tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-592590817074548252024-03-05T08:52:39.964-08:00sue washburnpastor. writer. thinker.Sue Washburnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15419502853738977807noreply@blogger.comBlogger92125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-59259081707454825.post-32614102327757282162018-06-19T05:28:00.004-07:002018-06-19T05:31:59.445-07:00Introverts guide to surviving General Assembly<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgneXNfQMCGquog1y6ziaZvTEGdA6-Yo0K_WTO7OBUmS8kG0G17sL-ivwYTGQ0n_GTIYpmSioqkRgLr5GUCIRC7dxCnueRfQ7c-1vMW4qGvNxiq3-WeyFc1Ew8inb_6Wv9_TLEz4O7RGA/s1600/IMG_9894.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="425" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgneXNfQMCGquog1y6ziaZvTEGdA6-Yo0K_WTO7OBUmS8kG0G17sL-ivwYTGQ0n_GTIYpmSioqkRgLr5GUCIRC7dxCnueRfQ7c-1vMW4qGvNxiq3-WeyFc1Ew8inb_6Wv9_TLEz4O7RGA/s640/IMG_9894.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The event opened with a meet and greet. You know, a cocktail party without the cocktails. I'm pictured bottom left talking with colleagues Wendy Keys and Robin Craig.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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General Assembly is the governing body of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.). Presbyterians come from around the world to worship, pray, study and create the rules that govern our denomination. But when thousands gather, it can be fun AND overwhelming. This post appeared on the <a href="http://www.syntrinity.org/" target="_blank">Synod of the Trinity</a> site.<br />
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<a href="http://www.syntrinity.org/synod/the-introverts-guide-to-surviving-general-assembly/" target="_blank">Click here to read the Introverts Guide</a><br />
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<br />Sue Washburnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15419502853738977807noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-59259081707454825.post-17396856793446119312017-12-14T10:33:00.002-08:002017-12-14T10:33:50.648-08:00ADVENT REFLECTIONS<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1%20Thessalonians+5&version=NRSV" target="_blank">1 Thessalonians 5:1-11</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: black;"><i><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">For God did not call us to impurity but in
holiness. </span></i></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 10pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<h2>
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>I'm not hurting any body!</b><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span></span></h2>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">In this part of his pastoral letter to the Thessalonians, Paul isn't telling the new Christians what to believe, but how to live
out their faith. They, like us, are living in the in-between time, after Jesus’
resurrection but before his second coming. Paul is urging the Thessalonians to
live Godly lives in response to the grace that God has given them. They are to
abstain from lustful, passionate and exploitive relationships. They are to
honor the bodies of the people around them and not use others for their own
pleasure. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Not exploiting people is harder than it might first appear. While many of us would never engage in sexual fertility
rites like the pagan worshippers in Thessalonica, exploitation of other people's bodies still exists. <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2017/10/25/us/list-of-accused-after-weinstein-scandal-trnd/index.html" target="_blank">Recent headlines</a> about sexual assault are a testament to the way women’s (and some
men’s) bodies are taken advantage of even today. Human trafficking is still an issue during the Superbowl.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">It can be easy for many of us to think that we are quite different from the
Thessalonians or those who make unwanted sexual advances or hire prostitutes, but many of us are
complicit in the same sin, just to a different degree. We may feel
like we have a moral high ground if we have heteronormative, culturally
appropriate, mutually fulfilling sexual relationships. We are pretty sure we aren't hurting any body. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">But the truth is, even the most chaste, faithful or respectful among us
depends on other people’s bodies. In order to make the </span><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">everyday</span><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"> things we buy and use affordable, we end up exploiting the bodies of other people. Our </span><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">grapes and tomatoes and</span><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"> t-shirts and shoes came at a cost to someone else's body. And while it's not the horrible violation of sexual abuse, the exploitative nature of our economy is not holy.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhNJ9Jf_h2Vc1ODZT8rrIkGGn1MZk-P6ZH-qMqeK3zVHuPBtrEq1M-z8BC95JGIThniqOv9irfz8cW_UKoXj_c3F7Xp6R81Po1KJZg0ShRdBuOiGzpOIgC9JEIR4NOGS05Vv7XD5hKbw/s1600/471694599_3adf7b19ee_z.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="564" data-original-width="640" height="282" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhNJ9Jf_h2Vc1ODZT8rrIkGGn1MZk-P6ZH-qMqeK3zVHuPBtrEq1M-z8BC95JGIThniqOv9irfz8cW_UKoXj_c3F7Xp6R81Po1KJZg0ShRdBuOiGzpOIgC9JEIR4NOGS05Vv7XD5hKbw/s320/471694599_3adf7b19ee_z.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">The people who harvest our food, make our clothes or (even closer to home) care for our children are working for our benefit. Their bodies
go and do what ours cannot, for whatever reason. Too often hese workers earn less than a living wage, work in questionable conditions and fac</span><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">e the painful side
effects of their jobs on their bodies without health insurance. </span><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">If they are overseas,
the conditions may </span><a href="https://www.newyorker.com/news/news-desk/death-traps-the-bangladesh-garment-factory-disaster" style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">be
even worse</a><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">.</span><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">It's easy to be self-righteous knowing that we are kind and respectful to the people we encounter. But how we depend upon and treat the bodies we don't see in our everyday economic choices is something many of us need to think and pray about. Myself included.</span><o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-small;"><i>Photo credit: Broadus Mattison </i></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Creative Commons www.flickr.com</span></i></div>
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Sue Washburnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15419502853738977807noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-59259081707454825.post-33429027783074916762017-12-09T05:44:00.000-08:002017-12-09T05:44:02.487-08:00ADVENT REFLECTIONS<h4>
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+thess+2&version=NRSV" target="_blank">1 Thessalonians 2:13-20</a></span></h4>
<h2>
<b><span style="font-size: x-large;">How do we wait?</span></b><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></h2>
<i><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">For you, brothers and sisters,</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"> became imitators of the churches of God in Christ Jesus that are in Judea.</span></i><div class="MsoNormal">
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxYUKtQ02CS_uqiVypAIrs5xK06vvLJkc2YA71-91OrN3CmNxunT2OHcltfNobqBlhhhKI5U3BtDyy42go0IvSjhNgTYLobXN-xgmAXjKjtDauiCVX3FTHV8pdXeMvrb6UjHXmdwsuXg/s1600/2322785796_1ea317ee46_b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="644" data-original-width="1024" height="201" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxYUKtQ02CS_uqiVypAIrs5xK06vvLJkc2YA71-91OrN3CmNxunT2OHcltfNobqBlhhhKI5U3BtDyy42go0IvSjhNgTYLobXN-xgmAXjKjtDauiCVX3FTHV8pdXeMvrb6UjHXmdwsuXg/s320/2322785796_1ea317ee46_b.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
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Many practicing Christians know that Advent is a time of
waiting. In the four weeks before Christmas we remember the promises of God in
the past and look forward to Christ coming again. We are waiting, yes. But, I
wonder, are we <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">longing</i> for God while
we wait? Do we feel like we <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">need</i>
Jesus to show up again to usher in God’s peace? Or have thousands of years of waiting numbed us to the promises? Has the
long wait turned us into Christians who sit politely in pews like we are at an
airport gate instead of creating a community that is out in the world imitating
Christ?</div>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
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Paul applauds the new Christians in Thessalonica for being
imitators of the Judean churches and choosing the Jesus Way, despite
persecution. In their faith and their actions, they have set themselves apart
from the status quo with their passion for Christ. They keep the faith in the
face of suffering. <o:p></o:p></div>
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For many of us today, our faith is no longer a matter of
life and death, but one of commitments. When we commit our lives to Christ in
the United States in 2017, what most of us really mean is we commit our
thoughts, our time and our money for a few hours a week. We are not really committing
our bodies. For many of us there is no danger in proclaiming or acting upon our
faith. I thank God for that freedom.<o:p></o:p></div>
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But, sometimes I wonder if it dulls our commitment. The Jesus Way
spread like fire in the crucible of the Roman Empire. At its heart Christianity
is a faith built upon the love of God in Christ and the hope of God's peace or Shalom. Christianity was formed in opposition to the
exploitation and injustice of God’s beloved people.</div>
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We worship a God who promises to heal the broken hearted and bind up their wounds. The God who proclaims freedom for
the captives and release to the prisoners (Isaiah 61:1 and Luke 4:18) — the literally captive and imprisoned, not just the spiritually wounded and captive.<o:p></o:p> We worship a God who promises to never leave us or forsake us, even in death. That faith created martyrs who were no longer afraid to die. Martyrs who imitated every aspect of Christ. </div>
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Perhaps this Advent should be a time of active waiting instead of passive reflection. A
time when we demonstate the promises of God, live out the actions of Jesus and imitate the faith
of the Thessalonians. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Photo credit: <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/neatomang/2322785796/in/photolist-4xfThY-5pdXAq-9UnKo-V16L12-7b9Yku-pUqM5P-ck94dE-BAEzV-dYksek-aYcUFk-Tcxewp-b8657n-VfB8B8-s5aXQh-5p9FQg-bHizr4-49TxWN-4Yeo6-rn2euL-6Khby-sa6iVj-4iYXHK-arMFFq-aZiVNv-5g431R-HL8Jp-hHHge-iLyb37-2yGnGW-4moHvh-hLqjm-56zzVr-8mDX5o-fifdLa-9ytZPt-58DX3Y-bwEQMs-56Akaa-RYXNeb-TxBsf-56EymJ-56zDyt-6VBF5o-DqCv-56EehN-4RQ7NF-2JkUH-588F84-qEvv52-9YCwUK" style="text-align: right;" target="_blank">el Neato</a> <a href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/" target="_blank">creative commons license</a></span></i></div>
Sue Washburnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15419502853738977807noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-59259081707454825.post-5688028064822693852017-12-06T06:05:00.003-08:002017-12-09T03:54:35.328-08:00ADVENT REFLECTIONS<div class="MsoNormal">
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+thess+2&version=NRSV" target="_blank">1 Thessalonians2:1-1</a>2<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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<o:p><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Finding our spiritual family</b></span></o:p></div>
<o:p><i style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="text 1Thess-2-7" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></i></o:p>
<o:p><i style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="text 1Thess-2-7" id="en-NRSV-29561" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;">We were like infants among you, like a nurse tenderly caring for her own children.</span><span class="text 1Thess-2-8" id="en-NRSV-29562" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><span class="versenum" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "arial"; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;"> </span>So deeply do we care for you that we are determined to share with you not only the gospel of God but also our own selves.</span></i></o:p><br />
<o:p><i style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="text 1Thess-2-8" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></i></o:p>
<o:p><i style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="text 1Thess-2-8" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></i></o:p>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhd7F0E3NFr7VQj22A9HYzcM9SDC4Uq4ydEuSAiwvrE8sRN-gb1sk6s8U9-b2oTVADPi0OhDFxYt1AwiXy2SN6V0WUJkYBIt6gG-OnFBwXCdqqOoGdBrBxuaAwJKWe6Yf375x8ys7XmXw/s1600/41b55A4Fe-L.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="365" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhd7F0E3NFr7VQj22A9HYzcM9SDC4Uq4ydEuSAiwvrE8sRN-gb1sk6s8U9-b2oTVADPi0OhDFxYt1AwiXy2SN6V0WUJkYBIt6gG-OnFBwXCdqqOoGdBrBxuaAwJKWe6Yf375x8ys7XmXw/s320/41b55A4Fe-L.jpg" width="233" /></a></div>
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Growing up, I read and re-read the book <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Are You My Mother?</i> Something about the newly born bird searching
for its mother captured my imagination. The bird comes out of its shell while
Mom is out getting food. Confused, the bird goes around asking various animals
and things the same question, Are you my mother?</div>
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The bird asks a hen and a dog and a cow but they are not his
(or her?) mother.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The bird sees a car
and a plane and calls out the question. Finally he hops onto the teeth of a
digger and is terrified with the shovel starts taking him up into the air. The digger
drops the tiny bird back into the nest where he finally finds his mother and snuggles in with her. <o:p></o:p></div>
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In this part of Paul’s letter to the Thessalonians, he
highlights the gentle, familial love he has for the people of that church. He
uses family images to highlight intimacy they have. He calls them brothers and
sisters; he confesses his vulnerability by calling himself an infant among them.
Mixing his metaphors he refers himself as a wet nurse caring for children as
well as a father urging his children to lead good lives. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Throughout the Epistles Paul refers to himself and the
Apostles as lactating women offering spiritual milk, fatherly guides and loving
siblings to emphasize that in Christ we are one family. This doesn’t mean that the families don't have their share of dysfunction. Paul’s letters to different communities show us
that each Christian community has it’s own idiosyncrasies and vices.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzAD86CH1z7wR0iSjFnf2Xy8e0RHxnb98uofMq1q56ApykN4UzZJSDqkkHmxiHuWYEsFEO0zt29WR47_RSrnPfnIFFz-_C9h5QYjg5bohJzMvgdeo9iBgrRTvDJ3ydTZI-JNBijBCLgA/s1600/c4a4817acd7cabddaaf1278f4d8b3ed2--books-for-toddlers-to-my-son.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="420" data-original-width="420" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzAD86CH1z7wR0iSjFnf2Xy8e0RHxnb98uofMq1q56ApykN4UzZJSDqkkHmxiHuWYEsFEO0zt29WR47_RSrnPfnIFFz-_C9h5QYjg5bohJzMvgdeo9iBgrRTvDJ3ydTZI-JNBijBCLgA/s200/c4a4817acd7cabddaaf1278f4d8b3ed2--books-for-toddlers-to-my-son.jpg" width="200" /></a>Like the little bird, sometimes it takes a while to find our true spiritual home. We may visit different communities and wonder how we might
fit. We ask ourselves: Are these the people with whom I can be all that I am? Can
I be the vulnerable child, the gentle mother, the guiding father with these
people? <o:p></o:p></div>
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Just like Paul, we are all complex people who
sometimes act like children or mothers or fathers or something in between depending on the day.<br />
<br />
It
is my hope that each person can find a community of people like Paul and the
Thessalonians. People who long to see each other. People who are eager to spend
time together. People who we can call our glory and joy. People about whom we will
boast when Jesus comes. People with whom we share not just the gospel, but our very, varied selves.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Sue Washburnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15419502853738977807noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-59259081707454825.post-74929805851499369462017-12-05T06:00:00.002-08:002017-12-06T06:39:51.668-08:00ADVENT REFLECTIONS:<h2 style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 22px; margin: 0px; position: relative;">
<span style="color: #351c75;">ADVENT REFLECTIONS:</span></h2>
<div>
<h2>
<b>God Chooses You</b></h2>
<h2>
<span style="font-family: "cambria"; font-size: 12pt;">1
Thessalonians 1:1-10</span></h2>
</div>
<div>
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<i>For we know, brothers
and sisters beloved by God, that he has chosen you, because our message of the
gospel came to you not in word only, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit
and with full conviction.<o:p></o:p></i></div>
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<br /></div>
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Sometimes it seems like God’s word comes out of the
unlikeliest mouths — and sometimes the people speaking it don’t even know it! I can’t count the number of times have I heard something that profoundly
influences my faith in an ordinary, non-churchy conversation. God is present
everywhere. This was something that the Apostle Paul understood as he spread
the Good News of Jesus Christ to the "churchy" and "non-churchy," to Jews and Pagans alike. <o:p></o:p></div>
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The Thessalonians were not Jewish, but they were people of faith. To share the gospel with them Paul communicates very broadly. No mention of Jewish or Christian rituals or laws, no special words or stories from Torah. When Paul writes to these new converts, he just shares the promise that they are God’s beloved. He reminds them that they didn’t choose God. God chose them and gifted them with the power
of conviction and the Holy Spirit. Paul kept it simple. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Too many times we can let our words get in the way of
sharing our faith. We get excited by Biblical history and complex concepts. We use jargon and big
words to try to explain our faith like the people in this video:<o:p></o:p><br />
<br /></div>
<iframe frameborder="0" height="348" scrolling="no" src="https://www.ignitermedia.com/embed/12-real-christians-of-genius" type="text/html" width="618"></iframe>
<br />
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Paul was a master communicator. He knew when to talk about history and reference scripture to prove his points. But he also knew that big words and emphasis on perfect theology can get in the way of
conveying something so simple: You are God’s beloved. God chooses you. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Sue Washburnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15419502853738977807noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-59259081707454825.post-73954077225564542282017-12-04T05:17:00.004-08:002017-12-06T06:40:11.020-08:00ADVENT REFLECTIONS: <h2>
<span style="color: #351c75;"> </span>Why Bother? </h2>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2+peter+3&version=NRSV" target="_blank">2 Peter 3</a></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzaUuRbIAn4ZDHcC5tH3qFTpBBuB4tqUgA0QH88HXn6cG6O8xDqfCh-XLIUzjwyCZ-syh4pPlE6Nbq_hQ7wZaIO64M-TpSR8awuFaPJGuYfRN8dwevb-6Tn3wVLUgIdaJIDJhkYDfQgQ/s1600/2718271727_b7e3df1138_m.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="119" data-original-width="240" height="198" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzaUuRbIAn4ZDHcC5tH3qFTpBBuB4tqUgA0QH88HXn6cG6O8xDqfCh-XLIUzjwyCZ-syh4pPlE6Nbq_hQ7wZaIO64M-TpSR8awuFaPJGuYfRN8dwevb-6Tn3wVLUgIdaJIDJhkYDfQgQ/s400/2718271727_b7e3df1138_m.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: right;"><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/balladist/2718271727/in/photolist-59cRtV-eSxERT-avzXJE-84xPH1-6gVyZm-84xSdf-XrW997-ayXQV9-WTpQkX-WPwJMc-WMg7G9-XQHkYD-cmPVbw-dX8v-avxjtF-7yKBMC-nSPS2-9Pn7Cd-cmPSNA-WPwJmH-WPwDhV-84obU8-eWXjbT-84xNQy-bopMZP-XrW6mo-pPK1vM-Y416sc-XMYyGU-eSxEQn-XMYvHh-WMg15m-84uQWk-XQHkqK-XrW9Pq-ayTFPH-pPK3yK-panSKb-XMYwg1-XMYzYG-WMfZQJ-XMYAWd-XMYxPG-panT47-XrW9DL-a3ZhjW-q6ZHdB-a3Wz8v-panTd5-pPPXH3" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">flikr: Erin Leigh McConnell</span></a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<i><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;">But, in accordance with his promise, we wait for new heavens and a new earth, where righteousness is at home.</span></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></i></div>
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I can remember lying in my dark bedroom as a 13-year old with a knot in the pit of my stomach. The</div>
realization that the world was so much more complex than my own life hit me hard. The news began to mean something. Words like <i>Cold War, first strike, nuclear annihilation</i> meant huge parts of the world could suffer. Hearing about trickle down economics made me realize some people were OK with favoring the rich.<br />
<br />
My Sunday school faith was failing me in the face of the world outside of church and family. Nothing I learned in those comfortable rooms with a half-smiling, hippie Jesus seemed to apply to the real world. Who would think that a nuclear war was a good idea for any reason? Why do powerful people only act in their self interest? Where was the light in the darkness? Where was God?<br />
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<br /></div>
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I'm certainly not alone in my political and spiriutal coming of age moment. Teens coming of age today in the midst of news of nuclear tests in North Korea and trickle down economics v.2 are hearing many of the same headlines. None of it is new. The writer of 2 Peter 3 is addressing people who are wondering about the state of the world. Thousands of years ago, they wanted to know why bad things were happening and where was God in all of it?</div>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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We experience this disconnect between what is and what could be because we sense that the world should be a more fair and equitable place. We’ve been given an intuitive understanding of God’s Shalom or peace and justice. We know enough about the Bible to picture what that should look like. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxg_lxL4CdH3RIjegQ0asZQkTJhzcpPCKEm99zq3fczpWytIb5wIMl-1P3YoFW0WgJ52z5gYdf96Y-IM4IcomoKsGEgKHVAs4EmmrwKduP3kCzaycXCdUmPG8nFffWv-51ClToB4Pz_A/s1600/peace+and+shalom.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1124" data-original-width="1600" height="448" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxg_lxL4CdH3RIjegQ0asZQkTJhzcpPCKEm99zq3fczpWytIb5wIMl-1P3YoFW0WgJ52z5gYdf96Y-IM4IcomoKsGEgKHVAs4EmmrwKduP3kCzaycXCdUmPG8nFffWv-51ClToB4Pz_A/s640/peace+and+shalom.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
The space between our current reality and God's Shalom is vast — and has been for most of human history. This can create feelings of despair when we witness ongoing evil and exploitation, words that mean acting with unchecked self-interest. We may be tempted to say, Why bother? and decide to indulge our own
passions of greed, lust, anger or derision.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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But, this passage reminds to be God's people even when it seems like the world around us is going to hell. We don’t join the
“scoffers” and mock and jeer other people. Nor should we get “carried away with the error of the lawless" and decide to take what we need and live only for ourselves. Rather, we proclaim the Jesus agenda.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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</div>
<ul>
<li>Each day we get up and pray for the world to be a better
place, including prayers for our enemies.</li>
<li>Each day we get up and love the people God puts in front of us, even if they are Samaritans or Muslims or refugees.</li>
<li>Each day we get up and participate in the Kingdom of God
that is present around us by loving God and our neighbors.</li>
</ul>
We have to take it on faith that God’s goodness will prevail. We follow Jesus even when it feels like it's against our own self-interest. Advent reminds us that we may not be able to see it yet, but God's Shalom is, indeed, coming.<br />
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<o:p></o:p></div>
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Sue Washburnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15419502853738977807noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-59259081707454825.post-76039987698734298492016-07-10T16:22:00.001-07:002016-07-10T16:22:20.054-07:00Straight Talk with Amos<div class="kappa" style="box-sizing: inherit; font-weight: 600; margin-bottom: 1em;">
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<b>Amos 7: 7-9</b></div>
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<i>This is what he showed me: the Lord was standing beside a
wall built with a plumb line, with a plumb line in his hand. And the LORD said
to me, "Amos, what do you see?" And I said, "A plumb line."
Then the Lord said, "See, I am setting a plumb line in the midst of my
people Israel; I will never again pass them by; the high places of Isaac shall
be made desolate, and the sanctuaries of Israel shall be laid waste, and I will
rise against the house of Jeroboam with the sword."</i><o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Luke 10: 25- 37</b></div>
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<i>25Just then a lawyer stood up to test Jesus.
"Teacher," he said, "what must I do to inherit eternal
life?" 26He said to him, "What is written in the law? What do you
read there?" 27He answered, "You shall love the Lord your God with all
your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength, and with all
your mind; and your neighbor as yourself." 28And he said to him, "You
have given the right answer; do this, and you will live."<o:p></o:p></i></div>
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<i>29But wanting to justify himself, he asked Jesus, "And
who is my neighbor?" 30Jesus replied, "A man was going down from
Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell into the hands of robbers, who stripped him,
beat him, and went away, leaving him half dead. 31Now by chance a priest was
going down that road; and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. 32So
likewise a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the
other side. 33But a Samaritan while traveling came near him; and when he saw
him, he was moved with pity. 34He went to him and bandaged his wounds, having
poured oil and wine on them. Then he put him on his own animal, brought him to
an inn, and took care of him. 35The next day he took out two denarii, gave them
to the innkeeper, and said, 'Take care of him; and when I come back, I will
repay you whatever more you spend.' 36Which of these three, do you think, was a
neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of the robbers?" 37He said,
"The one who showed him mercy." Jesus said to him, "Go and do
likewise."</i><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="reading" style="box-sizing: inherit;">
<div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlHbpdn6yvmjeVJorvge1psqcvlfXvKgK9fLvsm-HMhkaeuki4vz5xg61c-qJcPt9ASWUFHpIqk9leRC_lTUZg0M6e55kJ92w-BxQsId25ztinuAiobMObmyCr1od0LhpWogewMtJsBg/s1600/iStock_3527715_LARGE.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlHbpdn6yvmjeVJorvge1psqcvlfXvKgK9fLvsm-HMhkaeuki4vz5xg61c-qJcPt9ASWUFHpIqk9leRC_lTUZg0M6e55kJ92w-BxQsId25ztinuAiobMObmyCr1od0LhpWogewMtJsBg/s320/iStock_3527715_LARGE.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br /></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt;">God’s prophets are a mighty odd group of people. They upheld
the word of the lord and bad-mouthed the religion that everyone was practicing. They spoke for the poor people and against the rich. They pointed
fingers and they were NOT well-liked.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Elijah</span></b><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;"> was called the troubler of Israel.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Amos</span></b><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;"> was thrown out of the country.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Hosea</span></b><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;"> was called a fool. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Jeremiah</span></b><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;"> got thrown in a cistern.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">And tradition says <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Isaiah</b>
got sawed in half.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">It’s amazing that these profoundly unpopular people show up
in our holy book. One of the things we don’t think about when we read the Bible
is that it’s self-correcting. It contains both the Law of God and the exploits
of the patriarchs and kings. But it also contains the critics who worked to
keep Israel on track with God. The prophets insulted kings, predicted
disasters, and shouted curses and woes. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Today we love Moses, Elijah, Isaiah and the other prophets,
but their peers didn’t. So why are they in this great book? </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Probably because
people have been making the same mistakes over and over and over again.
The prophets'<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>words are as relevant today as
they were in the Old Testament. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">So the next few weeks we’ll explore what the Lord says
through this group with the sermon series: Say What? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">We begin with some straight talk from Amos. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Literally. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Amos has a vision of God speaking to him with a plumb line—a
tool that is used to make sure a wall is straight.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The prophets are known for using props to get
our attention—like a plumb line or basket of fruit or some bread baked over cow
dung. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTK_N_NaWAiakKB5HpOVJNDo024KX3OT7okRDlF8wWPKg6ttnpdrp5EDu3RPA4535GHjGlZtVnMju77oTbsBYv7GzboWk6kPVGd2GVfm5RrWmDqZU5_jIfMaoatyXcBYODm3yffyM0Rw/s1600/iStock_5762763_LARGE.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTK_N_NaWAiakKB5HpOVJNDo024KX3OT7okRDlF8wWPKg6ttnpdrp5EDu3RPA4535GHjGlZtVnMju77oTbsBYv7GzboWk6kPVGd2GVfm5RrWmDqZU5_jIfMaoatyXcBYODm3yffyM0Rw/s320/iStock_5762763_LARGE.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Amos and the plumb line remind us that God has standards for
us to meet. Amos tells the people around him that God is holding a plumb line
up to their crooked generation. He’s telling them they don’t measure up to
God’s standards.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Amos shakes his finger at Israel and says your walls are
falling down. Your foundations are bad and you will suffer because of it. He,
and most of the prophets, have two basic messages. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><b>Message #1 You have been unfaithful to God. </b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">The king in Amos’ time made two golden bulls at shrines used
for worship. Remember how bad it is to make golden calves? The Israelites had
already been there and done that when they were waiting for Moses to come
down the mountain. You’d think they would have learned that lesson then. But
no. They did it again. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Does anyone else have that problem? You make a mistake and
swear to do better and then a few days or week later you find yourself doing
the same thing. Yeah. Me, too. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><b>Message # 2 You are not loving your neighbors. </b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">God says of Israel (through Amos): <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-left: 40.5pt;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">They sell the innocent for silver,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-left: 40.5pt;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>and the needy for a pair of sandals.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-left: 40.5pt;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">They trample on the heads of the poor<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-left: 40.5pt;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>as on the dust of the ground<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-left: 40.5pt;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>and deny justice to the oppressed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-left: 40.5pt;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Father and son use the same girl<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-left: 40.5pt;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>and so profane my holy name.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-left: 40.5pt;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">They lie down beside every altar<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-left: 40.5pt;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>on garments taken in pledge.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-left: 40.5pt;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">In the house of their god<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-left: 40.5pt;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>they drink wine taken as fines.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Yikes! The people of Israel didn’t see how far they strayed because
many of them were busy building nice houses and living an easy life. They
worked all week. Had a nice glass or two <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>of wine with dinner Friday night, went to
worship on Saturday morning and started it all over again on Sunday. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">But God says, Stop—look! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Don’t you see you that you are serving yourselves? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Don’t you notice some people are oppressed? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Aren’t you helping the poor? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Don’t you see the injustice? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Beware, God is telling
them through Amos and the plumb line, your crookedness will pull you down. Your
walls will crumble. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">And crumble they did. Israel was overtaken in war.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Their leaders were taken captive and moved
them out of Israel. Their wonderful homes and walls and even God’s Temple came
crumbling down. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Amos was right.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt;">I don’t know about you but I feel like I’m seeing the walls
of our society crumbling this summer. We have video footage of people being killed in Orlando, Baton Rouge, Minnesota and Dallas. Because so many
people have smart phones and the internet we are witnessing the horror
firsthand. We are given a new vision.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">I have to wonder, Is there something kind of prophetic about
this? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">We can record and expose things in our society that haven’t
been seen in the media before. Our phones and cameras are shining a light on
occurrences that might never have made the news otherwise. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">We, here in small town in Western Pennsylvania, can be
witnesses to a traffic stop in Minnesota that leads to the death of a black
man. We can read text messages from people about to die in a nightclub. We can watch
as people and police officers scramble for their lives in Dallas. We can see
news from cars and nightclubs and police body cameras. And it hard to be a witness. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Today there is no question we mourn for those who were killed
in this week’s violence. But I suspect many of us may also mourn the loss of a
more innocent worldview. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Today we mourn
the loss of the way things were before we all became instant witnesses to
crimes committed around the world. Suddenly, our small town and our small lives
are caught up in something bigger.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">For so many of us our society looked straight and true for so
long. And new it feels crooked or unstable. But, </span><span style="font-size: 14pt;">I wonder: Are we seeing <i>new</i> problems? Or are we finally
witnessing problems that have been there all along? Problems that most of us here
have been sheltered from because we’re not black or gay or a police officer.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">In the Gospel of Luke (12:2-3) Jesus says, “There is nothing
concealed that will not be disclosed, or hidden that will not be made known. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What you have said in the dark will be heard
in the daylight, and what you have whispered in the ear in the inner rooms will
be proclaimed from the roofs.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Things are coming to light through our cell phones and other
technology. We can’t unsee the events of the past few weeks. We can’t unknow
the problems in the broader world. We can’t deny that things are off-center. And that
makes us defensive. We want to protect our worldview. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">The prophet Amos pointed out the way Israel was off-center. That’s why he
got thrown out of town. People didn't want to know what he saw. But he told them anyway. His message is important, then and now. Amos and
other prophets remind us that to truly love God, we have to love our
neighbors. That means: <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">There is no room for racism in our hearts or in our culture.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">There’s no room for vengeance in our hearts or in our culture<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">. <o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Nor is there room for indifference in our hearts or in our
culture.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">We are to heed the call of the prophets: Love God and love
neighbors. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So how do we do this? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Jesus shows us what this love looks like in the Good
Samaritan parable. Remember Samaritans and Jews were enemies. They didn’t touch
or talk to one another. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">But, Jesus says the righteous man in the parable was not one
of the Jewish leaders, as we would expect. The priest and Levite both tried to unsee the injured man and walked
right past him. It’s the Samaritan who was willing to see and act. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">We can’t ignore the people who are bleeding in our streets, whether
they are black or white or dressed in blue. Whether they are addicts, homeless
or mentally ill. We, too, are called to see. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">And when we see, we are called to stop what we are doing and tend
to the wounded around us. The Good Samaritan didn’t just call 911. He touched,
he carried and he even paid the bill for the man—this enemy—so that the wounded
man could recover. Not only did the Samaritan see the injured man, he <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">saw him through</i> his healing. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><o:p> </o:p></span><span style="font-size: 14pt;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">In the parable, Jesus shows us that ministry is inconvenient
and expensive. </span><span style="font-size: 14pt;">A life of faith costs us something.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><b>Today, I think being faithful may cost us our worldview.</b></span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">We need to listen to the prophets, receive their criticism
and confess the ways that we might be participating in creating an unjust society, even
here in our little town. We need to hold up God’s plumb line to make sure it’s
straight—in our hearts, in our church, in our community, and in our country.
