Pastor Ray
03/20/2005
Palm Sunday / Sunday of the Passion
And so said all the disciples…
I may be quite a Duke fan, but I’m not the biggest sports fan here in this church. Why, I may be the only one here who didn’t bother to watch the Super Bowl this year. Nor last year, if I honest. Don’t exactly remember why… I’d like to say it was because I was busy doing holy and church things… but, that’s probably not the truth. Though it would make a good story. But regardless of whether you’re a big sports fan or not, you know enough to know that a winning team is much more popular than one who has a losing season. Duke fan that I am, I’m pretty pleased with my own guys this year. It’s not often, but sometimes… things just don’t go so well. I remember a couple of years ago when Duke just fell apart. Seems like the unlikely happened. And I dare say, the crowd back at Duke greeting their team… was much smaller than expected. A time for honesty… I’m rather confident the praises for Coach K, and his team, are more enthusiastic this morning near Cameron Indoor Stadium than are the praises being lifted up next door in Duke Chapel. More louder prayers too! And that’s a sad thought, isn’t it? Even when the impossible happens, the faithful very quickly chant… something to the effect of “just wait til next year!” And so goes the prayers as well.
And not to leave out my undergraduate school, I remember quite a few celebrations with Coach Smith, the Dean of all Coaches. I just told my age, didn’t I? A lot of celebrations happened because of Dean Smith. But, skipping over some history, I remember that day that Coach Doherty was named as our new head coach. The fans, the faithful tar heel fans were excited and even threw a little confetti. But remember the days of Coach what’s his name? Started with a G, or some letter like that. But at least he was better than the guy who followed him. Coach Doherty… and some folks aren’t so sure he was worthy of the title. Oh, there’s a few faithful supporters and followers who faithfully stand by their coach, and their team, but even the most faithful of fans are quite content standing in the shadows when the season stinks. Oh imagine the painful sound of silence and hurting heart of a man who has given his all for his love and for his alma-mater and of us all, prays all the more loudly … just to have a next year.
Think about it. That’s one way in which to set the stage today, that through all those things we pray for and pray about… well, it’s a glimpse into our souls and what we really value most in life. And this time of year, I bet lots of prayers go up for just the right team. And may I be so bold and so honest to say, that I’m not sure that of all the things going on in the world… whether God really cares who wins the next round of games. But surely God pulls for Duke! Me – well I pull for Duke, unless Carolina is winning…. I still have both class rings after all. Okay, I’m fickle. But I’m not alone. Yet the question is, can you have it both ways?
And that is the question for today -- known as both Palm Sunday and Sunday of the Passion. In one very real sense, all of history had pointed to this moment. This was God’s plan. Obviously, it wasn’t ours.
For so long, we didn’t recognize Jesus. At least we refused to recognize him. We certainly didn’t listen to his message, or to his prophetic voice. We couldn’t see that Jesus was the Messiah. A few did. But often the crowds made fun of them too. I don’t see too many “Go Harvard” stickers around here, do you? Don’t see too many Duke football stickers either. What about “Go Jesus!”?
Back to this day… a long time ago. As Jesus rode into town, a few, then some more, and suddenly a crowd gathers around him. Why, remember, just last Sunday as we found Jesus standing outside the tomb of Lazarus, dead for four days. Jesus wept, was moved to tears… and Jesus called for Lazarus to come out of the grave… and he did. And the crowd of fans, well... I guess I mean believers grew. As a dead man breathed again and walked again and lived again full of life, how could anyone ever doubt again? Certainly a major victory party was called for… and the crowd grows as does their songs of admiration.
This must be the Messiah. For who but God can breathe life into a corpse? Finally the cheers for the triumphant Messiah riding into Jerusalem to take his place and to lead his people to the great victory that God had promised.
It’s no wonder that the people gathered to cheer on the Messiah as he passed by them to be seen by their very own eyes. They wanted to see. And their voiced cried out their love and admiration, their love and dedication. They shouted hosanna hundreds of years ago, but as quickly as luke-warm fans can turn on their team, the crowd turned on Jesus. I don’t know why… maybe the cheerleaders fell from their pyramid. Maybe one of the players broke all the rules of decency with a low hit to another player. Maybe the other team offered better seats. Maybe the leaders in charge of the other team became so scared and concerned that they told lots of lies…. regardless, the crowd did the unthinkable. Their cries quickly turned from praising and saving -- to killing. Crucify him! Throw the bum out! Crucify him. Can’t you see it? The crowd betrayed him,… all of them did. You thought it was a victory party and a team parade, but someone threw the ball away at the last minute. That’s the other side of today: remember it’s both palm Sunday and Passion Sunday.
We may have started this morning with the joy of greeting the king of hope and eternal promise….but quickly when they realize that the game isn’t all fun and play, turns away from him as Jesus faithfully walks toward his week-long journey to the cross…. for our sake. The prayers of thanksgiving turned to hurtful and unthinkable hopes… that he die. It’s not all that often that I use sports as a way to weave a sermon, but think about it. What do you pray for most fervently? That YOUR team win? Or that all the teams have fun? Do you pray for the last parking space at the game? Or that the school builds more parking spaces so that everyone can have a place to park? Do you pray to catch the game winning ball at the park? Or that somehow, some way, the little boy with the broken leg will catch it?
On the Fourth of July, do we pray long and spirit-filled prayers of thanksgiving that our nation be blessed? Or do we pray that all the nations may prosper and live in peace and freedom?
Do you jump on the bandwagon of the winner of the day, or do you always pull for the underdog?
Be still, be quiet and simply listen: The Holy Gospel as appointed to us this morning continues: {26:1} Then one of the twelve, who was called Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests {15} and said, "What will you give me if I betray him to you?" They paid him thirty pieces of silver. {16} And from that moment he began to look for an opportunity to betray him. {17} On the first day of Unleavened Bread the disciples came to Jesus, saying, "Where do you want us to make the preparations for you to eat the Passover?" {18} He said, "Go into the city to a certain man, and say to him, 'The Teacher says, My time is near; I will keep the Passover at your house with my disciples.'" {19} So the disciples did as Jesus had directed them, and they prepared the Passover meal. {20} When it was evening, he took his place with the twelve; {21} and while they were eating, he said, "Truly I tell you, one of you will betray me." {22} And they became greatly distressed and began to say to him one after another, "Surely not I, Lord?" {23} He answered, "The one who has dipped his hand into the bowl with me will betray me. {24} The Son of Man goes as it is written of him, but woe to that one by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would have been better for that one not to have been born." {25} Judas, who betrayed him, said, "Surely not I, Rabbi?" He replied, "You have said so." {26} While they were eating, Jesus took a loaf of bread, and after blessing it he broke it, gave it to the disciples, and said, "Take, eat; this is my body." {27} Then he took a cup, and after giving thanks he gave it to them, saying, "Drink from it, all of you; {28} for this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. {29} I tell you, I will never again drink of this fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father's kingdom." {30} When they had sung the hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives. {31} Then Jesus said to them, "You will all become deserters because of me this night; for it is written, 'I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock will be scattered.' {32} But after I am raised up, I will go ahead of you to Galilee." {33} Peter said to him, "Though all become deserters because of you, I will never desert you." {34} Jesus said to him, "Truly I tell you, this very night, before the cock crows, you will deny me three times." {35} Peter said to him, "Even though I must die with you, I will not deny you." And so said all the disciples. {36} Then Jesus went with them to a place called Gethsemane; and he said to his disciples, "Sit here while I go over there and pray."
So, have we waited? Have we prayed? Have we been faithful? Oh, when times are good, we are faithful children of God, aren’t we. But what about when the temptation of success stands before us, or the temptation of laughing at a a good, yet hurtful joke, or the temptation of just following the crowd… wanting to fit in, … simply other ways of hiding in the shadows denying that we are among those who walk with Jesus. Every one of us have in some way, been on this long, fear-filled journey.
We may have began this day greeting the promised Messiah who ushers in God’s kingdom and glory,… but we need to re-live the reality of what our Lord did for you and for me. The journey of Holy Week calls us to reflect on our own lives, our own daily response to our Christian call to be disciples and witnesses and servants. And not only this week, but every week, God wants us to think about what song does those who see us, the church, the children of God … living and working and laughing and …. what song do they hear us singing?
It’s so easy just to walk up beside a crowd celebrating victory, but it’s much harder, and much costlier to truly take a stand, to truly be committed, to boldly sing as loudly… when the crowd turns against you. And we then give in.
“Surely not I Rabbi.” And Jesus said, "You will all become deserters because of me this night.” In one very real sense, we were there…. And Jesus faithfully said, Get up, let us be going. See, my betrayer is at hand.” And all the noise, and all the fans became quiet and quietly disappeared into the night.
What began as a crowded and spirited pep rally, all too quickly fizzled as things became tougher. Where did everyone go? Would you have stayed? Would you have run? “Surely, not I, Lord?” …… And so said all the disciples.
Sunday, March 20, 2005
Sunday, March 13, 2005
"Looking beyond the flesh"
Pastor Ray
03/13/2005
“Looking beyond the flesh”
We’ve all been there… standing beside the grave. Sometimes literally. Sometimes our own lives feel lifeless. Regardless of the kind of death, Jesus calls us to new life. By God’s power and grace, we can be set free. True, at times we will sit and weep, but God promises to be with us always so that we may be given strength to live in the light of new life.
It’s a human emotion to fear the unknown. It’s frightening to feel abandoned, alone, and helpless. It’s only natural to cry out to God or even at God when life seems to crumble around us and we become so overwhelmed that these old bones of ours make us a good as dead. Fortunately, God invites us to have new life breathed into these old bones. But sometimes we must make a journey through the shadows of death before we are able to realize just what we need from God. Many have been there before us.
I think we can all relate to what Martha says in this morning’s Gospel. Jesus, where in the world were you? Why weren’t you here? If only you had come in time!
If only… very human words which cry out in pain, that life has fallen apart. It’s not the way we expect it to be. Mary and Martha’s life had fallen apart. Their brother Lazarus, a young man, a friend of Jesus had become very ill. So the family quickly sends for their friend Jesus. Certainly, he would come. Jesus knew them. He had stayed in their home. Mary had sat at Jesus’ feet. Of course, he would come to heal their brother.
But after receiving the message that Lazarus was sick, Jesus chose to stay where he was for two more days. Lazarus died. Even then… he had been in the tomb for a couple of days when Jesus arrived. No one could possibly think that he was merely asleep or in a coma. The evidence could not be denied. It’s no wonder that when Martha saw Jesus arrive her first words were, “Where were you?”
Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died. Her words echo our own disappointments in life. Lord, I know who you are and what you could have done. You, Jesus could have healed him. If you can make the blind from birth see, if you can drive away the demons, if you can heal the sick and the lame…. if you had only been here. But now, it was too late, her brother was dead.
Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.” Martha knew that and cherished the promised resurrection, but her grief was still real. When her sister Mary reached the place where Jesus was, she fell at his feet and began to weep. Deeply moved, Jesus wept. Oh how I find such comfort in his tears. Oh to know that my Lord loved his friend Lazarus so much that he cried at his death. Jesus understands our tears. In spite of knowing that one day, our loved ones will rise again, it hurts to give them up. Our Lord’s tears are one way He says, don’t worry I’m right here crying with you, bringing you comfort.
Take me to where Lazarus is buried, Jesus said. Even as they walked, there were some people there who still complained that Jesus should have been there… had he come, Lazarus would be alive. Jesus faced the cave and the stone which blocked the entrance and kept the people away from the body. Of course, the people didn’t know it, but Jesus was about to show them that a stone could not keep him from bringing forth new life. Lazarus, come out! …Jesus cried out. Still wrapped in the grave clothes, he stepped out of the tomb. Four days worth of death didn’t prevent Jesus from making Lazarus whole again and full of new life. It’s the promise of resurrection miracles. If God could make us in the first place, God can certainly put us back together again… only better.
I chuckle when I think about this verse: Many of the Jews therefore, who had come with Mary and had seen what Jesus did, believed in him. Well…. Of course they did. Probably fell on their knees in praise of God. This Jesus truly is the son of God! Everybody there must rejoiced at the miracle.
But what about Lazarus? Have you ever paused and thought about that? Wonder what Lazarus thought as he stepped into the sunlight. “Hey Jesus, what do you think you’re doing?” “Yes, it’s good to see you, but thank you very much, I was very happy in heaven.” “I was very content living in God’s kingdom.” “And now here you are and here I am. So, where do we go from here?”
Only Jesus knew where life’s journey would lead him. Jesus is now the one led to face his own tomb and heavy stone guarding its entrance. In a short time Jesus himself would cry out to his Father, Where are you? Why have you forsaken me? Our Lord and Savior has lived life beside us and knows the feelings we have….
Today’s lessons are filled with emotion. Whether it’s the emotion of a dying brother, or the emotion of placing a family member in the grave, or the emotion of feeling alone and abandoned by God… (This is God’s promise….) Jesus walks with us through it all. But the message for us to hear is that Jesus doesn’t stay at the tomb. Jesus cries with us and pushes us forward with him. He gives life again. Lazarus, get up. Unbind him. Let him go. His life is just beginning.
Though we are not dead, we have been in one sense, for we once were dead to the wonderful and grace-filled life God wants for his children. We were dead because in sin we turned our backs to God. But God said, get up. Wash in these life-giving waters of Baptism. Get up. Unbind yourselves from the grave clothes of sin. Look beyond the flesh and old dry bones…. and embrace new life.
It truly is a gift of second life, of a second chance. It’s just as much a miracle as the second life Jesus gave to Lazarus. And certainly, if Jesus can bring life to a body already in decay, Jesus can bring life, new life, to us and to our souls. Jesus has already called us from the tomb of death. For because he died and rose, we live with a new vision beyond mere flesh and old dry bones. But perhaps the real message for today is that in our darkest moments, Jesus is beside us, weeping with us, walking with us. And Jesus is always victorious because God’s promises never fail. “I am the resurrection and the life. Believe in me and you shall never die.” That’s one of the last promises Jesus made as he continued his Lenten journey to the cross. And it’s that promise that brings us to the foot of the cross and that gives us a glimpse of life beyond the flesh and bones of today.
03/13/2005
“Looking beyond the flesh”
We’ve all been there… standing beside the grave. Sometimes literally. Sometimes our own lives feel lifeless. Regardless of the kind of death, Jesus calls us to new life. By God’s power and grace, we can be set free. True, at times we will sit and weep, but God promises to be with us always so that we may be given strength to live in the light of new life.
It’s a human emotion to fear the unknown. It’s frightening to feel abandoned, alone, and helpless. It’s only natural to cry out to God or even at God when life seems to crumble around us and we become so overwhelmed that these old bones of ours make us a good as dead. Fortunately, God invites us to have new life breathed into these old bones. But sometimes we must make a journey through the shadows of death before we are able to realize just what we need from God. Many have been there before us.
I think we can all relate to what Martha says in this morning’s Gospel. Jesus, where in the world were you? Why weren’t you here? If only you had come in time!
If only… very human words which cry out in pain, that life has fallen apart. It’s not the way we expect it to be. Mary and Martha’s life had fallen apart. Their brother Lazarus, a young man, a friend of Jesus had become very ill. So the family quickly sends for their friend Jesus. Certainly, he would come. Jesus knew them. He had stayed in their home. Mary had sat at Jesus’ feet. Of course, he would come to heal their brother.
But after receiving the message that Lazarus was sick, Jesus chose to stay where he was for two more days. Lazarus died. Even then… he had been in the tomb for a couple of days when Jesus arrived. No one could possibly think that he was merely asleep or in a coma. The evidence could not be denied. It’s no wonder that when Martha saw Jesus arrive her first words were, “Where were you?”
Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died. Her words echo our own disappointments in life. Lord, I know who you are and what you could have done. You, Jesus could have healed him. If you can make the blind from birth see, if you can drive away the demons, if you can heal the sick and the lame…. if you had only been here. But now, it was too late, her brother was dead.
Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.” Martha knew that and cherished the promised resurrection, but her grief was still real. When her sister Mary reached the place where Jesus was, she fell at his feet and began to weep. Deeply moved, Jesus wept. Oh how I find such comfort in his tears. Oh to know that my Lord loved his friend Lazarus so much that he cried at his death. Jesus understands our tears. In spite of knowing that one day, our loved ones will rise again, it hurts to give them up. Our Lord’s tears are one way He says, don’t worry I’m right here crying with you, bringing you comfort.
Take me to where Lazarus is buried, Jesus said. Even as they walked, there were some people there who still complained that Jesus should have been there… had he come, Lazarus would be alive. Jesus faced the cave and the stone which blocked the entrance and kept the people away from the body. Of course, the people didn’t know it, but Jesus was about to show them that a stone could not keep him from bringing forth new life. Lazarus, come out! …Jesus cried out. Still wrapped in the grave clothes, he stepped out of the tomb. Four days worth of death didn’t prevent Jesus from making Lazarus whole again and full of new life. It’s the promise of resurrection miracles. If God could make us in the first place, God can certainly put us back together again… only better.
I chuckle when I think about this verse: Many of the Jews therefore, who had come with Mary and had seen what Jesus did, believed in him. Well…. Of course they did. Probably fell on their knees in praise of God. This Jesus truly is the son of God! Everybody there must rejoiced at the miracle.
But what about Lazarus? Have you ever paused and thought about that? Wonder what Lazarus thought as he stepped into the sunlight. “Hey Jesus, what do you think you’re doing?” “Yes, it’s good to see you, but thank you very much, I was very happy in heaven.” “I was very content living in God’s kingdom.” “And now here you are and here I am. So, where do we go from here?”
Only Jesus knew where life’s journey would lead him. Jesus is now the one led to face his own tomb and heavy stone guarding its entrance. In a short time Jesus himself would cry out to his Father, Where are you? Why have you forsaken me? Our Lord and Savior has lived life beside us and knows the feelings we have….
Today’s lessons are filled with emotion. Whether it’s the emotion of a dying brother, or the emotion of placing a family member in the grave, or the emotion of feeling alone and abandoned by God… (This is God’s promise….) Jesus walks with us through it all. But the message for us to hear is that Jesus doesn’t stay at the tomb. Jesus cries with us and pushes us forward with him. He gives life again. Lazarus, get up. Unbind him. Let him go. His life is just beginning.
Though we are not dead, we have been in one sense, for we once were dead to the wonderful and grace-filled life God wants for his children. We were dead because in sin we turned our backs to God. But God said, get up. Wash in these life-giving waters of Baptism. Get up. Unbind yourselves from the grave clothes of sin. Look beyond the flesh and old dry bones…. and embrace new life.
It truly is a gift of second life, of a second chance. It’s just as much a miracle as the second life Jesus gave to Lazarus. And certainly, if Jesus can bring life to a body already in decay, Jesus can bring life, new life, to us and to our souls. Jesus has already called us from the tomb of death. For because he died and rose, we live with a new vision beyond mere flesh and old dry bones. But perhaps the real message for today is that in our darkest moments, Jesus is beside us, weeping with us, walking with us. And Jesus is always victorious because God’s promises never fail. “I am the resurrection and the life. Believe in me and you shall never die.” That’s one of the last promises Jesus made as he continued his Lenten journey to the cross. And it’s that promise that brings us to the foot of the cross and that gives us a glimpse of life beyond the flesh and bones of today.
Sunday, March 6, 2005
"Was blind, but now I see..."
Pastor Ray
03/06/2005
“Was blind, but now I see…”
It’s Lent and as always, I get a little nostalgic as I think about what should be…. It’s another way of asking, What changes in life, and especially in my own life, would God like to see happen? It didn’t help that just a couple of days ago, a killer of thirty years was arrested… and much to the world’s surprise, he was a leader of his congregation. Killer and church person doesn’t seem to go together, does it? And, to make matters more vivid for us, this man, arrested as the alleged BTK villain, is the president of his ELCA congregation. How does that make you feel?
Nauseous is one word that comes to mind. But being the Lutheran that I am, I have to remember that he’s not yet convicted. Somehow I am to pray for him and for all those who have been harmed these past thirty years. Surely, God wants better for us. Has evil always been around? Or has life just recently gone wrong?
Well, I know that bad things have always happened, but life seems to have gotten worse. Leave the front door to my home unlocked all night long…. I don’t think so, yet, I remember my grandmother and her sister talking one day about the good old days when they never ever even considered having to lock the house.
It’s Lent and we reflect on how life could be better…. and how life has changed. My grandmother was born at the turn of the century as was my dear great-aunt. Imagine how much change they witnessed in their lifetime as horse and buggy sprouted wheels and gasoline motors. Imagine how much change -- as birds had to give over the right-of-way to giant airplanes.
