AWESOME, BABY!

Posted on Aug 13, 2020 in Uncategorized |

Psalm 67 
 

1 May God be gracious to us and bless us

    and make his face to shine upon us,

2 that your way may be known upon earth,

    your saving power among all nations.

3 Let the peoples praise you, O God;

    let all the peoples praise you.

4 Let the nations be glad and sing for joy,

    for you judge the peoples with equity

    and guide the nations upon earth.

5 Let the peoples praise you, O God;

    let all the peoples praise you.

6 The earth has yielded its increase;

    God, our God, has blessed us.

7 May God continue to bless us;

    let all the ends of the earth revere him.
 
I had breakfast one morning with Dick Vitale. You know who Dick Vitale is, don’t you? “HE’S AWESOME, BABY!” He is a basketball sportscaster who shows up at big college basketball games. He is loud, obnoxious, and loved or hated by the fans. He used to be a coach himself for a couple high school teams, the University of Detroit, and for a short time, the Detroit Pistons.
 
I had breakfast with him one December down in Florida at Siesta Key. The restaurant was known as the place Dickie V would often frequent. Sure enough, when we were seated, he was at the next table. It was kind of like being in the presence of royalty – don’t speak unless you are spoken to! He had a large table to himself, covered with newspapers. It was from this site that he often called in to various sports radio shows with his insight.
 
While he was busy on the phone, I gave my camera to my wife and told her to take my picture. Leaning back in my chair, with Dickie V in the background, I got my picture with him.
 
Yes, I had breakfast with Dick Vitale. He doesn’t remember, but I do. It was awesome, baby!
 
Who do we revere? Who do we hold in high regard?
 
Here is the wonderful thing about God (there are a LOT of wonderful things, but let me mention this one) – God remembers. God knows. God loves. The one whom we revere is not one who is far off, unattainable, unapproachable. Our God is an AWESOME God who doesn’t wait for us to come to God – instead God comes to us. God blesses us, saves us, forgives us, and loves us. THAT is AWESOME!
 
Yes, it was pretty cool to “have breakfast” with Dickie V. It is really awesome to know I have every day with my Lord and my God.
 
May God continue to bless us; let all the ends of the earth revere him.
 

Let us pray:

Almighty God, how awesome you are. Thank you for all you have done and continue to do. We praise your name, and we revere you. Thank you for all your blessings upon us. We pray this in Jesus’ name. Amen.

12
Aug '20

Jesus Calms Our Storms

Posted on Aug 12, 2020 in Uncategorized |

12
Aug '20

Matthew 8:23-27 

23 And when he got into the boat, his disciples followed him. 24 A windstorm arose on the sea, so great that the boat was being swamped by the waves; but he was asleep. 25 And they went and woke him up, saying, “Lord, save us! We are perishing!” 26 And he said to them, “Why are you afraid, you of little faith?” Then he got up and rebuked the winds and the sea; and there was a dead calm. 27 They were amazed, saying, “What sort of man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey him?”
 

A storm arises. There is very little that is more terrifying to most people than a storm at sea. And many of the disciples were professional fishermen. They knew how easily even a good boat could capsize or be swamped by the waves. They knew what happened to those on board a boat in this predicament. There would be no way to swim out of the situation, in the dark, in the waves, in the storm. You get swamped in a storm, you drown.

 

What was Jesus doing? In the middle of the storm, with the wind and the waves roaring and the disciples panicking, Jesus was calmly sleeping on a cushion.

 

The panic-stricken disciples shouted to Jesus above the roar of the wind and the sound of the waves crashing over the sides of their boat. “Lord, don’t you care that we are about to drown?” In other words, “Hey Jesus, we’re dyin’ here!”

 

Jesus stands up. Without answering their question about whether Jesus cared for them in their time of deep trouble, he demonstrates how much he cares and speaks a word to the wind and the sea: “Be quiet! Be still!” It’s calm. Jesus brings peace and calm to the terrified and panic-stricken disciples. Yes, maybe that command was meant for them, too!

 

Notice that Jesus never gets out of the boat. He does not abandon his disciples.

 

The disciples ask Jesus to save them, but what do they expect? I am pretty sure they didn’t expect the Jesus they had. He had done healings, sure. He had cured the lame and even healed on the Sabbath. He had cast out unclean spirits. But such things are nothing compared to a storm, at least not a storm that might disturb a lake crossing at night. I wonder what they would have done had they known what Jesus could do? I wonder what they would have asked him? Could they muster the faith to trust God as Jesus did? We may never know.
 

What we do know is that when Jesus did what he did, they are taken by awe and wonder, amazement and fear. They did not have answers, just a question; “Who, then, is this, that even the wind and waves obey him?” Who indeed.

