tells him to destroy the oppressive leader. Barak kills all of his followers, but not the leader. Deborah tells him that it will be a woman who kills the leader. Barak just happens to talk to the oppressors wife telling her that her husband must be killed. It’s the wife that tells him – already done – killed him last night. No one would have expected that – but that was the one who God chose to the work. • When we battle the oppressor we don’t go out alone • Author Ann Lemott notices that when God wants to bring change – God starts the work in hardship and hardtimes • As a leader, Deborah did not do all of the work herself – she was able to empower others to be leaders on their own. • Deborah’s strength as a leader came from her willingness to be herself, and to do what she could. It is said that heroes are not those who stand apart. Heroes are just ordinary people who were willing to address the needs in their lives. Heroes are not the outspoken, but the humble. • Sometimes we may never know that names and stories of the heroes that saved us, but God calls us to be a nameless part of history in order to empower nameless others. Fred Craddock enjoys sharing the story of a time he returned to the little church of his childhood.3 He had not visited there in years, and walking into the sanctuary, he was surprised to discover that they had purchased new stained-glass windows. Inscribed at the bottom of each was the name of the donor, but to his dismay, Craddock was not familiar with any of them. "You must have had a good many folks join this congregation since I was a boy," Fred remarked to a woman after the worship service, "because I don't recognize a single name." "Oh, those people aren't members here," she said. "This town hasn't grown a bit since you were a child, and for that matter neither has our church." "Then how did you get these beautiful windows?" "Well, it's kind of an interesting story," she said with a smile. "You see, they were made by an Italian company for a church in St. Louis. Unfortunately, when they arrived, none of them fit. The company apologized, of course, and said they would make new windows. But they were too expensive to ship back, and so the company told the church in St. Louis to sell them wherever they could. We bought the windows from them." "But don't you want to remove these names?" asked Fred. "Well, we thought about it," the woman explained. "We even discussed it at the board meeting. We're just a little church, you know. Not many of us here, never any new people. So we finally decided that it was important for us to remember all these folks we'll never meet, through whom the Lord is working in ways we'll never know." I think that we all have to ask ourselves how is God calling us to be leaders? What are the needs in our lives that God is calling us to respond to? What are the obvious things in our world that we could easily do. Life Goes on in our actions. Let us pray…. Prayer Gracious and generous God, you are always with us, offering guidance, healing and hope. We know that with things seem dark or are dazzlingly bright; when troubled times assail or peace reigns; there you are with us. Continue to guide and challenge our lives. Lead us in pathways of service and away from trails of fear and anxiety. Open our hearts to receive your healing transforming love that we might serve you more faithfully; for we ask these things in Jesus’ name. AMEN. Lord’s Prayer Song for Reflection A Charge to Keep I Have UMH 413 Announcements Next week is the last Sunday of the Christian year before Advent. Instead of looking at Christ the King Scriptures, we will look at Thanksgiving scriptures. Our service will be based on Deuteronomy 8:7-18. The song for reflection will be Now Thank we all our God – hymnal 102 if you want to get the words. Will not meet, will look at the situation. Please stay safe We will decorate the church on November 28th – concentrate on outside decorations Benediction Community Time Benediction Closing Prayer/Sending Forth Go forth into God’s world as children of the light, offering ministries of hope and healing to a hurting world. Go forth filled with God’s abundant love. Go forth in peace. AMEN. Children’s Time – Do you know anyone names Deborah? Additional Illustrations Swimmy is just like all the other fish swimming in the large minnow school, except that while they are all reddish-gold, he is pure black. The school of little fish swims along peacefully until any larger predator fish comes along. Then whoosh all the little fish, including Swimmy, scatter. Swimmy begins to observe his watery neighbors and in each case, it seems that the big intimidate, bully and consume the small. What could one tiny little misfit fish do about that? Suddenly Swimmy got a brilliant idea. It is a plan that both celebrates his own unique style his solid black coloring and depends on the cooperative teamwork of all his minnow schoolmates. Swimmy organizes the school of all his little friends so that they are swimming in the shape of a large fish. Swimmy himself, his dark body flashing, creates the "eye" of this illusionary giant fish. In the last scene of the book, we see a huge would-be predator take one look at this intimidating mammoth and then turn tail and run (Frederick's Fables [New York: Pantheon Books, 1985], 71-79). Sometimes it only takes one problem, one barrier, to prevent us from claiming and keeping the "Promised Land" the Lord has intended us to inhabit. African-American preacher Buster Soaries likes to say that whatever the problem in your life it is your own personal "Goliath."