And look around. We’re all sitting here in a heated and air conditioned building… no wood stoves allowed anymore. Some changes are indeed good! Yet there’s more. Change? Where’s the red book? And the sad … the Bible stories we all know… well, not everyone knows them all anymore.
Care to help me make the point. Let me ask you a couple of questions. “Who was swallowed by a whale?” (Jonah.) “And who led the children of Israel out of Egypt into the promised land?” (Moses.) I knew you knew the answers. Just like you know that the Ten Commandments are found in Exodus chapter 20. Here’s the change: Right down the street from where you and your family live, there are people who have no idea about the basic Bible characters and stories, or who God’s people are, or what’s a Commandment. Used to be that almost everybody could at least tell you which church they ought to be in on any given Sunday morning. Not today. Blind from birth you might say. But then, a couple of days ago, when the president of one of our Lutheran congregations is arrested for multiple murders, well, there’s a lot we can’t see.
Today, we who do know about God’s love are confronted in John’s Gospel with a man born blind who receives his sight. Jesus, you know, the Messiah, puts mud on a man’s eyes, tells him to go wash in the pool of Siloam, and when he comes back, … he’s not blind anymore. That’s change. That’s a gift from God. That’s a miracle.
The once blind man who can now see, and stands now before Jesus looking at him, marveling at what has just happened. He has no idea who Jesus is. Prophet? Optometrist? Physician? He doesn’t have a clue. Then, Jesus tells him what he needs to know. Oh My Lord, it’s you. I didn’t know. Blind. But now I see. By God’s grace, lots of people who were once blind, now see. Of course, we’re talking about spiritual blindness. And by now, you too have thought of the old hymn, Amazing Grace, haven’t you? Maybe even hummed a couple of bars in your mind. The first time I read the history of this hymn, I was amazed to learn about its, John Newton. Truly a story of transformation and change of heart. He was a slave trader, blind to the call of God for human equality. And on one journey across the Atlantic in his boat filled with slaves stolen from their homeland …. John Newton was confronted with the story of God and right there on that ship, realized what it meant to see God for the first time. With a changed heart he quickly penned the words that we know all so well, “Was blind, but now I see.”
What a strange and wonderful story this is of a man once blind, but now who sees. What wonderful stories of two men given new sight… one blind from birth physically and one blind for a long, long time… by profession and trade. Once healed, you can almost see these men running around looking at the beauty of God’s new creation seeing things they had never seen before. The things we as children of God just simply take for granted. You understand my words here and all that they may mean, but would all your neighbors understand?
In John’s Gospel, we greet a man who represents the world so well… blind. For isn’t so much of the world blind to the power and mercy and presence of God. This one man, like all too many of us, is blind to what God offers in life, until Jesus, the Light of the World, reveals God’s healing message. Go and wash and you shall see. Go and wash and you shall be changed. Go and wash and you shall … never be the same again.
But down the street, maybe they don’t understand. They have no idea what has happened. They are too blind themselves to see God at work. So, God calls for us to simply re-tell the story… again. It’s in the telling of the story that others may come to understand and to know and to want to be able to see as well. But not all were interested. Not all would even listen. So Jesus said, those who were blind will see, but those who already “see” may plunge into darkness. Personally, I don’t like that. … Why can’t all of us see?
If we think we know all the answers, we are blind. But if we know that we are pitiful without the love and grace and power of God in our lives…. if we know that we are blind, then there’s hope.
In our Gospel, the once blind man discovers that Jesus is none other than his Lord and Savior. “Lord, I believe.” He says and worships him. You didn’t miss this, did you? : before his statement of faith and belief, Jesus had already healed the blind man. The man receives the loving touch of Jesus and is healed… and only then can he begin to understand and live in faith in the true fullness of life which God intends for all His people.
The challenge for us today is to know that God has already touched us. There’s no reason to be blind, or struggling, or unsure of our lives. God loves you. God claims you. Now go wash… and come back seeing the splendor of God’s kingdom which has been promised to you. Like the once blind man, we are called to tell and tell and re-tell the story…. That all may one day hear and believe and want to go wash as well.
It may take a long time to tell the story enough times that all the world will believe, but ‘til then, God was patient with me, and with many of you. So, doesn’t everyone deserve the same chance to see? After all, the same Jesus who gave sight to a blind man two thousand years ago…. is same Jesus who gave sight to a spiritually blind man, on a slave ship two hundred years ago… is the same Jesus who gave sight to us.
Through the generations, some things have changed, some for the better, some for the worse. But, in all of life, there is but one constant – the God who made the world is the same God who brings life and sight it as well.
03/06/2005
“Was blind, but now I see…”
It’s Lent and as always, I get a little nostalgic as I think about what should be…. It’s another way of asking, What changes in life, and especially in my own life, would God like to see happen? It didn’t help that just a couple of days ago, a killer of thirty years was arrested… and much to the world’s surprise, he was a leader of his congregation. Killer and church person doesn’t seem to go together, does it? And, to make matters more vivid for us, this man, arrested as the alleged BTK villain, is the president of his ELCA congregation. How does that make you feel?
Nauseous is one word that comes to mind. But being the Lutheran that I am, I have to remember that he’s not yet convicted. Somehow I am to pray for him and for all those who have been harmed these past thirty years. Surely, God wants better for us. Has evil always been around? Or has life just recently gone wrong?
Well, I know that bad things have always happened, but life seems to have gotten worse. Leave the front door to my home unlocked all night long…. I don’t think so, yet, I remember my grandmother and her sister talking one day about the good old days when they never ever even considered having to lock the house.
It’s Lent and we reflect on how life could be better…. and how life has changed. My grandmother was born at the turn of the century as was my dear great-aunt. Imagine how much change they witnessed in their lifetime as horse and buggy sprouted wheels and gasoline motors. Imagine how much change -- as birds had to give over the right-of-way to giant airplanes.
And look around. We’re all sitting here in a heated and air conditioned building… no wood stoves allowed anymore. Some changes are indeed good! Yet there’s more. Change? Where’s the red book? And the sad … the Bible stories we all know… well, not everyone knows them all anymore.
Care to help me make the point. Let me ask you a couple of questions. “Who was swallowed by a whale?” (Jonah.) “And who led the children of Israel out of Egypt into the promised land?” (Moses.) I knew you knew the answers. Just like you know that the Ten Commandments are found in Exodus chapter 20. Here’s the change: Right down the street from where you and your family live, there are people who have no idea about the basic Bible characters and stories, or who God’s people are, or what’s a Commandment. Used to be that almost everybody could at least tell you which church they ought to be in on any given Sunday morning. Not today. Blind from birth you might say. But then, a couple of days ago, when the president of one of our Lutheran congregations is arrested for multiple murders, well, there’s a lot we can’t see.
Today, we who do know about God’s love are confronted in John’s Gospel with a man born blind who receives his sight. Jesus, you know, the Messiah, puts mud on a man’s eyes, tells him to go wash in the pool of Siloam, and when he comes back, … he’s not blind anymore. That’s change. That’s a gift from God. That’s a miracle.
The once blind man who can now see, and stands now before Jesus looking at him, marveling at what has just happened. He has no idea who Jesus is. Prophet? Optometrist? Physician? He doesn’t have a clue. Then, Jesus tells him what he needs to know. Oh My Lord, it’s you. I didn’t know. Blind. But now I see. By God’s grace, lots of people who were once blind, now see. Of course, we’re talking about spiritual blindness. And by now, you too have thought of the old hymn, Amazing Grace, haven’t you? Maybe even hummed a couple of bars in your mind. The first time I read the history of this hymn, I was amazed to learn about its, John Newton. Truly a story of transformation and change of heart. He was a slave trader, blind to the call of God for human equality. And on one journey across the Atlantic in his boat filled with slaves stolen from their homeland …. John Newton was confronted with the story of God and right there on that ship, realized what it meant to see God for the first time. With a changed heart he quickly penned the words that we know all so well, “Was blind, but now I see.”
What a strange and wonderful story this is of a man once blind, but now who sees. What wonderful stories of two men given new sight… one blind from birth physically and one blind for a long, long time… by profession and trade. Once healed, you can almost see these men running around looking at the beauty of God’s new creation seeing things they had never seen before. The things we as children of God just simply take for granted. You understand my words here and all that they may mean, but would all your neighbors understand?
In John’s Gospel, we greet a man who represents the world so well… blind. For isn’t so much of the world blind to the power and mercy and presence of God. This one man, like all too many of us, is blind to what God offers in life, until Jesus, the Light of the World, reveals God’s healing message. Go and wash and you shall see. Go and wash and you shall be changed. Go and wash and you shall … never be the same again.
But down the street, maybe they don’t understand. They have no idea what has happened. They are too blind themselves to see God at work. So, God calls for us to simply re-tell the story… again. It’s in the telling of the story that others may come to understand and to know and to want to be able to see as well. But not all were interested. Not all would even listen. So Jesus said, those who were blind will see, but those who already “see” may plunge into darkness. Personally, I don’t like that. … Why can’t all of us see?
If we think we know all the answers, we are blind. But if we know that we are pitiful without the love and grace and power of God in our lives…. if we know that we are blind, then there’s hope.
In our Gospel, the once blind man discovers that Jesus is none other than his Lord and Savior. “Lord, I believe.” He says and worships him. You didn’t miss this, did you? : before his statement of faith and belief, Jesus had already healed the blind man. The man receives the loving touch of Jesus and is healed… and only then can he begin to understand and live in faith in the true fullness of life which God intends for all His people.
The challenge for us today is to know that God has already touched us. There’s no reason to be blind, or struggling, or unsure of our lives. God loves you. God claims you. Now go wash… and come back seeing the splendor of God’s kingdom which has been promised to you. Like the once blind man, we are called to tell and tell and re-tell the story…. That all may one day hear and believe and want to go wash as well.
It may take a long time to tell the story enough times that all the world will believe, but ‘til then, God was patient with me, and with many of you. So, doesn’t everyone deserve the same chance to see? After all, the same Jesus who gave sight to a blind man two thousand years ago…. is same Jesus who gave sight to a spiritually blind man, on a slave ship two hundred years ago… is the same Jesus who gave sight to us.
Through the generations, some things have changed, some for the better, some for the worse. But, in all of life, there is but one constant – the God who made the world is the same God who brings life and sight it as well.
Sunday, February 27, 2005
"I Need a Drink"
Pastor Ray
02/27/2005
I Need a Drink
In case you missed the focus of today’s lessons, they’re about water. I need a drink. And so do you.