 

This is not the first time God’s people didn’t comprehend God’s power. The children of God were in the wilderness for 40 years. For 40 years, God provided for them bread from heaven – manna it was called. When they entered into the promised land, the manna was no longer there – now they were to farm the land. They hadn’t farmed in 40 years, so they asked their neighbors, who told them about the gods they worshiped. The children of Israel started to worship these other gods, which made God (Yahweh) very upset – I AM the Lord your God. You shall have no other gods!

 

And we hear that in the book of Job (38:1-11), in which Job complains to God with all that has fallen upon him. God’s response? “Gird up your loins like a man and let me ask YOU – where were you when I was creating?”

 

How about us? Do we NOT turn to God because we feel it is outside of His realm of understanding, power, control? When storms arise, it is best to turn to God.

 

Dr Luke Bouman, former pastor at Valparaiso University writes these words:

“We experience storms in our lives. And even in these storms, Jesus enters and shatters the illusions which give those storms power. Jesus did not sit in judgment over us when the buildings fell on September 11, 2001, instead he suffered with all those who suffered loss. Jesus did not use Katrina to punish New Orleans, but rather entered and died with those who perished there, leading them to new life through muddy baptismal waters.”

 

I would add that Jesus does not turn his back on what we have experienced so far in 2020. Jesus doesn’t abandon us, but walks with us in the brokenness of the community and our world, offering a word of peace in the midst of the chaos.

 

The message of the cross is that God is with us, in the midst of the chaos, in the heart of the storms in our lives, our community, our world. God offers peace that surpasses understanding, hope that does not disappoint us, and love that bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things – a love that never ends.

 

Again, Luke Bouman writes:

“All of our storms are linked forever to the cross of Christ. All of our storms are less about God using his power to force resolution and more about God forsaking his power to end forever the hold of sin and death on all sides of any debate. And we, for our part, can only shake our heads in awe and wonder at how completely we are loved and grasped by a patient and committed God.

“For there will always be storms that rage; some of them rage around us and some of them rage because of us. And Jesus, the risen Lord, forever calmly walks into the midst of the storm to declare its power null in the wake of his resurrection. Humbled, we are encouraged to stop our circling and posturing and join him in death and resurrection, the only true end to our storms.

“But we have one thing that the disciples on the lake did not have. We do not wonder who it is that stills our storms with death and resurrection. We know that it is Jesus, and we know that Jesus is the living presence of God in our midst. Just so, we experience him in worship, stilling our raging lives with the calming waters of baptism, gently encouraging us to trust through his word, spoken and remembered, and sending us as calm healers by feeding us at his table. The more we experience Jesus in this way, the more we become the body of Christ, and participate in the death and resurrection ourselves as healing agents in this world.” (Rev. Dr. Luke Bouman – Valparaiso University)

 

Let us pray:

Almighty God, we pray that you still the storms. Yet while the storms still continue, and rise up again and again, remind us again and again that you are with us and never let us go. We pray this in Jesus’ name. Amen.
 

11
Aug '20

Serve God, Love God

Posted on Aug 11, 2020 in Uncategorized |

11
Aug '20

Luke 16:1-15

Then Jesus said to the disciples, “There was a rich man who had a manager, and charges were brought to him that this man was squandering his property. 2 So he summoned him and said to him, ‘What is this that I hear about you? Give me an accounting of your management, because you cannot be my manager any longer.’ 3 Then the manager said to himself, ‘What will I do, now that my master is taking the position away from me? I am not strong enough to dig, and I am ashamed to beg. 4 I have decided what to do so that, when I am dismissed as manager, people may welcome me into their homes.’ 5 So, summoning his master’s debtors one by one, he asked the first, ‘How much do you owe my master?’ 6 He answered, ‘A hundred jugs of olive oil.’ He said to him, ‘Take your bill, sit down quickly, and make it fifty.’ 7 Then he asked another, ‘And how much do you owe?’ He replied, ‘A hundred containers of wheat.’ He said to him, ‘Take your bill and make it eighty.’ 8 And his master commended the dishonest manager because he had acted shrewdly; for the children of this age are more shrewd in dealing with their own generation than are the children of light. 9 And I tell you, make friends for yourselves by means of dishonest wealth so that when it is gone, they may welcome you into the eternal homes.
 
10 “Whoever is faithful in a very little is faithful also in much; and whoever is dishonest in a very little is dishonest also in much. 11 If then you have not been faithful with the dishonest wealth, who will entrust to you the true riches? 12 And if you have not been faithful with what belongs to another, who will give you what is your own? 13 No slave can serve two masters; for a slave will either hate the one and love the other, or be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth.” Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death came through sin, and so death spread to all because all have sinned— 13 sin was indeed in the world before the law, but sin is not reckoned when there is no law.
 