And if it’s not, we need to be willing to admit that something is crooked and
tear it down. Only then can we try again to build it straight. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">And really, we’ve been rebuilding churches and our
societies for centuries. Maybe I’m an optimist, but I think that with God's help each time we
do it, we put those bricks up a little straighter and stronger.
With Christ as our plumb line we get a little closer to God’s truth. Theodore Parker
once said the arc of history bends toward justice. God’s justice and truth is
coming. We aren’t there yet, but we are being called to participate in what God is building today. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><br /></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">I can’t unsee the violence of this summer. I can’t unknow the
things that I’m learning about our society and myself. But I can choose a side.
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">I choose God’s side, even though it’s the costly side to be
on. I choose the side where people are not shot for the color of their skin or
the uniform that they wear. I choose the side where traffic violations are
equally enforced and those who are working to keep the peace don’t need to fear
for their lives. I choose to participate in the merciful, healing, and
justice-oriented work that Jesus started. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">And first that means tearing down the way I think of myself and seeing the ways that I’ve contributed to the crooked wall. It means confessing that I've been unintentionally racist. It means understanding that I've benefitted from the color of my skin and the circumstances of my birth. It means admitting to the hardest thing of all: I like my life and it frightens
me to think about what God might need to change in me. </span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">It’s inconvenient. It’s costly. But in the end, it’s what all of us are called to do. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
Sue Washburnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15419502853738977807noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-59259081707454825.post-22203940465652748162016-03-27T05:05:00.000-07:002016-04-24T20:16:23.940-07:00Christ is Risen! Pass the Ham. <div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">LUKE 24<span style="color: red;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></i></b></div>
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<i><b>24 </b>On the first day of the week, very early in the morning, the
women took the spices they had prepared and went to the tomb. <b>2 </b>They found the
stone rolled away from the tomb, <b>3 </b>but when they entered, they did not find
the body of the Lord Jesus. <b>4 </b>While they were wondering about this, suddenly two men in
clothes that gleamed like lightning stood beside them. <b>5 </b>In their fright
the women bowed down with their faces to the ground, but the men said to them,
“Why do you look for the living among the dead? <b>6 </b>He is not here;
he has risen! Remember how he told you, while he was still with you in Galilee:
<b>7 </b>‘The Son of Man
must be delivered over to the hands of sinners, be crucified and on the third
day be raised again.’ ” <b>8 </b>Then they remembered his words.<o:p></o:p></i></div>
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<i><b>9 </b>When they came back from the tomb, they told all these things
to the Eleven and to all the others. <b>10 </b>It was Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the
mother of James, and the others with them who told this to the apostles. <b>11 </b>But they did not
believe the women, because their words seemed to them like nonsense. <b>12 </b>Peter, however,
got up and ran to the tomb. Bending over, he saw the strips of linen lying by
themselves, and he went away, wondering to himself what had happened.</i><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Christ is risen!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">He is risen indeed!<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Death is defeated!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">The debt of sin is paid!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Hope is rising for the world
this morning!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">And I confess resurrection is
something that I sometimes take for granted. The ritualistic words come so
easily and naturally I forget how powerful they really are. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">It’s easy to forget how
shocking this Good News of Easter really is.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We proclaim the resurrection from thousands of years of ritual and
distance. We can say, "Christ is risen! He is risen indeed!" and it doesn’t change
our world view. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvzAETUr7RH1mDaJEBpg9apLU5zEKwI-b3OqPcnZCrKhhEnr2FlwkeV0L-n3p4ItJsuultkEMlcQ_dloR0EZAvGD6uk_tZur9i-2J5rYfy-zZmu1sVECNwmKAaHus10VMlgsVS209aqg/s1600/Ham.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvzAETUr7RH1mDaJEBpg9apLU5zEKwI-b3OqPcnZCrKhhEnr2FlwkeV0L-n3p4ItJsuultkEMlcQ_dloR0EZAvGD6uk_tZur9i-2J5rYfy-zZmu1sVECNwmKAaHus10VMlgsVS209aqg/s320/Ham.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">We can sing “Jesus Christ is Risen Today!” and then go eat a
ham dinner as if nothing has changed in the world. Today, we embrace the
promise of resurrection, but we don’t stop to think about the reality of it. I
mean what would you do if your dead mother, brother or father walked in and sat
down beside you? Would you say, “Oh hi, I wondered when you would be
resurrected?” Or would you flip out? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Luckily, when we read the
Bible stories of the resurrection we are reminded about just how “out there”
the news of someone being resurrected eternally from the dead really is. When
we read the resurrection stories we are reminded that the resurrection of the
body of Jesus Christ is mind-blowing and figuring out what it really means for
our own lives isn’t always easy. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">If you have your Bible open
to Luke 24, do a quick scan. Do you see words like Alleluia? Joy? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"><o:p> <img height="16" id="ob262hd2oria" src="data:image/gif;base64,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" width="16" /></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">No, the Easter story isn’t full of
people singing and celebrating. The resurrection stories in the Bible are full
of frightened people who are confused by what they are experiencing. The story
has skeptical people who don’t believe what the witnesses tell them. And the
story has faithful people who proclaim the mystery of resurrection even though
they can’t prove it. Resurrection morning shows us people who are frightened,
skeptical and faithful—sometimes all at the same time. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Let’s look closely at this
powerful witness to the resurrection of Jesus Christ in Luke.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Early Sunday morning Mary and
the other women get to the tomb and do not find Jesus’ body. The tomb is empty.
But there are not hoorays or high-fives. It’s more likely that one turns to the
other and asks, "Is this the right tomb? Did we turn left when we should have
turned right?"<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">"Oh no, I recognize that bush," another one might say. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">So they are puzzled and maybe
a little bit nervous as they wonder what happened.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Suddenly two men in dazzling clothes appear to the women. They hit the ground bowing down in fright. The appearance of angels
and the announcement of resurrection scare the women—not just in Luke, but in
Matthew and Mark, too. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">In Mark they are alarmed,
trembling and bewildered.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">In Matthew they are afraid
(and filled with joy).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">
The women at the tomb didn’t know what was happening or would come next in
their lives. They had spent the last few years following Jesus and they had no
idea where their journey would take them now that he was dead. Even in the face
of resurrection they still don’t know what to do. They don’t know how to
explain it or what to make of it. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Perhaps you’ve been to this
place where you are frightened because you don’t know what comes next. Maybe
you are on a path heading toward graduation or starting a family. Maybe it’s
getting to be time to retire or you are about to battle cancer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Maybe you suffer from addiction and want to
get clean. Or maybe you are at the end of your life and wondering what physical
death will be like and what comes next. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">We all come to these points
in our journey where we are at the end of something and we can’t see beyond it.
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">It’s as if life is a path in
the woods, green trees and shrubs line each side we come around a bend and
suddenly there is a huge rock blocking the path. It looms in front of us, big
and frightening because we know we will have to go off the path to get around
it. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">It’s like the giant stone
that covered Jesus’ tomb. It blocks our view of everything else. We can’t see
over it or around it. We don’t know what is on the other side.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Our friends and family try to
talk us around the stone and through these big life transitions. They’ve seen
the what’s on other side. But it can be so hard to explain it. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Our words can’t
really capture the experience of getting married or having a baby or changing jobs or going
through chemo.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Our imaginations have
trouble picturing what we have not personally experienced, like death.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And so we are like those at the tomb.
Frightened about what is next. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">The Bible has a promise for
us when we are frightened by what’s happening in our lives. The Good News is
that fear doesn’t get to have the last word. Trust that people have walked that
unknown path before you and angels may guide you (maybe these are one in the same?). Jesus himself has
walked that path and will accompany you. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">In the story, the angels are
the guides. They ask the women why they are looking for the living among the
dead. Jesus has passed through death. The tomb is not the end. The stone is
rolled away. A new path is becoming visible for them. The men in shiny clothes
remind the women that Jesus promised that he would rise again. The women
remember Jesus’ words and rush back to tell the other disciples the Christ is
risen.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEim5VVhZBDcJut_8Ow54DloiLLPhy6XczLzdApopqtK-41AwNs3R_31mAbGPLU7Jr37DGRf5eFEEPXnCVdumFOZgXLC5m9gVqJIEUPq7QcUjTcACRqFdpd_arb1jcFiTRW2chgiJGWnfg/s1600/Easter+2016.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEim5VVhZBDcJut_8Ow54DloiLLPhy6XczLzdApopqtK-41AwNs3R_31mAbGPLU7Jr37DGRf5eFEEPXnCVdumFOZgXLC5m9gVqJIEUPq7QcUjTcACRqFdpd_arb1jcFiTRW2chgiJGWnfg/s320/Easter+2016.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">When they get to the
disciples and they breathlessly share the amazing news that Jesus is risen, all they get are raised
eyebrows. The disciples think, “Really? “<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">"Surely, these women must be
overreacting and telling idle tales," the men think. "Nobody would trust a woman
with this important information. God would not choose a group of women to be
the first preachers of the gospel or to instruct us on what God is doing next." </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">The disciples don’t believe the news.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">In Luke’s gospel, only Peter
goes to the grave. After which the Bible tells us he leaves wondering what had
happened. He doesn’t know what to believe!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">The people at the tomb are
frightened people. The disciples are our second group—the skeptics.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Those who had been at the tomb
are trying to explain the unexplainable to people who were not there. Their
words can’t capture the way the angel’s clothes were shining. They couldn’t
fully describe what it felt like to see the empty tomb and hear the
announcement that Jesus is risen. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">The gospels show us people
who are frightened and skeptical about the resurrection. But you’ll notice that
even through their fear and bewilderment some of them are faithful. Even though
they didn’t see it with their own eyes, they begin to proclaim resurrection.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">They tell the crazy news that
Jesus’ dead body was raised up and somehow walked out of the grave. Even today,
the world is full of faithful people who say crazy things because that’s what
God calls them to do.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Like me for example. I am here
to tell you that Christ is risen. Not as a soul flying off to heaven, that’s
easy to believe. But as a body that walks and talks and eats. If you aren’t a
little bit incredulous, a little bit skeptical, you are not realizing the
impact of this event. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">In one way another, I seek to
proclaim the mystery of faith week after week:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"><o:p><br /></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"><o:p>The church founders say it this way:</o:p></span><span style="font-size: 14pt;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"><i>Christ has died<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"><i>Christ is risen<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"><i>Christ will come again</i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">But my way sounds something like this:</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"><i>The birth, life, death and
resurrection of Jesus Christ gives us hope.<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">The mystery of resurrection is not something that I
can prove to you with facts, but share with stories and experiences. Sometimes
when I try to puzzle out resurrection for myself, my brain starts to hurt
because there are so many questions—If we are made up of atoms and molecules
that get reused over time, who gets which atoms for eternity in heaven? Which
body do I get in the resurrection—my six-year-old body? My 19-year-old body? My
80 year-old body? A new glorified body?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">There is a difference between
proclaiming truth and proving it. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMlDpS6eRd8AA2FWOWVPS0TsHIeDnMP1lp62atDr8fRjxZIZ_Bo5AArJFyMNf0NvW-9W3XAMyZq5Lj9SfeHMHXbAk9pav-ELkHRZAiiC_bw9SZtwBAyX-h9wPCrtbu8mrhiFPsxIIMyA/s1600/Screen+Shot+2016-03-28+at+5.31.13+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="135" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMlDpS6eRd8AA2FWOWVPS0TsHIeDnMP1lp62atDr8fRjxZIZ_Bo5AArJFyMNf0NvW-9W3XAMyZq5Lj9SfeHMHXbAk9pav-ELkHRZAiiC_bw9SZtwBAyX-h9wPCrtbu8mrhiFPsxIIMyA/s200/Screen+Shot+2016-03-28+at+5.31.13+PM.png" width="200" /></a><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">As witnesses we can proclaim
God’s truth. And in faith, that is what I do. But, I really wish I could prove
it! I wish that I could put it a neat package and deliver into your hands. I wish I could gift wrap all the proof you would ever need to believe in the resurrection, but I can't. Because that’s not how faith works. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg11XT4slkQXK77srXAnkcNrmrf1IpqTZhMkuOm6NZjneprRH1pX3-S28fwgW1mot50EpmosO9jGwiyaOpBf5ir90TWVlJNTptSP7dVf1dwk2VZWBgsLmd9nHmBFeeV7tijilV8QHUAVw/s1600/Screen+Shot+2016-03-28+at+5.26.27+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="122" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg11XT4slkQXK77srXAnkcNrmrf1IpqTZhMkuOm6NZjneprRH1pX3-S28fwgW1mot50EpmosO9jGwiyaOpBf5ir90TWVlJNTptSP7dVf1dwk2VZWBgsLmd9nHmBFeeV7tijilV8QHUAVw/s200/Screen+Shot+2016-03-28+at+5.26.27+PM.png" width="200" /></a><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">In our life of faith, we can describe what we see even if we can't wrap it up and hand it to someone. It’s like these bubbles floating
in the sanctuary. I can see them. I can point to them. I can describe them. But
the moment I try to grab one so that I can hand it to you—it’s gone. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">I can offer you proclamation.
But I can’t give you proof. You'll have to take it on faith.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">I can offer you my
witness and my faith. I can tell you what I glimpse on the other of that big
stone of ignorance that blocks our path. And it’s beautiful. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">My proclamation is there is
nothing like knowing that through Jesus Christ you are loved, you are forgiven,
and you are called to be in the presence of an amazing God. For me, the
resurrection means that I am forgiven of my self-doubt, which is really a form
of self-centeredness. I am free to live without the guilt and negative thoughts
that can hold me back sometimes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I can
let go of my worries, mistakes, and insecurities because they are not of God. I
can take a deep breath in prayer and know that my biggest fears are tiny in
God’s vast universe. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">But your life is different
from mine. Your sins are different from mine. Your glimpse past the stone that blocks the path comes
from your own experiences with Jesus. Your proclamation is unique to you. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">And if you don’t know what your proclamation is, today is a good day to pray
about that. If your proclamation is generic like Christ is risen! or Christ
died for my sins! you may want to dig a little deeper. What are your sins that Christ forgives? What
frightens you? What are you skeptical of? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">God is calling all of us
here to the most important work in the universe: loving God more intimately and
loving our neighbors as we love ourselves, and maybe for you that means
learning to love yourself. God is calling all of us to live and proclaim s new life in
Christ. We do this most effectively when we use our own words from our own experiences. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">When we do this. When we talk
honestly about our experience of God and resurrection, when we describe our
fears or questions in our own words, we proclaim the risen, active Christ who is at work today in our own lives. And we grow in faith.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">When we proclaim from our
hearts, we can help each other see past the big tomb stones that block our path. We
can help people know that when they are facing death (or graduation or job
termination or cancer treatment) that it is not the end. Because of Jesus,
there is something on the other side.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Because of Jesus there is hope. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Christ has died. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Christ is risen.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Christ will come again. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">What does it mean for you? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Alleluia. Amen. <span style="font-size: medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
Sue Washburnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15419502853738977807noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-59259081707454825.post-70764829766458681452016-03-20T15:57:00.000-07:002016-03-22T04:55:39.358-07:00King of the Hill<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<a href="http://www.presbyterianmission.org/devotion/revised-common-lectionary/2016/3/20/#liturgy-of-the-palms" target="_blank">LUKE 19:28-40</a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i><sup style="line-height: 0; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">28</sup>After he had said this, he went on ahead, going up to Jerusalem.</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i><sup style="line-height: 0; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">29</sup>When he had come near Bethphage and Bethany, at the place called the Mount of Olives, he sent two of the disciples, <sup style="line-height: 0; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">30</sup>saying, "Go into the village ahead of you, and as you enter it you will find tied there a colt that has never been ridden. Untie it and bring it here. <sup style="line-height: 0; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">31</sup>If anyone asks you, 'Why are you untying it?' just say this, 'The Lord needs it'" <sup style="line-height: 0; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">32</sup>So those who were sent departed and found it as he had told them. <sup style="line-height: 0; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">33</sup>As they were untying the colt, its owners asked them, "Why are you untying the colt?" <sup style="line-height: 0; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">34</sup>They said, "The Lord needs it." <sup style="line-height: 0; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">35</sup>Then they brought it to Jesus; and after throwing their cloaks on the colt, they set Jesus on it. <sup style="line-height: 0; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">36</sup>As he rode along, people kept spreading their cloaks on the road. <sup style="line-height: 0; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">37</sup>As he was now approaching the path down from the Mount of Olives, the whole multitude of the disciples began to praise God joyfully with a loud voice for all the deeds of power that they had seen, <sup style="line-height: 0; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">38</sup>saying,</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>"Blessed is the king </i></span><i style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">who comes in the name of the Lord!</i></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>Peace in heaven, </i></span><i style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">and glory in the highest heaven!"</i></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i><sup style="color: #44473e; line-height: 0; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">39</sup><span style="color: #44473e; font-size: 12px;">Some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to him, "Teacher, order your disciples to stop."</span><span style="color: #44473e; font-size: 12px;"> </span><sup style="color: #44473e; line-height: 0; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">40</sup><span style="color: #44473e; font-size: 12px;">He answered, "I tell you, if these were silent, the stones would shout out."</span></i></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF6hI2ig0SK01jJP9F7C372CnL07uPkRqO5bS8qiLQjGq-S69oZ-kwUkLVivHV_8DsG5vkzpBb7qqDFm6HyqpwP18qAhYh9tMbnTpC_HdJUi_xQlPIPblJN3jUxLkLPTq8j3f6Tsz65Q/s1600/kid+climbing+hill.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF6hI2ig0SK01jJP9F7C372CnL07uPkRqO5bS8qiLQjGq-S69oZ-kwUkLVivHV_8DsG5vkzpBb7qqDFm6HyqpwP18qAhYh9tMbnTpC_HdJUi_xQlPIPblJN3jUxLkLPTq8j3f6Tsz65Q/s320/kid+climbing+hill.jpg" width="214" /></a></div>
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Have you every played the childhood game King of the Hill? <o:p></o:p></div>
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When I was young we neighborhood kids used to play. If you
don’t remember the game. It went like this. One person would stand at the top
of a hill and be the king. All the other kids would try to dethrone the king by
grabbing him or her and tossing him or her down the hill and taking over the
top. <o:p></o:p></div>
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So as the king, your goal was to guard your turf and protect
your kingdom. As someone at the bottom of the hill, your goal was to get to the
top of the hill by yanking the king down or plotting with others about how to
overthrow the king who was at the top. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Today we celebrate Palm Sunday, the day when Jesus rides
into Jerusalem and is hailed as a king. By Friday, Jesus will indeed be king of the
hill. But it happens in a way that nobody expected. <o:p></o:p></div>
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You see the people of Israel haven’t had a king in their
hills and valleys for a long time. The Romans had conquered Israel and the Jewish
revolutionaries were longing for their own king. On my trip to Israel this past
fall, the tour guide told us that we don’t always appreciate the political
climate in which Jesus lived. Here are some things you might not know about
Jesus’ time:<o:p></o:p></div>
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Remember when Jesus was born and Mary and Joseph had to go
to Bethlehem to be registered for the census? Because of the civil unrest
created by Jewish revolutionaries, the Roman Empire wanted to keep track of
every Jew in the country and this was not welcome news in Israel.<o:p></o:p></div>
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The Jewish Virtual Library says: <i>The census was a profound shock to the Jewish people as a whole and it
was only after considerable effort that the high priest at the time, succeeded
in quieting the emotions aroused among the majority of the people.
Nevertheless, *Judah the Galilean of Gamala joined forces with *Zadok the
Pharisee to issue a call for armed revolt, since in their eyes the census
represented outright slavery.” </i>The Jewish people knew that being registered
was yet another form of oppression. The gospels say Jesus was born in the midst
of this.<i> <o:p></o:p></i></div>
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But, we know Jesus didn’t grow up there in Bethlehem. He
grew up in a little town called Nazareth in the region of Galilee. But what we
might not know is that Jewish rebels had attacked the Roman royal palace in Galilee
a few years before Jesus was born. At one point the Romans crucified 2,000
people to stop revolutionary activity in Galilee. Jesus’ neighbors probably
remembered this horror all to well. <o:p></o:p></div>
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We also may not realize that there were men who came before
and after Jesus who claimed to the messiah. They gathered groups of supporters
and planned attacks and skirmishes. They killed Romans when they could. They
were protesting and sometimes rioting against the Romans. <o:p></o:p></div>
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So when we read our Palm Sunday story of Jesus, the donkey,
the palms (which are actually not mentioned in Luke!) and people calling Jesus
king, we have to remember the world in which Jesus lived. This wasn’t a worship
service where people were lifting up their hands and palms in gentle praise and
admiration. This was a world in which a rowdy crowd could quickly turn into a
riot or rebellion. <o:p></o:p></div>
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And the palms that get waved? The palms are a symbol of
Israel as a nation. Palms are carved into the stones of the ancient buildings
and palaces all over Israel. Even today there are palms on the 1, 5 and 10
sheckel coins that Israelis use. Waving a palm was like waving the flag of
Israel in the face of the Roman occupiers. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Calling Jesus a king was an act of sedition and revolution.<o:p></o:p></div>
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This probably wasn’t an orderly procession like all of our
Sunday school pictures sow us, but something wilder, edgier. One word from Jesus and
the revolution would begin in the streets. People lined up because they heard Jesus might
be the messiah—the one who would lead them like King David, and restore the nation
through war. Jesus himself gave indication that is the messiah.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
People were overjoyed to see Jesus riding into town on a
donkey, because their Scriptures said that he would. The Old Testament book
Zechariah says: <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>Rejoice greatly,
Daughter Zion! Shout, Daughter Jerusalem! See, your king comes to you,
righteous and victorious, lowly and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of
a donkey.<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Seeing that Jesus was fulfilling scripture would have been a
sign that maybe, just maybe, this Jesus is the real deal, the true messiah, the
new king of a sovereign Israel. Maybe Jesus was the revolutionary who would
bring victory.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
But, Palm Sunday and Holy week unfold in a different way than
the people expected. Palm Sunday reveals to us the upside down kingdom of God.
Where meekness is power, the bottom is the top and kings ride donkeys instead
of war horses. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
From our vantage point in history, we can say Jesus is the
messiah. Jesus came to offer restoration. But it’s a bigger restoration than
the people who were lining the streets of Jerusalem were expecting. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
They saw a national leader, we see a universal one. We see
Jesus as coming to restore what was broken between humans and God in the Garden
of Eden rather than restoring one nation to power. Jesus came to restore what
is lasting and eternal, our relationship with God. His restoration isn’t just
for one nation or people but all of humanity. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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Jesus isn’t taking Israel back to its glory days, he’s going
back to the glory days of God and humanity, before sin and selfishness entered
the world. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Jesus’ message had very little to do with the Roman occupation
or the borders of Israel as a nation. Jesus talks about the kingdom of God. God’s
kingdom starts with Israel but it doesn’t end there. God’s kingdom expands beyond
Israel and Rome and Europe and Africa and the world. God’s kingdom expands even
beyond the borders of our own imagination. It’s a place where, as our scripture
says, even the stones can cry out.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
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So what does the kingdom of God look like? What are the
hallmarks of this place where Jesus is king? We look at Jesus ‘ life to find
out. When we do we see healing, forgiveness, peace, and welcome.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "symbol"; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]-->Jesus heals people who have leprosy and people
who are blind or deaf and even raises people from the dead. Jesus conquers
disease and death, not political opponents. <o:p></o:p><br />
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "symbol"; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]-->With Jesus, justice is achieved through
forgiveness rather than punishment. Jesus forgives the sins of the adulterous
woman. When a paralyzed man gets lowered through the roof for healing, Jesus
tells him he’s forgiven. Jesus teaches us to pray to receive and give
forgiveness in the Lord’s prayer. He even forgives the people who crucify him.<o:p></o:p><br />
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "symbol"; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]-->When Jesus is king the cycle of violence ends
and peace reigns. Jesus preached non-violence toward others and he practiced
it. The Bible does say Jesus has a few temper tantrums and there is some talk
of swords. But never once does he use his incredible power to hurt of kill
someone, but rather Jesus restores life. He doesn’t call the crowd to fight
with or for him. He’s a new kind of messiah. <o:p></o:p><br />
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "symbol"; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]-->In Jesus’ kingdom all nations come together.
Everyone is welcome at the table—even Romans, Samaritans, tax collectors and
prostitutes. Jesus ministers to them all. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
When Jesus reigns there is healing forgiveness, peace and
welcome. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
But this universal, Eden-vision isn’t what the people on the
street wanted. They wanted nationalistic power. They wanted to make Israel
great again in terms of <u>this</u> world, not God’s kingdom. They were an
occupied country. They wanted to feel like they were in control of their lives
and their livelihood. Who can blame them? They praised Jesus shouting Hosanna,
which in the Old Testament means Help! or Save now! The only problem is, they
were thinking too small. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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And so a few days later, when it becomes clear that Jesus
isn’t going to start a revolutionary war against Rome, the crowd turns. They
wanted food for their bellies not some pie in the sky vision about a kingdom
not of this world. They wanted a fighter, not a forgiver. The cheering crowd
becomes a jeering crowd and calls for his crucifixion.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho6KuVTdMflqPT17o5mBiK29Enm2C0Rjj08vqr7GrHyyZwPyHJi2UJwZbRIhEdn12bW-3GpH9WXRUanoA5Ku1OqYDteb2YKIWPKuwjVmjUL-7NO3XX6bGlCwqQsv1zfk46mIYmPvKNBg/s1600/iStock_000067972871_Medium.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="203" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho6KuVTdMflqPT17o5mBiK29Enm2C0Rjj08vqr7GrHyyZwPyHJi2UJwZbRIhEdn12bW-3GpH9WXRUanoA5Ku1OqYDteb2YKIWPKuwjVmjUL-7NO3XX6bGlCwqQsv1zfk46mIYmPvKNBg/s320/iStock_000067972871_Medium.jpg" width="320" /></a>And Jesus is indeed made king of the hill. On a hill far
away, on a cross, Jesus begins the <o:p></o:p></div>
journey toward a new kingdom. It’s not one where he defends his territory
as king of the hill, shoving people down the slope so that he can stand above
it all. <br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
But rather one where he extends a hand and offers
forgiveness—to you, to me. It’s a kingdom where (as Colossians 1:20 says) he
draws all people to himself—all people up onto the hill—instead of pushing them
away. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Jesus didn’t use his power to defend the kingdom of Israel, like the crowds wanted. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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He used his power to extend kingdom of God through Israel. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Jesus’ life, death and resurrection show us that being king
of the hill on God’s terms may not look like we expect it to. In God’s kingdom,
we don’t win with a winner <u>takes</u> all attitude. We win when we have a
winner <u>gives</u> all attitude. Just as Jesus
gave it all for you and for me. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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So this week—this HOLY week—let’s ask ourselves: How can I
begin to live in the Kingdom of God? How can I live like Jesus really is my
king? As I ask the following questions, I’d like you to bring one person to
mind and perhaps take time this week to reach out to them.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "symbol"; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]-->Who can I heal? With my presence or words or
gentle touch? <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "symbol"; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]-->Who can I forgive? How can I let go of the
grudges and anger that drags me down?<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "symbol"; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]-->How can I break the cycle of violence and anger
and actively work for peace? <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "symbol"; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]-->What outsider can I invite into my life to
expand my understanding? <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Reaching out is never easy.