As you would guess there’s more to this story than just water and more than just needing a drink of it. The story of God began a long, long time ago. God would take us way back…to the days of Moses. We find the children of Israel wandering in the wilderness, and struggling to find their way. As my Debbie would say, you can tell they were led by a man… lost because he refused to ask for directions. And, for the people of the wilderness, there’s some truth to that.
Trying to be so self-sufficient, they failed again and again. God kept providing for their needs, but stubborn people that they were, they kept on getting lost. And now, today, we find God’s children, lost, hot and thirsty. They needed a drink, and none was to be found.
It may have been generations ago, but the Israelites behaved no differently than we do when we find ourselves in a mess. Forgetting about God’s past protection and His promises, they grumbled and fussed. They found someone to blame.
Moses, it’s all your fault. You brought us out of Egypt only to die of thirst in this desert! You took us from the waters of the Pharaoh, and now we’re stuck out here. We were better off with Pharaoh. Now, putting yourself into the story, what would you have said in response to these complaints? How do you move forward … when you don’t know where to turn or what to do? Do you ask for guidance, or do you rely on your own sense of direction?
Because he was man enough to pull over and ask for help, Moses turned to God. Frustrated, and frightened he said, … God, you got me in this mess, and I’m not man enough to get us out of it. Help! Please. These people are ready to stone me. If this were a drama or a play, this would be the end of scene one.
How do you think scene two would have opened? Now the Lord God could have fussed Moses. You should have asked for directions. You should have stopped by the grocery store and bought supplies. You should have prepared for emergencies. But the Lord God patiently provided for His children.
Moses, trust me. Moses, have faith. Let me draw you a map -- Moses take the stick I gave you, the very same one you used to strike the Nile and I will provide. I will take away your thirst… and save your neck all at the same time. And Moses obeyed. And God provided. And all was well… for a day or two until someone found something else to whine about. And so goes the fall of man.
When we get prideful, when we get arrogant, when we become so self-reliant that we forget to seek God’s wisdom…. we fall and we fall hard, man or woman. Don’t believe me? Then turn from the Old Testament lesson turn to scene three…. to the Gospel lesson. Here we find another thirsty soul. This time it’s a woman, a woman at the well. In this familiar scene from the Bible we encounter a woman whose life was a mess… she had thrown away the directions for life, and even though she didn’t seem to realize it, she was lost deep, deep in the wilderness. She thought she had found happiness in the arms of a man, actually the arms of a number of men. But once Jesus came to her, she quickly discovered just how thirsty she was and recognized the emptiness of her life. It’s so very common to be thirsty for more out of life, isn’t it?
If we have someone to hold on to. If we have the right clothes to wear. If we have the right car to drive. If we have the right friends and eat at the right fancy places. If we …., well, regardless of how you fill in the blank, you will get thirsty. Worldly things cannot fill our deepest needs.
One day Jesus came met a woman who was very empty…deep, deep inside that is. She had water to drink. It was life itself that was empty. It’s important to note how the story unfolds. – scene four
Jesus, was returning from a long, hard journey. He was hot. He was tired. He was thirsty for some water. And more important than we tend to acknowledge, He was far from home… in the land of Samaria. In order to appreciate the drama that unfolds, you have to remember that the Samaritans and the Jews didn’t like each other very much. In fact, they didn’t like each other at all. Plus, the times were different back then when it came to a strange man speaking to a strange woman. Jesus was about to do the unthinkable – talk to a stranger, a Samaritan stranger, a Samaritan stranger who was female. You have no idea… what a big deal that was… to approach a strange woman in a foreign land and ask a favor of her. “Give me a drink,” Jesus asked. Are you talking to me?... she wondered. A Jewish man speaking to a Samaritan woman? Yes. I asked for something to drink. And if you only knew… you’d be asking me for something to drink. Sir, you don’t even have a bucket. You’re so thirsty you’ve lost your mind.
Jesus didn’t give up. What if I could fill your soul so that you’d never be empty again. I’d like that kind of water. Where do I find it? The curtain drops, and the set quickly prepares us for scene four.
Jesus responds, Then Go and call your husband and I’ll give you both this gift. Oops… Sir, that’s not possible. Yes, I know, explains Jesus. I know how empty your life is and how you thought it could be filled… and you were wrong. Turn to the Messiah and worship him. Yes, even a Samaritan knows that. Sir, show him to me and I will. When he comes, he will proclaim all things to us. And didn’t I just do that? Did I not just tell you what you have done wrong? And her eyes were opened.
With generations of experience between us and this woman, we can clearly see what just happened. She drank from the well that has no bottom. Looking back we see the miracle at the well. She not only drank from this eternal well, she told everybody she could about it… and about the Messiah. He told me everything I have ever done. He accepted me right where I was, but refused to leave me there. He filled my heart and my soul. And because of her faith, many Samaritans came to believe. They too wanted something to drink. Today I wonder how many around us are thirsty… and deep, deep within…. empty. I wonder how many have tried to fill their emptiness with worldly diversions.
This is one of the questions of Lent -- Why are we so empty? Maybe you’ve asked the same thing, but framed it very differently. Why don’t we find happiness that lasts forever? Why do we keep searching and searching? Why have I failed to get life right? At least nobody knows my failures… Then Jesus says, I know all that you have done, and I still offer you something to drink.
That’s the good news that God brings to us – that regardless of what’s gone wrong in our lives, God offers us a drink… and new life. God may invite us to walk through the season of Lent and the questions of Lent, but God points us to Easter and to Resurrection promises of new life. Need something to drink? We do, if we are human. We do, if we admit our sinfulness. We do, if we admit that we’re a lot emptier deep inside than we want to confess.
This journey through Lent toward the joy of Easter is about new life. God offers us all a new life, a better life, a richer life. This journey is about confessing that without Christ … our lives are empty. We are a thirsty people who need to turn to Jesus as the source of living water and of new life.
Why are you thirsty? I may not know, but God does. Why has life fallen so far from where it should be? I may not know, but God does. Why are you so loved by your God in spite of your failures? I may not know, but God does. I don’t even attempt to tell you how God changed the life of this woman, because I do not know the details. But this we do know, that the woman who met her Lord at the well, was not the same woman who walked away… Her Savior had offered her something to drink that filled her heart and her soul.
What if Jesus had not been willing to meet her at the well?
02/27/2005
I Need a Drink
In case you missed the focus of today’s lessons, they’re about water. I need a drink. And so do you.
As you would guess there’s more to this story than just water and more than just needing a drink of it. The story of God began a long, long time ago. God would take us way back…to the days of Moses. We find the children of Israel wandering in the wilderness, and struggling to find their way. As my Debbie would say, you can tell they were led by a man… lost because he refused to ask for directions. And, for the people of the wilderness, there’s some truth to that.
Trying to be so self-sufficient, they failed again and again. God kept providing for their needs, but stubborn people that they were, they kept on getting lost. And now, today, we find God’s children, lost, hot and thirsty. They needed a drink, and none was to be found.
It may have been generations ago, but the Israelites behaved no differently than we do when we find ourselves in a mess. Forgetting about God’s past protection and His promises, they grumbled and fussed. They found someone to blame.
Moses, it’s all your fault. You brought us out of Egypt only to die of thirst in this desert! You took us from the waters of the Pharaoh, and now we’re stuck out here. We were better off with Pharaoh. Now, putting yourself into the story, what would you have said in response to these complaints? How do you move forward … when you don’t know where to turn or what to do? Do you ask for guidance, or do you rely on your own sense of direction?
Because he was man enough to pull over and ask for help, Moses turned to God. Frustrated, and frightened he said, … God, you got me in this mess, and I’m not man enough to get us out of it. Help! Please. These people are ready to stone me. If this were a drama or a play, this would be the end of scene one.
How do you think scene two would have opened? Now the Lord God could have fussed Moses. You should have asked for directions. You should have stopped by the grocery store and bought supplies. You should have prepared for emergencies. But the Lord God patiently provided for His children.
Moses, trust me. Moses, have faith. Let me draw you a map -- Moses take the stick I gave you, the very same one you used to strike the Nile and I will provide. I will take away your thirst… and save your neck all at the same time. And Moses obeyed. And God provided. And all was well… for a day or two until someone found something else to whine about. And so goes the fall of man.
When we get prideful, when we get arrogant, when we become so self-reliant that we forget to seek God’s wisdom…. we fall and we fall hard, man or woman. Don’t believe me? Then turn from the Old Testament lesson turn to scene three…. to the Gospel lesson. Here we find another thirsty soul. This time it’s a woman, a woman at the well. In this familiar scene from the Bible we encounter a woman whose life was a mess… she had thrown away the directions for life, and even though she didn’t seem to realize it, she was lost deep, deep in the wilderness. She thought she had found happiness in the arms of a man, actually the arms of a number of men. But once Jesus came to her, she quickly discovered just how thirsty she was and recognized the emptiness of her life. It’s so very common to be thirsty for more out of life, isn’t it?
If we have someone to hold on to. If we have the right clothes to wear. If we have the right car to drive. If we have the right friends and eat at the right fancy places. If we …., well, regardless of how you fill in the blank, you will get thirsty. Worldly things cannot fill our deepest needs.
One day Jesus came met a woman who was very empty…deep, deep inside that is. She had water to drink. It was life itself that was empty. It’s important to note how the story unfolds. – scene four
Jesus, was returning from a long, hard journey. He was hot. He was tired. He was thirsty for some water. And more important than we tend to acknowledge, He was far from home… in the land of Samaria. In order to appreciate the drama that unfolds, you have to remember that the Samaritans and the Jews didn’t like each other very much. In fact, they didn’t like each other at all. Plus, the times were different back then when it came to a strange man speaking to a strange woman. Jesus was about to do the unthinkable – talk to a stranger, a Samaritan stranger, a Samaritan stranger who was female. You have no idea… what a big deal that was… to approach a strange woman in a foreign land and ask a favor of her. “Give me a drink,” Jesus asked. Are you talking to me?... she wondered. A Jewish man speaking to a Samaritan woman? Yes. I asked for something to drink. And if you only knew… you’d be asking me for something to drink. Sir, you don’t even have a bucket. You’re so thirsty you’ve lost your mind.
Jesus didn’t give up. What if I could fill your soul so that you’d never be empty again. I’d like that kind of water. Where do I find it? The curtain drops, and the set quickly prepares us for scene four.
