tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34456246345087475952024-03-04T23:35:40.324-08:00Rev Brice and the JourneyProphetic preaching for progressive ChristiansRev Bricehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17136743615744294418noreply@blogger.comBlogger49125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3445624634508747595.post-61735349755380648052012-04-29T17:40:00.000-07:002012-04-30T17:55:42.349-07:00Shepherd or Sheep Dog?<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; font-weight: normal;">John <st1:personname w:st="on">10</st1:personname>:11-18<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="color: yellow;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">“I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life
for the sheep.</span></i><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">The hired hand, who is not the shepherd and does not own the
sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and runs away—and the wolf snatches
them and scatters them.</span></i><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">The hired hand runs away because a hired hand does not care for
the sheep.</span></i><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me, </span></i><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">just as the Father
knows me and I know the Father. And I lay down my life for the sheep. </span></i><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">I have other sheep
that do not belong to this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen
to my voice. So there will be one flock, one shepherd. </span></i><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">For this reason the
Father loves me, because I lay down my life in order to take it up again. </span></i><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">No one takes it from
me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have power to lay it down, and I have
power to take it up again. I have received this command from my Father.”<o:p></o:p></span></i></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDd7gfDMPsBr9n_nFh1EZW_IN7ZrOTSbyarty6Gg_X1F8LV9sQYfGv2IQAYFkBwxubjt-bVzqjwmOFXrVxJXmMWRA9jDq5zuYBLj654fvSN96XPILBcyOno2GFNYLdsEYGfPczdGNljq82/s1600/shaun-the-sheep-pictures.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="160" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDd7gfDMPsBr9n_nFh1EZW_IN7ZrOTSbyarty6Gg_X1F8LV9sQYfGv2IQAYFkBwxubjt-bVzqjwmOFXrVxJXmMWRA9jDq5zuYBLj654fvSN96XPILBcyOno2GFNYLdsEYGfPczdGNljq82/s200/shaun-the-sheep-pictures.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">One Sunday a
young minister was talking to the kids in his congregation</span><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">
during the children’s sermon about the <st1:personname w:st="on">2</st1:personname>3rd
Psalm. He told the children about sheep, that they weren't very smart animals and
needed lots of guidance, and that a shepherd's job was to stay close to the
sheep, protect them from wild animals and keep them from wandering off and
doing dumb things that would get them hurt or killed. He pointed to the little
children in the room and said that they were the sheep and needed lots of
guidance. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihv-Kk0dI7INVZ-hopCDj-BU32Ncg9Efjc66nAgs5FbjuuAcLOo9ru0-r8MiptaDgiO5PZvQ0nImugwnRLDfoRnCofdat-ULChmbO3WzN9CD7V3-YvcZR8UcwE4QtVs97CXaZ7lhrPzGEn/s1600/sheepdog.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihv-Kk0dI7INVZ-hopCDj-BU32Ncg9Efjc66nAgs5FbjuuAcLOo9ru0-r8MiptaDgiO5PZvQ0nImugwnRLDfoRnCofdat-ULChmbO3WzN9CD7V3-YvcZR8UcwE4QtVs97CXaZ7lhrPzGEn/s200/sheepdog.jpg" width="105" /></a><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">Then the minister put his hands out to the side, palms up in a
dramatic gesture, and with raised eyebrows said to the children, "If you
are the sheep then who is the shepherd?" He was obviously indicating
himself. A silence of a few seconds followed. Then a young visitor said,
"Jesus: Jesus is the shepherd." The young minister, obviously caught
by surprise, said to the young visitor, "Well then, who am I?" The
visitor frowned thoughtfully and then said with a shrug, "I guess you must
be a sheep dog."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZjJf4L1hh4u7h59ZRUiFbSM5OtGux_XknAr0_z4w032LN_DXICmy0w6rFv0hkexCJjFswtDM_GGzwye7SKe89M-rx-XXRSi9Ol4bJgFnv8hKHdBzvzkxLC7j8EKa1pzAj5e0pXGz9F8uz/s1600/working+sheepdog.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="126" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZjJf4L1hh4u7h59ZRUiFbSM5OtGux_XknAr0_z4w032LN_DXICmy0w6rFv0hkexCJjFswtDM_GGzwye7SKe89M-rx-XXRSi9Ol4bJgFnv8hKHdBzvzkxLC7j8EKa1pzAj5e0pXGz9F8uz/s200/working+sheepdog.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">I admit that some days in my ministry I
felt more like a sheep dog. While shepherds seem to be this idyllic symbol of
peacefulness, confidence and authority—and the typical metaphor for a pastor, I
most often felt more like that sheep dog—running around in circles, barking my
head off, trying to protect my sheep. But, do you know any shepherds? Really?
If you think about, the whole idea of shepherding doesn’t have much
significance for me. For us city dwellers the image of a good shepherd has been
replaced by other kinds of folk who protect us from things that might harm us
in our daily lives. For instance, my credit card company will inform me if
unusual purchases are charged to my VISA and Mastercard account. When I
traveled to Brazil for a mission trip several years ago I used my credit cards
quite extensively to take advantage of the fluctuating exchange rate. Someone actually
called me from the company asking if I was indeed in <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Brazil</st1:place></st1:country-region> at the time of the purchases!
Now that is protection! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHcjb1XLMMhSGylc1p4MvT-jv3HOfZVLrjm12VA_EpHEDK1cqQ3Ji2I6y0jZxpJNS_bP2HXo9cGguGax8L8IE8Wvv9fDEoTp_3cLwXhyphenhyphenhGZUC4ii90IvWf_9YafSwtnbkqRY0DOGTYxITa/s1600/mechanic.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHcjb1XLMMhSGylc1p4MvT-jv3HOfZVLrjm12VA_EpHEDK1cqQ3Ji2I6y0jZxpJNS_bP2HXo9cGguGax8L8IE8Wvv9fDEoTp_3cLwXhyphenhyphenhGZUC4ii90IvWf_9YafSwtnbkqRY0DOGTYxITa/s200/mechanic.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">Other shepherd-like folk who look out for
me include the garage where I take my car for servicing. I trust them to keep
my car in tip top shape. Many times they’ve identified potential problems that
needed to be corrected before they became serious issues. My doctor and dentist
schedule me for regular check ups and inquire about my health. My bank
automatically transfers money from my savings to checking account when my
balance goes below zero, protecting me from potentially bouncing checks and
incurring overdraft fees. And when you think really hard about all of the
things we have in our lives to protect us from disaster, you don’t always need a
real person to take care of you. The smoke alarm in my house will go off at the
slightest hint of something burning—especially when I have to cook dinner! </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-zx90plwtiL-gIVmbLV3BSNQQ8x-7I_sxUJhs-U1d1YzCnFxXpK4YAV8quCVlIs2UE4bBO6RRTpUwyeNsBnD-xGQ0uM8o6elVo4xo9KQNrfRU9FUGV-qh7QbMYuTVbY2ett75lNaxramR/s1600/check-engine-light.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="166" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-zx90plwtiL-gIVmbLV3BSNQQ8x-7I_sxUJhs-U1d1YzCnFxXpK4YAV8quCVlIs2UE4bBO6RRTpUwyeNsBnD-xGQ0uM8o6elVo4xo9KQNrfRU9FUGV-qh7QbMYuTVbY2ett75lNaxramR/s200/check-engine-light.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">The
anti-spam software in my email program will quarantine any virus, and redirects
all unsolicited messages to a spam folder. We have those little lights that
show up in the dashboards of our cars when the oil or gas is low, when the
engine needs checked, or when our seat belt is unfastened. We have a security
alarm system at the church and in some of our homes, notifying us of any
intruders. Even my cell phone has an alarm to protect me from missing any
important meetings. Wow! We are really, really protected in our lives—whether
by people or by technology. Who needs a good shepherd? Right?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">Well, in the midst of all of these devices
and people who exist to protect us, often from our own negligence—we still
worry. <st1:personname w:st="on">Don</st1:personname>’t we?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPPx6aCPG6YnQ7VRnyxKIDymBFhqsLI6UeIUavx-e-__zbG8-Uckr2Y17G4yI87WS65YqVTi4WcsgB3j2Ad6GYCXtspquLif-Ikcelx74ayBXRQaWTSGj5AHZW27uskVVIhLsPpBemw0JV/s1600/anxiety-upheaval.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPPx6aCPG6YnQ7VRnyxKIDymBFhqsLI6UeIUavx-e-__zbG8-Uckr2Y17G4yI87WS65YqVTi4WcsgB3j2Ad6GYCXtspquLif-Ikcelx74ayBXRQaWTSGj5AHZW27uskVVIhLsPpBemw0JV/s200/anxiety-upheaval.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">Time magazine recently conducted a poll in
conjunction with the National Institute of Health over a six-year period. They
reported that the No. 1 problem in <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">America</st1:place></st1:country-region> is anxiety. More than <st1:personname w:st="on">13</st1:personname> million Americans are afflicted by it, and
anxiety, not drugs, is the No. 1 cause of suicide in <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">America</st1:place></st1:country-region>. Why is everybody so
worried about stuff? I know we all have a worry machine inside of us that seems
to drive us, but why is everybody so upset? We have the best of everything in
this country, but there are a still lot of things that produce anxiety. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhd71FTqytQCuKYyKWYbJQtA897TbQs-W1bwaVXAwNsFJgj5b9YbCEMMZLvWIXEajqNT0XSJ4zH16ckwnlMRaYJE5is7-UFy41R60TPpBbiqNt80zte6ImE4dBE1ZjuSyyDL5Bm6jM_a5Yk/s1600/lethal+waste.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="128" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhd71FTqytQCuKYyKWYbJQtA897TbQs-W1bwaVXAwNsFJgj5b9YbCEMMZLvWIXEajqNT0XSJ4zH16ckwnlMRaYJE5is7-UFy41R60TPpBbiqNt80zte6ImE4dBE1ZjuSyyDL5Bm6jM_a5Yk/s200/lethal+waste.gif" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">A few years ago one Sunday night I was
watching <st1:personname w:st="on">6</st1:personname>0 minutes and they had a
report about a nuclear waste facility in Eastern Washington state that was so
old and falling apart that over 1 million gallons of waste has already leached
into the ground water. This cloud of extremely toxic waste was making its way
to the Columbia River—and if that happened, millions of people who get their
water from this river would have to be evacuated until a clean-up could occur. Just
one cup full of this nuclear waste could kill an entire restaurant full of
people. It was a potential disaster just waiting to happen, and no one in
congress seemed to be doing much about it. Apparently, there just wasn’t any
money available to correct the problem because it would cost billions of
dollars. As soon as I heard the report I called my sister who lives about an
hour north of <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Seattle</st1:place></st1:city>
and told her about the nuclear waste facility. “Oh that is on the eastern side
of the state,” she told me. “We don’t even get our water from the <st1:place w:st="on">Columbia River</st1:place>.” “But aren’t you worried about it?” I
asked. “Well, yeah!” she said? “But what can I do?” My worry turned into her
worry. And then we both freaked out about it. The fact is, we all have a worry
machine inside of us. Worry is thinking that has turned toxic. Worry is the
imagination used to picture the worst. Worry is interest we pay on trouble
before it appears. I am a world-class worrier. It's a family affliction. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmPfwCwLi4-WGsfuHESU3WQ6Ule00mL8jpWaOfj1V65O9-d5kQaKY-KhoJ5KfKrcoVD_VJ2reesSTkwL3J4c4lWwyUTA9iBcc6j_d_oQRKlI2Eng04rCe3NL9F0pwGnp7NnwWkj7KC3AE2/s1600/worry.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="153" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmPfwCwLi4-WGsfuHESU3WQ6Ule00mL8jpWaOfj1V65O9-d5kQaKY-KhoJ5KfKrcoVD_VJ2reesSTkwL3J4c4lWwyUTA9iBcc6j_d_oQRKlI2Eng04rCe3NL9F0pwGnp7NnwWkj7KC3AE2/s200/worry.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">But if you think about all the worrying we
do, you have to admit that at its core, worry is atheistic. When we spend our
time stewing and grinding about issues around us, we forget that God can take
care of our issues. When we worry, we doubt God's ability, God’s influence, and
God’s presence. We think God is not capable of knowing about us and is not
concerned about us. People have said to me, "I am worried sick about
this." That is a true statement because worry does make us sick. As a
student of metaphysics I understand that there is a close relationship between
mind, body and spirit. The root of the word worry in the Greek is "to
choke or strangle." It does choke us down and strangle us. What happens
when we worry? It only changes the worrier; it does not change what we are
worrying about. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfyN0I5Vlhj6k0Kg3rSr_b5_CXhW9VXZy0xP7XADQ09bTFgke4l8Zf1PxG0JFbYst3LDVYXTFUz8fVwXNsk-N5fzYrBHDXP59Qcqh6zLnLl3PrSqe9SPsDoXgwTItm1cOjij8ZAMNQ-dKw/s1600/good_shepherd.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfyN0I5Vlhj6k0Kg3rSr_b5_CXhW9VXZy0xP7XADQ09bTFgke4l8Zf1PxG0JFbYst3LDVYXTFUz8fVwXNsk-N5fzYrBHDXP59Qcqh6zLnLl3PrSqe9SPsDoXgwTItm1cOjij8ZAMNQ-dKw/s200/good_shepherd.jpg" width="160" /></a><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">So what can we do about all this worrying? Our
scripture text has some interesting suggestions. First of all, we must remember
that Jesus said, "I am the Good Shepherd.” He notes that there are two
kinds of shepherds: the good shepherd, who owns the sheep and takes care of
them when the wolves come and scatter the flock, and the hired hand shepherd,
who is only contracted to take care of the sheep and runs away when wolves
attack the flock. The good shepherd stays and never abandons his sheep. The
point that Jesus is making is that in doing God’s work, he will not abandon us.
You may not understand all that God is doing. But the Scripture is there to
remind us that underneath us are God’s caring arms. And if we understand Jesus
as our model for Christian care, then we of course should also protect others
when they are endangered. Our mandate is to protect each other. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI_jqmb33e7di584Yy5Su6oclPPC0mBbijdu2zOMAya3vixFeV-D6PtfFDGy4Jbnpi_K0Ph01qsXFUID5F4XALAqWfkC-Ei6UUGW_6eY2p74B-fdSKAaTDSiMUomKQWAgSkWRBryDfzSgc/s1600/018_15A.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI_jqmb33e7di584Yy5Su6oclPPC0mBbijdu2zOMAya3vixFeV-D6PtfFDGy4Jbnpi_K0Ph01qsXFUID5F4XALAqWfkC-Ei6UUGW_6eY2p74B-fdSKAaTDSiMUomKQWAgSkWRBryDfzSgc/s200/018_15A.JPG" width="133" /></a><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">Watching my grandmother’s response to this
mandate was an incredible lesson for me. I had always considered my grandmother
to be the most caring, compassionate, protecting mother hen/shepherd sheep dog I’ve
ever met. When my Uncle was critically ill and near death from complications
from a life of drug abuse and bad choices, my grandmother would not leave his
side. Even in the midst of her exhaustion and grief, she sat with him until the
end; making sure he was comfortable, speaking words of love to him even though
he was incoherent, caressing his face and holding his hand. She was protecting
him from the fear of death. She was such a good shepherd, and a sheep dog
protector. I also think of Sherry and her constant care of her father and
mother through his illness and surgery. My partner Wayne has been at his
mother’s side every day since his father’s death on January 4<sup>th</sup>
earlier this year. And think of yourselves; as parents and grandparents, and
aunts and uncles of little ones and older ones for whom you care. You are good
shepherds. And now imagine God, doing the very same for you.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">The fact is, sometimes we also have to be sheepdogs; protecting others from influences that might endanger them, sometimes protecting them from themselves. And you are sheepdogs for each other and this community. The service you do for this community will often protect people from situations or environments that can destroy them. You do this everytime you feed the hungry, shelter the homeless and care for the poor. Our
mandate is to protect each other, just as God protects and cares for us. And
when you think of it that way, what’s all the worry about? <span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 9pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"><em>(Excerpts from Rev. Dr. William Self’s sermon, <span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">"Objects in Mirror Are Closer Than They Appear" from <st1:date day="10" month="4" w:st="on" year="2005">April <st1:personname w:st="on">10</st1:personname>, <st1:personname w:st="on">2</st1:personname>00<st1:personname w:st="on">5</st1:personname></st1:date>– www. Day1.net)</span></em></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">I just returned from a business trip to Memphis, and as I was thinking about preaching on this text I couldn't help but imagine; if Jesus were a rock and roll superstar he just might have sung something like this:</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">You ain't nothing but a sheep dog; barking all the time.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">You ain't nothing but a sheep dog; barking all the time.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">You gotta protect my children and make them friends of mine.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">You ain't nothing but a sheep dog; praying all the time.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">You ain't nothing but a sheep dog; praying all the time.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">So go pray for my children and make them friends of mine.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">Now sing it with me!</span><br />
<br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/VT8oxkqQdRY?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">We ain't nothing but a sheep dog; serving all the time.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">We ain't nothing but a sheep dog; serving all the time.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">We'll serve God's children and make them friends of mine.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">Now make some noise as you sing it!</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">We ain't nothing but sheep dogs; saving all the time.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">We ain't nothing but sheep dogs; saving all the time.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">We'll save God's children and make them friends of mine!</span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">Well thank ya; thank ya very much!</span></span></span><br />
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<br />
<br />Rev Bricehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17136743615744294418noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3445624634508747595.post-10124440968313731482012-04-15T10:05:00.000-07:002012-04-14T10:12:51.801-07:00The Smoking Gun<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; font-weight: normal; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;">John
<st1:personname w:st="on">2</st1:personname>0:19-31</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; font-weight: normal; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: yellow;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><sup><span style="color: #777777; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">19</span></sup></i><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: #010000; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">When it was evening on that
day, the first day of the week, and the doors of the house where the disciples
had met were locked for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and
said, “Peace be with you.”</span></i><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><sup><span style="color: #777777; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">20</span></sup></i><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: #010000; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">After he said this, he showed
them his hands and his side. Then the disciples rejoiced when they saw the
Lord.</span></i><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><sup><span style="color: #777777; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">21</span></sup></i><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: #010000; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Jesus said to them again,
“Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you.”</span></i><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><sup><span style="color: #777777; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">22</span></sup></i><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: #010000; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">When he had said this, he
breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit.</span></i><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><sup><span style="color: #777777; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">23</span></sup></i><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: #010000; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">If you forgive the sins of
any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.”</span></i><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><sup><span style="color: #777777; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">24</span></sup></i><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: #010000; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">But Thomas (who was called
the Twin), one of the twelve, was not with them when Jesus came.</span></i><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><sup><span style="color: #777777; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">25</span></sup></i><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: #010000; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">So the other disciples told
him, “We have seen the Lord.” But he said to them, “Unless I see the mark of
the nails in his hands, and put my finger in the mark of the nails and my hand
in his side, I will not believe.” </span></i><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><sup><span style="color: #777777; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">26</span></sup></i><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: #010000; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">A
week later his disciples were again in the house, and Thomas was with them.
Although the doors were shut, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace
be with you.”</span></i><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><sup><span style="color: #777777; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">27</span></sup></i><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: #010000; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Then he said to Thomas, “Put
your finger here and see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it in my side.
Do not doubt but believe.”</span></i><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><sup><span style="color: #777777; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">28</span></sup></i><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: #010000; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Thomas answered him, “My Lord
and my God!”</span></i><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><sup><span style="color: #777777; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">29</span></sup></i><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: #010000; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Jesus said to him, “Have you
believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet
have come to believe.”</span></i><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><sup><span style="color: #777777; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">30</span></sup></i><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: #010000; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Now Jesus did many other
signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book.</span></i><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><sup><span style="color: #777777; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">31</span></sup></i><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: #010000; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">But these are written so that
you may come to believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that
through believing you may have life in his name.<o:p></o:p></span></i></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; font-weight: normal; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
<o:p></o:p></span></span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDcUFV7hPXHtNtJppsiIo7aQuk2a483lOaKYVD_NNdBH9YeuKgSPaT7bWnCLxrgGx8ezUkT-tiARm8cX9zjTs6FkIseISjKxWTyzZzsozd06JOURJ7RGoYI6qwW_pvCAYx15EjcWwerWsi/s1600/DSCN0325.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDcUFV7hPXHtNtJppsiIo7aQuk2a483lOaKYVD_NNdBH9YeuKgSPaT7bWnCLxrgGx8ezUkT-tiARm8cX9zjTs6FkIseISjKxWTyzZzsozd06JOURJ7RGoYI6qwW_pvCAYx15EjcWwerWsi/s200/DSCN0325.JPG" width="200" /></a><v:shape alt="Description: DSCN0243" id="Picture_x0020_67" o:spid="_x0000_s1035" style="height: 80.95pt; margin-left: -4.95pt; margin-top: 7pt; mso-height-percent: 0; mso-height-relative: page; mso-position-horizontal-relative: text; mso-position-horizontal: absolute; mso-position-vertical-relative: text; mso-position-vertical: absolute; mso-width-percent: 0; mso-width-relative: page; mso-wrap-distance-bottom: 0; mso-wrap-distance-left: 9pt; mso-wrap-distance-right: 9pt; mso-wrap-distance-top: 0; mso-wrap-style: square; position: absolute; visibility: visible; width: 108pt; z-index: 251653120;" type="#_x0000_t75"><span style="font-size: x-small;">
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</w:wrap></v:imagedata></span></v:shape><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">I
will never forget the first time I saw it. It was January 2004 and I can’t
remember the last time I was so excited to see something I had always heard
about. It towers over the beautiful and picturesque city of Rio De Janeiro,
Brazil. If you happen to arrive there first thing in the morning with the mist
still clinging to the mountain, you just might think you were seeing an Easter
apparition of your own. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQPr87AyBC18reeBTsUhzc_K6_5bKrliZQ3QSCtFilJZRcEJVUEfNYrb7FlvLv5HG0WdX_RunIaHNPnO15vuvZnwsHZ1FjxMZYWm9OzOwsJ5LDCniGPQ0BDHG7oX3WN87mLvc9jVR2Hpz8/s1600/DSCN0324.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQPr87AyBC18reeBTsUhzc_K6_5bKrliZQ3QSCtFilJZRcEJVUEfNYrb7FlvLv5HG0WdX_RunIaHNPnO15vuvZnwsHZ1FjxMZYWm9OzOwsJ5LDCniGPQ0BDHG7oX3WN87mLvc9jVR2Hpz8/s200/DSCN0324.JPG" width="200" /></a><v:shape alt="Description: DSCN0324" id="Picture_x0020_70" o:spid="_x0000_s1034" style="height: 70.5pt; margin-left: -4.95pt; margin-top: 2.95pt; mso-height-percent: 0; mso-height-relative: page; mso-position-horizontal-relative: text; mso-position-horizontal: absolute; mso-position-vertical-relative: text; mso-position-vertical: absolute; mso-width-percent: 0; mso-width-relative: page; mso-wrap-distance-bottom: 0; mso-wrap-distance-left: 9pt; mso-wrap-distance-right: 9pt; mso-wrap-distance-top: 0; mso-wrap-style: square; position: absolute; visibility: visible; width: 94.05pt; z-index: 251654144;" type="#_x0000_t75"><span style="font-size: x-small;">
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</w:wrap></v:imagedata></span></v:shape><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">Rio's
famous statue of Christ the Redeemer, standing tall, arms outstretched on Corcovado
Mountain, is 98 feet high, and weighs 11<st1:personname w:st="on">4</st1:personname><st1:personname w:st="on">5</st1:personname> tons. </span><v:shape alt="Description: DSCN0337" id="Picture_x0020_71" o:spid="_x0000_s1033" style="height: 108pt; margin-left: 396.8pt; margin-top: 3.55pt; mso-height-percent: 0; mso-height-relative: page; mso-position-horizontal-relative: text; mso-position-horizontal: absolute; mso-position-vertical-relative: text; mso-position-vertical: absolute; mso-width-percent: 0; mso-width-relative: page; mso-wrap-distance-bottom: 0; mso-wrap-distance-left: 9pt; mso-wrap-distance-right: 9pt; mso-wrap-distance-top: 0; mso-wrap-style: square; position: absolute; visibility: visible; width: 81.05pt; z-index: 251655168;" type="#_x0000_t75"><span style="font-size: x-small;">
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</w:wrap></v:imagedata></span></v:shape><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">The
distance between Christ's fingertips is 91 feet and is the largest statue of
Jesus in the world. It is a monument that commands attention and it is not much
wonder that millions of people a year travel to see it. This Jesus is an
impressive sight, and I was finally standing at its massive pedestal, looking
up.<br /><o:p></o:p></span><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkoFkCWDwn8_9WaT660Kz35FiPinjLKt0NPeycuW_gVn2X9HZns1kL1xe_URWItwn5LpgydoxMy5qN_FHLz5SCCiRH-aMvy00sBRNwNLbgMyKDCPwf5H9FfcG7iTNggqPzEukGPNzbNrCO/s1600/DSCN0337.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkoFkCWDwn8_9WaT660Kz35FiPinjLKt0NPeycuW_gVn2X9HZns1kL1xe_URWItwn5LpgydoxMy5qN_FHLz5SCCiRH-aMvy00sBRNwNLbgMyKDCPwf5H9FfcG7iTNggqPzEukGPNzbNrCO/s200/DSCN0337.JPG" width="150" /></a><v:shape alt="Description: DSCN0338" id="Picture_x0020_72" o:spid="_x0000_s1032" style="height: 74.2pt; margin-left: 0.75pt; margin-top: 3.65pt; mso-height-percent: 0; mso-height-relative: page; mso-position-horizontal-relative: text; mso-position-horizontal: absolute; mso-position-vertical-relative: text; mso-position-vertical: absolute; mso-width-percent: 0; mso-width-relative: page; mso-wrap-distance-bottom: 0; mso-wrap-distance-left: 9pt; mso-wrap-distance-right: 9pt; mso-wrap-distance-top: 0; mso-wrap-style: square; position: absolute; visibility: visible; width: 99pt; z-index: 251656192;" type="#_x0000_t75"><span style="font-size: x-small;">
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</w:wrap></v:imagedata></span></v:shape><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">With
arms stretched wide, the massive-robed body appears to descend from the sky
revealing a square face that resembles a devout, untroubled, if slightly
demented looking, Antonio Banderas. <o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<v:shape alt="Description: DSCN0340" id="Picture_x0020_73" o:spid="_x0000_s1031" style="height: 99pt; margin-left: 411.85pt; margin-top: 8.4pt; mso-height-percent: 0; mso-height-relative: page; mso-position-horizontal-relative: text; mso-position-horizontal: absolute; mso-position-vertical-relative: text; mso-position-vertical: absolute; mso-width-percent: 0; mso-width-relative: page; mso-wrap-distance-bottom: 0; mso-wrap-distance-left: 9pt; mso-wrap-distance-right: 9pt; mso-wrap-distance-top: 0; mso-wrap-style: square; position: absolute; visibility: visible; width: 74.3pt; z-index: 251657216;" type="#_x0000_t75"><span style="font-size: x-small;">
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</w:wrap></v:imagedata></span></v:shape><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">I began my last semester of seminary in the
beautiful country of Brazil for my mandatory transcultural experience. I had
already visited a lot of different countries and cultures, but had yet been to
South America. </span><br />
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<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj81_J63veEN5rw8bWcURic7boDfxHO8wdlxxZ-Ig6QOYu9kMWegg8CqvDzjeIiQnt1ZlL4DQaQRIOaaqxcarW_DWuERJbyq5uUBBzkQ_DS4ismAt5tr8inZfjc5dgRXuJq7lu8RX56xDzH/s1600/DSCN0338.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj81_J63veEN5rw8bWcURic7boDfxHO8wdlxxZ-Ig6QOYu9kMWegg8CqvDzjeIiQnt1ZlL4DQaQRIOaaqxcarW_DWuERJbyq5uUBBzkQ_DS4ismAt5tr8inZfjc5dgRXuJq7lu8RX56xDzH/s200/DSCN0338.JPG" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">When our tour bus finally arrived at the top of the mountain and
we could take in the majestic figure up close and personal, many faces in our
group were appropriately reverent with awe. Only one member of our party was
not impressed. One of the more conservative seminary students in our tour group
took one look at the statue and saw the trouble at once. "No nail
holes," he said. Jesus' outstretched arms were uncut. No nails had pierced
him. No thorns had scratched his brow. The face was serene and glorious and
devoid of suffering, without a doubt.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;"></span></div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
"It ain't my Jesus," said the student.
"My Jesus was crucified."</blockquote>
<o:p></o:p><br />
<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitbQYv8cc4gSKqK5JQ9mRgkqEWpkhuwdOnV6GgSstTe-40lC2FafFHdjnPb4Dd8F44NMSPv32EkniAFaqqRapjfaa7oIUdp0LgvLH7gPJjJKOAvHvvhvwXXy7JnuIltEDeVn8rH4vEoaf9/s1600/DSCN0340.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitbQYv8cc4gSKqK5JQ9mRgkqEWpkhuwdOnV6GgSstTe-40lC2FafFHdjnPb4Dd8F44NMSPv32EkniAFaqqRapjfaa7oIUdp0LgvLH7gPJjJKOAvHvvhvwXXy7JnuIltEDeVn8rH4vEoaf9/s200/DSCN0340.JPG" width="150" /></a><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></b><v:shape alt="Description: DSCN0335" id="Picture_x0020_74" o:spid="_x0000_s1030" style="height: 124.35pt; margin-left: -4.95pt; margin-top: 7.35pt; mso-height-percent: 0; mso-height-relative: page; mso-position-horizontal-relative: text; mso-position-horizontal: absolute; mso-position-vertical-relative: text; mso-position-vertical: absolute; mso-width-percent: 0; mso-width-relative: page; mso-wrap-distance-bottom: 0; mso-wrap-distance-left: 9pt; mso-wrap-distance-right: 9pt; mso-wrap-distance-top: 0; mso-wrap-style: square; position: absolute; visibility: visible; width: 93.3pt; z-index: 251658240;" type="#_x0000_t75"><span style="font-size: x-small;">
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</w:wrap></v:imagedata></span></v:shape><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">One
of the things you notice when you try to wade through the strange resurrection
stories in Matthew, Luke and John is that the Jesus who is portrayed as risen
is <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">really different</i>. All of these
stories go to great pains to say that it was not a ghost the disciples saw but
the body of their old friend and crucified Messiah.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3_1FQcMN3igcUCgkg-6yVLM00tNrIx-z7vPFqhk_7GSbMGsT70KmHqkIEvIzYiAjGcRm8lVvfrXCpXl_4EZgsfoA1eN8JFS07GxRTNva80zHnkEhgrFt1n0-409Hr2RZFW8v0p5cxgW68/s1600/jesus_christ_apparition.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3_1FQcMN3igcUCgkg-6yVLM00tNrIx-z7vPFqhk_7GSbMGsT70KmHqkIEvIzYiAjGcRm8lVvfrXCpXl_4EZgsfoA1eN8JFS07GxRTNva80zHnkEhgrFt1n0-409Hr2RZFW8v0p5cxgW68/s200/jesus_christ_apparition.jpg" width="136" /></a><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">Problem is: there are huge inconsistencies
in the stories. The various descriptions of the Jesus whom people meet after
the resurrection just don't jive. It really isn’t the same old Jesus, the
stories all say, but a Jesus who seems to transcend bodily limitations even
while he seems to have a body. So, he drifts through walls, appears and
disappears, is sometimes unrecognizable, and sometimes eerily familiar. He
invites those he knew to touch him but also says that he is beyond such things.
He chews and eats fish and apparently enjoys a beachfront barbecue. The point
that Matthew, Luke and John wants us to get; is that Jesus definitely died, but
he's still got a body, still is a body. Easter was the visitation not of the
ghost of Jesus past but the living presence of a man everyone knew.
Nevertheless, there was something different about him, something that defied
explanation. The people who experienced Jesus alive again had no frames of
reference, no categories of language with which to describe or explain what was
happening to them. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">Seeing ghosts these days is not an abnormal
occurrence. A few years ago I read an account of former president George W. Bush’s
supernatural sightings. He was awakened one night by George Washington's ghost roaming
around in the White House. Bush drew the courage to approach him and asked,
'George, what is the best thing I could do to help the country?' 'Set an honest
and honorable example, just as I did,' advised Washington. Unbelievably the
very next night, the ghost of Thomas Jefferson moved through the darkened halls
as well. 'Tom, what is the best thing I could do to help the country?' Bush
asked. 'Cut taxes and reduce the size of government,' advised Tom. Bush didn't
sleep well the next night when he saw another figure moving in the shadows. It
was Abraham Lincoln's ghost. 'Abe, what is the best thing I could do to help
the country?' George W. asked. <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Lincoln</st1:place></st1:city>
replied, 'Go to the theater.' <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDwfNXN44al65R-p2LcKXr220ERr_Bg_1PPsn8pKDCPGR_AT3XxSlS4ZG1j4wg9mycS_6L5oCKNSqaAxt6n1jAa5wehySKas5YrkWA8pxnFJ4TcKQzsFyA05cQU0aaiFRbY5wdoMJShuyo/s1600/jesus_hands.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDwfNXN44al65R-p2LcKXr220ERr_Bg_1PPsn8pKDCPGR_AT3XxSlS4ZG1j4wg9mycS_6L5oCKNSqaAxt6n1jAa5wehySKas5YrkWA8pxnFJ4TcKQzsFyA05cQU0aaiFRbY5wdoMJShuyo/s200/jesus_hands.jpg" width="140" /></a><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">Now, I usually don’t make presidential
jokes. The fact is I just couldn’t think of anyone else in politics these days
to joke about. Well, back to our story. These people, both women and men, who
experienced Jesus alive again, had no frame of reference, no categories of
language with which to describe or explain what they were seeing. All they knew
for sure was that one standing before them was the same crucified Jesus. </span><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">And I believe that is the whole point of
the story about poor Thomas. The text is surprisingly complex and almost
brutal. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">"Unless I see the mark of the
nails in his hands, and put my fingers in the mark of the nails and my hand in
his side, I will not believe,"</i> says Thomas. And just why was Thomas so
hesitant to believe what others had already witnessed? Why did he need proof?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4-fssTz9nEIeHpohOOYVCQkp5d9UymzPh9U3ZZU7Q00ggu8Adog1MrEaYVU1vhJfS5zCxJMWkVpOa0ex08DLVLW1oFOqyBjNSHNPvWtfHnpQuonp8CWCXw0AcNuIi1kd1gs6OO8RyFP8h/s1600/Berlin+wall1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="141" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4-fssTz9nEIeHpohOOYVCQkp5d9UymzPh9U3ZZU7Q00ggu8Adog1MrEaYVU1vhJfS5zCxJMWkVpOa0ex08DLVLW1oFOqyBjNSHNPvWtfHnpQuonp8CWCXw0AcNuIi1kd1gs6OO8RyFP8h/s200/Berlin+wall1.jpg" width="200" /></a><v:shape alt="Description: Berlin%20wall3" id="Picture_x0020_79" o:spid="_x0000_s1029" style="height: 71.1pt; margin-left: 1.1pt; margin-top: 359.3pt; mso-height-percent: 0; mso-height-relative: page; mso-position-horizontal-relative: text; mso-position-horizontal: absolute; mso-position-vertical-relative: text; mso-position-vertical: absolute; mso-width-percent: 0; mso-width-relative: page; mso-wrap-distance-bottom: 0; mso-wrap-distance-left: 9pt; mso-wrap-distance-right: 9pt; mso-wrap-distance-top: 0; mso-wrap-style: square; position: absolute; visibility: visible; width: 99pt; z-index: 251661312;" type="#_x0000_t75"><span style="font-size: x-small;">
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</w:wrap></v:imagedata></span></v:shape><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">Twelve
days after graduating from high school I enlisted in the Air Force as a Russian
translator. My first assignment after language school was West Berlin, Germany.
I arrived in 1983, six years before the Berlin wall came down. My job was
intercepting and translating Soviet aircraft communications—a crypto-linguistic
spy. To those of us on the front lines of the intelligence war, the idea of
East and West Berlin reintegrating as one city was a dream, as well as for many
Berliners. </span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIWQRXyvMtIfOkO5Y_UgtU5cUEd3Rywy-hIU_Zxm_1HkMCeIc7jSFk03rmwT762jLxWpDDK-EKDp6Trl9K8zYWRo2Qpr0cGK32weqLAmBm6Dj2tnMu8tF7CMZITUNTrWf8G78USBV4cgKI/s1600/Berlin+wall2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIWQRXyvMtIfOkO5Y_UgtU5cUEd3Rywy-hIU_Zxm_1HkMCeIc7jSFk03rmwT762jLxWpDDK-EKDp6Trl9K8zYWRo2Qpr0cGK32weqLAmBm6Dj2tnMu8tF7CMZITUNTrWf8G78USBV4cgKI/s200/Berlin+wall2.jpg" width="140" /></a><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">But in order for this to happen, we all knew that Communism had to
fall. The idea of that happening seemed more impossible than bulldozing the
concrete wall that separated the city of <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Berlin</st1:place></st1:city>.
I left <st1:state w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Berlin</st1:place></st1:state>
in 198<st1:personname w:st="on">6</st1:personname>, just a few years before it
did happen, and no one expected it to happen so soon—not the armed forces, not
the German government or its citizens, and least of all me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">But on November 9, 1989 the first section of
the wall was removed—and with it the political barriers that had separated the
German people for almost 40 years. Everyone agreed that we wouldn’t see an end
to these division in our lifetime. Why did we doubt that we would see the
unification of Germany within a generation? Many of us couldn’t believe it,
because that would mean peace would have to win over partition. And peace just
didn’t seem imaginable at that time and place.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqFkKTpGjOXgPXH9uy_D_MLrLU4S48FsY1QyKVvtvucUHCoWtyqZzrbKDdtCXzkaRT-pn1tuvPMH8mVVmLV0FwjD3UXrURHtG0kUYJoDvcti2BDBpSwjlSIHTahcQJE2Vb44R3F9VmneSI/s1600/Berlin+wall3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="143" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqFkKTpGjOXgPXH9uy_D_MLrLU4S48FsY1QyKVvtvucUHCoWtyqZzrbKDdtCXzkaRT-pn1tuvPMH8mVVmLV0FwjD3UXrURHtG0kUYJoDvcti2BDBpSwjlSIHTahcQJE2Vb44R3F9VmneSI/s200/Berlin+wall3.jpg" width="200" /></a><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">In our text, Jesus appears to the disciples
with that same promise. "Peace" he greets them, indicating that he is
glad to see them. But with Thomas he is less than genial. The literal Greek
translation of the words is not as soft as most versions imply. It is rough. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">"Take your finger, here are my hands;
take your fist, jam it in my side. <st1:personname w:st="on">Don</st1:personname>'t
be faithless, but be faithful!" </i>What Thomas could not imagine was that
the one who had endured so much could come back bearing the marks of his
suffering; testifying to the power of resurrection over death. Thomas saw for
himself the nail holes, a spear hole, bruises, scratches and dried blood. Jesus
was not a pretty sight. He was a resurrected sight. The resurrected Jesus was
evidence of what God is always willing to do; bring hope back into the places
of our lives that feel like death. The point of the Thomas story is not, it
seems to me, the necessity of believing without seeing, but the necessity of
accepting the fact that God will make Godself known to us; as God really is.
Not a God that is above all of our suffering, but a God who bears the marks of
our suffering. We often want a Jesus without scars. We want to worship an
unruffled Christ, a majestic, serene-looking Jesus who is somehow beyond it
all. We want to picture Jesus as a winner, able to conquer every adversity, on
top of the world, looking down on us. So we smooth over the cuts and bruises,
making Jesus look, . . ., well, like a statue. We want all our experiences of
worship to be "hours of power". We want to hear "success"
stories in church, about people who "made it" as a result of their
faith, not about people who got crucified because of it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiBAZUKIwRansjuv9-Y1oU-9qdmBClYHOvQL0gOO0WYoHwU1CWcMKeA10KQ3Ct9XkPzijm-TrxZlgkP4fJG0xwBWErEu0IMuuw_FTX774X0dV7LXx01Gr3onfP0yzm-PS5dMxJiL2hA0ZK/s1600/saint-thomas-jesussmaller.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="132" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiBAZUKIwRansjuv9-Y1oU-9qdmBClYHOvQL0gOO0WYoHwU1CWcMKeA10KQ3Ct9XkPzijm-TrxZlgkP4fJG0xwBWErEu0IMuuw_FTX774X0dV7LXx01Gr3onfP0yzm-PS5dMxJiL2hA0ZK/s200/saint-thomas-jesussmaller.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">And that’s why the story of Doubting Thomas
is real and transforming for me. When Jesus came back the first time after his
death, Thomas wasn't there. All the other disciples had a physical experience
of Jesus' resurrection. And when they all gathered to talk about it and express
their joy at the evidence of Jesus overcoming death, Thomas couldn't believe
it. He demanded proof. He needed a smoking gun…just like the disciples had been
given. And when Jesus came back again, he said to Thomas. “Touch my wounds. Put
your fingers in my hands and feel where the nails were hammered into me—and where
the sword was pierced into my side.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Touch the wounds that were given to me because I was rejected. Feel the
hole in my side that injustice, and bigotry, and hatred and prejudice and
homophobia put there. And know that I came back…for you.” Jesus came back for
Thomas. He came back to give Thomas the proof that he needed to believe—the smoking
gun. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUDgGfuTbfhrX6kjXSkEohxh-fsjgT0LBUDuTciOQfPK93J9jQmhPef9H553LUo1RN15YAISwRFpJtdB7n5Cur7D7qmatkiRXovjZHj6s6gfvd2FE_0xtVx_rn2dAOQ8rgEowbwAsMzprY/s1600/DSCN0344.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUDgGfuTbfhrX6kjXSkEohxh-fsjgT0LBUDuTciOQfPK93J9jQmhPef9H553LUo1RN15YAISwRFpJtdB7n5Cur7D7qmatkiRXovjZHj6s6gfvd2FE_0xtVx_rn2dAOQ8rgEowbwAsMzprY/s200/DSCN0344.JPG" width="150" /></a><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">That same Jesus comes back for you too;
every time you have doubts that God cares. In every moment you feel abandoned,
worthless, criticized for who you are, when you’ve been a victim of abuse,
neglect or wronged in deed. In every situation where your hopes and dreams are
taken from you, whenever you are separated from your identity as one of God’s
special creations; Jesus will come back for you. Sometimes He comes to us in
the warm stone of a majestic statue or in the cold concrete of a broken down
wall.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">So don’t
be afraid or anxious about the future. Be encouraged that your influence and good
works and legacy will live on. That’s the smoking gun. That’s the proof of your
resurrection. That’s the good news. Thanks be to God!<o:p></o:p></span>Rev Bricehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17136743615744294418noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3445624634508747595.post-52296548054127910172012-04-08T13:04:00.002-07:002012-04-08T13:04:49.611-07:00Tomb Raider or Resurrection?<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; font-weight: normal;">Mark 1<st1:personname w:st="on">6</st1:personname>:1-8<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="color: yellow;"><span class="versetext4"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.5pt;">And when the sabbath was past, Mary Mag'dalene, and Mary
the mother of James, and Salo'me, bought spices, so that they might go and
anoint him. </span></i></span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.5pt;">And very early on the first day of the week they went to
the tomb when the sun had risen. And they were saying to one another, "Who
will roll away the stone for us from the door of the tomb?" And looking
up, they saw that the stone was rolled back; --it was very large. And entering
the tomb, they saw a young man sitting on the right side, dressed in a white
robe; and they were amazed. And he said to them, "Do not be amazed; you
seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He has risen, he is not here; see
the place where they laid him. But go, tell his disciples and Peter that he is
going before you to Galilee; there you will see him, as he told you." And
they went out and fled from the tomb; for trembling and astonishment had come
upon them; and they said nothing to any one, for they were afraid.<o:p></o:p></span></i></span><br />
<br /><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">Well, here we are; finally. It’s Easter
Sunday; undoubtedly the most important day of our Christian faith. Easter is
the event that ends our Lenten journey and completes the gospel story. It is
the relief we have been waiting for since Ash Wednesday, and brings us hope
after being faced with the cross of death on Good Friday. And look at you, all
gussied up wearing your Easter best, shiny and new, like you just stepped out
of the Sears catalog. I must say that I am impressed. Turn to someone next to you
and say, <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">“My, you look good!”</b> Today
is quite the day for us Christians.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV3nArlrLVkCYQ80K9_ETwl26XNVyOteMA07vg9hJPqzQ9tyNq2ORdUU-VnHlsp7MAf2bLPpMzVT8LOujOgdTnZ0Grivu0g772nfBpfybbNtS1L-eq7KWgMGrd7hMXvdUjqZir_lDGTImg/s1600/soft+boiled+easter+egg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV3nArlrLVkCYQ80K9_ETwl26XNVyOteMA07vg9hJPqzQ9tyNq2ORdUU-VnHlsp7MAf2bLPpMzVT8LOujOgdTnZ0Grivu0g772nfBpfybbNtS1L-eq7KWgMGrd7hMXvdUjqZir_lDGTImg/s200/soft+boiled+easter+egg.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">But I must say I am also a bit perplexed. The
Easter story, as told in the Gospel of Mark, is quite a mystery to me. It’s a
mystery because, unlike the Easter narratives in the other two synoptic
gospels, the author of the gospel of Mark tells an unfinished story. It
concludes rather abruptly. It is a story without an ending. It’s like a soft
boiled Easter egg. When you crack it open, it reveals a runny, uncooked center
that you wouldn’t think of swallowing. For me, today’s Easter message is a
little hard to swallow. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuy4LijfOjgP2ykYJPmTrykdMd0Lpzemrwu8qwtuAXCDfFcbQSevULEtPijmh1dmyzMxr6tjfM6pzQWBID9RyOuAhIyFmgRgachd1Fsb_-FdzJmCdaeEFJuceLGOnBsCr5rGkmxhKAhO_v/s1600/easter+bonnets.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="193" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuy4LijfOjgP2ykYJPmTrykdMd0Lpzemrwu8qwtuAXCDfFcbQSevULEtPijmh1dmyzMxr6tjfM6pzQWBID9RyOuAhIyFmgRgachd1Fsb_-FdzJmCdaeEFJuceLGOnBsCr5rGkmxhKAhO_v/s200/easter+bonnets.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">Now you must be thinking, “What? Did I hear
the preacher right? What is he saying? Has he gone bonkers? We all know the message
of Easter. Even kids know how this story ends. My goodness, we just sang about
it! Jesus is alive; risen from the grave! Death has no victory. Trumpets sound!