We often think of healing, forgiving, peacemaking and hospitality as
weaknesses. But we are so wrong. We don’t do them because they are actually
some of the hardest things humans can do. Offering healing, forgiveness and peace force
us to try something we are not comfortable with. Following Jesus is for the courageous of heart. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
It’s easier to ignore people or push them away and
stay isolated on top of the hill. I know, I fight against this tendency all the time in inside myself. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
And I ask God to help me with this desire to stay by myself on the hilltop because the
Bible shows me that Jesus doesn’t want me defend a hill. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
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Jesus wants me to extend a hand. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
To pull someone like you up on the hill with me. God’s
calling me not just to cheer Jesus from the pulpit, but to actually follow him
into his kingdom and invite you to join me. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
And so I’m extending my hand to you. Won’t you come up the hill, too? <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<!--EndFragment--><br />Sue Washburnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15419502853738977807noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-59259081707454825.post-9752183423518171842016-03-06T17:20:00.002-08:002016-03-06T17:20:49.167-08:00#blessed?<div class="kappa" style="color: #44473e; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 12px; font-weight: 700; letter-spacing: 1px; line-height: 19px; margin-right: 0.9em; padding: 0px 0px 15px; text-transform: uppercase;">
PSALM 32</div>
<div class="psalm" style="color: #44473e; font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 10px; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 15px;">
<div style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 19px; margin-right: 0.9em; padding: 0px;">
<i><sup style="line-height: 0; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">1</sup>Happy are those whose transgression is forgiven,</i></div>
<div class="indent" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 19px; margin-right: 0.9em; padding: 0px; text-indent: 2em;">
<i>whose sin is covered.</i></div>
<div style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 19px; margin-right: 0.9em; padding: 0px;">
<i><sup style="line-height: 0; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">2</sup>Happy are those to whom the LORD imputes no iniquity,</i></div>
<div class="indent" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 19px; margin-right: 0.9em; padding: 0px; text-indent: 2em;">
<i>and in whose spirit there is no deceit.</i></div>
<i><br style="line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /></i><div style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 19px; margin-right: 0.9em; padding: 0px;">
<i><sup style="line-height: 0; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">3</sup>While I kept silence, my body wasted away</i></div>
<div class="indent" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 19px; margin-right: 0.9em; padding: 0px; text-indent: 2em;">
<i>through my groaning all day long.</i></div>
<div style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 19px; margin-right: 0.9em; padding: 0px;">
<i><sup style="line-height: 0; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">4</sup>For day and night your hand was heavy upon me;</i></div>
<div class="indent" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 19px; margin-right: 0.9em; padding: 0px; text-indent: 2em;">
<i>my strength was dried up as by the heat of summer. <span class="selah" style="line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Selah</span></i></div>
<div style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 19px; margin-right: 0.9em; padding: 0px;">
<i><sup style="line-height: 0; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">5</sup>Then I acknowledged my sin to you, </i></div>
<div class="indent" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 19px; margin-right: 0.9em; padding: 0px; text-indent: 2em;">
<i>and I did not hide my iniquity;</i></div>
<div style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 19px; margin-right: 0.9em; padding: 0px;">
<i>I said, "I will confess my transgressions to the LORD,"</i></div>
<div class="indent" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 19px; margin-right: 0.9em; padding: 0px; text-indent: 2em;">
<i>and you forgave the guilt of my sin. <span class="selah" style="line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Selah</span></i></div>
<div style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 19px; margin-right: 0.9em; padding: 0px;">
<i><sup style="line-height: 0; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">6</sup>Therefore let all who are faithful </i></div>
<div class="indent" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 19px; margin-right: 0.9em; padding: 0px; text-indent: 2em;">
<i>offer prayer to you;</i></div>
<div style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 19px; margin-right: 0.9em; padding: 0px;">
<i>at a time of distress, the rush of mighty waters</i></div>
<div class="indent" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 19px; margin-right: 0.9em; padding: 0px; text-indent: 2em;">
<i>shall not reach them.</i></div>
<div style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 19px; margin-right: 0.9em; padding: 0px;">
<i><sup style="line-height: 0; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">7</sup>You are a hiding place for me;</i></div>
<div class="indent" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 19px; margin-right: 0.9em; padding: 0px; text-indent: 2em;">
<i>you preserve me from trouble;</i></div>
<div class="indent" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 19px; margin-right: 0.9em; padding: 0px; text-indent: 2em;">
<i>you surround me with glad cries of deliverance. <span class="selah" style="line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Selah</span></i></div>
<div style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 19px; margin-right: 0.9em; padding: 0px;">
<i><sup style="line-height: 0; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">8</sup>I will instruct you and teach you the way you should go;</i></div>
<div class="indent" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 19px; margin-right: 0.9em; padding: 0px; text-indent: 2em;">
<i>I will counsel you with my eye upon you.</i></div>
<div style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 19px; margin-right: 0.9em; padding: 0px;">
<i><sup style="line-height: 0; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">9</sup>Do not be like a horse or a mule, without understanding,</i></div>
<div class="indent" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 19px; margin-right: 0.9em; padding: 0px; text-indent: 2em;">
<i>whose temper must be curbed with bit and bridle,</i></div>
<div class="indent" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 19px; margin-right: 0.9em; padding: 0px; text-indent: 2em;">
<i>else it will not stay near you.</i></div>
<div style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 19px; margin-right: 0.9em; padding: 0px;">
<i><sup style="line-height: 0; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">10</sup>Many are the torments of the wicked, </i></div>
<div class="indent" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 19px; margin-right: 0.9em; padding: 0px; text-indent: 2em;">
<i>but steadfast love surrounds those who trust in the LORD.</i></div>
<div style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 19px; margin-right: 0.9em; padding: 0px;">
<i><sup style="line-height: 0; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">11</sup>Be glad in the LORD and rejoice, O righteous,</i></div>
<div style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 19px; margin-right: 0.9em; padding: 0px;">
<i style="text-indent: 2em;">and shout for joy, all you upright in heart.</i></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #44473e; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 12px; text-indent: 2em;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #44473e; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 12px; font-weight: bold; letter-spacing: 1px; text-transform: uppercase;">Luke 15: 11B-32</span></div>
<div class="indent" style="color: #44473e; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 19px; margin-right: 0.9em; padding: 0px 0px 15px; text-indent: 2em;">
<i><span class="scriptnumber" style="line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">11b</span>"There was a man who had two sons. <sup style="line-height: 0; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">12</sup>The younger of them said to his father, 'Father, give me the share of the property that will belong to me.' So he divided his property between them. <sup style="line-height: 0; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">13</sup>A few days later the younger son gathered all he had and traveled to a distant country, and there he squandered his property in dissolute living. <sup style="line-height: 0; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">14</sup>When he had spent everything, a severe famine took place throughout that country, and he began to be in need. <sup style="line-height: 0; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">15</sup>So he went and hired himself out to one of the citizens of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed the pigs. <sup style="line-height: 0; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">16</sup>He would gladly have filled himself with the pods that the pigs were eating; and no one gave him anything. <sup style="line-height: 0; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">17</sup>But when he came to himself he said, 'How many of my father's hired hands have bread enough and to spare, but here I am dying of hunger! <sup style="line-height: 0; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">18</sup>I will get up and go to my father, and I will say to him, "Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you; <sup style="line-height: 0; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">19</sup>I am no longer worthy to be called your son; treat me like one of your hired hands."' <sup style="line-height: 0; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">20</sup>So he set off and went to his father. But while he was still far off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion; he ran and put his arms around him and kissed him. <sup style="line-height: 0; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">21</sup>Then the son said to him, 'Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you; I am no longer worthy to be called your son.' <sup style="line-height: 0; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">22</sup>But the father said to his slaves, 'Quickly, bring out a robe-the best one-and put it on him; put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. <sup style="line-height: 0; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">23</sup>And get the fatted calf and kill it, and let us eat and celebrate; <sup style="line-height: 0; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">24</sup>for this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found!' And they began to celebrate. </i></div>
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<i><sup style="line-height: 0; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">25</sup>"Now his elder son was in the field; and when he came and approached the house, he heard music and dancing. <sup style="line-height: 0; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">26</sup>He called one of the slaves and asked what was going on. <sup style="line-height: 0; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">27</sup>He replied, 'Your brother has come, and your father has killed the fatted calf, because he has got him back safe and sound.' <sup style="line-height: 0; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">28</sup>Then he became angry and refused to go in. His father came out and began to plead with him. <sup style="line-height: 0; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">29</sup>But he answered his father, 'Listen! For all these years I have been working like a slave for you, and I have never disobeyed your command; yet you have never given me even a young goat so that I might celebrate with my friends. <sup style="line-height: 0; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">30</sup>But when this son of yours came back, who has devoured your property with prostitutes, you killed the fatted calf for him!' <sup style="line-height: 0; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">31</sup>Then the father said to him, 'Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours. <sup style="line-height: 0; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">32</sup>But we had to celebrate and rejoice, because this brother of yours was dead and has come to life; he was lost and has been found.'"</i></div>
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What is a blessed life? <o:p></o:p></div>
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Is a blessed life one of personal fulfillment? More money?
Better food, sensual pleasures or good scotch? Look up #blessed on social media and you might reach
this conclusion as you see everything from wedding pictures, to college
acceptances, to pictures of new boats and work successes. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Or is a blessed life one in which we follow the right rules
and live morally? Is a blessed person one who works hard for things? Does being blessed
mean being righteous and volunteering in the church or showing off pictures from
a mission trip so that we’re recognized by others for our goodness and
dedication?<o:p></o:p></div>
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Or is a blessed life something else entirely?<o:p></o:p></div>
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Our two Bible readings today give us good lenses through
which to examine a blessed or happy life. Psalm 32 and Jesus' prodigal son parable feature
many of the same things—distance from God, confession and celebration.
But there is something important to learn about a blessed life that comes from
looking at both of them together. Lets examine Psalm 32 first. <o:p></o:p></div>
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The introduction of the psalm gives us the key to a blessed
life right off the bat when it says:<o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="color: #34372f; font-family: Georgia; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia;">Blessed
is the one whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered. </span><span style="color: #34372f; font-family: Georgia;">Blessed
is the one whose sin the Lord does not count against them </span><i style="color: #34372f; font-family: Georgia;">and in whose spirit is no deceit.</i></div>
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<span style="color: #34372f; font-family: Georgia; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia;"><o:p> </o:p></span><span style="color: #34372f; font-family: Georgia;">The
psalmist gives us the life lesson first and then tells us how they got there. The
psalmist is saying I have learned this life lesson the hard way. Learn from my
experience and avoid your own suffering.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #34372f; font-family: Georgia; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia;">Your
life will be blessed the psalmist says when you are forgiven AND <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">when there is no deceit within you</i>. That’s
two conditions, not just one. There’s something God does and something we do.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #34372f; font-family: Georgia; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia;">I
was deceitful, the psalmist says. I did something awful and I felt so guilty I
could barely admit it to myself let alone God. I kept it inside and it was
killing me. My body felt so heavy I could hardly get out of bed. I had no
energy to do anything. Then I hit bottom, I confronted my sin. I admitted that
big awful mistake to myself. I decided to name the monster that was holding me
down.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #34372f; font-family: Georgia; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia;">Once
I was honest with myself, I found the courage to go before God and really,
truly confess. I told God my dark truth. I did not hide my iniquity and I
decided to change. And God forgave me. God responded with glad cries of deliverance. The psalmists says we should rejoice and shout for
joy because through God’s forgiveness we can be upright in heart again.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #34372f; font-family: Georgia;">The psalmist moves from mistake to
admission to confession to restoration</span><span style="color: #34372f; font-family: Georgia; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia;">. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #34372f; font-family: Georgia; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia;">He
or she takes a hard look at their life and realizes how important it is to be
honest with themself and God. The psalm says that admitting our mistakes to ourselves is a crucial step on the way to being blessed.
We have to confront ourselves before we can be experience true blessing. Because,
really, when it comes to sin, we may be able to fool ourselves, but we can’t
fool God. God knows our hearts. God already knows our sins. When we confess our
sins we are not giving God any new information. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #34372f; font-family: Georgia; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia;">God already knows your heart. The
question is, do you? <o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="color: #34372f; font-family: Georgia;">Our
second reading, Jesus’ parable of the prodigal son, is about two young men who
don’t know their hearts. Both sons are known and loved by their father and they
both are blind to the sin within them. In fact, in some parts of the world this
parable is called the lost sons, plural. Let’s look at them to see why.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #34372f; font-family: Georgia; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia;">The
older brother—the one we might be tempted to call good—is the moralistic rule
follower. He never stops working to ask for nice things or show love to his father
because he wants to be sure he’s worthy of the inheritance. He sees his father’s
love in the same way he sees the money and property—as finite and limited. He
doesn’t trust the father will give it to him so he works to earn it. <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">He leaves no room for the generosity of the
father </b>because he’s slaving away at being obedient and faithful. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #34372f; font-family: Georgia; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia;">The
younger brother is an immoral squanderer of his father’s love and property. His
problem is that <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">he doesn’t value the
love of his father</b> and takes it for granted. He abandons his family in
pursuit of pleasure, devouring his inheritance with prostitutes. He gets low as
he could go. He’s so far down on the
moral scale he’s in the mud longing for the food the pigs eat.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #34372f; font-family: Georgia; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia;">At
this low point the party son forms a plan to return and waltzes back into the
family. Everyone is overjoyed to see him. Everyone except his older brother.
The brother who was there the whole time. The brother who has been caring for
the father and the property. The brother who has been faithful and obedient
becomes angry and pouty.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #34372f; font-family: Georgia; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia;">When
we read the story closely we discover that it’s not just the younger son who is
lost and distant from the father. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Both</i>
of the sons are deceiving themselves.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #34372f; font-family: Georgia; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia;">The
older brother always does the right thing, but he doesn’t do it with the right
spirit. He’s righteous and obedient to the point of feeling like a slave. He’s
follows the rules and thinks he deserves to be #blessed for doing so. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYw7GbqyJgLnR8wqlsnZW85o2jrssuNaKHKdCJ_ubfQaXQfcvUE1EM8mjcyWiEME9HMXHxyz1ZeqZoItJHE6RbfxGXRuOFPXZbE11tmJfd6a5e53Daw1I1UXW7m54nHmoWN4HaLcN5JA/s1600/%2523blessed%253F.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYw7GbqyJgLnR8wqlsnZW85o2jrssuNaKHKdCJ_ubfQaXQfcvUE1EM8mjcyWiEME9HMXHxyz1ZeqZoItJHE6RbfxGXRuOFPXZbE11tmJfd6a5e53Daw1I1UXW7m54nHmoWN4HaLcN5JA/s200/%2523blessed%253F.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="color: #34372f; font-family: Georgia; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia;">But
who was the older brother really working so hard for? His father? Or was he
doing it for himself to be sure he got the inheritance? He mistakes obedience
for love and <u>self-righteousness</u> for real righteousness, and he doesn’t
even realize it. He’s using his obedience to manipulate his father into giving
him the inheritance. His true motives come out when his younger brother comes
home to a party. He’s bitter and angry because he feels <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">he </i>deserved to be blessed with the fatted calf. He distances
himself from his father by refusing to go in to the party. So the father goes out to
him and promises to give him all that he has.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #34372f; font-family: Georgia; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia;">On
the other hand, the young son sins boldly. When things get bad, he longs for what
the father offers and so he decides to return home and confess. This looks like
a good thing—a righteous act. But why does he do it? Look at verse 17—He says, How
many of my father’s hired servants have food to spare, and here I am starving
to death!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #34372f; font-family: Georgia; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia;">The
younger brother doesn’t go home out of love for his father. He decides to
confess because he’s hungry. He adopts a <u>false righteousness</u> so that his
father will feed him. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The younger
brother appears to go through the right motions, but is where is his heart,
really? The younger son plans an elaborate confession so that he could be #blessed with food.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #34372f; font-family: Georgia; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia;">But
here is the beauty of the story. Verse 20 says, “while he was still a long way
off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his
son, threw his arms around him and kissed him.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #34372f; font-family: Georgia; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia;">The
father runs to embrace the younger son BEFORE he blurts out his confession. The
father is filled with compassion before the returning son even says a word. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #34372f; font-family: Georgia; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia;">Notice that the
father goes to both of the sons despite the self-righteousness and false
righteousness. They both get forgiveness from the father. But our question for today is: Are they
#blessed?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #34372f; font-family: Georgia; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia;">Remember
how the psalm describes blessing?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #34372f; font-family: Georgia; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia;">Blessed
is the one whose sin the Lord does not count against them <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">and in whose spirit is no deceit.<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
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<span style="color: #34372f; font-family: Georgia; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia;">Deceit
still lived in both sons’ spirits. In the end both were only acting for
themselves—going through the motions of obedience for reward or confessing for
blessing. These young men didn’t know their own hearts. They didn’t acknowledge
what was broken within them. Even though they were forgiven, neither of them could feel truly #blessed because
they weren’t willing to face what was really motivating them. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #34372f; font-family: Georgia; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia;">The
story doesn't finish with a happily ever after. In fact it just kind of stops with the father pretty much saying I love and forgive you both
despite your sins. The father is the only one in whom there is no deceit. The
father’s actions are motivated by only one thing—his love for his broken and
self-centered sons. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #34372f; font-family: Georgia;">The
sons may still have deceit in their spirits but there is no deceit in the
father’s heart—only the desire for his family to be reconciled in love.</span><span style="color: #34372f; font-family: Georgia;"> In his life, death and resurrection, Jesus shows us a</span><span style="color: #34372f; font-family: Georgia;">nd tells us that the Father, Our God, will stop at nothing
to make that reconciliation happen. God seeks to bestow this blessing upon us.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #34372f; font-family: Georgia; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia;">So during the our time of reflection and repentance this Lent, lets try to live into the psalmists idea of
blessing as both living without deceit and receiving God's forgiveness. Let’s examine our own spirits to see if there is deceit in them.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #34372f; font-family: Georgia; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia;">Are
you a little self-righteous? Or do you tend toward false righteousness? Do you
take God’s love for granted? Or are you afraid that your sin is too big God? Do you bury the bad things of your life and hope that if you don’t acknowledge
them, nobody else will? Do you worry that if other people know your dark truth
you will no longer be loved?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #34372f; font-family: Georgia; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia;">For
the next few weeks, lets work on finding our deceit. Let’s trust that God’s
steadfast love is big enough to transform whatever it is we are trying to hide.
Let’s examine our hearts, trusting that God’s has hiked up his robe and is
already running to to us with compassion—just as he did for the younger son when he returned home. Lets
look deeply into our spirits knowing that God wants to give us everything he
has promised— just as he said to his older son when he was outside the party. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #34372f; font-family: Georgia; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia;">Let's take
some time at the end of each day and examine our spirits for deceit. Let's honestly acknowledge and confess what is in our spirit and in doing so give our whole selves to God. The day that we trust that God's love doesn't have to be earned or manipulated is
they day that we realize that we are really, truly #blessed. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #34372f; font-family: Georgia; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia;"><o:p> </o:p></span> </div>
Sue Washburnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15419502853738977807noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-59259081707454825.post-15604056338661494052016-02-22T15:21:00.001-08:002016-02-22T15:44:47.815-08:00Wanting More<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><o:p><b> Psalm 27</b></o:p></i></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">The Lord is my light
and my salvation; whom shall I fear? the Lord is the strength of my life; of
whom shall I be afraid?<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">2 When the wicked,
even mine enemies and my foes, came upon me to eat up my flesh, they stumbled
and fell.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">3 Though a host should
encamp against me, my heart shall not fear: though war should rise against me,
in this will I be confident.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">4 One thing have I
desired of the Lord, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of
the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord, and to
enquire in his temple.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">5 For in the time of
trouble he shall hide me in his pavilion: in the secret of his tabernacle shall
he hide me; he shall set me up upon a rock.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">6 And now shall mine
head be lifted up above mine enemies round about me: therefore will I offer in
his tabernacle sacrifices of joy; I will sing, yea, I will sing praises unto
the Lord.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">7 Hear, O Lord, when I
cry with my voice: have mercy also upon me, and answer me.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">8 When thou saidst,
Seek ye my face; my heart said unto thee, Thy face, Lord, will I seek.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">9 Hide not thy face
far from me; put not thy servant away in anger: thou hast been my help; leave
me not, neither forsake me, O God of my salvation.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">10 When my father and
my mother forsake me, then the Lord will take me up.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">11 Teach me thy way, O
Lord, and lead me in a plain path, because of mine enemies.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">12 Deliver me not over
unto the will of mine enemies: for false witnesses are risen up against me, and
such as breathe out cruelty.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">13 I had fainted,
unless I had believed to see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the
living.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">14 Wait on the Lord:
be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the
Lord.</span><o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Pop quiz time. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Is this one psalm or two?<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Is it a psalm about confidence in God? Or a psalm about
crying out to God?<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The answer is: It’s one psalm that reflects two
different aspects of our lives. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Does anybody have a life that is all good, all the time?
Probably not. We all have those days or dark periods. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Does anyone have a life that is nothing but trouble and woe?
Probably not. Although sometimes it may feel like we are trapped in our
brokenness, some light can get in through the cracks. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEOSphVk7IUpTIWgn_rQbiQmn3XuX2lo-WShSBT1RxVipvOXY2T7JGTa30OPmg5r-1jodwRyq0cPP0CiiK7JZJR0tjw6Jv4v4t2xq7ffHzMb1owjO2VFNcapeV7teoSDtIirpl3vNJRw/s1600/roller+coaster.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEOSphVk7IUpTIWgn_rQbiQmn3XuX2lo-WShSBT1RxVipvOXY2T7JGTa30OPmg5r-1jodwRyq0cPP0CiiK7JZJR0tjw6Jv4v4t2xq7ffHzMb1owjO2VFNcapeV7teoSDtIirpl3vNJRw/s320/roller+coaster.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
For most of us, life is like a roller coaster ride—sometimes
up, sometimes down and sometimes moving with dizzying speed.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Perhaps you noticed the different outlooks in the psalm. In verses 1-6 the person speaking isn’t afraid of
anything. They are confident that they will avoid any trouble because God is on
their side. This is a psalm of a person whose life is going well, someone who
can sing with joy and praise the Lord. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
This is a person who may feel like they are on top. They are close enough to God to boldly knock
on heaven’s door. Someone who is confident enough to say God should let them in
so that they may dwell in the house of the Lord, behold the beauty of God and
to inquire at God’s temple. This person feels ready to step into the heavens to ask God all
those questions we have about life, the universe and everything. They can see the whole park from the top of
the roller coaster, but what they want is to go higher, to see God.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The second half of the psalm (starting at v. 7) is a lament
or an expression of grief, not confidence. The psalmist is crying and looking
for God. They have been forsaken by their parents and the enemies are at the
doorstep. In this half of the psalm God feels distant and far. It’s a call for
help as the psalmists implores God to have mercy as they speed downhill, fast.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
If this were a Hollywood movie, God would swoop in, fix all
the problems and the psalmist would end up at the top and live happily ever
after. But is that what happens? <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Let’s look closely at verses 13 & 14. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">13 I had fainted,
unless I had believed to see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the
living.<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">14 Wait on the Lord:
be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the
Lord.<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
This psalm doesn’t give us a Hollywood ending. But it does
give us a true, but challenging, ending. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The last verses show us that our psalmist regains
confidence (hooray!), but not because they got everything they wanted. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Instead, the psalmist will wait patiently for God. We have to read between
the lines to realize that the psalmist is declaring their confidence and faith in God <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">even though</b> <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">nothing has changed</b>. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The psalmist is still at the bottom of the hill, but they
accept the new reality, maintain hope and wait on God.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I saw a quote from Adel Bestavros, a Coptic Christian and
scholar from Egypt. He said this:<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUhzMR7pNDcz50UWosg7WQgwFlwFvry0bSc6TidqPIJNe7oqVhhwBlFV6Ebq4If2uYhMBK4EqXU3CBbZkmQQMoFiSgQJXCuDi4kAU58Nu_1YOwQ1P0gmjTykIOwZKj62tWAWRPMhuK7g/s1600/psalm+27.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUhzMR7pNDcz50UWosg7WQgwFlwFvry0bSc6TidqPIJNe7oqVhhwBlFV6Ebq4If2uYhMBK4EqXU3CBbZkmQQMoFiSgQJXCuDi4kAU58Nu_1YOwQ1P0gmjTykIOwZKj62tWAWRPMhuK7g/s320/psalm+27.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Do we think of faith as <i>patience</i> with God? Do we think of
faith as waiting for something, anything from God and <u>not</u> getting it? <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I don’t think that we do. Usually we think of
faith as something that gets us eternal life, protects us from harm or earns us God’s intervention—like
in the confidence of the first part of the psalm. But we need to remember
Paul’s words: faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of
things NOT seen. Faith as patience is all we have left when we don’t see God
at work in our lives. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The psalmist is giving us a key to a life of deep faith—be
patient with God. Faith is learning to not give up, to wait on the LORD.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Remember how we talked about this psalm being in two very
different voices? <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
One of praise and one of lament? Some scholars in history argued they should be two different psalms, but I don't agree. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
It is only when we read them together that we can see they reflect the reality of our lives
and show us an elemental truth: <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">We always want more from God. </span></b><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The two perspectives are what make the psalm feel authentic. Most of us understand that the person at the bottom wants more from God, but we might miss
that the person on the top wants more, too. The confident person at the
beginning may be at the top, but they want to go higher. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
This psalm shows us that sometimes we feel like we are on the
top and life is good. Yet, we still long for God. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The psalmist at the beginning is trying to
peek into heaven, so see and know more of God. When life is good, we still want
more of God. And so, as the psalmist says, we wait on God. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Sometimes we are in the middle waiting to move up—to get
closer to God. In ordinary life, we sense that there is more and so we seek to
connect with God in church, in prayer and in study. We show up week after week because we want more of God. And
so, as the psalmist says, we wait on God. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
And sometimes we are flat on our backs, stuck on the ground.
Heaven feels too far away to even imagine let alone see. Life hurts us and we cry out for more of
God. And so, as the psalmist says, we wait on God. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
It’s not easy, this life thing and this faith thing. But we wait on the LORD believing the promise
that God will never leave us or forsake us. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
We wait in faith because we trust that when we knock, eventually
God will answer. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
We wait in faith because we know that God hears us when we
cry out.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
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We wait in faith because whether we are at the top, in the middle or at the bottom, we have a deep longing to encounter
the one thing we know to be true—the one thing we know to be eternal—and that
is the love and faithfulness of God in Christ. It doesn’t matter if we are at
the top or at the bottom, we wait patiently because we long for God. <o:p></o:p></div>
Sue Washburnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15419502853738977807noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-59259081707454825.post-90379783108632217872015-12-24T19:07:00.003-08:002015-12-25T06:51:38.794-08:00Finding Peace<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="text Luke-2-8" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;"><span class="versenum" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Arial; font-weight: bold; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;"><br></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="text Luke-2-8" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;"><span class="versenum" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Arial; font-weight: bold; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;"><br></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="text Luke-2-8" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;"><span class="versenum" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Arial; font-weight: bold; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;">Luke 2 8-12</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i><span class="text Luke-2-8" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;"><span class="versenum" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Arial; font-weight: bold; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;"> </span>In that region there were shepherds living in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. </span><span class="text Luke-2-9" id="en-NRSV-24975" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;">Then an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. </span><span class="text Luke-2-10" id="en-NRSV-24976" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;"><span class="versenum" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Arial; font-weight: bold; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;"> </span>But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid; for see—I am bringing you good news of great joy for all the people: </span><span class="text Luke-2-11" id="en-NRSV-24977" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;">to you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is the Messiah,<span class="footnote" data-fn="#fen-NRSV-24977a" data-link="[<a href="#fen-NRSV-24977a" title="See footnote a">a</a>]" style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;">[<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=luke+2&version=NRSV#fen-NRSV-24977a" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; color: #b34b2c; cursor: pointer; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: top;" title="See footnote a">a</a>]</span>the Lord. </span><span class="text Luke-2-12" id="en-NRSV-24978" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;"><span class="versenum" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Arial; font-weight: bold; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;"> </span>This will be a sign for you: you will find a child wrapped in bands of cloth and lying in a manger.”</span></i></span></div>
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<span style="color: #1a1a1a; mso-bidi-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";"><br></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEO5c-zXxihwbff3-VcCnv4V5rf00lR2BvPmrVGcJ0vqj-33b0PuJsgiIu9CyFkytRVziURfDW_bVQI2jBVu787pI8UT-4RCJ4ipG6aH2f-RCXw2jaJqOe0V2KPyNniOzQGBLpFNIVbw/s1600/iStock_000011189220_Large.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEO5c-zXxihwbff3-VcCnv4V5rf00lR2BvPmrVGcJ0vqj-33b0PuJsgiIu9CyFkytRVziURfDW_bVQI2jBVu787pI8UT-4RCJ4ipG6aH2f-RCXw2jaJqOe0V2KPyNniOzQGBLpFNIVbw/s320/iStock_000011189220_Large.jpg" width="320"></a><span style="color: #1a1a1a; mso-bidi-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";"><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #1a1a1a; mso-bidi-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";"><br></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #1a1a1a; mso-bidi-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";"><br></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #1a1a1a; mso-bidi-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";"><br></span></div>One of my favorite Christmas songs that I hear on in the stores this time of year is
the duet with Bing Crosby and David Bowie. It was recorded in 1977 for Bing
Crosby’s Christmas special. On it Bing sings <i>The Little Drummer Boy</i> while the
other Bowie sings the question:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #1a1a1a; mso-bidi-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Peace
on Earth, Can it be? </span></div>
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<span style="color: #1a1a1a; mso-bidi-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ADbJLo4x-tk" target="_blank">(You can hear the song here.)</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #1a1a1a; mso-bidi-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";"><br></span></div>
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<span style="color: #1a1a1a; mso-bidi-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">That song and the question of peace resonated in my heart through my high school and college years. I still turn that song up and sing along when
I’m driving in the car at Christmas time.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #1a1a1a; mso-bidi-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Peace
on Earth, can it be? We are gathered here tonight to affirm that the answer is
yes. Peace can be. We are here to affirm the hope that we can live in peace
through Jesus Christ. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #1a1a1a; mso-bidi-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Peace
isn’t just the absence of conflict but the presence of something deeper and
richer. The Jews use the word Shalom—a word that captures the many different
aspects of peace. If you look up Shalom on Wikipedia you see it means </span><i><span style="color: #1c1c1c; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;">peace</span></i><span style="color: #1c1c1c; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;">, <i>harmony</i>, <i>wholeness</i>,
<i>completeness</i>, <i>prosperity</i>, <i>welfare</i> and <i>tranquility. </i><span style="mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">Peace isn’t the absence of war, it is the<i>
</i>pervasive well-being of all people.<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"> <o:p></o:p></b></span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6zIkbNoqtgiAu2OAXwuWH3UhFUhffFtOPDm20UldHUSynzhtY3IIQtnBAvAvCXeYZ0ZtZXHo9JFgPorBAkJhK507MORTRlNaMj5zxh039iKvPj1dFK6Gke2B6oSeASXERDRPqTyLkYg/s1600/iStock_000006705936_Large.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="224" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6zIkbNoqtgiAu2OAXwuWH3UhFUhffFtOPDm20UldHUSynzhtY3IIQtnBAvAvCXeYZ0ZtZXHo9JFgPorBAkJhK507MORTRlNaMj5zxh039iKvPj1dFK6Gke2B6oSeASXERDRPqTyLkYg/s320/iStock_000006705936_Large.jpg" width="320"></a><span style="color: #1c1c1c; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">Shalom describes a community that is filled with
love and respect for God and for each other. Shalom describes a group where
nobody is living in poverty or fear. Shalom describes a community that cares.
Shalom describes what God was giving us in the gift of Jesus over 2000 years
ago. It’s a big, full word that is rich with meaning. It’s also the way the people of Israel answer their
phones. Ring, ring, ring. Shalom!?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #1c1c1c; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">The say it with an uplift at the end. As if it’s
both a invitation and a hope. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #1c1c1c; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;"><br></span></div>
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<span style="color: #1c1c1c; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">When we read the Bible story of Jesus’ birth, we
can begin to see the stirrings of Shalom or true peace. The angels appear to
Mary and Joseph and the Shepherds and call out to them, Do not be afraid. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #1c1c1c; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">The angels are telling us something very important.
They are telling us that the peace of God can drive out fear. The
prophets of old told Israel, Do not be afraid. The angels tell Mary and Joseph
and the Shepherds: Do not be afraid. Jesus tells the people he ministers to, do
not be afraid. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #1c1c1c; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">The words Do Not Be Afraid show up in the beginning
of the Bible in Genesis and are repeated all the way to the end of the Bible in
Revelation. They show up over and over again because it’s in our nature to live
in fear. We fear for our lives, our health, our children, our safety, our
finances. The list goes on and on.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #1c1c1c; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">Yet God shows up into the chaos of our fear and
says, Do not be afraid. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #1c1c1c; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">We don’t hear those words too much in our world
outside of the church. In fact, we hear the opposite. And I’ll tell you why. Fear sells.
Peace doesn’t. Fear and conflict get our adrenaline pumping and motivate to do
something—tune in to TV or radio—and the ads, click and comment online, or play
a game to decompress. Can you imagine a news or talk show full of peace and
harmony? Or an Xbox or Playstation game about peacemaking?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #1c1c1c; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">The world is constantly telling us to be afraid—of
what people think of our appearance, of our neighbors here and abroad, of our
economy, and it’s capitalizing on our fear. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #1c1c1c; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;"><br></span></div>
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<span style="color: #1c1c1c; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;"><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><b>Trust me, there are media
executives, game developers and politicians depositing <i>your</i> fear into <i>their</i>
bank account.</b></span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #1c1c1c; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">But here in Christ’s church, we preach a different message.
We hold with God’s prophets and angels who say “Do not be afraid,” even if it
seems naïve and simple. We hold out the hope that through the gift of Christ we
can find peace, not fear.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #1c1c1c; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">And so the message for you this evening is an
eternal one. The one made flesh in the incarnation of Jesus: <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #1c1c1c; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">Do not be afraid. Do not be afraid to stand up for
what you believe. Do not be afraid to work for God’s peace. Do not be afraid to
follow the example of Jesus Christ, the prince of peace, in caring for the
poor, forgiving the sinners and loving the outcasts. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #1c1c1c; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">Do not be afraid: God has promised to never leave
you or forsake you. In sickness and in health, in failure and success, I hope
that you find peace knowing God is with you.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #1c1c1c; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">Do not be<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"> </b>afraid:
God so loved the world that he gave his only son so that whoever believes in
him will not perish but have eternal life. I hope you find peace in knowing
that death does not get to have the final word in your life, God does. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #1c1c1c; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">Do not be afraid: The God of the universe promises
to make all things new. The world is and always has been filled with conflict,
but a vulnerable baby came to change all that. God trusted us—humanity—to love
and nurture that baby. There is conflict in the world, but I hope you find
peace by trusting that there is also great love growing in the world. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #1c1c1c; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">Do not be afraid: There is nothing you can do that
will separate you from the love of Christ. Your past is past. I hope you find
peace knowing that God is calling you into a new future, one where love
triumphs over evil. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #1a1a1a; mso-bidi-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">“Do
not be afraid, the Bible says, I am bringing you good news of great joy for all
the people: <u>to you</u> is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who
is the Messiah, the Lord… He is called Emmanuel God with us. That vulnerable
little baby is our Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince
of Peace… <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #1a1a1a; mso-bidi-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Thanks
be to God. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
Sue Washburnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15419502853738977807noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-59259081707454825.post-7893427757941922212015-12-13T03:16:00.000-08:002015-12-13T03:42:56.087-08:00What to Expect When You Are Expecting--Jesus Edition<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="http://www.presbyterianmission.org/devotion/revised-common-lectionary/2015/12/20/#gospel" target="_blank">LUKE 1:39-45 (46-55)</a><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>39In those days Mary set out and went with haste to a Judean
town in the hill country, 40where she entered the house of Zechariah and
greeted Elizabeth. 41When Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, the child leaped in
her womb. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit 42and exclaimed with a
loud cry, "Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your
womb. 43And why has this happened to me, that the mother of my Lord comes to
me? 44For as soon as I heard the sound of your greeting, the child in my womb
leaped for joy. 45And blessed is she who believed that there would be a
fulfillment of what was spoken to her by the Lord."<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>46And Mary said,<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>"My soul magnifies the LORD,</i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>47and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, <o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>48for he has looked with favor on the lowliness of his
servant. <o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>Surely, from now on all generations will call me blessed;<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>49for the Mighty One has done great things for me,<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>and holy is his name.<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>50His mercy is for those who fear him<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>from generation to generation.<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>51He has shown strength with his arm;<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts.<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>52He has brought down the powerful from their thrones,<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>and lifted up the lowly;<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>53he has filled the hungry with good things,<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>and sent the rich away empty.<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>54He has helped his servant Israel,<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>in remembrance of his mercy,<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>55according to the promise he made to our ancestors,<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
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<i>to Abraham and to his descendants forever."</i><o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQPWmfrO_cSggrLM0WnwKuwPYCXBnrUwzeJo1McOE6mKjcC0ADUya0c-ahKX4SUHmqHf3gKAzkKfixszrmxArmmIhvh4DlAORZgmtpEu9-UQQtGWpQlf9jYDb7-H-RtIdmRJtH90vnmg/s1600/what+to+expect.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQPWmfrO_cSggrLM0WnwKuwPYCXBnrUwzeJo1McOE6mKjcC0ADUya0c-ahKX4SUHmqHf3gKAzkKfixszrmxArmmIhvh4DlAORZgmtpEu9-UQQtGWpQlf9jYDb7-H-RtIdmRJtH90vnmg/s320/what+to+expect.jpg" width="216" /></a></td></tr>
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When I got pregnant with my oldest child, I felt very alone.