Jesus responds, Then Go and call your husband and I’ll give you both this gift. Oops… Sir, that’s not possible. Yes, I know, explains Jesus. I know how empty your life is and how you thought it could be filled… and you were wrong. Turn to the Messiah and worship him. Yes, even a Samaritan knows that. Sir, show him to me and I will. When he comes, he will proclaim all things to us. And didn’t I just do that? Did I not just tell you what you have done wrong? And her eyes were opened.
With generations of experience between us and this woman, we can clearly see what just happened. She drank from the well that has no bottom. Looking back we see the miracle at the well. She not only drank from this eternal well, she told everybody she could about it… and about the Messiah. He told me everything I have ever done. He accepted me right where I was, but refused to leave me there. He filled my heart and my soul. And because of her faith, many Samaritans came to believe. They too wanted something to drink. Today I wonder how many around us are thirsty… and deep, deep within…. empty. I wonder how many have tried to fill their emptiness with worldly diversions.
This is one of the questions of Lent -- Why are we so empty? Maybe you’ve asked the same thing, but framed it very differently. Why don’t we find happiness that lasts forever? Why do we keep searching and searching? Why have I failed to get life right? At least nobody knows my failures… Then Jesus says, I know all that you have done, and I still offer you something to drink.
That’s the good news that God brings to us – that regardless of what’s gone wrong in our lives, God offers us a drink… and new life. God may invite us to walk through the season of Lent and the questions of Lent, but God points us to Easter and to Resurrection promises of new life. Need something to drink? We do, if we are human. We do, if we admit our sinfulness. We do, if we admit that we’re a lot emptier deep inside than we want to confess.
This journey through Lent toward the joy of Easter is about new life. God offers us all a new life, a better life, a richer life. This journey is about confessing that without Christ … our lives are empty. We are a thirsty people who need to turn to Jesus as the source of living water and of new life.
Why are you thirsty? I may not know, but God does. Why has life fallen so far from where it should be? I may not know, but God does. Why are you so loved by your God in spite of your failures? I may not know, but God does. I don’t even attempt to tell you how God changed the life of this woman, because I do not know the details. But this we do know, that the woman who met her Lord at the well, was not the same woman who walked away… Her Savior had offered her something to drink that filled her heart and her soul.
What if Jesus had not been willing to meet her at the well?
Sunday, February 20, 2005
"Another Way of Seeing"
Pastor Ray
02/20/2005
Another way of seeing
It’s that time of year when we occasionally catch a glimpse of spring-time promises of warmer days and outdoor fun. Several days ago was one of those warm days full of bright sunshine, so Cameron and I took advantage of the weather and raked up some leaves and put out our post-winter application of fertilizer to make the grass grow. Being such a good teacher I showed him how to apply half the fertilizer going in one direction going up and down the lawn, and then how to put down the other half going back and forth. He gave me a strange look, but I quickly explained that by doing it this way, he wouldn’t miss big spots. Come spring, the whole yard will be filled with beautiful green grass. And he smiled as it all made sense to him…. I think.
Then while Cameron continued fertilizing to make the grass grow tall and green, I went on over to the flower bed and started to spray some weeds with Roundup. “Hey Dad, whatcha doing?” “OH, just killing weeds.” “Weeds?”, he asked. “Looks like the same grass you’re trying to make grow over here.” And, you know, he was right. Desireable grass or dreadful weed… it’s all in how you choose to see it. He’s was right, if you were to pick a blade from the yard and a blade from the garden, it would sure look the same.
When I think back a number of years to when Cameron was much, much younger, he saw something I just couldn’t see. As I grabbed the weed killer to zap all the dandelions, he was busy at play saving every dandelion he could. When I looked at a patch of dandelions, I saw a bunch of weeds that are trying to take over my yard. My son saw flowers for Mom, and blowing white fluff you could play with and chase over the yard. It’s all about what you see and how you see it.
Unfortunately, the older I get, the more likely I am to grab the roundup and shoot the weed… my, how I’ve forgotten the childhood summers of chasing dandelions and filling the air with their downy blossoms.
Or perhaps you can relate to another situation: “When I feel wind on my face, I brace myself against it. I feel it messing up my hair and pushing me back when I walk. Children tend to close their eyes, spread their arms and fly with it, until they fall to the ground laughing.” How would you see it? Do you view the wind? Have we lost sight of something important? We say our nearsightedness has something to do with our demanding careers and busy lifestyle. We become so ‘refined’ that we forget how to dream of dandelion games and rolling in the grass. We get so myoptic that we overlook the most basic of facts… Lent—the forty day journey that prepares us for Easter, is a time for us to look inward, to reevaluate our priorities, and examine the perspective from which we view the most precious of all gifts given to us – new life.
So, today, God reminds us --- we encounter Nicodemus, a highly placed religious leader of that day. A leader of the Jews, he lived by the Law and was probably very faithful to God’s way of Holy living. Nicodemus seemed to understand a lot about Jesus… that he was a righteous man, a teacher who had come from God. Apparently Nicodemus had witnessed Jesus performing miracles… and believed… because no one except by the power and approval of God could work such wonders.
Yet… Nicodemus didn’t understand who Jesus really was. He couldn’t see that it was God standing before him. Nicodemus simply couldn’t see the meaning of new life. Lord, “How can anyone be born after having grown old?” Forgetting how to play with dandelions, he saw weeds. Lord, do you mean we re-enter our mother’s womb? Jesus was patient with Nicodemus. You have been born of flesh and bone…. Now you may be born of water and Spirit.
The flesh and bone part, we understand. We know all about the birds and the bees. We know how to care for our bodies and watch out for one another… keeping our loved ones safe. We know that we have decisions to make… choices to ponder and that some decisions and choices are better than others. We smugly think that we have everything under control.
But Jesus said to Nicodemus, “You must be born from above. The wind blows where it chooses, and you hear the sound of it, but you do not know where it goes.” Being a very learned man, I imagine Nicodemus caught the humor in Jesus’ choice of words -- that the word for ‘wind’ and the word for ‘spirit’ is the same word in Greek. So, it actually makes sense as Jesus continues, “So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.” …Seeing life in a whole new way.
I’m afraid that as the winter comes to an end, we’ve locked ourselves up inside our homes, inside our offices, inside our busy schedules and have forgotten about summer days and dandelions. But that’s what this Lenten season is about… awakening us from our hibernation and our misguided priorities… and reminding us of the joy that comes from feeling the spring-time wind blowing in our lives. By God’s grace, as we turn to our Lord, we begin to feel anew the joy and splendor of the wind… God’s Holy Spirit blowing in our lives. It’s about being born not just of flesh and bone, but also of Spirit and soul. It’s about what some denominations call, being born-again. It’s about what we as Lutherans call, living out your Baptism.
In Holy Baptism, God claimed you, marked you and sealed you with His Holy Spirit. In Holy Baptism, the shortcomings we have in the flesh are overcome by the power of the wind blowing in our lives in holier and more righteous ways. If only we will daily die to the old and sinful self, and then daily rise in the power and the up-lifting breeze of God’s Holy Spirit.
It is so very tempting to think that we now understand…. that we are still in control of our lives… but the wind blows wherever it wishes. You’re never quite sure where it comes from or where it goes… but you feel its presence. At least we know where the Spirit is from… a gift from God and a sign of His Holy presence in our lives. The reality of Lent is simply this… you are NOT in control, for if you are truly faithful to God’s calling, you are willing to go where the wind, the Holy Spirit, directs you.
I’ll be honest and admit that sometimes that concerns me. I like to be in control. But here’s the truth: God’s Holy Spirit has brought me thus far…. And I have to believe that God knows best. For the God who created me and birthed me… is the same God who daily seeks to re-birth me… making me to be a new creation in His own image.
Fortunately, when our God looks at us, He sees a child…… whose faith makes him look very, very clean. That very miracle is the joy of the Lenten journey… realizing that we have weeds in our lives…. But that our faith in the resurrected Savior makes us look very, very perfect to our God.
That’s what the Bible means when it says, “No one can enter the kingdom of God without being born of water and Spirit.” We have muddy feet…. But that’s okay, because we have God’s Holy Spirit blowing in us …. We’re not sure from day to day or from place to place where we may be led or what we may face, but of this, we are most certain positive…….. the Spirit will lead us to God’s eternal Kingdom.
The next time you want to think that you are in charge of life, even of your own life, remember, there is another way of seeing… a better way to look at life. When you think you know the difference between grass and weeds, take a moment to look again…. in the same way God now looks at you. Amen.
02/20/2005
Another way of seeing
It’s that time of year when we occasionally catch a glimpse of spring-time promises of warmer days and outdoor fun. Several days ago was one of those warm days full of bright sunshine, so Cameron and I took advantage of the weather and raked up some leaves and put out our post-winter application of fertilizer to make the grass grow. Being such a good teacher I showed him how to apply half the fertilizer going in one direction going up and down the lawn, and then how to put down the other half going back and forth. He gave me a strange look, but I quickly explained that by doing it this way, he wouldn’t miss big spots. Come spring, the whole yard will be filled with beautiful green grass. And he smiled as it all made sense to him…. I think.
Then while Cameron continued fertilizing to make the grass grow tall and green, I went on over to the flower bed and started to spray some weeds with Roundup. “Hey Dad, whatcha doing?” “OH, just killing weeds.” “Weeds?”, he asked. “Looks like the same grass you’re trying to make grow over here.” And, you know, he was right. Desireable grass or dreadful weed… it’s all in how you choose to see it. He’s was right, if you were to pick a blade from the yard and a blade from the garden, it would sure look the same.
When I think back a number of years to when Cameron was much, much younger, he saw something I just couldn’t see. As I grabbed the weed killer to zap all the dandelions, he was busy at play saving every dandelion he could. When I looked at a patch of dandelions, I saw a bunch of weeds that are trying to take over my yard. My son saw flowers for Mom, and blowing white fluff you could play with and chase over the yard. It’s all about what you see and how you see it.
Unfortunately, the older I get, the more likely I am to grab the roundup and shoot the weed… my, how I’ve forgotten the childhood summers of chasing dandelions and filling the air with their downy blossoms.
Or perhaps you can relate to another situation: “When I feel wind on my face, I brace myself against it. I feel it messing up my hair and pushing me back when I walk. Children tend to close their eyes, spread their arms and fly with it, until they fall to the ground laughing.” How would you see it? Do you view the wind? Have we lost sight of something important? We say our nearsightedness has something to do with our demanding careers and busy lifestyle. We become so ‘refined’ that we forget how to dream of dandelion games and rolling in the grass. We get so myoptic that we overlook the most basic of facts… Lent—the forty day journey that prepares us for Easter, is a time for us to look inward, to reevaluate our priorities, and examine the perspective from which we view the most precious of all gifts given to us – new life.