Angels sing! Hallelujah! But is <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">that</i>
the real ending? Well, before you get your Easter bonnet in a twist, let me
explain.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAU46gNXGvGvQyYpRLvlc-lxCjwhwsMivdgPRSoVIKp5BxK5F84_or1yVJmLYAdvBD8wpOVNptBGhDjpA8JXX1k7p_tqyZ9gh7zr3-U7rrnysF7L7i0guz33TKrXDhT6Uca5Bw5uAC_7IM/s1600/women+at+the+tomb.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="145" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAU46gNXGvGvQyYpRLvlc-lxCjwhwsMivdgPRSoVIKp5BxK5F84_or1yVJmLYAdvBD8wpOVNptBGhDjpA8JXX1k7p_tqyZ9gh7zr3-U7rrnysF7L7i0guz33TKrXDhT6Uca5Bw5uAC_7IM/s200/women+at+the+tomb.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">If we read very closely, we have to admit
that the gospel of Mark’s telling of the Easter story ends <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">without</i> Jesus being seen. We enter the story following the death of
Jesus on the cross after he has been laid in a grave carved out from a rock.
Three women journey to the tomb at dawn; Mary, the mother of Jesus, and a
couple of her friends, Mary of Magdala and Salome. They come to anoint the body
of Jesus, for it had been removed and placed in the grave without being
properly wrapped in the traditional burial spices. These women were on a
mission to make sure things were done right. Thank goodness for women. Amen?<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmEzRVV5l5lA2voW5DlzqpUVghGstrh7R4gedSIYtv8STrOnaXfWPzzxxoxEpTYnvlLNIYk7fwJc2JlqZQolggL7nq7X6u1IupLHnioFjYG8rh_9A0RVaZLYz7pMLkExnnWE5rZwqyeLhl/s1600/young+man+at+the+tomb.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="113" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmEzRVV5l5lA2voW5DlzqpUVghGstrh7R4gedSIYtv8STrOnaXfWPzzxxoxEpTYnvlLNIYk7fwJc2JlqZQolggL7nq7X6u1IupLHnioFjYG8rh_9A0RVaZLYz7pMLkExnnWE5rZwqyeLhl/s200/young+man+at+the+tomb.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">As they walk to the tomb they are concerned
about the stone that had been placed over the entrance. Who would roll it away
for them? They could not do it without assistance. And how else would they have
access to the body? And when the women arrive, they find, to their amazement,
that the stone has been rolled back and Jesus’ body is missing. They are
shocked to discover that someone has raided the tomb; perhaps this young man, dressed
in white, who is sitting at the side of the grave. This unnamed stranger is
bearer of news about this Jesus of Nazareth who has been crucified; <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">"He
has been raised; he is not here,” </span></i><span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">he says.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<br /><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">If you are looking for resurrection
appearances, if you are looking for closure of the Jesus' story, you will not
find them in Mark. For many biblical scholars agree that verse 8 marks the end
of this gospel. There are in fact several different versions of the Gospel of
Mark. There are short versions, ending at verse 8, and longer versions which go
on to verse <st1:personname w:st="on">2</st1:personname>0. Even though most of
our Bibles include verses 9-20, which does record 3 subsequent sightings of
Jesus, they differ so much in literary style from the rest of the gospel that scholars
agree they cannot have been part of the original text. These additional 12
verses which make up the longer ending were clearly added to the original text.
The oldest and most reliable manuscripts of Mark end at verse 8 with an empty
tomb and the word that Jesus is not here. <o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4YmeBGtY2M_4trVFSMci9Nar0pKyUMeMJo1X8WEZjBkaD7OnyZbK098z7ThXd7EXegGRzpRpyPcradNtepKq1jy778NDvCg4QwVodnDtM35p07OdBbRm7m35NSpwUh8kc6OZ9fT3Leami/s1600/da+vinci+code.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4YmeBGtY2M_4trVFSMci9Nar0pKyUMeMJo1X8WEZjBkaD7OnyZbK098z7ThXd7EXegGRzpRpyPcradNtepKq1jy778NDvCg4QwVodnDtM35p07OdBbRm7m35NSpwUh8kc6OZ9fT3Leami/s200/da+vinci+code.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">Now listen closely, I am clueing you into a
bit of information that has been disregarded or intentionally hidden from the
majority of Christian civilization. We have, in effect, a real Davinci Code
dilemma on our hands. The earliest ancient writing of this text, the oldest
version of the Easter story, records no historical account of Jesus appearing
after his death. All we get from Mark’s gospel is an empty tomb and the news
that the Jesus we are looking for is somewhere else. Apart from a resurrection
narrative, the empty tomb means nothing. All it means is that there is no
corpse. In other words, Mark is not trying to substantiate the resurrection of
Jesus as historical fact. For this is not the message of Mark. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Jesus is not there</i> means Jesus no longer
exists within a conventional frame of reference. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">"He has been raised."</i> The message is a dramatic conclusion
to the tragic story in which Jesus had been betrayed, abandoned and murdered. Yet
within that tragedy lays a great mystery. Jesus is not here. He is somewhere
else.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;"><br /> </span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmjuDhYLAIEmDMgrtkbL5Qj0TujVzivoCs9B8VKIey86g6-fTlDgd2U_iNGmK_gop29_hnFAeA88nWCKotXdrW3dO3exCmzoWV25viimPphoA83iIUsynvJcE9scmgyQweafckorJ5IL-l/s1600/cliffhanger.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmjuDhYLAIEmDMgrtkbL5Qj0TujVzivoCs9B8VKIey86g6-fTlDgd2U_iNGmK_gop29_hnFAeA88nWCKotXdrW3dO3exCmzoWV25viimPphoA83iIUsynvJcE9scmgyQweafckorJ5IL-l/s200/cliffhanger.jpg" width="133" /></a><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">Now when this information was revealed to
me in seminary, my first thought was…What? Are you kidding me? Is that really
it? Are you telling me that my entire faith, not to mention my call to ministry,
might be based on a sham? Had I invested my entire life in an Easter story that
may have never happened? What about the usually ending I knew and loved? What
about the later appearances of Jesus on the road to Emmaus? What about the
conversation between Mary and Jesus at the tomb found in the other Gospels? <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What about the triumph of resurrection over
death? What about the nice, tidy, upbeat ending that Easter is supposed to
represent? It’s like watching one of those Hollywood movies that end with a
disappointing cliffhanger…the hero is dead and all hope is lost. To be
continued….</span><br />
<br />
<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2Y0U8reWJBx76-s5Ql_MgxqTNeSazuzIpW4igb-qqR8YNn_22QYq102FFgh84OxbA3tD9ZrGBJpYoSeUVNw3XG5wLajyIQcncYzP40nsfgyJD_yFwy2NrF0fmfDf0j739T1KEY-7RmYJv/s1600/Titanic+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2Y0U8reWJBx76-s5Ql_MgxqTNeSazuzIpW4igb-qqR8YNn_22QYq102FFgh84OxbA3tD9ZrGBJpYoSeUVNw3XG5wLajyIQcncYzP40nsfgyJD_yFwy2NrF0fmfDf0j739T1KEY-7RmYJv/s200/Titanic+2.jpg" width="186" /></a><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">But I ask you, is this ending so unlike the
way we experience the mystery of God in real life? If you think about it, there
are so many stories in our popular culture that end without really ending.
Movies do it all of the time, especially when the studio hopes to make a
sequel. The ends of these movies purposefully leave something yet to be
resolved, in an effort to create an audience for the next money-making
installment of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Nightmare on Elm Street,
part 9</i>, or perhaps <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Batman Returns, Yet
Again</i>. And you can be sure, that because of the enormous success of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Titanic</i> someone will attempt to make the
sequel, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Titanic II</i>. I think we can
all agree that sequels are usually terrible. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br /><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">Does Mark’s gospel story promise us a
sequel? Mark does suggest there is more to the story. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">"But go, tell his
disciples and Peter that he is going ahead of you to <st1:place w:st="on">Galilee</st1:place>;
there you will see him, just as he told you." </span></i>The second part
of the text makes clear that what had happened before the crucifixion; the
unbelief of the disciples and Peter’s denial are not the end of the story
either. God never gave up on the disciples, although they had scattered after
the crucifixion. And God never gives up on us; always responding to our
unbelief with forgiveness and restitution. Even in the midst of failure, we can
always choose to begin again. And that’s where we will meet Jesus. Not in some
resurrection appearance, but back in <st1:place w:st="on">Galilee</st1:place>,
back in the places where Jesus did his work. For <st1:place w:st="on">Galilee</st1:place>
was not the site for magical appearances in Mark, it was the place where Jesus announced
the realm of God. It was the place where he encountered opposition, disloyalty,
rejection and defeat. And it was there that Jesus confronted the opposition to
his ministry. It was in <st1:place w:st="on">Galilee</st1:place> that he persisted,
triumphed, and overcame, in spite of the odds. <i>There</i> you will see him;
the tomb raider says.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"></span></i><br />
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><blockquote class="tr_bq">
So they went out and fled from the tomb, for terror
and amazement had seized them; and they said nothing to anyone. </blockquote>
</span></i><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaz00c98Tla4JWHUXu10v7mAReTixyzvYkCvuU1iH6MALogWw084BSSTn0aDOHIFtOsZK_YrxhClc1IP3zedLbwFubTOp8EUSdmpRzQVnD02C0LhUPxIZt-9jX63XIHomFRM7P3jjgYhuK/s1600/women+afraid.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaz00c98Tla4JWHUXu10v7mAReTixyzvYkCvuU1iH6MALogWw084BSSTn0aDOHIFtOsZK_YrxhClc1IP3zedLbwFubTOp8EUSdmpRzQVnD02C0LhUPxIZt-9jX63XIHomFRM7P3jjgYhuK/s200/women+afraid.gif" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">And wouldn't you have been afraid? Wouldn't
I? That last verse of Mark sets in motion the mystery of our Christian
experience. It dispels the myth that Jesus will always faithfully do what needs
to be done and that the predictions of Jesus will always find some sort of
closure. They will not. The original Gospel text ends abruptly with no
resurrection appearance to anyone and the last group of faithful followers are too
afraid to say anything to anyone.<br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgK5j1B_V8iFmJA7orFWixmuC8FYuM0a372lBf5mfiCqPuu0a71dAzZN9u2E5ET31sDNvACser62nL2IpDlw57dNpyPWTLcVg2Tdhvw-npe6tY5OxURed7CMRR7B2N6pEfGcIB7axD3CpHO/s1600/galilee-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgK5j1B_V8iFmJA7orFWixmuC8FYuM0a372lBf5mfiCqPuu0a71dAzZN9u2E5ET31sDNvACser62nL2IpDlw57dNpyPWTLcVg2Tdhvw-npe6tY5OxURed7CMRR7B2N6pEfGcIB7axD3CpHO/s200/galilee-1.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">And that is precisely where Mark seems to
leave us - waiting for the mystery to unfold and the remaining story untold. But
what if it is you and I who are responsible for completing this mystery? What
if we are the ones given pen and paper to continue writing the Easter story?
And what if we did what the disciples were told to do, go back into the Galilee
of our daily lives, that place where <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">we</i>
encounter opposition, disloyalty, rejection and defeat, to live our own lives
just as honestly, just as lovingly, just as courageously, and just as humanly
as Jesus lived his. What if that is where <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">we</i>
will see Jesus? What if that is where <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">we</i>
will meet him?</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;"><br /> </span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;"></span><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVbGjyHjqSnerURJ3o2Qb_9m1MzRNElORVorOGWjxA9ICe5otIQCUKK_IUW9WkxLvmf_q0SnQZ2UCcU_CFR-zWlhdlYj7PZdRMNjDoBUM5TI5sraKs0DVwJlWb5fgx9eURNh2hCKi7pXmV/s1600/tomb-rolling-stone.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVbGjyHjqSnerURJ3o2Qb_9m1MzRNElORVorOGWjxA9ICe5otIQCUKK_IUW9WkxLvmf_q0SnQZ2UCcU_CFR-zWlhdlYj7PZdRMNjDoBUM5TI5sraKs0DVwJlWb5fgx9eURNh2hCKi7pXmV/s200/tomb-rolling-stone.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">The mystery of the tomb, it seems to me, is
the stunning reminder that <i>Jesus isn't here.</i> He is always out there
ahead of us. He always was and he always will be. If we are truly intent on
following him, there will always be some further desert to cross, some new
challenge to meet, some new enemy to love, some new attachment to forsake, some
new boundary to cross, some new sin to confess. The realm of God is not a destination
where, once we have arrived, we can rest in satisfaction. Resurrection is not
something we <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">believe in</i>, but is
something that we <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">live</i>. It is about living
the way <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Jesus </i>always lived. Becoming
more fully and completely human, no matter what the defeats and tragedies of
our lives threaten to do to us. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">That</i>
was the way of Jesus. <br /><br /><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjawQ9cz8T7Ud1BzXCxwiP12B5-k6nR4FJnypWjHDuzCXJQkpr1dBhTSulQRKI7rVSOGY7zqTdAc1Is9Ron9KKHKVV_zBtfunQDEkUZ_29lnt-hfUHAeGvrYj2f7ZqvrruMekhlzPzAXBr/s1600/tomb+raider.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjawQ9cz8T7Ud1BzXCxwiP12B5-k6nR4FJnypWjHDuzCXJQkpr1dBhTSulQRKI7rVSOGY7zqTdAc1Is9Ron9KKHKVV_zBtfunQDEkUZ_29lnt-hfUHAeGvrYj2f7ZqvrruMekhlzPzAXBr/s200/tomb+raider.jpg" width="128" /></a><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">Our Easter stories are still being written,
for they begin like Jesus’ began; by trusting that God's realm is present here
and now. By praying that God’s kingdom will come and that God’s will be done on
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">earth</i> as it is in heaven. Our Easter
stories are written as we celebrate <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">life</i>
when there is sorrow in death. Our Easter stories unfold as we <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">create communities</i> out of ruins. Our
Easter stories are strengthened as we defend the weak and challenge hypocrisy
wherever we find it. Our Easter stories are liberated as we confront some
restrictive code of conduct in favor of an ever-expansive view of God’s
creation and humanity’s possibility. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">You </i>are
the Easter story. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">You</i> are the mystery
that no longer lives entombed. Yes my friends, like Jesus, you must raid your
own tomb of despair and death so that your own resurrection story can be told.<br /><o:p></o:p></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgag4DNEcdy4ZfTvzIavrbyLnhDp_TPYrYexiv7Rle-cIdEPNhZofprJ7zVoGilU5rP6qRtz6IqGeLlbI29zjwBtrrpBRrx0FE4PCr-LPoB1ibEX1x6pTCqF9VbuB_WqpDZn7X76lgGP-Zj/s1600/you+are+the+easter+story.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="130" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgag4DNEcdy4ZfTvzIavrbyLnhDp_TPYrYexiv7Rle-cIdEPNhZofprJ7zVoGilU5rP6qRtz6IqGeLlbI29zjwBtrrpBRrx0FE4PCr-LPoB1ibEX1x6pTCqF9VbuB_WqpDZn7X76lgGP-Zj/s200/you+are+the+easter+story.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">Seeing our lives as Easter stories is more
than a powerful metaphor. It is how we <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">experience
</i>our live in Christ. By embracing your story and your role in it, you can
live more purposefully the kind of life that will give your own story meaning. What
is our good news today? What is the emotional experience of the Easter message?
It’s sitting right in front of me, in personal stories of faith that include
grief and amazement, sorrow and joy, fear and hope. You, my friend, are the mystery
of God in flesh. You are the Easter story. Amen! </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 9pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">(Excerpts from Barry J. Robinson’s sermon, “Jesus Isn’t
Here” from <st1:date day="20" month="4" w:st="on" year="2003">April 20, 2003</st1:date>
– <a href="http://www.fernstone.org/">www.fernstone.org</a>)</span></i><span style="font-size: 9pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>Rev Bricehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17136743615744294418noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3445624634508747595.post-32425140358067134332012-04-01T14:09:00.000-07:002012-04-06T15:38:41.761-07:00Communion as Hospitality<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhks7qLwgouglxBdHG8wZYEMUAwMlj3jKkwEoYh6YZ5tWqZcA1MXt9VRt_RB8gp2RKK-dfvnM4ofgOS8D8d4z_ranHazre2vcDHOEn41ccgqYPF7HoamlMbgwlIZNCUrmewb3W4vsfYHsFw/s1600-h/Scripture.png"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5322759975399621938" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhks7qLwgouglxBdHG8wZYEMUAwMlj3jKkwEoYh6YZ5tWqZcA1MXt9VRt_RB8gp2RKK-dfvnM4ofgOS8D8d4z_ranHazre2vcDHOEn41ccgqYPF7HoamlMbgwlIZNCUrmewb3W4vsfYHsFw/s400/Scripture.png" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 296px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixgIXB4dJqYY0ZyFXL3KLwbg1RsJPSKLG2hU2OcbEWHx5jlTmN7mTxrs-P8oHU0dgwmpcKP9KNOCrb_QSOAUSDPRs7UTVHJ6rDa3VlZQWYquvnFWfQwCTAn5-xjWzTU4sHQEfK37LtazBG/s1600-h/Communion+as+Hospitality.png"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5322759303982948898" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixgIXB4dJqYY0ZyFXL3KLwbg1RsJPSKLG2hU2OcbEWHx5jlTmN7mTxrs-P8oHU0dgwmpcKP9KNOCrb_QSOAUSDPRs7UTVHJ6rDa3VlZQWYquvnFWfQwCTAn5-xjWzTU4sHQEfK37LtazBG/s200/Communion+as+Hospitality.png" style="cursor: pointer; float: left; height: 153px; margin: 0px 10px 10px 0px; width: 200px;" /></a> <span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">In 1989 I took a vacation that I don’t think I will ever forget. It was to the Island of Maui in late November. If you’ve ever been to any of the Hawaiian Islands, I’m sure you will agree that they are paradise on earth. But it’s not just the great weather, the ocean views, and the beautiful beaches. The tourist activities are incredible. I decided not to bore you with posting the 800 pictures I took. But some of the highlights of my trip were snorkeling above the reefs; touring the pineapple fields; hiking up to the top of the volcano; and one of my most memorable activities, waterfall jumping. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><br /></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiS2LrUj0QqZsGbmrGKCFxI7EFtdj0YJBsPWuLSzUMdUDzKRMP7Ok-WZoo35iKsOoRQUEB9YwKAz6vVAPsBxa-gJIoC-WX3JViLnNV4QLgiSHpSYwXwUoVv2hTGTeWqyOKdGY_cNsYev6hx/s1600-h/The+Luau.png"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><img alt="" border="0" height="150" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5322760470251072418" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiS2LrUj0QqZsGbmrGKCFxI7EFtdj0YJBsPWuLSzUMdUDzKRMP7Ok-WZoo35iKsOoRQUEB9YwKAz6vVAPsBxa-gJIoC-WX3JViLnNV4QLgiSHpSYwXwUoVv2hTGTeWqyOKdGY_cNsYev6hx/s200/The+Luau.png" style="float: right; margin: 0px 0px 10px 10px;" width="200" /></span></a><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"> But Hawaii is also the picture of hospitality. And the highlight of my trip was the traditional event that every Hawaiian tourist must experience. The Luau. It is, in fact, at the very center of the Hawaiian custom. But did you know this was not always so?</span><br />
<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwDz_sEswQOZHRcVZKO9b9Y40-bZq5edIPG6DD9xvOLy3jd-0-xGqNUGNbCxb6QafNhvel5mn8xaIGxsUeTTo3QJGJmk69v6Q1U_J95l4q-vhuCAJB_r4B559PoPMwlMFNDoA4XYB1kwEy/s1600-h/King+Kamehameha.png"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5322761357024057842" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwDz_sEswQOZHRcVZKO9b9Y40-bZq5edIPG6DD9xvOLy3jd-0-xGqNUGNbCxb6QafNhvel5mn8xaIGxsUeTTo3QJGJmk69v6Q1U_J95l4q-vhuCAJB_r4B559PoPMwlMFNDoA4XYB1kwEy/s200/King+Kamehameha.png" style="cursor: pointer; float: left; height: 153px; margin: 0px 10px 10px 0px; width: 200px;" /></a> <span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Believe it or not, in ancient Hawaii, men and woman had to eat their meals apart. Commoners and women of all ranks were also forbidden by the ancient Hawaiian religion to eat certain delicacies. This was all changed in 1819 by King Kamehameha II. Can you say that with me? Kam-e-ha-meh-a. King Kamehameha abolished the traditional religious practices and put on a huge feast. This feast where the King ate with women was the symbolic act which ended the Hawaiian religious taboos, and the luau was born.</span><br />
<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJ2m0PFfkU98Z6lV2yxDSINEyb7yuMu5vYEyTJ1H6ybU1my2bv4NEQgh-80CA4ZkAsbpNZI8OwVWX37kLTp2BaCVQ1Z8svjod0drf5j2ZP2g2eSPJVLU792wGGjaYD_aX2hB_7diJGOA_Z/s1600-h/Taro+Root.png"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5322762637661031442" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJ2m0PFfkU98Z6lV2yxDSINEyb7yuMu5vYEyTJ1H6ybU1my2bv4NEQgh-80CA4ZkAsbpNZI8OwVWX37kLTp2BaCVQ1Z8svjod0drf5j2ZP2g2eSPJVLU792wGGjaYD_aX2hB_7diJGOA_Z/s200/Taro+Root.png" style="cursor: pointer; float: right; height: 150px; margin: 0px 0px 10px 10px; width: 200px;" /></a> <span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">The favorite dish at these feasts is what gave the luau its name. Young and tender leaves of the taro plant were combined with chicken, baked in coconut milk and called luau. The traditional luau feast was eaten on the floor. Bowls filled with poi, a staple of the Hawaiian diet made from pounded taro root, and platters of meat were set out and dry foods like sweet potatoes, salt, dried fish or meat covered in leaves were laid out on top of mats made of ti leaves. Utensils were never used at a luau, instead everything was eaten with the fingers.</span> <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1f6n93h2PTqmXNbxNWxOJBUPAxhGdmjdoHA0dC1B_e8RygnaKor00oQ9gUCDl06LFfHW3oNXrij89iw4MZcpXul_G9oxDkaQjbTFgEDQZBlYfpiVMBY6B2ZkmTDyW-UXyOV9ns0mdfRD5/s1600-h/Royal+Luau.png"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5322763131795204722" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1f6n93h2PTqmXNbxNWxOJBUPAxhGdmjdoHA0dC1B_e8RygnaKor00oQ9gUCDl06LFfHW3oNXrij89iw4MZcpXul_G9oxDkaQjbTFgEDQZBlYfpiVMBY6B2ZkmTDyW-UXyOV9ns0mdfRD5/s200/Royal+Luau.png" style="cursor: pointer; float: left; height: 153px; margin: 0px 10px 10px 0px; width: 200px;" /></a> <span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">These royal luaus tended to be big. One of the largest ever was hosted by Kamehameha III in 1847. The list of foods prepared included 271 hogs, 482 large calabashes of poi, 3,125 salt fish, 1,820 fresh fish, 2,245 coconuts, 4,000 taro plants and numerous other delicacies. Hawaiians used to thrown these feasts as celebrations for special occasions such as the launch of a new canoe.</span> <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQaxS-_CnVVlKMTQMvY8b5DFA4JxVSrDEWhSE26sFWojcq-ZleBzyK3K2YRny3NYPOSirMmKbIW-oqtCcNwFDs48zr6c3JpgIGLUg7z5-1JcGb_asco1JLDzMBy4D5jehN_ahKD3zebSq-/s1600-h/Luau+food.png"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5322762021184672946" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQaxS-_CnVVlKMTQMvY8b5DFA4JxVSrDEWhSE26sFWojcq-ZleBzyK3K2YRny3NYPOSirMmKbIW-oqtCcNwFDs48zr6c3JpgIGLUg7z5-1JcGb_asco1JLDzMBy4D5jehN_ahKD3zebSq-/s200/Luau+food.png" style="cursor: pointer; float: right; height: 150px; margin: 0px 0px 10px 10px; width: 200px;" /></a> <span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Luaus today are not as big as those hosted by Hawaiian royalty in the 1800s, but they are a lot of fun and feature the same traditional foods… and of course, utensils are now allowed. Today, these types of luaus are still held, for example one to celebrate the first birthday of an infant. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><blockquote class="tr_bq">
Your participation at a luau makes you ohana, or family.</blockquote>
It is the greatest Hawaiian symbol of welcome and hospitality. (source: www.polynesia.com)</span><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQDdEYGnCfuKeyIsba2Nz2VKhyphenhyphen8RHZV-EOHKUWuS9HMMS0twshxKlyu8jy9_4jr0jEN_YbuClFxmnX06rYRDACjDyhY_MOq9vjhK_RayJswPszRfu1BBac5SZyRgubZBVM6sBegR8WBW4k/s1600-h/Community.png"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5322763796879689890" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQDdEYGnCfuKeyIsba2Nz2VKhyphenhyphen8RHZV-EOHKUWuS9HMMS0twshxKlyu8jy9_4jr0jEN_YbuClFxmnX06rYRDACjDyhY_MOq9vjhK_RayJswPszRfu1BBac5SZyRgubZBVM6sBegR8WBW4k/s200/Community.png" style="cursor: pointer; float: right; height: 146px; margin: 0px 0px 10px 10px; width: 200px;" /></a> <span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Now to us folk who live on the mainland, hospitality can also conjure up other images; white tablecloths, candles and RSVP invitations. A backyard barbecue, Christmas open house, a cup of coffee with a neighbor. The whole idea has fallen on hard times. Budy schedules, working mothers, the disappearance of servants, and the rise of a highly mobile population has combined to make genuine hospitality seem a thing of the past. We wistfully think of the “good old days” when neighbors dropped by or when company for supper was a regular occurance. Was hospitality just a passing fad, now obsolete, its usefullness over?</span> <br />
<br /><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">In our scripture text this morning, Jesus must not of thought so. He apparently was facing the same decrease in hospitality as he gathered his disciples around him for their last meal together. In the Old Testament the stories of hospitality are rich and numerous. In the lives of Semitic peoples, hospitality was not an option in life, but a moral obligation. The harshness of the desert life made nomadic people sensitive to the needs of those who appeared at their tents seeking food and shelter. And it wasn’t just among the Hebrew people, many followers of pagan religions also considered it a duty.</span><br />
<br /><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Yet in the New Testement hospitality has a different flavor. Inns and hostels that sprang up along Roman roads offered placed to say, which lessoned the importance of private accommodations. The strong sense of community was breaking down and with it the practice of hospitality. Even though the Romans like to throw their own lavish banquets, it was not their custom to offer hospitality to wandering strangers. By the second century of the Common Era, hospitality had become something of a burden. The result was that people had to be reminded to show hospitality. And as it became less impromptu, it began to require rules. Invitations became more formal. Banquets, weddings, social occasions; all required an etiquette. It was to this reality that Jesus addressed his disciples on his last evening with them, and he was reminding them of the importance of hospitality from their ancient scriptures, the Torah.</span> <br />
<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidnFptkORNskKzOUx692wnhiTGlxhF1wArYe50JVV-GB0Fv-4GuRtugdj88wx4M-weXMMBIwmFEhY7KSfDYL_rub5_kWF_iCuL4GeByLYiK5joYbdERgGbHhDOtEHFeGm2UMXyz41jWThu/s1600-h/communion.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" height="130" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5322764335239029842" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidnFptkORNskKzOUx692wnhiTGlxhF1wArYe50JVV-GB0Fv-4GuRtugdj88wx4M-weXMMBIwmFEhY7KSfDYL_rub5_kWF_iCuL4GeByLYiK5joYbdERgGbHhDOtEHFeGm2UMXyz41jWThu/s200/communion.jpg" style="float: left; margin: 0px 10px 10px 0px;" title="" width="200" /></a> <span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">You see, Old Testament hospitality was not just about offering food and shelter to strangers, it was also marked by sacrifice. Killing an animal was regarded as a sacrificial act. Therefore when meat was eaten on festal occasions it carried sacred significance. In these sacrificial meals, the people and their God came together at the same table to partake of the same holy food. Eating together resulted in being drawn together, in a renewal of the covenant bond. Hospitality became an expression of the covenantal relationship with God and other human beings. The guest if accepted into the family community and receives food, not only for the body but for the soul. Through fellowship, story sharing, and being welcomed, the guest goes forth renewed and restored.</span><br />
<br /><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Through our hospitality, it is possible to imitate God’s loving care. Both the Old and New Testaments stress that the primary recipient of hospitality is to be the stranger. However, strangers are not necessarily those different in culture, race, or socioeconomic status. They may be members of our family, or friends or neighbors who have become alienated from us. When we offer hospitality to anyone “estranged” from us, some curious and unexpected results occur. To offer hospitality to a stranger is to welcome something new, unfamiliar, and unknown into our life. Strangers have stories to tell which we have never heard before, stories which can redirect our seeing and stimulate our imagination. Hospitality to the stranger gives us a chance to see our own lives afresh. Genuine hospitality to the stranger calls us to do the following:</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZ9sCikNLquUiGB7tpphdWrzKnd63ilAgFFDXQM1Ur_L7-9Dm5A3xJ_ohIGhVnD6Mo2hmxUtusBDy1PpeqXjbQWA6y0zzYONdRO6wqqcTxG6SlLC1L9Z7GkMNFRa-wW3lFi6H-joSLMnh4/s1600-h/Genuine+Hospitality.png"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5322764733094295698" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZ9sCikNLquUiGB7tpphdWrzKnd63ilAgFFDXQM1Ur_L7-9Dm5A3xJ_ohIGhVnD6Mo2hmxUtusBDy1PpeqXjbQWA6y0zzYONdRO6wqqcTxG6SlLC1L9Z7GkMNFRa-wW3lFi6H-joSLMnh4/s400/Genuine+Hospitality.png" style="display: block; height: 313px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">1) <span style="font-weight: bold;">Value the strangeness of the stranger</span>, accepting their differences without fear, annoyance or distrust. The guest is not someone for whom we are doing a favor, but one who is honoring us.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">2) <span style="font-weight: bold;">See yourself through the eyes of the stranger</span> and either be affirmed or be willing to learn and change because of what has been revealed to you about yourself.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">3) <span style="font-weight: bold;">Recognize that we are strangers too.</span> God’s faithful people have always been “exiles and strangers on the earth.” Abraham, himself, was a wandering Aramean. Even Jesus had no permanent place to lay his head at night. We to, are but travelers on a journey to somewhere yet discovered.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">4) <span style="font-weight: bold;">Bring about reconciliation and renewal for the one who is alien or lost.</span> You just might be the one person in someone’s live that can offer them the healing they’ve desired.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">5) Finally, <span style="font-weight: bold;">you extend hospitality to God by showing lovingkindness to those in need.</span> Jesus said, “When you show it to one you’d normally show the last, you show to me.” (source: Breaking Bread: The Spiritual Significance of Food, Sara Covin Juengst (1992: Westminster/John Knox Press).</span><br />
<br /><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">I invite you to consider some recipes
for action, as we go and practice hospitality to each other and to strangers. The
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">communion table</b> is the place that we
gather on a monthly basis to practice this covenant between each other and God.
But this sacred symbol of hospitality doesn’t happen just here. It happens
every moment that we share in an experience of giving and welcoming. Think of
everything that you do for another as an act of hospitality. That’s why we
don’t put restrictions on who can or can’t receive communion in this church.
Although some might say you have to believe the same way, or have at least been
baptized first, I don’t think that’s what Jesus intended to happen. He even
extended hospitality to Judas, the one that, according to some texts, betrayed
him. Jesus never turned anyone away, and neither should we. For it is in the
moment that we embrace the stranger, we embrace God. </span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">
</span>
<div style="line-height: 115%;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Later we will take communion together
and engage in a Hawaiian Luau, the feast of hospitality. My challenge to you is
this; as you partake of communion and enjoy our Hawaiian Luau after the service,
reflect on the words of Jesus as he said; Remember Me. We remember Christ when
we look around the table of hospitality and discover who is missing; and invite
them to join us. For when we do this, we embody the Hawaiian understanding of
ohana…we are the family of God. Aloha!<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">
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</span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span>Rev Bricehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17136743615744294418noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3445624634508747595.post-15450951450383537802012-03-18T16:22:00.000-07:002012-03-31T14:57:57.172-07:00Rainbow Christians<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKQuJq2yv3tYIK4QaBm_igiqBDizMuXxrbpO3QOWrT97AvC8BQnWY50_6NvT9Y7_1bClDlzlqU2hI5JT2HTveURiKtOrGs54Neh-UuI0VPoknUb1rr_nB541QK2SR1Qg4DAAJ4MS5vxcqY/s1600-h/True+Colors.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5316541765740152642" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKQuJq2yv3tYIK4QaBm_igiqBDizMuXxrbpO3QOWrT97AvC8BQnWY50_6NvT9Y7_1bClDlzlqU2hI5JT2HTveURiKtOrGs54Neh-UuI0VPoknUb1rr_nB541QK2SR1Qg4DAAJ4MS5vxcqY/s200/True+Colors.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; float: left; height: 150px; margin: 0px 10px 10px 0px; width: 200px;" /></a> * John 3:14-21 - And just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in him may have eternal life. “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life. “Indeed, God did not send the Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. Those who believe in him are not condemned; but those who do not believe are condemned already, because they have not believed in the name of the only Son of God. And this is the judgment, that the light has come into the world, and people loved darkness rather than light because their deeds were evil. For all who do evil hate the light and do not come to the light, so that their deeds may not be exposed. But those who do what is true come to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that their deeds have been done in God.”<br />
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Most of us see things every day, from the moment we get up in the morning until we go to sleep at night. We look at everything around us using light. We appreciate kids' crayon drawings, fine oil paintings, swirling computer graphics, gorgeous sunsets, a blue sky, shooting stars and rainbows. We rely on mirrors to make ourselves presentable, and sparkling gemstones to show affection. But did you ever stop to think that when we see any of these things, we are not directly connected to it? We are, in fact, seeing light—light that has reflected from objects far or near to us and reached our eyes. Light is all our eyes can really see. <br />
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Now I am no scientist, and I certainly don’t completely comprehend the phenomenon that is light. But there are some interesting insights into light that can shed some “light” on the subject. So here’s your very short science lesson. Light is actually electromagnetic radiation with a wavelength that is sometimes visible to the eye. Although there are many dimensions of light, we only see a fraction of its spectrum. This is called visible light, and is seen in the colors of our prism this morning. There are three basic dimensions of light. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEir2hc36RRAGKe1XjGBvRALgzicEu2a0YnDuGDkpBbil6XhnKn5ncDrTj6zr6FycW8aztGpG1-B7YtMo6fyREsNdqJF2QhaJLInDvEzKuibos9l7ry_fOXYOXcxT4yEgJuuTV0Lel9txluC/s1600-h/Properties+of+Light.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" height="154" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5316534100206611970" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEir2hc36RRAGKe1XjGBvRALgzicEu2a0YnDuGDkpBbil6XhnKn5ncDrTj6zr6FycW8aztGpG1-B7YtMo6fyREsNdqJF2QhaJLInDvEzKuibos9l7ry_fOXYOXcxT4yEgJuuTV0Lel9txluC/s200/Properties+of+Light.jpg" style="float: left; height: 154px; margin: 0px 10px 10px 0px; width: 200px;" width="200" /></a> They are: Intensity, which is how we perceive the brightness of light, Frequency (or wavelength), which we perceive as the colors and Polarization (or angle of vibration), which is not perceivable by humans under ordinary circumstances.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNU3hyWxX_Fbjq_Q-q1A7-lX_hy2vAwztZhe44bYa1H0D5H8XNC-F-KbO54oeRxJXT7N5qlS9NTFK859Twy7a0NBEZtQXCPVTFkRboroP8RA9yQL4ZVEK6hRK4UzdvdA-kMEGG7_hyphenhyphen4e7e/s1600-h/Photon+Torpedo.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5316536268878591394" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNU3hyWxX_Fbjq_Q-q1A7-lX_hy2vAwztZhe44bYa1H0D5H8XNC-F-KbO54oeRxJXT7N5qlS9NTFK859Twy7a0NBEZtQXCPVTFkRboroP8RA9yQL4ZVEK6hRK4UzdvdA-kMEGG7_hyphenhyphen4e7e/s1600/Photon+Torpedo.jpg" style="float: right; margin: 0px 0px 10px 10px;" /></a> We perceive the brightness, colors and the vibration of light through its properties of both particles and waves. From the time of the ancient Greeks, people have thought of light as a stream of tiny particles called photons. We don’t normally see these photons, but that is because they are too small or moving too fast. If we could see them with the naked eye, they probably look like something from Star Trek. If you are a Trekkie you might know what a photon torpedo is! <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU6cuLq-Q958AVvlullCm6sUI00a__9N-wbLZP0kgIhQ6wsKuYzPkFPgiQr8RssC-9vwY_-NYixKLP64zBffXwDKl7RhjZ_3Rh7r5yYAKeOPn93r1lilzCsTXdOS2JawCQLBZSzGs6M9-6/s1600-h/Ripples.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5316536772662363522" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU6cuLq-Q958AVvlullCm6sUI00a__9N-wbLZP0kgIhQ6wsKuYzPkFPgiQr8RssC-9vwY_-NYixKLP64zBffXwDKl7RhjZ_3Rh7r5yYAKeOPn93r1lilzCsTXdOS2JawCQLBZSzGs6M9-6/s400/Ripples.jpg" style="float: left; height: 77px; margin: 0px 10px 10px 0px; width: 122px;" /></a> It’s easier to understand the experience of light through its second property called waves. It’s also helpful to think of light as a wave that we can see in the water. One key point to keep in mind about the water wave is that it is not made up of water: it is made up of energy traveling through the water. If a wave moves across a pool from left to right, this does not mean that the water on the left side of the pool is moving to the right side of the pool. The water has actually stayed about where it was. It is the wave that has moved. When you dive into a pool you make a wave, because you are putting your energy into the water. The energy travels through the water in the form of the wave. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDhTruahV1vY1umlVN7WhenEyuC2ve2IsaMOBKCsNGocICHqP6H7ksKy_puSjYRvgc-Z8EYoxkFHZIWRaCTw2JCDovwjLh68cQxU3F-v_QKP0Jhr6vRzUzv8Na330lLC0TpRj82LHmqSlU/s1600-h/Lights+Waves.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5316542112854453730" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDhTruahV1vY1umlVN7WhenEyuC2ve2IsaMOBKCsNGocICHqP6H7ksKy_puSjYRvgc-Z8EYoxkFHZIWRaCTw2JCDovwjLh68cQxU3F-v_QKP0Jhr6vRzUzv8Na330lLC0TpRj82LHmqSlU/s200/Lights+Waves.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; float: left; height: 131px; margin: 0px 10px 10px 0px; width: 200px;" /></a> All waves are traveling energy, and they are usually moving through some medium, such as water. Light waves are a little more complicated, for they don’t need a medium to travel through. They can even travel through a vacuum. A light wave consists of energy in the form of electric and magnetic fields. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSUkBF6Tt6rnCcqWi8rZicYmVN2CA4rGbeIkb6MdF_0SYfCkCWhhdj7LjnZutsNvSg6GXC_nH1V1PA0wXyU76pjtbm0P7X8aIYeW3hCiGm0V8x_MSc3yL6fHKAwB8B9812DB-5-E7pelqL/s1600-h/Light+Spectrum.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5316542447949878770" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSUkBF6Tt6rnCcqWi8rZicYmVN2CA4rGbeIkb6MdF_0SYfCkCWhhdj7LjnZutsNvSg6GXC_nH1V1PA0wXyU76pjtbm0P7X8aIYeW3hCiGm0V8x_MSc3yL6fHKAwB8B9812DB-5-E7pelqL/s200/Light+Spectrum.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; float: right; height: 114px; margin: 0px 0px 10px 10px; width: 200px;" /></a> Light waves are waves of energy. The amount of energy in a light wave is related to its frequency: High frequency light has high energy; low frequency light has low energy. Thus gamma rays have the most energy, and radio waves have the least. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPIB7kaRZoAyU6hr6WB9xM64EZnG0sEirSJdbqR4s5BUd7rjdDZStELYfIDGd0D0eUnluJj00Gzwxv1kksrkLw2BwrySGc_mIRGoB3Ra__RGvMms4ZzSU6onJziXwCMNHjBZEE5Mou-42T/s1600-h/Visible+Light.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5316543067421933682" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPIB7kaRZoAyU6hr6WB9xM64EZnG0sEirSJdbqR4s5BUd7rjdDZStELYfIDGd0D0eUnluJj00Gzwxv1kksrkLw2BwrySGc_mIRGoB3Ra__RGvMms4ZzSU6onJziXwCMNHjBZEE5Mou-42T/s200/Visible+Light.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; float: left; height: 150px; margin: 0px 10px 10px 0px; width: 200px;" /></a> Of visible light, violet has the most energy and red the least. Any light that you see is made up of a collection of one or more of these photons circulating through space as electromagnetic waves. If you look around you right now, there is probably a light source in the room producing photons, and objects in the room that reflect those photons. Your eyes absorb some of the photons flowing through the room, and that is how you see. <span style="font-style: italic;">(science.howstuffworks.com/light.htm)</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiggYESsNfH4WCbANKPrWGFZ1afUQj123vcpDBUsw_iS8CQUHDGyUmcN2VMLbFICNqwvRR2fsQX060Ga1OTFaE1cA5LovHwARGtT0HMBuoXkqd3VYqKvSXb5QJ21nGmRQNa62o0RR2Lvzig/s1600-h/Dunce.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5316538606496238130" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiggYESsNfH4WCbANKPrWGFZ1afUQj123vcpDBUsw_iS8CQUHDGyUmcN2VMLbFICNqwvRR2fsQX060Ga1OTFaE1cA5LovHwARGtT0HMBuoXkqd3VYqKvSXb5QJ21nGmRQNa62o0RR2Lvzig/s400/Dunce.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; float: left; height: 137px; margin: 0px 10px 10px 0px; width: 101px;" /></a> Whew! I feel like I am back in science class. So what does this all have to do with our Gospel text this morning? I thought by talking about the scientific properties of light, we might be able to make sense of the theological aspects of light in scripture. Is it possible? Is there a connection? If we believe that God is the creator of all things, then the presumption is, yes. We can begin to understand God when we embrace science, and the reality of our cosmos. So let me set the context for enlightening our scripture with science. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtDvJ0U_91G4b7-gn3J2haUAAfL0Pe0I6bOzLG7FCUSi7YK4Vg0fyV-TjhTPfi7nOi4QktuyLj2pycqYABmbabOWj1aIItg9-YF0bJLShH4_MU3VXimCOiN7XKb9oZ_tQJhQTLTyUFw1aH/s1600-h/Nicodemus+%26+Jesus.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5316539031739183874" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtDvJ0U_91G4b7-gn3J2haUAAfL0Pe0I6bOzLG7FCUSi7YK4Vg0fyV-TjhTPfi7nOi4QktuyLj2pycqYABmbabOWj1aIItg9-YF0bJLShH4_MU3VXimCOiN7XKb9oZ_tQJhQTLTyUFw1aH/s400/Nicodemus+%26+Jesus.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; float: right; height: 145px; margin: 0px 0px 10px 10px; width: 116px;" /></a> This week's text is at the tale end of the conversation between Jesus and Nicodemus. You might remember the character of Nicodemus. He is presented to us as a leading member of the religious hierarchy in Jerusalem, something like a professor of theology or a religious judge who has come to see Jesus in the middle of the night to discuss things. Now many of us know the story of Nicodemus quite well. And it’s from this dialogue that we get a quote from Jesus that has become the very core, the crux, if you will, of the Christian experience. Of course I’m referring to John 3:16. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvSCRnkmuD1s0c2iF5rlDcJlT2AzrIIQr6WisHshhGNirW444XuCDJiyQ6ApUy-PHlURhegwxGkmPrrzY-lAHdy6qOabDaJj5MNqI8lojKXUPlt7xfteRNNWXjfF8QXBy2Z2SpXHSfDWIb/s1600-h/John+3+16.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5316539484663096530" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvSCRnkmuD1s0c2iF5rlDcJlT2AzrIIQr6WisHshhGNirW444XuCDJiyQ6ApUy-PHlURhegwxGkmPrrzY-lAHdy6qOabDaJj5MNqI8lojKXUPlt7xfteRNNWXjfF8QXBy2Z2SpXHSfDWIb/s200/John+3+16.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; float: left; height: 135px; margin: 0px 10px 10px 0px; width: 200px;" /></a> I put it on the screen for you in the translation of the Message so we can refer to it. Why did Jesus say this? What exactly did he mean?Nicodemus apparently comes to Jesus because he appears to be troubled by what Jesus has been saying and doing. He wants to question him, get into a debate. Nicodemus wants some sign that Jesus really is from God and that the things he is saying and doing are true. Yet nothing Jesus seems to say is getting through to Nicodemus. And Jesus continues to frame his discussion in metaphors that perhaps Nicodemus might understand. He likens the Spirit of God to the wind. That in order to make sense of God you must be born from above. Jesus tells him, you're going to have to decide whether or not you want to debate what I am about or start living the way I lived. The people who live life like I am do so in the light, where everything they do and are can be seen. The people who don't are the people who stick to the shadows. It is the way it is, says Jesus. Those who hate the light always have something to hide. Those who love the light are not afraid of being seen for who and what they are. <br />
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Now we know from other passages in John’s gospel that he was writing to a Jewish Christian sect that still maintained its primary identity within larger Judaism. At the time John wrote these words, these Jewish Christians were being persecuted and expelled from the only religious home they had ever known, the synagogue. The message that John was conveying through Jesus was not about Jew versus Christian. It was about the kind of discrimination and persecution that goes on within religious communities. He's talking about the kind of evil that gets perpetrated by religious people against their own kind. In fact, even today we know what kinds of cruel things religious people are capable of doing to each other. <br />
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The story of Jesus and Nicodemus is not a story about private religious experience. It's about the radical protest Christ was and is against the evil we do to one another in the name of religion. Jesus is saying if you are going to trust God, then you have to be prepared to step fully into the light. You must embrace the light of God who loves the whole world—especially those who don’t believe the same as you do. Neither Jesus nor John was interested in establishing a belief system to be the cornerstone for acceptance or rejection by God. They were more concerned about how we might recognize the spectrum of God’s love and embrace for all humanity? What are God’s true colors?<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidq9yhoBW8FaZZzLB4ZCidKwQitLtkgshP-oZvVEr_xlzqFFJCqsEgVgC8bdxqNkzLm4uncpyzK0EWaxrKb7sVEoCOA9p0Otdj95y2P8g6RWZfrTIHZxTfCVdxho58NuvlCekyKQqm81c2/s1600-h/Properties+of+God%27s+Light.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5316540104936617378" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidq9yhoBW8FaZZzLB4ZCidKwQitLtkgshP-oZvVEr_xlzqFFJCqsEgVgC8bdxqNkzLm4uncpyzK0EWaxrKb7sVEoCOA9p0Otdj95y2P8g6RWZfrTIHZxTfCVdxho58NuvlCekyKQqm81c2/s200/Properties+of+God%27s+Light.jpg" style="display: block; height: 152px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 200px;" /></a>And now, perhaps our scientific understanding of light can inform us. Remember the three dimensions of light—intensity, frequency and polarization—so too is our experience of God multi-dimensional. <br />
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The first dimension is intensity; or how we see the brightness of God. And the best place to experience it is in a community of faith. Nicodemus comes to Jesus as one whose experience of God has been nurtured and supported by a community of believers. One of the unfortunate consequences of reading John 3:16 literally has been an excessive, almost exclusive focus on individual salvation. The central question becomes am I saved? Have I experienced personal salvation? Do I know Jesus as my Lord and Savior? But, for people like Nicodemus, whose faith was formed by the Hebrew Scriptures, the role of a community of believers was primary in his faith development. The songs we sing together on Sunday morning, the prayers we offer, the support we give and receive, the study and reflection of our sacred texts; all reflect the importance of our faith community in our spiritual formation. When we play hooking from our community of faith because of other commitments, or because we’d rather use our Sundays for some kind of recreation…we are cutting ourselves off from one of God's primary tools for inviting us into a deeper and more intimate encounter with God. <br />
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We also understand that in light is the dimension of frequency—or that which we see as color vibration—the visible light of God’s love. Service and caring for and about others, is the second dimension of faith when we encounter God. Nicodemus is quite clear the reason he comes knocking on Jesus door at night is that through Jesus healing the sick, feeding the hungry, and caring for those in need, they have experienced the presence of God. "No one can do the things you do apart from the presence of God", says Nicodemus. When we participate in the work of justice, caring for others, providing education to our community, and witnessing to God’s inclusive welcome we are shining the light of God’s grace to our world. For Nicodemus it was the acts of caring and compassion of Jesus, which further opened his heart to God's presence. <br />
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And finally our faith has a dimension of polarization—not in the divisive sense, but in the way that our light vibrates energy into the dark places through our openness to the guiding of God's Spirit. The question faced by Nicodemus and anyone seeking to grow in faith is, are you willing to let go of your certainties about who God is? Are you willing to experience God in new ways? Are you ready to step out on a journey with God without the comfort of knowing exactly where it will lead you? Jesus is inviting Nicodemus; and Jesus is inviting you and me to let the Light of God be our guide, to be reborn as waves and particles in God’s kingdom of light. Are we prepared to trust God enough to live without absolute certainty about whom God is? <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6CH7KNf6WMaW9kUt7KdELdZ3KmUjmE3NjQ2NeSlST8rtaTZO1gO8cCwN0gHsGjnbywMcOINNcQcletpFmjGykg1X1gz_aiVtCjlorzoaIp52oSJCYUvrBWSwW5J3wPmub0Wnnm_exnaaq/s1600-h/rainbow.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5316540541294318402" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6CH7KNf6WMaW9kUt7KdELdZ3KmUjmE3NjQ2NeSlST8rtaTZO1gO8cCwN0gHsGjnbywMcOINNcQcletpFmjGykg1X1gz_aiVtCjlorzoaIp52oSJCYUvrBWSwW5J3wPmub0Wnnm_exnaaq/s400/rainbow.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; float: right; height: 77px; margin: 0px 0px 10px 10px; width: 112px;" /></a> When Jesus comes knocking on our door, it is an invitation to grow in faith through the guidance of the Spirit. It is the way in which we come to experience God’s true colors—the rainbow of God’s love shining in dark places. <br />
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(<span style="font-style: italic;">Excerpts from Barry J. Robinson’s sermon “Stepping Into the Light” for March 30, 2003 – www.fernstone.org).</span>Rev Bricehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17136743615744294418noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3445624634508747595.post-50732674904855760712012-03-11T19:00:00.000-07:002012-03-12T19:00:53.223-07:00Status Quo or Mojo?<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; font-weight: normal;">John <st1:personname w:st="on">2</st1:personname>:<st1:personname w:st="on">13</st1:personname>-<st1:personname w:st="on">2</st1:personname><st1:personname w:st="on">2</st1:personname><o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span class="versetext4"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.5pt;"><span style="color: yellow;">The Passover of the Jews was at hand,
and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. </span></span></i></span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.5pt;"><span style="color: yellow;">In the temple
he found those who were selling oxen and sheep and pigeons, and the
money-changers at their business. And making a whip of cords, he drove them
all, with the sheep and oxen, out of the temple; and he poured out the coins of
the money-changers and overturned their tables. And he told those who sold the
pigeons, "Take these things away; you shall not make my Father's house a
house of trade." His disciples remembered that it was written, "Zeal
for thy house will consume me." The Jews then said to him, "What sign
have you to show us for doing this?" Jesus answered them, "Destroy
this temple, and in three days I will raise it up." The Jews then said,
"It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and will you raise it
up in three days?" But he spoke of the temple of his body. When therefore
he was raised from the dead, his disciples remembered that he had said this;
and they believed the scripture and the word which Jesus had spoken.</span> <o:p></o:p></span></i><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEr6xMTW5-Y_Gg7bs96seHnm0S06UTzzeuV79mnfxhzd1Vm5XOHDXJQI1e8jA8hI7TjLT9VHPBIyjSSrQEslTCAGoL7j1dpCnnpXZBDGDG0OitMNKp2DdfV5P7bxyYkLfu0HiegbLGaAj7/s1600/Vandalia+house.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="107" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEr6xMTW5-Y_Gg7bs96seHnm0S06UTzzeuV79mnfxhzd1Vm5XOHDXJQI1e8jA8hI7TjLT9VHPBIyjSSrQEslTCAGoL7j1dpCnnpXZBDGDG0OitMNKp2DdfV5P7bxyYkLfu0HiegbLGaAj7/s200/Vandalia+house.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">I grew up in Vandalia. You might know of this small
town that extends east of the <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placename w:st="on">Dayton</st1:placename>
<st1:placetype w:st="on">Airport</st1:placetype></st1:place>. Vandalia was
built at the height of the suburban craze in the 19<st1:personname w:st="on">5</st1:personname>0s
and 19<st1:personname w:st="on">6</st1:personname>0s. Every house looked the
same—a three bedroom, concrete slab, aluminum sided, one story ranch with an
attached one car garage and a ¼ of an acre back yard. Every house in my block
and in every other block for that matter looked almost exactly the same.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXtUPVKLvm4hr47DbhmlpJuhbHpt6l7ZB8n7Ks7roJXQ5FH4VDQXEIRfBzPqtULdYdu9GjzwbKb43JqmSgw9Y893rj0UicLX7MHzQT8-SPQvdkOSTSJcOa57taryekWUiMtyt-wQip-JVD/s1600/stChris1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="135" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXtUPVKLvm4hr47DbhmlpJuhbHpt6l7ZB8n7Ks7roJXQ5FH4VDQXEIRfBzPqtULdYdu9GjzwbKb43JqmSgw9Y893rj0UicLX7MHzQT8-SPQvdkOSTSJcOa57taryekWUiMtyt-wQip-JVD/s200/stChris1.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Down the street towards town and just off the I-7<st1:personname w:st="on">5</st1:personname> exit was an unusual looking building. I remember
it being a bit out of place for it looked like a castle next to the cracker box
houses in my neighborhood. It was St. Christopher’s Catholic Church. Growing up
we were taught that the Catholic Church was unholy, anti-Christian, and full of
sin and iniquity. The xenophobic and prejudiced theologies that formed me as a
child couldn’t fathom a church that allowed you to drink and gamble. In fact,
when it came down to it—it was all about Bingo. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCN-Uk7couMvWj_JwUB3FP9i_H2YKA0coU7xNy0LSk25dpXd4MCR48IWOQhJLJUDufxH4K8xd0gCiao4O47GRDL1u-ktpQTSZBfxSj7PqkLxiNEtF1w-pIHS7e9mYgJUMhQsfIumTAlCjW/s1600/multiplayer-bingo3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="190" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCN-Uk7couMvWj_JwUB3FP9i_H2YKA0coU7xNy0LSk25dpXd4MCR48IWOQhJLJUDufxH4K8xd0gCiao4O47GRDL1u-ktpQTSZBfxSj7PqkLxiNEtF1w-pIHS7e9mYgJUMhQsfIumTAlCjW/s200/multiplayer-bingo3.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">I remembering listening to our pastor preach on our
gospel text growing up and thinking that it was also about bingo. Oh, it wasn't
the game itself—it was the notion of playing bingo to raise money for the
church. Looking back, I think it was more about Catholics than about bingo. Somehow
along the way Protestants have picked up an anti-Catholic bias in subtle and
not-so-subtle ways. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZ9VUEYCkRQKbNtiXYWY_va22HWMLOebTBH-uGDiz9cACoBlTro27mbzjvNLiP2Vi0CvBpyr7M3b_Fb7JTnIzDQv8IowQtXWJ7jPClJsGmb7UdloJxgsUbTf_6JP0ICS_3UYMeyG2VdUcW/s1600/JfkPope2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="147" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZ9VUEYCkRQKbNtiXYWY_va22HWMLOebTBH-uGDiz9cACoBlTro27mbzjvNLiP2Vi0CvBpyr7M3b_Fb7JTnIzDQv8IowQtXWJ7jPClJsGmb7UdloJxgsUbTf_6JP0ICS_3UYMeyG2VdUcW/s200/JfkPope2.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Parents worried that their sons or daughters might marry
Roman Catholics. And when John Kennedy ran for president, some worried that the
pope would soon be running <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">America</st1:place></st1:country-region>.