14 Yet death exercised dominion from Adam to Moses, even over those whose sins were not like the transgression of Adam, who is a type of the one who was to come. 15 But the free gift is not like the trespass. For if the many died through the one man’s trespass, much more surely have the grace of God and the free gift in the grace of the one man, Jesus Christ, abounded for the many. 
 
I am stepping away from the assigned readings from the Revised Common Lectionary for a few days in the coming weeks to share some illustrations that have come to mind recently.
 
You may have heard me share this one before – it is the story of an owner of an old-fashioned corner grocery store in a small country town who was fond of quoting a passage of Scripture after each sale. He had three old friends that would sit around a pot-bellied stove, playing checkers on a faded board. His ability to produce a Scripture for all occasions never ceased to amuse the old timers, and they would listen to see what verse he would come up with that was relevant to the sale made.
 
A lady purchased some fabric and he said, “She seeks wool, and flax, and works willingly with her hands.” A man bought a bag of flour and he said, “Man does not live by bread alone, but every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.” A little boy bought some candy, and as he rung it up he quoted, “Suffer the little children to come unto me.”
 
It was nearly closing time when the chimes over the door jangled loudly. A well-dressed young man, obviously a stranger from one of the larger towns down the road, entered. “Can I help you?” offered the proprietor.
 
“I need a blanket for my horse,” said the man. “He’s out in his trailer and it’s too cold for just one. Bring me the nicest one you’ve got!”
 
The store owner went in the back storeroom and came back with a brown blanket. “That’ll be five dollars.”
 
“Five dollars? You’ve got to be kidding!” said the man. “This horse is a thoroughbred. He gets only the best! He wouldn’t stand still for an old five-dollar blanket.”
 
Without comment, the store owner took back the blanket, then merely selected a different color and brought it out. “This one’s 25 dollars.”
 
“Now, look,” said the young man, “perhaps I didn’t make myself clear. This isn’t just any old horse! He’s worth thousands! Now I want the best, most expensive blanket you’ve got! Understand?”
 
The owner once more went into the storeroom, pulled out another color of the same material and brought it back. “This is the only one left – you will notice the fine craftsmanship and the beauty and care in the pattern. This one, and a bargain at this price, is 100 dollars.”
 
“Now that’s more like it!” enthused the young man as he paid. Then, throwing the five-dollar blanket over his shoulder, he left.
 
The old timers stared silently at the shopkeeper as they waited to see what possible Scripture he could come up with for that sale! Going behind the register, he rung up the hundred dollars and said, “He was a stranger, and I took him in.”
 
Jesus tells how the manager is commended for his shrewdness. I would put it this way – don’t be a wimp for God! Do whatever you can, however you can, with whatever means you can, to share the Good News! Don’t let the fact that you are a Christian stop you from sharing the good news with others. If you are good at something, do it for the glory of God! For, you see, God is the one who knit us together in our mother’s wombs. He gave us a brain AND a heart – don’t be afraid to use both! If you are street smart, use that gift for God.
 
In the waters of baptism, we are given the promised gift of the Spirit which equips you and me to do God’s work. Use those gifts!
 
One final word, and I think this puts the proper parameters on what Jesus is talking about today. It is the final verse in our lesson for today. Remember who your God is. Martin Luther wrote about the first of the ten commandments – You shall have no other gods. That is, I must be your only God. Whatever you set your heart on and rely on is really your god.
 
Serve God with all that we are and all that we have. Give thanks to God for what has first been given us. Love God with our whole heart, soul, strength, and mind. Wisely, shrewdly.
 
For in doing it for God, we do it for others. In doing for others, we do it for God. Not for wealth, self, or harm.
 

In Galatians 5:22-23, we read these words:

The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against such things.
 
Use the gifts of the Spirit against which there is no law.
 
As forgiven squanderers of God’s bountiful goodness, forgiven and freed from the bondage of sin and death, may we respond with whatever means available to us to further God’s kingdom in the world.
 
It always comes back to this – love, serve and worship God. Love and serve others. By all means.
 
By all means!
 

Let us pray:

Almighty God, may we be so bold as to proclaim the good news so graciously given to us to others. We pray this in Jesus’ name. Amen.
 

Rules & Keeping Score

Posted on Aug 10, 2020 in Uncategorized |

Romans 5:12-15 

12 Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death came through sin, and so death spread to all because all have sinned— 13 sin was indeed in the world before the law, but sin is not reckoned when there is no law. 14 Yet death exercised dominion from Adam to Moses, even over those whose sins were not like the transgression of Adam, who is a type of the one who was to come.