So, today, God reminds us --- we encounter Nicodemus, a highly placed religious leader of that day. A leader of the Jews, he lived by the Law and was probably very faithful to God’s way of Holy living. Nicodemus seemed to understand a lot about Jesus… that he was a righteous man, a teacher who had come from God. Apparently Nicodemus had witnessed Jesus performing miracles… and believed… because no one except by the power and approval of God could work such wonders.
Yet… Nicodemus didn’t understand who Jesus really was. He couldn’t see that it was God standing before him. Nicodemus simply couldn’t see the meaning of new life. Lord, “How can anyone be born after having grown old?” Forgetting how to play with dandelions, he saw weeds. Lord, do you mean we re-enter our mother’s womb? Jesus was patient with Nicodemus. You have been born of flesh and bone…. Now you may be born of water and Spirit.
The flesh and bone part, we understand. We know all about the birds and the bees. We know how to care for our bodies and watch out for one another… keeping our loved ones safe. We know that we have decisions to make… choices to ponder and that some decisions and choices are better than others. We smugly think that we have everything under control.
But Jesus said to Nicodemus, “You must be born from above. The wind blows where it chooses, and you hear the sound of it, but you do not know where it goes.” Being a very learned man, I imagine Nicodemus caught the humor in Jesus’ choice of words -- that the word for ‘wind’ and the word for ‘spirit’ is the same word in Greek. So, it actually makes sense as Jesus continues, “So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.” …Seeing life in a whole new way.
I’m afraid that as the winter comes to an end, we’ve locked ourselves up inside our homes, inside our offices, inside our busy schedules and have forgotten about summer days and dandelions. But that’s what this Lenten season is about… awakening us from our hibernation and our misguided priorities… and reminding us of the joy that comes from feeling the spring-time wind blowing in our lives. By God’s grace, as we turn to our Lord, we begin to feel anew the joy and splendor of the wind… God’s Holy Spirit blowing in our lives. It’s about being born not just of flesh and bone, but also of Spirit and soul. It’s about what some denominations call, being born-again. It’s about what we as Lutherans call, living out your Baptism.
In Holy Baptism, God claimed you, marked you and sealed you with His Holy Spirit. In Holy Baptism, the shortcomings we have in the flesh are overcome by the power of the wind blowing in our lives in holier and more righteous ways. If only we will daily die to the old and sinful self, and then daily rise in the power and the up-lifting breeze of God’s Holy Spirit.
It is so very tempting to think that we now understand…. that we are still in control of our lives… but the wind blows wherever it wishes. You’re never quite sure where it comes from or where it goes… but you feel its presence. At least we know where the Spirit is from… a gift from God and a sign of His Holy presence in our lives. The reality of Lent is simply this… you are NOT in control, for if you are truly faithful to God’s calling, you are willing to go where the wind, the Holy Spirit, directs you.
I’ll be honest and admit that sometimes that concerns me. I like to be in control. But here’s the truth: God’s Holy Spirit has brought me thus far…. And I have to believe that God knows best. For the God who created me and birthed me… is the same God who daily seeks to re-birth me… making me to be a new creation in His own image.
Fortunately, when our God looks at us, He sees a child…… whose faith makes him look very, very clean. That very miracle is the joy of the Lenten journey… realizing that we have weeds in our lives…. But that our faith in the resurrected Savior makes us look very, very perfect to our God.
That’s what the Bible means when it says, “No one can enter the kingdom of God without being born of water and Spirit.” We have muddy feet…. But that’s okay, because we have God’s Holy Spirit blowing in us …. We’re not sure from day to day or from place to place where we may be led or what we may face, but of this, we are most certain positive…….. the Spirit will lead us to God’s eternal Kingdom.
The next time you want to think that you are in charge of life, even of your own life, remember, there is another way of seeing… a better way to look at life. When you think you know the difference between grass and weeds, take a moment to look again…. in the same way God now looks at you. Amen.
Sunday, February 13, 2005
"Did I Take a Wrong Turn?"
Pastor Ray
02/13/2005
Did I take a wrong turn?
Did I take a wrong turn? Or is this all someone else’s fault? Or could it be, some of both? Our first two lessons tell us that Adam and Eve are to blame for this sinful world. God’s plan for a “happily-ever-after” was turned upside down thanks to their disobedience. Okay, I’ll let them take the blame, but I do have to admit that I’ve done my share of falling from grace in life. Haven’t you? Be honest now… If you look back on all of your life, isn’t there a place where you should have pulled over and asked, “Did I take a wrong turn?”
….To think that I’m so perfect that I could have done better. If God had just made me first and placed me in the Garden of Eden, you know, the place which flowed with milk and honey and all God’s creation would be under my care and all that I would have needed would be right at my feet and … I would have known a good thing, don’t you think?
After all, in the beginning God created the heavens and the earth and the trees and the fish and the animals and it was good, the Bible says. But the master creator couldn’t stop there, God had to add one more final touch to his masterpiece and so, God created humanity in His own image. God wasn’t just a little pleased at this great creation “Adam”, He was very pleased. And it was very good. And being proud of His creation, God placed his finest work, His children, in an ideal kingdom, a land we call the Garden of Eden. Like a truly loving parent, God had wonderful things planned for His children. Oh, to have had God walking through the garden beside you, what else could a man or a woman have ever wanted?
It must have been an early misty morning, or something, as Eve, taking a stroll, came face-to-face with that serpent. Couldn’t she have seen what was coming? -- the temptation. It had to have been very early in the morning, for Eve clearly, wasn’t awake… she was weak … and the serpent was craftier than any other creature. He set her up. It was all his fault. Did God say, “You shall not eat from any tree in the garden?” Like a good salesman, he skillfully wove his pitch. He got a partial yes. Of course,… God said we could eat from the garden. BUT God did say to stay away from just one tree. A partial answer is dangerous. Don’t you know why God said to stay away from such an enticing plant? It’s special and will give you more than you could ever imagine…Eve, it will open your eyes to all sorts of things beyond even your wildest dreams.
See how temptation begins? That’s why country songs are strummed to lyrics about the Devil in blue jeans. And Madison Avenue ads pitch bright red sports cars surrounded by ‘beautiful’ people. People normally run from snakes and such, but some other things seem so very tempting.
It might have been any one of us. Whether it’s an apple, or a job promotion, or a sports car, or new blue jeans, sometimes there’s a fine line between good and not so good. Temptation comes in so many ways… if only it always looked devilish or slithered like a serpent. But it doesn’t. Sometimes it’s serpents who come to take away the loneliness and the emptiness we think we feel inside. Sometimes it’s the serpents who come with new and impossible sales quotas to meet. Anti-trust seminars one day, and pep rallies the next. Sometimes, it’s the battle between doing your homework yourself, or cheating to get the “A”. Sometimes, it’s between buying for ourselves another (an additional) pair of shoes and covering the naked feet of someone without shoes at all. Do we dare to list our own weaknesses? Oh, I bet you’ve discovered yours through the years.
We tend to talk more about God than the devil; more about grace than law; more about salvation and heaven than lost and hell. BUT today, as we begin our Lenten journey, maybe we all need to be reminded that we had something to do with Jesus being nailed to a cross – for our sins. Being reminded that we too have fallen short of living a garden-like life is part of this Lenten journey. Being reminded that we too are sinners will also remind us why all sinners should be welcomed to hear the Gospel message. For if God can save a sinner like us, any one of us, certainly there’s hope for everyone else too. And not to forget that Easter Sunday is over a month away and not to give away the end of the Good News story, but Jesus came to save everyone – all who will believe, all who have faith and come up from the waters of their Baptism claimed as a child of God. The story begins to fit together.
St. Paul writes in his letter to the Romans, “Just as sin came into the world through one man (Adam), and death came through sin,… death and sin was conquered through one man, Jesus Christ the Son of God.” Yes, I too would rather talk about Jesus’ gift than about Adam’s legacy. As Paul writes, “…Much more surely will those who receive the abundance of grace and the free gift of righteousness exercise dominion in life…” In plain English, Jesus gives us all a second chance. Me. You. Everyone… Jesus gives us all a second chance.
Yes, we could spend our lives blaming Adam, or Eve, or the person who won the job promotion over us, for the mess we get ourselves into, but deep down, we know better. Truth is, we do a mighty fine job of walking with the serpent all by ourselves and reaching out to touch the temptations along the way. Instead, wouldn’t it be better to spend a lot of our lives thanking Jesus for second chances and for the promised resurrection? Wouldn’t it be better to spend our lives confident that it is God who walks with us… through the garden, and the valleys, the moments when temptations don’t faze us and, the moments when we are weak.
Jesus knows that the devil is real. And more importantly, the devil knows that Jesus is real. Jesus faced the serpent’s evil lies and his crafty temptations. So, who better than Jesus to walk with us in daily living?
I can think of no one better. But there are others who are called to walk this journey. We’re called the church. And we’re called to keep telling this story of second chances week after week, day after day… forever… until Jesus comes and takes us on a more permanent journey. Some days we tend to forget that without God’s Holy Spirit calling us and guiding us and living in our heart, we’d be slithering along right beside the old serpent. It’s only by God’s grace and love that we’re able to be more like Jesus and resist all the temptations…. even the temptation to want to sit back and judge all the others who have recently given in to temptation. Even our Lord knows how hard it is to resist. Three times Jesus resisted the devil and was so exhausted after Satan departed, that God’s angels came to wait on him.
Would you believe that as I look around this morning I see lots of angels? Maybe a few with wings and halos, but that’s not the whole story. I look around and see your face. You may not be an angel, but you are a minister. Through the waters of Holy Baptism, you have been claimed by God and called to do ministry—to tell the Good News that God wants to care for our brothers and sisters who may be struggling. If we had to face the devil alone, we’d all be in trouble, just like Adam and Eve. But we’re not alone. God is still walking with us. So, you, nor I, nor any of us are ever alone, are we? Remember that. When we ourselves feel attacked, what better place to run than to the church and to God’s people? And, when our neighbor is under attack, what better place to bring them than to the church and to God’s people? Hear again the words of the Psalmist and let them go with you this day: Great are the tribulations of the wicked; but mercy embraces those who trust in the Lord. There is a choice. But it never has to be made alone. Never. And if never alone, is there really a wilderness? Not when God’s people are faithful to their call. So should any one ever be found alone in the wilderness?