</span><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">We were suspicious of Roman Catholics and Bingo was further proof that
Catholics were up to no good because they played bingo in church and we didn't.
We were always waiting for Jesus to come and overturn the bingo tables, sending
the cards flying all over the church basement and spilling the little numbers
out of the cage that spun them around. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHpoJIdozpU7Hll4n3x4uanQil7VvMDwT6YoQmupCS7jqffjLHGI2uv3dk_jwdsV91SyU_Z8G39yPaf2PCQFl_gLNy0VO654wMqGlrsOG32uaoh8ZPOY7wMPuQLrCtMi7StZjCmWcVN0dk/s1600/Jesus+angry.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="143" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHpoJIdozpU7Hll4n3x4uanQil7VvMDwT6YoQmupCS7jqffjLHGI2uv3dk_jwdsV91SyU_Z8G39yPaf2PCQFl_gLNy0VO654wMqGlrsOG32uaoh8ZPOY7wMPuQLrCtMi7StZjCmWcVN0dk/s200/Jesus+angry.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">"Stop making my Father's house a
marketplace!" Jesus would shout as he tipped over the cash boxes and Bingo
balls. We were quite sure that Jesus would not have been upset, however, with
our bake sales, the carry in suppers or the yard sales to raise money for
missions.
But our text today is not about bingo, or bake sales, or pork roasts, or yard
sales. Jesus' actions that day in the temple were a powerful sign of Jesus' anger
and frustration with the way things were in his society. He couldn’t stand the
status quo, and wasn’t afraid to show a little mojo. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjkVjxHk1DUPiXTXH_5JecGJwQNOYgKBwHUp5l2bmkNRcZAVrrFOUtzUHuw3k9MfrzAgN6FZtRKbye2J1Vr7Ch2y1l0e877o7oWnm0JxWyqpeboASg0g0wAJ7gB5nCDcxZoxuahc47ZRlr/s1600/cana_new.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjkVjxHk1DUPiXTXH_5JecGJwQNOYgKBwHUp5l2bmkNRcZAVrrFOUtzUHuw3k9MfrzAgN6FZtRKbye2J1Vr7Ch2y1l0e877o7oWnm0JxWyqpeboASg0g0wAJ7gB5nCDcxZoxuahc47ZRlr/s200/cana_new.jpg" width="149" /></a><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">And a closer look at this
chapter brings us deep into the heart of who exactly Jesus was. Just prior to
this event in the temple we read the story of Jesus' miracle at the wedding in <st1:place w:st="on">Cana</st1:place>. Do you remember? They ran out of wine at the
wedding and Jesus told the steward to fill six stone jars with water. Then he
told the steward to taste the water, and--ahhhhh--the water had been turned into
such excellent wine that the steward wondered why the host had saved the best
for last.
Now that wedding story is much deeper than just wishing Jesus would come to our
parties and give us the best he has to offer—although we certainly would have liked
him to eat pancakes and sausage a few weeks ago when we were raising money for
our Back Pack program! </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJHc1LUuJnJfOQkJ3_GFeiWt96jwUqVxaKcVtQ6Ezk95XdyYAMhsGwxTGiw7rYvKYovkZ2FDx9bvIWWb7hA20NP1Eef9ip8rVM_ui-1aaEtv7gtV4Iu3e2aZmkJuHoEsjKp5Yxzb4rn4Ig/s1600/jars-of-clay.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJHc1LUuJnJfOQkJ3_GFeiWt96jwUqVxaKcVtQ6Ezk95XdyYAMhsGwxTGiw7rYvKYovkZ2FDx9bvIWWb7hA20NP1Eef9ip8rVM_ui-1aaEtv7gtV4Iu3e2aZmkJuHoEsjKp5Yxzb4rn4Ig/s200/jars-of-clay.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">What’s really interesting about the wedding at <st1:place w:st="on">Cana</st1:place> is not necessarily that Jesus turns water into wine,
but that the water Jesus turns into wine was intended to be used for a specific
purpose. The stone jars Jesus had filled with water were used for the rites of
purification. By the time of Jesus, an elaborate system of purification had
been developed. Some things were considered pure and others impure. Women were
impure seven days after the birth of a son, and 1<st1:personname w:st="on">4</st1:personname>
days after the birth of a daughter. Dead bodies were impure. People with
blemishes such as leprosy were impure. Certain foods were impure and almost
anything sexual was impure. The list had gotten very, very long. <br />
<br />
</span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgamQDENtyaQuisljrvHxAJPSAj8W3LowijZLV5Nc9_Kaq7HHSI8cRzuXOORfsVX17xTq9nL2PnrONE_elEgLyE78mcBqxGW7UMPbB9mBXdBHO4r-XFRdYZbJmvjWo6lmLCFvZ0ENs-cV_O/s1600/meeting+jesus+again.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgamQDENtyaQuisljrvHxAJPSAj8W3LowijZLV5Nc9_Kaq7HHSI8cRzuXOORfsVX17xTq9nL2PnrONE_elEgLyE78mcBqxGW7UMPbB9mBXdBHO4r-XFRdYZbJmvjWo6lmLCFvZ0ENs-cV_O/s200/meeting+jesus+again.jpg" width="129" /></a><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">In his book "Meeting Jesus Again for the First Time," Marcus Borg
sees the ministry of Jesus as challenging this extensive purity system. The
effect of the purity system was to create a world with sharp social boundaries;
between pure and impure, righteous and sinner, whole and not whole, male and
female, rich and poor, Jew and Gentile. Changing water into wine was not so
much about getting people drunk so they could have a great time, but it was a
way that Jesus could break down the barriers imposed by these purity laws. Jesus
used water reserved to purify women and children and outcasts and diseased
people, for the purpose of making the best available for everyone. It was a
different way of seeing the world and God's care and compassion for it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjMMSrRxfK6zfkSRdNeUNnflNDCYAt6SU8HEzAGJ8tY3VDXc_JEwOdoCihLMwYIvXiYoKFsjAtrfHi5EJh8etDFLV5STAk1ob1Yc_eLYoYdO0gtZqzJnh1YeYKkqi_Edonn9I-dlussCVy/s1600/caeser's+money.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="95" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjMMSrRxfK6zfkSRdNeUNnflNDCYAt6SU8HEzAGJ8tY3VDXc_JEwOdoCihLMwYIvXiYoKFsjAtrfHi5EJh8etDFLV5STAk1ob1Yc_eLYoYdO0gtZqzJnh1YeYKkqi_Edonn9I-dlussCVy/s200/caeser's+money.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Following that story we have this event that takes
place in the temple. The temple represented the very core of this purity
system. The animals being sold there were for sacrificial purposes. These
animals were required for sacrifice, and there were economic implications
because poor people couldn't afford to buy the best animals. Moneychangers were
an essential part of the system. It was idolatrous to use Roman coins stamped
with the emperor's image to buy your sacrifice; so the moneychangers weren't
simply making change for a twenty; they were giving pure tokens in exchange for
impure money, often at a profit. <br />
<br />
</span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLKfD7j6lRLMSq6bZdmHLO5lCoUhzFtQL9XSeGIqLQCI-fbQw72CVwyewTY1Y8avSvdaUWiqX3It4TuGGw_KkHKx-EB1dOtcpiZZaE-DOrX9u-hjmyEhLjv5qyzsclxjAvEjL6VffOC2PH/s1600/chasing+out+the+moneychangers.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="157" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLKfD7j6lRLMSq6bZdmHLO5lCoUhzFtQL9XSeGIqLQCI-fbQw72CVwyewTY1Y8avSvdaUWiqX3It4TuGGw_KkHKx-EB1dOtcpiZZaE-DOrX9u-hjmyEhLjv5qyzsclxjAvEjL6VffOC2PH/s200/chasing+out+the+moneychangers.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">By attacking these money changers and overturning their profit making
businesses at the expense of the poor and disenfranchised, Jesus challenged the
purity system that these temple practices represented. Jesus anger was out of
disgust and frustration for the way the rich and elite exhibited their power
over the vulnerable and those lacking influence and social status. Jesus' life
and ministry challenged the rules that named things and people pure or impure. Jesus
saw an alternative society that was shaped not by the politics of purity, but
by the politics of compassion.<br /><br />
</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcE9D-zy9MQeW1SV9lWKftMk2WoRH5Jld4fcw9n98A3x2neSNqRok9LFN-AnP9BIxyYOxwr5p7gy5eEnGOh84MxrSibdKnf-83lbzDQ7uJ1tWNMufSkis6sg34FgYnpAC9XXbSwvSnQLS5/s1600/bouncers.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcE9D-zy9MQeW1SV9lWKftMk2WoRH5Jld4fcw9n98A3x2neSNqRok9LFN-AnP9BIxyYOxwr5p7gy5eEnGOh84MxrSibdKnf-83lbzDQ7uJ1tWNMufSkis6sg34FgYnpAC9XXbSwvSnQLS5/s200/bouncers.png" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Jesus was a political activist. He understood God’s realm being grounded in
compassion and love. And all of his teachings and relationship sought to
establish that. He had compassion for the Samaritan woman at the well. She was
considered impure by her bloodline and behavior. He had compassion for the woman
accused of adultery threatened with stoning. He had compassion for the sheep
who were not yet part of God's fold. So we must ask ourselves, if we want to be
like Jesus then who are those people in our communities who have been shut out
of the church because of some archaic purity code? Who are the folks who don’t
feel welcomed into our church because they don’t have fancy clothes to wear, or
can’t afford to put money in our offering plates, belong to unconventional
families or don’t fit the profile of a successful Christian?</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmYdi-cnFPe7bEprrVYIgcXTsn0ZFNdImtQEPUwlvhm7M5RvppF12hCpNrxXEB6YK2v7dKVZOa0V5PIxNIdUiZQs59WqymKiSOinOSlDFeVVzseUl60N4ajzueL3rZ5NEZha4u3nsRKI0u/s1600/what-is-the-gospel_message.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="82" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmYdi-cnFPe7bEprrVYIgcXTsn0ZFNdImtQEPUwlvhm7M5RvppF12hCpNrxXEB6YK2v7dKVZOa0V5PIxNIdUiZQs59WqymKiSOinOSlDFeVVzseUl60N4ajzueL3rZ5NEZha4u3nsRKI0u/s200/what-is-the-gospel_message.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Many have said that you can’t build a church on charity. We can’t grow unless
we attract people of means. We shouldn’t spend so much time, energy and
resources on children and families that can’t give back. That unless we have
economically stable and wealthy people in our congregation we won’t be able to
sustain our ministries. But I have to ask myself when I hear these accusations,
what is more corrupt? Packaging the gospel so that people feel good about
themselves—or telling people the good news that God loves them regardless of
who they are, or how much they make, or what their relationship status is. Do
we truly welcome everyone into the family of God? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiMCaiU0BXcPejBpqBeBldFT8-vSB0_T93X0_ttT_WvVY50YNbojQWuCukDyIO854wjq3pX7PFnJqjz99ciPxNfVXrXNIGoF3Z28T5aAq6hPqFZOlaiU_ka7n6jF8dmKQGmMAFyQfMltAI/s1600/Washing-of-the-feet.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiMCaiU0BXcPejBpqBeBldFT8-vSB0_T93X0_ttT_WvVY50YNbojQWuCukDyIO854wjq3pX7PFnJqjz99ciPxNfVXrXNIGoF3Z28T5aAq6hPqFZOlaiU_ka7n6jF8dmKQGmMAFyQfMltAI/s200/Washing-of-the-feet.jpg" width="151" /></a><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">There are many corrupt institutions in our society,
and the church is often one of them. Belonging to a church used to be some kind
of status symbol.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But times have
changed. </span><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Through outreach, mission and service the church can stay true to the message of the gospel, and
reach out to its community neighbors. And if we can keep ourselves
from judging our success based on numbers, or economic status, or the amount
of offering taken in weekly—but focus on reaching out to as many of these
neighbors that we can—as a community, then corruption will never manipulate our
ministry. Our journey to meet our neighbors right where they are will keep our
hearts pure and our focus clear. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">For no matter if our neighbors are rich or poor, young
or old, woman or man, gay or straight, majority or minority; God’s grace and
love is available to each and every one of our neighbors who haven’t
found it yet. For no matter who they are or where they are on their journey—God
welcomes them. And their journey to wholeness begins with us. And that is
something they shouldn’t have to pay one cent for. For I ALSO once was lost, but now
I AM found; was blind, but NOW I see. Amen and Hallelujah!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 9pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">(Statistics from </span></i><span style="font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><a href="http://www.city-data.com/"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 9pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><span style="color: blue;">www.city-data.com</span></span></i></a></span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 9pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">. Sermon excerpts
from <span style="color: black;">Barbara K. Lundblad’s sermon, "Far More
Than Bingo" from <st1:date day="23" month="3" w:st="on" year="2003">March <st1:personname w:st="on">2</st1:personname>3, <st1:personname w:st="on">2</st1:personname>003</st1:date>
</span></span></i><span style="font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><a href="http://www.day1.net/index.php5?view=transcripts&tid=78"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 9pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><span style="color: blue;">http://www.day1.net/index.php5?view=transcripts&tid=78</span></span></i></a></span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 9pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">)</span></i><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 9pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><o:p></o:p></span><br />Rev Bricehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17136743615744294418noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3445624634508747595.post-21765703835484214372012-03-04T17:03:00.000-08:002012-03-12T17:29:16.360-07:00Counterfeit Crosses<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; font-weight: normal; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;">Mark 8:<st1:personname w:st="on">2</st1:personname>7-38<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">And Jesus went on with his
disciples, to the villages of Caesare'a Philip'pi; and on the way he asked his
disciples, "Who do men say that I am?" And they told him, "John
the Baptist; and others say, Eli'jah; and others one of the prophets." And
he asked them, "But who do you say that I am?" Peter answered him,
"You are the Christ." And he charged them to tell no one about him.
And he began to teach them that the Son of man must suffer many things, and be
rejected by the elders and the chief priests and the scribes, and be killed,
and after three days rise again. And he said this plainly. And Peter took him,
and began to rebuke him. But turning and seeing his disciples, he rebuked
Peter, and said, "Get behind me, Satan! For you are not on the side of
God, but of men." And he called to him the multitude with his disciples,
and said to them, "If any man would come after me, let him deny himself
and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose
it; and whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel's will save it. For
what does it profit a man, to gain the whole world and forfeit his life? For
what can a man give in return for his life? For whoever is ashamed of me and of
my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him will the Son of man
also be ashamed, when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy
angels."</span></i><br />
<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkVznSpJOqyMy9J97zVQVH6jfAaR2NFshZ8IRBWCCKDRVm2BNxCQpHE7EJlyad9wS0wRF-sCE71iWf21SOwQiiaLD4VyfPMK04X8HgMP3lMsblgWA8VDIcnUhagpiFaSTPDHnautp6umG3/s1600/beaniebabies.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkVznSpJOqyMy9J97zVQVH6jfAaR2NFshZ8IRBWCCKDRVm2BNxCQpHE7EJlyad9wS0wRF-sCE71iWf21SOwQiiaLD4VyfPMK04X8HgMP3lMsblgWA8VDIcnUhagpiFaSTPDHnautp6umG3/s200/beaniebabies.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">I’ve had quite a few hobbies collecting things in my
life. I’ve collected stamps, foreign money, beanie babies, and beer steins. But
my most recent collecting craze has involved collecting symbols of my faith.
</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2c0TypsG8Yf21KzJ0Esx6BTmJsXdOVEgLvSwjaLqf7_t-Xj1U8yEpaTsHvKCDnMpYnwkU-h44PW9zwUGKpdA5pJ6-lPTvVoByTklQ-D1_GZm5eH-2Q3WM32fWiomCDsb-9yaOa6Ok97MJ/s1600/Greecian+cross.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2c0TypsG8Yf21KzJ0Esx6BTmJsXdOVEgLvSwjaLqf7_t-Xj1U8yEpaTsHvKCDnMpYnwkU-h44PW9zwUGKpdA5pJ6-lPTvVoByTklQ-D1_GZm5eH-2Q3WM32fWiomCDsb-9yaOa6Ok97MJ/s200/Greecian+cross.jpg" width="150" /></a><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">I actually have crosses
that come from different cultures and theological perspectives hanging on my
office wall; some of my favorites come from Brazil, Mexico,
Ireland, Scotland, and various islands in Greece. I don’t know what it is about
the cross—but I am intrigued at how my understanding of cross and its place in
my spirituality has evolved over the last decade. For me, the cross is not just
a nice artifact that I like to collect, but has become one of the most important
symbols of my faith. It wasn’t until I looked into the cross’s own journey as a
symbol throughout the last 2000 years, did I come to understand it could have a
deeper meaning for me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8ZuTSE8-lVU1cTrBIbuIEhyZrBW0bt-5pr9RjkNWRv_lsyLE3_T8_k6RjjUgd0hUTi3fBSuB_PcF_r0x9FLVYKQRTuqE6Cr76rg8g2OVpnLKGQzivL_FAgwuwG_YaWtuoFo7QzQ_kfoNi/s1600/IHS.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8ZuTSE8-lVU1cTrBIbuIEhyZrBW0bt-5pr9RjkNWRv_lsyLE3_T8_k6RjjUgd0hUTi3fBSuB_PcF_r0x9FLVYKQRTuqE6Cr76rg8g2OVpnLKGQzivL_FAgwuwG_YaWtuoFo7QzQ_kfoNi/s1600/IHS.jpg" /></a><v:shape id="Picture_x0020_10" o:spid="_x0000_s1030" style="height: 111.35pt; margin-left: 336.95pt; margin-top: 135pt; mso-height-percent: 0; mso-height-relative: page; mso-position-horizontal-relative: text; mso-position-horizontal: absolute; mso-position-vertical-relative: text; mso-position-vertical: absolute; mso-width-percent: 0; mso-width-relative: page; mso-wrap-distance-bottom: 0; mso-wrap-distance-left: 9pt; mso-wrap-distance-right: 9pt; mso-wrap-distance-top: 0; mso-wrap-style: square; position: absolute; visibility: visible; width: 116.2pt; z-index: -251659776;" type="#_x0000_t75">
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</w:wrap></v:imagedata></v:shape><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">I’d have to start by saying that I’ve always been intrigued by ancient symbols.
During the season of Lent and Easter our Christian symbols play a vital role in
connecting us to Jesus’ own journey to the cross and his crucifixion. We use a
lot of symbols to identify Jesus as our center of worship. Does anyone know
what these letter stand for? It is the most common abbreviation used in churches,
and they are on our altar, and on our banners. IHS stands for the first three
letters of the name of Jesus in Greek—Iota Eta Sigma. The name Jesus was
actually pronounced as Y-AY-SUS. Since there is no letter “J” in the Greek
language, Jesus name actually begins with a “Ya” sound—as in “yoke.” The second
letter of the Greek name of Jesus is the Eta. This Greek letter looks like an
English “H” but sounds like a long “A” sound—as in “hay.” And of course the
Greek “sigma” is our English “S”. Thus IHS is actually pronounced I-AY-S, and
stands for the first three Greek letters of the name of Jesus.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVWHNBpe0C2fzK2tfEmo1N8KdnW8eEuYR8LDmAsa6hgGEyFCm9ZEOezMiEUd5yKej5Eni2eOQBDaR5s2B59Fsq_Mg-cS5tJkyBa-PnpD88_WIEaKg2_K5WCFJqFwS15jsmRvH3xkOY9PxF/s1600/fish-1.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="88" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVWHNBpe0C2fzK2tfEmo1N8KdnW8eEuYR8LDmAsa6hgGEyFCm9ZEOezMiEUd5yKej5Eni2eOQBDaR5s2B59Fsq_Mg-cS5tJkyBa-PnpD88_WIEaKg2_K5WCFJqFwS15jsmRvH3xkOY9PxF/s200/fish-1.png" width="200" /></a><v:shape id="Picture_x0020_16" o:spid="_x0000_s1029" style="height: 148.95pt; margin-left: 193.5pt; margin-top: 62.25pt; mso-height-percent: 0; mso-height-relative: page; mso-position-horizontal-relative: text; mso-position-horizontal: absolute; mso-position-vertical-relative: text; mso-position-vertical: absolute; mso-width-percent: 0; mso-width-relative: page; mso-wrap-distance-bottom: 0; mso-wrap-distance-left: 9pt; mso-wrap-distance-right: 9pt; mso-wrap-distance-top: 0; mso-wrap-style: square; position: absolute; visibility: visible; width: 248.3pt; z-index: -251656704;" type="#_x0000_t75">
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</w:wrap></v:imagedata></v:shape><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Disciples of Jesus have also been symbolized from ancient times by the
word fish, which in Greek is “ICHTHUS.” The letters, ICHTHUS, are also an
acronym for Jesus Christ Son of God, Savior. </span><v:shape id="Picture_x0020_15" o:spid="_x0000_s1028" style="height: 64pt; margin-left: 12.45pt; margin-top: 3.6pt; mso-height-percent: 0; mso-height-relative: page; mso-position-horizontal-relative: text; mso-position-horizontal: absolute; mso-position-vertical-relative: text; mso-position-vertical: absolute; mso-width-percent: 0; mso-width-relative: page; mso-wrap-distance-bottom: 0; mso-wrap-distance-left: 9pt; mso-wrap-distance-right: 9pt; mso-wrap-distance-top: 0; mso-wrap-style: square; position: absolute; visibility: visible; width: 2in; z-index: -251657728;" type="#_x0000_t75">
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</w:wrap></v:imagedata></v:shape><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">During the early centuries following the death of
Christ when it was illegal to be a follower of Jesus, the sign of the fish was
used as a secret indicator of being a Christian. It was a symbol of brave faith
and of deep conviction. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtrLLdRNhlq1m-sRGVL99XTiKbDw8Q6DJlIU4AR2SZmuCVhWpcC5bO9RaokaMFZ0l4L042m9WnRNAAgk0Z4SsYLT8hvrDSLzzRpbHv7U_ZDO2xsDPaQtoKbtLLyY8cgODFtB9gBOi6kr2g/s1600/Latin_Cross.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtrLLdRNhlq1m-sRGVL99XTiKbDw8Q6DJlIU4AR2SZmuCVhWpcC5bO9RaokaMFZ0l4L042m9WnRNAAgk0Z4SsYLT8hvrDSLzzRpbHv7U_ZDO2xsDPaQtoKbtLLyY8cgODFtB9gBOi6kr2g/s200/Latin_Cross.jpg" width="130" /></a><v:shape alt="Description: Latin%20Cross" id="Picture_x0020_14" o:spid="_x0000_s1027" style="height: 111.35pt; margin-left: -4.95pt; margin-top: 52pt; mso-height-percent: 0; mso-height-relative: page; mso-position-horizontal-relative: text; mso-position-horizontal: absolute; mso-position-vertical-relative: text; mso-position-vertical: absolute; mso-width-percent: 0; mso-width-relative: page; mso-wrap-distance-bottom: 0; mso-wrap-distance-left: 9pt; mso-wrap-distance-right: 9pt; mso-wrap-distance-top: 0; mso-wrap-style: square; position: absolute; visibility: visible; width: 84.65pt; z-index: -251658752;" type="#_x0000_t75">
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</w:wrap></v:imagedata></v:shape><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">It is however during the season of Lent that we focus on a symbol that
are probably the most well known throughout the Christian tradition. It is of
course, the cross. However, you may have noticed that there are many different
images of the cross. Perhaps we are most familiar with the Latin cross shown
here. Our own crosses in the sanctuary are modeled after this cross. The Latin
cross is a very plain image. Its simplicity and clean figure appeal to the time
of Lent when we seek clarity and simple expression in our worship. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9AFUn3ib-SFR_s2bTnsBvQ-baPaLcqgGxgYMJBTBLQEsBJ9DIgqZkQ-Wxf06EZZiM3tooKiVP-b-xRWVMnmUNoIelkblTb2irUTR1xfK0cR_JgnpzwnLK6IafGMZ1ZKXwBPl6MAstxT5r/s1600/Celtic_Cross2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9AFUn3ib-SFR_s2bTnsBvQ-baPaLcqgGxgYMJBTBLQEsBJ9DIgqZkQ-Wxf06EZZiM3tooKiVP-b-xRWVMnmUNoIelkblTb2irUTR1xfK0cR_JgnpzwnLK6IafGMZ1ZKXwBPl6MAstxT5r/s200/Celtic_Cross2.jpg" width="125" /></a><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">My favorite representation of the cross is the Celtic cross. I have
several images of that version in which a circle is added to the classic Latin
design signifying eternity. The Celts believed that the work of redemption
accomplished on the cross was planned in eternity—and that work continues
permanently. This cross suggests the timeless dimension of God’s salvific work. <br /></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiapNsbU2PW8x6aow1J4SdnceV7qGsWEI_ATp_m_2Qd38NlfbTnU7tfT_UzDBdNfluhanXAE6Vf6UsyXhzJ09qy6wlR-coV8Zn2nZjTgwuAO_-QH0LapmJwCJsKn6tfUK35eZ4mhl9W-owE/s1600/Auschwitz_cross.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiapNsbU2PW8x6aow1J4SdnceV7qGsWEI_ATp_m_2Qd38NlfbTnU7tfT_UzDBdNfluhanXAE6Vf6UsyXhzJ09qy6wlR-coV8Zn2nZjTgwuAO_-QH0LapmJwCJsKn6tfUK35eZ4mhl9W-owE/s200/Auschwitz_cross.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">But the cross has a dark history as well. Did
you know that a cross hung over the concentration camp at Auschwitz? The cross greeted
the thousands of Jews, homosexuals and others who were murdered by the 3<sup>rd</sup>
Reich. In the face of such tragedy and brutality delivered in the name of
Yaysus Christos, we have to ask ourselves; how did this symbol of faith evolve
from the execution of Jesus to a symbol representing the extermination of
millions of people who don’t follow him? <o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI6tq_LKpJEQWauDW015HZSsKXfN5mmvZ6g0qmEPIekTY_F-cgtJt4sIx84VMROeodX7wp3775Vi209LSpxIhuyp-p96kld3HfYpasO1-6a4WSIadJZcobbkXwGEacucRJrk5guR2vrk1d/s1600/True-Story-Who-do-YOU-say-I-am.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI6tq_LKpJEQWauDW015HZSsKXfN5mmvZ6g0qmEPIekTY_F-cgtJt4sIx84VMROeodX7wp3775Vi209LSpxIhuyp-p96kld3HfYpasO1-6a4WSIadJZcobbkXwGEacucRJrk5guR2vrk1d/s200/True-Story-Who-do-YOU-say-I-am.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">Perhaps Jesus himself can tell us a little
about that. Our gospel text this morning comes at the middle of Mark's story of
Jesus of Nazareth. Jesus has begun his public ministry and people have started
to follow him. But Mark wants this struggling and grassroots band of believers
to know what's involved in following Jesus. In particular, he wants them to
know that being a disciple is not some simple theological belief; but that it's
about being willing to pay the price. Jesus asks outright, “Who do people say
that I am?” The other disciples, of course, play the role of the clueless and
ignorant. "How about Elijah?" one of them says. "Guess
again." "John the Baptist?" another chimes in. "Wrong
again." “Just another prophet?” still another suggests. Finally, good,
old, impetuous Peter comes through for us. "I know who you are – You are the
Messiah!" Ding, Ding, Ding! Peter hits the jackpot, he gives the winning
answer. Peter has figured it out. Hooray for Peter! Hooray for all of us who
know who Jesus really is.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">But Mark doesn’t leave it there. Peter is
immediately silenced by Jesus. “Yes, you are right. But I’m going to die for my
cause. So keep quiet until it’s time.” Why would Jesus predict the end of his
ministry this way? Why on earth would Jesus gain by scaring off his disciples
prior to accomplishing his most important work? </span></div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
Jesus is telling his disciples
that if they are to follow him they must confront the powers that be. </blockquote>
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">Jesus
will not enter <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Jerusalem</st1:place></st1:city>
as the triumphant military leader everyone expected the Messiah to be. Rather,
he will be executed by the leaders of the nation; and if that weren’t enough; he
would choose not to avoid it.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgExWvnwvpzSCvWTyvn2L7amlj46t05pDAv8UDUfAP2hOx_09mgFaqX18IPpmw-knD7zDfdmmJKlzmRDoJVqKDpaQ82sgUdO5jnuVRW-BQanD-tAuf67qORW6yx5TlktUdy2xKLocN3la4j/s1600/tissot-wilderness.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="131" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgExWvnwvpzSCvWTyvn2L7amlj46t05pDAv8UDUfAP2hOx_09mgFaqX18IPpmw-knD7zDfdmmJKlzmRDoJVqKDpaQ82sgUdO5jnuVRW-BQanD-tAuf67qORW6yx5TlktUdy2xKLocN3la4j/s200/tissot-wilderness.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">And what is Peter's response? <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“No Jesus! I refuse to accept this meaning of
Messiah. There’s no way you are going to die. I won’t let it happen. Absolutely
not! You’re not going to <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Jerusalem</st1:place></st1:city>.
I won’t let you. I won’t listen to this anymore!” This sharp exchange between
the two escalates until finally Jesus silences Peter. "You are aligned
with Satan!" he tells him. "Get out of my way!" Wow! Talk about
a conflict of interest. But, if you think about it, we really shouldn’t be too
hard on Peter. After all, we have had much in common with him. Christians still
have trouble following a Messiah who ends up on an execution stick. The point
being - the cross was not a religious icon in first century <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Palestine</st1:place></st1:city>. Nor was "taking up the
cross" a metaphor for surviving personal anguish. Crucifixion had only one
connotation: it was the vicious form of capital punishment reserved by imperial
<st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Rome</st1:place></st1:city> for
political dissidents.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNrT7JmC7RokbXRfQ4-DeRAzf5R5ZyOSwcamy1lGtDrN6ZLZGcqj5iQ3Y_c_cO-gUJDszBNXzNp88D46M8yRUkujI-aUvidx4pfZYGUjXphSooW475EUFi2CzAdSbNuy-53iB-D0d-CTPg/s1600/constantine.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNrT7JmC7RokbXRfQ4-DeRAzf5R5ZyOSwcamy1lGtDrN6ZLZGcqj5iQ3Y_c_cO-gUJDszBNXzNp88D46M8yRUkujI-aUvidx4pfZYGUjXphSooW475EUFi2CzAdSbNuy-53iB-D0d-CTPg/s200/constantine.jpg" width="155" /></a><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">But it didn't stay that way for long. Around
31<st1:personname w:st="on">2</st1:personname> C.E. the emperor Constantine was
leading an army to battle against another Roman emperor, Maxentius, for control
of the entire <st1:place w:st="on">Roman Empire</st1:place>. Before a crucial
battle <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Constantine</st1:place></st1:city>
had a vision of a cross with the inscription, "In this Sign Conquer".
And the rest, as they say, is history. Christians started planting crosses all
over the world, usually in the bodies of their victims. All in the name of Jesus
under the sign of the cross. <br /></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibbLrE1ymu_UjtRXa49eRylVHlHzLcag_Y-pYFvR17tdL42orBFNNFQte2usOMR96LHC5PDac-0DOuSkugFnn4HzbyLef-wrdDJ3DGXh1O73DbDtXZoM0TL4z41m7yZxbjI_T3ee1chCz3/s1600/inquisition.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="112" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibbLrE1ymu_UjtRXa49eRylVHlHzLcag_Y-pYFvR17tdL42orBFNNFQte2usOMR96LHC5PDac-0DOuSkugFnn4HzbyLef-wrdDJ3DGXh1O73DbDtXZoM0TL4z41m7yZxbjI_T3ee1chCz3/s200/inquisition.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">The Crusades were followed by the
Inquisition, in 1<st1:personname w:st="on">2</st1:personname>3<st1:personname w:st="on">2</st1:personname> and lasted for more than <st1:personname w:st="on">6</st1:personname>00
years down into the nineteenth century. Its <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">high point</st1:place></st1:city> was the expulsion of Jews and
Muslims from <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Spain</st1:place></st1:country-region>
in 1<st1:personname w:st="on">4</st1:personname>9<st1:personname w:st="on">2</st1:personname>.
Women were singled out by the thousands and burned at the stake as witches. All
under the sign of the cross. The cross at <st1:place w:st="on">Auschwitz</st1:place>,
in other words, did not get there by accident. It grew out of that particular
mindset, ingrained into the Christian psyche, that we had a right, even a moral
and spiritual obligation to rid the world of those who were not like us. </span> </div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
The
question is: how much is there left in this symbol of the humble Galilean and
his vision of the kingdom of God—a realm where everyone is equal in God’s eyes?
</blockquote>
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">It’s not easy to hear what has happened to this symbol many of us have
treasured all of our lives, is it? But we need to own what the church has done
down through the centuries if we are ever to understand those who see us now as
the infidels, the faithless ones. After all, our history speaks for itself!<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPYhjaQgH6RUGh9WcIDXcnqsG5y39hWqNPd-XEGkJk5YsO5jTYMVjJT0KDGNAj_Ie-zoOzlG2IAJXrFQDaeF9xWKuKM3BN5qYKl5la6wCbm2QGjvABqokQLBcfzeP5pmkc1JSXHBXOgYaV/s1600/crossman.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="130" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPYhjaQgH6RUGh9WcIDXcnqsG5y39hWqNPd-XEGkJk5YsO5jTYMVjJT0KDGNAj_Ie-zoOzlG2IAJXrFQDaeF9xWKuKM3BN5qYKl5la6wCbm2QGjvABqokQLBcfzeP5pmkc1JSXHBXOgYaV/s200/crossman.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">So where is the good news today? How can we
reclaim the image of the cross of Jesus as a symbol of salvation it was intended
to be? I suppose the answer to that lies in how serious Christians are willing
to suffer for Jesus' vision as much as he was; because that's what the cross
was really about for him. The cross is a symbol of Jesus’ self-sacrificing
life. </span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiMCaiU0BXcPejBpqBeBldFT8-vSB0_T93X0_ttT_WvVY50YNbojQWuCukDyIO854wjq3pX7PFnJqjz99ciPxNfVXrXNIGoF3Z28T5aAq6hPqFZOlaiU_ka7n6jF8dmKQGmMAFyQfMltAI/s1600/Washing-of-the-feet.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiMCaiU0BXcPejBpqBeBldFT8-vSB0_T93X0_ttT_WvVY50YNbojQWuCukDyIO854wjq3pX7PFnJqjz99ciPxNfVXrXNIGoF3Z28T5aAq6hPqFZOlaiU_ka7n6jF8dmKQGmMAFyQfMltAI/s200/Washing-of-the-feet.jpg" width="151" /></a><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">And the cross in the daily life of a believer is not mere suffering, but
is a symbol of our service to others—service which is often costly and
burdensome. The authentic cross bearer is the one concerned about service
instead of slaughter, kindness instead of killing, welfare rather than war,
forgiveness more than fortune. That's what the cross really meant. The question
is: are we prepared to live that way?<br /></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjao1DWeMXr6EAmlglm-YOFtjDtvEuduw3LXUVursg5rKV3llJsL5Yf0vEIe0kLzfbHSZCeHBrJcctcJgne1Tzh3NFuTBEyiYpPSaLPSRwaSAY9mkP5rMLs_vgdn5UPru0u7ze8TgHD0im5/s1600/lenten_ashes.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjao1DWeMXr6EAmlglm-YOFtjDtvEuduw3LXUVursg5rKV3llJsL5Yf0vEIe0kLzfbHSZCeHBrJcctcJgne1Tzh3NFuTBEyiYpPSaLPSRwaSAY9mkP5rMLs_vgdn5UPru0u7ze8TgHD0im5/s200/lenten_ashes.jpg" width="173" /></a><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">I collect crosses. I am intrigued by its
symbolism, its beauty, and its meaning in my life. I enjoy reflecting on it as
a vision of my own journey to be an authentic child of God. And like many of
you, I’ve experience persecution because of that vision. I pray that I might
live out that vision as one who embraces the cross of Jesus. For it is Jesus that
asks us; "If any want to become my disciples, let them deny themselves and
take up their cross and follow me." What will you trade for this kingdom
value? What will you trade to join Jesus on his journey to the cross? Amen!<o:p></o:p></span></div>Rev Bricehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17136743615744294418noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3445624634508747595.post-65430481443180466252012-02-26T12:50:00.000-08:002012-02-26T12:36:24.447-08:00Don't Get Testy with Me!<object height="344" width="425"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/ZSmh0wvYJEY&hl=en&fs=1&rel=0">
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<br /><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; font-weight: normal;">Mark 1:9-15<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";"><em><span style="color: yellow;">In those
days Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized by John in the
Jordan. And when he came up out of the water, immediately he saw the heavens
opened and the Spirit descending upon him like a dove; and a voice came from
heaven, "Thou art my beloved Son; with thee I am well pleased." The
Spirit immediately drove him out into the wilderness. And he was in the
wilderness forty days, tempted by Satan; and he was with the wild beasts; and the
angels ministered to him. Now after John was arrested, Jesus came into Galilee,
preaching the gospel of God, and saying, "The time is fulfilled, and the
kingdom of God is at hand; repent, and believe in the gospel."<o:p></o:p></span></em></span><br />
<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidZ_tyVsoG2d9KzqCpkZ7-Tqt9m9hSTZQI0f6MQfbsAaqth2soz5q4HDoHHuasOZ8ZMP-gVfThOVw_ArH4skuc3kWhaCCj6AFlrvI3f2FjDtVX3B4hcRa3dkaaCz5xMWYZzckveSZ2TG-_/s1600/lawyer+and+devil.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidZ_tyVsoG2d9KzqCpkZ7-Tqt9m9hSTZQI0f6MQfbsAaqth2soz5q4HDoHHuasOZ8ZMP-gVfThOVw_ArH4skuc3kWhaCCj6AFlrvI3f2FjDtVX3B4hcRa3dkaaCz5xMWYZzckveSZ2TG-_/s200/lawyer+and+devil.gif" width="163" /></a><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">A lawyer was sitting in her office late one
night, when Satan appeared. The Devil told the lawyer: "I have a
proposition for you. You can win every case you try for the rest of your life.