15 But the free gift is not like the trespass. For if the many died through the one man’s trespass, much more surely have the grace of God and the free gift in the grace of the one man, Jesus Christ, abounded for the many.
 
 

I am stepping away from the assigned readings from the Revised Common Lectionary for a few days in the coming weeks to share some illustrations that have come to mind recently.

The lesson I have chosen from Romans came to mind this past weekend when my granddaughter was giving us rules on how to play Monkey in the Middle. Here is a video of her directions given to her father and me.
 

The rules being so carefully explained reminded me of this story:

 

“Snake” By Anne Herbert

In the beginning God didn’t make just one or two people, he made a bunch of us, because he wanted us to have a lot of fun and he said you can’t really have fun unless there’s a whole gang of you. So he put us all in this sort of playground park place called Eden and told us to enjoy.

 

At first we did have fun just like he expected. We played all the time. We rolled down the hills, waded in the streams, climbed the trees, swung on the vines, ran in the meadows, frolicked in the woods, hid in the forest, and acted silly. We laughed a lot.

 

Then one day this snake told us that we weren’t having real fun because we weren’t keeping score. Back then, we didn’t know what score was. When he explained it, we still couldn’t see the fun. But he said that we should give an apple to the person who was best at playing and we’d never know who was best unless we kept score. We could all see the fun of that. We were all sure we were best.

 

It was different after that. We yelled a lot. We had to make up new scoring rules for most of the games we played. Other games, like frolicking, we stopped playing because they were too hard to score. By the time God found out about our new fun, we were spending about forty-five minutes a day in actual playing and the rest of the time working out the score. God was wroth about that — very, very wroth.

 

He said we couldn’t use his garden anymore because we weren’t having any fun. We said we were having lots of fun and we were. He shouldn’t have got upset just because it wasn’t exactly the kind of fun he had in mind.

 

He wouldn’t listen. He kicked us out and said we couldn’t come back until we stopped keeping score. To rub it in (to get our attention, he said), he told us we were all going to die anyway and our scores wouldn’t mean anything.

 

He was wrong. My cumulative all-game score is now 16,548 and that means a lot to me. If I can raise it to 20,000 before I die I’ll know I’ve accomplished something. Even if I can’t my life has a great deal of meaning because I’ve taught my children to score high and they’ll all be able to reach 20,000 or even 30,000 I know.

 

Really, it was life in Eden that didn’t mean anything. Fun is great in its place, but without scoring there’s no reason for it. God has a very superficial view of life and I’m glad my children are being raised away from his influence. We were lucky to get out. We’re all very grateful to the snake.

 
By grace you have been saved, and this is God’s doing. No longer do we need to keep score. In Jesus Christ, we have won!
 

Let us pray:

Almighty God, forgive us for keeping score. Help us to live in your grace, and frolic in your love. We pray this in Jesus’ name. Amen. 


Whose Hands?

Posted on Aug 9, 2020 in Uncategorized |

Matthew 14:22-33 
 
22 Immediately Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead to the other side, while he dismissed the crowds. 23 And after he had dismissed the crowds, he went up the mountain by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone, 24 but by this time the boat, battered by the waves, was far from the land, for the wind was against them. 25 And early in the morning he came walking toward them on the sea. 26 But when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were terrified, saying, “It is a ghost!” And they cried out in fear. 27 But immediately Jesus spoke to them and said, “Take heart, it is I; do not be afraid.”
 
28 Peter answered him, “Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.” 29 He said, “Come.” So Peter got out of the boat, started walking on the water, and came toward Jesus. 30 But when he noticed the strong wind, he became frightened, and beginning to sink, he cried out, “Lord, save me!” 31 Jesus immediately reached out his hand and caught him, saying to him, “You of little faith, why did you doubt?” 32 When they got into the boat, the wind ceased. 33 And those in the boat worshiped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.”
 
 

Photo by Jackson David on Unsplash

I have a standard answer for those who think that I can control the weather since I am a pastor and have a “direct line to God” (I don’t have any better connection than you!). My response is always, “I am in sales, not management!”
 
This act of Jesus, on the heals of feeding the multitude with five loaves of bread and two fish, shows that this one is not just a healer, but Jesus has the ability to still the storm. This one who has this power also has the compassion to reach down and pull us up when we are sinking and our faith fails us. This is the one who holds us and promises to never let go.
 

Here is a poem for today.

 

WHOSE HANDS by Kevin Burden, edited by Charlie Woodward
 

A basketball in my hands is worth about $25.

A basketball in LaBron James’ hands is worth about $120 million.

It depends whose hands it’s in.

 

A golf ball in my hand is worth about $1.

A golf ball in Rory McElroy’s hand is worth $5 million.

It depends whose hands it’s in.

 

A tennis racket is useless in my hands.