None of my friends or family members were pregnant or had children. I was
having the first grandchild on either side of the family. Social media and mommy blogs didn’t exist. So, there I was, a
bewildered twenty-something experiencing all kinds of weird symptoms and
wondering if they were normal. I felt like an alien had taken over my body and,
some days, my personality. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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Along the way somebody recommended the book <a href="http://www.amazon.com/What-Expect-When-Youre-Expecting/dp/0761148574/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1450006516&sr=1-1&keywords=what+to+expect+when+you%27re+expecting" target="_blank"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">What to Expect When You are Expecting</i>.</a>
It offers a month-by-month description of what a woman goes through during her
9 or 10-months of pregnancy. Suddenly, I knew I knew I wasn’t the only woman who
wanted bacon, eggs and a milkshake for three meals a day, even though the
doctor said all I needed was a regular diet with an added an apple and yogurt. (really?) It was comforting to
know I wasn’t the only one weeping during cheesy country music songs. My
husband read the book, too. I think to see if I was, indeed, normal.<br />
<br />
The book was
helpful, for sure, but when it came time for the delivery, words on a page
could not do the experience justice. What I experienced in real life was far more painful,
powerful and beautiful than any book could describe. There were definitely some
moments that I was NOT expecting.</div>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
This week’s Bible reading focuses on two women who are
expecting—Elizabeth, the mother of John the Baptist and Mary the mother of
Jesus. And it’s a beautiful, intimate portrayal of expectation. Elizabeth is
old and any hope of having children has worn thin. Mary is young, unmarried and
not ready to have a child since she’s not even married. Really, neither one of
them should be pregnant. But surprise! They are. And we all can learn a few
things from their experiences. </div>
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<br /></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">First, when we are
expecting Jesus, we trust that God is with us. </b>We read that Mary when
greets Elizabeth, Elizabeth knows without being told that Mary is carrying her
savior. John, the child in her womb leaps for joy when he hears Mary’s greeting
and Elizabeth responds by saying:<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Blessed is she who
believed that there would be a fulfillment of what was spoken to her by the
Lord.<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Mary agreed to take the difficult road of explaining her
mysterious pregnancy to her fiancé and her parents. Mary believes that God will
see her through her pregnancy.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
When we are waiting for Jesus in Advent, we often profess
that whatever life brings, God is with us. We remember that God promises
something deeper, richer and more meaningful than what we see. Sometimes this
feeling is based more in our intuition than the facts. We trust that intuition,
sometimes in the face of evidence to the contrary. It’s this deep trust that
allows us to face unplanned pregnancies like Mary or risky pregnancies like
Elizabeth. It’s this belief that helps us through times of illness or divorce
or job loss.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">When we are expecting
Jesus we realize that sometimes things are reversed.</b> In the story of the
visitation between Mary and Elizabeth we see examples God’s reversals.
Elizabeth is the older woman and therefore to be honored, but it is she who
defers to Mary, the younger. This plays out later when John tells his followers
that the one who comes after him will be greater than he is. It plays out in
the manger when the God of the Universe comes not as a powerful leader but a
helpless baby.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
As we await Jesus today, we remember Jesus’ teaching about
reversals— reminding us that the last shall be first and the first shall be
last and that the meek and poor are blessed. We remember that prostitutes and
tax collectors get into the kingdom ahead of priests. We know that Jesus wants
us to serve others and not wait around to be served. We know that death leads
to life. As we go through Advent, we can try some of our own reversals like
letting someone with an armful of packages or whining children go first in the
checkout line or serving Christmas dinner to a homeless person. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">When we are expecting
Jesus, we feel compelled to sing and shout.</b> When Mary visits Elizabeth she exclaims blessings upon Mary in a
loud voice. Some translations say Elizabeth cries out (a la the prophet in the
wilderness) others say she sings exuberantly. Whichever translation you pick,
the woman is making some noise. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Elizabeth and Mary aren’t two refined ladies speaking in
quiet voices in a back room. The Holy Spirit is upon Elizabeth and she’s
letting loose with her baby bump and graying hair, heaping blessing after
blessing upon Mary. I’ll bet in later years the neighbors looked at her child,
John the Baptist and said, “You know, John gets that wild streak is from his mother.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
After Elizabeth’s ruckus, Mary replies with a song that describes her joy and blessing:<o:p></o:p></div>
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<i><br /></i></div>
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<i>My soul glorifies the Lord<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>and my spirit
rejoices in God my Savior,<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i> for he has been mindful<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>of the humble
state of his servant.<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>From now on all generations will call me blessed,<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i> for the Mighty One has done great things for
me—<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>holy is his name. </i><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
When we are expecting Jesus, we remember the good things God
has done for us with joy. We name the times when God works powerfully in our
lives and we want to share our experiences with others.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">When we are expecting
Jesus, we begin to see and speak prophetically.</b> Mary’s song begins by
rejoicing in God, but make no doubt, her song is one that the prophets of
Israel had been singing since God brought them out of slavery in Israel. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The prophets of the Old Testament reminded Israel that God
took a rag tag group of slaves out from under the thumb of the powerful Pharaoh.
God took them when they were the least and made them mighty. God took
them when they were last and made them first. God took them when they were
poor, powerless and hungry and made them into a nation. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Mary sings a song that is repeated over and over again in
the Bible. It’s a song that is both about herself and the nation of Israel. She
is bold to claim that God is for her--a peasant, a woman, a young person with no title: <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>He has scattered those who are proud in their inmost
thoughts.<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>He has brought down rulers from their thrones<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>but has lifted up
the humble.<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>He has filled the hungry with good things<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>but has sent the
rich away empty.<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>He has helped his servant Israel,<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>remembering to be
merciful<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i> to Abraham and his descendants forever,<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>just as he
promised our ancestors.”</i><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I'm guessing Jesus probably heard his mother say these things when he was
a boy. Maybe she sang this song every night while she did the dishes. It’s no wonder Jesus grew up to think the poor are blessed and the meek
will inherit the earth.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Those of who are expecting Jesus during Advent remember Mary’s
song and the ministry of Jesus. We see the injustices in our society and do
what we can to help lift up the humble, feed the hungry and practice acts of
mercy. We long for the day when this will happen.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Finally, when we are
expecting Jesus, we should expect to be surprised. <o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Neither Mary nor Elizabeth are expecting to bear a child at
this point in their lives. Old Elizabeth will be chasing a toddler who grows
up to baptize people in the Jordan. Young Mary will be a chased out of the
country, a refugee intent on saving her child. The Son of God. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
When we are expecting Jesus, we don’t want to be caught
looking in the direction. We need to be open to the way that the sovereign God
works in the world, even if it’s not what we are expecting in our own minds. Remember,
the nation of Israel was expecting a messiah who would conquer and rule. But
they got the reverse, a helpless baby who grew up to be iterant preacher that
died on a cross. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
This Advent as we remember Christ’s birth <u>and</u> await
Christ’s coming again, I encourage you to think about how you are expecting
Jesus to come again and whether or not you are open to being surprised by God. Will Jesus literally come down on a cloud like the Bible says? Are
you expecting Jesus to be good-looking and have flowing hair and long robes?
Are you prepared to consider that Jesus may come again to a tiny African
village or the sprawling metropolis of Lagos or Mumbai or even the wilds of
Canada, of all places?<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The Bible tells us that we can expect a faithful God, full
of mercy and abounding in steadfast love to redeem our world. The Bible tells
us that God so loves the world that he gave his only son so that we won’t
perish but have eternal life. But the Bible is full of surprises, too. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Think you are too old to have a baby? </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Surprise! Ask
Elizabeth about that. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Think women can’t speak the word of God or give flesh to the
promises of God? <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Surprise! Mary does it. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p>Think you are holy and first in the Kingdom of God? </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Surprise! You’re last. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Think you are going to get a messiah to lead you to
political victory? </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Surprise! Your messiah is crucified. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Think death has the final word? </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Surprise! Christ is
resurrected and is coming again.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Read the Bible carefully and thoroughly. It can tell you where to look and what to expect. But keep your heart and eyes and
mind open to the Spirit so that you, too, may experience a God-given surprise
that you are <u>not</u> expecting. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Sue Washburnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15419502853738977807noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-59259081707454825.post-60894513324383676862015-11-22T15:39:00.001-08:002015-11-25T09:34:31.687-08:00Butter Turkey Sculpture and Eternity<div class="MsoNormal">
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">John 6: Some time after this, Jesus
crossed to the far shore of the Sea of Galilee (that is, the Sea of Tiberias),
2 and a great crowd of people followed him because they saw the signs he had
performed by healing the sick. 3 Then Jesus went up on a mountainside and sat
down with his disciples. 4 The Jewish Passover Festival was near.<o:p></o:p></span></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">5 When Jesus looked up and saw a
great crowd coming toward him, he said to Philip, “Where shall we buy bread for
these people to eat?” 6 He asked this only to test him, for he already had in
mind what he was going to do.<o:p></o:p></span></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">7 Philip answered him, “It would
take more than half a year’s wages[a] to buy enough bread for each one to have
a bite!”<o:p></o:p></span></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">8 Another of his disciples, Andrew,
Simon Peter’s brother, spoke up, 9 “Here is a boy with five small barley loaves
and two small fish, but how far will they go among so many?”<o:p></o:p></span></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">10 Jesus said, “Have the people sit
down.” There was plenty of grass in that place, and they sat down (about five
thousand men were there). 11 Jesus then took the loaves, gave thanks, and
distributed to those who were seated as much as they wanted. He did the same
with the fish.<o:p></o:p></span></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">12 When they had all had enough to
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nothing be wasted.” 13 So they gathered them and filled twelve baskets with the
pieces of the five barley loaves left over by those who had eaten.<o:p></o:p></span></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">14 After the people saw the sign
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into the world.” 15 Jesus, knowing that they intended to come and make him king
by force, withdrew again to a mountain by himself.<o:p></o:p></span></i></span></div>
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How many people are getting ready to cook a turkey for Thanksgiving? At my house
we have been doing the same thing the same thing for Thanksgiving year after year. Matt makes
the stuffing, my sister’s brings squash and maybe a dessert and my parents make
salad and cranberries. Matt’s family brings pies. Sometimes we have the meal at
our house and sometimes we make the short drive to my parents’ house and take
the food over there.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But I always made
the turkey. I feel like I’ve made a pretty good turkey every Thanksgiving for
about the past 10 years. This is a big accomplishment for me because I’m not
much of a cook.<br />
<o:p></o:p></div>
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But this year is different. This year we are going to drive
down Virginia to have Thanksgiving with my husband Matt’s parents. Instead of baking a
turkey, I’m taking this…<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizVTHFWAMANtPjWUTo7OAz9V-jwwROaVRGD_gZdeeXQadgCYuo0ZxI0nb3_4M4N3dgS5LiujU_rLrkPydwJ7xjWMv5pcV4acoKkKABWf_fmZ8UhwFo7GBPiRPph_ZzYFxzVMhJu2luSg/s1600/butter+turkey.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizVTHFWAMANtPjWUTo7OAz9V-jwwROaVRGD_gZdeeXQadgCYuo0ZxI0nb3_4M4N3dgS5LiujU_rLrkPydwJ7xjWMv5pcV4acoKkKABWf_fmZ8UhwFo7GBPiRPph_ZzYFxzVMhJu2luSg/s1600/butter+turkey.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />
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It's a turkey butter sculpture. I didn't even know they existed until I saw it in the store!<o:p></o:p></div>
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This year we are the guests, not the hosts for
Thanksgiving.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It changes the dynamic a
little bit. It makes me wonder about how we give our thanks—do we give thanks
for the joy of decorating and hosting our families? Do we give thanks because
we have a table full of food? Is a butter turkey any different for a 15 pound
bird? Or are they both just something that is transitory? <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
As I was doing some reading about giving thanks, I was
struck by a comment by Rev. Martin Copenhaver made about our human nature. He
says: Nobody is born knowing how to be thankful. We are taught thankfulness in
childhood. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
And you may disagree with that. You may believe that infants
and toddlers children do have an innate sense of gratitude. Either way, I think
we can agree upon is that somewhere along the way we are taught to name
gratitude and practice it in good times and bad. Our gratitude helps to shape
our response to the events of our lives. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Our phase of life influences our gratitude. Image a
Christmas morning. Children are genuinely surprised and delighted by the gifts
that they get. They know they could never get them on their own. When Billy
gets the right Xbox game from his grandma, he learns that the excitement he
feels is a form of gratitude. Dad tells him to remember to go hug grandma and
say thank you. Billy learns that gratitude is part of the excitement when he
gets a really cool gift. But then, one year grandma gives him socks. He’s about
to toss them aside to open the next gift when he hears his mom’s voice.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Go give grandma a hug and thank her for the gift. And he
does. And he learns that gratitude isn’t about getting what you want. It’s a
response to the love of the giver. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
But as we age, many of us get to the point where we can buy
things for ourselves. We get jobs and have incomes. We can buy own Xbox games
and socks. We aren’t dependent and on others anymore and so we run the danger
of shallow gratitude. In this phase we write checks for a lot of things—church,
house, cars, kids, college, retirement, etc. We say a quick prayer of thanks in
the morning or before a meal and then rush to the next thing. In the busyness
of life gratitude becomes more mechanical.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>We may practice it, but we do it by rote. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
But then life changes again. And I’m not at this stage, but
this is what some of you saints of church have taught me. We age some more and
our incomes are limited and our bodies start to slow down or even hurt. Because
we are living so much longer, we have a new third phase of life. It’s not childhood
or adulthood. Scholars call this new phase from the late 70s on the third
phase, but I’d call it wisdomhood. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
In childhood our toys and socks are a reminder that someone
loves us and is caring for us—and we are taught to say thank you. In adulthood,
our stuff is symbolic of our accomplishments in life. It’s proof that we have
become independent, productive people—and again we give thanks. In the third
phase or Wisdomhood, it seems that the lifetime of practice becomes second
nature. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Some of you who are entering into wisdomhood are the most
grateful and giving people that I know. You know how to be thankful not just
for the things. Your thanksgiving becomes deeper and richer and truer and
frankly, is an inspiration to me.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
People in wisdomhood remember to give thanks for things that
people like me take for granted. For waking up and getting out of bed. You
don’t even take that simple act for granted. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
People in wisdomhood seem to be grateful for the most
elemental thing—life itself. It doesn’t have to be a life with the right toys
or a life of independence., but being itself. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s not excited gratitude for <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>the gifts and stuff of life but a great
thanksgiving for the one who gives the gifts—God.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Those of you who are living this phase of gratitude aren’t
doing because it’s easy or it comes naturally. You are doing it because you
practiced it your whole life. Your parents taught you to say thank you when you
received a gift, even boring ones like socks. You probably write thank you
notes for things that you receive.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>You’ve come to church where week after week you’ve practiced giving when
your income was steady.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
You still come and give of your time and treasure even though
you may have less—less money, less energy or less physical ability. And so I am
thankful for you. For the gifts you give to God’s church and the gift of wisdom
that you share with us here. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
In our Gospel story today, we don’t have a turkey and
stuffing Thanksgiving, but we have a big meal. A large crowd is following Jesus
and listening to his teachings. There were a lot of people because the Passover
festival was near. Jesus looked out on the crowd who had been following him and
decided that they needed something to eat. Jesus had a plan to feed them but he
turns to his disciple Phillip and asks where they might buy some bread for the
people.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Phillip, thinking that it’s all up to him says they can’t
afford to feed all the people who showed up. It would cost hundreds more than
they had. Andrew must have overheard them because he pipes up—there’s a boy
with five barley loaves and two small fish. But the idea that 5 loaves and two
fish could feed 5,000 was ludicrous.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
That’s like taking a lunchbox from an elementary student and
trying to feed the whole school with it. A sandwich, an apple and a drink for
300 kids. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
But Jesus knew better. Jesus didn’t look at the loaves and
fishes and worry about how little was there. He looked at the loaves and fishes
and trusted that God would provide. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Jesus looked at the loves and fishes and blessed God. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
All of our English translations say that Jesus gave thanks.
But in Jesus’ Jewish tradition he would have said a blessing. But this blessing
was not for the food. The blessing was for God, who provided the food. The
blessing was for the giver, not the gift. Jesus’ gratitude was directed toward
God. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
As a good Jew Jesus would have said the bread blessing. One
of the things I learned in Israel is that there are different blessings for
different foods. AND there is an order in which the blessings are to be given. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
In our story, Jesus starts with the bread blessing because bread is
the first food blessing to be given:<o:p></o:p><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.reformjudaism.org/practice/prayers-blessings/shabbat-blessings-hamotzi-blessing-over-bread-meal" target="_blank"><img alt="" src="http://www.reformjudaism.org/sites/default/files/hamotzi_0.jpg" style="background-color: #fcfcfc; border: 0px; color: #cc3467; font-family: Rokkitt, serif; font-size: 13.008px; font-stretch: inherit; margin: 0px; max-width: 100%; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: bottom;" typeof="foaf:Image" /></a></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="background: #FCFCFC; color: black; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Baruch Atah Adonai, Eloheinu Melech haolam,</span></i><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> <span style="background: #FCFCFC;">Hamotzi lechem min haaretz. </span></span></i><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Blessed are You, Lord, our God, King of the Universe who
brings forth bread from the earth. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Then he did the same with the fish: <o:p></o:p><br />
<br />
<img alt="" src="http://www.reformjudaism.org/sites/default/files/shehakol_0.jpg" style="background-color: #fcfcfc; border: 0px; color: #cc3467; font-family: Rokkitt, serif; font-size: 9px; font-stretch: inherit; margin: 0px; max-width: 100%; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: bottom;" typeof="foaf:Image" /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="background: #FCFCFC; color: black; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Baruch Atah Adonai, Eloheinu Melech haolam,</span>
Shehakol Nihyah bidvaro<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Blessed are You, Lord, our God, King of the Universe <span style="background: #FCFCFC; color: black; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">by whose word all things come into being.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background: #FCFCFC; color: black; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Even if
you don’t know anything about Hebrew, you can hear that the opening in the
prayers is the same. They </span><span style="background-color: #fcfcfc;">all start </span><i style="background-color: #fcfcfc;">Baruch Atah
Adonai, Eloheinu Melech haolam. </i><span style="background-color: #fcfcfc;">They bless God, the giver of all gifts.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background: #FCFCFC; color: black; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">This is
a subtle change in language but I think it makes a big shift in the way we see
our lives. A shift that many of us make as we enter old age. At Thanksgiving, we
say thank you God for the food. Or we ask God to bless the food we are about to
eat. This makes the object of our thanks and prayers the food. We are thankful
for the food, which is good. But even better is when our thanks are for God.
The food is temporary. God is eternal. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background: #FCFCFC; color: black; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">It’s
like the difference between a thankful child and a grateful adult. The immature
child is excited for the Xbox and the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">things</i>
of life. The wise adult knows that gifts come and go, but living and loving and
faith are what really matter. The wise adult blesses the things that are of
eternity, not the things that can be unwrapped or eaten or worn. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background: #FCFCFC; color: black; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">In the
feeding of the 5000 Jesus, takes the bread and gives thanks, saying </span>Blessed
are You, Lord, our God, King of the Universe who brings forth bread from the
earth. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Jesus recognizes what is temporary and what is eternal.
Jesus knows the difference between the gift and the giver. We take a lifetime
to learn that the<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Xbox game or the socks
are not what we are saying thank you for. We are saying thank your for the
person who cared enough to give the gift.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> We are thanking God, the ultimate giver.</span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Is a butter turkey different from a 15-pound bird on the Thanksgiving table? Not
really. In our lives the turkeys will come and go--literally and metaphorically--but God remains steadfast
and eternal. Let us give our thanks to the giver. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="background: #FCFCFC; color: black; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Baruch Atah Adonai, Eloheinu Melech haolam<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Blessed are you, Lord, our God, King of the Universe who
gives us everything. Amen. <span style="background: #FCFCFC; color: black; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
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Sue Washburnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15419502853738977807noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-59259081707454825.post-81444772848211626132015-11-08T14:37:00.002-08:002015-11-08T14:54:02.279-08:00Giving Your Two Cents Worth<div class="kappa" style="color: #44473e; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 12px; font-weight: 700; letter-spacing: 1px; line-height: 19px; margin-right: 0.9em; padding: 0px 0px 15px; text-transform: uppercase;">IMARK 12:38-44</div>
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<sup style="line-height: 0; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">38</sup>As Jesus taught, he said, "Beware of the scribes, who like to walk around in long robes, and to be greeted with respect in the marketplaces, <sup style="line-height: 0; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">39</sup>and to have the best seats in the synagogues and places of honor at banquets! <sup style="line-height: 0; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">40</sup>They devour widows' houses and for the sake of appearance say long prayers. They will receive the greater condemnation."</div>
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<sup style="line-height: 0; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">41</sup>He sat down opposite the treasury, and watched the crowd putting money into the treasury. Many rich people put in large sums. <sup style="line-height: 0; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">42</sup>A poor widow came and put in two small copper coins, which are worth a penny.<sup style="line-height: 0; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">43</sup>Then he called his disciples and said to them, "Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put in more than all those who are contributing to the treasury. <sup style="line-height: 0; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">44</sup>For all of them have contributed out of their abundance; but she out of her poverty has put in everything she had, all she had to live on."</div>
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A few years ago I was working with a youth group at a church
in Pittsburgh. We had a great location. The church was on a main street at a
pretty busy intersection with a traffic light. People walked past on the
sidewalk. That spot was a great place to make a statement about Jesus. <o:p></o:p></div>
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So, the kids and I decided that we would use the churches
lawn to do something Jesus-y. Something to show the neighborhood the love of
Christ. We decided to stand outside on a chilly day and pass out free hot
chocolate and talk with the people went by. <o:p></o:p></div>
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The church members donated the hot chocolate and toppings
like marshmallows, candy canes, whipped cream and mini M&M’s. But we also had
some cookies to sell and put a can out for donations.<o:p></o:p></div>
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The kids were excitedly shouting out “free hot
chocolate”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>to the passersby as teenagers will. Some people
ignored them but many came up and took some hot chocolate. Some people took the
free drink. Others threw in a dollar or two into the donation bucket. Church
members stopped over and would toss in $10s and $20s. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Then, an old woman in a babushka came up and a hush came
over the kids. She was obviously different from them. Her mouth was sunken in and she had layers and layers of clothes on. Taking the lead, I asked
her if she would like some hot chocolate. I explained that it was free,<o:p></o:p></div>
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Yes, she nodded. <o:p></o:p></div>
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“What do you want on it?” one of the kids asked gently. She
seemed bewildered by the question. <o:p></o:p></div>
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“Do you want some whipped cream on the top?” the young man
tried again. <o:p></o:p></div>
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She nodded again. <o:p></o:p></div>
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As he was making her drink, she took out a tattered change
purse. She had seen other people putting money in the can. As she opened her
change purse I could see she literally had two coins in it. <o:p></o:p></div>
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She started to take the coins out to put them in the can. <o:p></o:p></div>
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“You don’t need pay for this. It’s free,” I said, touching
her gently on the arm.<o:p></o:p></div>
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But she shook her head and dropped the coins in the can. <o:p></o:p></div>
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“Thank you,” I managed to get out. All of the
kids said thank you as well. <o:p></o:p></div>
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The teens knew they had witnessed something radical and
different. At that point, the kids started handing her anything they could from
the table, bags of cookies, candies. Maybe it was out of guilt or a desire to
help. Or maybe it was out of admiration.<o:p></o:p></div>
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I don’t know if the kids knew our gospel story of the widow
who gives all that she has to the Temple treasury, but I did. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m convinced that the Holy Spirit gave us a
real life example of that on the church lawn that day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And so I’d like to share my reflections about
what it taught me—lessons that we see in the gospel story today.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">First, if we confine
ourselves to what we call church, we miss out on witnessing God at work.</b> In
our reading Jesus tells us to beware of the scribes who love to hang around and
be greeted with respect and adoration. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Beware of clergy who walk around in long robes, like this
one. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Beware of the leaders who get the get the best and fanciest
seats, maybe like these red velvet ones behind me. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Beware of preachers who say long prayers and have special
parking places. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Umm…I think Jesus is telling you to beware of me! <o:p></o:p></div>
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Actually, I think Jesus is telling us to beware of the
things we use to separate ourselves from one another—it might be a robe or a
Walmart tag or a Talbots label or camo pants or a Brooks Brothers suit. We
should not let the things on the outside separate us from one another. <o:p></o:p></div>
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I’ve been spiritually moved many times in church, but some
of my most powerful lessons of faith have come from outside the sanctuary—like
the one I just told you about. I am absolutely and utterly convinced that God has
a sense of humor and messes with me. He seems send messages of faith in some of
the strangest people and the most unlikely circumstances. So when someone comes
to me with a bizarre or unusual circumstance, I stop and pay attention. Is the
crazy man Jesus? Is the homeless woman and angel of God? Who knows?! It could
be. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Second, our giving
reflects our trust in God.</b> I confess on this one it’s hard to follow Jesus.
It’s hard to practice what I’m about to preach. Please know that there is a
huge discrepancy between what I’m about to say and what I feel confidant doing
in my own life. I can’t and I won’t judge you on what you feel you can give.
Jesus will judge you, but I won’t. No, I offer this as an opportunity for
reflection for all of us.<o:p></o:p></div>
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The call of Jesus is to give it all up. You can’t read the
Bible and come to any other conclusion. In the Bible Jesus says this over and
over and over. He tells disciples to drop everything and follow him. They
didn’t go pack or grab a few dollars or say goodbye to their families. They
went. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Jesus tells a rich young ruler that he is to sell all that
we have and give to the poor. He calls the man who saves things in his barn a
fool. He says we can’t serve God and money. Jesus applauds the widow who gives
all that she has to live on. He teaches the disciples to pray for daily support,
not prosperity and safety--give us our daily bread, our manna, that which we
need to get through each day. <o:p></o:p></div>
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And so, I remind these lessons of Jesus to you and to myself
as something to think about and pray about. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Third, even the
poorest and most destitute people want to give something back.</b> When I
remember the woman who came for hot chocolate, I suspect that she knew that
those two coins wouldn’t pay for her drink, but giving was her response to the
offer of hot chocolate. It was her way of saying thank you—and truly meaning
it. <o:p></o:p></div>
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By taking her meager offering we were including her in what
we were doing that day. We saying you can participate, your gift is matters,
too. It made her one of us, if only for a moment. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Howard<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Finally, true giving
happens when we give out of our poverty, not out of our abundance, for that is
when we are relying on God.<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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On the hot chocolate day, some church members dropped tens
and twenties into the can. For that I was grateful. We actually made almost
$100 by “giving” away hot chocolate and that money was a great help to the
youth group. But time and time again, I feel like true giving happens when we
give something we don’t think we have. <o:p></o:p></div>
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For the widow in the story and the woman on the street it
was money. <o:p></o:p></div>
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But for each us, it might be something a different. And so I
invite you to reflect for a moment, where is your poverty? What part of Jesus’
call on your life is the hardest for you? <o:p></o:p></div>
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Do you feel like you don’t have enough money to give to help
our church finances? Do you feel like you never have enough time to give for
leadership? Do you feel like you don’t have enough Bible understanding to give
as a teacher? Do you feel like you aren’t good with people or can’t say good
prayers? <o:p></o:p></div>
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I was talking with a pastor friend this week and we were
discussing the various aspects of ministry, which did we like, what are we good
at, where can we improve. <o:p></o:p></div>
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And every preacher is different. Some are great in the
pulpit and terrible at pastoral care. Some are great pray-ers with members who
are sick or hurting, but terrible at talking to strangers about Jesus. But we
are called to do all the jobs regardless of whether or not we are good at them.
We are to serve in our richness and our poverty.<o:p></o:p></div>
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We show up in some of life’s hardest situations and pray
that God will use us.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Maybe it’s to
witness the Holy Spirit teaching something about giving to teenagers. Maybe
it’s to pray for someone as they die. Maybe it’s to speak in front of hundreds
of people or point out the way people are sinning. Over time, we end up
practicing all of these things. <o:p></o:p></div>
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But this isn’t just my call. Jesus doesn’t say this is the
job of the scribes and clergy in their long robes and adoring followers. For
Jesus, giving our of richness and poverty is the call of his disciples and
followers, including you. Our call is to go and make disciples, to feed the
hungry, clothe the naked, visit those in jail, sell all that we have, give all
that we have to live on, love our neighbors and our enemies, pray for those who
persecute us. The Jesus Way of being a Christian is hard stuff. None of us can
do it on our own. <o:p></o:p></div>
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But as the Apostle Paul reminds us, we can do all things
through Christ. As Christians we can do this. Even when it seems like we can’t.
<o:p></o:p></div>
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When we are giving out of our poverty, our hands might shake
in fear. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Maybe it’s happened to you when you increased your giving
and gave to the church before paying your other bills. Maybe it’s happened when
singing or playing or reading in church. My hands and knees were shaking the
first time I gave a sermon. Who am I to speak about God? Then, a mentor
reminded me that I wasn’t in the pulpit alone, God was with me. I could trust
that God insure the Word was given. I thank God each week for the work of the
Holy Spirit who can interpret our sighs and groans and disorganized thoughts. <o:p></o:p></div>
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The first time I went to the subsidized housing plan for
ministry, my hands were shaking and prayed telling God he had a lot of work to
do because I was scared. I had a seriously impoverished spirit. I thank God for
walking with me. <o:p></o:p></div>
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When I started work as a chaplain in the hospital I was
angry and resentful that I had to do it. I did not want to face hurting and
dying people day after day. But I did and I’m better off for it and I thank God
for that opportunity to grow.<o:p></o:p></div>
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When we give from our poverty, we remember to be grateful.
When we give from our poverty we give thanks to the God who gets us through. <o:p></o:p></div>
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When we give from our poverty, we grow in faith and trust.