Forgiven alot - loved alot

June 11, 2016 Luke 7:36-8:3 Pentecost Year B This has been a big week for women. Hillary Clinton has finally clinched the democratic nomination for president. And her whole campaign is based on being the first woman to win that endorsement. And I am happy for her achievement. Yet a little dismayed, because she did not get there on her own two feet. There were many other women who have opened doors for her, and have run for president. Many of her forebearers are black women. I am wearing Shirley Chisolm’s campaign tshirt in honor of her 1972 run for president. I remember her campaign well. But I wonder why Hillary needs to pretend that she got here on her own, without the help of those people like Shirley Chisolm. I wonder why this is her victory and not theirs. But we will see if her tone changes over the campaign. I mention that fact because the lesson today in Luke is all about women. We know that the twelve disciples were all men. But Luke tells us that there were many women who also travelled with Jesus, who learned from him and who carried out his message. Unfortunately, we don’t know their names and we don’t know their stories. But we can be grateful for their participation to make a difference and to transform the world. I think more importantly, we can be grateful that Jesus was intentional about making sure that women have a place at the table. Jesus allowed women to follow him and to be a part of his ministry. As I said, a woman is the main character in this story. Jesus has been invited to dinner at the house of a Pharisee. It seems obvious that this man didn’t really like Jesus. But he wanted to impress his guest by inviting someone famous to his party. It would be sort like inviting Gov. Rauner to our church service. I may not agree with everything that he says. But I would welcome to publicity that it would generate by having a conversation with him. And of course when he arrives, I am going to be watching him like a hawk, waiting for him to say or do something stupid so that I can criticize him. That was the position that Jesus was in when a woman walks in and starts to listen to his teachings. The woman has her hair down, so she is not married. When a woman married, she bound her hair up and never took it down again. More than likely, the host invited her in for all of the other guest. But with Jesus being a holy man, he was supposed to push her away. So when she came in an approached Jesus, and Jesus did not turn her away, the host concludes that Jesus must not be holy. He must be a fraud. He had found his criticism. But the good news is the Jesus is a prophet, and he has learned to respect and honor the gifts of women. He knows this woman, and he know her sins and he loves her anyway. I think that it is important to point out that Jesus knows her sins, but we do not. The host assumed that she was a woman of the night, but we have no details to support that. We don’t know who she is but we do know that Jesus loves her and accepts her for who she is. That Woman Is You As many of you know, we are looking for an office administrator. One of the candidates I interviewed caught me a bit off guard when she asked what the members of the congregation would think about a secretary who was divorced. I hadn’t really thought about that question. Then a fellow pastor told about the secretary at his church whom he learned had been a prostitute. She was a very good secretary, and very few members of the congregation knew anything about her former life. But she did not feel very good about herself. She despised what she had done and she despised the men who paid her for the use of her body. She also despised the people she believed would condemn her if they knew of her former profession. She was desperately looking for love and acceptance. One week my friend preached on the Gospel lesson for today, and it was the secretary’s job to type up his sermon. When she finished typing it, she asked to talk with the pastor. She didn’t understand the statement he had made that Jesus accepted all people knowing who and what they were. For she could not believe that God or God’s people could accept her, knowing who she was and what she had done. The pastor read her from this text from Luke 7. The secretary got tears in her eyes. "How I wish I was that woman," she said. "That woman is you!" he replied and she cried. "Would you baptize me, knowing what I am?" she asked. He did, and her baptism was one of the most moving events in his ministry. Frank Rothfuss, Begrudging God’s Grace. We all have a history. We all have a story to tell. The good news is the Jesus loves us just the way we are. At a fancy dinner party, the guest would have something to say about all of us, and yet Jesus loves us and forgives us inspite of our story. A Good Judge of Character A certain young woman was nervous about meeting her boyfriend's parents for the first time. As she checked out her appearance one last time, she noticed that her shoes looked dingy. So she gave them a fast swipe with the paper towel she had used to blot the bacon she had for breakfast. Arriving at the impressive home, she was greeted by the parents and their much-beloved, but