A tennis racket in Serena Williams’ hands is a Wimbledon Championship.

It depends whose hands it’s in.

 

A rod in my hands will keep away a wild animal.

A rod in Moses’ hands will part the mighty sea.

It depends whose hands it’s in.

 

A sling shot in my hands is a kid’s toy.

A sling shot in David’s hand is a mighty weapon.

It depends whose hands it’s in.

 

Two fish and 5 loaves of bread in my hands is a couple of fish sandwiches.

Two fish and 5 loaves of bread in God’s hands will feed thousands.

It depends whose hands it’s in.

 

Nails in my hands might produce a door stop – and it may take a while for me to get it done.

Nails in Jesus Christ’s hands will produce salvation for the entire world.

It depends whose hands it’s in.

 

As you see now it depends whose hands it’s in.

So put your concerns, your worries, your fears, your hopes, your dreams,

your families and your relationships in God’s hands because …

It depends whose hands it’s in. 

 

Instead of trying to hold on to God, let God hold on to you!

 

Let us pray:

Almighty God, remind me again and again that I am not in charge. Help me to put my trust in you! We pray this in Jesus’ name. Amen.

There is Hope

Posted on Aug 8, 2020 in Uncategorized |

Psalm 85:8-13 
 

8 Let me hear what God the Lord will speak,

    for he will speak peace to his people,

    to his faithful, to those who turn to him in their hearts.

9 Surely his salvation is at hand for those who fear him,

    that his glory may dwell in our land.

10 Steadfast love and faithfulness will meet;

    righteousness and peace will kiss each other.

11 Faithfulness will spring up from the ground,

    and righteousness will look down from the sky.

12 The Lord will give what is good,

    and our land will yield its increase.

13 Righteousness will go before him,

    and will make a path for his steps.
 

 

What a beautiful imagery this is.
 

Steadfast love and faithfulness will meet;

Righteousness and peace will kiss each other.

 Faithfulness will spring up from the ground,

    and righteousness will look down from the sky.

 

From “The Message” Translation:
 

Love and Truth meet in the street,

    Right Living and Whole Living embrace and kiss!

Truth sprouts green from the ground,

    Right Living pours down from the skies!
 
There is hope that God will continue to bring creation back to what God has intended. There is hope that the days will come when embracing and kissing of God’s goodness, as well as embracing and kissing that has been taken away from us the past five months will happen once again.
 
There is hope.
 
The psalmist writes, “Surely his salvation is at hand…” Salvation, or to be saved means to be made whole, complete, well. We look forward to the day when our world will be made well, and there will be healing and wholeness.
 
I know that the news doesn’t seem to get any better. I know there are more questions than answers. I know that there is a longing for “back to normal.” I know we yearn for the day we can watch movies and shows and not cringe when we see people embrace instead of social distancing. We long for the day when we can be at a sporting event in a crowded stadium or in a packed theater without fear. We wish for the opportunity to shop and be able to smile at those we see without a mask blocking our expressions.
 
The words of the psalmist were written thousands of years ago. Thousands. And yet, they speak to us today.
 
There is hope. God has not abandoned us. God will come and save you and me. Salvation. We will be made well. Healing and wholeness will be ours.
 
Let us listen to what the Lord has to say.
 
There is hope.
 

Let us pray:

Almighty God, Let me hear what you will speak. We long for your salvation. Come to us, abide with us, comfort and make us whole. We pray this in Jesus’ name. Amen.


The Lord Indeed is God

Posted on Aug 7, 2020 in Uncategorized |

1 Kings 18:17-39 
 
17 When Ahab saw Elijah, Ahab said to him, “Is it you, you troubler of Israel?” 18 He answered, “I have not troubled Israel; but you have, and your father’s house, because you have forsaken the commandments of the Lord and followed the Baals. 19 Now therefore have all Israel assemble for me at Mount Carmel, with the four hundred fifty prophets of Baal and the four hundred prophets of Asherah, who eat at Jezebel’s table.”
 
20 So Ahab sent to all the Israelites, and assembled the prophets at Mount Carmel. 21 Elijah then came near to all the people, and said, “How long will you go limping with two different opinions? If the Lord is God, follow him; but if Baal, then follow him.” The people did not answer him a word. 22 Then Elijah said to the people, “I, even I only, am left a prophet of the Lord; but Baal’s prophets number four hundred fifty. 23 Let two bulls be given to us; let them choose one bull for themselves, cut it in pieces, and lay it on the wood, but put no fire to it; I will prepare the other bull and lay it on the wood, but put no fire to it. 24 Then you call on the name of your god and I will call on the name of the Lord; the god who answers by fire is indeed God.” All the people answered, “Well spoken!” 25 Then Elijah said to the prophets of Baal, “Choose for yourselves one bull and prepare it first, for you are many; then call on the name of your god, but put no fire to it.” 26 So they took the bull that was given them, prepared it, and called on the name of Baal from morning until noon, crying, “O Baal, answer us!” But there was no voice, and no answer. They limped about the altar that they had made. 27 At noon Elijah mocked them, saying, “Cry aloud! Surely he is a god; either he is meditating, or he has wandered away, or he is on a journey, or perhaps he is asleep and must be awakened.” 28 Then they cried aloud and, as was their custom, they cut themselves with swords and lances until the blood gushed out over them. 29 As midday passed, they raved on until the time of the offering of the oblation, but there was no voice, no answer, and no response.
 