Some people, like the disciples took a leap of faith and left everything to
follow Jesus. If you can do that, I encourage to! <o:p></o:p></div>
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But for most of us, faith is a journey that we take one step
at a time. And so today, I encourage you to take your next step of giving your
life to Christ, whatever that might be. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br></div>
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I invite you to open the tattered change purse of your own
life and take out your coins of money, time, leadership, evangelism and offer
them to God. Offer them with hands that shake a little bit, but offer them
trusting that God is with you. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br></div>
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Offer what you have in thanksgiving to God who is faithful,
forgiving and just. Give in response the God who gave up everything to be
reconciled you through the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ our
LORD. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="color: #34372f; font-family: Georgia; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia;">A poor widow came to the treasury and put in two small copper
coins, which are worth a penny. Jesus called his disciples and said to them, "Truly
I tell you, this poor widow has put in more than all those who are contributing
to the treasury. <sup>44</sup>For all of them have contributed out of their
abundance; but she out of her poverty has put in everything she had, all she
had to live on."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br></div>
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<span style="color: #34372f; font-family: Georgia; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia;">Thanks be to God. </span><o:p></o:p></div>
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Sue Washburnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15419502853738977807noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-59259081707454825.post-64497559472285104642015-11-02T01:08:00.000-08:002015-11-02T01:22:37.449-08:00Holy Sheep! Aha Moments in Israel and Jordan<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i>Hebrew Bible: Psalm
23<o:p></o:p></i></b></div>
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<i>The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing.<o:p></o:p></i></div>
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<i>2<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He makes me lie
down in green pastures,<o:p></o:p></i></div>
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<i>he leads me beside quiet waters,<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>3<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>he refreshes my
soul.<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>He guides me along the right paths<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>for his name’s
sake.<o:p></o:p></i></div>
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<i>4 Even though I walk<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>through the
darkest valley,[a]<o:p></o:p></i></div>
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<i>I will fear no evil,<o:p></o:p></i></div>
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<i><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>for you are with
me;<o:p></o:p></i></div>
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<i>your rod and your staff,<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>they comfort me.<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>5 You prepare a table before me<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>in the presence of
my enemies.<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>You anoint my head with oil;<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>my cup overflows.<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>6 Surely your goodness and love will follow me<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>all the days of my
life,<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>and I will dwell in the house of the Lord<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>forever.<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i>Second Reading:
Revelation 7:13-17 John’s vision: <o:p></o:p></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Helvetica Neue";">Then one
of the elders asked me, “These in white robes—who are they, and where did they
come from?”</span><o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I answered, “Sir, you
know.”<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>And he said, “These are they who have come out of the great
tribulation; they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of
the Lamb. Therefore,<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>“they are before the throne of God<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>and serve him day
and night in his temple;<o:p></o:p></i></div>
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<i>and he who sits on the throne<o:p></o:p></i></div>
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<i><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>will shelter them
with his presence.<o:p></o:p></i></div>
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<i>16 ‘Never again will they hunger;<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>never again will
they thirst.<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>The sun will not beat down on them,’[a]<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>nor any scorching
heat.<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>17 For the Lamb at the center of the throne<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>will be their
shepherd;<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>‘he will lead them to springs of living water.’[b]<o:p></o:p></i></div>
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<i><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>‘And God will wipe
away every tear from their eyes.’[c]”<o:p></o:p></i></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><i>John 10: 14- 18
<o:p></o:p></i></span></b></div>
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<i><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Helvetica Neue";">“I am
the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me— </span><b><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">15 </span></b><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Helvetica Neue";">just as the Father knows me and I know the Father—and I lay
down my life for the sheep. </span><b><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">16 </span></b><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Helvetica Neue";">I have other sheep that are not
of this sheep pen. I must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice,
and there shall be one flock and one shepherd. </span><b><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">17 </span></b><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Helvetica Neue";">The reason my Father loves me is that I lay down my life—only
to take it up again. </span><b><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">18 </span></b></i><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Helvetica Neue";"><i>No one takes it from me, but I
lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority to
take it up again. This command I received from my Father.”</i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Helvetica Neue";"><o:p>Does anyone notice a theme to the readings this morning? All three are about shepherds and sheep. I am still recovering from my trip to the Holy Land and have decided to share some reflections with you this </o:p></span>morning. </div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Helvetica Neue";">We all
have those aha moments in life when we suddenly understand something. Those
moments when our brain makes new connections and we just get it. It’s like a
little explosion inside our heads that casts new light on everything. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Helvetica Neue";"><o:p> </o:p></span> </div>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBmiaRR-R415iVo3GCEqh5Ir5d9W2epNbk9pMSZCWH8MriIkyA705wVnJr_5ZyJTmBCHLnzo6s0SOs7jT4fHsJ3SPCylB4bcdp3WVtUpzUS3C72X1QICes3Fl7SZcqg_6PCaDAhFgF_A/s1600/10417817_893975373971949_4757556761552088500_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBmiaRR-R415iVo3GCEqh5Ir5d9W2epNbk9pMSZCWH8MriIkyA705wVnJr_5ZyJTmBCHLnzo6s0SOs7jT4fHsJ3SPCylB4bcdp3WVtUpzUS3C72X1QICes3Fl7SZcqg_6PCaDAhFgF_A/s320/10417817_893975373971949_4757556761552088500_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo by Niki Brodeur</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Helvetica Neue";">As you
might guess, I had a few a-ha moments on the trip to the Holy Land. On this trip, I actually saw some shepherds at work in the land of
Jesus. I saw the land on which the shepherds kept their flocks. It is
astonishingly different that the sheep farming I’ve known.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Helvetica Neue";">The
shepherds I saw were Bedouin. They are not city dwellers or farm
owners, but rather a free range people. They live on the outskirts of town, often in tents—but they probably
have a cell phone and maybe even a satellite dish.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Those that I met had faces weathered from being in the
sun. They work hard and will hustle you for a buck. They were outsiders in the time of Jesus and many still
are today. I saw shepherds at work on two occasions. I think you will hear echoes of the Bible passages in both of these descriptions.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Helvetica Neue";">One shepherd was along a small, flat road. The landscape was brown and
rocky with occasional patches of grass and trees. I think we were getting close to the Jordan River so the landscape was more than just brown. Off in the distance was a collection of Bedouin tent homes. These are long, portable tents covered with something like burlap.
Suddenly the bus slowed to a stop. I was in the back and thought people wanted to
take some photos. But a herd of sheep blocked our path.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Helvetica Neue";">The bus
driver beeped his horn and the sheep did not move. When I looked out the
window to the right, I could see a young man coming out of the tents and sprinting
toward the flock in bare feet.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He ran
around behind the sheep and managed to push them grudgingly off the road so
that we could pass through. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Helvetica Neue";">Sometimes
a shepherd leads a flock of sheep from behind, pushing the sheep along with rod
or a staff of some sort. The shepherd stays behind and keeps them moving in the
right direction and from making stupid mistakes like refusing to move for a
bus. The shepherd gets the strong-willed and stubborn sheep going in the right direction and then the entire flock will follow.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Helvetica Neue";">Sometimes our faith life is like this, right? We’re standing around doing our thing when Jesus
comes and pushes in a new direction. We don’t always want to go and stubbornly refuse, but the
Holy Spirit is insistent. Sometimes the shepherd pushes us to new places from
behind. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Helvetica Neue";">On
another occasion we were in the hills and mountains. As we stood on what seemed like a barren hilltop, we could see a shepherd and sheep down below.
We couldn’t see any homes or tents, just some occasional caves in the hillside.
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Helvetica Neue";">The hill
was ringed with paths and the shepherd seemed to have no tools but a song. He
would lead the way calling his special call to the sheep. Slowly and carefully,
the sheep made their way up the hillside toward the shepherd while he sang. Now I'm pretty sure they were not Presbyterian sheep because they weren’t decent or in order.
They weren’t in a nice straight line, but scattered across a steep hillside. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Helvetica Neue";">Each one
carefully placed its hoofs so that it would not slip back down the hill. Some
went to the right and some went to the left, but slowly and carefully, they
made their way up that hillside because they knew the sound of their shepherd’s
voice. They trusted that he would not lead them into danger, but would provide
for them. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Helvetica Neue";">Sometimes
this is what our life of faith looks like. We know our shepherds voice. We
hear Jesus calling us forward. Inspired by the song we make are way slowly and steadily toward him, trusting that he won’t lead us into danger. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMFIHeAE5b7_2TioXqdfNnQkRj5cjpbWjnYv4-1iCRGVy_uB3FsetNfmNO9TDqTyzSlg3tWSZ5T7owRLMfFOijwI_vE8vQbRg6Hz2Qh1rIBmavEQ0tjRv-paUJsphOWnQfe7Lq2hGVxA/s1600/IMG_2074.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMFIHeAE5b7_2TioXqdfNnQkRj5cjpbWjnYv4-1iCRGVy_uB3FsetNfmNO9TDqTyzSlg3tWSZ5T7owRLMfFOijwI_vE8vQbRg6Hz2Qh1rIBmavEQ0tjRv-paUJsphOWnQfe7Lq2hGVxA/s200/IMG_2074.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Scottish Sheep</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Helvetica Neue";">I realized that despite the fact that I've seen a lot of sheep in my life, I’ve never seen a shepherd until this
trip. I have memories of visiting some neighboring sheep who lived behind a fence when I was a child. There is a sheep farm on the way to my kids' school. And when I first met Matt, his family had a couple of sheep. Then, I went to Scotland and the sheep were everywhere at our vacation house. Thousands of free range sheep just roamed around on their own in the green pastures. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Helvetica Neue";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Helvetica Neue";">But things were different in Israel and Jordan. </span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Helvetica Neue";">In Pennsylvania and Scotland we have sheep farmers, not shepherds. The grass and water are
abundant. The sheep wander the hillsides covered in grass and watered by regular rain. Here they are inside fences, left
free within a confined area of grass and a water source. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmv57BuFbSatYda-ILBwpnoqUuRVkoxJsK9uqvrnBKWvAkFuiLJ2gHFuS4VercbAZuUX06LEL7uELBv6YIizxAhRlF1NAuLpjKLyUhaP0pvF95_S0bjfZv5wdjkyhRzofJjDx1FAJOPA/s1600/IMG_2078.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmv57BuFbSatYda-ILBwpnoqUuRVkoxJsK9uqvrnBKWvAkFuiLJ2gHFuS4VercbAZuUX06LEL7uELBv6YIizxAhRlF1NAuLpjKLyUhaP0pvF95_S0bjfZv5wdjkyhRzofJjDx1FAJOPA/s200/IMG_2078.JPG" width="200" /></a><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Helvetica Neue";">But in
parts of Scotland sheep reign. They independently roam the hillsides and wander down roads. They are left to their own devices
much of the time. In fact in Scotland it’s the houses that are fenced to keep the
sheep out so that the sheep don’t eat the landscaping.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Helvetica Neue";">But in
Israel and Jordan, water is more scarce and grass grows in patches, not on
hillsides. The grass is only green for a couple of months and the sheep can eat
all the grass in an area in a day. So the sheep and shepherds are nomadic,
travelling from patch to patch. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Helvetica Neue";">Mark
Twain wrote that the sheep in the area appear to eat rocks, since there is no
grass visible while they eat. The reality, our guide told us, is that the sheep
can eat brown, dry grass. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
There’s
not much grass in many of the parts of Israel and Jordan because there is not
much water. If
you see a tree or plants growing, you see irrigation hoses. We visited a family
friend who kept track for the rainfall near the Sea of Galilee--a "wet" area. A whole year of
rain fit on one side of a small piece of paper. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrNFcjpZhyphenhyphen0T2BAOUhWapK5EzhHkx4Hwv00rT5rVOb182SLFbP2weLksjnDsOKm_ik-WQJvqmeP5lDnlbo9ixbJl9Wf0oJ2oGGPqmOOERjQ9-UBAzLl8Qr1YLE3ytf-zVk99BuTYeMvg/s1600/12184266_10205326492183063_914037022571822114_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrNFcjpZhyphenhyphen0T2BAOUhWapK5EzhHkx4Hwv00rT5rVOb182SLFbP2weLksjnDsOKm_ik-WQJvqmeP5lDnlbo9ixbJl9Wf0oJ2oGGPqmOOERjQ9-UBAzLl8Qr1YLE3ytf-zVk99BuTYeMvg/s200/12184266_10205326492183063_914037022571822114_o.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo by Abby Thornton</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Helvetica Neue";">So,
looking at the sheep on a barren, brown hillside led to my a-ha moment. Being a
sheep in the Middle East is really, really hard. They can't be independent and survive. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
sheep are totally dependent upon the shepherd. And so are the people. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Helvetica Neue";">Being in
the Holy Land helped me to see that all of us in this room today are born into
abundance. Many of us go through wilderness times of grief or illness, but we
have so much that we take for granted <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">every
single day.<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Helvetica Neue";">Water,
fertile soil, grass, and trees are probably the ones we think least about. We
are fed from this ground of abundance both with produce and livestock. It
happens so easily and naturally we may forget that God is involved. But the
shepherds and sheep of the Middle East don’t forget. Water and grass are a gift
from God. Survival is a gift. Life is a gift. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Helvetica Neue";">And so
in this month of Thanksgiving, I’d like to remember to bless God for the things
I often take for granted—and I invite you to join me in this, on paper or
online. Together we will participate in a Great Thanksgiving—we will give
thanks every day for the big things and the little things, remembering the God
is intimately tied to everything in our lives. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
You
should have a paper calendar on which you can write down something you are
thankful for every day <a href="https://www.facebook.com/reunionyoungadultministry/photos/a.777785472266648.1073741828.758561334189062/1039795692732290/?type=3&theater" target="_blank">(download it here)</a>. Or, you can find and like the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/reunionyoungadultministry/" target="_blank">Reunion Church Facebook</a>
page. Each day there will question or thought prompting you to give thanks. You
can comment or just use it for inspiration for a prayer of thanksgiving. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Helvetica Neue";">Since it
is November 1, I’d like to start today. I give thanks to the LORD for the rain
and the grass. For God, the shepherd, who provides for us and leads us through
dark valleys. For Jesus, the good shepherd who lays down his life for his
sheep, who promises that we will not hunger and thirst and wipes away all of
our tears.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Helvetica Neue";">I am
thankful for the sound of our shepherd’s voice that calls us in our everyday
lives so that we may dwell in the house of the LORD forever. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Sue Washburnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15419502853738977807noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-59259081707454825.post-22396108595682641472015-10-11T15:18:00.002-07:002015-10-11T15:18:18.605-07:00Pumpkin Spice Sermon<div class="MsoNormal">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxN1teHg6GmyqGfjkYyGunWjIJksCBFdWcwpJ62qc364Eul5OsJ5vR_QGCJAEYWj6S2MxSk3iZvNRuaUu8qJldrl3Yk8rh-KRadSycOJBQZtmylhNDqF2qwPfDY_jocV8gW3END_EwAQ/s1600/IMG_0400+2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxN1teHg6GmyqGfjkYyGunWjIJksCBFdWcwpJ62qc364Eul5OsJ5vR_QGCJAEYWj6S2MxSk3iZvNRuaUu8qJldrl3Yk8rh-KRadSycOJBQZtmylhNDqF2qwPfDY_jocV8gW3END_EwAQ/s320/IMG_0400+2.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
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Have you noticed that everything is pumpkin spiced these
days? Coffee shops roll out their pumpkin spiced lattes. Walk into the grocery
store and you can get pumpkin spiced cookies, cereal and ice cream. Everyone is
advertising pumpkin spice. They do it because people line up for pumpkin spice.
I had the brilliant idea that if I gave a pumpkin spiced sermon, we’d have people lined up waiting to
come in.</div>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
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Dang. I guess I was wrong.</div>
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At first I mentioned a pumpkin spice sermon as a joke, but then I realized that the pumpkin spice
craze actually does tie in to the Epistle reading from <a href="http://www.presbyterianmission.org/devotion/revised-common-lectionary/2015/10/11/#second-reading" target="_blank">Hebrews (4:12-16) </a>today.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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How many people here have had a pumpkin
spiced something in the last few weeks? What a about a pumpkin spiced latte?
In case you haven’t tried one, a pumpkin spice latte is coffee with a lot of milk that
has sugar, sugar and more sugar and pumpkin pie spices swirled through. Then it’s topped with whipped
cream and a sprinkle of cinnamon. There is so much other stuff in a pumpkin spice coffee that it hides the
fact that you are drinking a cup of coffee.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Some people who drink a pumpkin spice latte would never tolerate a cup of black coffee. <o:p></o:p></div>
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The pumpkin spice coffee is a metaphor for how we go through life. We put all the sweet
parts on the outside and hide the real stuff underneath. People ask us how we
are doing and we say, Great! Or Fine! Or OK.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Or Busy! We give them the sweet stuff, the fluff of our outer lives and
very little of what is underneath. We don't admit to being worried about our children. Or thinking that our job is tenuous. We hide the hard parts because we might be
embarrassed or ashamed or think nobody wants to hear about them. <o:p></o:p></div>
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We hide the bitter part of ourselves because other people
might not like it. Or because life is easier when we don’t remember the worst
parts of it. When someone shares the hard things of life with us like some of
us did in church last week (we had some personal stories of where God has shown up), it can make us uncomfortable. We don’t know what to
say when we face the fear and vulnerability that are underneath us all. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Too often, we go through life seeing nothing but the sugar
whipped cream. And after a while we lose our taste for what is underneath. We forget how to deal with adversity or be compassionate. We choose instead to be numb or false with ourselves and superficial with each other. But
our reading from Hebrews tells us that God sees through it. We can’t hide
ourselves under sugar and spice and whipped cream when it comes to God. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Hebrews says: <o:p></o:p></div>
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Indeed, the word of God is living and active, sharper than
any two-edged sword, piercing until it divides soul from spirit, joints from
marrow; it is able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart. <i>And
before him no creature is hidden, but all are naked and laid bare to the eyes
of the one to whom we must render an account.</i><o:p></o:p></div>
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And this is a terrifying thought. We can’t hide from God. We
can’t hide that time when we were cruel to another kid in elementary school or got caught trying to cover up that mistake at work
or that affair or addiction or the greed. But, God knows it and that can be unsettling. </div>
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If you’ve ever
felt like you were in the presence of God, you know that you become undone. You
know that it is terrifying. You know that they call it the fear of the LORD for
a reason. Everyone, and I mean everyone, is raw and vulnerable in the presence
of God because we all sin and fall short of the glory of God. <o:p></o:p></div>
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If you think, well, I’m not as bad as her. If you’re pretty
sure that his sins are worse than yours, you are living a pumpkin spice lie. If
you think Jesus doesn’t know your mistakes, you’re hiding under a pile of
whipped cream. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Because Jesus knows. Jesus, the Word of God is living and
active and will take you apart. And many preachers will threaten you with this.
But if they are, then they are missing the point. They might tell you that God
is so big and powerful that you should be afraid of going to hell. And I agree that God can be
terrifying. Anybody holding a sharp object like a two-edged sword or a surgical knife can be scary if you don’t trust
them.<o:p></o:p></div>
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After all, surgeons use knives all the time, in some ways
they do horrible things to our bodies. But, we trust that they are not doing it to hurt us.
This reading is similar. God doesn’t lay us naked and bare and take us apart to
expose us or shame us or humiliate us—we do enough of that to ourselves and each other. No. God's purposes are different. God is truth. When we are undone before God, God is showing us the truth about ourselves. When we see that truth, we can
begin to heal and to change. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<o:p> Hebrews says this:</o:p></div>
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<o:p><br /></o:p></div>
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“Since, then, we have a great high priest who has passed
through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast to our confession. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our
weaknesses, but we have one who in every respect has been tested as we are, yet
without sin. <i>Let us therefore approach the throne of grace with boldness, so
that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.”</i><o:p></o:p></div>
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In Jesus we have someone
who can take us to the throne of grace, not with fear, but with boldness. We
can walk confidently to God despite our past and receive mercy and receive
grace in our time of <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>deepest need. With
Jesus we needn’t fear the power of God. We can trust God with those parts of
ourselves that we’ve been trying to hide.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>This my friends is the Good News of the Gospel. The Good News is through
Jesus you are reconciled to God. The evangelist Brennan Manning puts it more
powerfully than I ever could…<o:p></o:p></div>
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<iframe width="320" height="266" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/pQi_IDV2bgM/0.jpg" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/pQi_IDV2bgM?feature=player_embedded" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>
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I dare you to trust that God loves you as you are, Manning
says. And that is the Good News. God does love you. The sweet parts, the
delicious parts as well as what is underneath, the parts you are afraid to show
people. The parts that you may not like. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>God sees it all. Trusting in the love is what
frees us to live the life Jesus calls us to. It gives us the courage to do
crazy things like become a disciple, teach a class, feed the homeless, give
away money or share a difficult story. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Jesus' life shows us what God does for imperfect
people—heals them, feed the, calls them to be disciples. God looks at what
is underneath people and says I love you as you are. You might say God can take his coffee black. No sugar. No spice. Just as it is. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Sue Washburnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15419502853738977807noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-59259081707454825.post-67527891987079266072015-09-28T07:18:00.001-07:002015-09-29T04:17:43.349-07:00Anointed with Casseroles<div class="reading" style="color: #44473e; font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 10px; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">
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<span style="font-weight: 700; letter-spacing: 1px; text-transform: uppercase;"><i>MARK 9:38-50</i></span></div>
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<i><sup style="color: #44473e; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; line-height: 0; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-indent: 2em;">38</sup><span style="color: #44473e; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 19px; text-indent: 2em;">John said to him, "Teacher, we saw someone casting out demons in your name, and we tried to stop him, because he was not following us."</span><span style="color: #44473e; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 19px; text-indent: 2em;"> </span><sup style="color: #44473e; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; line-height: 0; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-indent: 2em;">39</sup><span style="color: #44473e; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 19px; text-indent: 2em;">But Jesus said, "Do not stop him; for no one who does a deed of power in my name will be able soon afterward to speak evil of me.</span><span style="color: #44473e; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 19px; text-indent: 2em;"> </span><sup style="color: #44473e; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; line-height: 0; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-indent: 2em;">40</sup><span style="color: #44473e; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 19px; text-indent: 2em;">Whoever is not against us is for us.</span><span style="color: #44473e; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 19px; text-indent: 2em;"> </span><sup style="color: #44473e; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; line-height: 0; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-indent: 2em;">41</sup><span style="color: #44473e; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 19px; text-indent: 2em;">For truly I tell you, whoever gives you a cup of water to drink because you bear the name of Christ will by no means lose the reward.</span></i></div>
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<span style="color: #44473e; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 19px; text-indent: 2em;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
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<i>JAMES 5:13-20</i></div>
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<i><sup style="line-height: 0; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">13</sup>Are any among you suffering? They should pray. Are any cheerful? They should sing songs of praise. <sup style="line-height: 0; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">14</sup>Are any among you sick? They should call for the elders of the church and have them pray over them, anointing them with oil in the name of the Lord. <sup style="line-height: 0; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">15</sup>The prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise them up; and anyone who has committed sins will be forgiven. <sup style="line-height: 0; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">16</sup>Therefore confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another, so that you may be healed. The prayer of the righteous is powerful and effective. <sup style="line-height: 0; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">17</sup>Elijah was a human being like us, and he prayed fervently that it might not rain, and for three years and six months it did not rain on the earth. <sup style="line-height: 0; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">18</sup>Then he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain and the earth yielded its harvest.</i></div>
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<i><sup style="line-height: 0; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">19</sup>My brothers and sisters, if anyone among you wanders from the truth and is brought back by another, <sup style="line-height: 0; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">20</sup>you should know that whoever brings back a sinner from wandering will save the sinner's soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins.</i></div>
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As we celebrate the Scottish heritage of the Presbyterian Church,
we can trace a lot of our church history back to the Bible readings we have today. The
passages emphasize that all people are called to be spiritual
leaders. Rather than relying on people with titles and authority, we are all to
be ministers to each other. <o:p></o:p></div>
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There’s a lot of history involved, but for us as
Presbyterians, the main ideas are these: We are all sinful AND we are all
called by God alone. Nobody gets to be “holier than thou” and nobody gets to say "I'm not qualified."<o:p></o:p></div>
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This means that Good News of the gospel is
available <i>to you</i>, but it’s also needs to be available <i>through you</i>. We don’t have a religious hierarchy but believe in a universal
priesthood. This means God can use some
pretty unlikely people. Even you.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I know what you’re thinking because I've thought it to. You
think, I’m not qualified. I don’t have a degree. I’m not a leader or I’m not even a
member.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But really what qualifications
did Abraham or Moses have? What qualifications did Mary have when God called
upon her to be the mother of the messiah? What qualifications did the disciples
have when they started? None that we know about. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
In the Bible, God appears to ordinary people like us and
calls them into service. The list of unqualified people in the Old Testament is
long: Abraham, Moses, Isaiah, Jeremiah, etc. Everyone had an excuse. Most of them tried
to say no. But God persisted and gave them the tools they need along the way. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
In the New Testament, Jesus calls upon a few averages Joes
and says, “Hey come follow me.” And they do. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Jesus equips them along the way.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
But it’s funny. Those same average Joe disciples that Jesus
calls quickly form into a group with rules and expectations<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">.</b> They end up sure of themselves and confident in Jesus’ message. They
have become the Jesus authorities. They come to Jesus complaining that other
people are doing healings.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“Teacher, we saw a man using your name to expel demons and
we stopped him because he wasn’t in our group.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Jesus wasn’t pleased. “Don’t stop him. No one can use my
name to do something good and powerful, and in the next breath cut me down. If
he’s not an enemy, he’s an ally. Why, anyone by just giving you a cup of water
in my name is on our side. Count on it that God will notice.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The disciples go from average Joes to wanting to be large
and in charge. In last week’s Bible reading the disciples were arguing about
which one of them is the greatest. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Who
should be on top of the religious hierarchy? This week they act as if they have
some kind of copyright on Jesus. Nobody can do anything in the name of Jesus
without the disciples’ consent. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Or maybe they are the Jesus brand police. Maybe the man
doing the healings didn’t fit with the images and expectations about who they
are. Maybe it was a rich person or a leper or a gentile doing that healing not
an average Jewish Joe. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The disciples judge and condemn that man doing the healing because he wasn't one of them. They thought certain
people were entitled to do things and others were not. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
We Christians are really good telling
other people what they can and cannot do, right? <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It comes so naturally. He’s in charge of this.