rotten-tempered, poodle. The dog got a whiff of the bacon grease on the young woman's shoes and followed her around all evening. At the end of the evening, the pleased parents remarked, "Cleo really likes you, dear, and she is an excellent judge of character. We are delighted to welcome you into our little family." It seems that perhaps Cleo was a better judge of bacon grease than she was a judge of character. The Pharisees believed that Jesus wasn't a very good judge of character. Think back to our scripture reading for today. King Duncan, Collected Sermons, www.Sermons.com Another story that has been in the news a lot this week is the story of a Stanford student who assaulted a young woman because she was drunk. The debate is on how little respect he had for this woman, and how other men in his life are justifying his actions. It shows us that attitudes toward women have not changed much since biblical times. And that is why I think it is so important for women to respect one another and who we are. But the good news in this story for all is us is in the words of Jesus to the man, not the woman. He tells the woman that her faith has made her whole. But Jesus tells the man, that he was so concerned about how good he was, that he did not show love, and respect and honor. But this woman who showed nothing but love from the time she was in the room, was the one whom was forgiven. Getting Out of the Pit There is an old legend about Judas that Madeleine L'Engle tells. The legend is that after his death Judas found himself at the bottom of a deep and slimy pit. For thousands of years he wept his repentance, and when the tears were finally spent, he looked up and saw way, way up a tiny glimmer of light. After he had contemplated it for another thousand years or so, he began to try to climb up towards the light. The walls of the pit were dark and slimy, and he kept slipping back down. Finally, after great effort, he neared the top and then he slipped and fell all the way back down to the bottom. It took him many years to recover, all the time weeping bitter tears of grief and repentance, and then he started to climb up again. After many more falls and efforts and failures, he reached the top and dragged himself into an upper room with twelve people seated around the table. "We've been waiting for you, Judas," Jesus said. "We couldn't begin till you came." So many people are looking for a community of forgiven and forgiving sinners. Would they find what they are seeking here? Jimmy Moor, A Place of Welcome Who are you in the story? Are you the righteous host, judging the actions of everyone else? Or are you the woman, who saw nothing in that room but the love of Jesus? Forgiveness is a give and a take. Who do you need to forgive in order to be forgiven? What act of love has God shown you, in spite of who you are? Who in your life is need of that same act of love? Those who have been forgiven much – have much to give. Those who have been forgiven little have little to give. Which are you? Listening to the Noise Some years ago I served as a campus pastor at Oregon State University, and one of the activities we had each week was a Wednesday noon study. From time to time we would pick different topics to discuss, and sometimes we would be hooked. At one of those luncheons we were discussing the book "The Courage to Teach." We were asked by our facilitator on that day to share an experience of a teacher who influenced our lives. Vicki Collins, an English professor, shared an experience of a teacher who changed her life during high school. She says the classroom in which her teacher was teaching was located on the side of the building where a main thoroughfare of the city ran. Traffic was constant, including the sound of emergency vehicles, throughout each day. At the beginning of each class, the teacher would complain to the students about the noise from the traffic. The emergency vehicles especially annoyed him with their sirens. After one weekend, the teacher addressed the class at the beginning as he usually did. This day he said he wanted to apologize to the class. He told them that this weekend his wife had an emergency situation. The service that the ambulance provided saved his wife's life and his baby's life. He told his students, "I want to apologize because I was listening to the noise instead of thinking about the lives." The disciples looked at a sinner in the community; they did not see the woman who in her life was reaching out for help. In his external world, the teacher heard noise. The experience with his wife and child caused him to inwardly see that lives were being cared for by those noisy vehicles. As a result of his experience, he gained a better perspective of his experiences with the emergency vehicles. He apologized to his students. Friends, Jesus is helping these disciples, and us, to see that there are lives that need care. Sometimes the "noises" of selfish desires, self-centered desires, greed, or bigotry, keep us from seeing beyond the sin or the wrongly perceived experiences of life. The opportunity we have is that of seeing Jesus' way of seeing people, seeing the possibilities for righteousness in them, forgiving