Your clients will adore you, your colleagues will stand in awe of you, and you
will make embarrassing sums of money. All I want in exchange is your soul, your
husband's soul, your children's souls, the souls of your parents, grandparents,
and parents-in-law, and the souls of all your friends and law partners." The
lawyer thought for a moment, then asked: "So, what's the catch?" <o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">And it’s with that question in mind that I
want to approach our gospel text this morning. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;"><blockquote class="tr_bq">
What's the catch?</blockquote>
</span><br />
</div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaRd5mVtf2dPZ6JFNDZP0DqKyq1nCGNHIR4xgLknS4VQvxqLzXP-xTE5j_ut1h8Loiz5PHS6NJS9drCFD7yVHecexcJv-HPseZzwHxfUIpxQMvbtCZ2G2lZHC_edJPccVErillKwoDHsmJ/s1600/devil_tempting.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="158" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaRd5mVtf2dPZ6JFNDZP0DqKyq1nCGNHIR4xgLknS4VQvxqLzXP-xTE5j_ut1h8Loiz5PHS6NJS9drCFD7yVHecexcJv-HPseZzwHxfUIpxQMvbtCZ2G2lZHC_edJPccVErillKwoDHsmJ/s200/devil_tempting.gif" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">reverendfun.com</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">There are many engaging images and
characters in these few short verses.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But what’s really interesting about these few
scriptures from Mark’s gospel is not necessarily what’s in them, but what’s
missing from them. Let me explain, when you read these scriptures in the other
two synoptic gospels, Matthew and Luke (BTW…synoptic simply means a broad summary
of an event), there are substantial differences in the telling of this
wilderness story. Luke and Matthew actually expand the story to include an
additional 10 verses. Within these verses we have a complex dialogue between
Jesus and the Satan where the temptations have very specific form and function.
</span><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
</div>
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">In the original Greek, the word Satan actually just means accuser. You might
remember these versions of the story. First the Satan challenges Jesus to turn
stones into bread to satisfy his hunger from fasting for 40 days and 40 nights.
Next the Satan tries to trick Jesus into showing off his special relationship
with God by challenging him to throw himself off of the top of the temple so
that the angels might save him. And the third temptation occurs after the Satan
takes Jesus up a high mountain and shows him all the kingdoms of the world. If
Jesus would just agree to worship the Satan, then all of these kingdoms would
be given to Jesus. Of course, Jesus passes each test and the Satan or Accuser finally
leaves him alone.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXX_MByABhPkkDIT9vj7Exsg7LOojQ0LOzZfPFjDFSgVtVgwRMMljXIwCPB8c9qIGewhpJL3bIUpRMtSvooCfG2dXnFhmreD9w0YCtaShrK1wOiAynIVQu3KtHuI_xWzRsD9Pv0SOYe3HZ/s1600/jesus+driven+into+wilderness.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXX_MByABhPkkDIT9vj7Exsg7LOojQ0LOzZfPFjDFSgVtVgwRMMljXIwCPB8c9qIGewhpJL3bIUpRMtSvooCfG2dXnFhmreD9w0YCtaShrK1wOiAynIVQu3KtHuI_xWzRsD9Pv0SOYe3HZ/s200/jesus+driven+into+wilderness.png" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">But in Mark’s gospel, the account which
most scholars agree is much older than the other two gospels; there are just
these two simple verses. After John baptized Jesus, “The Spirit immediately
drove Jesus out into the wilderness. And he was in the wilderness forty days,
tempted by Satan; and he was with wild beasts; and the angels ministered to
him.” Short, but not so sweet. We have just five characters in Mark’s version
of the story; Jesus, the Spirit, Satan, wild beasts, and the angels—all of
which are in the wilderness together for a period of forty days.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpqIJj02eXqVUDJNqS9ZUdv8x5YcocDM0EyrTRsaNBV1OCr5gR8LkEKiJz3HrGWsbDe7XkEYHz9vjisZPfXhSYR_TSQsWAuKpg-acbYnwZi5fy-r5g3AVvabBiwLqRpYxwxZknSb9jZ4yC/s1600/Jesus+at+baptism.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpqIJj02eXqVUDJNqS9ZUdv8x5YcocDM0EyrTRsaNBV1OCr5gR8LkEKiJz3HrGWsbDe7XkEYHz9vjisZPfXhSYR_TSQsWAuKpg-acbYnwZi5fy-r5g3AVvabBiwLqRpYxwxZknSb9jZ4yC/s200/Jesus+at+baptism.gif" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">The first character in the story is the
Spirit of God—or as we’ve come to refer it; the Holy Spirit. I know this might
sound a little weird and sacrilegious, but the Holy Spirit in this story seems
a little schizophrenic to me. If you remember the baptism story of Jesus, God
speaks words of incredible love and acceptance to Jesus when he says; “You are
my beloved Son, in you I am well-pleased.” With that statement, the Holy Spirit
suddenly appears to Jesus in the form that looked like a dove. It’s a
beautiful image. But then, in the very next verse the Spirit 'pushes' Jesus into
the desert wild. </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWnn8kh-SSJoS-5OCCdd977NX7PJSR_t1EFJ48Ybpyz7Z0iTwTfOutVdgkQxcNriBiAs1AFQB-Si5a96cwWz_liBJZRKlt5mumiYhPoPj7vdvqyb_zQJolIyH0V1AWiAfG8pNUJZ6mCrhP/s1600/Jesus+driving+out+the+moneychangers.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWnn8kh-SSJoS-5OCCdd977NX7PJSR_t1EFJ48Ybpyz7Z0iTwTfOutVdgkQxcNriBiAs1AFQB-Si5a96cwWz_liBJZRKlt5mumiYhPoPj7vdvqyb_zQJolIyH0V1AWiAfG8pNUJZ6mCrhP/s200/Jesus+driving+out+the+moneychangers.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">In the original Greek language the word used here
“ekballo” actually refers to an action a bit more vigorous than just a slight
push. It means throwing something or someone out of your presence. It’s the
same verb that Mark uses when Jesus cast out demons. It’s the same verb that Jesus
uses when chasing the merchants out of the temple, violently turning over their
trading tables. Now can you see the context? The Holy Spirit adamantly,
violently, shoves Jesus out into the desert! I just have to ask; why on earth
would the Holy Spirit be so brutal? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLPACbY0-_uai6KxO5ZHKpeuymvYtZ0T63zPNyUQLSrshuml51Qnu0WqBs2E3BA2u8rxBYXmSepDOt9ndBBDdKtQbRcSOegfVJxHiDRwdDdwQLdeWu4ZYl0G953s33ccQjWlMNGxKb8F02/s1600/son+living+at+home.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="195" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLPACbY0-_uai6KxO5ZHKpeuymvYtZ0T63zPNyUQLSrshuml51Qnu0WqBs2E3BA2u8rxBYXmSepDOt9ndBBDdKtQbRcSOegfVJxHiDRwdDdwQLdeWu4ZYl0G953s33ccQjWlMNGxKb8F02/s200/son+living+at+home.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">An interesting statistic is surfacing again
out of most of the news media that an unprecedented number of American adults
are still living with their parents, or moving back in with them after living
on their own for several years. Most obvious is the increasingly common phenomenon
of men and women returning home after graduating college. Now there’s a variety
of explanations, all of which were accurate: So many accomplishments – both
academic and professional – are needed today in order to become self-sufficient.
Therefore, it makes a lot of sense to stay home and save money while preparing
for a future profession. </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEip-_kYo8bGSePvVIvc4a_RDHwgC9OK3M9ghB_hQc9eDnd3xLKXicbZfm9X0G_0KRH84WdLStfCEPL3Al2q1kOg3fy-R-1vmq3JDai5vmoF3grNUOdMYlws1Yv3e3N95eZYrdMh_nX2Pkr9/s1600/mom+hugging+son.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="132" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEip-_kYo8bGSePvVIvc4a_RDHwgC9OK3M9ghB_hQc9eDnd3xLKXicbZfm9X0G_0KRH84WdLStfCEPL3Al2q1kOg3fy-R-1vmq3JDai5vmoF3grNUOdMYlws1Yv3e3N95eZYrdMh_nX2Pkr9/s200/mom+hugging+son.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">But there’s also another explanation. Many
psychologists say that far more adult children stay home today because it is
often quite pleasant to live with one's parents. Now think about that! This is certainly
a far different situation that what we know of the WWII generation and their
baby boomer children. Very few people in the past would have liked living with
their parents beyond childhood. In fact, many people did not even <u>like</u>
living with their parents <u>during</u> their childhood. But today’s generation
of Americans was raised with more freedom, more autonomy and much more respect
than probably any past generation in history. And you have to admit that there
have been enormous improvements in some of the ways children are being raised. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_ZRRTxmrIuZpOa-G9HNpU-xKCP8kwB2BgPH2cTX1EOAwC2rF7-CNYmVVQ0B3Yp_AW6ZE9Mt_4WfvQ53kc9_rDV8jYlekGViybSMWrKdctTAOukmoO5442xh183TbeDOcD8n2J5sK6pf8O/s1600/surviving+adult+children+living+at+home.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="136" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_ZRRTxmrIuZpOa-G9HNpU-xKCP8kwB2BgPH2cTX1EOAwC2rF7-CNYmVVQ0B3Yp_AW6ZE9Mt_4WfvQ53kc9_rDV8jYlekGViybSMWrKdctTAOukmoO5442xh183TbeDOcD8n2J5sK6pf8O/s200/surviving+adult+children+living+at+home.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">Do you remember the saying "Children
should be seen and not heard"? That saying reflected past society's view
of children. Children were not, to put it simply, taken seriously. They were
rarely regarded as persons in their own right or as individuals who should be
able to express themselves. Children were regarded more like clones whose
primary reason for being was to give parents pleasure and reflect honor on them.
This all changed with the baby boomer generation, who made their homes far more
livable, even enjoyable, for their children than parents in the past did. As a
result, more and more adult children do not regard being in their parents'
company nearly as unpleasant or even embarrassing as children used to. Now let
me remind you, I’m quoting from a newspaper article!</span><br />
<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYCEuSkjiIyZ6ea8IpPpTJ1gu8vkdr9Pp4If2WotcnPC_GxTECjXWjAjuL-iJkct_zM1p678fA-Sf1V7jGfhvmou2W22rusr6s2SyOTIpboh6xxyhxqO6WXTqzzCmcdN7VP-sfFgjVkJj6/s1600/Jesus+thinking.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYCEuSkjiIyZ6ea8IpPpTJ1gu8vkdr9Pp4If2WotcnPC_GxTECjXWjAjuL-iJkct_zM1p678fA-Sf1V7jGfhvmou2W22rusr6s2SyOTIpboh6xxyhxqO6WXTqzzCmcdN7VP-sfFgjVkJj6/s200/Jesus+thinking.jpg" width="154" /></a><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">But stay with me for a second. After the
baptism event, can’t we possibly imagine that Jesus could have felt this way as
well? Basking in the warm cloud of God’s love and embrace, why would he ever
want to leave? And you may have experienced this too in the past—experienced what
God was feeling as well, with your children or grandchildren. Have you ever felt
like you had to give a little push to someone you loved? Perhaps you knew
they could accomplish the near-impossible; but they were unsure. They had
the ability for greatness but lacked the initial confidence to take that first
step; they had not yet been tried (which is the root word of temptation) to go
out on their own. I think the Spirit so aggressively pushing Jesus out of that
cozy cloud of God’s love because Jesus needed to be tried and tempted in order
for his ministry to be thoroughly clarified. Yet, it was hard – even for
the Son of God – to willingly walk into the wilderness where he would be tested
by Satan. <o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQnxy16B4AG7OBKc4isnzk8eL_bgHpATZysONxYTuX4DbEm8Mn_lYGqCaSXDTONlvCVRCa-C7dFgn_d14oZKBWAbJqXOz2P8e6g_6a9tCReOgAwQo0XEpjFVf4dJG2ZiYnT_GSKHX3REd8/s1600/Labyrinthman.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQnxy16B4AG7OBKc4isnzk8eL_bgHpATZysONxYTuX4DbEm8Mn_lYGqCaSXDTONlvCVRCa-C7dFgn_d14oZKBWAbJqXOz2P8e6g_6a9tCReOgAwQo0XEpjFVf4dJG2ZiYnT_GSKHX3REd8/s200/Labyrinthman.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">Today
is the fifth day of our Lenten journey. Many of you may have made a commitment
to remember these 40 days by giving up something through fasting or changing
behaviors. But I encourage you instead to take something on. Take on a
spiritual discipline like meditation, a daily devotional, or a physical prayer
activity like walking a labyrinth. Take on a commitment to renew an estranged
relationship. Some of you might be in a very real wilderness right now, not
sure where you are or where you are going. Take on the task of finding
direction for your life. You might be experiencing a lot of fear and wild
beasts in your life—or even confronting your own Satan or accuser right now. Take
on one of those wild beast and free yourself from fear. </span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZ-HDZv1c-4PaledH86QmR9DyHG6XOizCDBgdxVHoryWv81nLojPLpFeJJsc5EqUEZv7iEDlpHdglqMAkj9AwhbkkTiDeRihK7t3xLcHItKZcp13UxZcrGwP8PFNui9WGasLVUooLmochX/s1600/40days.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZ-HDZv1c-4PaledH86QmR9DyHG6XOizCDBgdxVHoryWv81nLojPLpFeJJsc5EqUEZv7iEDlpHdglqMAkj9AwhbkkTiDeRihK7t3xLcHItKZcp13UxZcrGwP8PFNui9WGasLVUooLmochX/s200/40days.jpg" width="145" /></a><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">But no matter how you
choose to live out these 40 days, remember this most of all. Even Jesus had to
be pushed into those lonely places. He did not willingly walk into the
wilderness, God’s spirit pushed him. And sometimes the Holy Spirit pushes you.
You’ll know what it is when you feel it. It’s that little tug on your heart or
the huge crisis that emerges pushing you out of your comfort zone, or into a
new experience. Our task this Lenten season is not adherence to a list of rules
and regulations, or maintaining a level of piety for 40 days that cannot be
sustained all year long. It encourages us to be faithful to the journey that
God has called each one of us to take.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br /><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">I’d
like you to take a few moments to “take on” this exercise:<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br /><b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">Taking the Test -</span></b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"> During silent reflection make a list of times in
the past week in which you have been tested; perhaps some “wild beasts” have
filled you with anxiety and terror? Are you in a place of personal wilderness?
Have you been challenged by an accuser? Finally, list the times in the past
week in which you have experienced signs of God’s grace.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br /><b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">My Personal Wilderness</span></b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"> (a place in my life where I feel lost, without
guidance or direction):<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br /><b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">Wild Beasts in my Life</span></b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"> (situations or events that bring distress, anxiety
or terror in my personal wilderness):<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br /><b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">Ways I’ve been tested by the “Accuser”</span></b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"> (internal and external voices that seem to
complicate my journey):<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br /><b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">Signs of God’s Grace</span></b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"> (relationships that reinforce God’s love and
commitment to my journey):<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br /><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">During
your silent reflection or prayer time this Lenten season, I invite you to ask God to be present in
your wilderness experience, creating a space around it so that you can
experience God’s peace. For where when you are at peace, no one or no thing can
tempt you or distract you on your journey to Easter. And that my friends, is
where we are all headed together. Amen!<o:p></o:p></span>Rev Bricehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17136743615744294418noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3445624634508747595.post-71569790063171397422012-02-19T16:55:00.000-08:002012-02-26T10:45:54.787-08:00Picture Perfect<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Mark 9:2-9</span></div>
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: #010000; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="color: yellow;">Six
days later, Jesus took with him Peter and James and John, and led them up a
high mountain apart, by themselves. And he was transfigured before them,<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>and his clothes became dazzling white,
such as no one on earth could bleach them.<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>And
there appeared to them Elijah with Moses, who were talking with Jesus.<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>Then Peter said to Jesus, “Rabbi, it
is good for us to be here; let us make three dwellings, one for you, one for
Moses, and one for Elijah.”<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>He
did not know what to say, for they were terrified.<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>Then a cloud overshadowed them, and
from the cloud there came a voice, “This is my Son, the Beloved; listen to him!”
Suddenly when they looked around, they saw no one with them anymore, but only
Jesus. As they were coming down the mountain, he ordered them to tell no one
about what they had seen, until after the Son of Man had risen from the dead.<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>So they kept the matter to themselves,
questioning what this rising from the dead could mean.<o:p></o:p></span></span></i><br />
<br />
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<br /></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiz4cQQtUeho6o8XTJAHZu_AKeCpDMl4JmPxPKFTZ_qCUYpCjd2NezaGJL7J9JucyeIqA4e9tzBLj3oxNgqmi1y-d9LSNAKjUKguX6gZ7awHk8FEJwMnYtGx675L4iOoa87-OTONDYLxzvB/s1600/camera+flash.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiz4cQQtUeho6o8XTJAHZu_AKeCpDMl4JmPxPKFTZ_qCUYpCjd2NezaGJL7J9JucyeIqA4e9tzBLj3oxNgqmi1y-d9LSNAKjUKguX6gZ7awHk8FEJwMnYtGx675L4iOoa87-OTONDYLxzvB/s200/camera+flash.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">Do
you mind if I take your picture before I begin? I want to remember this moment.
Could all of you kind of scrunch in together so I can get you all in the
picture? Perfect. Say Cheese. (Click!)</span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;"></span><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">The
world is full of amateur photographers, and I am one of them. I think that most
of us are obsessed with taking pictures and having our pictures taken. In focus
or out of focus, posed or candid, we are forever snapping pictures of each
other, of the things around us, of things inside of us and anywhere else we can
focus our trustworthy lens. There is nothing too sacred to escape the click of
the omnipresent shutterbug. Baptisms, confirmations, weddings, birthdays, and
especially family vacations are all fair game for amateur photographers. <o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI33OChSuRqcFfYupngwJW9ANNf1Y1mP8vx3zHikIbcV1qvh6v94MV7TuAnNGvbP3xOh9mPENOk50mLjCtqw7Meyg1ClFZRKLiRqZnNYWVTBryF32amjuk4raClxZtX6aPXEkCwFOzVgAX/s1600/Passion-Jesus+phone+home.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI33OChSuRqcFfYupngwJW9ANNf1Y1mP8vx3zHikIbcV1qvh6v94MV7TuAnNGvbP3xOh9mPENOk50mLjCtqw7Meyg1ClFZRKLiRqZnNYWVTBryF32amjuk4raClxZtX6aPXEkCwFOzVgAX/s200/Passion-Jesus+phone+home.jpg" width="153" /></a><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">And
now in this new age of digital media, we put our photos not just in wooden or
plastic frames, but on digital photo players, mouse pads, key chains,
refrigerator magnets, slideshows, on internet web pages and social networking
sites, even on DVDs. We have turned the photography business into a
multi-billion dollar industry. Indeed, it wouldn't surprise me that if Jesus
appeared here this morning, someone would immediately whip out their camera
phone and try to digitally capture him and then post it on YouTube. Now that
might get a few hits. Wouldn’t you say? </span></div>
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<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-b6U0P2thtoYiZe9xaxGxhGktJ_8vb_bYEk8daG0IjxqJoawYPDduKl51s9L3iIzVt5XxM16-vFnUnxbRSjzHtqqbupVQgnIV3Co81Sv_uzQ8pACQHuGU2kxWzHTFaQ6Ru5yUWKbc9rui/s1600/adam.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-b6U0P2thtoYiZe9xaxGxhGktJ_8vb_bYEk8daG0IjxqJoawYPDduKl51s9L3iIzVt5XxM16-vFnUnxbRSjzHtqqbupVQgnIV3Co81Sv_uzQ8pACQHuGU2kxWzHTFaQ6Ru5yUWKbc9rui/s200/adam.png" width="142" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.karabouts.com/">www.karabouts.com</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">It
occurred to me, as I contemplated our obsession with picture taking, how things
might have been in biblical times if these familiar characters had had the use
of the modern camera. Can you imagine <st1:personname w:st="on">Adam</st1:personname>
and Eve in the Garden of Eden, with Eve trying to take a photograph of <st1:personname w:st="on">Adam</st1:personname> for the grandchildren? "Stand up straight,
<st1:personname w:st="on">Adam</st1:personname>, and for goodness sake keep
those leaves still. We will never get these pictures back from Walgreen's if you
don't keep covered up!" </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;"></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYuUNoelagGwWTotzstQoSXLlTLB4aGHZtJ4o7Mb40ox5yMGHFAf9ozjs17EQlrT8blCSgjZdx_yUT6eFJdTIA_JNzexV2WCnm0NXtawioq99aKCmHyYsFSnfarJpuypK5LWBOTLIpN5av/s1600/noah's+ark.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYuUNoelagGwWTotzstQoSXLlTLB4aGHZtJ4o7Mb40ox5yMGHFAf9ozjs17EQlrT8blCSgjZdx_yUT6eFJdTIA_JNzexV2WCnm0NXtawioq99aKCmHyYsFSnfarJpuypK5LWBOTLIpN5av/s200/noah's+ark.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">Or
can you see Noah, after the flood was over, trying to get a picture of all the
animals in front of the ark with the rainbow in the background? "Japeth!
Tell those rabbits in the front row to stop fooling around. And get that
giraffe to hold his head down so I can get him in the picture."<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;"></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfMg5d4LKZQOeV4zrRpxxDraeFVm0NYmhwC8SZaJ8zHJU-mwApYpzyM-_7Kjc1wrcXDDxMsIAp5PnNTmKOUcc4nqcBhwjL4BdkLtlst5KXlFmKVsfTXr504SJh3GxPyrQywZLnAYplqjpx/s1600/King+Solomon's+wives.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfMg5d4LKZQOeV4zrRpxxDraeFVm0NYmhwC8SZaJ8zHJU-mwApYpzyM-_7Kjc1wrcXDDxMsIAp5PnNTmKOUcc4nqcBhwjL4BdkLtlst5KXlFmKVsfTXr504SJh3GxPyrQywZLnAYplqjpx/s200/King+Solomon's+wives.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">Or
King Solomon taking a picture of all his foreign wives and concubines and kids?
It might have looked like the Democratic National Convention last year. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">Or
can you imagine a church historian at Pentecost trying to get a picture of the
crowd with the tongues of fire over their heads? "Preach that sermon one
more time, Peter, I want to get a shot from the back." </span><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">Or
the disciples taking pictures during Jesus' ministry? "<st1:personname w:st="on">Don</st1:personname>'t heal that leper yet, let me get my camera in
focus. OK, go ahead! Oops, could you have him kneel away from the sun?"<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9lcXHAqiURPvLwQARMgSG5p8vespWKmg507xU3kK1flDb5nxXUzoJD0LYlcmyJP6NtK50M6hyphenhyphenFM8AeHxISrvBVIXb0dvIissL0vS3lZRd5OX8vxD_9lcekFMswz-9y8B6Dy_-amOp_K8i/s1600/Transfiguration.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="146" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9lcXHAqiURPvLwQARMgSG5p8vespWKmg507xU3kK1flDb5nxXUzoJD0LYlcmyJP6NtK50M6hyphenhyphenFM8AeHxISrvBVIXb0dvIissL0vS3lZRd5OX8vxD_9lcekFMswz-9y8B6Dy_-amOp_K8i/s200/Transfiguration.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">Can
you see Peter on the day of the Transfiguration? "Oh, isn't this
wonderful? Lord, if only we could stay here always! Just a minute, let me get a
picture of this so we can show all the guys when we get back. Jesus, could you
have Moses and old E'Lije come back for just a minute so I can get a picture of
the three of you together? No one is going to believe this!"<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">If
Peter had had a camera that day he would have been taking pictures until
everyone was tired of posing. Peter was just like most of us. He wanted to
preserve a meaningful moment for all time. If he had had his way he would have
stayed there forever. "Lord, it is good for us to be here; if you wish, I
will make three dwellings here, one for you, one for Moses, and one for
Elijah."<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhX74EB4RhrB35gHBZneAU4gG5mvcrAVO1VIPGK7b5J9ytR2S-3LO-lbh2q1U4gjp9S-N5P9bW8wv91tPE_AvHUpFWZ996t0KXV5KD9g3bx5EHsI_1pwuH_96YCjFLdH3Q5bFvJ2flaxf6W/s1600/Jesus+on+the+mountain.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="149" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhX74EB4RhrB35gHBZneAU4gG5mvcrAVO1VIPGK7b5J9ytR2S-3LO-lbh2q1U4gjp9S-N5P9bW8wv91tPE_AvHUpFWZ996t0KXV5KD9g3bx5EHsI_1pwuH_96YCjFLdH3Q5bFvJ2flaxf6W/s200/Jesus+on+the+mountain.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">Like
Peter we all try, in our own ways, to prolong the mountaintop experiences of
our lives. But they never look quite the same in photographs or on videotape.
The Holy can never be fully captured by pictures or stories. Jesus is always
taking us back down the mountain, back to our everyday realities. The best we
can do is to enter fully into the transfiguring experience so that the way we
live our lives from that moment on will have a transfiguring effect on others.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
“And
he was transfigured before them, and his face shone like the sun, and his
clothes became dazzling white.” </blockquote>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;"></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOBFkLSG7TV6Dzre1jvWne5dkLDOrQvgmixANcRwYvU0E2AmeI-35rqAQjSBPvfd92fQRo5R3uH38bhfcsLxBi_JjFOg_spBq5b3we3YnMMsNlLQsfOr0ufxB96cMGx77GEBj7F2Ph0OqK/s1600/Glowing+bride.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="140" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOBFkLSG7TV6Dzre1jvWne5dkLDOrQvgmixANcRwYvU0E2AmeI-35rqAQjSBPvfd92fQRo5R3uH38bhfcsLxBi_JjFOg_spBq5b3we3YnMMsNlLQsfOr0ufxB96cMGx77GEBj7F2Ph0OqK/s200/Glowing+bride.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">The language of transfiguration is not
unfamiliar to us. We use phrases such as, “the radiant bride,” “the beaming
father,” “her face just glowed.” When we use this language, we are describing a
transfiguration of someone near to us. Transfiguration happens not only in the
Bible but also to real people in the real world today.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhi8q_gi8mD-sA6LMEAQOhEO27a8Kj2SGkZWOfceJIdN5kIo7p6VnBBqAsqiv5QTp43oXEttYSx1EVQZbvZv-UyZmHxrMoXHAoUYmZS6XTyIiV3odXGx12UUioQwZkxTZ5skV-J3WS_iOpJ/s1600/Greece.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="128" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhi8q_gi8mD-sA6LMEAQOhEO27a8Kj2SGkZWOfceJIdN5kIo7p6VnBBqAsqiv5QTp43oXEttYSx1EVQZbvZv-UyZmHxrMoXHAoUYmZS6XTyIiV3odXGx12UUioQwZkxTZ5skV-J3WS_iOpJ/s200/Greece.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">I’ve
truly had many experiences in my life when I was transformed from one state of
consciousness into another. I remember the experiences of visiting a new
country while stationed in the Air Force overseas…always meeting someone who
was also traveling and sharing the experience…like; standing on the edge of the
cliffs of the Island of Santorini in Greece. Riding my moped across the Island
of Crete and picking olives for extra cash. I remember jumping off of
waterfalls in Hawaii…and the feeling of exhilaration from such a perilous
experience. The time I traveled to Israel, was baptized in the Jordan River and
visited the places where Jesus walked. </span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaWbXwmjLDV11nvs8QllWojhZMjWM9rXK11l5MBBvIwoH1LvKGk1kXQjs7nEshGuAM9H9TSYtSmoSzroGO4O9PgPp7R1hFi6R7EvdVlAtjchhIjvH9osgAj7x5x5c2qlf7rDfg50FdxYKA/s1600/East+Berlin.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaWbXwmjLDV11nvs8QllWojhZMjWM9rXK11l5MBBvIwoH1LvKGk1kXQjs7nEshGuAM9H9TSYtSmoSzroGO4O9PgPp7R1hFi6R7EvdVlAtjchhIjvH9osgAj7x5x5c2qlf7rDfg50FdxYKA/s200/East+Berlin.jpg" style="cursor: move;" unselectable="on" width="129" /></a><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">I’ll never forget standing at the
entrance to Checkpoint Charlie in West Berlin, being inspected by Russian guards
before crossing the border. Memories of; flying over the glaciers in Iceland in
a helicopter; standing atop the Eifel Tower in Paris; climbing to the top of
one of the pyramids of Giza in Egypt; all of which I’ve taken pictures.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-YZ3yKyQh3T3XZeYeun3liytoG3Vye3kqukBLgdMTXiCWt2mqaYJosn42pYLPLekBf6kJTAjiu7Ad131k1PpadmNoqLq1nsxWTgmcLplJ1dFV3oHZFKsERz1FQwSwsxRH4u_CDIAMlrxX/s1600/Graduation.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-YZ3yKyQh3T3XZeYeun3liytoG3Vye3kqukBLgdMTXiCWt2mqaYJosn42pYLPLekBf6kJTAjiu7Ad131k1PpadmNoqLq1nsxWTgmcLplJ1dFV3oHZFKsERz1FQwSwsxRH4u_CDIAMlrxX/s200/Graduation.JPG" width="137" /></a><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">But
I’ve also been transfigured by every day ministry experiences; the death of my
grandmother after her short illness, holding her in my arms and pleading for just
one more minute of time with her. Walking into a hospital room and praying for
a beloved church member as they pass from earth to heaven. Sitting in my very first
UCC worship service after 10 years of running from God, and feeling so much
love as if it were a warm blanket surrounding me. </span><br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYT4BG8lrDD0tfBoh_xYlu5Jao3ocjPDUkPJs2enXy7Ebw287uxYeC9WJMmyzZsBxcEMzbi3dMIrDneyOLGEkSq01HxeFoh0PN6gn8y4vFxm8mWEFJls7xCtoxOcVi5nGL8uBGkkaREIlK/s1600/100_0721.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYT4BG8lrDD0tfBoh_xYlu5Jao3ocjPDUkPJs2enXy7Ebw287uxYeC9WJMmyzZsBxcEMzbi3dMIrDneyOLGEkSq01HxeFoh0PN6gn8y4vFxm8mWEFJls7xCtoxOcVi5nGL8uBGkkaREIlK/s200/100_0721.JPG" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;"></span><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">Walking the aisle during my
ordination service, and releasing all the memories of oppression and prejudice
from some church experiences in my past. <o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">And
often it’s not the mountaintop experiences that have the biggest impact on us,
but the ones that occur while we are living the darkest valleys of our life;
those dark night of the soul kinds of experiences. Whenever you are upset about
an event, a person, or a situation, the real cause is not the event, person or
situation but a loss of true perspective that only space can provide. The
words, this too shall pass, can restore awareness of that inner dimension
within you. And in this space do we find the perfect love of God.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiURNugF_-X_fEX3P6_HVtUVCBTKG-Faxg4R0lN7eD50Xs8PQexa6RT7HJFxfby5asp-iCoNYbKgEA0qTigHIhikE0WOgIDJAAmaTt-d3Ke2pVIC5psTmhbj0RPUpVH0yJCM-fSwFwn5IPz/s1600/Jesus.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="166" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiURNugF_-X_fEX3P6_HVtUVCBTKG-Faxg4R0lN7eD50Xs8PQexa6RT7HJFxfby5asp-iCoNYbKgEA0qTigHIhikE0WOgIDJAAmaTt-d3Ke2pVIC5psTmhbj0RPUpVH0yJCM-fSwFwn5IPz/s200/Jesus.png" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">What
the disciples witnessed with Jesus was obviously a transfiguration. The
fullness of his life burst out. The Spirit within him erupted. He was full of
love for God and humanity. It was obviously a total, energetic love. Jesus
turned his life over to humanity and God for the sake of God and humanity. And
in doing so he experienced a fullness of life and love. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">Just
like it was for Jesus, the fullness of life and love is for us too. The
transfiguration is about us. It is for us. It’s about being the incarnation of
God. We trust God with our lives. We die to our old life and are born to a life
in the Spirit. We shine with new life. And the transfiguration is for our
churches. We talk of transformation and revival. What we want is
transfiguration. We want energy, spirit and radiance. What we want is what God
offers. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">Transfiguration
is about changing appearances. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;"></span><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;"></span></div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
We change not because of necessity, but out of
our desire to please God. </blockquote>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">How can we please God? What exactly did Jesus do to
evoke such strong emotion from God? Can we do the same? What are the
mountaintop experiences that have changed you? </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">I invite you
to recount the mountaintop experiences of your life, and remember.
Remember not what you used to be, but how you have been changed because of
them. And in doing so you will remember who God has called you to be a people
of faith in this time and place. And that, my friends, will provide you a picture
of your future. Amen. </span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEGC2-ZNR5Wpi6XlqkSDROdOXu1go4HhqCJmNSwcpctQX-IheXcCePYXGtt-5aP8hYO-lCJbRSoiN21D23WlbbOJMtSDa_qOQjmsF8W0zzlk08N5MIGWb1A8-HX695RXZO3uvFQx1Y2-G_/s1600/Transformed.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEGC2-ZNR5Wpi6XlqkSDROdOXu1go4HhqCJmNSwcpctQX-IheXcCePYXGtt-5aP8hYO-lCJbRSoiN21D23WlbbOJMtSDa_qOQjmsF8W0zzlk08N5MIGWb1A8-HX695RXZO3uvFQx1Y2-G_/s320/Transformed.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 9pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">(Excerpts
from John Keeny, “Lectionary Musings,”
(www.gbgm-umc.org/daytonsouthdist/lectionary%20musing.html)<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<br />
<img height="96" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaWbXwmjLDV11nvs8QllWojhZMjWM9rXK11l5MBBvIwoH1LvKGk1kXQjs7nEshGuAM9H9TSYtSmoSzroGO4O9PgPp7R1hFi6R7EvdVlAtjchhIjvH9osgAj7x5x5c2qlf7rDfg50FdxYKA/s200/East+Berlin.jpg" style="filter: alpha(opacity=30); left: 628px; opacity: 0.3; position: absolute; top: 2472px;" width="62" />Rev Bricehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17136743615744294418noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3445624634508747595.post-40243142407534063792012-02-05T11:59:00.000-08:002012-02-05T12:00:17.586-08:00Clocking In<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt;">Mark
1:<st1:personname w:st="on">2</st1:personname>9-39<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list 1.0in;">
<i><span style="color: black; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="color: yellow;"><span style="font-size: small;">As soon as they left the
synagogue, they entered the house of Simon and Andrew, with James and John. Now
Simon's mother-in-law was in bed with a fever, and they told him about her at
once. He came and took her by the hand and lifted her up. Then the fever left
her, and she began to serve them. That evening, at sundown, they brought to him
all who were sick or possessed with demons. And the whole city was gathered
around the door. And he cured many who were sick with various diseases, and
cast out many demons; and he would not permit the demons to speak, because they
knew him. In the morning, while it was still very dark, he got up and went out
to a deserted place, and there he prayed. And Simon and his companions hunted
for him. When they found him, they said to him, "Everyone is searching for
you." He answered, "Let us go on to the neighboring towns, so that I
may proclaim the message there also; for that is what I came out to do." And
he went throughout Galilee, proclaiming the message in their synagogues and
casting out demons.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></i></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJjcZTroBHe_ZuJFsjJKDdDB0LVS6JWeoFAixZkrp4-QQdQm8DIwp16kuzJfKFVN7HIViBaHkvlHHUsdDJDh25PPIpLyyg1kLhiphZQBIupi519i0exSMye-SyM_BOWtLpIs0Ys-Ej5SKu/s1600/Typhoid-Fever-Children-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="146" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJjcZTroBHe_ZuJFsjJKDdDB0LVS6JWeoFAixZkrp4-QQdQm8DIwp16kuzJfKFVN7HIViBaHkvlHHUsdDJDh25PPIpLyyg1kLhiphZQBIupi519i0exSMye-SyM_BOWtLpIs0Ys-Ej5SKu/s200/Typhoid-Fever-Children-1.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="color: black; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">I, like many of you, am no stranger to
fevers. A year ago this month I traveled to Tampa, Florida for a conference and
came down with what I thought was food poisoning, on the very first night I was
there. I couldn’t think of anything else that could make me so sick, so quickly,
for I was in bed for three days with a very high fever, night chills, and the
expulsion of some really inhumane bodily fluids. It took me about two weeks to
fully recover, until I encountered the same illness just two months later in
April. This prompted a trip to a gastroenterologist, and an eventual
colonoscopy, but these tests returned negative results. </span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuPvkLXt4KolllW8EyG6Vr6RvM7kpZ4vL_dyU_umEQgSkFHhBdViZBxTwc1w-4jDgjDeXSKhRSHYzJzIkjJdTgPxpxD5r8zWGnzlvUKJjTMORrqrrk7EIFzGOnxBCOqiymAovGhXzXGsXV/s1600/Tampa+convention+center.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuPvkLXt4KolllW8EyG6Vr6RvM7kpZ4vL_dyU_umEQgSkFHhBdViZBxTwc1w-4jDgjDeXSKhRSHYzJzIkjJdTgPxpxD5r8zWGnzlvUKJjTMORrqrrk7EIFzGOnxBCOqiymAovGhXzXGsXV/s200/Tampa+convention+center.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tampa Convention Center</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">My next business trip
in July returned me to Tampa again, where I suffered the same fate; three days
in bed with a near visit to the hospital. But I persevered, and since I did not
want to be stuck in the hospital in such a foreign country, I made my flight
home; clutching the barf bag throughout the next 6 hours.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My doctor became increasingly concerned and
ordered CAT scans and X-rays trying to locate the cause of my symptoms.</span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhD0ePheQSuhZ9RRdL7H7qKkfOe6giSVlleVCIyT1MLryXRf6Tn5w8ifw-2AigElEmJImLSSNCWZfJ1MY4EZcxo59DX4Fp6kIa-LLzJiwpE5opdETuqzJwdgVb3a0n3pNryUsoTzUiyKItr/s1600/CT-scan.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhD0ePheQSuhZ9RRdL7H7qKkfOe6giSVlleVCIyT1MLryXRf6Tn5w8ifw-2AigElEmJImLSSNCWZfJ1MY4EZcxo59DX4Fp6kIa-LLzJiwpE5opdETuqzJwdgVb3a0n3pNryUsoTzUiyKItr/s200/CT-scan.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="color: black; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">While
waiting for these results I fell ill again in August for a period of three
weeks, this time suffering a fever of 104 degrees for two and three days at a
time. Perplexed and bewildered, my doctor sent me to several specialists trying
to identify a diagnosis and possible treatment. Throughout September and
October I gave up at least a dozen vials of blood for testing, several more expensive
computer imaging scans, lost 20 pounds, and racked up more medical bills than
I’ve had in the last 30 years combined. When I came to preach for you last fall
I was uncertain about my health, and my family and friends grew concerned for
my well-being.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBH6likP6EYmiWhAuC5IpLmkFKyA_2_yzHf1i8fVzdaKhOQOTHxkNff2OjVO_W0AptFmFC1-eiEfHIHH1JFGGPFE6Q8V9yedWDYvTKi6sZnXF0YRMk6envO8xkcfJJBdG1EUjYVoXfdjpE/s1600/peters-mother-in-law.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBH6likP6EYmiWhAuC5IpLmkFKyA_2_yzHf1i8fVzdaKhOQOTHxkNff2OjVO_W0AptFmFC1-eiEfHIHH1JFGGPFE6Q8V9yedWDYvTKi6sZnXF0YRMk6envO8xkcfJJBdG1EUjYVoXfdjpE/s200/peters-mother-in-law.jpg" width="167" /></a><span style="color: black; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">Now even as I retell my story I can
almost re-experience the emotional desperation during that health crisis. And I
know that many of you have probably experienced this same fear, and are perhaps
struggling with serious health issues now. And I bring all this up this morning
to help us empathize with our gospel story. By the time Jesus leaves the
synagogue for Simon's house, he's already a sensation, but Simon's
mother-in-law is too sick to notice. This is no cold or flu, but a fever that
endangers her life, isolates her from the community, and prevents her from
fulfilling her role and duties at home. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">Now there are a few words in our text
that have very unique meanings in the Greek that we don’t quite get in an
English translation. First, the Greek word for being sick with a fever is <i>pyressousa</i>.
The root word is pyre, which means fire. Webster’s dictionary gives two
definitions for fever:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIWgcvR3CrUOKo3GmgJvi9Y3DA4PTEvCi7Z-xMnPI_cdCVIyKxWHLyAO1DBch8Nl2-GTSAzKZoghAR1FzA-katymBNz4adooNkAY3Kg2ngKYJA7K-JyvGKOd4IaAtw_JWKvuBiuNy9QkAm/s1600/sick.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIWgcvR3CrUOKo3GmgJvi9Y3DA4PTEvCi7Z-xMnPI_cdCVIyKxWHLyAO1DBch8Nl2-GTSAzKZoghAR1FzA-katymBNz4adooNkAY3Kg2ngKYJA7K-JyvGKOd4IaAtw_JWKvuBiuNy9QkAm/s200/sick.jpg" width="194" /></a><span style="color: black; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">1. (n.) A diseased state of the system,
marked by increased heat, acceleration of the pulse, and a general derangement
of the functions, including usually, thirst and loss of appetite. Well, that
could sound like a church council meeting.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">But the second definition is; 2. (n.)