She’s in charge of that. We only allow elders to do this. We do it this way and
this way only. Then we get annoyed with the very system we’ve created and try
to start over. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We leave to start a new
denomination or church.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This has
happened over and over again throughout history.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
That’s what the first Presbyterians did. Remember in the Protestant Reformation we were
rebelling against the Catholic Church with its beautiful cathedrals and music
and the hierarchy and rules that it had created. But make no mistake, we came up with a list of rules and regulations, too!<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
One of the main ideas of Presbyterianism is that everyone
had equal access to God. Everyone was important to the church and everyone
could read and pray and serve and hear each other’s confessions. We call this
the priesthood of all believers or universal priesthood. We are equal in the
eyes of God. You can see this in how Presbyterians have approached the
Bible—emphasizing that it be presented in the language of the reader—and in our
music.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Most of our hymns for Heritage Sunday are psalms sung without any
instruments because the early Presbyterians believed we could only do what was
commanded in the Bible. If it wasn’t in the Bible, you weren’t allowed to do
it. No words that weren’t biblical could be sung. That means hymns like "How Great Thou Art" or even "Amazing Grace" were a
no-no at that time. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Unlike other church music, the early Presbyterian church
generally had no soloists and everyone sang the same words at the same time. Some even debated whether harmony was appropriate. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Singing all together was a way of lifting up all the people
in the congregation, regardless of ability and background. A way of saying we are
all equal<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">. </b>Worship isn’t a top down
experience with the best and the brightest and holiest<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>in the spotlight. Everyone encounters God in worship.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Worship is a community experience. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s why we have regular people read the
scriptures. It’s why we read some prayers together. It’s why we sing together. It’s
also why so many of us have an aversion to clapping in church. We don’t want to
emphasize one person over another.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
This idea of equality is also why the Presbyterians
introduced the idea of compulsory public education. Everyone needed to know how
to read. Not to get ahead in life, but so that they could read and interpret the Bible on their own, without a higher authority telling them what it said and so that they could fully participate in worship.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
We get this idea that everyone has access to God from the
Bible. We get it from Jesus telling his disciples that they don’t have
exclusive claim to do the healings. Anyone who wants to do good work in the
name of Jesus is entitled to do so. They don’t have to be one of “us.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
We get this idea that we all have access to God from the
reading from James, too. Anybody can go to God in prayer at any time. You can
pray your suffering and your joy. You can pray your anger and fear. You can
praise God and you can even yell at God. God is big enough for anything you can
give. There isn’t anything that you can do that God hasn’t seen or heard
before. The Gospel is good news for you. God is there for you in all the
aspects of your life.<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"> <o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEij4-1s5Ll6jDr6M1ftdE7D1DLM8uU2Z72TiAVBjQ6pgMDLECMAco9WFPwpv1PnY-iuaYkgMIlru7VIM6D580DjomAku0LTqehsXe_BHv6vJTyF0qG-S7BQs4kqGCJwKmTfaf1ArErKaw/s1600/casserole.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="219" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEij4-1s5Ll6jDr6M1ftdE7D1DLM8uU2Z72TiAVBjQ6pgMDLECMAco9WFPwpv1PnY-iuaYkgMIlru7VIM6D580DjomAku0LTqehsXe_BHv6vJTyF0qG-S7BQs4kqGCJwKmTfaf1ArErKaw/s320/casserole.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
But, if you are here in the sanctuary, remember the Gospel
is good news for other people <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">through</i>
you. If you are an elder, James says, <i>you</i> anoint the sick with oil and and pray
for them. Although I think that tradition has changed a bit. Presbyterians
today anoint the sick with casseroles and pray for them with greeting cards! <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
You, as an ordinary person, can hear the confessions of
people who’s hearts are breaking because of the mistakes they’ve made.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You can walk with people in their joy and in
their pain. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
James isn’t telling us to pat one another on the arm and say, " I’ll pray for you." He’s telling us to say the words right then and there. Feel awkward and vulnerable. You can’t
anoint someone from afar, even with a casserole. You have to be there with them in the flesh. You can’t truly hear a confession over text or even over the phone. You
need to be there with a person. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
And this priestly work is the hard part of being called by Christ. This
makes getting up on Sunday morning to go to church seem easy and fun. But being with people and caring for them is discipleship,
the universal priesthood. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Perhaps the hardest part is believing that God is calling <i>you</i> to the
hurting people of the world. Because you don’t know what to say.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You don’t know what to do. You feel awkward and
out of your league. You feel unqualified. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
And that, my friends, is why you need to trust Jesus. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
On your own, you are not qualified. Nor am I.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Every time I go into a hospital room to talk with someone
about their eternal soul, I feel unqualified. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Every time I step into the pulpit to speak authoritatively
about God’s Word, I am amazed that God trusts me to this. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And I never forget the words of one of my
mentors—you are not there alone. Remember who has your back. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Every time I walk alongside someone in poverty or pain or addiction,
I feel helpless because I can’t fix their problem. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Feeling inadequate and unqualified to do God’s work is
natural because we are human. We are not Christ. We can’t save anybody or fix broken situations. But we can serve one another<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">.</b>
We can walk with people and love them and help to make their life meaningful. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">We aren’t called to
save, we are called to serve.</b> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Saving people is impossible. Serving people is doable. It's just not easy. Even just showing up for someone who is sick or broken can feel like a huge challenge. We worry about saying the right thing, being there for them in the right way. Sometimes we get so worried about doing it right we decide not to do it at all rather than take a risk. If we don't do it at all, we can't do it wrong.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
So
we pray for guidance. And in all honesty, sometimes I pray my inadequacy. I pray things
like, “God, I have no clue what I’m doing, HELP!" or "This is all you, God, because I have no
idea what to expect" or "God please give me the right words, the right attitude,
the right tools.” <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
And I show up in faith and hope and with a little bit of fear. I show up and trust that
the Holy Spirit will use me that way God intends. I show up knowing that I am
part of the body of Christ. And do you know what? <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
God has not let me down. God is faithful. God shows up again
and again and again. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Things don’t always
go the way I hope or expect. Sometimes, I kick myself afterward for saying stupid and wrong things. But, God is still in the mix. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
That’s what Christianity is. It’s following Jesus in faith
to strange places to do impossible tasks. It’s showing up and trusting and
hoping that somehow Christ will work through you. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I don’t show up because I have a Master’s of Divinity degree
–though it’s a great name for a degree. I don’t show up because the PCUSA says
I’m qualified. I show up because I’m called by God to serve. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I show up in difficult and unlikely places because that’s
what God did. God showed up to serve our world and save it. God
showed up as Jesus Christ, a carpenter not a high priest. Jesus showed up at dinner with sick and sinful people. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
God shows up time and
time again. Working through common people like me and you. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Go out into the world knowing that God has called you to show up somewhere and share Christ's love. Go, knowing that you may not feel qualified to be someone's priest or confessor,
but God has your back anyway. Go and tell people the Good News that in Jesus Christ they are forgiven. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
You are called to share the news that God of the universe loves you, longs for you, desires you. Go with God and do just that.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Amen.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
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Sue Washburnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15419502853738977807noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-59259081707454825.post-86354083574846323552015-09-13T17:10:00.000-07:002015-09-13T17:10:03.036-07:00Use Your Words! <div class="MsoNormal">
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<a href="http://www.presbyterianmission.org/devotion/revised-common-lectionary/2015/9/13/#second-reading" target="_blank"> JAMES 3:1-12</a></div>
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<i><sup style="line-height: 0; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">1</sup>Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers and sisters, for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness. <sup style="line-height: 0; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">2</sup>For all of us make many mistakes. Anyone who makes no mistakes in speaking is perfect, able to keep the whole body in check with a bridle. <sup style="line-height: 0; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">3</sup>If we put bits into the mouths of horses to make them obey us, we guide their whole bodies. <sup style="line-height: 0; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">4</sup>Or look at ships: though they are so large that it takes strong winds to drive them, yet they are guided by a very small rudder wherever the will of the pilot directs. <sup style="line-height: 0; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">5</sup>So also the tongue is a small member, yet it boasts of great exploits.</i></div>
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<i><span style="color: #44473e; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 19px; text-indent: 2em;">How great a forest is set ablaze by a small fire!</span><span style="color: #44473e; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 19px; text-indent: 2em;"> </span><sup style="color: #44473e; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; line-height: 0; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-indent: 2em;">6</sup><span style="color: #44473e; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 19px; text-indent: 2em;">And the tongue is a fire. The tongue is placed among our members as a world of iniquity; it stains the whole body, sets on fire the cycle of nature, and is itself set on fire by hell.</span><span style="color: #44473e; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 19px; text-indent: 2em;"> </span><sup style="color: #44473e; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; line-height: 0; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-indent: 2em;">7</sup><span style="color: #44473e; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 19px; text-indent: 2em;">For every species of beast and bird, of reptile and sea creature, can be tamed and has been tamed by the human species,</span><span style="color: #44473e; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 19px; text-indent: 2em;"> </span><sup style="color: #44473e; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; line-height: 0; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-indent: 2em;">8</sup><span style="color: #44473e; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 19px; text-indent: 2em;">but no one can tame the tongue-a restless evil, full of deadly poison.</span><span style="color: #44473e; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 19px; text-indent: 2em;"> </span><sup style="color: #44473e; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; line-height: 0; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-indent: 2em;">9</sup><span style="color: #44473e; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 19px; text-indent: 2em;">With it we bless the Lord and Father, and with it we curse those who are made in the likeness of God.</span><span style="color: #44473e; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 19px; text-indent: 2em;"> </span><sup style="color: #44473e; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; line-height: 0; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-indent: 2em;">10</sup><span style="color: #44473e; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 19px; text-indent: 2em;">From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this ought not to be so.</span><span style="color: #44473e; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 19px; text-indent: 2em;"> </span><sup style="color: #44473e; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; line-height: 0; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-indent: 2em;">11</sup><span style="color: #44473e; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 19px; text-indent: 2em;">Does a spring pour forth from the same opening both fresh and brackish water?</span><span style="color: #44473e; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 19px; text-indent: 2em;"> </span><sup style="color: #44473e; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; line-height: 0; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-indent: 2em;">12</sup><span style="color: #44473e; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 19px; text-indent: 2em;">Can a fig tree, my brothers and sisters, yield olives, or a grapevine figs? No more can salt water yield fresh.</span></i><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9aStkABzo7ETuRhAEYYBf8UIVlJ502Vm4LnH-jLENf4iALoMLTDLLCZq29UY9v05nTVmCW8QQ9FVsQ-Z66-AT9-z7dTKFYcAtq9sgYM7S-v5K9QdSFtqQnm_40oMztIpilZ6I7Hl9YQ/s1600/rules+of+the+game.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9aStkABzo7ETuRhAEYYBf8UIVlJ502Vm4LnH-jLENf4iALoMLTDLLCZq29UY9v05nTVmCW8QQ9FVsQ-Z66-AT9-z7dTKFYcAtq9sgYM7S-v5K9QdSFtqQnm_40oMztIpilZ6I7Hl9YQ/s200/rules+of+the+game.jpg" width="198" /></a>This month we’re focusing on the book of
James in the Bible. It’s a short book in the New Testament that describes ways
of living out the Christian message. The rules of the game, so to speak. He
gives us the things that we should practice as Christians--some things we might want to change about ourselves or how we do church.<o:p></o:p></div>
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The writer of the book of James is like the referee who calls fouls when we don’t practice what Jesus preached. While this book was written
almost 2,000 years ago, it is still relevant today. We make many of the same
mistakes as people and as a church. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Last week, James reminded us that Jesus has a no-cut team.
He—and the church—welcome all who are willing to walk through the doors to come
to him. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Everyone who enters the sanctuary hears the same message—Welcome! You are loved. You matter. You are home.<o:p></o:p></div>
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This week James writes about the power of language. He understood that the words we choose help to create the reality we live
in. He also knows we can get lazy. So, like any athlete needing to practice her sport, we have to practice using the right words. <o:p></o:p><br />
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You know that saying, sticks and stones can break my bones but names
can never hurt me?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s what we say to bullies on the school playground when they call us
names or try to hurt us with their words. It’s almost an automatic response when we are young,
but I wonder if it’s true? Do we say it because the names don’t hurt us? Or do
we say it because they actually do?</div>
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I suspect it’s because they do. We say it because whoever was calling us names had the power to hurt us
and we want to take that power away. We use these words to fight back against
the other words that were hurting us.<i><o:p></o:p></i></div>
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The reading from James shows us words are powerful. He uses the tongue as a symbol for language. And he compares it
to three things: <o:p></o:p></div>
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First, the tongue is
like the bit in a horse’s mouth. With it we guide the horse by showing it
where we want it to go rather than letting it run wherever it would like. <o:p></o:p></div>
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The horse has a will of its own and is big enough to go
where it wants. When we first moved into our house, we kept my sister-in-law's horse in our barn. Now I know some of you <i>like</i> horses and know how to handle them. I'm not one of those people. </div>
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Anyway, when it was time to feed the horse, I'd open the barn door and this huge animal would come charging for me. The first time I was terrified. Don't worry, my husband says, she likes to play chicken. Just don't move and she will run around you. So in fear and terror I would stand still with my eyes closed expecting to be trampled by a runaway horse. </div>
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Yes, indeed, horses have their own will and are big enough to do their own thing. But, put a bit in some horses' mouths and they will submit their will to the rider. Our words are similar. We can use them to guide
ourselves and others in the right way when the will inside of us wants to go a
different way.</div>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
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We do this with our kids all the time. We take these willful
little creatures and spend the first 18 years of their lives trying educate
them with our words. We try to give them a good life by teaching them the word
of God, words of thanks, words of love. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
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Next, James compares
the tongue to the rudder of a boat. Now a boat doesn’t have a will of it’s
own, like a horse. It can be pushed by outside forces like wind, waves or a motor. The boat stays on course with its rudder. The wind and the
waves can push a boat off course, but the pilot can use the rudder to stay on
course. <o:p></o:p></div>
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The right words that can guide us when things seem to be
falling apart around us, when things outside push us off course, when things like illness or job
loss or divorce take us by storm. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">Words</span> in the form of prayer and forgiveness can begin to heal us. They can guide us to safe places when when life is
swirling out of control around us.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Finally, James
compares the tongue to fire. Our tongue—our words—have the power to let
things loose in the world. How we speak to and about one another influences our
families, our churches and our community. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<o:p>I was a Title IX baseball player. In the early seventies it became law that a community couldn't discriminate on the basis of gender for its sports programs. There had to be equal opportunities for girls and boys. Since my town didn't offer girls' softball, I was one of three girls who signed up for minor league baseball--with the boys. </o:p></div>
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<o:p><br /></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtH25J-dZBSVxahb3iUYki-Dq16pi5pBNNGEPzKG3l-hjfktaDFWNrpniSqLtUXXrD02ftnUt-4OodHTO4vyv9o-DSlDqsp-uw2FdSKmQ5KfT-xxVSbJPfAQyI17bkr-IWq5BKFpDtWA/s1600/child+at+bat.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtH25J-dZBSVxahb3iUYki-Dq16pi5pBNNGEPzKG3l-hjfktaDFWNrpniSqLtUXXrD02ftnUt-4OodHTO4vyv9o-DSlDqsp-uw2FdSKmQ5KfT-xxVSbJPfAQyI17bkr-IWq5BKFpDtWA/s320/child+at+bat.jpg" width="320" /></a><o:p>That first year, each time I'd come up to bat, the catcher would trash talk me. <i>Come on, what are you doing here? Girls can't hit! What's your problem, anyway? Yeah, I knew you'd swing and miss!</i></o:p></div>
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<o:p>Out in the field the players would do the chant, <i>Come on, let's go, SHE can't hit. </i>They'd bend over laughing because saying <i>she</i> instead of <i>he </i>was somehow hilarious. Back in 1970-something to do anything "like a girl" was an insult. Thank God that's changed. </o:p></div>
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<o:p>When I think back to that first coach, he probably took a big step at the minor league draft. He said, yes, I'll take a girl on my team. He spoke to me and treated me with respect. He created a culture with his words that allowed me to feel confident enough to keep showing up, even though I struck out a lot that first year. </o:p></div>
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The way we talk to and about each other shows respect or disrespect, love or disdain, forgiveness or judgment. Each of us has the power to start a fire
of blessings or curses with our tongues. We have the power to build up and tear down. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Because our tongues have power, we need to use them for good
in the world. James says we should not use our tongues to bless God <u>and</u>
curse our neighbor. We shouldn’t use our words to exalt God and condemn people
who are made in the very image of God. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
When we curse others, when we insult others, when we trash
talk others we are not following the rules of God’s game, according to James. James says when we use our words the wrong way, we create a
restless evil. Our tongues can be full of deadly poison. It can feed the fires
of hell for us and for the people around us.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
But when we use our tongues the right way, we bless God and
the people around us.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Quakers have a tradition of asking three
questions to help guide their tongues. A good guide for any of us if we want to bless others with our speech.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">#1 Is it true?</b> Do
your words reveal something true about God’s world? Many weeks we pray Psalm
19: May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in
your sight my rock and my redeemer. Don’t say anything in your life that you
would not say to or in front of God. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
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We also shouldn’t mistake being true for
being nice and avoiding conflict. Sometimes the true words are the hardest to speak. But we still
need to do it. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">#2 Is it kind? </b>We
are to speak the truth in love. Paul writes: Do not let any unwholesome talk
come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up
according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Name calling is out. We need to get rid of all bitterness, anger, and slander, along with every form of malice.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> We need to learn to be</span> kind and compassionate to one another,
forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave us. Sometimes we have to make sure our own hearts are in the right place before we
open our mouths.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">#3 Is it necessary?</b> Sometimes
we set out talking when we should be listening. Proverbs says: A fool's lips
bring strife, And his mouth calls for blows. A fool's mouth is his ruin, And
his lips are the snare of his soul. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sometimes we get so excited about by our own
thought or ideas, we forget to listen to others. We end up hijacking a
conversation with our own personal agenda. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
These three questions are a good guide for speech, but I would add one more to this list:<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Is it grateful?</b>
Over and over again we are told to praise God, to bless God or to tell of the
good things God has done for us. Are we words we choose each day creating a life of
gratitude for all that God has given us? Or are we creating a life of emptiness by only talking about the things we don't have or the things that go wrong? <o:p></o:p><br />
<br />
I was thinking about the importance of words when I watched a video of the 9/11 Remembrance for Flight 93. The memorial in Shanksville has added the audio messages of the people who were
on the flight that went down, people who sacrificed their own lives to stop the
plane from crashing and killing others.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The words at the end of life are not words of hate.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The people on Flight 93 said the most important words the could when faced with terror…<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br />
I love you.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://bcove.me/85f9e95d" target="_blank">Listen to some of the recordings here.</a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The words we choose when it really matters are words of love and reconciliation. What if we were to choose our words so carefully each day? Would that make us different people? What kind of world would we create if our words always reflected the love and forgiveness of Christ?<br />
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The book of James calls us to start a new season, one where we play by
God’s rules. One where we heed Jesus’ call to love both God and our neighbor. In Christ, God shows us what happens when the Word becomes flesh and lives among us. We see what happens when God's Word is embodied. People change. Communities change. Eternity changes.<br />
<br />
The Word
of God is a living breathing thing and can be alive in you. It can be what you live out each hour of your life. Words of love can tame our wills and soothe our souls. In the end it's love that matters. It's love that binds us
together in a world filled with chaos. Let’s all watch our words and live a
life in gratitude for the love that God has shown us. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Sue Washburnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15419502853738977807noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-59259081707454825.post-40027001541720525752015-08-23T12:14:00.004-07:002015-08-23T12:15:58.583-07:00Free-Range God<div class="MsoNormal">
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<span style="color: #34372f;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>1 Kings 8</b></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #34372f;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">The priests then brought the ark of the Lord’s covenant to its
place in the inner sanctuary of the temple, the Most Holy Place, and put it
beneath the wings of the cherubim. The cherubim spread their wings over the
place of the ark and overshadowed the ark and its carrying poles. These poles were so long that their ends could
be seen from the Holy Place in front of the inner sanctuary, but not from
outside the Holy Place; and they are still there today. There was nothing in the ark except the two
stone tablets that Moses had placed in it at Horeb, where the Lord made a covenant
with the Israelites after they came out of Egypt.<o:p></o:p></span></i></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: #34372f;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;"> When the priests withdrew
from the Holy Place, the cloud filled the temple of the Lord. And the priests
could not perform their service because of the cloud, for the glory of the Lord
filled his temple.<o:p></o:p></span></i></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: #34372f;"> Then Solomon said, “The
Lord has said that he would dwell in a dark cloud; I have indeed built a magnificent temple for
you, a place for you to dwell forever.”…</span> <o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-size: x-small;">27 “But will God really
dwell on earth? The heavens, even the highest heaven, cannot contain you. How
much less this temple I have built! 28 Yet give attention to your servant’s
prayer and his plea for mercy, Lord my God. Hear the cry and the prayer that
your servant is praying in your presence this day.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #34372f;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">41 “As for the foreigner who does not belong to your people
Israel but has come from a distant land because of your name— 42 for they will
hear of your great name and your mighty hand and your outstretched arm—when
they come and pray toward this temple, 43 then hear from heaven, your dwelling
place. Do whatever the foreigner asks of you, so that all the peoples of the
earth may know your name and fear you, as do your own people Israel, and may
know that this house I have built bears your Name.<o:p></o:p></span></i></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>John
4: 19-26</b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-size: x-small;">“Sir,”
[a Samaritan woman said to Jesus], “I can see that you are a prophet. <b>20 </b>Our ancestors
worshiped on this mountain, but you Jews claim that the place where we must
worship is in Jerusalem.”<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>21 </b>“Woman,” Jesus replied, “believe me, a time is coming when
you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem. <b>22 </b>You Samaritans
worship what you do not know; we worship what we do know, for salvation is from
the Jews. <b>23 </b>Yet a time is coming
and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in the Spirit
and in truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. <b>24 </b>God is spirit,
and his worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth.”<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>25 </b>The woman said, “I know that Messiah” (called Christ) “is
coming. When he comes, he will explain everything to us.”<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>26 </b>Then Jesus
declared, “I, the one speaking to you—I am he.”</span></i><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></i></div>
<!--EndFragment--><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNKYTgfQyjn0UtoJfL1LtwxQgSKcTe8oKIAmzRfXUFvdl58LkmrU3c28n4AKpmhyJH0G9SYnpXKbyHOjN2GGOCGbElhca3Y6wBNaKPVeasiNilj89mUxe3Vciw7giqFey6vG-h-ejrwA/s1600/chicks.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNKYTgfQyjn0UtoJfL1LtwxQgSKcTe8oKIAmzRfXUFvdl58LkmrU3c28n4AKpmhyJH0G9SYnpXKbyHOjN2GGOCGbElhca3Y6wBNaKPVeasiNilj89mUxe3Vciw7giqFey6vG-h-ejrwA/s200/chicks.JPG" width="173" /></a></div>
About 10 years ago my family and I decided to get chickens. To
get ready we cleaned out the kids’ old wooden playhouse. We put in perches and
nesting boxes, lined openings with chicken wire and built a large fenced in
area. I’d seen some of those chicken coops that you could buy but they seemed
so small. I wanted to have happy chickens. But there was so much I did not
know. Like to get hens and not roosters.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br />
All of the chickens in the first group were Rhode Island Reds except one. Rocky
was a black and white striped Barred Plymouth Rock and he was as big and bad as a rooster could be.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I didn’t realize that a dozen chickens would make short work
of a 25 x 25 piece of grass. So, I did some reading on the Internet and
discovered that if I let the chickens out, they would automatically go back
into the coop at night. HA! Don’t believe every thing you read on the Internet.
I have memories of chasing hens through the yard and gathering sleeping chickens out of
trees in order to put them to bed in the coop.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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But, I liked the idea of free-range chickens, chickens who
could do what chickens were intended to do. I liked to watch them cluck and
scratch in the yard. Instead of watching TV, we would sit on the swing outside and
watch the chickens. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-L4kXsIqRdGhGopoSaRaXA11SxGKKG8AUO0XTS6p9IXkiNMz6xM4R9h0BQ7Bkdo9Xc5ouJbLq0f9VfRFgC5oAap8JmVcH8IO7aV-10bUGF3_9y0IxcRC1PV-qBxm07ttFhPoNHLF9jA/s1600/rocky.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="171" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-L4kXsIqRdGhGopoSaRaXA11SxGKKG8AUO0XTS6p9IXkiNMz6xM4R9h0BQ7Bkdo9Xc5ouJbLq0f9VfRFgC5oAap8JmVcH8IO7aV-10bUGF3_9y0IxcRC1PV-qBxm07ttFhPoNHLF9jA/s400/rocky.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
But there was one problem with idyllic scene. Rocky. He was the patriarch and he was MEAN. If you<o:p></o:p><br />
walked too close to him or
his hens, he would run to attack you with his sharp claws and beak. It got to
the point where if we went outside, we would take what we called a “chicken-be-good
stick” for protection--a golf club or a branch the size of a walking stick. It
was ridiculous really, to be terrorized in our own yard by a rooster. </div>
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I know if you are a real farmer you are thinking that I’m a
fool. Rocky should have been in the stew pot as soon as he had enough meat on
him. But nobody in my family could “eliminate” him. We’d rather put up with a
crazy and unmanageable chicken than get rid of him all together. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3cJ35hIr0RTG7abFC7vyxiIIgSvHq9d7D48rz0j7iBYC_E3ttSncX6uWZ1B840Wofg3dAuFLB9k6emPqADqAmKqH6rfCcsMslMnnqJarDQjJz9Nvscchkhee-PqogS8-ORipTDDZYOg/s1600/chicks1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="178" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3cJ35hIr0RTG7abFC7vyxiIIgSvHq9d7D48rz0j7iBYC_E3ttSncX6uWZ1B840Wofg3dAuFLB9k6emPqADqAmKqH6rfCcsMslMnnqJarDQjJz9Nvscchkhee-PqogS8-ORipTDDZYOg/s200/chicks1.JPG" width="200" /></a>Truth be told, though, Rocky was just doing his job. He was single-minded in his devotion to his brood. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Despite
Rocky’s unpredictability, I couldn’t keep the chickens contained in that little
house. I let them roam as free-range chickens. <o:p></o:p><br />
While he was alive, we lost very
few hens to the foxes and raccoons.</div>
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<br /></div>
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Over time, Rocky and I learned how to behave with one another and came
to an uneasy peace. But whenever I’d get too close, he’d come running with his
head down and his feathers flying. Once Rocky died, we lost all of our hens one by one because he wasn't around to protect them. I never understood the mind of
Rocky, but in a weird way I respected him and loved him. Rocky was, well,
Rocky. He’s the only chicken whose name we remember. He’s a legend among
chickens at our house.<o:p></o:p></div>
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In our Bible story today, Solomon is the new king of Israel.
He has built, not a coop, but a glorious temple to God. It’s big and beautiful, using the best
materials available. Our scripture reading comes from the dedication of the
temple.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The event was like many
dedication events today. All the important people in the community were there.
There were long speeches and polite applause. There was Solomon’s long, long
prayer, parts of which we have with us today. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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At the temple dedication, they brought in the Ark of the
Covenant to its place in the inner sanctuary. When the ark was put into the
temple, the glory of the LORD filled the temple as a cloud. Solomon talks to
God saying, I have built a magnificent temple for you a place for you to dwell
forever. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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Now many of you may remember the King Solomon is known for
his wisdom. He is a smart and spiritual man. He’s credited with writing the
book of Proverbs and the Song of Solomon (or the Song of Songs, depending on
your translation).<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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Solomon is smart enough to know that even though he built a
magnificent temple for God, that temple could never contain God. He couldn't keep the God of the universe cooped up. Solomon knew that God is a free-range
God. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Solomon knew that a house, a temple or a church couldn’t contain God because eGod is free to walk about creation and do whatever it is God chooses to do. God is free-range God. </div>
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<br />
Solomon understood that he didn't know the mind of God. Our mortal brains cannot figure out God or contain God. God tells
us through the prophet Isaiah: <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br />
My thoughts are not
your thoughts,<o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>neither are your
ways my ways,”<o:p></o:p></div>
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declares the Lord.<o:p></o:p></div>
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“As the heavens are higher than the earth,<o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>so are my ways
higher than your ways<o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>and my thoughts
than your thoughts. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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Our ideas about God are limited. Our interpretation of
scripture is limited. Our theology about God is limited. God can’t be contained
by the human mind because God is a free-range God. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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Finally, our hearts are not big enough to contain God. Many of us have had spiritual
experiences that completely overwhelm us. Experiences where God feels so big
and powerful that our hearts cannot even begin to understand what is happening.
Times like when when we have been so grateful that it feels like our heart will burst. Times when we've felt such forgiveness that it brings tears. Times when we pray so fervently that we are sure God will hear and respond.<br />
<br /></div>
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But the desires of our hearts don’t limit what God can do. God
doesn’t act a certain way because it feels right to us. God cannot be contained
by our human hearts because God is a free-range God. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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And this presents a conundrum for us, because there is
always more to God than we can ever think and feel. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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You may come into this sanctuary believing that God is good all the time. You may think
that God is going to reconcile the whole world one day. You may believe that
God’s plan is to bring together the good, the bad and the ugly into a beautiful
new creation and that hell will cease to exist because the God of love wins.
You may believe that eventually every knee will bow and every tongue will
confess to Jesus in gratitude. There is plenty in the good book to lead you to
believe that.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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But, remember, God is a free-range God. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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You may come into this sanctuary believing God’s goodness means that justice is done
and that this justice sometimes requires punishment and restitution. You may think that
there is a dividing line between the people who are going to heaven and those
who are going to hell. You may believe that people who don’t proclaim Jesus as
LORD or say the sinners prayer or get baptized before they die, will miss out
on the joy of heaven and instead be mired in the eternal torment of hell. There is plenty in the good
book to lead you to believe this. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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But, remember, God is a free-range God. God is sovereign and not bound by our buildings, ideas and desires.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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God is always free to break out of the box that we try to put him in.
The cloud of God’s glory leaves the temple that Solomon built.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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The glory of God breaks out of heaven and
comes to earth as Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ breaks through barriers that keep people apart.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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A free-range God can be a frightening thing because God will
break out of whatever box we try to put Him in and, this is the hard part, challenge you to love Him
anyway. <o:p></o:p><br />
<br />
God will break out of whatever box we try to put her in and, this is the hardest part, challenge you to love Her anyway.<br />
<br />
God will break out of whatever box we try to put God in and, this is the hardest part, challenge you to love God anyway.<br />
<br />
God as Him is a box. God as Her is a box. God is not a him or a her. God is God. Separate, apart and unconstrained by our idea of who God should be. </div>
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<br /></div>
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Can you embrace and love and respect a God that thinks
differently from you? Can you believe in a God that sends people to hell? Can you believe in a God that doesn't? Can you have faith in a God
who may choose not follow the rules of your religion? <o:p></o:p><br />
<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
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This is Jesus’ problem. He doesn’t follow the religious
rules of his time. He ministers to lepers, he eats with sinners, he proclaims
his salvation to Samaritans. He says that being holy doesn’t mean being better
than or set apart or special. He tells a women, an outcast, that the time is
coming when it won’t matter if you’re called a Samaritain, a leper or a sinner.
It <span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Helvetica Neue";">will not matter where
you go to worship.</span><o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Helvetica Neue";">People
were so opposed to the ideal of a free-range God that they killed Jesus. No way
did their God want lepers, Samaritans, tax collectors and sinners. They wanted
to keep God in their box and chained by their rules. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Helvetica Neue";">But God
did not let that happen. God didn't stay cooped up or confined. God broke out of the divine box and put on human skin as Jesus.
God broke the box of religion and showed us how to truly live in faith. God
broke the box of death and showed us eternal and abundant life. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Helvetica Neue";">God can’t
be confined to a temple or a church or even a tomb. God is a free-range God who
chooses to walk alongside us. God is a free-range God who chooses to forgive
us. God is a free-range God who chooses to love us. God is a free-range God who
challenges us to keep the faith even when the walls we build are falling down around
us. </span><o:p></o:p><br />
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Helvetica Neue";"><br /></span>
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Helvetica Neue";">Because this is a God of good news. We can't <u>control</u> God, but we can <u>trust</u> God. In faith, we can trust that the God of the universe chooses to love us and forgive us through Christ. We can trust that the free-range God breaks out of boxes and buildings to do the things of God. We are called to follow this God out of the the box, out of the building and out of the tomb. </span></div>
Sue Washburnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15419502853738977807noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-59259081707454825.post-21324284818089143132015-08-16T18:02:00.001-07:002015-08-16T18:41:13.171-07:00One Life to Live<div class="MsoNormal">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIJFGD6r7bFjEgxFhCrLU2Xl-yZXfoXehQEaowO-NRYsAnNJrRjjZSiEmDoA6Iz5AaS9rpFjj3boWHMFeB0jEVGOBrRcAsEY0fSq1HwwSf9oPdYZEJ-QCHPhJUoDPhtnWr2sCy_ehgEA/s1600/David+Series.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIJFGD6r7bFjEgxFhCrLU2Xl-yZXfoXehQEaowO-NRYsAnNJrRjjZSiEmDoA6Iz5AaS9rpFjj3boWHMFeB0jEVGOBrRcAsEY0fSq1HwwSf9oPdYZEJ-QCHPhJUoDPhtnWr2sCy_ehgEA/s200/David+Series.jpg" width="191" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>1 KINGS</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-size: x-small;"><o:p> </o:p><b><span style="font-family: Arial;">1 </span></b><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue';">When
King David was very old, he could not keep warm even when they put covers over
him. </span><b><span style="font-family: Arial;">2 </span></b><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue';">So
his attendants said to him, “Let us look for a young virgin to serve the king
and take care of him. She can lie beside him so that our lord the king may keep
warm.”</span></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-size: x-small;"><b><span style="font-family: Arial;">3 </span></b><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue';">Then
they searched throughout Israel for a beautiful young woman and found Abishag,
a Shunammite, and brought her to the king. </span><b><span style="font-family: Arial;">4 </span></b><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue';">The woman was very beautiful; she took
care of the king and waited on him, but the king had no sexual relations with her. </span></span></i><i><span style="font-size: x-small;"><b><span style="font-family: Arial;">5 </span></b><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue';">Now
[one of David’s sons] Adonijah, whose mother was Haggith, put himself forward
and said, “I will be king.”…</span></span></i></div>
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<br /></div>
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<i><span style="font-size: x-small;"><b><span style="font-family: Arial;">15 </span></b><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue';">So
Bathsheba went to see the aged king in his room, where Abishag the Shunammite
was attending him. </span><b><span style="font-family: Arial;">16 </span></b><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue';">Bathsheba
bowed down, prostrating herself before the king.<o:p></o:p></span></span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue';"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">“What is it you want?” the king asked.<o:p></o:p></span></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue';"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></i></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-size: x-small;"><b><span style="font-family: Arial;">17 </span></b><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue';">She
said to him, “My lord, you yourself swore to me your servant by the Lord your
God: ‘Solomon your son shall be king after me, and he will sit on my throne.’ </span><b><span style="font-family: Arial;">18 </span></b><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue';">But now
Adonijah has become king, and you, my lord the king, do not know about it. </span><b><span style="font-family: Arial;">19 </span></b><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue';">He has
sacrificed great numbers of cattle, fattened calves, and sheep, and has invited
all the king’s sons, Abiathar the priest and Joab the commander of the army,
but he has not invited Solomon your servant. </span><b><span style="font-family: Arial;">20 </span></b><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue';">My lord the king, the eyes of all Israel
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Medium';"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">David Makes Solomon King<o:p></o:p></span></i></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-size: x-small;"><b><span style="font-family: Arial;">29 </span></b><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue';">The
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will surely carry out this very day what I swore to you by the Lord, the God of
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in my place.”</span></i><span style="font-size: 16pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue';"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue';"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>MATTHEW 21</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue';"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></i></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-size: x-small;">8 A very large crowd spread their cloaks on the road, and
others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road. 9 The crowds
that went ahead of him and that followed were shouting,<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-size: x-small;">“Hosanna to the Son of David!<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Blessed is the one
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<i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Hosanna in the highest heaven!”</span></i><o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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Hear the <a href="https://soundcloud.com/sue-washburn/king-david-intro-one-life-to-live" target="_blank">Cheesy Soap Opera Intro</a></div>
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<br /></div>
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Our scene today is a soap opera classic. Our patriarch is on his deathbed and the people
around him scheming to see who will get his money and power. Adonijah, the oldest son, declares himself king. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
But, while Adonijah has the confidence to be next king, it’s Bathsheba
who has David's ear and affection. She’s heard that Adonijah has
his eye on the throne and sets out to do something about it.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
You may remember Bathsheba from the scriptures the last few
weeks—the bathing beauty <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>whom David “takes”
from another man and then has her husband killed after he discovers she’s
pregnant. They lost that child but had another boy, Solomon, a year or so
later. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
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This week we’ve fast forwarded the story, leaving out a lot of
David’s royal drama. Today David is OLD. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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He's so old can’t get out of bed. He's so old he can’t keep warm. He's so old he can't act like a king. His servants and elders have brought in a beautiful woman to
serve and take care of him and hopefully rouse him to action. This woman is young
and enticing as she flits around the royal bedroom, sometimes plumping pillows,
sometimes feeding the king and other times crawling under the covers with him
to keep him warm. But, David, one known for his sexual prowess, does not or
cannot “take” her. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
In walks Bathsheba. Bathsheba was once the beautiful,
enticing young woman catching the king’s eye. But, she, too, has aged. She may have put on a few pounds living in the palace with all that rich food. Maybe she has
some gray hair here and there. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
She and David have been married long enough for Solomon to become a young man. She has come to David to advocate for Solomon. She wants <i>her</i> son on the throne.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
She takes stock of the old man in his bed. She bows down and
prostrates herself before the impotent king and reminds him of his promise to
her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“You swore that my son Solomon
would be king after you, but Adonijah is saying he has become king.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
David’s mind might struggle to recall that promise. Maybe I
made it after the first baby died, he might think. Or maybe I made the promise
when Solomon was a toddler after seeing how much joy he brought Bathsheba. He doesn’t
specifically remember making that promise, but perhaps when he looks at her through the lens of his memory he could imagine
promising her anything. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“You swore,” Bathsheba says looking directly at him, tugging
at his conscience. “And if my son Solomon is <u>not</u> made king, both he and
I may be killed once you are gone. You swore to me by the Lord your God …”<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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Except…<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Except there is no place
in the Bible that says David made such a promise.</b> Bathsheba makes a bold
play to get Solomon crowned king.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Now Bathsheba often gets a bad rap for scheming to get her son
on the throne. But before we judge her too harshly, we have to remember what life was like for her. She was one
of the king’s wives, and when the new king came along he would take David's wives
and concubines. And yes, he would likely “take” them in
<i>that</i> <i>sexual</i> sense of the word. The new king may also decide to kill any rivals to the throne.