them when they fall short, encouraging them to go in peace. Isaiah Jones Jr., Seeing Beyond the Sin A Way to God Before the Reformation Martin Luther was in his monk's cell weeping because of his sins. His confessor, a young man, simply didn't know what to do, so he began repeating the Apostles' Creed. "I believe in God the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth; And in Jesus Christ His only Son our Lord; who was conceived by the Holy Ghost, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead, and buried; He descended into hell; the third day He rose again from the dead; He ascended into heaven, and sitteth on the right hand of God the Father Almighty; From thence He shall come to judge the quick and the dead. "I believe in the Holy Ghost; the holy Catholic Church; the communion of Saints; the forgiveness of sins; the . . . ." "Wait!" Luther interrupted his confessor. "What did you say?" "What do you mean, what did I say?" "That last part. What was it again?" "Oh, that. I said, ‘I believe in the forgiveness of sins.'" "The forgiveness of sins," Luther said as if savoring each word. "The forgiveness of sins. Then there is hope for me somewhere. Then maybe there is a way to God." There is a way to God. Jesus Christ died to provide that way. We may not be a woman of the city but there are sins that break our hearts as well. And there is One who sees those broken hearts and cares, and forgives, and heals, and makes whole. King Duncan, Collected Sermons, www.Sermons.com The Cookie Thief Today's gospel reminds me of the story of the cookie thief. A woman at the airport waiting to catch her flight bought herself a bag of cookies, settled in a chair in the airport lounge and began to read her book. Suddenly she noticed the man beside her helping himself to her cookies. Not wanting to make a scene, she read on, ate cookies, and watched the clock. As the daring "cookie thief" kept on eating the cookies she got more irritated and said to herself, "If I wasn't so nice, I'd blacken his eye!" She wanted to move the cookies to her other side but she couldn’t bring her self to do it. With each cookie she took, he took one too. When only one was left, she wondered what he would do. Then with a smile on his face and a nervous laugh, he took the last cookie and broke it in half. He offered her half, and he ate the other. She snatched it from him and thought, "Oh brother, this guy has some nerve, and he's also so rude, why, he didn't even show any gratitude!" She sighed with relief when her flight was called. She gathered her belongings and headed for the gate, refusing to look at the ungrateful "thief." She boarded the plane and sank in her seat, reached in her bag to get a book to read and forget about the incident. Next to her book was her bag—of cookies. The cookies they ate in the lounge were his not hers. She had been the thief not him. The cookie thief story reminds us, as we see in today's gospel, that it often happens that the one pointing the accusing finger turns out to be the guilty one, that the complainant sometimes turns out to be the offending party. In the cookie story, the woman believed she was such a wonderful person to put up with the rudeness and ingratitude of the man sitting beside her. In the end she discovered that she was the rude and ungrateful one and the man was wonderfully friendly. In the gospel the Pharisee thinks he is the righteous one who is worthy to be in the company of Jesus and that the woman was the sinful one unworthy to be seen with Jesus. In the end Jesus showed each of them where they really belonged and the woman was seen as the one who was righteous and more deserving of the company of Jesus than the self-righteous Pharisee. Brett Blair, www.eSermons.com Who doesn’t love M&M candies! They really do “melt in your mouth not in your hand” (most of the time). They come in a rainbow of colors (though really, where did the tan ones go?). And they offer the option of chocolate all the way through, or a peanut in the middle. To celebrate seventy-five years of this candy, the manufacturers of M&M’s are trying something new. Three new flavors are being “taste tested” on the public. The deal here is that three new flavors are being offered, but only one of the three will become a standard. The other two will “lose out” and be dropped. The three options of these new peanut M&M’s are Honey Nut, Coffee Nut, and Chili Nut. Of course, you and I are supposed to buy all three, taste all three, and then vote for our favorite. As manufacturers, the Mars Candy Company really only cares about the “buy all three” part. Word on the street has it that Chili Nut has taken an early lead. But as Jesus followers, as the first “mix and mingle” crowd, the first M&M’s, we are called to welcome and nurture and embrace ALL flavors of nuts. By the way, NUTS is an acronym that means “Never Underestimate the Spirit.” We might have a personal favorite, but that does not mean we vote all the others out of existence. Justified in Christ, as we live a sanctified life, waiting for the final glorification of God’s Kingdom through Christ, we must always remain a mixed bag of nuts. ERMON ILLUSTRATION Are Women More Religious? It's