Excessive excitement of passion in consequence of strong emotion; or a condition
of great excitement. This definition reminds me of a condition suggested in Peggy
Lee’s 1958 hit, “Fever.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">Never know how much I love you; never
know how much I care. When you put your arms around me, you give me fever
that's so hard to bear. You give me fever, when you kiss me, fever when you
hold me tight. Fever, in the morning, fever all though the night.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIDOlYp16gI5rfQU8ZEkcgrw7Ky9hcKi9_hfGxbnSydFa2aeSXa9nQKCre9v7qUJ9qm_GZ-pXqICV3tFbkMHDhoZmmRWbRgKfozU4nRLE4o9-Em_ajaMto7GxGsTX51fqYr_vjKKgzEewh/s1600/healing-peters-mother-in-law.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIDOlYp16gI5rfQU8ZEkcgrw7Ky9hcKi9_hfGxbnSydFa2aeSXa9nQKCre9v7qUJ9qm_GZ-pXqICV3tFbkMHDhoZmmRWbRgKfozU4nRLE4o9-Em_ajaMto7GxGsTX51fqYr_vjKKgzEewh/s200/healing-peters-mother-in-law.jpg" width="142" /></a><span style="color: black; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">But, to the audience of Mark’s gospel, it
was demonic forces that were usually attributed to fever. You will notice verse
31 says that the fever “left her” upon her healing; as if some hostile entity
was to blame. So to the ancient community hearing this story their immediate
assumption is probably that something is spiritually wrong with Simon’s
mother-in-law.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEga91_cUlLJycb_5vDK_KqZlv2KCVUne5iCZfdS9CsZv8scnbZF55Xc-836-su4mgKh-BepkRqzNpTCa2mgwSawkX4d-I5nWHjoIuERzCug2BvZWFKeDNDFGLNcdEM3tgCQ3orhJjUBTqwL/s1600/oikia.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="125" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEga91_cUlLJycb_5vDK_KqZlv2KCVUne5iCZfdS9CsZv8scnbZF55Xc-836-su4mgKh-BepkRqzNpTCa2mgwSawkX4d-I5nWHjoIuERzCug2BvZWFKeDNDFGLNcdEM3tgCQ3orhJjUBTqwL/s200/oikia.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="color: black; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">The second interesting thing in our
text is in verse 29; the Greek word for house is <i>oikia</i>. Now that’s not
Ikea, but it is close. <i>Oikia</i> describes more than just a physical
structure, but a meeting space for family and relatives, a privileged place of
the community. It is in this communal place that Jesus heals Simon’s
mother-in-law. The same Greek verb that describes Jesus action of lifting her
up is the same verb for Jesus’ resurrection at the end of Mark.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But more importantly is the response of
Simon’s mother-in-law in verse 31; and immediately she begins to serve them. </span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirq1Koz0of7W9GS-IcjnRhkZGRC14ifBsGgeO29Y9zZNiyrHutfTmfrpk5mkvJ3cvuxb6GYNRf3F9e4LP24IZzeaVZ1YoN-xtegRpu_n3t95ZLHuR2iS8eo-zTvLfvFohft-rOHqh_1OvZ/s1600/Olimpiada_diakonissa.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirq1Koz0of7W9GS-IcjnRhkZGRC14ifBsGgeO29Y9zZNiyrHutfTmfrpk5mkvJ3cvuxb6GYNRf3F9e4LP24IZzeaVZ1YoN-xtegRpu_n3t95ZLHuR2iS8eo-zTvLfvFohft-rOHqh_1OvZ/s200/Olimpiada_diakonissa.jpg" width="155" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Diakonisa</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">The
Greek term here is <i>diakonisa,</i> which is where we get the term deacon and
deaconess; service is the key topic in the call and pursuit of Jesus. Notice
that Jesus did not command her, but it was her response to being healed. She
responds to this gift with service. We cannot interpret this service as some
kind of menial work, but as true messianic ministry. She becomes Jesus’ first
deacon; the first servant of the church of Jesus. She understands the message
of the Jesus’ Gospel even before the disciples get it. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">What makes this healing so beautiful is
because it happens in a home; the <i>oikia</i> which reflects the earliest
Christian communities, were house churches. These meetings in homes made the
life of the community possible; they were the missionary platforms, a welcome
place for itinerant preachers, and they provided economic support for the
growing Christian movement. Christianity was nurtured and affirmed in these
social, not sacred spaces. The Jesus movement spread in daily life, in small
communities where service to others was the mark of the Gospel. Simon’s
mother-in-law understood this long before any of the male disciples of Jesus
did. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDVWnuc19fYdj0HnJodGERDTVuSmRHBYG5hLXqz6sRN1rWxodVcEMrx_cDUlLKXQTDLQCW9_xRnIA0V4-8kYhp5aMZqptsgkzIPUbXcBk5PQlrZbN2D6b5AYb8efSRFfpoZVsHOtRZ6Mb_/s1600/acro_weekly_card.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDVWnuc19fYdj0HnJodGERDTVuSmRHBYG5hLXqz6sRN1rWxodVcEMrx_cDUlLKXQTDLQCW9_xRnIA0V4-8kYhp5aMZqptsgkzIPUbXcBk5PQlrZbN2D6b5AYb8efSRFfpoZVsHOtRZ6Mb_/s320/acro_weekly_card.gif" width="144" /></a><span style="color: black; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">This story raises a question that we
all struggle with. How can we belong to our community of faith if we can't find
our place, or fulfill our role? The structure and purpose of church has evolved
quite a bit over the last two thousand years. The reasons for being a part of a
worshiping community in the first century after the death of Jesus are probably
quite different from our reasons in the <st1:personname w:st="on">2</st1:personname>1<sup>st</sup>
century. You see, from the moment of Jesus’ first day of ministry he and his
followers were on dangerous ground. Once Jesus spoke those first words at his
baptism he became a heretic, an outlaw, a marked man. Jesus knew the danger he
was in. Throughout the gospel of Mark Jesus continually tells his followers and
those healed by him, not to speak a word of those miracles to anyone. He
repeatedly talked about his impending death. And I personally believe that he
tried to put off the inevitable for as long as possible until he could spread
his message as far and as wide as was possible. He knew he had a job to do, and
he wanted to complete that God given vocation. He was intentional about
“clocking in” on God’s ministry time card. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">What strikes me about today’s gospel
text is the tenacity in which Jesus followed that calling. If we were to
imagine his ministry as a time card, then he never really clocked out. He never
stopped ministering to the sick and those afflicted by evil. The text says he
healed their sick bodies and expelled the evil spirits. He did this until late
in the night—and then got up early before dawn to pray and recharge his
spiritual power. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTxEzjYuaAz98pgIbbaRY9qBvvO3XlZkuLC79lTmD8ym0Sr_sYgtFcNXgF5UQ6rGQyqRo0o1YYmBGz9DbtS4Nqz76UKRTm6ZAAOwlJfrUj0iQuDowv4uPQ0ylspfxDXwhQv7x12n5trKkx/s1600/John_Bridges_Christ_healing_the_mother_of_Simon_Peter.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="130" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTxEzjYuaAz98pgIbbaRY9qBvvO3XlZkuLC79lTmD8ym0Sr_sYgtFcNXgF5UQ6rGQyqRo0o1YYmBGz9DbtS4Nqz76UKRTm6ZAAOwlJfrUj0iQuDowv4uPQ0ylspfxDXwhQv7x12n5trKkx/s200/John_Bridges_Christ_healing_the_mother_of_Simon_Peter.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="color: black; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">Simon’s mother-in-law is a central
figure in the text because it gives us a model for following Jesus. Jesus took
her hand and lifted her up from the bed. And at that moment her fever of the
body turned into a passion for service. Jesus took away her diseased state and
gave her a new spiritual fervor, a passionate emotional response to serving
this new family of faith.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZyWo2j0lGHUaT9oQSdqv1PJMx9FLJC5oWcIvC9E35tE2gr0VD-fIbwZIcngxUufyhrA6xFUR_O6xUyIBxFC1KjTwDz4zlSEUboXv0iwXylPqv98xC91dbu6UG7JzvIFN6EEVQ3Y_rNzz0/s1600/Giardia_lamblia.bmp" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZyWo2j0lGHUaT9oQSdqv1PJMx9FLJC5oWcIvC9E35tE2gr0VD-fIbwZIcngxUufyhrA6xFUR_O6xUyIBxFC1KjTwDz4zlSEUboXv0iwXylPqv98xC91dbu6UG7JzvIFN6EEVQ3Y_rNzz0/s200/Giardia_lamblia.bmp" width="198" /></a><span style="color: black; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">I finally received a long awaited
diagnosis in early December last year after suffering 10 months of such a
strange and baffling illness. An infectious disease specialist discovered that
I had a parasitic micro-organism called <i>giardia</i>, often called the
travelers bug. 10 days on prescription medicine and my body was cleansed, and
my health was restored…including the 20 pounds that I had lost. And while a
quick fix may not be the remedy for the dis-eases that plague our communities
and our world, I do believe that the touch of Jesus is the cure for what ails
us. All throughout the gospels Jesus touches the troubled and tormented with
his compassion and love and they are healed from their afflictions and
reconciled to their community, just like Simon’s mother-in-law. And their
response is to always serve their healer. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">Let us be as Jesus; touching our world
with compassion and turning them into followers of the Christ. As each of us
commit to daily clocking into our responsibility as Christ-bearers, then the
walls of our churches will not be able to contain his disciples. Jesus is the
incarnation of God’s love, and for some people, you might be the only Jesus
they will ever meet.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;"></span></div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
You know, Peggy Lee was on the right
track. But let me sing it the Jesus way.</blockquote>
<o:p></o:p><br />
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">They’ll never know how much you love them;
never know how much you care. You’ve gotta put your loving arms around them,
give them a fever they have longed to share. </span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">Give them God’s fever, when you
touch them, fever when you hold them tight. Fever, in the morning, fever all
though the night. <br />
Fever, not just on Sunday, but fever all though the week.<br />
Fever, in our homes and fever in the way we speak.<br />
Fever, at our work and fever shining bright with light.<br />
Fever, in the morning, fever all through the night.</span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;"><br />
Fever! And everybody said, Amen!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">Let us pray. <br />
O God of our being, we recognize and celebrate the fevers that Jesus takes
away, and the passion he gives us in return. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Thank you for the signs of his love and
commitment to making us servants of his kingdom. Open our eyes so that we may see
the opportunities for serving our world. Empower us that we may be Christ’s
hands and feet in the ongoing labor of caring and compassion. Let us never
deride or put down those opportunities for humble service. But give us patience
and humility that we need in order to do our daily work with joy. In all
things, teach us to respond in love and not hate. And grant us the ability to
show others the way to your grace. In the name of the one who showed us the way—Amen!<o:p></o:p></span></div>Rev Bricehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17136743615744294418noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3445624634508747595.post-538242308574106352012-01-22T08:39:00.000-08:002012-01-22T08:39:42.856-08:00Leaving the Nets<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;">Mark 1:14-20<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 2pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span></o:p></span></i><span class="apple-style-span"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.5pt;">Now
after John was arrested, Jesus came to Galilee, proclaiming the good news of
God, </span></i></span><span class="apple-style-span"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.5pt;">and
saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God has come near; repent,
and believe in the good news.”</span></i></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.5pt;"> </span></i></span><span class="apple-style-span"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.5pt;">As
Jesus passed along the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew
casting a net into the sea—for they were fishermen.</span></i></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.5pt;"> A</span></i></span><span class="apple-style-span"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.5pt;">nd
Jesus said to them, “Follow me and I will make you fish for people.”<sup> </sup>And
immediately they left their nets and followed him.</span></i></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.5pt;"> </span></i></span><span class="apple-style-span"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.5pt;">As
he went a little farther, he saw James son of Zebedee and his brother John, who
were in their boat mending the nets.</span></i></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.5pt;"> </span></i></span><span class="apple-style-span"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.5pt;">Immediately
he called them; and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired
men, and followed him.<o:p></o:p></span></i></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheh8evzZDnrC0U4IkEP4_PaRo_TN-egUcGX_0BioBzCS3X5RDqsP-WuWifEP7Y_tk1qjVjlPwJB2U48BBNI0TVKmFzR4KonBTJnvFHuVlkUdPdhhGn4rEc5X7HKH5f428uYgiS7rQTXeqD/s1600/rsz_sardines.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="149" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheh8evzZDnrC0U4IkEP4_PaRo_TN-egUcGX_0BioBzCS3X5RDqsP-WuWifEP7Y_tk1qjVjlPwJB2U48BBNI0TVKmFzR4KonBTJnvFHuVlkUdPdhhGn4rEc5X7HKH5f428uYgiS7rQTXeqD/s200/rsz_sardines.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="color: black; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">The
evening conversation around the dinner table that night began the same as every
night. It had been a long day—12 hours on the lake in the hot sun—arms aching
and the stench of raw fish hanging in the air. Salome slapped the top of John’s
hand as it reached into the hot skillet to sample the sizzling sardine steaks.
“Stop that, Jonathon! How can a son be so incorrigible?” she scowled—releasing
a smirk across her mouth. “Mother—it’s been a long day. I’m tired and
hungry—please throw me a scrap from your delicious cuisine!” “Ack, Ack! Wash
your hands young man. And then set the table.”</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">John
kissed his mother on the forehead as he snatched a smoldering olive from the
skillet. “Love you Mom!” And off to the cleaning basin he went. At about that
time James came through the door with his wife Phoebe and little Joel in tow.
“Grandma!” the boy toddler exclaimed running into Salome’s arms. “My little
grandson—how big you are getting! Phoebe, what are you feeding this child?”
“The same as you fed me, Momma—fish and bread.” James cut in. “What else is a
fisherman’s family to eat?” </span><br />
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<br /></div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8Jt5MmtdSvPLtNr_GTwBgNkj17JSOnRBbg8eTbdGuDalehDh6poJlFDF3OIz0nRN3HX2Rv5KHkJkLoKz7sz8SkG6l7ipaex127v45nwaByBn29QwNPBDE5GSG5XWkYQXULBpPwHJW8mNb/s1600/loaves+and+fishes.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="198" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8Jt5MmtdSvPLtNr_GTwBgNkj17JSOnRBbg8eTbdGuDalehDh6poJlFDF3OIz0nRN3HX2Rv5KHkJkLoKz7sz8SkG6l7ipaex127v45nwaByBn29QwNPBDE5GSG5XWkYQXULBpPwHJW8mNb/s200/loaves+and+fishes.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="color: black; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">“James—such
disrespect for your mother,” Phoebe replied with a condescending grin. “Don’t
pay attention to him, Mother. I fix him the same—and there are no complaints.
Are there my dear husband?” she flashed her eyes. “No my love,” James
responded. Fish and bread are good for the likes of one so in love—with a
fisherman’s wife like you.” “You see, Salome,” Phoebe smiled. “Your son has
been made respectable!”</span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;"></span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">Salome
and Phoebe laughed together. Nothing was so sweet as the combined collaboration
of a mother and her daughter-in-law. In fact, no man could match the collective
power of that kind of feminine energy. Salome and Phoebe continued the
preparation of the evening meal as James began to set the table. “Father,” little
Joel asked. “Yes, Son?” answered James as he pulled tin plates from the
cupboard.” “Why <u>do</u> we eat fish all the time?” <o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnkboqnhXEbmFuC9XqKzGVryysjlm7I0IAY1kkHr-flIrCw9aFsJix6XSsHGc0M4KvmU7NEOBuOzA6-Dw3dwTiieYJqE_dnx0prGjMAGrH1aqiJ6zmySK5mBM5pMb9tNjOJBDxWE2jMvX8/s1600/d-galileankitchen-b3-34-P1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="130" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnkboqnhXEbmFuC9XqKzGVryysjlm7I0IAY1kkHr-flIrCw9aFsJix6XSsHGc0M4KvmU7NEOBuOzA6-Dw3dwTiieYJqE_dnx0prGjMAGrH1aqiJ6zmySK5mBM5pMb9tNjOJBDxWE2jMvX8/s200/d-galileankitchen-b3-34-P1.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="color: black; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">Joel
was turning 5 next week. Although his mother didn’t allow him to follow his
father to work on the lake—he often listened to the stories of the fishermen,
told by his uncle John, with awe and wonder. “Fishing is an honorable
profession,” James said, lifting Joel upon his lap as he sat down at the crude
wooden table. “My father was a fisherman, as well as my grandfather. And I
suspect you will be one someday—just like me and your Uncle John and the rest
of our family. And if that is so, then eating the fish that you catch yourself
is an honor too. You see, we fishermen provide good things to eat for many,
many people—especially to people that can’t always work for themselves. You’ll
learn more about it when you start school at the synagogue next year. Now, go
wash your hands—and find out where your Uncle John is.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">Joel
jumped off James’s lap and scampered outside. Phoebe slipped her arms around
James’s neck and kissed him on the head. “You are a good father, my husband—now
time for you to wash those dirty fishermen’s hands.” “Yes, dear” and James
followed his son outside.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">“He
looks tired,” Salome reflected. “Do you think something is wrong?” “I don’t
know,” Phoebe answered. “He has been quiet today. Perhaps something is going on
at the docks.” </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDF6s-E5mDrkxDFb92TQc_7dkJpzC5IsAbvaj71JOifqH_nCEkBUo47Zwsfegh8FsnZR6jxodW6Ac6e_kSV3BjWvwn1Wij5RQ4pRBL-q3yFqA5A70zJKNJ_iJARVIyOf1XtkOF-lZyXRl_/s1600/zebedee.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDF6s-E5mDrkxDFb92TQc_7dkJpzC5IsAbvaj71JOifqH_nCEkBUo47Zwsfegh8FsnZR6jxodW6Ac6e_kSV3BjWvwn1Wij5RQ4pRBL-q3yFqA5A70zJKNJ_iJARVIyOf1XtkOF-lZyXRl_/s200/zebedee.jpg" width="118" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">“What
is this about the docks?” Startled by the booming voice Phoebe and Salome
screamed as Zebedee entered the kitchen and slammed the door behind him.
“Zebedee!” exclaimed Salome. “Where have you been? We’ve been waiting for your
return and dinner is just coming to the table.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">“Speaking
of the docks—just some trouble to contend with. I’ve been meeting with some of
the other business owners after pulling in the nets for the night.” “What is
the matter?” Salome questioned her husband. “Oh, nothing too alarming. It seems
that some of the fleet have unexpectedly closed their fishing business. I’m not
sure who it is yet, but we are looking into it. An announcement is coming
tomorrow concerning reallocation of fishing quotas.” Salome grabbed her husband
by the waist. “Why would anyone do such a thing? With the Romans exorcising
more taxes on us, and businesses losing so many servants to military enlistment,
you would imagine that anyone having a good paying job would stay with it.”
“Not to worry, my wife. We will just have to increase our own efforts to make
up the quotas. More fish for us to catch means more denari in our pockets. Our
boys will be up to the challenge. Speaking of our boys, where is my little
grandson?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">“Grandpapa!”
shouted Joel as he ran into the kitchen followed by James and John. “Well! Here
are my strapping sons to share my table.” “And me too!” Joel yelled. “And don’t
forget your beautiful and kind daughter-in-law!” Phoebe laughed, pecking
Zebedee on the cheek. “Now enough child’s play!” Salome exclaimed. “Everyone,
sit down, sit down. Husband—bring us the blessing!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgL8Wm2XFki4RDlbBbweIrxgLjXdFF-k34FG23oV0ByF7SfwQjwYQ3gQuqRwrwwoEJ60m74z0ocwRxhZ8iUShHMjVkbD7_Za3ZTOcHW8JGqPQDVmG50B_QHesM1m0RunKbtpJL28fZ1iJk/s1600/df-Home_Kitchen.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgL8Wm2XFki4RDlbBbweIrxgLjXdFF-k34FG23oV0ByF7SfwQjwYQ3gQuqRwrwwoEJ60m74z0ocwRxhZ8iUShHMjVkbD7_Za3ZTOcHW8JGqPQDVmG50B_QHesM1m0RunKbtpJL28fZ1iJk/s200/df-Home_Kitchen.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="color: black; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">After
a second of scrambling for chairs, all were seated around the weathered wooden
table. Zebedee grabbed the hands of his wife and grandson and bowed his head. “<i>Sh'ma
Yisrael Adonai Elohaynu Adonai Echad</i>. Hear, O Israel, the Lord is our God,
the Lord is One. Your gifts of plenty bring seasons of thankfulness. And may
our thankfulness inspire new gifts from you. Amen.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">“Amen!”
the family echoed—and dinner began as Salome passed the platter of freshly
fried fish around the table. “Have you noticed a decrease in <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">musht</i> over the last few hauls recently?”
James asked his father. “I heard it was from the unusual winds coming from the
Galilee hills,” John interrupted. “They say the storms will be the worst ever
this spring. Fish don’t like storms.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7OrrLGBcrtuUyCSxernLCJnSKkk-zRA_qMirgCwoYWFcU0r4kTNsh6aRsx2Uk5seHqfKXolBGEmNv8tbQ-wCmjblz-rOs_skykoMIbZdOhGAXZm7WuXoE_GMgfRqIr6QeUQtHgfiGyPGm/s1600/JamesZebedee.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="151" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7OrrLGBcrtuUyCSxernLCJnSKkk-zRA_qMirgCwoYWFcU0r4kTNsh6aRsx2Uk5seHqfKXolBGEmNv8tbQ-wCmjblz-rOs_skykoMIbZdOhGAXZm7WuXoE_GMgfRqIr6QeUQtHgfiGyPGm/s200/JamesZebedee.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="color: black; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">“I
think it’s the young fishermen that don’t like storms,” laughed James. “I’m not
afraid” John quipped back. “How could anyone be afraid of a little wind and
rain?” “Well, I don’t think it’s the wind or the storms,” James reflected.
“It’s the Romans.” “James!” Phoebe whispered in a quiet shout. “You mustn’t
speak so. There are spies everywhere. You know what happens to dissenters now
that Caiphas and Pilate are bedfellows.” “I’m not afraid of the Romans! Or the
pompous Pharisees,” John blurted. “How long will we let these foreign mongrels
and their puppet priests dictate what we discuss or how we live?” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">“Enough!”
Zebedee exploded. “Not in my house. We will eat tonight without speaking of
such things.” The room became silent with the exception of clinking spoons and
knives on tin plates. Quietly a tiny voice pierced the silence. “What’s a
mongrel?” asked Joel. John turned to his nephew and smiled. “A mongrel is just
a fancy name for a dog, Joel.” “I like dogs!” Joel replied. “Dogs get to do
anything they want. Sleep outside. Play in the street. Take baths in the lake.
And I bet they don’t have to eat fish every night!” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4iZRyYI7l-jp1CFYwSLlUXcifP33NWV8OQ5VM20foU4QTN3MlwLiQoyqG2eLww-bQVyuC7Zpvdd16TrMfDw6m8UMqT0AmwkZ2oE2R1cJf9v0brcrrJWCDHVFrPG3Fv52OikpMAJbpo7v8/s1600/JohnZebedee.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="151" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4iZRyYI7l-jp1CFYwSLlUXcifP33NWV8OQ5VM20foU4QTN3MlwLiQoyqG2eLww-bQVyuC7Zpvdd16TrMfDw6m8UMqT0AmwkZ2oE2R1cJf9v0brcrrJWCDHVFrPG3Fv52OikpMAJbpo7v8/s200/JohnZebedee.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="color: black; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">Laughter
exploded around the table. “Yes, my grandson.” Zebedee smiled. “The life of a
dog can be very—care free!” Seconds passed without conversation. The night was
closing in and a new day was just hours away. But James knew he needed to say
something. The anxiety gripped his stomach as he struggled to form his words,
when out of the blue John spoke up.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">“Andrew
and Simon left their nets today.” James looked at his brother and sighed. The
easy part was over, but now came the tough conversation he and his brother
discussed having with their father. “What do you mean they left their nets
today?” Zebedee raised his eyebrow. “Father, they’ve left the business,” James
answered. Salome gasped, “Andrew and Simon? But why? Where did they go? What
will they do? What about their families? Does their father, Jonas know? Did you
talk to them?” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy_yase5J6ug6Nm9ppKawYd5Lao2SMtuKgTuRC5Id1AiUlGOk0izNUuptC0ZFL6r40GL89efwjhyphenhyphenUqKIaA3Yc4k6_4Yfil6eRbCSxN_l7zK7V_LyC9uHDHRdz-RIM9TsYR6cJL6iLzFXjm/s1600/Jesus07.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy_yase5J6ug6Nm9ppKawYd5Lao2SMtuKgTuRC5Id1AiUlGOk0izNUuptC0ZFL6r40GL89efwjhyphenhyphenUqKIaA3Yc4k6_4Yfil6eRbCSxN_l7zK7V_LyC9uHDHRdz-RIM9TsYR6cJL6iLzFXjm/s200/Jesus07.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="color: black; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">“Woman,
let them speak!” Zebedee shouted. “Tell me son. What happened?” “It was the
most amazing thing I’ve ever seen,” James continued. “We were mending our nets
after pulling in the last haul for the day and we saw Jesus approach them from
the shore. “Jesus? You mean my sister, Mary’s son? Your cousin Jesus? He’s here
from Nazareth?” Salome asked. “Yes, he’s here!” John replied. “We heard Jesus was
with John the Baptist and his disciples in the wilderness. But today he was
walking along the beach and came up to Andrew and Simon and…” ”What John? What
happened?” Salome cried. “Jesus told Andrew and Simon to follow him. He said
that he would make them fishers of people. He told them to leave their nets and
help him build God’s kingdom.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">“But
how?” Salome asked in shock. “How will they live? What about their families?
They can’t just leave the family business? What is Jesus going to do with
them?” “Now, Salome!” Zebedee interrupted. “You can’t expect these boys to know
everything that happened. I’m sure there is a logical explanation for the whole
thing! Maybe Jesus just wanted a job. I’m sure they could use a few more hired
hands on their boat, right sons?” he turned towards James and John. A long
pause drifted across the room as Zebedee looked into his son’s eyes—and then
down at the table. “He asked you too—didn’t he?” Zebedee looked up at James and
John. “Yes, Father” James answered. “Jesus asked us to follow him too. And we
are. We leave tomorrow for Capernaum.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZMqFG_KkpoLEOLOH8QEsQ94yBFn_JRsjJMuxktqjavVh-W5ZLXCdnlGQr0gAkaLg6IvVBU5bPaZOsmK-61i5ot72yVDj4RTzwlCwR1iOJFWXFQ2HPy7WoqmuJ4uAFZ2KoozWCa_s-0Q7w/s1600/disciples.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZMqFG_KkpoLEOLOH8QEsQ94yBFn_JRsjJMuxktqjavVh-W5ZLXCdnlGQr0gAkaLg6IvVBU5bPaZOsmK-61i5ot72yVDj4RTzwlCwR1iOJFWXFQ2HPy7WoqmuJ4uAFZ2KoozWCa_s-0Q7w/s200/disciples.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="color: black; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">“You’re
leaving tomorrow—for Capernaum? Did you know this Phoebe?” “Yes, Salome. I did
know. We’ve discussed it, and Joel and I are going with James.” “I’m going to!”
John added. “But how? How can you leave your father? How can you follow this
man? How will you live? What will you do?” Salome could take no more as she
jumped from the table and fled into the bedroom. The table fell silent. After a
moment Zebedee stood up from the table and walked behind his boys, laying his
hands on each of their shoulder. “You are good men,” he began. “And times are
very different now than when I was your age. Yahweh’s people have been enslaved
by evil influences. Our religious and government leaders value power over peace
and use our sacred texts as weapons against us. I didn’t bring you into this
world to be oppressed by it. And I hope that this man, your cousin Jesus can
liberate us from it.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">James
and John stood up from the table and embraced Zebedee. “We love you, Father”
they said through tears. “You’ve taught us well—to act justly, love mercy, and
walk humbly with our God. And even though we are no longer fishermen, we will
continue to cast our nets for God’s kingdom.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEcLrBhcUP6b7H2tl8lJW59uN4yA5IBzla826wKILPShSoDyGYhhx3mZaG74h1Ojt94cUWil4kw49MN2KfXsDjrky-WSYo6Bo8RTRYYABxNhvrito-vNKbSapC8FalbxRugXHufwaTCLcq/s1600/communitypeople.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="170" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEcLrBhcUP6b7H2tl8lJW59uN4yA5IBzla826wKILPShSoDyGYhhx3mZaG74h1Ojt94cUWil4kw49MN2KfXsDjrky-WSYo6Bo8RTRYYABxNhvrito-vNKbSapC8FalbxRugXHufwaTCLcq/s200/communitypeople.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="color: black; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">Let
us pray. Lord, we sit here today, in this community of teachers and bankers,
caretakers of children and business executives, students and administrators,
musicians and ministers, teachers and preachers—contemplating a gospel text
that challenges us in our day jobs. Just like fishing was to the disciples—we
work in our chosen professions and hear your call to become more. We hear your
call to become disciples of Christ—to dive into mission and ministry to the
world. Give us the fast reflexes of those first four disciples—Simon, Andrew,
James and John. There’s a part of us that hesitates, afraid to get out of our
boats; fearful of setting aside our roles and personas. We know that your call
may come at any time to leave behind our comfort zones and respond to needs we
never expected. </span></div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsCGYl5MOb7dKpIKY_Mwjz-fnwX4HW71XEPeAroLx3dBwbn9Q6D-3csjAsV6iCkA7KqAjMTOjj7GSnui9ybvbasr7P1tpAMIOTYKNh6jlHXWhCThXIfNyfU4AA1heV6ekm85dB2aU5Rz8C/s1600/LeavingYourNets_sm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsCGYl5MOb7dKpIKY_Mwjz-fnwX4HW71XEPeAroLx3dBwbn9Q6D-3csjAsV6iCkA7KqAjMTOjj7GSnui9ybvbasr7P1tpAMIOTYKNh6jlHXWhCThXIfNyfU4AA1heV6ekm85dB2aU5Rz8C/s200/LeavingYourNets_sm.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="color: black; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">But in that moment, give us the courage to make the immediate
decision to follow Jesus—and become who you challenge us to be, setting aside
the temptation to accumulate possessions, or accomplishments, or degrees, or
labels that attempt to bring us a sense of worth or value. Instead, reveal to
us the opportunities in our own lives that will engage us in a deeper journey
with you. For we know that it isn’t what we do, that makes us your blessed
children, but who you created us to be in each moment of our life. And all God’s
people said, “Amen.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>Rev Bricehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17136743615744294418noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3445624634508747595.post-5816138559227383622012-01-15T15:38:00.000-08:002012-01-15T15:38:46.752-08:00Truth or Consequences<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt;">John
1:43-51</span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 3pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span></o:p></span></i><br />
<span style="color: yellow;"><span class="apple-style-span"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: #010000; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.5pt;">The next day Jesus
decided to go to Galilee. He found Philip and said to him, “Follow me.”</span></i></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: #010000; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.5pt;"> </span></i></span><span class="apple-style-span"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: #010000; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.5pt;">Now Philip was from Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter.</span></i></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: #010000; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.5pt;"> </span></i></span><span class="apple-style-span"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: #010000; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.5pt;">Philip found Nathanael and said to him, “We have found him about
whom Moses in the law and also the prophets wrote, Jesus son of Joseph from
Nazareth.”</span></i></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: #010000; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.5pt;"> </span></i></span><span class="apple-style-span"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: #010000; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.5pt;">Nathanael said to him,
“Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” Philip said to him, “Come and see.”</span></i></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: #010000; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.5pt;"> </span></i></span><span class="apple-style-span"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: #010000; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.5pt;">When Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward him, he said of him,
“Here is truly an Israelite in whom there is no deceit!”</span></i></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: #010000; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.5pt;"> </span></i></span><span class="apple-style-span"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: #010000; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.5pt;">Nathanael asked him, “Where did you get to know me?” Jesus
answered, “I saw you under the fig tree before Philip called you.”</span></i></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: #010000; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.5pt;"> </span></i></span><span class="apple-style-span"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: #010000; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.5pt;">Nathanael replied, “Rabbi, you are the Son of God! You are the
King of Israel!”</span></i></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: #010000; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.5pt;"> </span></i></span><span class="apple-style-span"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: #010000; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.5pt;">Jesus answered, “Do
you believe because I told you that I saw you under the fig tree? You will see
greater things than these.”</span></i></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: #010000; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.5pt;"> </span></i></span><span class="apple-style-span"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: #010000; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.5pt;">And he said to him,
“Very truly, I tell you, you will see heaven opened and the angels of God
ascending and descending upon the Son of Man.”<o:p></o:p></span></i></span></span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5r0acTHHbnFvzx9cnUap8uWGlwt2B4ofk-_my-I843oSicfsW1dqUdOSqOKq2mFngGenI7rvI5_v8MuzXsJWnv6W-LViH7UNea1ZROBtce0Xxbh7ttZCBksTLPQw4mFFgrF3wC8zgt6vu/s1600/naysayer.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5r0acTHHbnFvzx9cnUap8uWGlwt2B4ofk-_my-I843oSicfsW1dqUdOSqOKq2mFngGenI7rvI5_v8MuzXsJWnv6W-LViH7UNea1ZROBtce0Xxbh7ttZCBksTLPQw4mFFgrF3wC8zgt6vu/s200/naysayer.jpg" width="132" /></a><span style="color: black; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">So imagine this scenario…you are sitting in a meeting with other
folks from work, or at a monthly organizational gathering of a fraternal or
social club of which you are a member, or perhaps its sitting on a church
committee or sub-committee…when that certain someone, that person who is always
pointing out the negative in every situation blurts out, “NO…there is no way
that that idea could work because we tried it before, and it didn’t work then
and it won’t work now…so we might as well not even bother!” If you had a nickel
for every time, right?</span> </div>
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"> </span></o:p></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg00x_isV_dkVqr99FS8yNh2AQ_2bXGiUeF_AXjwkqxfuGnqKbuOL3VijuxAMkgg88U3sfUfGRw_ooBAk7u18jIHT5c2YTaYCrou8Cwxg4mADS1V8yPjqpGYbpK3JYTGpzAn4WLABXMEIhs/s1600/come_to_a_halt.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg00x_isV_dkVqr99FS8yNh2AQ_2bXGiUeF_AXjwkqxfuGnqKbuOL3VijuxAMkgg88U3sfUfGRw_ooBAk7u18jIHT5c2YTaYCrou8Cwxg4mADS1V8yPjqpGYbpK3JYTGpzAn4WLABXMEIhs/s200/come_to_a_halt.jpg" width="180" /></a><br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">Now I love to get a good laugh out of people like that…especially
when it’s on television and not real life…but it does beg the question…how do
we deal with the naysayers in our midst? How to we establish mutually
respectful relationships with those that always put the brakes on when it comes
to change, or progress or even critical evaluation?<br /><o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"> </span></o:p></span><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5xQW18qy4f_vDYxkk8lkMIf5n0PBZE9-Yuy5Y1tXUGePfp8JRFDfOwIySjKb31DCp_rYF4dKccl5HvYoAqQgms4-VOGlc57GkwTrh-wMePMddi1MmWWvqdTpQAfirMJLqm8O_3KF1_AM7/s1600/the-office.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="112" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5xQW18qy4f_vDYxkk8lkMIf5n0PBZE9-Yuy5Y1tXUGePfp8JRFDfOwIySjKb31DCp_rYF4dKccl5HvYoAqQgms4-VOGlc57GkwTrh-wMePMddi1MmWWvqdTpQAfirMJLqm8O_3KF1_AM7/s200/the-office.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="color: black; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">Now, you wouldn’t normally think of the Jesus narratives in the gospels
dealing with the issue of critical people…but our text today gives us much
insight into the way Jesus dealt with the ego in himself and others. Our story
could be a script for the television show “The Office.” Jesus leaves one
incredible impression on Philip after being introduced to him by his friends
Andrew and Peter from Bethsaida. And as Philip runs home to tell his friends
about this experience he encounters Nathanael. Excitedly, Philip tells him
about this Jesus he met earlier in the day. “We found him! The one Moses wrote
about in our sacred scriptures. He’s the Messiah! And it’s Jesus, you know,
Joseph’s son…the guy from Nazareth.” </span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"></span></o:p></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8wp9iN-1V5MvR0Q30rZOktW96FytBb11Iu1V1S8S78IB9oCPOvXHAERfdi0JdNi4FBSlBdssNAEoG3QTYCToZcPv2ss-vCwip5fnebd3gik9FGBY0VIrkadeZ-9ankwYNtqRIixCkEO9b/s1600/dwight_schrute.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="160" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8wp9iN-1V5MvR0Q30rZOktW96FytBb11Iu1V1S8S78IB9oCPOvXHAERfdi0JdNi4FBSlBdssNAEoG3QTYCToZcPv2ss-vCwip5fnebd3gik9FGBY0VIrkadeZ-9ankwYNtqRIixCkEO9b/s200/dwight_schrute.jpg" width="200" /></a><br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">Now we really don’t know much about Nathanael, but it appears from
his response that he’s one of those “kind” of people. “What? Nazareth? You’ve
got to be kidding…what good could come out of Nazareth?” It seems from this interaction
that Nathanael is one of those critical curmudgeons…”crackpots” as my Mom used
to call them. He’s the guy or girl that always finds the negative in every
situation. He’s the “Dwight Schrute” of the office. And he is somebody so
different than anybody else Jesus has called before that he seems to stick out
like a sore thumb.<br /><o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"> </span></o:p></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsnh6LxHAaly90YitVv8JkVHMjdNR6slYgCpkHbTbY8Kfo1N6ThxpKwolwXi5viPmJ882Dm0eYjfjFD21GLFtCQzV1pT6NR-y0Mw5SQrQGUeF6BstsupBHR1SfZZ7UAkathRCXW4f4HFpr/s1600/Philip+and+Nathanael.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsnh6LxHAaly90YitVv8JkVHMjdNR6slYgCpkHbTbY8Kfo1N6ThxpKwolwXi5viPmJ882Dm0eYjfjFD21GLFtCQzV1pT6NR-y0Mw5SQrQGUeF6BstsupBHR1SfZZ7UAkathRCXW4f4HFpr/s200/Philip+and+Nathanael.jpg" width="155" /></a><span style="color: black; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">Think about it…he’s not like one of those naive kids, Jimmy and
Johnny, who had their "momma" ask Jesus for special treatment for
themselves. He’s definitely not like Thomas who was wishy washy about what he
did or didn’t believe. Wasn’t like Peter either, who regularly opened his mouth
in order to insert his own foot into it. Nathanael knew exactly what he thought
about everything and wasn’t afraid to tell you so. And when Philip suggested
that this new prophet was God's gift to Israel, Nathanael just rolled his eyes.
“Nazareth? You’re kidding, right? Can anything good come out of Nazareth?"</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"> </span></o:p></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhphnyNaHOCMlhSDPb1bMQpYJY1cn-4SZqZWtaW74nNICVcHIDk-MVlBJQ3Cf4r5MY_LLU8RZzU-SRzVTUlkK5xkvCZgxIBF6ugeSQJ0w1SKtWpzYCaRyrkZeie7lcwAQebdlzt8qAkNaRq/s1600/Nazareth.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="174" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhphnyNaHOCMlhSDPb1bMQpYJY1cn-4SZqZWtaW74nNICVcHIDk-MVlBJQ3Cf4r5MY_LLU8RZzU-SRzVTUlkK5xkvCZgxIBF6ugeSQJ0w1SKtWpzYCaRyrkZeie7lcwAQebdlzt8qAkNaRq/s200/Nazareth.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="color: black; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">And here’s where the story really gets interesting. Nathanael
wasn't saying anything that any good Jew wasn’t already thinking. The fact is; Nazareth
was no place any decent Jew would ever want to go, or claim to be from. It’s
not that Nazareth was some dump or a hole in the middle of nowhere. It was in
fact a suburb of the largest city in Galilee, Sepphoris…one of the capitals of
Herod’s government. In fact, some scholars believe that Jesus and his father
Joseph probably worked on its re-construction as skilled tradesmen. It’s not
that Jesus was some country bumpkin, but according to Nathanael, Jesus was too
close to what proud Israelites considered traitor-country. He and his friends
wouldn't be caught dead there. All Nazarenes consorted with the enemy. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;"></span> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbsNP9moVNz115-qXlsxTjPqLtvBZJ_ZmdmqOPj8luv4CK8gZ1d9cIaoCwQrUe7dMJ7F_uWKUe1_Q3U6TnhIjZJHWcMSnk7Lk-GWrfVSTiS-qAXi92088PMnL_O6eBXEmjAsGNF5P4ECHw/s1600/ohio-state-vs-michigan.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="120" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbsNP9moVNz115-qXlsxTjPqLtvBZJ_ZmdmqOPj8luv4CK8gZ1d9cIaoCwQrUe7dMJ7F_uWKUe1_Q3U6TnhIjZJHWcMSnk7Lk-GWrfVSTiS-qAXi92088PMnL_O6eBXEmjAsGNF5P4ECHw/s200/ohio-state-vs-michigan.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="color: black; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">It would
be like someone from Michigan trying out for OSU’s football team. You’d always
suspect that a football player from Michigan might have some ulterior motive,
some potential for sabotage. Can anything good come out of Ann Arbor?<br /><o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"> </span></o:p></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUdl7oega6ce_MMtNLzm85GrObzX7UpiGMwE3PGZXAboDV8yYH3nZ7qfxsSBfqbP-76acFTK4QTXh3K6A8HDS4TmE-g-Zs2OPmq0PluKwClDNSaMFCs4GGsW0PjhXbX6if-_TKHOKHQKMM/s1600/verklempt.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUdl7oega6ce_MMtNLzm85GrObzX7UpiGMwE3PGZXAboDV8yYH3nZ7qfxsSBfqbP-76acFTK4QTXh3K6A8HDS4TmE-g-Zs2OPmq0PluKwClDNSaMFCs4GGsW0PjhXbX6if-_TKHOKHQKMM/s200/verklempt.png" width="200" /></a><span style="color: black; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">You see, Nathanael was a cynic. A cynic with a sharp tongue, to
boot, probably with his eyeglasses sitting on the end of his nose with a
proverbial look of disgust. And once Jesus lays eyes on him, once he gets a
really good look at this old coot, he responds in such a wonderful way. "Behold,
an Israelite in whom there is no guile.” The Message translation says, “Now
there’s a real Israelite, not a false bone in his body.” It reminds me of Mike
Myer’s character on SNL…Linda Richman…who could not sugar coat the truth even
if you paid her. And this quip…this quirky elbow jab stops old Nathanael in his
tracks. With his jaw hanging open, he looks this young whipper-snapper up and
down and fires back, "And just how do you know me?"</span><br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNGn21YUi5ZImrOzBBV38NFZS-WyGRgsOlf1jejt530a_LcrV5qeF6ZrdU5NSFoO3V4eD69ZUwu7G1YkVZfrYKnzGn3nUrpid25VbkNWZoo-VysLP5bWdJidpbToIubkmquS2PbG3tjVa8/s1600/Nathanael+and+Jesus.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNGn21YUi5ZImrOzBBV38NFZS-WyGRgsOlf1jejt530a_LcrV5qeF6ZrdU5NSFoO3V4eD69ZUwu7G1YkVZfrYKnzGn3nUrpid25VbkNWZoo-VysLP5bWdJidpbToIubkmquS2PbG3tjVa8/s200/Nathanael+and+Jesus.jpg" width="193" /></a><span style="color: black; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"> </span></o:p></span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">“Why, I had you spotted coming a mile away, long before Philip
dragged you here," Jesus says to him, winking at him with one eye. And
whatever it was that Nathanael took from that exchange, he became a convert
right there on the spot. Jesus had this wonderful way of speaking truth in a
loving way that cut through all of the illusions and drama that existed in his
relationships and got right to the point. He could separate the roles and
personas from who that person really was…and connect directly to the essence of
their being.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"> </span></o:p></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLrMDCXk19MQNaiK2OofHM48zk7lPa83fYWDzI8GZc9UDMrSidmlAZYcj9qGF6WTI8myXyHbxP89oExDKVvJoXW663NoBCa07qccCcVJLM9H_M1Klob01KSUBCDs4x6pO44MDRG_XhicaU/s1600/A+New+Earth.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLrMDCXk19MQNaiK2OofHM48zk7lPa83fYWDzI8GZc9UDMrSidmlAZYcj9qGF6WTI8myXyHbxP89oExDKVvJoXW663NoBCa07qccCcVJLM9H_M1Klob01KSUBCDs4x6pO44MDRG_XhicaU/s200/A+New+Earth.jpg" width="128" /></a><span style="color: black; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">One of my favorite authors, Eckert Tolle, says that there is no
real conceptual answer for the question, “Who am I?” But the moment that we stop
having to answer that question for ourselves, we become open to the oneness of
all of life…the essence of our being. For the need to define or label who we
are, to have a clear understanding of our sense of self, is the work of our ego.
And when the ego encounters other egos it doesn’t like…it comes into conflict.
And that’s when drama happens. He says, “Whatever you react to in another, you
strengthen in yourself.” That’s why when you observe someone complaining about
someone or some situation, it is a clear sign that they are trying to
validate…and strengthen that tendency within themselves. I always try to keep
an inner ear open to my own complaints. It helps me identify the things within
myself that need healing or understanding. While complaining might be the
process of strengthening the ego, resentment is the real emotional response. <o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaksohmWvOWcK3c1mULffQWIr0_q0g9TuTQ8Uf9CS9Nx35KNGDxjEsZdw142-CM8inIeSapRjiWMwplqH_Dz6VEWqKkF9zJ1tFqA-7Q2gUfCY_4nF7vH-7JVeNH4Gxm-UNbTDEWL3CH0cX/s1600/non+reaction.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaksohmWvOWcK3c1mULffQWIr0_q0g9TuTQ8Uf9CS9Nx35KNGDxjEsZdw142-CM8inIeSapRjiWMwplqH_Dz6VEWqKkF9zJ1tFqA-7Q2gUfCY_4nF7vH-7JVeNH4Gxm-UNbTDEWL3CH0cX/s200/non+reaction.jpg" width="199" /></a><span style="color: black; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">Nathanael couldn’t believe anything good could come out of
Nazareth. Perhaps someone had said the same about him? Maybe his distain of the
Roman occupation had hardened his heart to any shred of hope that things could
be any different. And what did Jesus do, he spoke truth to Nathanael in a
loving way that melted the icy walls of resentment. “Now here comes someone who
will tell the truth about anything!” Jesus says. His response teaches us that
the best way to break free from these egoist structures is by not-reacting. And
non-reaction produces forgiveness. Now I’m not talking about indifference, but
about the process of seeing others for who they are on the inside…not who they
project themselves to be on the outside. And every person deep inside is a
child of God, asking for healing, love and transformation whether they can
vocalize it or not.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">Sometimes we get so accustomed to defending our right to be right,
that we begin to believe we’re never supposed to be wrong. And being wrong
reminds us that we are human. And being human is just where the ego wants us to
stay. Awareness of our collective humanity is the beginning of our
transformation, the raising of our own consciousness, and the evolution of our
entire species.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiymKhNR9djyP4WgXKRkBy1Xm-RQurh6emDmWIwXND2anJcR-9GCN4dlNgFPvd5CBWiuQTnL2q-3dH2kQ_-PHXdzfcYpAfGJC6D7SG4jaOQA1fHO8kF_YOAyAmrAAKtbBGHlw1kN49l3OaH/s1600/namaste-plaque2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="176" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiymKhNR9djyP4WgXKRkBy1Xm-RQurh6emDmWIwXND2anJcR-9GCN4dlNgFPvd5CBWiuQTnL2q-3dH2kQ_-PHXdzfcYpAfGJC6D7SG4jaOQA1fHO8kF_YOAyAmrAAKtbBGHlw1kN49l3OaH/s200/namaste-plaque2.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="color: black; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">There is one absolute truth. That truth emanates from the source
of our very being…it is the Christ within us. Jesus spoke of it as the “I AM,” the
way, the truth and the life – that which was, is now and always will be; that
which is timeless. Eastern religions acknowledge it within each of us with the
greeting “Namaste.” We do it in Protestantism by passing the peace of
Christ to each other.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">Barry Robinson suggests that "in the church we need folks who are not afraid to speak the truth
to each other…even if they're wrong. It just doesn’t seem to be appropriate any more.
It doesn’t make for a smooth facilitation. It makes the meeting run longer than
we want it to. We aren’t comfortable with the power-struggle between competing
players. It’s something to mediate, not learn from; to handle, not be
transformed by. So concerned have we become about being fair to everyone that
we are no longer concerned about the content of what is being said. We get
caught up in interpersonal politics; not critical debate. It is why curmudgeons
and cynics are no longer welcome in religious communities. They tend to disrupt
the conspiracy of cordiality. They make us uncomfortable with what we are
prepared to condone. It is why we tend to leave them outside. There was a time
in Israel when they were invited in, when scolding was an instrument of
tradition, not a threat to it; when the absence of guile was valued over the
easy deceits we tend to rationalize. Perhaps it was why Jesus himself couldn't
wait to have someone like Nathanael on his team; somebody who wasn't afraid of heartfelt
emotions. For there are values that are worth defending, truths that must be
acknowledged and drama that needs to be exposed."<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"> </span></o:p></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAIjT3Tms1D5yXJnm0PEXoUu5njkVqCZmqYrJEAYcdB-AglXvlVjVodl_b-RiCoh2HZSht7IYE0R27c2hDSFSzr6xo9doRjLZ7pZgE86eb981O50RuYlKq0WRwdkUY7guCF15Iw9zPo3AE/s1600/Truth+or+Consequences%252C+NM.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAIjT3Tms1D5yXJnm0PEXoUu5njkVqCZmqYrJEAYcdB-AglXvlVjVodl_b-RiCoh2HZSht7IYE0R27c2hDSFSzr6xo9doRjLZ7pZgE86eb981O50RuYlKq0WRwdkUY7guCF15Iw9zPo3AE/s200/Truth+or+Consequences%252C+NM.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="color: black; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">So many people leave the church because they “don’t like the
politics.” But politics is people. People cause conflict. And conflict is the
course for change. For churches that are in transition, naysayers keep us
honest. Their opinions often hold some kernels of truth in them; truth that is
seldom ever spoken out loud. If we are not willing to hear the truth now, then we
will most likely suffer the consequences later! <o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">What good can come from Nazareth? We all come from Nazareth, when
we endeavor to act justly, love mercy, and walk humbly with our God. And that
is a truth worth telling. Amen.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 9pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">(Excerpts from Ian Lawton’s presentation, “Lesson Three: Sin & Evil”
- </span></i><span style="font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><a href="http://www.christ-community.net/"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 9pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><span style="color: white;">www.christ-community.net</span></span></i></a> <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">and</span></i><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 9pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"> Barry J. Robinson’s sermon, “Give Me an Old Scold
Any Day” from January 19, 2003 – </span></i><span style="font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><a href="http://www.fernstone.org/"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 9pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><span style="color: white;">www.fernstone.org</span></span></i></a></span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 9pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">). <o:p></o:p></span></i><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>Rev Bricehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17136743615744294418noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3445624634508747595.post-40200531092981569222011-12-18T17:33:00.000-08:002011-12-18T17:34:02.167-08:00The Gospel Symbols of Christmas: Gift-Wrapped Presents<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt;">Luke
1:26-38<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="color: yellow;"><span style="color: black;">
</span></span><br />
<span style="color: yellow;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a town in
Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin engaged to a man whose name was Joseph, of
the house of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. And he came to her and said,
“Greetings, favored one! The Lord is with you.” But she was much perplexed by
his words and pondered what sort of greeting this might be. The angel said to
her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And now, you
will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you will name him Jesus. He will
be great, and will be called the Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will
give to him the throne of his ancestor David. He will reign over the house of
Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.” Mary said to the
angel, “How can this be, since I am a virgin?” The angel said to her,“The Holy
Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you;
therefore the child to be born will be holy; he will be called Son of God. And
now, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son; and this
is the sixth month for her who was said to be barren. For nothing will be
impossible with God.” Then Mary said, “Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let
it be with me according to your word.” Then the angel departed from her.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: yellow;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span><span style="font-family: Verdana;"></span><br />
<span style="color: black;">
</span></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaIrPjaIUoZelAcS9zbJv1aKHqrQ77F6DDxBZWzppg4Hfc9x00asEE72V_3CahC_ccaNI8BN8BL8D3YyT55cimwJSysvGqpBeQbrMGDtCoMragEB-YlDay53J4dF9LsszQRE35f-G84f7N/s1600/present.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaIrPjaIUoZelAcS9zbJv1aKHqrQ77F6DDxBZWzppg4Hfc9x00asEE72V_3CahC_ccaNI8BN8BL8D3YyT55cimwJSysvGqpBeQbrMGDtCoMragEB-YlDay53J4dF9LsszQRE35f-G84f7N/s200/present.png" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">I
like presents. No…that’s an understatement…I love getting presents. In fact, I
don’t just celebrate the day of my birthday; I celebrate the entire month of my
birthday. And for me, the Christmas season is the epitome of a surprise
birthday party. The anticipation of putting up the Christmas tree in my living
room; shopping for presents for my family and loved ones; wrapping each gift
and envisioning the look on its future owner’s face as it is opened. Now I admit,
while I love giving presents…it really is so very exciting to get them. I mean,
really, we all can be a little self-indulgent sometimes! <o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;"></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBodohOl0tkCfOWVEn27tdBSZQGRXi4W5ZvuqfTT5w0TmyZ0SobwUNc6-aowzy9US47w9oXtOyFT0NnxxVFivEDp7RDlcZawAxbgT3CaNadXgN2n7CQVinNEuwrB617d7nzduIEDSec1GD/s1600/Christmas+Tree.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBodohOl0tkCfOWVEn27tdBSZQGRXi4W5ZvuqfTT5w0TmyZ0SobwUNc6-aowzy9US47w9oXtOyFT0NnxxVFivEDp7RDlcZawAxbgT3CaNadXgN2n7CQVinNEuwrB617d7nzduIEDSec1GD/s1600/Christmas+Tree.jpg" /></a><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">I
will never forget Christmas morning as a child. I loved it. I would sneak out
of bed on Christmas Eve night and sit in front of the Christmas tree, watching
the lights twinkle and…count my presents under the tree.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But I didn’t just count my presents, I
counted everyone’s presents. One particular Christmas Eve, I was around 10
years old; I counted all of my siblings’ gifts. I went as far as putting
everyone’s presents in little piles on the living room floor…and counted every
one of them. One particular Christmas Eve I discovered an upsetting surprise.