Bathsheba may have been scheming to protect both her dignity and her child. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“You promised,” Bathsheba says and David agrees. Maybe he’s
been reflecting on his life and feels guilty for the underhanded way in which
he acquired Bathsheba. Maybe he remembers that he was a younger son and he
ended up as king. We don’t know why, but David rises to the occasion, gets up out
of bed and goes out to publically declare Solomon king. Shortly thereafter he
dies and Solomon takes the throne--and Solomon has his rival Adonijah put to death.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
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David’s life and his death are far from ordinary. If David had a newspaper in his
time, I’m sure he would have had an impressive obituary. He had a fancy job
title, lots of family left behind, many accomplishments worth listing. David is
a notable and powerful man. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But he’s not
the only one. Bathsheba has power, too.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">The Bible shows us
that how we use our power is one of the most important decisions we can make in
life.</b><o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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Let’s look at the three examples of the power people have from our
scriptures today—two from the David and Bathsheba story and one from Jesus. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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First, there’s the blatant and overt power of the patriarch
king.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In this hierarchy, the king makes
things happen with a word. The king decides who lives and who dies. The king
chooses which other tribes to fight and what land to take over. The king
conscripts men for fighting and women for more personal services. The king
orders builders to build and bakers to bake. The king has direct power over
what he does and what other people do.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
David used this kind of power to do great things for his people and his God. He made Israel into a nation instead of a rag tag
collection of tribes. He conquered the city of Jerusalem and brought the ark of
the covenant into the new capital city. He united the northern and southern
kingdoms of Judah and Israel into one country. We should admire David for this.
<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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But David found out that it was hard to keep this kind of
power in check. He started using it, for the betterment of himself, not just
the betterment of the country.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He
stopped thinking about what impact his decisions might have on the people around him. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
We all have a David in our lives. Maybe not a king, but someone who has a lot of
control over what we do with our time and energy. Luckily, there aren’t too many tyrants
in most of our lives, with, perhaps, the exception of toddlers. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Think about parenting a two-year old. Such little bodies hold such incredible power--over our time, our energy and our frame of mind. We don’t <i>always</i> want
to overpower our kids even though we can.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> So w</span>e sometimes we resort to other techniques. After the fifth tantrum over
the cookie jar—we just hide it in the cupboard rather than fight about it--again. We tease,
cajole and manipulate to convince a child to eat broccoli rather than use
force. But, this is our choice. We could choose to fight two-year old power with blatant parental power,
but it's not healthy to do it all the time.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Bathsheba was not in a position to fight power with power. She can’t
command David. She had to learn to live with his realm of power. So she’s using
what she does have—her history and her emotional ties to David to get what she
wants. She bows and cajoles and plays to his power. Bathsheba used subversive power.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I’m reminded of this scene from My Big Fat Greek Wedding where the mother reminds her daughter that the man may be the head of the household, but the woman is the neck who can make the head turn any way she wants. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen="" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/YIm1dYTv-mQ/0.jpg" frameborder="0" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/YIm1dYTv-mQ?feature=player_embedded" width="320"></iframe></div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
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David has overt and hierarchal power and Bathsheba has subversive power. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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And then we have Jesus. Jesus is his own kind of power.</div>
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<br /></div>
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Our New Testament reading is usually heard on Palm Sunday. The crowds
are so excited to see Jesus coming into town. They wave palms, and hail the son
of David. They are convinced that the messiah has come-- a messiah, an anointed
one, like David. They want a new king to put them on top in the hierarchy of
power, to make them the bosses again, to make Israel great by defeating
the Romans. They are filled with patriotic fervor and are expecting a
brilliant political mastermind and a charismatic warrior-leader.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
But they get something totally different. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They get a servant-leader. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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They get someone who uses his power completely differently. This
is so important for us to remember as Christians. The people cheering Jesus wanted
a David, but they get someone more like Bathsheba. Someone who doesn’t take on
Rome head on but chooses to use another kind of power.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Jesus could have defeated Rome. Jesus had the power of God
in his hands and could have done anything in this world. He could have raised
armies and raised the dead. He could have commanded the sea to flood or dry up
or turn into wine. Jesus had people lining the streets for a revolution. Jesus
had people who were ready to fight and die for their nation under his leadership.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
But the crowd soon found out Jesus wasn’t a new David. There are some big differences
between David and Jesus. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><b>David commanded people. </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><b>Jesus invited them.<o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><b>David took the things he wanted. </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><b>Jesus gave them up.<o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><b>David lived in a palace. </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><b>Jesus was homeless. <o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><b>David feasted with leaders. </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><b>Jesus broke bread with sinners. <o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><b>David put himself first. </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><b>Jesus put people first.<o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><b>David executed the people who opposed him. </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><b>Jesus died on a
cross, executed by the people he loved. </b></span><o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
We are all a little like David, to some degree. We all want
things in life to go our way. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We want to
make choices for ourselves. We want to be independent like David, We want to
kings and queens, even if it’s just in our own homes. <o:p></o:p></div>
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But, we aren’t called to be like David. We are all called to
be like Jesus. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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How many of us would say we are powerful on the world stage? Anybody here a national politician? A billionaire philanthropist? Nobel prize winner? Nobody? </div>
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<br /></div>
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Those of us here don’t run big companies or make laws. Even
so, Jesus shows us that we have power. <u>What we choose to do in our everyday lives matters</u>. What we do at home matters. Think of Jesus' ministry. He says in words and action: <o:p></o:p></div>
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</div>
<ul>
<li><o:p> </o:p><b style="text-indent: -0.25in;">How we
treat our neighbor matters in the kingdom of God</b><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">. Jesus says we are to love our neighbors as much
as we love ourselves. </span></li>
<li><b style="text-indent: -0.25in;">Who we
eat with matters in the kingdom of God.</b><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;"> Jesus ate with sinners and prostitutes. Jesus fed the
hungry. </span></li>
<li><b style="text-indent: -0.25in;">What we
do with our money and stuff matters in the kingdom of God</b><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">. Jesus tells people not to save up for
another day but sell what they have to care for the poor. </span></li>
<li><b style="text-indent: -0.25in;">How we
pray matters in the kingdom of God.</b><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;"> Jesus tells us not just to pray for people we like but to
pray for those who persecute us.</span></li>
</ul>
<br />
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<o:p></o:p></div>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
Each of us only has one life to live. We should live it like
it matters to the world, because it does. We have the power to choose love or
hate, bitterness or forgiveness, violence or peace. We can heal or we can hurt.
<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Jesus Christ shows us that the world is changed one interaction at a time, not by a great political mind, a brilliant war strategist or a show of blatant power. The kingdom of God is defined differently-- by a healing touch, an assurance of
forgiveness or a shared scrap of bread. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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Jesus shows us how to live in God's kingdom. It’s not like royalty, but
like an ordinary, loving person. He shows us how to act toward God, our neighbors,
our friends and our enemies. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Jesus Christ,
God in the flesh, shows us the way to eternal and abundant life isn’t achieved
by gaining power, but by sharing it with those around us. In Christ, God gave
up power to become flesh and dwell among us. In that one lived life, the
world was changed forever. Thanks be to God. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Sue Washburnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15419502853738977807noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-59259081707454825.post-71395541429483663042015-08-09T16:56:00.004-07:002015-08-09T17:17:20.380-07:00Days of Our Lives<div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 10px;">
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<i>This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: ‘I anointed
you king over Israel, and I delivered you from the hand of Saul. 8 I gave your
master’s house to you, and your master’s wives into your arms. I gave you all
Israel and Judah. And if all this had been too little, I would have given you
even more. 9 Why did you despise the word of the Lord by doing what is evil in
his eyes? You struck down Uriah the Hittite with the sword and took his wife to
be your own. You killed him with the sword of the Ammonites. <o:p></o:p></i></div>
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<i>10 Now, therefore, the sword will never depart from your
house, because you despised me and took the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be
your own.’ 11 “This is what the Lord says: ‘Out of your own household I am
going to bring calamity on you. Before your very eyes I will take your wives
and give them to one who is close to you, and he will sleep with your wives in
broad daylight. 12 You did it in secret, but I will do this thing in broad
daylight before all Israel.’”<o:p></o:p></i></div>
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<i>13 Then David said to Nathan, “I have sinned against the
Lord.”<o:p></o:p></i></div>
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<br /></div>
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<i>Nathan replied, “The Lord has taken away your sin. You are
not going to die. 14 But because by doing this you have shown utter contempt
for the Lord, the son born to you will die.” 15 After Nathan had gone home, the
Lord struck the child that Uriah’s wife had borne to David, and he became
ill.16 David pleaded with God for the child. He fasted and spent the nights
lying in sackcloth on the ground. 17 The elders of his household stood beside
him to get him up from the ground, but he refused, and he would not eat any
food with them.<o:p></o:p></i></div>
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<i>18 On the seventh day the child died. David’s attendants
were afraid to tell him that the child was dead, for they thought, “While the
child was still living, he wouldn’t listen to us when we spoke to him. How can
we now tell him the child is dead? He may do something desperate.” 19 David
noticed that his attendants were whispering among themselves, and he realized
the child was dead. “Is the child dead?” he asked.<o:p></o:p></i></div>
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<i>“Yes,” they replied, “he is dead.”<o:p></o:p></i></div>
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<i>20 Then David got up from the ground. After he had washed,
put on lotions and changed his clothes, he went into the house of the Lord and
worshiped. Then he went to his own house, and at his request they served him
food, and he ate.<o:p></o:p></i></div>
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<i>21 His attendants asked him, “Why are you acting this way?
While the child was alive, you fasted and wept, but now that the child is dead,
you get up and eat!”<o:p></o:p></i></div>
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<i>22 He answered, “While the child was still alive, I fasted
and wept. I thought, ‘Who knows? The Lord may be gracious to me and let the
child live.’ 23 But now that he is dead, why should I go on fasting? Can I
bring him back again? I will go to him, but he will not return to me.”</i><o:p></o:p></div>
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<i><br /></i></div>
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen="" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/AoyZs-WTQp8/0.jpg" frameborder="0" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/AoyZs-WTQp8?feature=player_embedded" width="320"></iframe></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">We’ve been having some fun thinking of King David’s life as a
soap opera. But, this week the King David story takes another turn. No longer
is David a young king on the rise. There's more sand through the hourglass, piling at the bottom. Today he is middle-aged man facing some of the most difficult issues in his life. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">We pick up after the tantalizing story of King David’s
“affair” with his married neighbor Bathsheba while her husband is off at war. David takes Bathsheba and gets her pregnant. Rather than own it, he tries to cover it up by inviting Bathsheba’s husband back from the front so
that he can go into his wife. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">But he doesn’t. Instead the young husband stays chaste. He thinks it would be wrong to enjoy all of the comforts of home,
so to speak, <o:p></o:p></span><span style="font-size: 19px; line-height: 28px;">since his fellow soldiers and even the ark of the covenant are at the battlefield in tents.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">So the soldier, sleeps outside, forgoing the opportunity to
lay with his wife and lay claim to the son within her. David has the man killed in battle to cover up his crime. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">But, he can't hide from God. God knows of David’s sins. And while God promises that
David will not die as punishment, a whole host of other terrible things will
happen. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">God promises to raise up trouble for David from his own
house. And it happens. One son rapes one of his daughters. Another son kills
the rapist and then tries to steal the throne from David. But the first
punishment that David experiences is the one we read about today. The baby he has
with Bathsheba will die.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">This story of God’s punishment confronts us with the biggest
challenges of the Christian faith. It forces us to ask the hard question. Why
do bad things happen? Why does tragedy strike people who don’t seem to deserve
it? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Any time a child dies it feels unjust and unfair. When a
parent dies and leaves young children it feels tragic. Bad things will happen to most
of us during the days of our lives.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg92WaY6vYLlXu3_1_Dy2rwnyo0Z5KVfGgAfba7Z2-suOcGkoVUZmCuv3TCDBddWh9GbohhJv9Bpa-afg3zc9Wojr-9KdJYE3y8h1s2Fvw98Tq_GQ4zEgTeR_5mJw3rlw8AFnFJUyX85A/s1600/David+praying.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="286" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg92WaY6vYLlXu3_1_Dy2rwnyo0Z5KVfGgAfba7Z2-suOcGkoVUZmCuv3TCDBddWh9GbohhJv9Bpa-afg3zc9Wojr-9KdJYE3y8h1s2Fvw98Tq_GQ4zEgTeR_5mJw3rlw8AFnFJUyX85A/s320/David+praying.gif" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">In the Bible David hears the news that his child is sick and does
what many of us have done or would do. He falls to the ground and starts to
pray. He prays, he fasts, he lays on the ground
in despair, pleading with God. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">His elders stand around him and try to get him to get up and
do his job as king. But David keeps praying.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">His servants stand off in the corner whispering and worrying
that he may kill himself out of despair. But David keeps praying.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">When the sick child finally dies, the servants are afraid to even
tell David. But, he hears them whispering. He looks across the room and sees the
panic in their faces. In his heart he already knows it. The baby is dead. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">And David gets up, cleans up, worships and resumes his life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>David did all of the right religious things
and it made no difference. It didn’t matter that he was the king. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It didn’t matter that he was God’s anointed. It
didn’t matter that he prayed unceasingly. David did not get his way on this
one. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Unsurprisingly, this passage is not in the list of scriptures
that a lot of preachers use. It may be one that you didn’t even know existed
until today. This is a passage that challenges our faith. It doesn’t contain
easy slogans that we can post on Facebook. It doesn’t lend itself to religious
platitudes. It doesn’t make us feel good. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">This part of the David story shows us a fierce and
frightening God—a God that we don’t control. And it leaves us sitting with our
Bible’s open and our hearts breaking as we wonder, Why? <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Why do innocent people and babies suffer in
this world?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace; line-height: 150%;"><b>Why God? is a question that I ask a lot. God is big enough
for my questions and yours. </b></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Why God? I asked it at the funeral home last year looking at
the body of a bright, talented, faithful young woman in a coffin as her parents
tried to understand why she would commit suicide. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Why God? I asked it a few weeks ago after sitting in my truck
talking with another young woman who had been in my Sunday school class while
her three year old played with friends in the yard. The heroin is so easy, she
said. I just don’t know how to quit. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Why God? I asked it in high school when my friend's father got
through a quadruple bypass surgery only to die in a car accident a short time later.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Why God? I ask when I read that 130 children were killed in
Sudan after being gang raped and castrated. Or the 20-thousand children killed
in Syria. Or a hurricane that slams into a city. Or someone’s miscarriage. Or someone’s cancer. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Thoughtful and faithful Christians have been asking the
question Why? since Christianity began. In fact, thoughtful
and faithful Jews were asking why bad things happen before Jesus was even born. The book
of Job in the Bible asks why bad things happen to good and righteous people. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">I wish I could stand up here and tell you I have the answer. I wish that I could stand up here and preach to you that bad
things only happen to bad people. But you and I know that’s not how it works. Sometimes bad things happen to good people. Sometimes babies die. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">It turns out that we people of faith have a logic problem:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="line-height: 150%;"><b><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">God is all-good <o:p></o:p></span></b></span><br />
<span style="line-height: 150%;"><b><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 150%;"><b><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">God is all-powerful <o:p></o:p></span></b></span><br />
<span style="line-height: 150%;"><b><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 150%;"><b><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">God is all-knowing </span></b></span><br />
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<span style="line-height: 150%;"><b><i>and yet</i></b></span><br />
<span style="line-height: 150%;"><b><i><br /></i></b></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 150%;"><b><span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">Bad things happen. </span></b><span style="font-size: medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">It does not make sense. Why does a good, powerful, all-knowing
God allow bad things? Why does evil exist? The study of this conundrum is
called theodicy. And I highly doubt that you and I are going to solve this
problem today or in this lifetime. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">But if you’ve asked this Why? question and have felt
unfaithful in doing so, I want you to know that you are not alone and it does
not make you a bad Christian. If you have endured tragedy or illness or
disappointment and been angry with God, you are not alone and you are not a bad Christian. There isn’t a
feeling you can have that God does not know about or understand. There isn’t a
thing that you can think that can separate you from the love of God.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">And so I'd like to talk about this Why? question and how we think of it. The Why? question has gotten different answers from God's people at different
times. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><b>Why?</b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;">Some Christians believe that when bad things happen it’s
God’s punishment for sin or a test from God.</span><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;">
</span><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;">This is the most common explanation for the terrible things that happen
in the Old Testament—for the baby dying, for stories of God’s smiting, for the
story of Job. Bad things happen because it’s God’s punishment or a test of
faith. This is a real stumbling block for many Christian’s today.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">The Old Testament writers say God is merciful and gracious,
slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness. The very next
words say God will execute punishment to third and fourth generations of a person
who has sinned. Children will be punished for their parents’ sins. ( Exodus 34:6-7).
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">The phrase "the sins of the father" comes from this idea. God
punishes the children for the iniquity of the parents. This is exactly what
happens in David’s story. The prophet tells David: by this deed [with
Bathsheba] you have utterly scorned the Lord, the child that is born to you
shall die.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">How can we reconcile this with a good God? Can we? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Thankfully, idea of children suffering for the sins of the
parents changes over time in the Bible. Turn to the middle of the Bible and
Jeremiah and Ezekiel reverse this understanding and say that that the
punishment for the parent’s sin will NOT be visited upon the child, but stay
with the parent. A child’s death, illness or disability is not the result of
the parent’s sins.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Flip further in the book, to the time of Jesus, and things change even more. Illness and disability were no longer God’s punishment.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The disciples ask Jesus the question, Who
sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">And what does Jesus say? </span><br />
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Neither. Blindness and illness do not come from
sin. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><o:p><b> Why?</b></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">The second way to answer the why question is to assume that the events in our lives are part of God’s bigger plan. Christians are able to believe
that God is eventually working out all things for the good, even when bad
things happen to them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Some people who
read this story think that David’s child is better off with God. That in death
he is able to escape living with being the stain of David’s sin. The suffering
and death lead to something better.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">When we think of it this way, we use Jesus as our model. We
believe that, like Jesus, the suffering we experience is part of a bigger and
better plan. Jesus suffered and died that we might have eternal life. There was
a purpose to his suffering, it was part of God’s plan. Our pain is not
pointless. We experience redemptive suffering. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">When bad things happen, it isn’t punishment or a test. It is
a faith stance that says God will turn it into something good in the long run. But
even with this approach this suffering is still of God. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Over time, some of us can get to the place where we can see
how we have changed as the result of our suffering. What seemed
senseless at the time can look purposeful in hindsight. This isn’t always the
case. But many Christians believe that their suffering serves a greater
purpose.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><o:p><b>Why?</b></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Some Christians believe that suffering <u>never</u> comes
from God. Suffering only happens because we live in a broken world. The
terrible things that happen are not from God, but the result of the sin that we
have brought upon ourselves. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">These Christians would say that Christ didn’t die for our
sins as a blood sacrifice at the hands of an angry God, but that Christ died for
our sins by our own violent hands. <u>We</u> snuffed out the light that came into the
darkness. <u>We</u> crucified the goodness of God in the world. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;">And the good news is that God would not let that evil stand. God would not let
Jesus’ death be the last word. God resurrected Jesus to eternal life to
demonstrate that forgiveness is more powerful than our sin. Love defeats death. Good is more powerful than
evil. God has the power to resurrect the goodness that we destroy. </span><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;">Suffering does not get to have the final word in our lives. </span><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;">In this view, God doesn’t </span><i style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;">cause</i><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;"> the suffering, but God can walk with us through the
suffering, through the valley of the shadow of death. God can walk with us until we get to the other side.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">At some point in your life, you may believe all of these
things—or none of them. I know that many of you have wrestled with illness or tragedy in your lives, you
know that there isn’t one easy answer. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;">You know that during times of darkness we need to take so much on faith
because the “proof” of God’s goodness, the proof of God’s power and the proof
of God’s wisdom is just too hard to see</span><span style="font-size: 19px; line-height: 28px;">.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">But, when I look out at this congregation, I see a powerful witness. I know that some of you have done what David did. You got up. You resumed living. You <o:p></o:p></span><span style="font-size: 19px; line-height: 28px;">have taken a leap of faith.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">The Bible says, “Then David rose from the ground, washed,
anointed himself, and changed his clothes. He went into the house of the Lord,
and worshiped.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">And here you are, too. Despite all you have been through, despite
all you have felt and feared, you are here. </span><span style="font-size: 19px; line-height: 28px;">Don't underestimate that. </span><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;"> You are in the house of the LORD to
worship, like David.</span><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;"> You may come with questions. You may come with despair. You may come with anger, but y</span><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;">ou are here. You are here in
faith. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">You are testifying to the power of God's love by just showing up. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">You are demonstrating that hope in Christ can overcome fear and
despair. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">You are proof that the power of the Holy Spirit works in
ordinary people. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">You are the embodiment of the promise that evil and tragedy
will not have the final word. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">You are the proclamation of God’s goodness, power and wisdom.
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">You, each of you, are the body of Christ, broken, yet given
for the world. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Amen. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
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Sue Washburnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15419502853738977807noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-59259081707454825.post-45808574146921993722015-07-12T16:38:00.000-07:002015-07-12T16:46:23.507-07:00Young and Restless<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="line-height: 150%;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">2
Sam 6: 1-2, 13-23<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><i><span style="line-height: 115%;">David
again gathered all the chosen men of Israel, thirty thousand </span><span style="line-height: 115%;">2 </span><span style="line-height: 115%;">David and all the people with him set
out and went from Baale-judah, to bring up from there the ark of God, which is
called by the name of the Lord of hosts who is enthroned on the cherubim.<o:p></o:p></span></i></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHsnWOZaFhnidn_w4eMFoZwhvfvcAaCVWn5YOj7Z8eQMbAtZualnN91fxVYoMRuOC0ERwdZsYMOckwPClkIs4tdraoU4ToPC9D5poX9rSL8IDVf9U09IQ2iIx6WS_tTdauy43vhGdRBQ/s1600/David+Series.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHsnWOZaFhnidn_w4eMFoZwhvfvcAaCVWn5YOj7Z8eQMbAtZualnN91fxVYoMRuOC0ERwdZsYMOckwPClkIs4tdraoU4ToPC9D5poX9rSL8IDVf9U09IQ2iIx6WS_tTdauy43vhGdRBQ/s200/David+Series.jpg" width="191" /></a><span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><i>13 and when
those who bore the ark of the Lord had gone six paces, he sacrificed an ox and
a fatling. 14 David danced before the Lord with all his might; David was girded
with a linen ephod. 15 So David and all the house of Israel brought up the ark
of the Lord with shouting, and with the sound of the trumpet.David again
gathered all the chosen men of Israel, thirty thousand As the ark of the Lord
came into the city of David, Michal daughter of Saul looked out of the window,
and saw King David leaping and dancing before the Lord; and she despised him in
her heart.<o:p></o:p></i></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><i><span style="line-height: 115%;">17 </span><span style="line-height: 115%;">They
brought in the ark of the Lord, and set it in its place, inside the tent that
David had pitched for it; and David offered burnt offerings and offerings of
well-being before the Lord. </span><span style="line-height: 115%;">18 </span><span style="line-height: 115%;">When
David had finished offering the burnt offerings and the offerings of
well-being, he blessed the people in the name of the Lord of hosts, </span><span style="line-height: 115%;">19 </span><span style="line-height: 115%;">and distributed food among all the
people, the whole multitude of Israel, both men and women, to each a cake of
bread, a portion of meat,[<span style="color: #4f1512;">g</span>] and a cake of
raisins. Then all the people went back to their homes.<o:p></o:p></span></i></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><i><span style="line-height: 115%;">20 </span><span style="line-height: 115%;">David
returned to bless his household. But Michal the daughter of Saul came out to
meet David, and said, “How the king of Israel honored himself today, uncovering
himself today before the eyes of his servants’ maids, as any vulgar fellow
might shamelessly uncover himself!” </span><span style="line-height: 115%;">21 </span><span style="line-height: 115%;">David
said to Michal, “It was before the Lord, who chose me in place of your father
and all his household, to appoint me as prince over Israel, the people of the
Lord, that I have danced before the Lord. </span><span style="line-height: 115%;">22 </span><span style="line-height: 115%;">I will make myself yet more contemptible
than this, and I will be abased in my own eyes; but by the maids of whom you
have spoken, by them I shall be held in honor.” </span><span style="line-height: 115%;">23 </span><span style="line-height: 115%;">And Michal the daughter of Saul had no
child to the day of her death.</span></i></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><b>Luke 18:9-14</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><b>Parable of the Pharisee and the Tax
Collector</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><i><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">9 He also told this parable to some who trusted in themselves
that they were righteous and regarded others with contempt: 10 “Two men went up
to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. 11 The
Pharisee, standing by himself, was praying thus, ‘God, I thank you that I am
not like other people: thieves, rogues, adulterers, or even like this tax
collector. 12 I fast twice a week; I give a tenth of all my income.’ 13 But the
tax collector, standing far off, would not even look up to heaven, but was
beating his breast and saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, a sinner!’ 14 I tell
you, this man went down to his home justified rather than the other; for all
who exalt themselves will be humbled, but all who humble themselves will be
exalted.”</span><span style="font-size: medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></i></span><br />
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><i><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></i></span></div>
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/CuFUGhw_Da8/0.jpg" frameborder="0" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/CuFUGhw_Da8?feature=player_embedded" width="320"></iframe></div>
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Ah to be young and restless. To be ambitious and confident.
To be heading into the future with joy and excitement…<o:p></o:p></div>
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The scriptures about the rise of King David have all the intrigue and romance of a soap
opera or a novella or a what my grandmother would call a story, but what unfolds is God’s word to us.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In the David stories we find holiness and
sin, right and wrong. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We also find
things that challenge our understanding of God. Today’s episode gives us
important lessons in how we treat others. We learn that contempt destroys
relationships. <o:p></o:p></div>
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As we begin the summer sermon series on the life of Kind David, we have to know some of the people. First, we
have David, our hero or leading man. We also have Michal, the daughter of King
Saul and David’s first wife.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We can
think of her as a princess and maybe even a queen, though the Bible never calls her that. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Michal was totally smitten with David. Everyone
was. The Bible says Michal's father King Saul loved David greatly and her brother Jonathon
loved David as his own soul. David, the handsome young warrior in the royal court was the talk
of the town. He was a little bit of everything--a warrior and a poet. A lover and a leader. He had charisma and charm and everybody
seemed to adore him.</div>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
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Remember young love? Remember how those junior high crushes
would just consume you? Remember how you knew that so and so would walk down a
particular hallway between 3<sup>rd</sup> and 4<sup>th</sup> period and you
would manage to be there to get a glimpse of him or her even though your class
was in a different part of the school? Remember how your heart would thud and your mouth would go dry? Remember how much you wanted to be cool and say something but instead you just walked past? <o:p></o:p></div>
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We can imagine that Michal would think of excuses to be in
the room every time David came around, lingering in a corner hoping to be
noticed, wearing her best clothes and fiddling with her hair. Or maybe she’d sneak up and sit beside the doorway to her father’s
room while David played his lyre for him, her heart pounding and her imagination
inventing scenes of she and David on their wedding day. <o:p></o:p></div>
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When her father King Saul mentioned bringing David into the family, her heart probably soared. But as the younger
daughter, she was second in line for marriage. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Saul was offering his oldest daughter Merab. But,
then in a Hollywood twist of fate someone else claimed Merab and so Michal would get to be David’s wife. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Image her joy. Her excitement. Her pride. Her sister may have married first,
but she, Michal, was marrying better. She was getting the handsomest, sexiest man around. Michal snagged the future king. And she loved him. It says so in the Bible. <o:p></o:p></div>
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The Bible says Michal loved David. It is the only instance
where a woman is said to love a man romantically in the Bible. (I should mention
that the book the Song of Solomon mutually describes a man and woman’s love
relationship, but it’s much more sensual. It's also generic. We don't know who the lovers actually are.)<o:p></o:p></div>
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In the Bible it’s common to read that men love women
romantically —Isaac loved Rebekah, Jacob loved Rachel. King Solomon loved --many
foreign women. But, Michal loved David.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Michal loved David even when her father the King started to
hate and fear him.</div>
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One time Michal heard that Saul was going to kill David in the morning. So she helped him to escape out the window that night. Then she plumped
up some goats hair and put an statue of an idol under the covers to look like a
person. <o:p></o:p></div>
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When the Saul sent messengers to grab David, Michal lied to
the guards saying David was sick to buy him more time for his escape. But Saul
didn’t care. He said bring me the sick man in his bed, I will kill him there. When
he discovered he’d been tricked, Saul was furious. <o:p></o:p></div>
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“Why’d you do it?” Saul asked his daughter Michal. <o:p></o:p></div>
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“He said he’d kill me,” she lied to her father, the king. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She risked her own
life to save his. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Michal loved David. <o:p></o:p></div>
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But something happened. David was gone and so Saul gave
Michal to be the wife of another man. Michael remarried. But when Saul died,
David came back as king and insisted that he have his first wife, Michal, back.
<o:p></o:p></div>
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But in the time that passed, something had changed. Michal
was no longer young and in love. She was probably wiser and more world-weary.