not true that women are more religious than men. It's just easier in our society for them to express religious interest outwardly. Mark Galli, Leadership, Vol. 12, no. 1. Object: A box of crayons and a coloring book. Lesson: Good morning, boys and girls! How many of you like to color? (Let them answer.) What are some of the things you color? (Let them answer. Hold up crayons and book.) I brought some crayons and a coloring book this morning. There are all types of coloring books to choose from. We can color in the coloring books, or we can take a piece of plain paper and draw our own pictures. My parents always told me to color in a book or on paper. They said never to color anything else, but I decided to see what it would look like if I colored on my bedroom walls. I knew that it was wrong, but I thought I could hide it if my parents ever came in. Have any of you ever done anything you were told not to do? (Let them answer.) It was a terrible thing to do, but I drew a small picture on my wall. Then I tried to wash it off so my mother and father wouldn't get mad at me. I found I couldn't wash it off. In fact, when I tried to wipe it off, it smeared and even got messier. I was really sorry I had disobeyed them. They found the drawing on my wall and were very angry. I had to stay in my room all day. I told my parents I was sorry, and that it would never happen again. Have any of you colored on a wall when you were not allowed to? (Let them answer. Give crayons to one of the children.) Would you color on the church's walls? (Let the child answer.) Why not? (Let them answer.) Of course, we all knew it would be wrong. Sometimes we all do things we know are wrong, but even though our parents or our teachers are angry with us, they always forgive us. They know that we are sorry. When we disobey our parents, it is wrong! When we disobey Jesus, it is a sin. We sin when we do things Jesus has told us not to do. But even Jesus forgives us. Jesus forgives the worst sinners. We must ask Jesus for forgiveness, just like we ask our parents for forgiveness when we do something wrong. We have to tell Jesus that we are sorry, and we have to promise him that we will try to never sin again. If we are really sorry -- if we really try to do the right things, Jesus will forgive us, just like your parents will forgive you when you do the wrong things. Jesus tells us that if we believe in him and try to do the right things, he will forgive us. I hope you will never try to write on a wall with crayons -- but remember, your parents love you and will forgive you if you do something wrong. Jesus loves you and will forgive you when you sin. If you believe in him, all your sins will be forgiven. The next time you are coloring, remember what happened to me. Don't color on anything but a coloring book or paper, and remember that Jesus forgives us for all the sins in our lives. Amen.

Prayers answered

“Prayers Answered”
November 15, 2009
Twenty-fifth Sunday of Pentecost
Year B
1 Samuel
Mark 13:38-44

It seems that every few years now there is a different prediction that the end is coming near. Remember all of the hoopla that was made about Y2K. None of the computers were programmed to read the year 2000 – and everything was going to shut down – and life as we know it would end. I am sure that I am missing another one since then.
Well now, it has been decided that the world will come to an end in 2012. The 5000 year old Mayan calendar will end in the year 2012 – And this end is not predicted by Christians waiting for Christ to return – this end is much older and deeper than that, so it must be true. People have been talking about it and preparing for it for years now – and now it is only 2 years away.
The new movie 2012 debuted this Friday – Friday the 13th mind you. That is not my genre of movie, so I didn’t watch it – but I saw the previews. They reviews say that this is the movie of all movies. The director took scenes from every destructive movie ever made and made this one even more destructive. You see all types of icons – the Vatican, Rio De Janero’s statue of Jesus, even the city of Los angeles – totally fall apart in this movie. Signifiying that this is indeed the end of the world as we know it. This is indeed a time of cataclysmic change. This is indeed the end of the world. The end of the world as we know it. That is just it. People have been predicting the end of the world for centuries. People – Christian and non Christian have been asking the same question of Jesus as asked in Mark 13 – when will we know – tell us when will this be, and what will be the signs that all of these things are about to be accomplished? When you hear of wars and rumors of wars, nation rising against nation, earthquakes and famine – this is but the beginning.
And we take Jesus at his word – and we believe that the end of the world must be total chaos and destruction. We have to feel and witness something big, and painful and worldwide in order for the world to change. In order for the world of Jesus to come into the earth – the earth must be totally destroyed. – right? Wrong? In order for the end of the world to come – we have to be destroyed. Right? Wrong. We got it all wrong.