All of my brothers and sisters each had eleven gifts…except for me. I only had
ten.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgL8M4jNn78V1RW6lQlOJgkvyEO_Eo0c2G4vhv1thz_kdImzydNc078N6dOF4KwU1eoXkCIdq5pOQyOZ9GNsCu0VXW19hShay2Tb33yA1xQQXC3J9f3dvDBEO_6pAbacz3fhe3nTlcjKTGW/s1600/1970s+bike.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgL8M4jNn78V1RW6lQlOJgkvyEO_Eo0c2G4vhv1thz_kdImzydNc078N6dOF4KwU1eoXkCIdq5pOQyOZ9GNsCu0VXW19hShay2Tb33yA1xQQXC3J9f3dvDBEO_6pAbacz3fhe3nTlcjKTGW/s1600/1970s+bike.jpg" /></a><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">Now
even as I retell this story, I feel a bit guilty. Not because I counted them,
but because of what I did that next morning. I certainly expected after
everyone had opened their presents, my eleventh present was hidden somewhere,
either in a closet, or out in the garage. And just at the right moment, when
all of the gifts had been unwrapped…Dad would emerge from his bedroom with my
amazing, exciting, exhilarating…and very expensive, eleventh gift. I was just
sure of it. And I just knew that this eleventh gift was a bright, shiny new
bicycle. Not one of those little tike bikes that was no taller than my waist,
but an adult sized bike. This was my year. I was ready for that bike. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjEOQwsqrorIpSPrR1DX4fx-56qLXWZxsmG_v9rPbTqjs8187UeSjIzLGhYgVY89NBwoZDFXp91BnBz5t1HUtwju28OMI3BLFabag7Clhna_C8tOgLY5M7ylOcxQI3X_9i-5GaQwz74Aw3/s1600/Unwrapped+Presents.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjEOQwsqrorIpSPrR1DX4fx-56qLXWZxsmG_v9rPbTqjs8187UeSjIzLGhYgVY89NBwoZDFXp91BnBz5t1HUtwju28OMI3BLFabag7Clhna_C8tOgLY5M7ylOcxQI3X_9i-5GaQwz74Aw3/s200/Unwrapped+Presents.jpg" width="150" /></a><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">I
waited with anticipation…unwrapping each of my gifts…still thinking of what lay
beyond my pile of presents. And yet when all was said and done, the living room
floor full of wrapping paper and toys and gifts scattered about…there was no
surprise eleventh gift for me. I sat there in the middle of the floor, a bit
stunned and anxious. But wait, something’s wrong I thought. I went over to the
tree, surveyed underneath its tinsel covered branches, looked behind the couch,
peered into the closet, searched through my own collection of gifts…perhaps I
had missed it. I couldn’t hold my grief and disappointment any longer. “Mom” I
exclaimed, “Is that all there is? I only have 10 gifts and everyone else has 11
gifts each!” <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Why, I thought I was making
a fair claim. Something was not right. I had been wronged. Surely things were
not as they seemed. I demanded an explanation!<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiR1RQtQfBUy5Mrn_YeW9k638FBALar7HX3c_JIiPv77kLmUgRhW3W1ZcgZ4pERpHfI2MHX34St0J42hJxdLeLleTb1bMzebY1Zpzq9yqW-bN0tH4kzxinNH7QnLqSYPMxPDR20Gc0wnkyh/s1600/Gabriel+appears+to+Mary.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="126" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiR1RQtQfBUy5Mrn_YeW9k638FBALar7HX3c_JIiPv77kLmUgRhW3W1ZcgZ4pERpHfI2MHX34St0J42hJxdLeLleTb1bMzebY1Zpzq9yqW-bN0tH4kzxinNH7QnLqSYPMxPDR20Gc0wnkyh/s200/Gabriel+appears+to+Mary.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">Well,
our gospel text today suggests that there was someone else that really needed
an explanation, probably more than me. Can you imagine what was going through
Mary’s mind when she got this strange news from the angel Gabriel? Right from
the start it seemed like an odd kind of salutation. “Greetings, favored one!
The Lord is with you! Do not be afraid for you have found favor with God. And
now, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you will name him
Jesus.” Found favor? Are you kidding me? Getting pregnant by someone other than
the man she was engaged to was a death sentence for the likes of Mary. In
ancient Palestine the amount of an engaged woman’s dowry was based on
maintaining celibacy before the wedding. She could have been stoned to death as
punishment for being unfaithful. But what is even more shocking than that? Even
knowing all of these potential consequences, Mary said yes to the angel. She
said yes to bearing the child that would reign over the house of Jacob; the one
who would become the long awaited King of Israel. Mary did two important things
in this text that is relevant for us today; she believed and she chose. She
believed in the good news she was given by the angel in spite of the desperate
situation it would put her in. And she chose to respond to what was being asked
of her. “Here am I, the servant of the Lord;” Mary said. “Let it be with me
according to your word.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5-fgCU6CW47tNXBe8QKWnAxBPpIQMEtnnjODeTvIpMc4xkFj-z14F1Wq9ob-5k9IBRupskV9CHXE2Wq1Gj-qnbyko22BmfFY9wlhOUG7KrrKV9BjlWEa4kPfCnJ4SXDFQFAgc8IpTxEOC/s1600/hishands.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="157" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5-fgCU6CW47tNXBe8QKWnAxBPpIQMEtnnjODeTvIpMc4xkFj-z14F1Wq9ob-5k9IBRupskV9CHXE2Wq1Gj-qnbyko22BmfFY9wlhOUG7KrrKV9BjlWEa4kPfCnJ4SXDFQFAgc8IpTxEOC/s200/hishands.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">Belief
and choice are the two most powerful gifts we have been given as creations in
God’s image. In fact, some progressive theologians suggest that being made in
the “imago dei,” or in “the image of God” means we have the same creative
ability as God does. We are “co-creators” with God of our lives and our reality.
This ancient formula for creation was that God thought it, then God said it,
and it was became reality. Belief + Choice = Creation.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">Now
believing in something might seem easy to do, but you really don’t know what
you believe until you choose to act in accordance with that belief. Most of us
recognize the importance that belief makes in the successful accomplishment of
any endeavor. Whether you believe you can or can’t, you will probably be right.
Mary teaches us in this text that developing a self-image based on positive
expectancy and positive belief cannot be left to chance. Too many of us have
been conditioned to believe in fear, shame, guilt, and scarcity.</span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGXRiOMCHvWEQiE2Y9b_UrLm5XNEzfXPEGmF9x2X6dq1mCXIMK6-BEVZ0_UhCRn5Ve9Jh5IJZoTPR_OD2e6pMUdjVloVHr3qR2ml5ve59ZkP2pltXfjsaVn15Oq63hTr5eMhMj4nZImo2c/s1600/belief.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="139" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGXRiOMCHvWEQiE2Y9b_UrLm5XNEzfXPEGmF9x2X6dq1mCXIMK6-BEVZ0_UhCRn5Ve9Jh5IJZoTPR_OD2e6pMUdjVloVHr3qR2ml5ve59ZkP2pltXfjsaVn15Oq63hTr5eMhMj4nZImo2c/s320/belief.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">We’ve heard so
many negative messages and learned from negative experiences that belief
doesn’t make much of a difference anymore. We only believe what we can see.
Most churches are dwindling in attendance because there is fear that the good
old days of overflowing sanctuaries, generous giving and magnificent mission
work are over for good. The messages have even been ingrained in us. “Don’t
bite off more than you can chew,” “Don’t try to be somebody you’re not,” “Don’t
risk too much, you might lose,” or “This is too good to last.” We are
conditioned in so many instances to look to our weaknesses than to our
strengths—to look at problems rather than opportunities. But positive belief
and positive expectancy can be developed by choice, and once developed; they
will lead you to whatever you want.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">(Excerpts from Terry
McBride’s DVD course, “Everybody Wins” at www.terrymcbride.info)<o:p></o:p></span></span></i><br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirpsRq66VI02jSWDTSbxGdYa4_LkyTDcvO4BPuFpc8CXWvIdZoCqFXAaBb9fzIHDqD2_szjjVt1y3XtyJnIkQ5kJy8HFGtukQhyphenhyphenXd9X32x5tWXKII5RbqkJl-IwTyMllC7MXFaqPdVAWo_/s1600/acronym_hope.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="196" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirpsRq66VI02jSWDTSbxGdYa4_LkyTDcvO4BPuFpc8CXWvIdZoCqFXAaBb9fzIHDqD2_szjjVt1y3XtyJnIkQ5kJy8HFGtukQhyphenhyphenXd9X32x5tWXKII5RbqkJl-IwTyMllC7MXFaqPdVAWo_/s200/acronym_hope.gif" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">Now
hear me clearly about this. I am not talking about some new age concept like “The
Secret” or a motivational seminar on the power of positive thinking. These
popular self-improvement movements are secular versions of this Gospel truth. This
is about acknowledging and using a gift that God has given to each of us; being
created in God’s image. And that image is co-creator of our life and our world.
Jesus tells us in Matthew 21:22 “And if you believe, you will receive whatever
you ask for in prayer.” The season of Advent is about positive expectancy;
expecting that we can have power over our lives and we can change our world. We
are changed by first believing in the simple self-emptying gift that God gave
to us, and then choosing to give ourselves wholly and completely back to God.
</span></div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Belief + choice = creation.</span></div>
</blockquote>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdgK2Ti2Nh0BPm8p2Seszgmi3GFgBVfr1mDtzfVQT_dI6sKxLl8o-jeamOtdsfckYbKpjwLENSF3r10B8kr3oe74iWd90KIkUe_1FulLwnKohH5gdKCi_m5IALdeHgNMygbbIiXhVETkEU/s1600/power_of_presence.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="191" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdgK2Ti2Nh0BPm8p2Seszgmi3GFgBVfr1mDtzfVQT_dI6sKxLl8o-jeamOtdsfckYbKpjwLENSF3r10B8kr3oe74iWd90KIkUe_1FulLwnKohH5gdKCi_m5IALdeHgNMygbbIiXhVETkEU/s200/power_of_presence.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">During
the past four weeks we’ve been unpacking the significance of the Gospel symbols
of Christmas. From the hope of new life symbolized by the greenery hanging in
our church and homes; to remembering our baptism through the new falling snow
of Winter; followed by the twinkle bulbs and candles representing the light of
awareness that shines brightly in our hearts and minds; and landing today at
the base of our Christmas tree, cluttered with gifts and presents we’ve offered
to each other and to this community. The Christmas tree comes from an old
Germanic custom where bringing a tree into the house was like bringing God into
the house. Offerings to God were adorned on the branches as ornaments. This
custom evolved into putting wrapped gifts under the tree that are intended for
those that we love. These are gifts that draw our attention to who and what is
really important in our lives. Our connection to everyone around us is the gift
we celebrate. And it is simply called ‘presence.’<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">I
never did get an eleventh gift on that Christmas day 38 years ago. As you can
imagine, my parents were not too happy with me. After all, they had given me
more than they could really afford. And of course the uneven number of presents
wasn’t intentional. What was intentional was their love for me even in the midst
of my self-centeredness. I learned a valuable lesson then…that has hopefully
stuck with me now. </span><br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">It’s not what you get…</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">but what you give that blesses you</span>. </div>
</blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
</blockquote>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8-UUr1HaL3ugcj-XAdb5dIXcl4JdwhwI-jqvYD5riNyUQ4uRYTZMGCX6JM3qNDxlXXyBe2rKN21DBgkXGl75xKtKwNaYEAOthjHz_yDXfE2NprbntgsQ7MVZM2TDIhgf4Q8i3bZW6Cqi9/s1600/simple+gifts.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="91" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8-UUr1HaL3ugcj-XAdb5dIXcl4JdwhwI-jqvYD5riNyUQ4uRYTZMGCX6JM3qNDxlXXyBe2rKN21DBgkXGl75xKtKwNaYEAOthjHz_yDXfE2NprbntgsQ7MVZM2TDIhgf4Q8i3bZW6Cqi9/s200/simple+gifts.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">What
priceless gift do you possess that may seem worthless on the outside? What can
you give as an expression of your love for the Christ-child? It may be a positive
word or smile for that depressed or grouchy person in your life. I could be a warm
embrace for the unlovable relative, or a kind word for the sarcastic or hateful
comment thrown in your direction. It may simply be believing in the potential
of a wayward child, grandchild or sibling, even when they can’t believe it
themselves. It could even be a church believing they have the ability to do
great things for their community in their hometown, even when the future is
uncertain. Saying yes with these seemingly valueless gifts can miraculously
transform any situation or relationship this Christmas.</span><br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBvHXwgZG5FNywfC0n2JWgqP_3wYyU9LQfMX6dkP9UB1lS4gwspkukJ0g838VqnQjomb7euCBZ9QrukXxFoABJXJBkwWQdcNsBqAHSUOljAxFtScD35PGIYEVQ0Z1fSj3F4h7dHWfk0eWp/s1600/kid+in+cowboy+boots.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBvHXwgZG5FNywfC0n2JWgqP_3wYyU9LQfMX6dkP9UB1lS4gwspkukJ0g838VqnQjomb7euCBZ9QrukXxFoABJXJBkwWQdcNsBqAHSUOljAxFtScD35PGIYEVQ0Z1fSj3F4h7dHWfk0eWp/s200/kid+in+cowboy+boots.jpg" width="173" /></a><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">There
is one present that I got that Christmas morning that I still have today. It’s
these old cowboy boots. Boot that I’ve worn since I was <st1:personname w:st="on">10</st1:personname>
years old. These are the boots that carried me through some rough times in
junior high and high school. They took me into the Air Force and a transfer to <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Germany</st1:place></st1:country-region>. They
brought me back to the U.S., protected me as I wandered and worked in some dangerous
places, led me to college, transported me while I traveled, gave me a kick in
the pants when I needed to go to seminary, and eventually led me on my journey
to you. Yeah, these boots were made for walkin’. And I would have missed out on
their specialness had I stayed asleep and kept looking for that eleventh gift. What’s
the surprise gift on this fourth Sunday of Advent? That a baby is coming—to
love the world. I for one, hope to stay awake for that! Amen.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">(Excerpts from Barry J. Robinson’s sermon “<st1:personname w:st="on">Don</st1:personname>’t
Go to Sleep on Me” for November <st1:personname w:st="on">2</st1:personname>7, <st1:personname w:st="on">2</st1:personname>00<st1:personname w:st="on">5</st1:personname> –
www.fernstone.org)</span></span></i><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><o:p></o:p></span>Rev Bricehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17136743615744294418noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3445624634508747595.post-27634214705598512252011-12-11T15:07:00.001-08:002011-12-11T16:10:34.915-08:00The Gospel Symbols of Christmas: Twinkle Bulbs and Candlelights<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">John 1:6-8, 19-28<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="color: yellow;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">There
was a man sent from God, whose name was John. He came as a witness to testify
to the light, so that all might believe through him.</span></i><span style="font-size: small;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><sup><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"> </span></sup></i><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">He himself was not the light,
but he came to testify to the light. This is the testimony given by John when
the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, “Who are you?”</span></i><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><sup><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"> </span></sup></i><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">He confessed and did not deny
it, but confessed, “I am not the Messiah.”</span></i><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><sup><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"> </span></sup></i><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">And
they asked him, “What then? Are you Elijah?” He said, “I am not.” “Are you the
prophet?” He answered, “No.”</span></i><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><sup><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">
</span></sup></i><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Then they said to him,
“Who are you? Let us have an answer for those who sent us. What do you say
about yourself?”</span></i><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><sup><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">
</span></sup></i><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">He said, “I am the
voice of one crying out in the wilderness, ‘Make straight the way of the
Lord,’” as the prophet Isaiah said.</span></i><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><sup><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"> </span></sup></i><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Now
they had been sent from the Pharisees.</span></i><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><sup><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"> </span></sup></i><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">They
asked him, “Why then are you baptizing if you are neither the Messiah, nor
Elijah, nor the prophet?”</span></i><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><sup><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">
</span></sup></i><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">John answered them, “I
baptize with water. Among you stands one whom you do not know,</span></i><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><sup><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"> </span></sup></i><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">the one who is coming after
me; I am not worthy to untie the thong of his sandal.”</span></i><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><sup><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"> </span></sup></i></span></span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: #010000; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: x-small; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="color: yellow;"><span style="font-size: small;">This took place in Bethany
across the Jordan where John was baptizing.</span>
</span>
</span></i><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: #010000; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></i><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/YTlChGL0lsk?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">When it comes to watching Christmas movies
and holiday themed TV shows this time of year, I admit I am a bit of a junkie. I
have to watch the old Christmas stand-bys…”A Christmas Story,” “A Charlie Brown
Christmas,” and one of my favorites, “Santa Claus is Coming to Town.” But I
like to surf through some of the cable channels for something different
occasionally. </span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9j77sCYxAwNYiMbxL_h8xZhV3TDU0k2_Qhq_RwcBcICWVQ0SYkTW_xcLOlEwKnjH7Mb-rwkmrX1oblVG3-uYp2XAFTCcfI3xJng2n5_uZqPPdIDgqvHJSnfQ002wb_7kJXcI_X-VxcbW7/s1600/One+million+Christmas+lights.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="141" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9j77sCYxAwNYiMbxL_h8xZhV3TDU0k2_Qhq_RwcBcICWVQ0SYkTW_xcLOlEwKnjH7Mb-rwkmrX1oblVG3-uYp2XAFTCcfI3xJng2n5_uZqPPdIDgqvHJSnfQ002wb_7kJXcI_X-VxcbW7/s200/One+million+Christmas+lights.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">I was particularly intrigued by a show on HGTV this past week about
extreme Christmas lights in America. One of the most extreme Christmas decorations
are by the Faucher family in Delaware who have been merrily setting a neighborhood
standard for 23 years - decking their halls with an astonishing one million
Christmas lights. It's an impressive sight to say the least - and even more so
when you consider what it must cost. Assuming that each one of the one million
bulbs is an average five watt C7 bulb, the cost of keeping the lights on for
one hour is roughly $686. If the Fauchers keep their display lit for four hours
a night for 30 nights that means they are racking up an astonishing bill of
$82,320. That is a lot of Christmas spirit.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-size: 8pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"><a href="http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1338033/The-house-MILLION-Christmas-lights.html#ixzz1fgPcpANr"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: yellow; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1338033/The-house-MILLION-Christmas-lights.html#ixzz1fgPcpANr</span></i></a></span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 8pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></i><br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLeN1v9i3mxg4Ue0MdQX3WmfOuYFNYNdTuaZ9Xj3cEE7Y7LH-SdyQmOwhPLaeBnQdhmwWCpomuhnpAQscEleRTQ-yqAM38W1AM2xUo4YAZ8xgxFX4Kp-maMZ7nPYmLJBnfcpssOtWuftx5/s1600/Festival+of+lights.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLeN1v9i3mxg4Ue0MdQX3WmfOuYFNYNdTuaZ9Xj3cEE7Y7LH-SdyQmOwhPLaeBnQdhmwWCpomuhnpAQscEleRTQ-yqAM38W1AM2xUo4YAZ8xgxFX4Kp-maMZ7nPYmLJBnfcpssOtWuftx5/s200/Festival+of+lights.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">So in keeping with our sermon theme, I
wondered what are the customs and traditions behind this decorating craze. You
might be interested in knowing that the festival of lights is almost as old as
the church herself. From ancient times light has symbolized faith and
intelligence. It has been a symbol of Christian joy which was adopted to dispel
the darkness associated with paganism. Torches, watch fires, beacon lights,
lamps and candles often accompanied joyous occasions and festivities in
antiquity. In fact, the Romans, during their celebration of a festival called
Saturnalia in December, would fasten candles to trees, indicating the sun’s
return to the earth. The Jewish people started celebrating the 8-day Feast of
Lights, known as Hanukkah, commemorating their victory for religious freedom
from the Greeks nearly two centuries before the dawn of Christ.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIT37u6JEDGwcHOqHP_XHZZfBrhBwgvdmG09BPFrPSJL7PvkgulVAEkghjZmb4ca_bnCQmCOy5vMUDgN_ouzcqMKVYtguA1_HCMVbiNQkfmVH_-wkvK5pxureeiRiAtY-rhDkpX0ljZwQm/s1600/lucia.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="164" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIT37u6JEDGwcHOqHP_XHZZfBrhBwgvdmG09BPFrPSJL7PvkgulVAEkghjZmb4ca_bnCQmCOy5vMUDgN_ouzcqMKVYtguA1_HCMVbiNQkfmVH_-wkvK5pxureeiRiAtY-rhDkpX0ljZwQm/s200/lucia.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">And early Christians adopted many of these
rituals, reinterpreting them to symbolize Christ as the light of the world. As
early as 492 C.E., the Pope established Candle-mas Day as the time for blessing
candles in churches. In medieval Europe the custom arose of lighting a giant
Christmas candle that would shed its glow on the festivities until
Twelfth-night. Martin Luther is credited for first placing tapers on the Christmas
tree. <br />
</span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 8pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">(Herbert
Wernecke, Christmas Customs Around the World. Louisville: Westminster Press)</span></i><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 9pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1kZKS9r1lHlD2xkQI5gSl_27GId5rBWygqzEM8lCPIqJp3ACLfy4NCjKvQ-dxAAiqxDMhoZSEziSWqiYr-_mYDwxPA0a2a31_1jNYGw8tyY9F9X2SDxgJU_CKJimCQy3IAkRjvHT-qh13/s1600/ancient+christmas+tree.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1kZKS9r1lHlD2xkQI5gSl_27GId5rBWygqzEM8lCPIqJp3ACLfy4NCjKvQ-dxAAiqxDMhoZSEziSWqiYr-_mYDwxPA0a2a31_1jNYGw8tyY9F9X2SDxgJU_CKJimCQy3IAkRjvHT-qh13/s200/ancient+christmas+tree.jpg" width="134" /></a><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">In 1882, the first Christmas tree was lit
by the use of electricity. Edward Johnson lit up a Christmas tree in New York
City with eighty small electric light bulbs. It didn’t take long for Johnson to
create the first string of electric Christmas lights that were then mass
produced around 1890. By 1900, department stores started using the new
Christmas lights for their Christmas displays. <o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 8pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"><a href="http://inventors.about.com/od/cstartinventions/a/Xmas_Lights.htm"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";"><span style="color: yellow;">http://inventors.about.com/od/cstartinventions/a/Xmas_Lights.htm</span></span></i></a></span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 8pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"> <o:p></o:p></span></i><br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeYcvCpgoj2zyjyivVvbbYviqiJasZvMI_1Pu5c_mdElxMZjec73y8tKNjMfslRyKB_xVw-j1saNdyqWLWYetI0y-5NcFg46XtrG0qqFjTmml0klQwzLFEP4h06zabg5a4l7GAF7mWs_4e/s1600/Burned+out+bulbs.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeYcvCpgoj2zyjyivVvbbYviqiJasZvMI_1Pu5c_mdElxMZjec73y8tKNjMfslRyKB_xVw-j1saNdyqWLWYetI0y-5NcFg46XtrG0qqFjTmml0klQwzLFEP4h06zabg5a4l7GAF7mWs_4e/s200/Burned+out+bulbs.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">I was very excited to put up my Christmas decorations
and twinkle lights this year. But there’s nothing worse than this happening…nothing
more frustrating than a half lit string of twinkle lights. I even tested each
and every unlit bulb and still could not get them to work. Until, I found a
tiny split in one of the wires. Now I’m not an electrician, but fixing this
seemed pretty easy. So I stripped both ends of the plastic casing, reconnected
the tiny copper wires, and wrapped it tightly with black electrical tape.
And…nothing. Seems my elementary electrical skills were not advanced enough to
make this work.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">I am definitely not an electrician. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"><blockquote class="tr_bq">
And sometimes
it is helpful to remember who you are not.<br />
<br /></blockquote>
<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhe1p55jbf1hUPelejqJ2UZwK7IRLJaft8YCsLY1DidWhQ8yL1cYxQijpeTA7SaXsoai5DrXECaE5FLHR-g9klKtCiWNcuAj22RBiIkXczFRQEEGZsBtFOFUZ9ILpsCS8FxBzNsr_SodLwM/s1600/john_baptist.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhe1p55jbf1hUPelejqJ2UZwK7IRLJaft8YCsLY1DidWhQ8yL1cYxQijpeTA7SaXsoai5DrXECaE5FLHR-g9klKtCiWNcuAj22RBiIkXczFRQEEGZsBtFOFUZ9ILpsCS8FxBzNsr_SodLwM/s200/john_baptist.gif" width="138" /></a><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">That is probably the most important message
of this morning's gospel. It deals with the question of John’s identity. Just who
was John the Baptist? Where did he come from? What was his mission? Why did God
send him? It was a big question by the time the author of our gospel wrote
these words for the church. Historically, the movement that John the Baptist started,
independent of Jesus’ ministry, did not end with his death. The writer of
John’s gospel is very aware of the admiration of the Baptizer’s crusade. Some
of his followers were still carrying on his cause long after the Jesus'
movement got started. These followers were called the Essenes, and they were
growing alongside the Christian community, perhaps even competing for converts.
In fact, there is still a small sect in Iraq called the Mandeans who trace
their history and teachings all the way back to John the Baptist and his
vision.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkPR5mAZkKftdkyQZee4bVpSAdwHJA9JFUqlBQlyQ7AsGuMkKNKQzDVyLZagagIN8zFO0AhSRm0mM3yeQP-q2bpz_WWniWxXJUfHXLEuE5uADdU5QFVPHxTvlh89Dnt5jiGcSjYagctUhN/s1600/essenes.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkPR5mAZkKftdkyQZee4bVpSAdwHJA9JFUqlBQlyQ7AsGuMkKNKQzDVyLZagagIN8zFO0AhSRm0mM3yeQP-q2bpz_WWniWxXJUfHXLEuE5uADdU5QFVPHxTvlh89Dnt5jiGcSjYagctUhN/s200/essenes.jpg" width="196" /></a><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">Perhaps this is why we understand the
emphasis in our gospel text for making clear who John was not. The gospel
writer even interrupts himself when he is talking about the light that has come
into the world. "I am not talking about John," he says. The author of
the gospel even records John saying the same thing, with double emphasis. "I
am not the Messiah," John the Baptist states. Certainly, there is no
evidence to suggest that John thought of himself as the Messiah, even though he
did believe the Messiah's arrival was imminent. But I wonder what it must have
been like for him. Was it hard for him to realize who he was not?<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">I imagine there was a lot of pressure for
him to imposter the long-awaited Messiah. But it seems he resisted the pressure
to be something he was not, as powerful as that temptation might have been. In
so doing, he was also able to accept who he was, what he had been called to be;
the Messiah's advance man. He was the forerunner of the Anointed One. "I
am the one who has come to make his way straight," John said, "a
voice crying in the wilderness, make straight the way of the Lord.'"</span><br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiH4Utqz3qZWW4kpgM3IgLAhSfRbKRs22h2QH_sBwfRlIBSabfGZxgPXNoQ5wnoXEoTVfk0RuGOOJ4q3BBGep_Bc-niGAhvsS-6qK1CY3Kn1dlq4rk67ecKVy6AyvX79Cdbq-SXxQL925l-/s1600/New+pastor.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiH4Utqz3qZWW4kpgM3IgLAhSfRbKRs22h2QH_sBwfRlIBSabfGZxgPXNoQ5wnoXEoTVfk0RuGOOJ4q3BBGep_Bc-niGAhvsS-6qK1CY3Kn1dlq4rk67ecKVy6AyvX79Cdbq-SXxQL925l-/s200/New+pastor.jpg" width="158" /></a><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">Pastors sometimes face such pressure from
their churches. Whenever a new minister comes to town, there can be a
temptation to make them into something they are not. All those glowing
recommendations. Those fervent expectations. "Now, things will really get
going!" people begin to say. "This time we've got a winner!"
"This one is just what our church needs!" It is all very
well-intentioned. Very understandable. There’s usually a budding romance with a
new minister; a honeymoon period at the beginning of a new pastorate. But, I'm
telling you, this expectation is a setup for everything that can and often does
go wrong. </span><br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvyVTE1amsunMf_JECvd-fafNQs8ytD-nz-Jw8BE6QxpUqZHzh0Q66qo4HDPyNxdJy3knM0h856vo418wthNitWMJvjkgaqSevm2UZwpWaDwlMcC5IAVeaWJgNylBjpa1JVOqioVVgkrIV/s1600/Mass-Appeal-movie-poster.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvyVTE1amsunMf_JECvd-fafNQs8ytD-nz-Jw8BE6QxpUqZHzh0Q66qo4HDPyNxdJy3knM0h856vo418wthNitWMJvjkgaqSevm2UZwpWaDwlMcC5IAVeaWJgNylBjpa1JVOqioVVgkrIV/s200/Mass-Appeal-movie-poster.jpg" width="163" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mass Appeal (1984) <br />
Movie Poster</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">There is that wonderful scene in the movie “Mass
Appeal,” for instance, where Jack Lemmon plays an older, successful priest who
has bent over backwards in order to be everything his new, affluent
congregation expects him to be. When a young pastoral apprentice comes to the
parish, it isn’t long before he gets into trouble just for being himself. The
older priest is conscience-stricken when he realizes that his entire ministry
has been a sham in order to cover up his deep fear of simply being the person
he really is. When he finally confesses this to his congregation while
celebrating Mass, he says apologetically and somewhat thoughtfully,
"Perhaps, now, you and I can really learn what it means to love one
another."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">But this is a dilemma for a lot of us, not
just church pastors. Most teenager are always trying to be the coolest kid at
school, or the smartest, or sexiest, or most athletic because they think it is
the only way to find acceptance. The young man trying to be what his parents
want him to be. The young wife trying to be what her husband expects her to be.
The middle-aged person holding onto old regrets about the opportunities that
passed them by. The senior adult who is unable to embrace the person that they
have become; limited by the role their children or grandchildren need them to
be.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjR-5nmWnGXw_b-xXDcHwqnIqRL363gkKqZlhOH1eNVPdcGkb2y52UEC5AwaWHyikjuxABP8darampdF0Dzbtq1RSZViPtn6euLqspyJm1ol4iTOJDsx1EWmz4Rc6-18mQVFjChEmzdfsIH/s1600/acceptance-wordle.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="128" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjR-5nmWnGXw_b-xXDcHwqnIqRL363gkKqZlhOH1eNVPdcGkb2y52UEC5AwaWHyikjuxABP8darampdF0Dzbtq1RSZViPtn6euLqspyJm1ol4iTOJDsx1EWmz4Rc6-18mQVFjChEmzdfsIH/s320/acceptance-wordle.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">Our gospel text teaches us an important
lesson for advent. It encourages us to be willing to live within the limits of
who we are, but also be the very best that we are, no more and no less. During
this Christmas season expectations may be very high to deliver that perfect
present, or cook that perfect dinner, or be that perfect person at family
gatherings. Like these twinkle lights that I tried to hang on my tree, we might
feel “half lit” from all the pressure and expectations to be perfect. We might
feel the need to make other people’s lives bright and shining, when we
ourselves feel dimmed and dull. </span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNdHLtvGp1ElYaj7RuYcd5gtXUTpn7rC2UlmKwmXasrGO69OZs37gwVifF79mGtVkL75hhyUYtNpnn7jjQna9f3ECt9J-UyidVIoc0Umjphq4kpEGUpCjCrfeRMBHTmEctL6x9lzTWwgzp/s1600/GroupShot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNdHLtvGp1ElYaj7RuYcd5gtXUTpn7rC2UlmKwmXasrGO69OZs37gwVifF79mGtVkL75hhyUYtNpnn7jjQna9f3ECt9J-UyidVIoc0Umjphq4kpEGUpCjCrfeRMBHTmEctL6x9lzTWwgzp/s200/GroupShot.jpg" width="146" /></a><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">What mattered to John the Baptist, was
preparing the way for God's anointed one. Preparing the way, but not trying to compete
with it. Why? Because being comfortable with WHO you are - no matter WHERE you
are on your journey - is all that God asks. And what does God promise? That God
will light the way for you. And that light will be the welcome for others to
join you along the journey. </span><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">The author of John's Gospel makes the same
affirmation: "The true light, which enlightens everyone, is coming into
the world." Jesus the Christ is<strong> </strong>the light who brings
enlightenment; indeed, he is "the light of the world." This is the
truth in his birth stories, and it is true of your inherent nature as God’s
child. How might you share your light today?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz42Y19-FxJZQ_2L1NaBhdZj3vIpE2Ad4Xxr4YbvkbIRKh93mNY7grYJQ_wZLOA3wbq2svYEs_8jkDcKvTh-0ea6w-OT_U7aITo0FeBEyLy3B9XWPqlceGmpFLGVbN8w62VKjdHJqx6t2M/s1600/sad-smile.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz42Y19-FxJZQ_2L1NaBhdZj3vIpE2Ad4Xxr4YbvkbIRKh93mNY7grYJQ_wZLOA3wbq2svYEs_8jkDcKvTh-0ea6w-OT_U7aITo0FeBEyLy3B9XWPqlceGmpFLGVbN8w62VKjdHJqx6t2M/s200/sad-smile.jpg" width="150" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">Might you kindle a smile in someone who seems down?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Can you share what you have with someone who
could really use it?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Will you offer a
kindness to a stranger? Perhaps you will call a friend and just say, “You are
important to me.” When the light of Christ’s awareness is illuminated in you,
no one will be able to turn off the twinkle of God’s love shining through
you…even when you feel “half-lit” at times. So…light up the world, you little
Christ’s. It won’t cost you a cent! Amen!<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 8pt;">(Excepts from Barry
J. Robinson’s sermon, “ALL THAT GOD ASKS” for December 15, 2002 - </span></i><span style="font-size: 8pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"><a href="http://www.fernstone.org/"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: yellow; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 8.0pt;">www.fernstone.org</span></i></a></span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 8pt;">) <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></i>Rev Bricehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17136743615744294418noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3445624634508747595.post-72259610852340558092011-12-04T13:12:00.001-08:002011-12-04T13:52:16.475-08:00The Gospel Symbols of Christmas: Let it SNOW!<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt;">Mark
1:1-8<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="font-size: small;">The beginning of
the good news of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. As it is written in the prophet
Isaiah, “See, I am sending my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your
way; the voice of one crying out in the wilderness: ‘Prepare the way of the
Lord, make his paths straight.’ ”John the baptizer appeared in the wilderness,
proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. And people
from the whole Judean countryside and all the people of Jerusalem were going
out to him, and were baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their
sins. Now John was clothed with camel’s hair, with a leather belt around his
waist, and he ate locusts and wild honey. He proclaimed, “The one who is more
powerful than I is coming after me; I am not worthy to stoop down and untie the
thong of his sandals. I have baptized you with water; but he will baptize you
with the Holy Spirit.”</span></span></i><br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo_Ja9TdSurRBy_MuJMmopGD2g5kFDOVhktTSjmRvEbR1Y4_qpD4Gsj__zMLHDQMWVd9j25K3cUcPiZW5gOS_wHi_7IaRhnRJC-K85V0SOCZEkDQHz4Ree_Ky1_QkV8YPWrGy7NuE6FQV1/s1600/blizzard-5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo_Ja9TdSurRBy_MuJMmopGD2g5kFDOVhktTSjmRvEbR1Y4_qpD4Gsj__zMLHDQMWVd9j25K3cUcPiZW5gOS_wHi_7IaRhnRJC-K85V0SOCZEkDQHz4Ree_Ky1_QkV8YPWrGy7NuE6FQV1/s200/blizzard-5.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="font-size: small;">A
nice married couple, we’ll call Bruce and Carol Davidson, were sitting down to
their usual morning cup of coffee, listening to the weather report coming over
the radio. "There will be 2 to 4 inches of snow today, and a snow
emergency has been declared," the weather report said. "You must park
your cars on the odd numbered side of the streets." Bruce says "Jeez,
okay," and gets up from his warm coffee, bundles up and moves the car. The
next day they're sitting down with their morning cups of coffee and the weather
forecast declares "There will be 4 to 6 inches of snow today, and a snow
emergency has been declared. Now you must park your cars on the even numbered
side of the streets. Again, Bruce says "Jeez, okay," and gets up from
his coffee. Two days later, again they're sitting down with their cups of
coffee and the weather forecast says, "There will be 6 to 9 inches of snow
today, and a snow emergency has been declared. You must park your cars on the -"
Just then the power goes out and Bruce doesn't get the rest of the
instructions. He turns to Carol and says "Jeez, what am I going to do now?"
Carol replies "Aw, Bruce, why don't you just leave the car in the garage
today?"</span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhePlYHClX5aIl5HInEyIr9NI12JegkeluMBkb8_YDX4jewpuYL9C41B4IQFH7pzx4ybP2bBz9dgjVLwoP3QIn3Pxo50CKgZuO44VWQejDZFSj0HesAhfHw_CDo_yw8EL6rL8powGyGrOoA/s1600/DirtySnow.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhePlYHClX5aIl5HInEyIr9NI12JegkeluMBkb8_YDX4jewpuYL9C41B4IQFH7pzx4ybP2bBz9dgjVLwoP3QIn3Pxo50CKgZuO44VWQejDZFSj0HesAhfHw_CDo_yw8EL6rL8powGyGrOoA/s200/DirtySnow.jpg" width="150" /></a><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="font-size: small;">So,
as you can guess, our worship theme this morning is all about Snow. Now unless
you are under the age of 16, or don’t have your driver’s license, Snow is
hazardous to your health this time of year. I really don’t like the snow. Oh,
yeah, it’s all nice and fluffy looking as it first begins to fall to the
ground. It does bring some warm images of Christmases past to mind…and it
wouldn’t really be much of a holiday season without at least one or two inches
of the stuff lying around. But if you are really honest with yourself, doesn’t all
the frozen wet stuff just bother you after the first couple days following the
first snowfall…especially when it begins to turn black with soot and dirt from
the passing cars. Let’s face it; does snow really have a purpose at all?<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmeRTVGaUWCU5Zegx4iQLOviTez_4pJXMxhR-Lxw6NHq2TvdT3nVT_iJY3lfANgWJb3ljjHfufPQFsTN2K6c_cpzWi6IB6eURzofsxRwUS1AldNXee3ADt0KqNmwxa-0It0UiHQrbSr-x8/s1600/thermohaline.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="123" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmeRTVGaUWCU5Zegx4iQLOviTez_4pJXMxhR-Lxw6NHq2TvdT3nVT_iJY3lfANgWJb3ljjHfufPQFsTN2K6c_cpzWi6IB6eURzofsxRwUS1AldNXee3ADt0KqNmwxa-0It0UiHQrbSr-x8/s200/thermohaline.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">Well,
I went to the internet and posed that exact question. What came up from my
search was a bit astonishing! Scientifically, here were the answers: Snow is a
type of precipitation in the form of crystalline water ice, consisting of a
multitude of snowflakes that fall from clouds. We know that precipitation is a
major component of the hydrologic cycle, and is responsible for depositing most
of the fresh water on the planet. Now apart from the obvious role of
precipitation in our ecosystem, snow serves as an insulating blanket, lessening
to some extent the extremes of temperature fluctuation to which the soil is
subjected. But it also brings about a rapid cooling of the overlying atmosphere,
which gives rise to polar air masses that drive the ocean currents like a
global conveyor belt. In short, snow plays a dominant part in the climate of
many of the Earth’s regions. <o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidW4DC7u4K13Q52aWd_QwiKu7-tilkFcqKjEic4P-kq-IKYTiuWsCATqziF7RXqQMU7AIjGl_vDpQt0_F6YoN2Hny6d1vu-PYA0nt5Q_sdkAOUnQ6nALuCswGp_NISvTTeBURhSq-ZbtCX/s1600/snow_falling.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidW4DC7u4K13Q52aWd_QwiKu7-tilkFcqKjEic4P-kq-IKYTiuWsCATqziF7RXqQMU7AIjGl_vDpQt0_F6YoN2Hny6d1vu-PYA0nt5Q_sdkAOUnQ6nALuCswGp_NISvTTeBURhSq-ZbtCX/s200/snow_falling.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="font-size: small;">Besides
the ecological benefits of snow, we can understand it to also have spiritual
effects. It can be viewed as one of God's instruments for assisting us in the
maintenance of our spiritual growth. In dreams, liquid water represents our
conscious life experiences – whereas snow is made of frozen water particles. It
symbolizes stagnancy, or unchanging life experiences. When there is no change
in life, the same experiences are repeated. Have you ever had the same
experience over and over, and just couldn’t understand why the same scenario
seemed to be constantly played out? It might be the same kind of relationship
within your family, or with your supervisor at a job. It could be with your
kids’ teachers at school, or with a waiter at a restaurant. Whatever the
situation, having the same kind of life experience is not just a coincidence,
but is an opportunity for reflection and spiritual growth.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho7AWc9rZoi23nNvwJ179OjXO-u_Vyz_fT4VIpqyDGsE5UZwjYSZfxbqgYcvyvW-DVOqpHXByTFz2J_TL_hTg39eRUaZGG5e_FM2nICLR_8ELCOuYFLoArTnPY99vMOELbWevUxx3j3JZZ/s1600/John+the+Baptist.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho7AWc9rZoi23nNvwJ179OjXO-u_Vyz_fT4VIpqyDGsE5UZwjYSZfxbqgYcvyvW-DVOqpHXByTFz2J_TL_hTg39eRUaZGG5e_FM2nICLR_8ELCOuYFLoArTnPY99vMOELbWevUxx3j3JZZ/s200/John+the+Baptist.jpg" width="152" /></a><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">Let’s
unpack that a little bit more. For instance, in our text today we have a really
interesting character that opens Mark’s gospel. John the Baptist is preparing
people for Christ’s coming by calling them to repentance and baptism. He was
warning them about what, and who was to come. And what was coming was no picnic
for the Jews under Roman occupation. He was a preacher who had no qualms
telling people the truth. He showed up wearing clothing of camel's hair with a
leather belt around his waist and chomping grasshoppers dipped in wild honey.
Everybody knew what that meant. In the popular Judaism of Jesus' day, there was
this expectation that on the day God started to make things right for the poor
and dispossessed - Elijah would reappear. Of all the prophets of <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Israel</st1:place></st1:country-region>, no
champion of the oppressed had been more popular than Elijah, a man, they said,
who ate false prophets and evil kings for dinner. </span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyjzm_8nyH259OFhHJqQ8V2zzslt2tRPIDtJOhVSHVvdx7jirjqFJWYDXNvYeIx1c-MtlMXsC7V98TQYqvGxlwtNLySf8nv9Eouesiaj3hMjoHfSioXUryWk1X_xSCmUUk_xaEIGisvwk9/s1600/Lincoln.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyjzm_8nyH259OFhHJqQ8V2zzslt2tRPIDtJOhVSHVvdx7jirjqFJWYDXNvYeIx1c-MtlMXsC7V98TQYqvGxlwtNLySf8nv9Eouesiaj3hMjoHfSioXUryWk1X_xSCmUUk_xaEIGisvwk9/s200/Lincoln.jpg" width="144" /></a><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">It would have been something
like Abe Lincoln showing up during the march on Selma, Alabama in the 1960s; or
Gandhi walking in front of tanks in Beijing, China during the massacres on
Tiananmen Square in 1989; or Martin Luther King addressing congress about the
rights of immigrants, same-sex couples, and unemployed Americans suffering in
this decade of economic imbalances. John the Baptist wasn't just a popular
prophet. He represented the very spirit of <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Israel</st1:place></st1:country-region> at its most just and
courageous.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuKOzvszMVbdibrIpgOKTWevwC62kDK-4XUklG4lHO1fg18k3-LFuA60LMa3GcHrpSXdlKZ0KtI7F25EtckS1_-KkRs3ihn-SMzchK5fR_CcvShyphenhyphenjF1GMZzomzCm8Oq8puRly8-iuYN19a/s1600/MLK.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuKOzvszMVbdibrIpgOKTWevwC62kDK-4XUklG4lHO1fg18k3-LFuA60LMa3GcHrpSXdlKZ0KtI7F25EtckS1_-KkRs3ihn-SMzchK5fR_CcvShyphenhyphenjF1GMZzomzCm8Oq8puRly8-iuYN19a/s1600/MLK.jpg" /></a><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="font-size: small;">"Repent
for the kingdom of heaven has come near" he warned them, reminding his
listeners of that time in the future when everything that stood in opposition
to goodness and justice would be swept away once and for all. He was announcing
that the reign of God was drawing near and that it would be "game
over" for all who worshipped loveless power. "Repent," John
pounded from his wilderness pulpit. But he didn't mean simply feeling sorry for
cheating on your income taxes, but demanded a reorientation of your entire life.
He called everyone to be baptized into a new orientation of life experience, to
defrost the old way of thinking and thaw out frozen attitudes of self
absorption and indulgence.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="font-size: small;">It
seems that this holiday season has brought out the worst in some people. On the
day after Thanksgiving this past year, Black Friday they call it, the lines out
front of retail stores began forming the night before. On TV we saw stampedes recorded
on security cameras in Wal*Marts across the nation as people rushed to buy
their $198 42 inch LCD televisions. A woman in Los Angeles even pepper-sprayed
a crowd of folks that was in her way, injuring over 30 other shoppers.</span></span><br />
<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/BNnM24FVVAQ?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="font-size: small;">Our
incessant need for more and blinding greed keeps our hearts and minds “snowed
in” from responding to our true mission as God’s children. That mission is to be
a people of faith that consider the needs of others before ourselves. And like
John the Baptist we are not simply preaching "self-help,” but are reorienting
people to the necessity of change in response to the reality of a new set of
circumstances. A new world is breaking in, one which would not tolerate
injustice, oppression, deceit, greed and fear. It is time to re-define one's
life, to re-align one's ethical stance in keeping with such a new order.