May God help and guide us on our Lenten Journey. Amen.
02/13/2005
Did I take a wrong turn?
Did I take a wrong turn? Or is this all someone else’s fault? Or could it be, some of both? Our first two lessons tell us that Adam and Eve are to blame for this sinful world. God’s plan for a “happily-ever-after” was turned upside down thanks to their disobedience. Okay, I’ll let them take the blame, but I do have to admit that I’ve done my share of falling from grace in life. Haven’t you? Be honest now… If you look back on all of your life, isn’t there a place where you should have pulled over and asked, “Did I take a wrong turn?”
….To think that I’m so perfect that I could have done better. If God had just made me first and placed me in the Garden of Eden, you know, the place which flowed with milk and honey and all God’s creation would be under my care and all that I would have needed would be right at my feet and … I would have known a good thing, don’t you think?
After all, in the beginning God created the heavens and the earth and the trees and the fish and the animals and it was good, the Bible says. But the master creator couldn’t stop there, God had to add one more final touch to his masterpiece and so, God created humanity in His own image. God wasn’t just a little pleased at this great creation “Adam”, He was very pleased. And it was very good. And being proud of His creation, God placed his finest work, His children, in an ideal kingdom, a land we call the Garden of Eden. Like a truly loving parent, God had wonderful things planned for His children. Oh, to have had God walking through the garden beside you, what else could a man or a woman have ever wanted?
It must have been an early misty morning, or something, as Eve, taking a stroll, came face-to-face with that serpent. Couldn’t she have seen what was coming? -- the temptation. It had to have been very early in the morning, for Eve clearly, wasn’t awake… she was weak … and the serpent was craftier than any other creature. He set her up. It was all his fault. Did God say, “You shall not eat from any tree in the garden?” Like a good salesman, he skillfully wove his pitch. He got a partial yes. Of course,… God said we could eat from the garden. BUT God did say to stay away from just one tree. A partial answer is dangerous. Don’t you know why God said to stay away from such an enticing plant? It’s special and will give you more than you could ever imagine…Eve, it will open your eyes to all sorts of things beyond even your wildest dreams.
See how temptation begins? That’s why country songs are strummed to lyrics about the Devil in blue jeans. And Madison Avenue ads pitch bright red sports cars surrounded by ‘beautiful’ people. People normally run from snakes and such, but some other things seem so very tempting.
It might have been any one of us. Whether it’s an apple, or a job promotion, or a sports car, or new blue jeans, sometimes there’s a fine line between good and not so good. Temptation comes in so many ways… if only it always looked devilish or slithered like a serpent. But it doesn’t. Sometimes it’s serpents who come to take away the loneliness and the emptiness we think we feel inside. Sometimes it’s the serpents who come with new and impossible sales quotas to meet. Anti-trust seminars one day, and pep rallies the next. Sometimes, it’s the battle between doing your homework yourself, or cheating to get the “A”. Sometimes, it’s between buying for ourselves another (an additional) pair of shoes and covering the naked feet of someone without shoes at all. Do we dare to list our own weaknesses? Oh, I bet you’ve discovered yours through the years.
We tend to talk more about God than the devil; more about grace than law; more about salvation and heaven than lost and hell. BUT today, as we begin our Lenten journey, maybe we all need to be reminded that we had something to do with Jesus being nailed to a cross – for our sins. Being reminded that we too have fallen short of living a garden-like life is part of this Lenten journey. Being reminded that we too are sinners will also remind us why all sinners should be welcomed to hear the Gospel message. For if God can save a sinner like us, any one of us, certainly there’s hope for everyone else too. And not to forget that Easter Sunday is over a month away and not to give away the end of the Good News story, but Jesus came to save everyone – all who will believe, all who have faith and come up from the waters of their Baptism claimed as a child of God. The story begins to fit together.
St. Paul writes in his letter to the Romans, “Just as sin came into the world through one man (Adam), and death came through sin,… death and sin was conquered through one man, Jesus Christ the Son of God.” Yes, I too would rather talk about Jesus’ gift than about Adam’s legacy. As Paul writes, “…Much more surely will those who receive the abundance of grace and the free gift of righteousness exercise dominion in life…” In plain English, Jesus gives us all a second chance. Me. You. Everyone… Jesus gives us all a second chance.
Yes, we could spend our lives blaming Adam, or Eve, or the person who won the job promotion over us, for the mess we get ourselves into, but deep down, we know better. Truth is, we do a mighty fine job of walking with the serpent all by ourselves and reaching out to touch the temptations along the way. Instead, wouldn’t it be better to spend a lot of our lives thanking Jesus for second chances and for the promised resurrection? Wouldn’t it be better to spend our lives confident that it is God who walks with us… through the garden, and the valleys, the moments when temptations don’t faze us and, the moments when we are weak.
Jesus knows that the devil is real. And more importantly, the devil knows that Jesus is real. Jesus faced the serpent’s evil lies and his crafty temptations. So, who better than Jesus to walk with us in daily living?
I can think of no one better. But there are others who are called to walk this journey. We’re called the church. And we’re called to keep telling this story of second chances week after week, day after day… forever… until Jesus comes and takes us on a more permanent journey. Some days we tend to forget that without God’s Holy Spirit calling us and guiding us and living in our heart, we’d be slithering along right beside the old serpent. It’s only by God’s grace and love that we’re able to be more like Jesus and resist all the temptations…. even the temptation to want to sit back and judge all the others who have recently given in to temptation. Even our Lord knows how hard it is to resist. Three times Jesus resisted the devil and was so exhausted after Satan departed, that God’s angels came to wait on him.
Would you believe that as I look around this morning I see lots of angels? Maybe a few with wings and halos, but that’s not the whole story. I look around and see your face. You may not be an angel, but you are a minister. Through the waters of Holy Baptism, you have been claimed by God and called to do ministry—to tell the Good News that God wants to care for our brothers and sisters who may be struggling. If we had to face the devil alone, we’d all be in trouble, just like Adam and Eve. But we’re not alone. God is still walking with us. So, you, nor I, nor any of us are ever alone, are we? Remember that. When we ourselves feel attacked, what better place to run than to the church and to God’s people? And, when our neighbor is under attack, what better place to bring them than to the church and to God’s people? Hear again the words of the Psalmist and let them go with you this day: Great are the tribulations of the wicked; but mercy embraces those who trust in the Lord. There is a choice. But it never has to be made alone. Never. And if never alone, is there really a wilderness? Not when God’s people are faithful to their call. So should any one ever be found alone in the wilderness?
May God help and guide us on our Lenten Journey. Amen.
Sunday, February 6, 2005
"Living in the Light"
Pastor Ray
02/06/2005
Living in the Light
Back in my old days in Corporate America, we used to joke about seeing the light at the end of the tunnel. It was a way of saying that when things could be better…. better things awaited us up ahead. It was almost a pep rally chant… until one day the new guy at the table asked, “But what if the light is attached to a freight train?” Party pooper. Yet, not every day is better than the one before it.
One night this week, it was family homework time and Chandler, our fifth grader was studying Chinese history. We made it through Chairman Mao. I remembered just enough history to get by. “Dad, what’s the man doing standing in front of the tank?” he asked. Do you remember Tiananmen Square? My explanation to Chandler helped me realize that someone that day knew that there was a light at the end of the tunnel… and he was willing to face the freight train head-on. I wish I were so brave. I wish I were so prophetic that I could see that light! And I am a very optimistic person! “So Dad, he was really brave, wasn’t he?” Sure was! “Dad, I hope he helped make it better for everyone.” Me too!
I guess the optimism of a child can help shine light into his Dad’s heart. I wonder what we might be able to do.
So, let me ask this. How’s life for you? Good? Or are you struggling to see the light at the end of the tunnel? Where do you go when life falls apart? “What have I done to deserve this?” … you wonder. But what if it’s the person seated beside you right now…. What if he’s the one who breaks a leg while skiing down the mountain tomorrow morning? Or what if she’s the one who is loses her job next week? She certainly seems like a professional and experienced person, doesn’t she? And if I don’t break a leg, or get laid off next week, what makes me so special? What have I done to be so fortunate?
Forty years of life, and a lot of pastoral care with others…. I still get those same old feelings from time to time. Why me? Why not me? Why suddenly and so unexpectedly does the light seem to fade to darkness when life takes a turn for the worse?
Sometimes I have to wonder about these things that we call fear and uncertainty, and the feelings of unfairness and guilt. I know it’s all something we call “life.” I mean, why are some of us healthy as a horse (whatever that means), fit as a fiddle—full of health and strength? And yet others, are constantly at the doctors office or struggling just to put one foot in front of the other? Why do some of us have wallets bulging at the seams while others of us struggle from paycheck to paycheck? Why are some marriages made in heaven while yet others feel like a living hell? Why do some families seem to have it so easy while others…. work so much harder but seem to be hit from behind nearly every step of life. Deep down, I know that every person and every family has their problems, their challenges, their moments when life seems to fall apart….. and yet, I pray with all my heart that every family will have those times when problems are solved, challenges overcome, promises of new life become a reality, and better days all yet to come.
I guess the older we all become, the more we realize that as we run this race called life, there’s always a good reason to fall on our knees in prayer. Sometimes in thanksgiving. Sometimes in confession. Sometimes in confusion. Sometimes with tears. Sometimes for ourselves. Sometimes for others. Wherever two or three… or three hundred are found, there are plenty of reasons to seek God and to pray for comfort and healing and wholeness. I believe that today is no different.
I imagine that this morning as many of us noticed the word “healing” printed in the bulletin, a few of us felt a little nervous, a little uncertain. Some may have tried to slip out the other door. What’s about to happen here? What do I do? Do we all just sit right where we are, or do we dare venture up front to the pastor or a Stephen Minister or a Health Ministry Committee member? And either way, what are we to expect? Do you think there’s a light at the end of the tunnel? Some have already argued silently, quite well … that God is certainly in this place and can bless us just fine… right where we are in our seats. Yet, for others, the front of the Chapel looks somehow closer to God.
And if I find the courage to walk up, you wonder what should I expect? After all, what can happen? I hope that the first thing we all realize is that the God who greets us at the front is the same God who created us and all that we have. And certainly the God who created us can do a few major repairs from time to time and can certainly handle a tune-up. I can think of no better place to take my pains, my failures, my joys, my celebrations, my concerns for me, my family, my community, my church, and my world. Life’s just never been the same after the Garden of Eden. Yet, God keeps giving hugs to his children.