This verse is called the little apopcalyse – the big apopcalyse is the book of revelation. And yet Jesus is not talking about endings – he says that this is the beginning of birth pangs. The world will not be destroyed – but recreated. Life as we know it does not come to an end- it simply transforms. The mayan prediction of 2012 – has been intentionally distorted by our culture – who seems to love sensationalism and exaggeration. The prediction is not that the world will end after 5000 years – but that after 5000 years a new era of understanding will be ushered in. A time when people are able to let go of old things – and look at life from a brand new perspective.
A time of cataclysmic change and transformation. But the transformation is not about what is going on out there somewhere – the change is about what is going on in here. Jesus constantly reminds us that God is not concerned about outward appearances – God is concerned about the condition of our hearts.
In a world that is in deep pain and groaning. In a culture that is asking itself some serious questions, in a time when life is seriously evaluating itself and its values – we are being asked to have a change of heart. A change in who we are and how we relate to the world.
We have no idea of what events will lead us to our final destiny – we have no idea of what the world will go through within the next two years, we have no control over even what the future holds for us – but what we do know is that the time has come for us to transform.
The thing is – we come to this point in our faith every year. As the old Christian year winds down- and the new year is about to begin – we are taken in scripture to the questions and the tumult of the apopcalypse. We are reminded of the end of the times. But we are never challenged to die – we are always challenged to begin again. To realize that in every ending – there is always a new beginning. It is time for us to start looking for those new beginnings, those unexpected births, those moments of faith.
Every year we relive the circle of life. Every year we relive the birth, life , death and resurrection of our Lord and Savior to be reminded that transformation is a normal occurance. The lesson for us is to be prepared for a catalcymic transformation in every moment of our lives.
If every moment is special, then every person is special. The entrance of every person into the world is a story to tell the began in the hopes and dreams of our ancestors long ago.
There is another theme for our scriptures for this time of year. A reminder that every great man who came into the world to bring about hope and change – was raised and nurtured by a faithful mother. That is an interesting pattern in the bible. In the story of Jesus, we learn about his mother Mary. In the story of David, we learn about his great grandmother Ruth, on the story of John we learn about his mother Elizabeth, and in the story of Samuel – we learn about his mother Hannah.
Samuel was a man who bought great change to the Hebrew culture. He was not a king, he was a kingmaker. HE ushered his people into a new understanding of leadership. He was the last of the judges over the people, and he made Saul and them David a king. He spent his life as a priest in the temple – he realized that even that system was not working – because priest had become corrupt.
Our scripture read is a celebration of his mother’s answered prayer. Where she acknowledges that it is time for a change, and that in God’s answered prayer the world would be shaken up and turned upside down, so that the people on the bottom would now be on the top.
Hannah was a second wife with no children, and she got tired of being mistreated by the other wife, who had plenty of children for her husband. Hannah prayed that if God would just give her a son – she would give that son back to God and raise him as a priest. Well – she got pregnant and after three years she did indeed give her son Samuel to be raised in the temple. It was her faith that gave the world a transformational leader. It was also her willingness to trust God to answer her prayer. How well do we trust God with our prayers?
A man was really sick and needed a very serious surgery. He prayed to God that things would go well for him. But just to sweeten the deal he promised the surgeon that he would donate enough money to build a new wing for the hospital if things turned out. Well the surgery turned out – and the surgeon came to the man a few months later – reminding him of he bargain that he had made with the hospital before the surgery. The man had forgotten about that bargain. He said o gee, I really must have been sick to have made a promise like that. I am better now, - I don’t need to pray anymore.
What would have happen had Hannah had the same attitude – and not kept her promise to God? What bargains do we make with God in our times of need – how are we in maintaining our faithfulness?
We would all agree that we live in some really tough times, and that we all have some really tough challenges ahead. We may not all agree on what it takes to change the circumstances, but we all agree that the circumstances need to be changed. We are all looking for that cataclysmic transformation for things to be different. For the peace that God promised us all to begin and to spread throughout the world.
Some need to see the sensationalism of 2012 in order to realize that things can truly be different. All of us – especially the faithful of God need to realize that every moment and every life is a part of the great change. God uses our lives, our moments, our faith to bring about the greatest change. The toughest jobs in life are given to the faithful who are willing to trust in God and willing to be used by the creative movement of the holy spirit – present and every changing our lives one prayer at a time. Amen.