"The kingdom of heaven is drawing near."</span> <o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9VAvLN_dYXKyVOFWY-ZL4zI8NL35mGiq_5w_Pn-BLSSnLxpBhK04ZIZpzYxfqPF9je5MTpLu6y8wBvtC2MgOOYTQYqVTziDSEmid9UKkk7aqzOALVYci4EiuAgMsrvfnMdCmeFIPywCf2/s1600/pharisees.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9VAvLN_dYXKyVOFWY-ZL4zI8NL35mGiq_5w_Pn-BLSSnLxpBhK04ZIZpzYxfqPF9je5MTpLu6y8wBvtC2MgOOYTQYqVTziDSEmid9UKkk7aqzOALVYci4EiuAgMsrvfnMdCmeFIPywCf2/s200/pharisees.jpg" width="175" /></a><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="font-size: small;">And
that is why John speaks so sternly, so sarcastically to the religious
conservatives and liberals who showed up to hear him preach; for that is who
the Pharisees and Sadducees represented. It wasn't enough to trust the old
patterns of thinking, the frozen-in-stone rules, the predictable rituals - no
matter how honored or revered. It didn't matter whether you were Democrat or
Republican, fundamentalist or liberal, pedigreed or newcomer. It was deeds that
counted not talk; action not reputation. And why was it so important for John
that people get their act together in a hurry? Well, here, of course, was the
main point of his message. Because John believed that what he was doing was
just a preview of coming attractions.</span> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieF45mQN1PfE1suvrkjJW2QqoKbtfO7_YM-8OGveG3bRsNtGL90pGAjfxHHCYvhVzsB7OSECLi9wmaymDIY3iw6Jkh7ejcZLEMSYBQzhgJOFlzLnUpIbyz8Wc89yMZF2EvAiu1IvLqTMq3/s1600/dove-6.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="190" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieF45mQN1PfE1suvrkjJW2QqoKbtfO7_YM-8OGveG3bRsNtGL90pGAjfxHHCYvhVzsB7OSECLi9wmaymDIY3iw6Jkh7ejcZLEMSYBQzhgJOFlzLnUpIbyz8Wc89yMZF2EvAiu1IvLqTMq3/s200/dove-6.png" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="font-size: small;">The
Bible is very clear about this. It says that a day will come when God will
bring an end to things as we have known it, which means an end to climbing over
each other for a bigger piece of the cake, an end to exercising power over
others simply because you can, an end to the importance of being famous, an end
to the obscenity of fabulous wealth living alongside abject poverty - an end to
all of that. And the one who will end it will be Christ, of all people. The one
who is coming to judge us most fully is the one who loves us the most fully. He
will burn away all this chaff that makes us less than human and the world far
less human than it is - precisely because he loves us. That is what we are
getting ready for - those of us who call ourselves Christ's people and who long
for the birth of such a love!<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicRVO-c32Lr89BVpVegVDvZKAgDeaWTEgZJfysASokx4LHXP2vfnpfRlnTtaJ_wEOwYQLfnA5HsYS4ggCF5FIYjuKiv-YurZ6_v74Vf-Q10gEnqoG1YtREBNchFLgSSKgblL9kyMupRl6F/s1600/christ_child.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="146" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicRVO-c32Lr89BVpVegVDvZKAgDeaWTEgZJfysASokx4LHXP2vfnpfRlnTtaJ_wEOwYQLfnA5HsYS4ggCF5FIYjuKiv-YurZ6_v74Vf-Q10gEnqoG1YtREBNchFLgSSKgblL9kyMupRl6F/s200/christ_child.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="font-size: small;">And
where will this Christ be born? You guessed it…in the stable of our hearts.
Christ comes to us bathed in a new consciousness. He melts the frozen thoughts
of our conditioned life experiences with the warm light of awareness. Snow is
the water of our baptism, thawed out from frozen attitudes and frigid fears of
change. It may seem like a hazard at first, but it can renew our understanding
of communion with each other – and that’s what the Christ mass is all about,
right? Amen!<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">(Excerpts from Barry J.
Robinson’s sermon “A Preview of Coming Attractions” for <st1:date day="4" month="12" w:st="on" year="2005">December <st1:personname w:st="on">4</st1:personname>,
<st1:personname w:st="on">2</st1:personname>00<st1:personname w:st="on">5</st1:personname></st1:date>
– </span></i><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><a href="http://www.fernstone.org/"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><span style="color: yellow;">www.fernstone.org</span></span></i></a></span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 8pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">)<o:p></o:p></span></i></span><br />Rev Bricehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17136743615744294418noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3445624634508747595.post-74954114225440820562011-11-27T12:12:00.001-08:002011-11-27T13:09:51.048-08:00The Gospel Symbols of Christmas: Hanging of the Greens<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt;">Mark
<st1:personname w:st="on">13</st1:personname>:<st1:personname w:st="on">2</st1:personname><st1:personname w:st="on">4</st1:personname>-37</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span></span><br />
<span style="color: yellow;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><em><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.5pt;"><span style="color: yellow;">"But in those days, after that
suffering, the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, </span></span>and the stars will be falling from heaven, and the powers in the
heavens will be shaken. Then they will see "the Son of Man coming in
clouds' with great power and glory. Then he will send out the angels, and
gather his elect from the four winds, from the ends of the earth to the ends of
heaven. "From the fig tree learn its lesson: as soon as its branch becomes
tender and puts forth its leaves, you know that summer is near. So also, when
you see these things taking place, you know that he </em></span><a href="http://www.blogger.com/" name="a"></a><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><em>is near, at
the very gates. Truly I tell you, this generation will not pass away until all
these things have taken place. Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words
will not pass away. "But about that day or hour no one knows, neither the
angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. Beware, keep alert; </em></span><a href="http://www.blogger.com/" name="b"></a><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><em>for you do not know when the time will come. It is like a man going
on a journey, when he leaves home and puts his slaves in charge, each with his
work, and commands the doorkeeper to be on the watch. Therefore, keep awake—for
you do not know when the master of the house will come, in the evening, or at
midnight, or at cockcrow, or at dawn, or else he may find you asleep when he
comes suddenly. And what I say to you I say to all: Keep awake."<o:p></o:p></em></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">Anyone get to clean
out their refrigerators this past week? Did you pardon any turkeys in
your life? (You will need to read last week's post to get this in context.) I hope you continue this tradition next year, and
remember to prepare your hearts for Thanks-forgiving every year. <o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<div style="line-height: 115%;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGFsq66Y1td-tfBrDOVsvkFiWFNrORb-DGhirJrt8Tw4kJ9aBqhMbibV8IEj8BPhsiZyeDS2dpA303WitJ7fAyQHS9xLlfvxkEaf8ZXb5pdbVkoiN1ko6m5SUUerRMuwLOldtjY7haK2iz/s1600/Black+Friday+crowds.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="140" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGFsq66Y1td-tfBrDOVsvkFiWFNrORb-DGhirJrt8Tw4kJ9aBqhMbibV8IEj8BPhsiZyeDS2dpA303WitJ7fAyQHS9xLlfvxkEaf8ZXb5pdbVkoiN1ko6m5SUUerRMuwLOldtjY7haK2iz/s200/Black+Friday+crowds.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">And speaking of
traditions, did any of you participate in “Schwarzer Freitag” the day after
Thanksgiving? Those of you with a German heritage will nonetheless know what I
am talking about…Black Friday? Anyone know why we call it that? Yes,
most stores make enough sales after this day of the year that anything they
sell afterwards is pure profit. </span></div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigsHLFuCDnupUcP7XBn_mYifT9QITrPCVhRB03yGUwq3Nuvs9JMvOrhsDZxUhtBh_ZShUivsIWI7xhCfBZNgKUl1Alz7_RdSR9RByVFKCJLkNkoStte6q3u7ha0UwwwZJw7TldrYR0Vlr7/s1600/adventwreath1.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigsHLFuCDnupUcP7XBn_mYifT9QITrPCVhRB03yGUwq3Nuvs9JMvOrhsDZxUhtBh_ZShUivsIWI7xhCfBZNgKUl1Alz7_RdSR9RByVFKCJLkNkoStte6q3u7ha0UwwwZJw7TldrYR0Vlr7/s200/adventwreath1.gif" width="181" /></a><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;"></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">The fact is, like
Black Friday in the secular world, we have lots of traditions or customs that
we follow in the Christian church during this time of year. There are many
traditions that most young people don’t really understand, and even some of us
older folks have probably forgotten their original meanings. Over the next four
weeks we will be exploring these customs during our Advent sermon series
called, “The Gospel Symbols of Christmas.” <o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJuYYMrzlQ8FKAlVzk-B7-VTN8Tf7AbiaG14dOklrtprGMILrdrOoV9TkExn98xxeBQkq9YgpFqCvvdxx1Nb_yEPMJHeCX1DDe1l4bZcRafZoxhRgTojDOlC7qTzftkSm5RqZw-dEjwdPB/s1600/Mass+Eucharist1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJuYYMrzlQ8FKAlVzk-B7-VTN8Tf7AbiaG14dOklrtprGMILrdrOoV9TkExn98xxeBQkq9YgpFqCvvdxx1Nb_yEPMJHeCX1DDe1l4bZcRafZoxhRgTojDOlC7qTzftkSm5RqZw-dEjwdPB/s200/Mass+Eucharist1.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">Well, we know that
the Christmas season has been around for a long, long time. But do you know
just how long? It is generally known by most folks that Christmas began as <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Christes Masse</i>, a beloved religious
festival originating from the angels’ song in Bethlehem, “Glory to God in the
highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.” This is really the Good
News of the Gospel in simplest terms. But <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Christes
Mass</i> literally means the Eucharist of Christ, or Christ’s Communion with
Humankind. It’s the season to remember why God came to earth enfleshed in human
form, to commune with us, God’s children. </span></div>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ0uD_umnn3lcfcy3J_3MQmi7-ZpT48LUPkdrsMPqm8gczLnjG81tRP4yitwYB_rncNfXMQkYU53YR-tFT_fciWI6Mw-L7Wpd8_QeRxV8P8iZtrNKkLxZHXFb9rTGWoM-9nWm26KWgjmcY/s1600/Constantine.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ0uD_umnn3lcfcy3J_3MQmi7-ZpT48LUPkdrsMPqm8gczLnjG81tRP4yitwYB_rncNfXMQkYU53YR-tFT_fciWI6Mw-L7Wpd8_QeRxV8P8iZtrNKkLxZHXFb9rTGWoM-9nWm26KWgjmcY/s200/Constantine.jpg" width="156" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Emperor Constantine</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">But what is less
known is the face that only as late as 350 C.E. was December 25<sup>th</sup> set
for the observance of the birthday of Jesus the Christ. The date was set by Julius
I, Bishop of Rome, after the Emperor Constantine had declared Christianity the
empire's favored religion in 336 C.E. While the reasons for choosing this
specific date are wildly different, it is assumed that because this time of
year coincided with many pagan festivals, the church needed to offer people a
Christian alternative to the pagan festivities. Eventually many of their
symbols and actions were reinterpreted in ways acceptable to Christian faith
and practice. Although the Christmas season has been developing for over 1600
years, it is still changing and continues to grow as our customs are refined
and new traditions begin. </span><span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><a href="http://www.gotquestions.org/December-25.html"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 9pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="color: yellow;">http://www.gotquestions.org/December-25.html</span></span></i></a></span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 9pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;"> </span></i><br />
<br />
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 9pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;"></span></i><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWR3D6MTN8HL3mUO1DEw1J6WngsV6lXRrfffIdUazirmzqqUGdajvx-MOpJ8worYv5lZlGW2cCLhWMORAtLQnzha7zOyno0wu_epp9ejZqA_Rp1BEf1g0dbJIZXoQkqvyqYAe5rjV4Q1Ml/s1600/Hanging+of+the+Greens.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="195" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWR3D6MTN8HL3mUO1DEw1J6WngsV6lXRrfffIdUazirmzqqUGdajvx-MOpJ8worYv5lZlGW2cCLhWMORAtLQnzha7zOyno0wu_epp9ejZqA_Rp1BEf1g0dbJIZXoQkqvyqYAe5rjV4Q1Ml/s200/Hanging+of+the+Greens.jpg" width="200" /></a><br />
<div style="line-height: 115%;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">Some of our modern traditions
still originate in pagan customs and have little to do with the biblical
account of Christ’s birth. This morning I want to give you some history behind
our <strong>“Hanging of the Greens”</strong> around the sanctuary and our homes. </span><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">The hanging of greens, such as Holly, Ivy and Mistletoe is a British winter
tradition with origins far before the Christian era.
Greenery was used to lift people's spirits during the long winter and remind
them that spring was not far away. </span></div>
<div style="line-height: 115%;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 115%;">
<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9MYeTKxEns9DNsrcWB0LF40mX4DG69Bj_1Ztulk-zgm4krQxFVgpfbYgu9-oPOZD631c7Xa9mBQbGMUybmoV4FRyBtwHkeOummsusKfoZWJoLDF_pstyuMY0xVaylpcWGvIFJX9U9B8rV/s1600/holly.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="115" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9MYeTKxEns9DNsrcWB0LF40mX4DG69Bj_1Ztulk-zgm4krQxFVgpfbYgu9-oPOZD631c7Xa9mBQbGMUybmoV4FRyBtwHkeOummsusKfoZWJoLDF_pstyuMY0xVaylpcWGvIFJX9U9B8rV/s200/holly.jpg" width="200" /></a><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;"></span><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">There
are more than 150 varieties of holly and ivy, and it grows in practically all
the countries of the world. It was used for centuries for decorative purposes,
especially in winter festivals because it bore fruit in the winter. It came to
be a symbol of immortality. It was connected to Christmas, beginning in
Denmark, as a symbol of the crown of thorns worn by Jesus, the red berries
representing the blood. The Danes call it, Christ-thorn. In ancient yuletide songs
the holly was spoken of as the male and the ivy as the female. Whichever gender
was the one who first brought it into the house for the season would indicate
which sex would rule the house that year. Anyone for a trip to the greenhouse
after church!</span><br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 115%;">
</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgINC8ddDdEFFB0k7JkFVKIi-J5TKfqdEZYwcJK9hFwZg4LTDeazk6Bk5pWIHbUpCpiAi8HBneTUU-E5Kz01S6XQnzaQcERTWi_N8dbQ8zW3sIIPhXlClThVvC4tYh8Tb42hbybovNj4x__/s1600/deluxe-mistletoe-spray.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="163" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgINC8ddDdEFFB0k7JkFVKIi-J5TKfqdEZYwcJK9hFwZg4LTDeazk6Bk5pWIHbUpCpiAi8HBneTUU-E5Kz01S6XQnzaQcERTWi_N8dbQ8zW3sIIPhXlClThVvC4tYh8Tb42hbybovNj4x__/s200/deluxe-mistletoe-spray.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">Another similar
seasonal decoration is the Mistletoe. Its name is derived from the Norse word, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">misteltan</i>, meaning “different twig.” In
ancient Britain it was the sacred plant of the Druids, used in elaborate
ceremonies at the winter solstice. Because of its overt pagan associations it
is seldom used in church decorations, but is commonly found in homes. As it
hangs in the doorway anyone may claim a kiss from the person who stands beneath
it. After the kiss they then remove one of the berries to give to the
recipient. When all of the berries are taken, no more kisses are available. </span><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 9pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">(Herbert Wernecke, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Christmas
Customs Around the World. </i>Louisville: Westminster Press)</span></div>
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<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOc9uf8WqVMwZ36MN6Bs7jfHHuAlyutSlozhSzzARq8_-ahkC1NB4IU6XIS3LhLwrcg0Izc4WpQx6N9DqUXeUZq4DnXlU4YHKlQGFfsjBJkAZsMg4By4epxuz2JZ1q_khyEaExdVcmshj4/s1600/Christmas_Wreath.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOc9uf8WqVMwZ36MN6Bs7jfHHuAlyutSlozhSzzARq8_-ahkC1NB4IU6XIS3LhLwrcg0Izc4WpQx6N9DqUXeUZq4DnXlU4YHKlQGFfsjBJkAZsMg4By4epxuz2JZ1q_khyEaExdVcmshj4/s1600/Christmas_Wreath.png" /></a><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">How about the
wreaths that we hang on our doors and windows, or the greenery we string along
our banisters and archways? Evergreens, which flourish when all else is brown
and dead, are obvious symbols of enduring life. Our primitive fore parents
brought in green branches at the festival of the Winter Solstice, which occurs
every year on December 21<sup>st</sup>. They used them in magical rites to
ensure the return of vegetation in the spring. Holly, ivy and mistletoe were
strong life-symbols because they could bear fruit even in the winter. And
wreaths represented the Teutonic fire wheel, a symbol of the sun god. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFjV6pVHJAo5iBzuD-5wIUNXkU9J1L8DIxgVBOLUvIuBVyAZVYcL0B7pM7W7IVL8ZXsweMTLVDjyKa8zm2drtkDXt9mBv01EcXaifUaX4zLKiSxP3y7fQ3HZ2-xhvnL5pFHGV3W1rztJF2/s1600/Mexican+Poinsettia.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFjV6pVHJAo5iBzuD-5wIUNXkU9J1L8DIxgVBOLUvIuBVyAZVYcL0B7pM7W7IVL8ZXsweMTLVDjyKa8zm2drtkDXt9mBv01EcXaifUaX4zLKiSxP3y7fQ3HZ2-xhvnL5pFHGV3W1rztJF2/s1600/Mexican+Poinsettia.jpg" /></a><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">But not all of our
holiday greens originate from our European ancestors. For instance; the
Poinsettia as a symbol of Christmas comes from an old Mexican legend. A poor
little girl was heartbroken because she had nothing of beauty or value to offer
the Christ child, so she plucked some weeds from the side of the road and, as
her only possession in the world, laid them at the feet of the statue of the
Virgin Mary. The legend says that the weeds were miraculously transformed into
the scarlet brilliance of the poinsettia flower that we know today. In fact, in
present day Mexico people still refer to it as the flower of the Holy Night.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgS7jvi1zmw7KLNlDmK81s5g3Q04JmUym7P7_IkOMot0KqedK8la_7KwxDq-NJVMwfoKINDSUp7T3x1teokJ_beuELp2dxHwrwp4ymahFrsyjO9_cOIxRMFCeTaqysWvCUD2ehbVuy859QE/s1600/judea.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="147" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgS7jvi1zmw7KLNlDmK81s5g3Q04JmUym7P7_IkOMot0KqedK8la_7KwxDq-NJVMwfoKINDSUp7T3x1teokJ_beuELp2dxHwrwp4ymahFrsyjO9_cOIxRMFCeTaqysWvCUD2ehbVuy859QE/s200/judea.gif" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">And, like these
many symbols of our greens that mean more than they seem, we have an unusual gospel
text for the first Sunday of Advent. Just what do these apocalyptic words mean
to the audience that the gospel writer was addressing? This is what we do know.
Mark’s gospel was written during a turbulent political era in <st1:place w:st="on">Judea</st1:place>.
<st1:place w:st="on">Judea</st1:place> was the area of ancient <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Israel</st1:place></st1:country-region> that was
occupied and governed by the <st1:place w:st="on">Roman Empire</st1:place>. The
time frame was about year 70 of the Common Era, or roughly <st1:personname w:st="on">4</st1:personname>0 years after the death of Christ. The situation had
become gravely dangerous. Enemies and spies were everywhere. It was not safe to
be a known follow of Jesus. And people spoke in coded language for their own
safety, especially members of that tiny, persecuted community called the
church.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: 115%;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">The author of the
gospel of Mark writes about the time after the suffering of the followers of
Jesus, “Then they will see ‘the Son of man coming in clouds’ with great power
and Glory.” As I read this I have to ask myself, is this a reference to a literal
‘end of the world’ scenario? Growing up I was taught that this passage was
evidence that Jesus was predicting the end of the world with very specific
signs…and that only those who endure to the end would be saved. But what did these
words mean to the people that Mark was writing to? We do know that Mark <u>was </u>indeed
writing about the end of an era when Jesus died on the cross. That was the
beginning of the end for Mark and that tiny Christian community. But Mark
believed that the powers that ruled their world were toppled in the very moment
that Jesus died on the cross. When Jesus stood up to the powers, it was the
dawn of a new day, the beginning of the renewal of everything in the whole
universe. . . . stars will be falling from heaven, and the powers in the
heavens will be shaken, the scripture says. Nothing would ever be the same
again.</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 115%;">
</div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg92V6MXi1WVWPFjCqEKTyrxHRdtX6-V2T6oFZfDSA9TIjTttkvidffYHXIjFjQ1mImOy2dLPPZxS-FgGC4TY02OVrAREm8WPI5oZqeirK0yk86XjcCTViOH5r3QY96TqSEvrZdkuZ4PtzF/s1600/Fig+Tree+Blossom.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg92V6MXi1WVWPFjCqEKTyrxHRdtX6-V2T6oFZfDSA9TIjTttkvidffYHXIjFjQ1mImOy2dLPPZxS-FgGC4TY02OVrAREm8WPI5oZqeirK0yk86XjcCTViOH5r3QY96TqSEvrZdkuZ4PtzF/s200/Fig+Tree+Blossom.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Blossoming Fig Tree</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">And then Mark recounts
Jesus’ story about a fig tree that is about to blossom signaling the end of one
season and the beginning of another. Mark confirms that the old order of
domination is about to end and a new day is about to blossom. It is happening
now. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>. Jesus is near, at the very gates
. . . Mark tells us. It is the moment of truth for the Christian community—a chance
for things to begin. Pay attention! And then, just to make sure we get the
point, another story hot on the heels of this one - about a man who leaves on a
journey, leaving his servants in charge, telling them to be ready for his
return, for they do not know when that will take place. It could be . . . in
the evening.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<div style="line-height: 115%;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">“Ah,” members of
Mark’s community would have remembered. “That’s when Jesus met with his friends
in the upper room, wasn’t it? . . . or at midnight when Jesus was arrested . .
. or at the cockcrow when Peter denied Jesus . . . or at dawn when the soldiers
came to arrest Jesus!” You see? Coded language that Christian people would have
understood during those dangerous times to refer to the fact that they were
living in a time of momentous importance.</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 115%;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlAy3460ErzyO629B1-dMKI8A-v9wdpVeCOfjVYxIWg4KLvbKt5y7JF9FQQ6xsLjFSoVAhvD3PSMlpBvdgEOBy03764wPJimW2TWlaNW5pRoNnPz_GFXij_Zd6YeDMzwjbcMTx-DTAk0xg/s1600/christ-in-gethsemane-p.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlAy3460ErzyO629B1-dMKI8A-v9wdpVeCOfjVYxIWg4KLvbKt5y7JF9FQQ6xsLjFSoVAhvD3PSMlpBvdgEOBy03764wPJimW2TWlaNW5pRoNnPz_GFXij_Zd6YeDMzwjbcMTx-DTAk0xg/s200/christ-in-gethsemane-p.jpg" width="198" /></a><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">“Beware, keep
alert,” Mark writes, “for you do not know when the master of the house will come
. . . or else he may find you asleep when he comes suddenly. What I say to you
I say to all. Keep awake.” It’s the same word Jesus used in the garden of
Gethsemane when he begged Peter and James and John to stay awake with him. Stay
awake! Stay alert! Stay conscious! <st1:personname w:st="on">Don</st1:personname>’t
go to sleep on me! This is the hour, Mark is saying in coded language. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: 115%;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">I’ve often wondered
why there is no story about the birth of Christ in the gospel of Mark. When it
comes to Christmas, Mark is not concerned about a stable, a star, shepherds or
Wiseman. For him, more cosmic things are happening. This passage is not a
vision of the end of the world but words of encouragement to a dispirited group
of Christians who were in danger of giving up the cause. The cosmic images and
parables are ‘coded’ language, intended to remind members of the Christian
community of the importance of remaining faithful in these dark days of world
history, a time not unlike that time for Jesus in the <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placetype w:st="on">garden</st1:placetype> of <st1:placename w:st="on">Gethsemane</st1:placename></st1:place>.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOx9TyC4v1FVsxHHBJ-rjzuBq5jxqlKhz1EOMlVtOKeY0txmP63tR2didCD6p7Ho-SyLKl1JtmvgNqaX-PS9Ef3cNOpjYe1ZXwHZaj4wTF8L5HCFG_G1IruLPuUHDTN-BbndaVMfH6UCs8/s1600/garland.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="199" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOx9TyC4v1FVsxHHBJ-rjzuBq5jxqlKhz1EOMlVtOKeY0txmP63tR2didCD6p7Ho-SyLKl1JtmvgNqaX-PS9Ef3cNOpjYe1ZXwHZaj4wTF8L5HCFG_G1IruLPuUHDTN-BbndaVMfH6UCs8/s200/garland.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">Our Christmas
symbols represent a similar coded language that is intended to remind us of
exactly what we are waiting for during advent. Although some of these customs
originated as pagan rituals, and were even at one time forbidden by the early
church, we understand that back them, like now they represented the
ever-living, eternal God whose constant and abiding love is always ours…and
that God is always present with us. </span><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">Like the Holly
does, what fruit will you bear when the environment around you seems cold and
lifeless? Like the garland wrapped around our sanctuary, how will you express
the enduring life of God within you when all else seems dead and forgotten?
That is our gospel duty, not just through tough times like we are experiencing
today, but in all the challenges and conflicts we experience in this human form.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">Advent means
coming. The Advent wreath symbolizes our journey of waiting for the Messiah,
the anointed one who came to liberate us from our own personal bondage. The
light is coming to wake us up from our slumber and lead us to a new way of
being.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvOO8CH1zmTGjXMNIkPXQNILWRgHQoa6YvERcs7lmwe_-sPVo3W31lW3o8MC95ZVFdocJSyHqkFgVwEOWORh-0aYM2Re3GGdpKSiq3hIjvsotbfCxhlXht_l6gGdJXgYE5pS9u-ugG2Eti/s1600/stay-awake.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="139" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvOO8CH1zmTGjXMNIkPXQNILWRgHQoa6YvERcs7lmwe_-sPVo3W31lW3o8MC95ZVFdocJSyHqkFgVwEOWORh-0aYM2Re3GGdpKSiq3hIjvsotbfCxhlXht_l6gGdJXgYE5pS9u-ugG2Eti/s200/stay-awake.gif" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">Are you awake to
these dark days of so many in our world? Do you read about the suffering of the
poor, but have no desire to ease their pain? Have you fallen asleep
spiritually? Do you snooze through the anticipation and excitement of
Christmas? Have you dozed off from following the gospel—no longer alert to the
realm of God around you? Stay awake! Stay alert! Stay conscious! Don’t go to
sleep during this season of advent! Get ready for the coming of our Messiah who
makes all things alive and green even when our world seems brown and lifeless.
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">So go home this afternoon, and…</span></div>
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<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/2V6ESh4B2qc?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span> <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 8pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">(Excerpts from Barry J. Robinson’s sermon “<st1:personname w:st="on">Don</st1:personname>’t Go to Sleep on Me” for November <st1:personname w:st="on">2</st1:personname>7, <st1:personname w:st="on">2</st1:personname>00<st1:personname w:st="on">5</st1:personname> – www.fernstone.org)</span></i><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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</div>Rev Bricehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17136743615744294418noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3445624634508747595.post-12587959709610065442011-11-20T15:25:00.001-08:002011-11-20T16:22:44.556-08:00Cleaning Out the Fridge<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt;"><span style="color: yellow;"><span style="font-size: large;">Matthew 25:31-46<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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</span><span style="color: yellow;"><span style="color: #010000; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span><span style="color: yellow; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><em>“When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him,
then he will sit on the throne of his glory. All the nations will be gathered
before him, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd
separates the sheep from the goats, and he will put the sheep at his right hand
and the goats at the left. Then the king will say to those at his right hand,
‘Come, you that are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you
from the foundation of the world; for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was
thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed
me, I was naked and you gave me clothing, I was sick and you took care of me, I
was in prison and you visited me. ’Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord,
when was it that we saw you hungry and gave you food, or thirsty and gave you
something to drink? And when was it that we saw you a stranger and welcomed
you, or naked and gave you clothing? And when was it that we saw you sick or in
prison and visited you? ’And the king will answer them, ‘Truly I tell you, just
as you did it to one of the least of these who are members of my family, you
did it to me. ’Then he will say to those at his left hand, ‘You that are
accursed, depart from me into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his
angels; for I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me
nothing to drink, I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you
did not give me clothing, sick and in prison and you did not visit me. ’Then
they also will answer, ‘Lord, when was it that we saw you hungry or thirsty or
a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not take care of you? ’Then
he will answer them, ‘Truly I tell you, just as you did not do it to one of the
least of these, you did not do it to me. ’And these will go away into eternal
punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”</em></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-2C68xPI9vfLG6nCVDvh6O9fWXZLMWeuNunuADeUIs0OUteTae6yf-2498cXmWpyoZxtBBCcxWh-nwCoQK0aP4sgeUx6u9cVAgmrAn1d5ZJTdntWmywFkh0_zkRM-OV5rbXgTt5Dy-Z0M/s1600/fridge_cleaning.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-2C68xPI9vfLG6nCVDvh6O9fWXZLMWeuNunuADeUIs0OUteTae6yf-2498cXmWpyoZxtBBCcxWh-nwCoQK0aP4sgeUx6u9cVAgmrAn1d5ZJTdntWmywFkh0_zkRM-OV5rbXgTt5Dy-Z0M/s200/fridge_cleaning.jpg" width="156" /></a><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 18.0pt;">There are a few
traditions we’ve started in my house for Thanksgiving over the past few years
since moving into our new home. I’m not the cook in the family, so instead of
planning menus or going shopping for the dinner ingredients I get to design the
table decorations and create a personal gift for each individual plate setting.
In the past I’ve gotten some great ideas from Martha Stewart like making construction
paper cutout Turkeys on which family members could record what they are
thankful for. Sometimes I just shop for little Thanksgiving or harvest related
chachkis at the dollar store or Flower Factory. This year I am filling these
cute little tins with candy. I know, I know…I’m copping out this year. But
these are not the traditions I want to talk about this morning. No, the
tradition I’ve been stuck with every year is…vacuuming and dusting the house
and…cleaning out the refrigerator.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 18.0pt;">Now some of you
might be thinking, that’s not a tradition…that’s just a chore. But according to
Wikipedia, a <b>tradition</b> is a ritual, belief or object passed down within
a society, still maintained in the present, with origins in the past.<sup> </sup>Common
examples include holidays or impractical but socially meaningful clothes (like
lawyer wigs or Kentucky Derby hats), but the idea has also been applied to
social norms such as greetings. The word "tradition" itself derives
from the Latin <i>tradere</i> literally meaning to transmit, to hand over, to
give for safekeeping—and new traditions continue to appear today. For me,
cleaning out the fridge before Thanksgiving is quite a ritual.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 18.0pt;">Those of you who
get to host Thanksgiving dinner for the extended family know good and well that
cleaning house from top to bottom is a very important part of the holiday
preparations. Amen? The fact is, since I clean-up all the dirty dishes after
the cooking and eating is over, I also get to put away leftovers. And there is
never, never enough space in the refrigerator to store them all. So, I’ve
learned to clean out the fridge in advance in order to make room for the
leftover turkey, stuffing, corn casserole, pumpkin pie, mashed potatoes, marsh
mellowed yams and delicious gravy. And in order to make sure I have enough room
for all the leftovers, any containers that are expired, in plastic or nearly
empty are taken out of the fridge and sorted to be cleaned and recycled or
thrown away.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifAFTzmbQz5-p9iKFh1k1uHxJ8TxLb6eORh0WBLMSfLrWjhRTKF6jimmKWuyVJbeyxjFAnk051H3Fvq3ZdGNc4QHkjCKlGqB3Cxb18G4Gq4p4-Kg1BbjNb2OiwXQ5RWe9jFGLsUKvnu6YP/s1600/last-judgment.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="102" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifAFTzmbQz5-p9iKFh1k1uHxJ8TxLb6eORh0WBLMSfLrWjhRTKF6jimmKWuyVJbeyxjFAnk051H3Fvq3ZdGNc4QHkjCKlGqB3Cxb18G4Gq4p4-Kg1BbjNb2OiwXQ5RWe9jFGLsUKvnu6YP/s200/last-judgment.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 18.0pt;">In many ways,
Matthew’s depiction of the last judgment in the Gospel reading today is like
this process of judgment and separation. Its purpose is not to condemn or scare
but to provide a glimpse at what habits and ways of life are inconsistent with
the realm of God. This particular parable of the sheep and goats is a narrative
tale about the last judgment and criteria that the Son of Man will use in this
sorting. The criterion is simple; has the person shown mercy to the oppressed?
This parable is the answer to the questions asked in earlier parables in
Matthew about how to be ready for the coming of God’s kingdom; by showing mercy
and caring for the least. Our contemporary metaphor of this sorting is cleaning
out the refrigerator, throwing out the food that is rotten or expired, and
making room for the good food that will nurture our bodies, and souls. <br />
</span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 18.0pt;">(2002
Lumicon Digital Productions exegesis for the Gospel text - </span></i><span style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><a href="http://www.lumicon.org/"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 18.0pt;"><span style="color: yellow;">www.lumicon.org</span></span></i></a></span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 18.0pt;">) </span></i><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 18.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPQBUIUMPjrQypFqY15Z4H_fPMUbjH19E_DVau0bpMCT4gocfwNpMk7pqianPHyhqBr7zVy-tIBu_XXqif0C54rzdKBElzwkGaJFTrkQPqYnmmYMIPgFGwDv7f4pB8Qn_RpK2XlbvNK0CS/s1600/scapegoat.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="118" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPQBUIUMPjrQypFqY15Z4H_fPMUbjH19E_DVau0bpMCT4gocfwNpMk7pqianPHyhqBr7zVy-tIBu_XXqif0C54rzdKBElzwkGaJFTrkQPqYnmmYMIPgFGwDv7f4pB8Qn_RpK2XlbvNK0CS/s200/scapegoat.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 18.0pt;">So why do poor old
goats always get the bad rap? I mean, have you ever had goats milk or goat
cheese? It is delicious…and is considered a delicacy in many places since it’s
more difficult and expensive to obtain. But this metaphor would speak loudly to
the agricultural society of the ancient Near East. Mixed herds of sheep and
goats are typical in Palestine. These herds have to be sorted in the evening
because goats need to be kept warm at night. Sheep are placed on the right
because they were more valuable than goats. They were better meat and their
wool could be sold for cash. The audience that Matthew is writing too would
also remember the texts in the Torah, specifically Leviticus 16:21-22. It says
that Aaron laid his hands upon a goat and symbolically placed all of the sins
of Israel upon the head of the goat and sent it off into the wilderness. The
term Scapegoat comes from this action; the idea of letting someone else take
the blame. In these rituals, the goat was sent out into a field symbolizing
that the Lord would remember their sins no more. In Christian contexts, the sheep
are depicted as the meek and gentle followers of Christ (the Lamb of God).
While goats are symbolized as unruly and outcasts, and have even been widely
used as the basis of portraits of the devil.</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"> <a href="http://wiki.answers.com/Q/Why_in_the_Bible_are_goats_considered_bad"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 18.0pt;"><span style="color: yellow;">http://wiki.answers.com/Q/Why_in_the_Bible_are_goats_considered_bad</span></span></i></a></span><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 18.0pt;">
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</span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCtFhrhs6_Ch8hkcdF08co5W17EEX-KLATiG3lYkZOITQiQPhQKkEY1G2euppBmqJCkvRAemdyc6Sv3Qh5DmeE7MBqCRw87_39-jzJpOVu4HtAb8nudyrmujZYnvjCLbJNW4Um7GGmklr8/s1600/goat+fighting.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCtFhrhs6_Ch8hkcdF08co5W17EEX-KLATiG3lYkZOITQiQPhQKkEY1G2euppBmqJCkvRAemdyc6Sv3Qh5DmeE7MBqCRw87_39-jzJpOVu4HtAb8nudyrmujZYnvjCLbJNW4Um7GGmklr8/s200/goat+fighting.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 18.0pt;">And even today we
often use the reputation of goats in negative terms. For instance, "Look
at the old goat" refers to an old fool or curmudgeon. "You get my
goat!" applies to a person who irritates another. Anyway you look at it;
goats tend to be seen in a negative way. Perhaps it is because of the natural
tendencies that a goat displays. Whereas sheep are gentle, quiet and easily
led, goats are pushy, self-sufficient, and headstrong. Most goats are naturally
horned, but many sheep breeds are naturally hornless. Those goat horns can be
used to bring harm to another. Alas, goats are naturally quarrelsome and have
short tempers. They rear and butt in order to establish dominance. Rather than
being a passive animal like the sheep, they have more aggressive tendencies.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 18.0pt;">How do these goat
characteristics relate spiritually to the shepherd or leader? If a
"goat" is part of a fold, you may see some of these characteristics
displayed. Goats are often pushy and can cause undercurrents and dissension.
Turmoil and agitation are part of their nature. I believe this is because the
goat has a dominating and controlling temperament, rather than a passive and
submissive one.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzRDZbsInXZMzOmJUHX-2LSmJsd3dELDoCr5uZUUe5-fMkRsCwMh1kycOGPcZZUYyJymGxH-qREgR31HwtEsSeYQUABt9_8yuLxJnPXqqPwLcWJwdieFi4vB22x6an1qULT0WMY4I9Dc8u/s1600/stinky+goat.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzRDZbsInXZMzOmJUHX-2LSmJsd3dELDoCr5uZUUe5-fMkRsCwMh1kycOGPcZZUYyJymGxH-qREgR31HwtEsSeYQUABt9_8yuLxJnPXqqPwLcWJwdieFi4vB22x6an1qULT0WMY4I9Dc8u/s200/stinky+goat.jpg" width="180" /></a><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 18.0pt;">Goats tend to be
more self-sufficient than sheep, choosing to browse rather than graze in the
pasture. They don't enjoy the green pastures in the same way as the sheep. They
are not always satisfied with what the shepherd (leader) gives them. They will
nibble on the Word of God, a little here and a little there, yet they love to
be seen in the high places. The goats walk with their tails held high,
spiritually indicating pride, and they emit an offensive odor. There is
something distinguishing about the goat, and that is the odor, or
"air" about them. </span><span style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><a href="http://www.watchmanbiblestudy.com/Documents/SymbologyofSheepGoats.htm"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 18.0pt;"><span style="color: yellow;">http://www.watchmanbiblestudy.com/Documents/SymbologyofSheepGoats.htm</span></span></i></a></span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 18.0pt;"> </span></i><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 18.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 18.0pt;">So, in light of
this evidence I guess we can understand why goats are given such a bad rap. And
if we will scrutinize our bad behaviors in light of this goat metaphor, then we
also see the good news of the gospel in this text. We can be assured that if we
engage in an exercise of “spiritual sorting” we might understand the value of
separating our sheep and goat tendencies. We might value the opportunity to inspect
our refrigerators of the heart and begin throwing out our rotten behaviors, the
stuff that smells with the odor of our pride and self-righteousness, our stinky
sense of superiority, our leftovers of unforgiveness.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 18.0pt;">As we prepare
ourselves for this time of thanksgiving I really believe that in order to truly
be thankful, we must first practice forgiveness. Forgiveness is the path to
healing; not just the healing of our hurt and pain, but a healing of our lack
of compassion for one another. And let’s face it; we all have those hardened
places in our heart where we have neglected or ignored this call to forgive;
hardened, frozen, leftover emotions of hurt, or disgust, or resentment, or even
hate. Jesus said “just as you did it to one of the least of these who are
members of my family, you did it to me.” It’s not just about welcoming the
stranger, clothing the naked, or visiting the prisoner. It can simply be about
closing yourself off from whomever Jesus calls you to love. And sometimes
family can be the hardest of all.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 18.0pt;">About 15 years ago
my brother and I became estranged for many years due to disagreements over
religious beliefs, and judgments we made about each other. While the reasons for those
differences are not so important now, the pain and resentment I held onto for
many years tore at my heart over time. I decided to write a letter of
forgiveness to my brother a few years after our separation so that I could be
healed from our estrangement. I didn’t expect any changes to happen in either
of our beliefs or perceptions about each other, and I never intended to even
mail the letter to him. But I needed to clean the rotten leftovers of anger and
hatred from my heart and mind. I had too. They were poisoning me. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6Id7BK3WZo12AWp0VYrbFcF4oEpWmGdaL-fpmKpw0O8fOCGpo1mBm7LVWHuurGlntlIakA75E5sC6KR322tPGm3MJCdKVA10jQfNYmEXX6pXBxc2O79FRkGH6TRhsja-FFVyX0QKj2OzU/s1600/forgiveness.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6Id7BK3WZo12AWp0VYrbFcF4oEpWmGdaL-fpmKpw0O8fOCGpo1mBm7LVWHuurGlntlIakA75E5sC6KR322tPGm3MJCdKVA10jQfNYmEXX6pXBxc2O79FRkGH6TRhsja-FFVyX0QKj2OzU/s200/forgiveness.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 18.0pt;">It didn’t take long
for God to work in me, and in him. In just a short time after I wrote that
letter my brother called me, invited me to lunch, and apologized for the things
he said that had hurt me so. I asked for forgiveness for the resentment I had
held in my heart against him, and together we repaired our relationship while
God healed our hearts. It was the most liberating experience of my life, and I
understood from that moment on how the power of forgiveness is central to the
story of Jesus and the Good News of God’s love for all humankind. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhuYgHvnMLKWKE4vIgabrHDXSb7dOtTkSiV9vaal_oXCbI_NjR4c0-O3Q_fFHFgGmPCDTE8aib1p1_3VmvsNIwPo4l0s-gQuEbNG9JTMvjH8CCvqiEQPO1EkVGNE3h9PfpiHaHQyLzbhbA/s1600/love+fountain.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhuYgHvnMLKWKE4vIgabrHDXSb7dOtTkSiV9vaal_oXCbI_NjR4c0-O3Q_fFHFgGmPCDTE8aib1p1_3VmvsNIwPo4l0s-gQuEbNG9JTMvjH8CCvqiEQPO1EkVGNE3h9PfpiHaHQyLzbhbA/s200/love+fountain.jpg" width="134" /></a><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 18.0pt;">You see, God
created the world out of an abundance of love. Like a bubbling fountain, God is
love and overflows with love. In sending Jesus and the Holy Spirit, God
repeatedly and generously pours love out upon all people, showing us God’s own
self as well as who we are. Created in this image of this freely giving God, we
are empowered to also freely give. And when we embody that creativity, we can’t
help but give thanks for all that God does. Because love is for giving. And for
that I am truly thankful. But you won’t have much room for what God has to give
if the old fridge needs cleaning out. </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 18.0pt;">(Lindsay Armstrong’s thoughts on the Gospel text in
“Feasting on the Word,” Year A, Volume 4 for Proper 29, p. 335.)</span></i><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 9pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 18.0pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbLg_0GMEMqc6DmLh6jAtjfNNAgvzfUT29xHv5AcVE7UbuozP-HNfkgMKwevHlHJRSRx-P9hL8nrGEtKzXpiemM_jEp_Raw31otPZshd_Qs2OjoR1zr4gNlBuIz1GcGN76IyEBSOC_q4kt/s1600/turkey_pardon.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="141" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbLg_0GMEMqc6DmLh6jAtjfNNAgvzfUT29xHv5AcVE7UbuozP-HNfkgMKwevHlHJRSRx-P9hL8nrGEtKzXpiemM_jEp_Raw31otPZshd_Qs2OjoR1zr4gNlBuIz1GcGN76IyEBSOC_q4kt/s200/turkey_pardon.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 18.0pt;">I invite you to
clean out your refrigerators this week. In fact, I challenge you to make the
week prior to Thanksgiving a new tradition of cleaning out the old behaviors,
or feelings, or resentments that inhibit you being filled with thanksgiving.
It’s kind of like Lent, but before Advent instead of Easter. Let’s call it “AdLent.”
In your bulletin is a formula for cleaning out the refrigerator of your heart. It’s
a “Thanks-forgiving” exercise; to prepare you for healing through forgiveness.