30 Then Elijah said to all the people, “Come closer to me”; and all the people came closer to him. First he repaired the altar of the Lord that had been thrown down; 31 Elijah took twelve stones, according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Jacob, to whom the word of the Lord came, saying, “Israel shall be your name”; 32 with the stones he built an altar in the name of the Lord. Then he made a trench around the altar, large enough to contain two measures of seed. 33 Next he put the wood in order, cut the bull in pieces, and laid it on the wood. He said, “Fill four jars with water and pour it on the burnt offering and on the wood.” 34 Then he said, “Do it a second time”; and they did it a second time. Again he said, “Do it a third time”; and they did it a third time, 35 so that the water ran all around the altar, and filled the trench also with water.
 
36 At the time of the offering of the oblation, the prophet Elijah came near and said, “O Lord, God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, let it be known this day that you are God in Israel, that I am your servant, and that I have done all these things at your bidding. 37 Answer me, O Lord, answer me, so that this people may know that you, O Lord, are God, and that you have turned their hearts back.” 38 Then the fire of the Lord fell and consumed the burnt offering, the wood, the stones, and the dust, and even licked up the water that was in the trench. 39 When all the people saw it, they fell on their faces and said, “The Lord indeed is God; the Lord indeed is God.” 
 
This story of Elijah versus the prophets of Baal is a great story. I know it is a long one, but well worth the read!
 
Here’s some history before we get to Elijah. We go back about six hundred years before Elijah to the days of Moses and the Israelites leaving Egypt, spending forty years in the wilderness, then entering into the Promised Land. For forty years in the wilderness, there was no need to farm, for God provided manna and quail for food.
 
Once the people entered into the land God had promised them, the manna and quail came to an end. Now they had to live off the land. Forty years of not farming, and you forget how it’s done. So, what do you do? You ask the locals, “How do you go about raising crops?” Those in the land worshiped fertility gods and would pray for the gods to send rain down on the crops. They used temple prostitutes who would act out the fertility process (I am trying to say this as politically correct as I can without getting graphic – you’re going to need to fill in the details on your own!).
 
So, the Israelites started to worship these other gods, which got Yahweh upset. Remember the Ten Commandments? Remember #1? I AM the Lord your God. You shall have NO other gods.
 
This went on for centuries. The people would fall away from Yahweh and worship other gods. God would get upset and send nations to battle against Israel. Israel would cry out for help. God would deliver them.
 
In today’s lesson, we have the Main Event – Elijah vs. the 950 prophets of Baal and Asherah. The event was to call down fire from above and light a stack of wood on fire for a sacrifice.
 
The prophets of Baal tried to no avail. Then it was Elijah’s turn. To up the ante, so to speak, he first had the wood soaked with water three times, offered a prayer and God delivered!
 
You shall have no other gods. A god is where we place our trust, our hope, our energy.
 
You shall have no other gods. Sometimes we focus on the actions we think we need to go through to get God’s attention: the “good things I need to do and the bad things I need to stop doing” in order for God to act. That focus becomes our god instead of simply focusing on God.
 
You shall have no other gods.
 
Return to the Lord your God, for God is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love.
 

Let us pray:

Forgive me when I put my trust elsewhere. Bring me back to your promises. We pray this in Jesus Christ, your Son and our Lord. Amen.
 

06
Aug '20

Questions

Posted on Aug 6, 2020 in Uncategorized |

06
Aug '20
Psalm 105:1-6; 16-22 
 
God’s Faithfulness to Israel
 

1 O give thanks to the Lord, call on his name,

    make known his deeds among the peoples.

2 Sing to him, sing praises to him;

    tell of all his wonderful works.

3 Glory in his holy name;

    let the hearts of those who seek the Lord rejoice.

4 Seek the Lord and his strength;

    seek his presence continually.

5 Remember the wonderful works he has done,

    his miracles, and the judgments he has uttered,

6 O offspring of his servant Abraham,

    children of Jacob, his chosen ones.