She didn’t see David anymore through starry eyes of romance. Michal sees a
different David and we see a very different Michal. <o:p></o:p></div>
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In todays episode our hero David comes in to town leaping and dancing mostly naked
with the Ark of the Covenant. The Bible tells us that Michal, daughter of Saul
looked out of the window, and she despised him in her heart. We don’t know when
or why Michal’s heart changed toward David. <o:p></o:p></div>
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She is the first wife and David is known for his numerous
wives and concubines. Maybe her married life isn’t what she expected.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Maybe she looks out upon the revelry and thinks David too
old to be behaving like a teenager, leaping and dancing with a bunch of young
women around him. Maybe she was jealous of the other women, wives and
concubines that David enjoyed, in every sense of the word. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Maybe she’s horrified that David would dance nearly naked
before the LORD. That was something that the Canaanites did at their fertility
festivals, not the Israelites. Maybe she thought David was acting too much like
a pagan, a country dweller, and not enough like the king. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Maybe she was looking down on him because he
wasn’t religious enough. <o:p></o:p></div>
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We don’t know exactly why, but the Bible tells us Michal
despised David in her heart. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
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The contempt she feels in her heart slips out of her mouth. <o:p></o:p></div>
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“How the king of Israel honored himself today, uncovering
himself today before the eyes of his servants’ maids, as any vulgar fellow
might shamelessly uncover himself!”<o:p></o:p></div>
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I’m sure you’ve seen this happen among married couples that
you know. The husband or wife starts into the same old song and dance and their
partner rolls their eyes, makes snide comments or tunes them out. Maybe you’ve
felt this yourself with your own spouse when they start behaving in ways that you find ridiculous. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkMJ4a28AJX84hdR0WGMrYv9DU-Snu1GQk7NAGb-cAPTe8LIT5aTcIC2J78uxv4cc0zu-DLxZUTdG3bOK7e3uXrFZPHCpHvA3S7Y333NNfFk5N8XET7HEgvXmFphJ3y7vCd6f7LUCgyQ/s1600/dance+air+guitar.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkMJ4a28AJX84hdR0WGMrYv9DU-Snu1GQk7NAGb-cAPTe8LIT5aTcIC2J78uxv4cc0zu-DLxZUTdG3bOK7e3uXrFZPHCpHvA3S7Y333NNfFk5N8XET7HEgvXmFphJ3y7vCd6f7LUCgyQ/s200/dance+air+guitar.jpg" width="133" /></a><i>You’re too old for that! </i></div>
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<i> You look like a
fool! </i></div>
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<i>Are we going to hear this story again? </i></div>
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<i>How can be you so stupid?</i><o:p></o:p></div>
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Marriage counselors will tell you that contempt will kill a
relationship. In fact, contempt is the biggest predictor of divorce, even over fighting. Contempt is worse
than fighting. Fighting at least shows respect the other as person. There
is a relatively equal balance of power as each person yells at the other one.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Contempt is an imbalance of power. Contempt means one person
is inferior and one person is superior—at least in their own mind. Contempt
shows up in our tone of voice, an eye roll or body language. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It says you are pathetic. I don’t respect you.
You aren’t worth my time.<o:p></o:p></div>
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We can imagine Michal’s voice dripping with contempt for
David as she chides him for his vulgar dancing. <o:p></o:p></div>
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David then one ups her by saying, “Hey, I’m the king here.
God chose me. I will do lots of foolish things in your eyes and maybe even in
my own eyes.” <o:p></o:p></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Contempt destroys
trust. Contempt destroys relationships. Contempt can destroy communities.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Contempt can even keep us from experiencing
God. <o:p></o:p></i></div>
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In our New Testament reading of the Pharisee and the Tax
Collector, we see a similar situation as David and Michal. <o:p></o:p></div>
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The Pharisee is apart from all others as Michal is. He looks
down upon all of the other people and thanks God that he is not like them. He
has what he thinks is righteous contempt for the thieves, rogues, adulterers
and tax collectors. He says, “I fast<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>twice a week and give a tenth of my income.” He’s not bothering to argue
with the other people he’s just making himself superior to them. <o:p></o:p></div>
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His contempt keeps him apart from the sinners and he thinks
this makes him holy. But he’s wrong, as Jesus tells us. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Jesus says it’s the tax collector who is righteous. It’s
that annoying man making that God awful wailing as he beats his chest talking
about how sinful he is. <o:p></o:p></div>
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These stories show us that contempt for the people around us
can separate us from each other and from God. When we set ourselves apart as
better than, we run the risk of being Michal or the Pharisee. When we feel
contempt for someone because of their age or gender or ethnicity or language we
are doing the opposite of God’s will. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Contempt means we are setting ourselves above and other
people below us, we see some people as inferior. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Contempt means we are sitting and looking out
the window and shaking our head and despising other people in our hearts. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<h3>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Maybe we don't look out a window to the outside with contempt. Maybe our window of contempt is our TV screen. </b></span></h3>
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Maybe we are Michal, keeping ourselves
separate and judging the actions of others. Maybe we watch TV news like the Pharisee
thanking God we aren’t like those people. The
TV is our window on the world. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What are
you seeing out your window?<o:p></o:p></div>
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God has a window on the world, too. I have to imagine that
the world looks pretty awful out that window. God sees humanity and all of the
mistakes we make. But God doesn’t take an attitude of contempt. Does God get
angry? Yes. Does God take action? Yes. Does God use punishment for justice?
Yes. But ultimately the good news is God does not stay apart and distant from us.<o:p></o:p></div>
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God is above us and superior to us. God could feel contempt
for us all as we bumble along in life, doing ridiculous things, making mistakes
and sinning. <o:p></o:p></div>
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But does God keep separate like Michal or the Pharisee? Does
God look down upon us with contempt? No. God looks upon us with love and forgiveness
and calls upon us to do the same. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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The apostle Paul puts in best in his letter to the
Philippians in chapter 2: <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in
humility regard others as better than yourselves. Let each of you look
not to your own interests, but to the interests of others. Let the same mind
be in you that was in Christ Jesus,<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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who, though he was in the form of God,<o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>did not regard
equality with God<o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>as something to be
exploited,<o:p></o:p></div>
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but emptied himself,<o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>taking the form of
a slave,<o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>being born in
human likeness.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
And being found in human form,<o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>he humbled
himself<o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>and became
obedient to the point of death—<o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>even death on a
cross.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
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God did not watch us from a window and pass judgment. God
did not roll his eyes in contempt or despise us in his heart. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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The good news of Jesus Christ is that God got up and left the window of heaven. God chose to join us in our crazy dance
here on earth. God did not stay separate in righteous condemnation and
criticize us for all that we do wrong, but humbled himself to walk with us, eat
with us, and love with us. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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God didn’t stay separate, but came to us to teach us how to
love and live with one another. God in Christ came to offer us the forgiveness we need, not the condemnation we deserve. Christ teaches us that to live in God we must walk away from our windows of contempt and out into God's world.<o:p></o:p></div>
Sue Washburnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15419502853738977807noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-59259081707454825.post-43800145192150356752015-06-28T13:13:00.001-07:002015-06-28T13:26:50.955-07:00Sandwiches & the Stuff of Life<div class="kappa" style="color: #44473e; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 12px; font-weight: 700; letter-spacing: 1px; line-height: 19px; margin-right: 0.9em; padding: 0px 0px 15px; text-transform: uppercase;">
MARK 5:21-43</div>
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<i><sup style="line-height: 0; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">21</sup>When Jesus had crossed again in the boat to the other side, a great crowd gathered around him; and he was by the sea. <sup style="line-height: 0; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">22</sup>Then one of the leaders of the synagogue named Jairus came and, when he saw him, fell at his feet <sup style="line-height: 0; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">23</sup>and begged him repeatedly, "My little daughter is at the point of death. Come and lay your hands on her, so that she may be made well, and live." <sup style="line-height: 0; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">24</sup>So he went with him.</i></div>
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<i>And a large crowd followed him and pressed in on him. <sup style="line-height: 0; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">25</sup>Now there was a woman who had been suffering from hemorrhages for twelve years. <sup style="line-height: 0; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">26</sup>She had endured much under many physicians, and had spent all that she had; and she was no better, but rather grew worse. <sup style="line-height: 0; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">27</sup>She had heard about Jesus, and came up behind him in the crowd and touched his cloak, <sup style="line-height: 0; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">28</sup>for she said, "If I but touch his clothes, I will be made well." <sup style="line-height: 0; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">29</sup>Immediately her hemorrhage stopped; and she felt in her body that she was healed of her disease. <sup style="line-height: 0; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">30</sup>Immediately aware that power had gone forth from him, Jesus turned about in the crowd and said, "Who touched my clothes?" <sup style="line-height: 0; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">31</sup>And his disciples said to him, "You see the crowd pressing in on you; how can you say, 'Who touched me?'" <sup style="line-height: 0; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">32</sup>He looked all around to see who had done it. <sup style="line-height: 0; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">33</sup>But the woman, knowing what had happened to her, came in fear and trembling, fell down before him, and told him the whole truth. <sup style="line-height: 0; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">34</sup>He said to her, "Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace, and be healed of your disease."</i></div>
<div class="indent" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 19px; margin-right: 0.9em; padding: 0px 0px 15px; text-indent: 2em;">
<i><sup style="line-height: 0; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">35</sup>While he was still speaking, some people came from the leader's house to say, "Your daughter is dead. Why trouble the teacher any further?" <sup style="line-height: 0; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">36</sup>But overhearing what they said, Jesus said to the leader of the synagogue, "Do not fear, only believe." <sup style="line-height: 0; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">37</sup>He allowed no one to follow him except Peter, James, and John, the brother of James. <sup style="line-height: 0; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">38</sup>When they came to the house of the leader of the synagogue, he saw a commotion, people weeping and wailing loudly. <sup style="line-height: 0; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">39</sup>When he had entered, he said to them, "Why do you make a commotion and weep? The child is not dead but sleeping." <sup style="line-height: 0; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">40</sup>And they laughed at him. Then he put them all outside, and took the child's father and mother and those who were with him, and went in where the child was. <sup style="line-height: 0; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">41</sup>He took her by the hand and said to her, "Talitha cum," which means, "Little girl, get up!" <sup style="line-height: 0; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">42</sup>And immediately the girl got up and began to walk about (she was twelve years of age). At this they were overcome with amazement. <sup style="line-height: 0; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">43</sup>He strictly ordered them that no one should know this, and told them to give her something to eat.</i></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I’d like to begin by asking one of the deep
philosophical questions of our time: </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsS1Zfr52Ta-ef1_jZPfWgrv9-PmMaAuqFw4mS7SZnLc9SiLrEtY_EsYK-LyY_wWUfzM5M0LuR80o8Acb0JCu4BpCiuHCpZHDOlCmvP76w-Z9PvDKRm1MUF2rIoet8R3H1Iq26dfzkUQ/s1600/eating-sandwich-clipart-sandwich-jpg.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="131" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsS1Zfr52Ta-ef1_jZPfWgrv9-PmMaAuqFw4mS7SZnLc9SiLrEtY_EsYK-LyY_wWUfzM5M0LuR80o8Acb0JCu4BpCiuHCpZHDOlCmvP76w-Z9PvDKRm1MUF2rIoet8R3H1Iq26dfzkUQ/s200/eating-sandwich-clipart-sandwich-jpg.gif" width="200" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
What is a sandwich? <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
This may seem like a silly exercise for church, especially
when such monumental things are happening all around us in the world. But trust
me, it will help us to understand the Gospel reading today. What makes
something a sandwich? <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br />
We can’t really have a sandwich unless all of the components
are there. Bread and some kind of filling are required. Bread with no filling
is just bread. Filling with no bread is just lunchmeat or peanut butter or jelly.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
In our gospel reading in Mark, we have a sandwich. We have
the story of Jarius, one of the leaders of the synagogue, at the beginning and
the end of the story, like the bread. In the middle we have the story of the
woman who had been bleeding for twelve years. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
It’s a convoluted way for the gospel writer to make a
point.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But, it’s Mark’s way of making
sure we read both of these stories together. He wanted us to look at them as
one story, not two. Each story has it’s own little lesson, but together they
send a bigger and more profound message. Mark wants us to take a bite of the
whole scripture sandwich, not ingest them separately. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
We need to ask, why? Both stories show us the incredible
healing power of Jesus Christ. Either one could have shown that on its own. Why
read them together? Why make a scriptural sandwich? <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
When we read these stories together we get a broader picture
of who Jesus is and how Jesus works. If we just read the story of Jairus and
the healing of his daughter, we see a Jesus who works with the system. We see
Jesus helping one of the leaders of the synagogue. Read on it’s own, we might be
tempted to think that Jesus comes for all the right people. Those of us who
follow the rules and get up, clean up and show up every Sunday. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
If we just read the story about the woman who had been
hemorrhaging for 12 years, we might think that Jesus is just for those who are
on the margins. People who are on the margins, unclean or impure as this woman
was. Remember, because of her illness, she would not have been permitted to
attend synagogue or come into contact with other people. Read on it’s own, read on its own this story might lead us to think Jesus comes for only the desperate and needy, people
who are willing to risk everything.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
But the stories are not presented independently, but
together. That leaves us to wrestle with the question of how do they inform
each other. What do a synagogue leader and a hemorrhaging woman have in common?
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
To help us understand I'd like to tell you another story…<br />
<br />
A man named Mr. Cash lives on
an exclusive gated property. He grew up rich and is now a CEO of his family’s
company. He has house cleaners and cooks who come every day and he tries to pay
them well and treat them fairly. The last time he wore jeans he was
22-years-old. He’s never had a pizza delivered to his home—that he knows
of.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At 65, he’s a little old to have a
gangly 12-year-old with braces, but he loves his daughter fiercely. She came to
him late in life and has helped him to see what is really important. He thanks
God for her. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
One weekend when his wife is away, her fever spikes to 104
and she starts convulsing, he’s in a panic. She doesn’t have a nanny anymore
and it’s not really the housekeeper’s job. So he calls their family doctor who
tells him to call an ambulance and get to Children’s Hospital. The doctor says
she will meet them at the emergency entrance. The ambulance arrives at the
house and the EMTs recognize the man from the stories about him in the local
paper. They put on their most professional demeanor for Mr. Cash. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Driving toward the hospital, the ambulance passes under the
bridge and the driver sees a group of panicked homeless people. Some are trying
to wave a car down on the street and others are surrounding a woman and
pounding on her chest as they attempt CPR. In the rearview mirror, the girl is
moaning and stirring in the back. The ambulance driver slows down. Before Mr.
Cash realizes what’s happening, the ambulance stops. The driver is on the radio
asking for another vehicle and the other EMT is out of the ambulance and making
his way through the crowd to attend to the homeless woman. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
At first Mr. Cash is furious. Why are they stopping? His
daughter should not have to wait. But he sees this unnamed, anonymous woman
lying on the ground and something shifts in his heart. He looks back at his
daughter who is delirious with fever and he’s conflicted. He has not choice but
to wait until the paramedics are done.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
In our story today, we see that the world is made up of many
different kinds of people—Jarius, the synagogue leader has a name and a title
and has power to control a lot of things in his life, like Mr. Cash. The bleeding woman is
unnamed and likely not able to control much of anything, just like the homeless woman.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Yet, life happens both of them<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">.</b><br />
<br />
Have you heard that saying, life happens? It means that all of us
have ideas and plans for how our day should go—and then suddenly the car breaks
down or a kid gets sick. All of us have these ideas and plans about how our
lives should go—but then illness comes or we lose our job. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Life happens to both Jarius and the unnamed woman. They end
up on their knees before Jesus. Both of them end up saying to Jesus, I can’t
take this. I can’t do this on my own. I can’t live like this. Jesus have mercy
upon me.<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Jarius comes to Jesus the way he does other things—by following the rules.
He comes to Jesus and begs for help. He defers to Jesus authority and asks
Jesus to lay his hands upon his beloved daughter. Jesus agrees and intentionally
heals the sick girl.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The unnamed woman does it the way she does things—reaching
out in desperation to whatever is available. Remember, because of her illness
she is unclean and should be isolated. But, she sneaks into the crowd, making
everyone she touches unclean and unfit to be in the presence of a rabbi. Then
she touches the rabbi himself with her impure hand—rendering him unclean. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
And she is healed presumably without Jesus even intending
it. She takes the healing with her own hands. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She pulls on Jesus cloak and Jesus says, who
touched me? I felt the power go out of me. She took her healing from Jesus.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Taken together—these stories show us that life has a way of
bringing all of us to our knees. It doesn’t matter if we have a lot of money or
none. It doesn’t matter if we have a huge house or live on the street. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
If we are reflective and compassionate people—as I know you
are, something in life will break our hearts. Something will bring us to the
feet of Jesus as we reach out for mercy. We may be there for our selves like
the bleeding woman, or we may be for someone else, like Jarius. It may be the love of a
child who suffers. It may be a photo from a concentration camp in WWII. It may
be a news story about people dying in Sudan or Charleston or in our own family.
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Pure or impure. Clean or unclean. Powerful or poor. We are
all equal at the feet of Christ. We all need mercy. There is something humbling
about this realization. There is something profound in realizing that all of us
are in the same boat. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
This story sandwich shows us that Jesus is there for each of
us. Jesus’ healing power is available to us however we happen to be. If we are
rich or poor, male or female, pure or impure, Jesus is with us and Jesus is for
us. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We can reach out to Jesus.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The good news of the Gospel is this. There is enough Jesus
for all of us. Jesus’ love and God’s promises aren’t limited to an important
few, but are available to a surprising many. Jesus responds to the people who
reach out in faith, love God and love their neighbor. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
We see this over and over again in Jesus’ actions and Jesus’
stories--Jarius and the unnamed woman, the prodigal son, the adulterous woman
about to be stoned, the Good Samaritan, the woman at the well, the tax
collectors and sinners that Jesus ate with regularly. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
This story sandwich is important because it shows us that none
of us is entitled to be in the presence of God on our own merit. As the Apostle
Paul says, all of us sin and fall short of the glory of God. It is only by
God’s amazing grace that we are here. It is only because of the faith of Christ
that we can claim any righteousness for ourselves. At the feet of Jesus, we are
all needy, desperate people. When we realize this, we truly understand the
goodness of God. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
When we realize this our hearts open in gratitude and
worship.<br />
<br />
What a wonderful thing to worship a God who says, I know you. I love
you. I forgive you. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
What an honor it is to be in a relationship with a God who puts
a hand under our chin, lifts us to our feet and tells us to get up, go in peace.
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ are a
testament to the great love God has for us. The gift of grace is available to
all, clean or unclean, man or woman, powerful or powerless. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That gift of grace is available to you and to
me.<br />
<br />
Neither of us deserve it, but God gives it anyway. Thanks be to God. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
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Sue Washburnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15419502853738977807noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-59259081707454825.post-53743878993844846302015-06-22T07:33:00.000-07:002015-06-22T07:49:00.930-07:00Crossing in the Storm<div class="kappa" style="color: #44473e; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 12px; font-weight: 700; letter-spacing: 1px; line-height: 19px; margin-right: 0.9em; padding: 0px 0px 15px; text-transform: uppercase;">
MARK 4:35-41</div>
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<i><sup style="color: #44473e; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; line-height: 0; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-indent: 2em;">35</sup><span style="color: #44473e; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 19px; text-indent: 2em;">On that day, when evening had come, he said to them, “Let us go across to the other side.”</span><span style="color: #44473e; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 19px; text-indent: 2em;"> </span><sup style="color: #44473e; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; line-height: 0; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-indent: 2em;">36</sup><span style="color: #44473e; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 19px; text-indent: 2em;">And leaving the crowd behind, they took him with them in the boat, just as he was. Other boats were with him.</span><span style="color: #44473e; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 19px; text-indent: 2em;"> </span><sup style="color: #44473e; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; line-height: 0; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-indent: 2em;">37</sup><span style="color: #44473e; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 19px; text-indent: 2em;">A great windstorm arose, and the waves beat into the boat, so that the boat was already being swamped.</span><span style="color: #44473e; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 19px; text-indent: 2em;"> </span><sup style="color: #44473e; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; line-height: 0; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-indent: 2em;">38</sup><span style="color: #44473e; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 19px; text-indent: 2em;">But he was in the stern, asleep on the cushion; and they woke him up and said to him, “Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?”</span><span style="color: #44473e; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 19px; text-indent: 2em;"> </span><sup style="color: #44473e; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; line-height: 0; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-indent: 2em;">39</sup><span style="color: #44473e; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 19px; text-indent: 2em;">He woke up and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, “Peace! Be still!” Then the wind ceased, and there was a dead calm.</span><span style="color: #44473e; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 19px; text-indent: 2em;"> </span><sup style="color: #44473e; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; line-height: 0; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-indent: 2em;">40</sup><span style="color: #44473e; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 19px; text-indent: 2em;">He said to them, “Why are you afraid? Have you still no faith?”</span><span style="color: #44473e; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 19px; text-indent: 2em;"> </span><sup style="color: #44473e; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; line-height: 0; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-indent: 2em;">41</sup><span style="color: #44473e; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 19px; text-indent: 2em;">And they were filled with great awe and said to one another, “Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?”</span></i></div>
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<span style="color: #44473e; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 19px; text-indent: 2em;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhADdQ69x7U5FN5n1UDwThtAfzsWtiewX1i-_B1uRfpAKNObJ8G2shVna758MgmgMME98VXeCsGYXU4NKYYodoF_hWNI3wdwnEorZOJxdOwXnCwZjjv84J-dkUAVTJdjMLvb-nzMgmCKg/s1600/Depositphotos_30835615_m.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhADdQ69x7U5FN5n1UDwThtAfzsWtiewX1i-_B1uRfpAKNObJ8G2shVna758MgmgMME98VXeCsGYXU4NKYYodoF_hWNI3wdwnEorZOJxdOwXnCwZjjv84J-dkUAVTJdjMLvb-nzMgmCKg/s200/Depositphotos_30835615_m.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="line-height: 150%;">Storms frighten and fascinate me. When I hear about
tornadoes, I’m one of those people who watches the news and goes on the
internet to see them. I like to watch the footage of tornados racing across
fields, awed by their power. But I don’t like to watch the footage of
destruction. Seeing homes and cars and
trees destroyed by a storm hits a little too close to home for me. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="line-height: 150%;">When my youngest daughter was an infant, we had a bad storm hit near our home. I have vivid memories of the rain cutting sideways across
the screen in the window. Tree branches were falling and those that were still attached were
waving menacingly at odd angles while I sat in the rocking chair feeding my
baby. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="line-height: 150%;">As the roar of the wind escalated, the light and rumble from
the storm bounced around the nursery. The electricity cut out and I carried
Abby to the dark, dank basement. I was alone
with a baby. I realized that I was in charge of protecting
another life. It was my job to keep her safe against something over which I
had no control.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> It suddenly seemed overwhelming. </span>I held her tight and
tried not to cry, realizing there was nothing that I could do. My daughter was
oblivious.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="line-height: 150%;">There is so much packed into this short Gospel reading from
Mark. It’s a story about nature’s storms
and Jesus’ power, about boundaries
and change, about faith and
fear. It’s about a form of ministry that calls the disciples to go to new
and even dangerous places. They are not just in a boat on the sea. They are on
a journey. Jesus is taking them places so totally different that it threatens
to overwhelm them. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="line-height: 150%;">My old house withstood the storm that day—minus a few
shingles. The fieldstone foundation had again outlasted the rain and wind. The
hand-hewn beams that still look like tree trunks stayed strong as they had for
over 100 years. I thank God for the
hands that created my sturdy home.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="line-height: 150%;">The scene outside was different, though. There, the trees
were twisted and broken, power lines were down, the road was blocked. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It took three or four days for the electricity
to come back. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="line-height: 150%;">That experience changed
how I view storms.</span><span style="line-height: 150%;"> It’s
the dividing line between the then and now. Now I watch the color of the sky
and eye the rain suspiciously. When the rain goes sideways, I suddenly remember some laundry I have to do in the basement. I call the kids down from their upstairs bedrooms despite
their eye rolls. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="line-height: 150%;">This week, when the storm looked bad. I went to get my
daughter—the very same one that I held in the basement 17 years ago. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="line-height: 150%;">“The storm is bad, c’mon downstairs,” I said, noticing her
blinds were all down and closed. The drone of the box fan in her room made it hard to hear the wind.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="line-height: 150%;">She looked at me over the top of her computer. “Is it really
that bad or are you just doing your mom worrying?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="line-height: 150%;">Just then emergency message on my phone blared a tornado
warning that said TAKE SHELTER NOW.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>See,
I said, pointing to my phone. She sighed, closed her computer and followed me
downstairs. She can't understand why I worry. Her time of storms hasn't come.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="line-height: 150%;"> </span><span style="line-height: 150%;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="line-height: 150%;">You have probably had one of these life events—or storms, one that was likely worse than my experience. Something
that has happened to you that changed how you see yourself and the world. It might be s</span><span style="color: #10131a; line-height: 150%;">omething medical like cancer or leukemia or something
relational like trouble in a marriage or with kids or something personal like
addiction or adultery.</span><span style="line-height: 150%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="color: #10131a; line-height: 150%;">Suddenly the seas
are choppy and the wind howls.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Jesus seems
to be asleep at the wheel while we cry in fear and worry.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="color: #10131a; line-height: 150%;">We shout to Jesus above the wind, Don’t you care? It’s
scary down here in the storm. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="color: #10131a; line-height: 150%;">But in the midst
of it Jesus says, Peace, be still. Maybe he’s not just talking to the wind. Maybe he’s talking about our hearts, too,
reminding us of his incredible power to bring peace.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="color: #10131a; line-height: 150%;">When these life
storms hit there is a before and after. They become a boundary. Before I had
cancer….After my miscarriage…Before I stopped drinking… After she died…Before I
divorced<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="line-height: 150%;">And in many ways, that’s what storms are in nature—boundaries.
We can watch the storm line approach on the radar on TV or on aphone. The
hot air and cool air are fighting it out on either side of the line. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="line-height: 150%;">We know that the air in front of the storm is usually hot and
humid. Once the storm passes the air is cool and the humidity breaks.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Storms discharge pent up energy and stabilize
the atmosphere. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="line-height: 150%;">In the Gospel the disciples encounter a storm literally, but
their work with Jesus is causing storms as well. They are charging the air with
new way of following God. Jesus and his disciples blow in to a town like a
wind and suddenly strange things happen. People are healed, outsiders are in,
and crowds are energized. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="line-height: 150%;">In the Gospel today, Jesus gets in the boat and says let’s go
to the other side. Most of us hear that
without a second thought. But crossing the sea to the other side was crossing a
huge boundary. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="line-height: 150%;">Dr. John Ortberg in his book, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Who Is This Man?</i> explains why going to the other side is a big
deal:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: #10131a; line-height: 150%;">The "other side" is something of a technical term.
Jesus is not talking just about geography. The other side of the lake was the
region of Decapolis, the "ten cities." This was largely enemy
territory. Its inhabitants were pagan people.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: #10131a; line-height: 150%;">There was a rabbinic tradition about “the other side” in Jesus’
day. It said that Decapolis – the “other side” – is where the seven nations of
Canaan settled. It was filled with pagan temples…The Jews regarded the other
side as the place where Satan lived. It was dark, evil, oppressive, and
demonic. No one would go to the other side—especially no rabbi…<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="color: #10131a; line-height: 150%;">Yet, Jesus says, "Let's go
over to the other side." The disciples were probably puzzled wondering why he would want to go there? Jesus is for their side, our side,
not the other side. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="color: #10131a; line-height: 150%;">Even if they had questions, the disciples
are obedient and begin to cross over when a storm comes. .
They are headed for pagan lands when suddenly a storm blows in and their boat is threatening to sink. All the
while, Jesus is asleep.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="color: #10131a; line-height: 150%;">And so they wake
Jesus, and say, Don’t you care about us? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="color: #10131a; line-height: 150%;">Do you not care
that we are perishing? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="color: #10131a; line-height: 150%;">Jesus gets up,
maybe with a yawn, and rebukes the wind and says to the sea: peace, be still. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="color: #10131a; line-height: 150%;"><o:p> </o:p></span><span style="color: #10131a; line-height: 150%;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="color: #10131a; line-height: 150%;">And this is what
is so challenging about this story. Jesus can command the wind and the sea. Jesus has authority over everything.</span><span style="color: #10131a; line-height: 150%;"> Jesus is obeyed even by the forces of nature. </span><span style="color: #10131a; line-height: 150%;">Saying Jesus Christ is Lord means he has ultimate authority. And Jesus says to us, Come with me, let’s go across to the other side. </span><span style="color: #10131a; line-height: 150%;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="color: #10131a; line-height: 150%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="color: #10131a; line-height: 150%;">Are you going to say no?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="color: #10131a; line-height: 150%;">This gospel reading shows us how Jesus uses his ultimate power. He goes to the other side. He goes to the "others." He is mixing things that
should not be mixed and a symbolic storm is starting to brew between Jesus and
the authorities. Between those who think they have power to make and enforce boundaries and those who have been feeling powerless.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="color: #10131a; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Jesus
is crossing boundaries between people and ideas that have been kept separate by
politics, culture and religion. He’s changing the dynamics in his
world. He’s challenging the notion of whose lives matter, what people
should do with their money and resources, and which values are more important. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="color: #10131a; line-height: 150%;"><o:p><br /></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="color: #10131a; line-height: 150%;">We see these same storms in our culture today, too. Boundaries are shifting. For many of us the waters beneath
our boats are churning and it’s frightening. Like the warm air and cold air in a storm, we have two opposing forces and
ideals. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="color: #10131a; line-height: 150%;">On one side, the Baby Boomers
are a huge generation who have set the agenda politically, culturally and
religiously since the 1960s. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="color: #10131a; line-height: 150%;">But now we have
another big generation—the Millenials, a counterforce with different ideals
about what their country and values and even the church should be. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And then you have people like me—the small Generation X--</span><span style="color: #10131a; line-height: 150%;">who are
somewhere in the middle!</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="color: #10131a; line-height: 150%;">Both sides are
flashing with anger and energy about topics like race, money, marriage and
religion. Both sides are thundering in the media. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="color: #10131a; line-height: 150%;">But ultimately,
our arguments and storms are about power. Who has it? Who gets to decide which
lives matter? Who gets to decide how money and resources get passed around? Who gets to
decide the values by which we live? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #10131a; line-height: 150%;">As Christ’s church, these are questions that Jesus
calls us to think about. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Questions that
he answered with his actions</span><span style="color: #10131a;"><span style="line-height: 150%;">. Today, we must
ask where is God in the storm that we are experiencing? Where is God when bullets are flying in a </span><span style="line-height: 24px;"><i>church</i>?</span><span style="line-height: 150%;"> What would Jesus do? <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="color: #10131a; line-height: 150%;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #10131a; line-height: 150%;">Jesus promises a peace that passes all understanding. But we haven't found that peace and stillness yet. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> W</span>e haven’t reached the end times that the
Bible promises. We haven’t experienced the healing of the nations--or even within our own nations. We are still
in the middle of the storm. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #10131a;"><span style="line-height: 150%;">By going to the
other side, the Gospel reading shows us that Jesus doesn’t abide by the human boundaries that have been drawn by
people or governments. Jesus crosses the </span><span style="line-height: 24px;">boundaries</span><span style="line-height: 150%;"> that we keep making. </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #10131a;"><span style="line-height: 150%;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #10131a;"><span style="line-height: 150%;">We keep taking sides. I guess it's our nature. </span><span style="line-height: 150%;">For Jesus there is one side—and it’s God’s. It's not yours or mine. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="color: #10131a; line-height: 150%;">I remember sitting
on my basement floor during that memorable storm. The cool concrete on the back
of my legs grounded me while the storm raged around us. My 4-month old was unfazed. She had no idea why there were tears
running down my face. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="color: #10131a; line-height: 150%;">I hope that I
can have that innocent trust in Jesus that my daughter had in me when my personal storms get bad. I hope that if you are going though a personal storm right
now, you can feel safe and secure in the arms of God. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="color: #10131a; line-height: 150%;">I also hope that
as a church, we can call upon Jesus to calm the storms in our world—to work as
he did for the peace that passes all understanding. For all people. In all circumstances.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="color: #10131a; line-height: 150%;">Storms in our lives and in our world are inevitable. </span><span style="color: #10131a; line-height: 150%;">The good news is that Christ is with us in the boat.</span><span style="color: #10131a; line-height: 150%;"> God is not asleep at the wheel, nor have we been abandoned.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="color: #10131a; line-height: 150%;">The storm may
rage, but we have been given a promise. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="color: #10131a; line-height: 150%;">God loves you, me and this entire world. We will not perish, but have eternal life. </span><br />
<span style="color: #10131a; line-height: 150%;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #10131a; line-height: 150%;">Peace. </span><br />
<span style="color: #10131a; line-height: 150%;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #10131a; line-height: 150%;">Be still.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
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Sue Washburnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15419502853738977807noreply@blogger.com0