I shared this story before…. that someone a couple of years ago got a big hug right here at Christ the King… during one of our healing services. I’ve forgotten her name. But she wrote us just to let us know her faith story. See, she from out of town, and was driving in from a long, long drive, on her way to Duke. Her doctors back home had sent her there. The diagnosis was not good. For some reason, she wrote, I pulled off the interstate right at your exit. And why, I don’t know… I wasn’t dressed for church, but I pulled into your parking lot. Why, I don’t know, I came in and slipped into the back pew. Why in the world was I brought to a healing service? It was nice, I thought. It was always nice to have someone pray for me. I’d never had hands on my head before. But it felt good.
I didn’t understand it until the doctors at Duke asked me why I was there. I told them. They told me there’s nothing wrong. Go home. I guess we call that cured, don’t we?
Yet, I’ve watched some of my own sheep here at Church … fail to get better. Not really cured, yet healed. There is a difference. I have to think of one of our parishioners … diagnosed with cancer… I was with her when the doctor told her that she had a month to live. Her first words were, “I’ll be all right. God will take care of that.” Peace. Life. New life. And she’s not alone, for many have found peace again. I look around my church and my community…. and see many people who need God to touch their lives and bring peace and joy back to them. Some may be blessed so much that cured is the right word, but wouldn’t we all settle for a healing? Will it always happen, I don’t know… maybe not in this life. In fact, I’ve followed a number of people to the grave—yet at the grave, I know that they now are not only healed with peace and joy, but they are cured as well. There’s so much I don’t understand about life and about God. But I don’t need to know everything. I have all that I really need. God’s love. God’s grace. God’s promise for new life. When it will all happen, how it will look for me or for any of us, I don’t know. But I know what God tells us to do: Remember the wonderful words of faith which the psalmist wrote: The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom then shall I fear? The Lord is the strength of my life; of whom then shall I fear? Indeed, we need someone to kiss the boo-boo and make it better. Sometimes it may be easier to suffer in silence and alone, or so we think. Sometimes it may be easier just to pretend that the disease or the wheelchair doesn’t exist, or so we think. But God speaks to us about that: Therefore all the faithful will make their prayers… in time of trouble…. God will listen. God will hold us close. God will kiss our broken places. And God will send brothers and sisters to kiss it as well. As God promises, one day we shall be perfect again! Remember that God has claimed us…. Remember that God calls us to seek Him and to accept his mercy.
In just a few minutes each of us will have the opportunity to seek him in different ways. Some right where we sit. Some gathered here at the front of the Chapel. Some praying for ourselves. Some praying for others. Some just wanting to be part of the family. Some reaffirming our faith and asking God to help us walk closer. Some praying that God’s peace will come for all humanity to know. There’s no wrong way to come. God’s strength and power has overcome greater obstacles than that. God calls us to realize just how close He is to us.
Whether you wish for light to come to a man standing in front of a tank, or to a woman who is fighting cancer, or to a region that struggles to rebuild after a tsunami, or to a nation that is overwhelmed by hunger and poverty, or to you yourself as you face pain and suffering…. What better place to come to catch a glimpse of the light…. and to feel the warmth that comes from living in the light…. what better place to come for love and care, for forgiveness and healing? What better place to come just to get a kiss and a hug from our God? By God’s grace and mercy, we come in faith. Amen.
02/06/2005
Living in the Light
Back in my old days in Corporate America, we used to joke about seeing the light at the end of the tunnel. It was a way of saying that when things could be better…. better things awaited us up ahead. It was almost a pep rally chant… until one day the new guy at the table asked, “But what if the light is attached to a freight train?” Party pooper. Yet, not every day is better than the one before it.
One night this week, it was family homework time and Chandler, our fifth grader was studying Chinese history. We made it through Chairman Mao. I remembered just enough history to get by. “Dad, what’s the man doing standing in front of the tank?” he asked. Do you remember Tiananmen Square? My explanation to Chandler helped me realize that someone that day knew that there was a light at the end of the tunnel… and he was willing to face the freight train head-on. I wish I were so brave. I wish I were so prophetic that I could see that light! And I am a very optimistic person! “So Dad, he was really brave, wasn’t he?” Sure was! “Dad, I hope he helped make it better for everyone.” Me too!
I guess the optimism of a child can help shine light into his Dad’s heart. I wonder what we might be able to do.
So, let me ask this. How’s life for you? Good? Or are you struggling to see the light at the end of the tunnel? Where do you go when life falls apart? “What have I done to deserve this?” … you wonder. But what if it’s the person seated beside you right now…. What if he’s the one who breaks a leg while skiing down the mountain tomorrow morning? Or what if she’s the one who is loses her job next week? She certainly seems like a professional and experienced person, doesn’t she? And if I don’t break a leg, or get laid off next week, what makes me so special? What have I done to be so fortunate?
Forty years of life, and a lot of pastoral care with others…. I still get those same old feelings from time to time. Why me? Why not me? Why suddenly and so unexpectedly does the light seem to fade to darkness when life takes a turn for the worse?
Sometimes I have to wonder about these things that we call fear and uncertainty, and the feelings of unfairness and guilt. I know it’s all something we call “life.” I mean, why are some of us healthy as a horse (whatever that means), fit as a fiddle—full of health and strength? And yet others, are constantly at the doctors office or struggling just to put one foot in front of the other? Why do some of us have wallets bulging at the seams while others of us struggle from paycheck to paycheck? Why are some marriages made in heaven while yet others feel like a living hell? Why do some families seem to have it so easy while others…. work so much harder but seem to be hit from behind nearly every step of life. Deep down, I know that every person and every family has their problems, their challenges, their moments when life seems to fall apart….. and yet, I pray with all my heart that every family will have those times when problems are solved, challenges overcome, promises of new life become a reality, and better days all yet to come.
I guess the older we all become, the more we realize that as we run this race called life, there’s always a good reason to fall on our knees in prayer. Sometimes in thanksgiving. Sometimes in confession. Sometimes in confusion. Sometimes with tears. Sometimes for ourselves. Sometimes for others. Wherever two or three… or three hundred are found, there are plenty of reasons to seek God and to pray for comfort and healing and wholeness. I believe that today is no different.
I imagine that this morning as many of us noticed the word “healing” printed in the bulletin, a few of us felt a little nervous, a little uncertain. Some may have tried to slip out the other door. What’s about to happen here? What do I do? Do we all just sit right where we are, or do we dare venture up front to the pastor or a Stephen Minister or a Health Ministry Committee member? And either way, what are we to expect? Do you think there’s a light at the end of the tunnel? Some have already argued silently, quite well … that God is certainly in this place and can bless us just fine… right where we are in our seats. Yet, for others, the front of the Chapel looks somehow closer to God.
And if I find the courage to walk up, you wonder what should I expect? After all, what can happen? I hope that the first thing we all realize is that the God who greets us at the front is the same God who created us and all that we have. And certainly the God who created us can do a few major repairs from time to time and can certainly handle a tune-up. I can think of no better place to take my pains, my failures, my joys, my celebrations, my concerns for me, my family, my community, my church, and my world. Life’s just never been the same after the Garden of Eden. Yet, God keeps giving hugs to his children.
I shared this story before…. that someone a couple of years ago got a big hug right here at Christ the King… during one of our healing services. I’ve forgotten her name. But she wrote us just to let us know her faith story. See, she from out of town, and was driving in from a long, long drive, on her way to Duke. Her doctors back home had sent her there. The diagnosis was not good. For some reason, she wrote, I pulled off the interstate right at your exit. And why, I don’t know… I wasn’t dressed for church, but I pulled into your parking lot. Why, I don’t know, I came in and slipped into the back pew. Why in the world was I brought to a healing service? It was nice, I thought. It was always nice to have someone pray for me. I’d never had hands on my head before. But it felt good.
I didn’t understand it until the doctors at Duke asked me why I was there. I told them. They told me there’s nothing wrong. Go home. I guess we call that cured, don’t we?
Yet, I’ve watched some of my own sheep here at Church … fail to get better. Not really cured, yet healed. There is a difference. I have to think of one of our parishioners … diagnosed with cancer… I was with her when the doctor told her that she had a month to live. Her first words were, “I’ll be all right. God will take care of that.” Peace. Life. New life. And she’s not alone, for many have found peace again. I look around my church and my community…. and see many people who need God to touch their lives and bring peace and joy back to them. Some may be blessed so much that cured is the right word, but wouldn’t we all settle for a healing? Will it always happen, I don’t know… maybe not in this life. In fact, I’ve followed a number of people to the grave—yet at the grave, I know that they now are not only healed with peace and joy, but they are cured as well. There’s so much I don’t understand about life and about God. But I don’t need to know everything. I have all that I really need. God’s love. God’s grace. God’s promise for new life. When it will all happen, how it will look for me or for any of us, I don’t know. But I know what God tells us to do: Remember the wonderful words of faith which the psalmist wrote: The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom then shall I fear? The Lord is the strength of my life; of whom then shall I fear? Indeed, we need someone to kiss the boo-boo and make it better. Sometimes it may be easier to suffer in silence and alone, or so we think. Sometimes it may be easier just to pretend that the disease or the wheelchair doesn’t exist, or so we think. But God speaks to us about that: Therefore all the faithful will make their prayers… in time of trouble…. God will listen. God will hold us close. God will kiss our broken places. And God will send brothers and sisters to kiss it as well. As God promises, one day we shall be perfect again! Remember that God has claimed us…. Remember that God calls us to seek Him and to accept his mercy.
In just a few minutes each of us will have the opportunity to seek him in different ways. Some right where we sit. Some gathered here at the front of the Chapel. Some praying for ourselves. Some praying for others. Some just wanting to be part of the family. Some reaffirming our faith and asking God to help us walk closer. Some praying that God’s peace will come for all humanity to know. There’s no wrong way to come. God’s strength and power has overcome greater obstacles than that. God calls us to realize just how close He is to us.
Whether you wish for light to come to a man standing in front of a tank, or to a woman who is fighting cancer, or to a region that struggles to rebuild after a tsunami, or to a nation that is overwhelmed by hunger and poverty, or to you yourself as you face pain and suffering…. What better place to come to catch a glimpse of the light…. and to feel the warmth that comes from living in the light…. what better place to come for love and care, for forgiveness and healing? What better place to come just to get a kiss and a hug from our God? By God’s grace and mercy, we come in faith. Amen.
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