16 When he summoned famine against the land,

    and broke every staff of bread,

17 he had sent a man ahead of them,

    Joseph, who was sold as a slave.

18 His feet were hurt with fetters,

    his neck was put in a collar of iron;

19 until what he had said came to pass,

    the word of the Lord kept testing him.

20 The king sent and released him;

    the ruler of the peoples set him free.

21 He made him lord of his house,

    and ruler of all his possessions,

22 to instruct his officials at his pleasure,

    and to teach his elders wisdom.
 
Joseph was an unlikely leader, but God used him, even when his brothers had NO use for him. He was a dreamer whose dreams made his brothers mad, so they sold him off to traders as a slave. The brothers devised a plan to make their Dad think Joseph was dead.
 
Joseph wasn’t – he ended up as a big-wig in the Egyptian royal courts. The brothers came to Joseph begging for food, but they did not know that Joseph was their brother. After a few tricks up his sleeve to get back at his brothers, Joseph welcomed them to his new adopted land, reconciled with them, and cared for them.
 
It is a great story. It was captured wonderfully in the musical “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat.” Epiphany Drama Ministry’s production of that will always be one of my favorite shows ever!
 
Joseph was able to use the gifts God gave him – to interpret dreams and give answers to questions that no one else could answer.
 

Photo by Jon Tyson on Unsplash

Do you have questions?
 

Here are some:

  • What does occasional furniture do the rest of the time? (Think about it…..)
  • What happened to preparation A thru G?
  • Can you imagine a world without hypothetical questions? Just wondered…
  • Why is every letter “c” pronounced differently in the proper noun “Pacific Ocean?” 
 
Seriously –
 
Where do you go to seek answers to questions? Sometimes the answers don’t come as quickly as we wish (the past five months have taught us this, yes?). Sometimes we need to dwell in the questions and be open to the answers, even when they come from places we least expect.
 
Thank you, God, for people of wisdom who bestow wisdom.
 

Let us pray:

We’ve got questions. Direct us to the answers only you can give. We pray this in Jesus Christ, your Son and our Lord. Amen. 

05
Aug '20

Do Not Fear

Posted on Aug 5, 2020 in Uncategorized |

05
Aug '20
Isaiah 43:1-7 
 
Restoration and Protection Promised
 

But now thus says the Lord,

    he who created you, O Jacob,

    he who formed you, O Israel:

Do not fear, for I have redeemed you;

    I have called you by name, you are mine.

2 When you pass through the waters, I will be with you;

    and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you;

when you walk through fire you shall not be burned,

    and the flame shall not consume you.

3 For I am the Lord your God,

    the Holy One of Israel, your Savior.

I give Egypt as your ransom,

    Ethiopia and Seba in exchange for you.

4 Because you are precious in my sight,

    and honored, and I love you,

I give people in return for you,

    nations in exchange for your life.

5 Do not fear, for I am with you;

    I will bring your offspring from the east,

    and from the west I will gather you;

6 I will say to the north, “Give them up,”

    and to the south, “Do not withhold;

bring my sons from far away

    and my daughters from the end of the earth—

7 everyone who is called by my name,

    whom I created for my glory,

    whom I formed and made.”
 

 

I love this passage.
 
The words are given to God’s people after they have been removed from their homeland and now find themselves in captivity in Babylon. They are in a foreign land, far from the Temple and the land that God had promised them.
 
God promises they will be restored and protected.
 
We are first reminded who God is and what God has done.
 
God is the Lord, the one who created and formed us.
 
Then God shares a word of comfort – do not fear. A regular theme in scripture, yes? I have read that these words or words similar to them appear 365 times in scripture. Believe me, I didn’t take the time to count, so I will take others at their word. Even if it isn’t 365, it is a lot!
 
Moved from their homes to captivity – do not fear. Moved away from the place God resided (in the Temple) – do not fear. Uncertain what tomorrow may bring, let alone today – do not fear.
 
Why should we NOT fear? God has an answer for that — actually, three answers.
 
Do not fear for I have redeemed you. In the Old Testament, redemption involves deliverance from bondage based on the payment of a price by a redeemer. Now, this may seem strange for the people who are in captivity to hear. I believe there is more than just one understanding.
 
God reminds them that they were once in slavery in Egypt. Moses came along as God’s spokesman, and through the work of God, God delivered God’s people out of Egypt and to the promised land. The Jews remember this every year at Passover.
 
But I also believe there is a promise in this word – I have set you free before, and I will do it again. Do not fear.
 
The second word – do not fear for I have called you by name. God knows you intimately. The one who knit you together in your mother’s womb knows you inside and out. Do not fear, for this God will not abandon those God has named as beloved. Do not fear.
 
The third word – do not fear for you are mine. God is a possessive God. God loves what God has created. God’s desire is to restore what God has created. Do not fear.
 
How many times do you need to hear it? God isn’t going to stop saying it! Do not fear.
 

Let us pray:

O God, there are times we are afraid. You know that. Wrap us in your promise and in your word. Thank you for the hope and comfort and peace that surpasses all understanding. We pray this in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Very Best

Posted on Aug 4, 2020 in Uncategorized |

Deuteronomy 26:1-15
 
First Fruits and Tithes
 

When you have come into the land that the Lord your God is giving you as an inheritance to possess, and you possess it, and settle in it, 2 you shall take some of the first of all the fruit of the ground, which you harvest from the land that the Lord your God is giving you, and you shall put it in a basket and go to the place that the Lord your God will choose as a dwelling for his name. 3 You shall go to the priest who is in office at that time, and say to him, “Today I declare to the Lord your God that I have come into the land that the Lord swore to our ancestors to give us.” 4 When the priest takes the basket from your hand and sets it down before the altar of the Lord your God, 5 you shall make this response before the Lord your God: “A wandering Aramean was my ancestor; he went down into Egypt and lived there as an alien, few in number, and there he became a great nation, mighty and populous. 6 When the Egyptians treated us harshly and afflicted us, by imposing hard labor on us, 7 we cried to the Lord, the God of our ancestors; the Lord heard our voice and saw our affliction, our toil, and our oppression. 8 The Lord brought us out of Egypt with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm, with a terrifying display of power, and with signs and wonders; 9 and he brought us into this place and gave us this land, a land flowing with milk and honey. 10 So now I bring the first of the fruit of the ground that you, O Lord, have given me.” You shall set it down before the Lord your God and bow down before the Lord your God. 11 Then you, together with the Levites and the aliens who reside among you, shall celebrate with all the bounty that the Lord your God has given to you and to your house.

 

12 When you have finished paying all the tithe of your produce in the third year (which is the year of the tithe), giving it to the Levites, the aliens, the orphans, and the widows, so that they may eat their fill within your towns, 13 then you shall say before the Lord your God: “I have removed the sacred portion from the house, and I have given it to the Levites, the resident aliens, the orphans, and the widows, in accordance with your entire commandment that you commanded me; I have neither transgressed nor forgotten any of your commandments: 14 I have not eaten of it while in mourning; I have not removed any of it while I was unclean; and I have not offered any of it to the dead. I have obeyed the Lord my God, doing just as you commanded me. 15 Look down from your holy habitation, from heaven, and bless your people Israel and the ground that you have given us, as you swore to our ancestors—a land flowing with milk and honey.”
 
 
Before the Israelites enter the Promised Land, Moses passes along many teachings. They have been wandering in the wilderness for 40 years! For 40 years God has provided for them with Manna – bread from heaven, quail, and water. A steady diet. Forty years of Manna Stew, Manna Burgers, Manna Surprise and more!
 
But, now they will be farmers. As they enter the land and plant the crops, they will have fruits and vegetables, meats, bread and wine. God will provide in the land flowing with milk and honey.
 
As the harvest is brought in, Moses instructs them to bring the first fruits of the creation to God. Not crumbs from the table, but the best of the best.
 
I have shared the story of a woman who called the Butterball Turkey hotline in November before Thanks-giving. Butterball has a hotline number you can call to ask questions and it is quite busy around the holidays! The woman said she had a turkey in her freezer and wanted to know if it was still good. The turkey had been in her freezer for 25 years.
 
The person taking the call put her on hold and did some quick research with her fellow operators at Butterball. After consulting with others, the operator came back on the line and said that as long as it was frozen solid, and that the freezer had maintained a constant temperature, and that the turkey hadn’t been thawed out at any time, and the packaging was still intact, it is likely that the turkey was still okay.
 
But the operator stated that they recommend it not be used just in case. The turkey owner said, “That’s okay, I was going to give it to the church anyway!”

What do we offer to God? Is it the best? Doesn’t God deserve our very best?
 
Note the words that Moses shares. Giving involves more than just giving. It also involves remembering. Remember.
 
Remember who God is, and what God has done for you.
 
Moses tells the people to say these words, “A wandering Aramean…” Remember Abraham and God’s promises to Abraham and his offspring. Remember what God has done. Remember what God continues to do. Remember.
 

God gives us His very best – his ONLY son, so that we might have life and have it abundantly. God gives his best. In return, may we do the same!

 

Let us pray:

Thank you, God, for all you have given us – ourselves, our time and our possessions. All these are signs of your gracious love. In response to these blessings we give back to you what you first have given us. Thank you! We pray this in Jesus’ name. Amen.
 

« Older Entries
Newer Entries »
^