And if you have the courage to write that letter of forgiveness, no matter how
long the pain or hurt has been rotting inside of you, I guarantee your life
will never be the same. Who knows, you might even pardon that turkey in the
family! Amen!</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimJQnsXFUhQXorMvr4NGBxk6PQrecSNHpSUdjaizPaCClsU8GbhR-BUsH6ENXSHQzDsj3bJnM85vGubPAsrDzYZ9F5HYUpqRUgSpq0mqpSki8n6dbn-g0rDnPbo1WUZK1ARO39HcY56pLN/s1600/forgiveness_letter.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="131" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimJQnsXFUhQXorMvr4NGBxk6PQrecSNHpSUdjaizPaCClsU8GbhR-BUsH6ENXSHQzDsj3bJnM85vGubPAsrDzYZ9F5HYUpqRUgSpq0mqpSki8n6dbn-g0rDnPbo1WUZK1ARO39HcY56pLN/s200/forgiveness_letter.jpg" width="200" /></a><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 18.0pt;">Thanks-forgiving Exercise: preparing
for healing through forgiveness<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 18.0pt;">Begin
by relaxing, center yourself, and take a look at your life, remembering someone
(living or dead) whom you have never been able to forgive for some hurt you
experienced in relationship to them. Write a letter to the person you want to
forgive through these steps. <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">(Note: this
letter is for your personal process and not a letter to send to the person.)</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 18.0pt;"><strong></strong></span> <br />
<div style="margin-left: 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Century Gothic"; mso-bidi-font-size: 18.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Century Gothic";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">1)<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span></i><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 18.0pt;">Describe the event</span></b><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 18.0pt;">
– how it hurt you, what was painful, what your feelings were, and how it is
still affecting you. </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 18.0pt;">(i.e.,
it hurts me when…, I feel sad about…, I feel angry that…, I resent…, I was
afraid that…, I’m still feeling…, I feel held back in my life now because…)<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div style="margin-left: 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Century Gothic"; mso-bidi-font-size: 18.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Century Gothic";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">2)<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span></i><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 18.0pt;">Identify the part you played</span></b><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 18.0pt;">
– did you participate in the situation in any way? Are there any learnings or
insights that you have from the experience? </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 18.0pt;">(i.e., I realize my part in this was…, I am
sorry that…, I didn’t mean to…)<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div style="margin-left: 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Century Gothic"; mso-bidi-font-size: 18.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Century Gothic";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">3)<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span></i><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 18.0pt;">Say what you really wanted</span></b><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 18.0pt;">
– write about what you would have like to experience and how that affects your
life and desires now. </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 18.0pt;">(i.e.,
What I really wanted is…, I deserved to…, I would have liked…)<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div style="margin-left: 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Century Gothic"; mso-bidi-font-size: 18.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Century Gothic";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">4)<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 18.0pt;">Letting
it go</span></b><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 18.0pt;"> – Write down your release from this
hurt and offer your forgiveness.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-left: 0.5in;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 18.0pt;">(i.e.,
I understand now that…, I forgive you for…, I am releasing this now…)<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div style="margin-left: 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Century Gothic"; mso-bidi-font-size: 18.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Century Gothic";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">5)<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span></i><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 18.0pt;">I am grateful now</span></b><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 18.0pt;">
– acknowledge the contribution this experience gave to your life, through what
you understand now, or what you have learned. </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 18.0pt;">(i.e., I appreciate that…, I am grateful for…,
What I gained from this experience is…)<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div style="margin-left: 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Century Gothic"; mso-bidi-font-size: 18.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Century Gothic";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">6)<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 18.0pt;">Give
Thanks</span></b><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 18.0pt;"> – to complete you letter, give
thanks for the person and the experience in your life. </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 18.0pt;">(i.e., in appreciation…, with
love…, sending you many blessings…,) </span></i><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 18.0pt;">and sign
your name.<br />
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">(Exercise from the “Healing through Forgiveness”
exercise from the Center for Spiritual Living Foundations Student Workbook.)</i><o:p></o:p></span></div>Rev Bricehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17136743615744294418noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3445624634508747595.post-82890377330094921602011-11-13T18:07:00.001-08:002011-11-20T16:26:32.239-08:00Don’t Bury Your Head in the Sand!<br />
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt;"><span style="color: yellow;">Matthew <st1:personname w:st="on">2</st1:personname><st1:personname w:st="on">5</st1:personname>:1<st1:personname w:st="on">4</st1:personname>-30<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span style="color: yellow;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><sup><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">14</span></sup></i><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">“For it is as if a
man, going on a journey, summoned his slaves and entrusted his property to
them;</span></i><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><sup><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">15</span></sup></i><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">to one he gave five talents, to another two, to another one, to
each according to his ability. Then he went away.</span></i><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><sup><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">16</span></sup></i><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">The one who had
received the five talents went off at once and traded with them, and made five
more talents.</span></i><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><sup><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">17</span></sup></i><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">In the same way, the one who had the two talents made two more
talents.</span></i><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><sup><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">18</span></sup></i><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">But the one who had received the one talent went off and dug a
hole in the ground and hid his master’s money.</span></i><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><sup><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">19</span></sup></i><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">After a long time the
master of those slaves came and settled accounts with them.</span></i><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><sup><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">20</span></sup></i><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Then the one who had
received the five talents came forward, bringing five more talents, saying,
‘Master, you handed over to me five talents; see, I have made five more
talents.’</span></i><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><sup><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">21</span></sup></i><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and trustworthy slave;
you have been trustworthy in a few things, I will put you in charge of many
things; enter into the joy of your master.’</span></i><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><sup><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">22</span></sup></i><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">And the one with the
two talents also came forward, saying, ‘Master, you handed over to me two
talents; see, I have made two more talents.’</span></i><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><sup><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">23</span></sup></i><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">His master said to
him, ‘Well done, good and trustworthy slave; you have been trustworthy in a few
things, I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your
master.’</span></i><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><sup><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">24</span></sup></i><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Then the one who had received the one talent also came forward,
saying, ‘Master, I knew that you were a harsh man, reaping where you did not
sow, and gathering where you did not scatter seed;</span></i><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><sup><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">25</span></sup></i><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">so I was afraid, and I
went and hid your talent in the ground. Here you have what is yours.’</span></i><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><sup><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">26</span></sup></i><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">But his master
replied, ‘You wicked and lazy slave! You knew, did you, that I reap where I did
not sow, and gather where I did not scatter?</span></i><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><sup><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">27</span></sup></i><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Then you ought to have
invested my money with the bankers, and on my return I would have received what
was my own with interest.</span></i><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><sup><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">28</span></sup></i><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">So take the talent from him, and give it to the one with the ten
talents.</span></i><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><sup><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">29</span></sup></i><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">For to all those who have, more will be given, and they will
have an abundance; but from those who have nothing, even what they have will be
taken away.</span></i><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><sup><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">30</span></sup></i><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">As for this worthless slave, throw him into the outer darkness,
where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’<o:p></o:p></span></i></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnPh-TUGcfh8D9Yux4FTcJkX0rx87TzdCk1nJAan7nW3gujfI7BL3A2CxlgTxSM9mtr-YVj3PyA8Vz6pTJCe1yphqgw1BxmBcwrWXiOPcp4ZZ95fKfYuPVd032Igil52nPkmjEYsjOI-6K/s1600/ostrich_head_sand2-gif3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnPh-TUGcfh8D9Yux4FTcJkX0rx87TzdCk1nJAan7nW3gujfI7BL3A2CxlgTxSM9mtr-YVj3PyA8Vz6pTJCe1yphqgw1BxmBcwrWXiOPcp4ZZ95fKfYuPVd032Igil52nPkmjEYsjOI-6K/s200/ostrich_head_sand2-gif3.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; line-height: 150%;">I begin my sermon today by asking a
question: True or False - Ostriches bury their heads in the sand when they're
scared or threatened. ?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Well, while
researching my sermon this week I found an interesting factoid on the internet.
In a study of 200,000 ostriches over a period of 80 years, no one reported a
single case where an ostrich actually buried its head in the sand or attempted
to do so. </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; line-height: 150%;">(www.ahajokes.com/fp03<st1:personname w:st="on">6</st1:personname>.html)<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; line-height: 150%;">But in truth, this well known myth about
Ostriches is actually an optical illusion! Ostriches are the largest living
birds, but their heads are pretty small. "If you see them picking at the
ground from a distance, it may look like their heads are buried in the
ground," says Glinda Cunningham of the American Ostrich Association. But ostriches
don't bury their heads in the sand—because they obviously wouldn't be able to
breathe! But they do dig holes in the dirt to use as nests for their eggs.
Several times a day, a bird puts her head in the hole and turns the eggs. So it
really does look like the birds are burying their heads in the sand! </span><a href="http://kids.nationalgeographic.com/kids/stories/animalsnature/animal-myths-busted"><span style="color: yellow; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">http://kids.nationalgeographic.com/kids/stories/animalsnature/animal-myths-busted</span></a><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;"> <o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<div style="line-height: 150%;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhozU7NZzds0j1frNNRT9pG3ea_klPmySBLhhK-xSgJr4dhLCUPoMGYKxxOXi4uWhje5NByiiRaYPKjErOlDw9HwwJzoCPcJ0SQg146FWB2vxDOgxYxKWg-lcFX6K91oFt8g9KsUXIZi6vD/s1600/jesus-teaching.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhozU7NZzds0j1frNNRT9pG3ea_klPmySBLhhK-xSgJr4dhLCUPoMGYKxxOXi4uWhje5NByiiRaYPKjErOlDw9HwwJzoCPcJ0SQg146FWB2vxDOgxYxKWg-lcFX6K91oFt8g9KsUXIZi6vD/s200/jesus-teaching.gif" width="147" /></a><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; line-height: 150%;">Now I give you this pretty useless fact to
frame our discussion of a pretty controversial story in the gospel text today; some
stories don’t have to be factually true in order hold some truth. Perhaps that
why I love preaching on the parables of Jesus. Let’s face it, Jesus told some
really outlandish stories that don’t seem to make much sense in our
contemporary society. And when we encounter such a story, like the one this
morning, it is a great opportunity to again take pause and consider the reasons
why such parables were told, and then written down and eventually published in
the collection of letters and writings that we called the Bible.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtnGppUDKLXSuU24K8qsceh-uQId2OyePlGZk-BtwS4fyCRZWMcJE1qT575mqrO5ggNyY5BUMZeeQQQ5L10OXskp4n7tIVf1YbaEd91_1wLO0tK2eFEaj0LAuNM0LrPsAE9qK-SqGXzY8h/s1600/jesus_angry.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="143" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtnGppUDKLXSuU24K8qsceh-uQId2OyePlGZk-BtwS4fyCRZWMcJE1qT575mqrO5ggNyY5BUMZeeQQQ5L10OXskp4n7tIVf1YbaEd91_1wLO0tK2eFEaj0LAuNM0LrPsAE9qK-SqGXzY8h/s200/jesus_angry.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; line-height: 150%;">But if we consider this story in the
context of Jesus’ circumstances at the time, we remember that in the previous
chapter, Matthew 24, he had just come out of the temple in Jerusalem where he
had engaged in some pretty tense dialogue with the community’s religious
leaders; the scribes and Pharisees. They had been trying to trap him with
tricky questions like; what is the greatest commandment? But Jesus wasn’t
playing into their trickery, and looses his temper calling them hypocrites,
blind guides, snakes, and a brood of vipers—strong words for a Rabbi who was
quickly making more enemies and friends. And after this insulting discourse,
Jesus leaves the temple and ascends the <st1:place w:st="on">Mount of Olives</st1:place>
overlooking <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Jerusalem</st1:place></st1:city>.
</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyGEOfdhRgLReiRthc4Lob7ph-tZ2GVviRZFt0FCl-G8eYaFPz0xgQyAa3-VQqgYVYqmT5SsTBUvIdMurPXUbsERhyphenhyphenaSvrUiuUWSufdwwnrYTP40ZiuZBgue9u6f1CYK8w_VkDplJKQYOk/s1600/olivet.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="158" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyGEOfdhRgLReiRthc4Lob7ph-tZ2GVviRZFt0FCl-G8eYaFPz0xgQyAa3-VQqgYVYqmT5SsTBUvIdMurPXUbsERhyphenhyphenaSvrUiuUWSufdwwnrYTP40ZiuZBgue9u6f1CYK8w_VkDplJKQYOk/s200/olivet.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; line-height: 150%;">When I was 1<st1:personname w:st="on">2</st1:personname>
years old I went on a church trip to the <st1:place w:st="on">Holy Land</st1:place>.
One of the most memorable moments was hiking up the Mount of Olives, also know
as <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placetype w:st="on">Mount</st1:placetype> <st1:placename w:st="on">Olivet</st1:placename></st1:place>, located across the valley from
the <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placetype w:st="on">Temple</st1:placetype> <st1:placename w:st="on">Mount</st1:placename></st1:place> where the Dome of the Rock sits. <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placetype w:st="on">Mount</st1:placetype> <st1:placename w:st="on">Olivet</st1:placename></st1:place>
really isn’t a mountain at all, but a <st1:personname w:st="on">2</st1:personname>900
foot hill that has served as one of the main burial grounds for the city of <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Jerusalem</st1:place></st1:city>. From this
vantage point Jesus could easily view the <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Temple</st1:place></st1:city>
and observe the hundreds of squatters, lepers and poor people who lived outside
the city walls. He would regularly retreat to this hill after teaching in the
temple. And it was on one of these nights, perhaps as the sun began to set, and
the hustle and bustle of the city began to die down, that Jesus sits and begins
to talk to his disciples. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4bPsDA1d8IFFUds_hqVPCfoIzmnhMWomZuwQhryco_uT1FKfHV3bgyJr3T8Ptsr3bShQXmC6-0GPFrdwq4Dz-oCUaPYsM5DpOawy8hCoLaOv3b_3F3svE8c66nFdjWT_RWTNadf4AF1W9/s1600/Gehenna.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="159" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4bPsDA1d8IFFUds_hqVPCfoIzmnhMWomZuwQhryco_uT1FKfHV3bgyJr3T8Ptsr3bShQXmC6-0GPFrdwq4Dz-oCUaPYsM5DpOawy8hCoLaOv3b_3F3svE8c66nFdjWT_RWTNadf4AF1W9/s200/Gehenna.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; line-height: 150%;">As he stares out at the city he probably
observed people bringing their trash out of the city gates and throwing it into
the valley below. This small valley where trash was collected and burned was
called Gehenna. It was a garbage dump where fires were kept burning to consume
the refuse and keep down the stench. It was also the location where bodies of
executed criminals would be dumped. And it was to this place, Gehenna that
Jesus said the scribes and Pharisees would be sentenced for their hypocrisy. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="font-size: small;">As they sit on the mountaintop Jesus gives descriptions
of the end of time and the coming of God’s kingdom. If you remember last
Sunday, Jesus described the coming of God’s kingdom like <st1:personname w:st="on">10</st1:personname>
bridesmaids, <st1:personname w:st="on">5</st1:personname> who were foolish and <st1:personname w:st="on">5</st1:personname> who were wise, when preparing for the bridegroom.</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhV-mIPyPVl9IPwqmH0bsbyKFL3OW5udoICZYzwe8RDZeajrtM_oh8ERoBHYaFwgbbk8uJj2nJ7AilDluifWnCsnaCZUj3S3n6ru2IuIAdlai5lXPHuzxsQfvbmm84OpW8PW2zR3W6qDYjv/s1600/Talents.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhV-mIPyPVl9IPwqmH0bsbyKFL3OW5udoICZYzwe8RDZeajrtM_oh8ERoBHYaFwgbbk8uJj2nJ7AilDluifWnCsnaCZUj3S3n6ru2IuIAdlai5lXPHuzxsQfvbmm84OpW8PW2zR3W6qDYjv/s200/Talents.jpg" width="173" /></a><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="font-size: small;">Which brings us to our text today—Jesus also
describes the coming of God’s kingdom like a man who decides to go on a journey.
He summons three of his servants and divides all of his property between them.
To the first servant the man gives five talents, to another two, and to the
third servant he gives one talent. Matthew tells us the servants were given
different amounts and he also tells us why. The man gave to each servant
according to his ability, Matthew says, which presumably means that each
servant was given no more than he could handle.</span> </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0QYfd122Loof48Nb-C2bD0qmfYogIT6GqUBNZaz3wZ0a0jptDZV4emVgt1u3xnrqLJ8xe_6oCN5-cZ01f0Hm0uI6qUTfPcxYoTkZrVpkWDOBw36UGXzIjofigcgU1PFKApqj6hZBxNEcY/s1600/Denarii.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0QYfd122Loof48Nb-C2bD0qmfYogIT6GqUBNZaz3wZ0a0jptDZV4emVgt1u3xnrqLJ8xe_6oCN5-cZ01f0Hm0uI6qUTfPcxYoTkZrVpkWDOBw36UGXzIjofigcgU1PFKApqj6hZBxNEcY/s200/Denarii.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; line-height: 150%;">It is not a story about sameness, in other
words, or about one person being more deserving than the other. It is a story
about the gifts that are entrusted to each of us. And what tremendous gifts
they are! For Matthew says that they are talents, which doesn’t mean what we
mean by talents – the ability to play the guitar or to organize bazaars. A
talent was the equivalent of <st1:personname w:st="on">6</st1:personname>,000
denarii, the earnings of a day laborer for twenty years. We are talking
fabulous sums of money, even for the one talent fellow. He was given the
equivalent of a quarter of million dollars and that is nothing to sneeze at!
This is a story, in other words, about an incredibly gracious and generous
master, whose grace is clearly evident in the gifts he gives his servants – all
of his servants.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="font-size: small;">Then, the story says, the man goes away. He
leaves them alone, trusts them to manage his money. Just like that. And you
know what happens - the five talent man invests his money and makes five
talents more. The two talent man does the same and makes two more. But, of
course, it’s the third servant in the story that Matthew wants us to notice,
the man who buries his gift of money in the ground. What precisely is this
man’s problem? After all, he is not a dishonest man who is out to steal from
his master. There is no hint of fraud or deceit or greed when it comes to this
man. He’s not an embezzler. He’s not trying to swindle money from his master.
He’s not a rascal like some of Jesus’ other notable characters. He’s not a
long-lost son who has spent his money on wine and women. He’s a cautious man,
Matthew tells us, and what’s wrong with being cautious? After all, discretion
and prudence are virtues, are they not? Wouldn’t you have been better off if
you had been more practical with your money at times? Wouldn’t I? Of course, we
would.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXtW4caAQjoR39wxwjeNdSzoy2BaBB1AR-uJdupXWPmggArVJDU71iD1dNBHJaOoPmMTEdbvsUPbgXcFW8lcpr8A7ub9oh5GSNz-D7DfuYYc4cdoyFiBiLd_V_F4UuEJ1JfV5jlqMBcln5/s1600/fear.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="153" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXtW4caAQjoR39wxwjeNdSzoy2BaBB1AR-uJdupXWPmggArVJDU71iD1dNBHJaOoPmMTEdbvsUPbgXcFW8lcpr8A7ub9oh5GSNz-D7DfuYYc4cdoyFiBiLd_V_F4UuEJ1JfV5jlqMBcln5/s200/fear.gif" width="200" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXtW4caAQjoR39wxwjeNdSzoy2BaBB1AR-uJdupXWPmggArVJDU71iD1dNBHJaOoPmMTEdbvsUPbgXcFW8lcpr8A7ub9oh5GSNz-D7DfuYYc4cdoyFiBiLd_V_F4UuEJ1JfV5jlqMBcln5/s1600/fear.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXtW4caAQjoR39wxwjeNdSzoy2BaBB1AR-uJdupXWPmggArVJDU71iD1dNBHJaOoPmMTEdbvsUPbgXcFW8lcpr8A7ub9oh5GSNz-D7DfuYYc4cdoyFiBiLd_V_F4UuEJ1JfV5jlqMBcln5/s1600/fear.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><br />
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; line-height: 150%;">This servant’s caution, however, turns to
something else; and that something else is a thing called fear. For this
servant refuses to take any chances with what he has been given. The way this
servant figures it, he’s better off preserving his own safety and security than
risking the wrath of his master because he judges his master to be a harsh man.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmzFIyhzc_DrSqIKLNqFYZRHfH6sXmv49FbBf5KgsLdLbMFv1GP3E5Fw0bBOi08oMS0N9PDGmarcic5eE3pdmNYpwJ7R0F9dQgFPCaK4Pc3oQMrBnHjY55BstQNby_3lWV2efC4KBn7OCb/s1600/Stewardship.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmzFIyhzc_DrSqIKLNqFYZRHfH6sXmv49FbBf5KgsLdLbMFv1GP3E5Fw0bBOi08oMS0N9PDGmarcic5eE3pdmNYpwJ7R0F9dQgFPCaK4Pc3oQMrBnHjY55BstQNby_3lWV2efC4KBn7OCb/s200/Stewardship.jpg" width="149" /></a><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="font-size: small;">Now I was really tempted to make this a
sermon about stewardship. After all, today is Stewardship Sunday. Usually around
this time of year members in congregations are asked to consider how much they
might plan to give toward the work of this church next year. And this text
would make a great sermon about investing in the future of the church. And as easy
as it could be for me to make this scripture about giving to God’s work according
to what you’ve been given—I just don’t think that is what God is speaking to
me—or to this church today. I think that would be a cop out—to make this
scripture coercive. The fact is, I think this story has a much bigger message
for us. It’s not about committing a pledge to your stewardship campaign. This
story is about a man who is does not understand his Master. It’s about
misunderstanding our relationship with God.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<div style="text-align: left;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl-xKNc3mReM56VxNS-ZScnpDNXidDvnRI7dEsocrFPWAT0NZceJltrmUCo33tF_58OcmsfbgBM6aqv972sfALqK_8UhS2SfpDk052ptvZ5t728fUN1f_qY8U1evSn4XyATpWvIbyUHveR/s1600/george-carlin3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl-xKNc3mReM56VxNS-ZScnpDNXidDvnRI7dEsocrFPWAT0NZceJltrmUCo33tF_58OcmsfbgBM6aqv972sfALqK_8UhS2SfpDk052ptvZ5t728fUN1f_qY8U1evSn4XyATpWvIbyUHveR/s200/george-carlin3.jpg" width="183" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl-xKNc3mReM56VxNS-ZScnpDNXidDvnRI7dEsocrFPWAT0NZceJltrmUCo33tF_58OcmsfbgBM6aqv972sfALqK_8UhS2SfpDk052ptvZ5t728fUN1f_qY8U1evSn4XyATpWvIbyUHveR/s1600/george-carlin3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl-xKNc3mReM56VxNS-ZScnpDNXidDvnRI7dEsocrFPWAT0NZceJltrmUCo33tF_58OcmsfbgBM6aqv972sfALqK_8UhS2SfpDk052ptvZ5t728fUN1f_qY8U1evSn4XyATpWvIbyUHveR/s1600/george-carlin3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl-xKNc3mReM56VxNS-ZScnpDNXidDvnRI7dEsocrFPWAT0NZceJltrmUCo33tF_58OcmsfbgBM6aqv972sfALqK_8UhS2SfpDk052ptvZ5t728fUN1f_qY8U1evSn4XyATpWvIbyUHveR/s1600/george-carlin3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><div style="text-align: left;" unselectable="on">
</div>
</a><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; line-height: 150%;">I ask you to consider, “What has God given
you?” And I’m not talking about your finances, your investments or even your
skills and abilities. I’m not referring to time, talent or treasure. What has
God specifically instilled in you as a child of God? Each of us has the
greatest gift imaginable—the gift of life—but all too often we can’t imagine
what to do with it. We feel adrift and lost, longing desperately for meaning.
We want to make our life count and to express the gifts of Spirit we know we
are here to bring forth. But we search in vain to discover just what these
unique gifts of ours are and how we might express them. We search in vain
because we look outside of ourselves for answers. We look for an answer to our
life’s purpose in family, fortune, and fame, or as George Carlin calls it:
stuff, stuff, and more stuff.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
</div>
<br /><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZgxPy_vSwVgFsfUXq8KVzzfh6ex5ZyPKCuArQt2c7bhuNWMWnbm3N-B_78zlwpXXDA0WyA-qstOHaxmlqeJZKVm8lEzWRiU_dPIo8IkdvlK3UvPVmTOHfOhE83HpU1y9yhyGuXvDf6igv/s1600/BeckwithBWphoto.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZgxPy_vSwVgFsfUXq8KVzzfh6ex5ZyPKCuArQt2c7bhuNWMWnbm3N-B_78zlwpXXDA0WyA-qstOHaxmlqeJZKVm8lEzWRiU_dPIo8IkdvlK3UvPVmTOHfOhE83HpU1y9yhyGuXvDf6igv/s200/BeckwithBWphoto.jpg" width="131" /></a><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; line-height: 150%;">Rev. Michael Beckwith, founder of the Agape International Spiritual Center in Southern Califormia, suggests that our very basic purpose for
being here on this planet in this human form is to be an expression of God’s
love. We are here to love—to perfect, amplify, and express the unconditional
divine love of God. That’s our purpose. And if our life’s purpose is to express
God’s love, then God’s vision for our life is the means or manner by which we
bring forth that love. That vision of our life includes our talents, our gifts
and abilities, our personality profile, our heart’s desire. When we express
God’s vision for our life, we feel fulfilled. However, if our relationship with
God is based in fear, or guilt, or shame, then we retreat into darkness. We
shield ourselves from relationship. We push intimacy and love away. We bury our
head—and our talent—in the sand.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVzIni46RKR8cGjge-JaQdEvsMAEyXlW5iQJG7WIweT5nopTJxZ_TqVXhTZW9FZtME1OqLIzn0a6uuZmnLeH2O0cQSJrv0CJwtLEu6BdCfW_1CWjYNARJierWp41_LjNo-nQgwfktijuha/s1600/give+lobe.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVzIni46RKR8cGjge-JaQdEvsMAEyXlW5iQJG7WIweT5nopTJxZ_TqVXhTZW9FZtME1OqLIzn0a6uuZmnLeH2O0cQSJrv0CJwtLEu6BdCfW_1CWjYNARJierWp41_LjNo-nQgwfktijuha/s1600/give+lobe.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVzIni46RKR8cGjge-JaQdEvsMAEyXlW5iQJG7WIweT5nopTJxZ_TqVXhTZW9FZtME1OqLIzn0a6uuZmnLeH2O0cQSJrv0CJwtLEu6BdCfW_1CWjYNARJierWp41_LjNo-nQgwfktijuha/s1600/give+lobe.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVzIni46RKR8cGjge-JaQdEvsMAEyXlW5iQJG7WIweT5nopTJxZ_TqVXhTZW9FZtME1OqLIzn0a6uuZmnLeH2O0cQSJrv0CJwtLEu6BdCfW_1CWjYNARJierWp41_LjNo-nQgwfktijuha/s1600/give+lobe.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><div style="text-align: left;" unselectable="on">
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</a><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVzIni46RKR8cGjge-JaQdEvsMAEyXlW5iQJG7WIweT5nopTJxZ_TqVXhTZW9FZtME1OqLIzn0a6uuZmnLeH2O0cQSJrv0CJwtLEu6BdCfW_1CWjYNARJierWp41_LjNo-nQgwfktijuha/s1600/give+lobe.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="197" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVzIni46RKR8cGjge-JaQdEvsMAEyXlW5iQJG7WIweT5nopTJxZ_TqVXhTZW9FZtME1OqLIzn0a6uuZmnLeH2O0cQSJrv0CJwtLEu6BdCfW_1CWjYNARJierWp41_LjNo-nQgwfktijuha/s200/give+lobe.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; line-height: 150%;">Think about it. What if all you had to give
was love? What if you no longer had time, talent or treasure to give? Could you
still love? So often in the church we focus on the tangible ways in which we
can express our commitment to God—our tithes, our service, our expertise. These
are all critical to the work of ministry, but how do you know when they are motivated
by love? </span><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; line-height: 150%;">Jesus says in both Luke and Matthew: “Give,
and it will be given to you in good measure; for the same measure that you give
will be the measure you get back.” To me “the same measure” also means the
motive underneath the action—and that is what determines the nature of the
result. That’s why the servant with 5 talents got back 10, and the servant with
2 talents returned 4. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="font-size: small;">Rev. Beckwich reminds us that "All that we do reflects who we are. All
that attracts us, also reflects us. All that we give, we also receive."<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You can see evidence of this all around you.
If you are drawn to the Humane Society display at the mall then you most likely
love animals, and probably honor all species of life. You express the divine
love of God in this particular way. If you love to cook for others, organize
the food drive, give homemade sweets away as gifts, you are one who naturally
nurtures. You express love by feeding and restoring others. If you love the
arts and give money to support them, you are probably naturally creative in
your own heart and celebrate the Divine creativity in all of life.</span></span><br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUZ-dGqNX4BcOUw0YnxrbT2bfwH2ziMO1ij6KZQhw88oC3QhVLcNUCSAROP5tvDKGM6oXmswBkHavr8jnfQYlu3AUVPBAq13HmsGm9l9M_w-Bgx3cQhWndnMsM0Y9crr6syLS0hFlLTGDk/s1600/generosity.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUZ-dGqNX4BcOUw0YnxrbT2bfwH2ziMO1ij6KZQhw88oC3QhVLcNUCSAROP5tvDKGM6oXmswBkHavr8jnfQYlu3AUVPBAq13HmsGm9l9M_w-Bgx3cQhWndnMsM0Y9crr6syLS0hFlLTGDk/s200/generosity.jpg" width="200" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUZ-dGqNX4BcOUw0YnxrbT2bfwH2ziMO1ij6KZQhw88oC3QhVLcNUCSAROP5tvDKGM6oXmswBkHavr8jnfQYlu3AUVPBAq13HmsGm9l9M_w-Bgx3cQhWndnMsM0Y9crr6syLS0hFlLTGDk/s1600/generosity.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUZ-dGqNX4BcOUw0YnxrbT2bfwH2ziMO1ij6KZQhw88oC3QhVLcNUCSAROP5tvDKGM6oXmswBkHavr8jnfQYlu3AUVPBAq13HmsGm9l9M_w-Bgx3cQhWndnMsM0Y9crr6syLS0hFlLTGDk/s1600/generosity.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUZ-dGqNX4BcOUw0YnxrbT2bfwH2ziMO1ij6KZQhw88oC3QhVLcNUCSAROP5tvDKGM6oXmswBkHavr8jnfQYlu3AUVPBAq13HmsGm9l9M_w-Bgx3cQhWndnMsM0Y9crr6syLS0hFlLTGDk/s1600/generosity.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUZ-dGqNX4BcOUw0YnxrbT2bfwH2ziMO1ij6KZQhw88oC3QhVLcNUCSAROP5tvDKGM6oXmswBkHavr8jnfQYlu3AUVPBAq13HmsGm9l9M_w-Bgx3cQhWndnMsM0Y9crr6syLS0hFlLTGDk/s1600/generosity.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUZ-dGqNX4BcOUw0YnxrbT2bfwH2ziMO1ij6KZQhw88oC3QhVLcNUCSAROP5tvDKGM6oXmswBkHavr8jnfQYlu3AUVPBAq13HmsGm9l9M_w-Bgx3cQhWndnMsM0Y9crr6syLS0hFlLTGDk/s1600/generosity.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><div style="text-align: left;" unselectable="on">
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</a><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="font-size: small;">Our instincts for generosity, for service
and for giving, are more opportunities for reflecting this Divine love of God,
and when we are doing it, we catch a better glimpse of our own life purpose. By
listening to your own heart in these activities, following your own instincts,
and giving where you are inclined to love, you discover your own unique way of
expressing the love of God. These are not hobbies or just random opportunities.
They are manifestations of your Christ-like nature, your Christian identity.
They are expressions of your purpose for being.</span> <o:p></o:p></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikqrpTJghAdFqkrOGdxfegQv9J74pzQHaCUJKtDz7GrLVe8VD9etTQ4KMdxqhGwkTm2ItLRc-FDuVotlXI0Sf_4HP9-Tf8LT-gtVPsOkDVgd24apCGwiKFGxLrHxlqcYzCQsZKZfFrODDL/s1600/ostrich-head.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="181" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikqrpTJghAdFqkrOGdxfegQv9J74pzQHaCUJKtDz7GrLVe8VD9etTQ4KMdxqhGwkTm2ItLRc-FDuVotlXI0Sf_4HP9-Tf8LT-gtVPsOkDVgd24apCGwiKFGxLrHxlqcYzCQsZKZfFrODDL/s200/ostrich-head.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="font-size: small;">In the end, it is how you express this
Divine love gift from God that matters. Your life is God’s gift to you. What
you do with it is your gift back to God. Those who risk giving away whatever
they have been given will multiply their gifts. But those who surrender to fear
will experience more of the same. When we live in the confidence that God is
trustworthy and generous and loving, we have nothing to fear. Besides, who
wants to live with their heads buried in the sand? Not even ostriches do that!
Amen?<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">(Excerpts from Barry J. Robinson’s sermon “Death of
a Salesman” for <st1:date day="13" month="11" w:st="on" year="2005">November <st1:personname w:st="on">13</st1:personname>, <st1:personname w:st="on">2</st1:personname>00<st1:personname w:st="on">5</st1:personname></st1:date> – www.fernstone.org)</span></i><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;"><o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="font-size: small;">Dear Lord, we thank you for the unique
blessings and abilities you have given to each one of us. Help us to realize
that all you want for us is to express the gift of love you’ve given to us. May
this love multiply our gifts of talent, treasure, time and trust to build your heavenly
kingdom, both within ourselves, and throughout this whole earth.</span> <o:p></o:p></span>Rev Bricehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17136743615744294418noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3445624634508747595.post-20911628220921151232011-11-13T17:27:00.001-08:002011-11-20T16:28:06.644-08:00Running on Empty<span style="font-family: Verdana;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: yellow;"><strong>Matthew <st1:personname w:st="on">2</st1:personname><st1:personname w:st="on">5</st1:personname>:1-<st1:personname w:st="on">13</st1:personname></strong><o:p></o:p></span></span></span><br />
<span style="color: yellow;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">“Then
the kingdom of heaven will be like this. Ten bridesmaids took their lamps and
went to meet the bridegroom.</span></i><span style="font-size: small;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><sup><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">2</span></sup></i><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Five of them were foolish, and five were wise.</span></i><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><sup><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">3</span></sup></i><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">When the foolish took
their lamps, they took no oil with them;</span></i><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><sup><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">4</span></sup></i><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">but the wise took
flasks of oil with their lamps.</span></i><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><sup><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">5</span></sup></i><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">As the bridegroom was delayed, all of them became drowsy and
slept.</span></i><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><sup><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">6</span></sup></i><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">But at midnight there was a shout, ‘Look! Here is the
bridegroom! Come out to meet him.’</span></i><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><sup><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">7</span></sup></i><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Then all those
bridesmaids got up and trimmed their lamps.</span></i><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><sup><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">8</span></sup></i><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">The foolish said to
the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’</span></i><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><sup><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">9</span></sup></i><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">But the wise replied,
‘No! there will not be enough for you and for us; you had better go to the
dealers and buy some for yourselves.’</span></i><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><sup><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">10</span></sup></i><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">And while they went to
buy it, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went with him into the
wedding banquet; and the door was shut.</span></i><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><sup><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">11</span></sup></i><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Later the other
bridesmaids came also, saying, ‘Lord, lord, open to us.’</span></i><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><sup><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">12</span></sup></i><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">But he replied, ‘Truly
I tell you, I do not know you.’</span></i><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><sup><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">13</span></sup></i><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Keep awake therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour.<o:p></o:p></span></i></span></span><br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: #010000; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span></o:p></span></i><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/cybyLKVnXms?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
<div style="line-height: 150%;">
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><span style="background-color: #45818e;"><span style="color: white;">“I’m getting
married in the morning. Ding, dong the bells are gonna chime! Pull out the
stopper, and let’s have whopper. But get me to the church…(Sing with me!) Get
me to the church. So get me to the church…ON TIME! Bravo! Give yourselves a
hand! <o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<br />
<span style="background-color: #45818e; color: white;"></span><br />
<span style="background-color: #45818e; color: white;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="background-color: #45818e; color: white;">One thing that
all of my friends, and most acquaintances know about me is my flair for the
dramatic. In fact, one of my life’s goals in high school was to become a
professional actor. I loved the theatre…and still do for that matter. One of my
favorite musicals is “My Fair Lady.” And one of my favorite musical numbers in
that show was “Get Me to the Church on Time." Today’s gospel text reminds
me of that song—and as I read it more closely I imagined <st1:personname w:st="on">5</st1:personname>
of these <st1:personname w:st="on">10</st1:personname> bridesmaids singing that
song on their way to the wedding.</span> <o:p></o:p></span></span></span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9xBknh_V2FiajOPZeDAGs_A67Xr5q4L2XG6-EEdhuRTHHSvBCc-JjE9LEHLq6Ix5N_JRaqdZWQ3pLhCeNcofpPdzLOSPwa_khekPs3NbmhMkdtrlv8ovlrXlUwPqvhTC36_hcPWaRljG1/s1600/The+Bride.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9xBknh_V2FiajOPZeDAGs_A67Xr5q4L2XG6-EEdhuRTHHSvBCc-JjE9LEHLq6Ix5N_JRaqdZWQ3pLhCeNcofpPdzLOSPwa_khekPs3NbmhMkdtrlv8ovlrXlUwPqvhTC36_hcPWaRljG1/s200/The+Bride.jpg" width="158" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9xBknh_V2FiajOPZeDAGs_A67Xr5q4L2XG6-EEdhuRTHHSvBCc-JjE9LEHLq6Ix5N_JRaqdZWQ3pLhCeNcofpPdzLOSPwa_khekPs3NbmhMkdtrlv8ovlrXlUwPqvhTC36_hcPWaRljG1/s1600/The+Bride.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9xBknh_V2FiajOPZeDAGs_A67Xr5q4L2XG6-EEdhuRTHHSvBCc-JjE9LEHLq6Ix5N_JRaqdZWQ3pLhCeNcofpPdzLOSPwa_khekPs3NbmhMkdtrlv8ovlrXlUwPqvhTC36_hcPWaRljG1/s1600/The+Bride.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9xBknh_V2FiajOPZeDAGs_A67Xr5q4L2XG6-EEdhuRTHHSvBCc-JjE9LEHLq6Ix5N_JRaqdZWQ3pLhCeNcofpPdzLOSPwa_khekPs3NbmhMkdtrlv8ovlrXlUwPqvhTC36_hcPWaRljG1/s1600/The+Bride.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9xBknh_V2FiajOPZeDAGs_A67Xr5q4L2XG6-EEdhuRTHHSvBCc-JjE9LEHLq6Ix5N_JRaqdZWQ3pLhCeNcofpPdzLOSPwa_khekPs3NbmhMkdtrlv8ovlrXlUwPqvhTC36_hcPWaRljG1/s1600/The+Bride.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9xBknh_V2FiajOPZeDAGs_A67Xr5q4L2XG6-EEdhuRTHHSvBCc-JjE9LEHLq6Ix5N_JRaqdZWQ3pLhCeNcofpPdzLOSPwa_khekPs3NbmhMkdtrlv8ovlrXlUwPqvhTC36_hcPWaRljG1/s1600/The+Bride.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9xBknh_V2FiajOPZeDAGs_A67Xr5q4L2XG6-EEdhuRTHHSvBCc-JjE9LEHLq6Ix5N_JRaqdZWQ3pLhCeNcofpPdzLOSPwa_khekPs3NbmhMkdtrlv8ovlrXlUwPqvhTC36_hcPWaRljG1/s1600/The+Bride.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9xBknh_V2FiajOPZeDAGs_A67Xr5q4L2XG6-EEdhuRTHHSvBCc-JjE9LEHLq6Ix5N_JRaqdZWQ3pLhCeNcofpPdzLOSPwa_khekPs3NbmhMkdtrlv8ovlrXlUwPqvhTC36_hcPWaRljG1/s1600/The+Bride.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9xBknh_V2FiajOPZeDAGs_A67Xr5q4L2XG6-EEdhuRTHHSvBCc-JjE9LEHLq6Ix5N_JRaqdZWQ3pLhCeNcofpPdzLOSPwa_khekPs3NbmhMkdtrlv8ovlrXlUwPqvhTC36_hcPWaRljG1/s1600/The+Bride.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9xBknh_V2FiajOPZeDAGs_A67Xr5q4L2XG6-EEdhuRTHHSvBCc-JjE9LEHLq6Ix5N_JRaqdZWQ3pLhCeNcofpPdzLOSPwa_khekPs3NbmhMkdtrlv8ovlrXlUwPqvhTC36_hcPWaRljG1/s1600/The+Bride.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><div style="text-align: left;" unselectable="on">
</div>
</a><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">But after further
reflection, and a little study of early wedding practices in <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Palestine</st1:place></st1:city>, I realized that even if, by some
odd chance, these bridesmaids had been singing—I’m sure it wasn’t this song
after all. The fact is, that in Palestinian villages weddings were at night,
and the bridegroom could show up unexpectedly. All he had to do was send a
runner ahead to shout, "Behold the bridegroom is coming," and the
waiting bridal party had to be ready. In this case the clock was tolling twelve
~ <st1:time hour="0" minute="0" w:st="on">midnight</st1:time>. “Here I come
ready or not” he shouted ~ and then the door to the church was shut!</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">So what is the gospel writing really trying to say in this parable? Well, in
order to understand that, we must dig a little deeper into what was going on in
the community. The writer of the gospel of Matthew was certainly dealing with
the discouragement of early Christians. They had been told that Christ would be
coming back very soon—but the fact was, it had been over <st1:personname w:st="on">4</st1:personname>0
years since this promise, and still Christ had not returned. Matthew was
preparing them for such a delay. Yet it was how they would wait for Christ’s
return, for the bridegroom that was the crucial message. I think that this
parable was a lesson about patience. In fact, the word for patience comes from
the Latin word "patior" which means to suffer. </span><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNRA_26A8pEerEnreXDpHSxZ4ViQo1gAMYAQUE6BW0hBGWf53IB2OhGVtzUQ0gnewPjw0QAIV8LI9GVhErluVBWHjxxC7LCI9PH94haB1uq_g7ky3J-JETXpIDroSbch57ktxbFP0IjUyf/s1600/patience.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNRA_26A8pEerEnreXDpHSxZ4ViQo1gAMYAQUE6BW0hBGWf53IB2OhGVtzUQ0gnewPjw0QAIV8LI9GVhErluVBWHjxxC7LCI9PH94haB1uq_g7ky3J-JETXpIDroSbch57ktxbFP0IjUyf/s200/patience.jpg" width="200" /></a><br />
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><b>Patience</b> is the
ability and willingness to wait a long time or to carry out a task that takes a
long time. It also means not easily getting angry in situations of human interactions
where the other is unreasonable. It is commonly referred to as a virtue.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqlRKbiAryI_efzmJEA8yTqfvWMbN_bL_Sm4pn2CieDpVBsWbsFaV3FqvUY_oRGgwxU2YZONHW574wFCv54hIVcbtDhgZaTldhD0f4L7bsfrRusVL62Yy8Z-HPfWhwzX0kRkAa5W3zNmhT/s1600/Oil+Lamp.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="166" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqlRKbiAryI_efzmJEA8yTqfvWMbN_bL_Sm4pn2CieDpVBsWbsFaV3FqvUY_oRGgwxU2YZONHW574wFCv54hIVcbtDhgZaTldhD0f4L7bsfrRusVL62Yy8Z-HPfWhwzX0kRkAa5W3zNmhT/s200/Oil+Lamp.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">The story says
that five bridesmaids were wise and five were foolish. It does not say that
five were good and five were bad. In fact, when it came to their external
appearance, there was no difference. They all carried the same lamps; they all wore
the same dresses, they all drifted off to sleep. We are dealing with character
and not image. And if the issue is patience, then the oil represents inner
resources ~ what we have in reserve when a crisis comes. The lamp is the outer
form, but the oil is the inner fuel.
</span><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">This parable addresses the experience of ignoring your spiritual needs and
suddenly facing a crisis in which you have no resources left. It’s like driving
you car with the gas indicator always on “E”. Running on empty is a risky
spiritual practice. <o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4NizRj0uje8l7uTh22FtdIs23UDppwcBpGYGjCe05oRpBcmQiMfrVS5MoaxC_MVKJnE_vBYXFmgCUTpXnS1zKaQag3f6gB_OcqCz8H7C-9A2Ow8UXBv-2cdUVJr9R4gNG1YiCi-tM49Yz/s1600/fuel-gauge.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4NizRj0uje8l7uTh22FtdIs23UDppwcBpGYGjCe05oRpBcmQiMfrVS5MoaxC_MVKJnE_vBYXFmgCUTpXnS1zKaQag3f6gB_OcqCz8H7C-9A2Ow8UXBv-2cdUVJr9R4gNG1YiCi-tM49Yz/s200/fuel-gauge.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">It seems that so
many of Jesus’ parables have to do with how we use our energy to serve and
share with our neighbor. And perhaps this one—the parable of the <st1:personname w:st="on">10</st1:personname> bridesmaids addresses those who take that mission
seriously. The oil, like the gas in your car, represents your spiritual
resources of faith. When your oil, your gas, your inner fuel is running low,
sometimes the darkness falls and the doors to your spirit are shut. We get burned
out, or stressed out. We are drained, empty, depressed and exhausted. Our depleted
stores of love and hope and purpose flicker and sometimes die out in our work
or family or church. For so many today the supply of oil is low, and depletion
and depression are realities for followers of the bridegroom. A culture of
instant gratification, lacking inner spiritual resources, resorts to
artificial, addictive quick fixes to fan the flame. <br />
<br />
In a machine often the bearings need oil to reduce friction or they wear out
and wear down. To get our bearings we need the oil of God's grace to reduce
friction in our personal relationships. There is depletion, but there is also
replenishment. Drained, we can be refilled. We live our life in the world, but
we draw our life from God. This grace from God is your renewable resource ~ and
we are recyclable. If your flame is burning low, listen again to God speaking ~
"Come unto me all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you
rest" ~ refreshment ~ renewal ~ replenishment. Jesus is the one who
reminds us that even when you give everything you have, God is still with you
at every step of the journey. And there is replenishment! </span><br />
<br />
<div style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: small;">This one thing I
know. Those who believe and practice God’s presence in their lives every minute
of every hour of every day trim their lamps with the never ending oil of God’s
grace. And they will always have a spare gallon of grace in the back of their
car to give away. For if you have enough to spare, you will never run on empty.
Amen.</span>
<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Prayer: Gracious
God, the ways of this world tend to wear us down and burn us out. If our
depletion is because of service to you, continue to use us as you will. Where
our depletion is because of wasted resources and poor preparation, discipline
us, strengthen the inner life, fill us again, that our lives may burn with the
fire of your love for the sake of Jesus Christ, your Son, and our Lord. Amen.</span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: x-small; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"> (Excerpts
from Dr. Elton Richard’s sermon, “It’s Time to Add Oil” November 10, 1996 from
Day1- </span></i><a href="http://www.day1.net/index.php5?view=transcripts&tid=423"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><span style="color: yellow; font-size: x-small;">www.day1.net/index.php5?view=transcripts&tid=423</span></span></i></a><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: yellow;">).<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></i>Rev Bricehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17136743615744294418noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3445624634508747595.post-30631717748000527842011-09-05T08:46:00.000-07:002011-09-05T08:49:24.511-07:00The Faith of a Mustered Deed<em><b>Matthew 14:22-33</b><br />
</em><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7WOmrbhw5IILRKYN-H9ZDTucrGd6O0237Ulz2clM5WPSCeBJhXLBwG3JJJDulfceBhPD9gnaGocIx9f-RQlc_loS4oilODTpgSBZag2_Oup7EmNJIzREZe6K5AJqP2lKe_Lt4r3-i5cpA/s1600/storms+of+life.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="130" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7WOmrbhw5IILRKYN-H9ZDTucrGd6O0237Ulz2clM5WPSCeBJhXLBwG3JJJDulfceBhPD9gnaGocIx9f-RQlc_loS4oilODTpgSBZag2_Oup7EmNJIzREZe6K5AJqP2lKe_Lt4r3-i5cpA/s200/storms+of+life.jpg" width="200" /></a><em>22Immediately he made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead to the other side, while he dismissed the crowds.23And after he had dismissed the crowds, he went up the mountain by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone,24but by this time the boat, battered by the waves, was far from the land, for the wind was against them.25And early in the morning he came walking toward them on the sea.26But when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were terrified, saying, “It is a ghost!” And they cried out in fear.27But immediately Jesus spoke to them and said, “Take heart, it is I; do not be afraid.”28Peter answered him, “Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.”29He said, “Come.” So Peter got out of the boat, started walking on the water, and came toward Jesus.30But when he noticed the strong wind, he became frightened, and beginning to sink, he cried out, “Lord, save me!”31Jesus immediately reached out his hand and caught him, saying to him, “You of little faith, why did you doubt?”32When they got into the boat, the wind ceased.33And those in the boat worshiped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.”</em><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBPYu0u1ZS6mV5hPNgwTrKDABK7c_5FhgSGFgX6bM4MHz6YerSVx0Ac4HZLNHY_a3k7Vnc0_XUqN7H_1LJkUAp6rh7sC3hGwMxBYg_sCVQXna_R2CRS37f_Q_YS44yUVtovysYHuCA2C1_/s1600/Wallenda4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBPYu0u1ZS6mV5hPNgwTrKDABK7c_5FhgSGFgX6bM4MHz6YerSVx0Ac4HZLNHY_a3k7Vnc0_XUqN7H_1LJkUAp6rh7sC3hGwMxBYg_sCVQXna_R2CRS37f_Q_YS44yUVtovysYHuCA2C1_/s200/Wallenda4.jpg" width="141" /></a><em> </em>When Tino was only seven years old, his grandfather, Karl Wallenda, put him on a wire two feet off the ground. Karl taught his grandson all the elementary skills: how to hold his body so that it remained stiff and rigid; how to place his feet with only his big toe on the wire and his heel to the inside; how to hold the pole with his elbows close to his body. “But the most important thing that my grandfather taught me,” Tino said, “was that I needed to focus my attention on a point at the other end of the wire. I need a point to concentrate on to keep me balanced."<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3G3hOZVGiJwGPgrZC9a5aF-vEPuXw6R1vlTORzklZBr15C3Uvb13T3_Zgu5Zh9x65ZQ1C37UqkKPpNYLO11855ujLGB6tT2N8m4r3NoIkZCUlMlEc6QCHHewB0ats3D4xRbyv4a6Qd62z/s1600/Wallenda3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3G3hOZVGiJwGPgrZC9a5aF-vEPuXw6R1vlTORzklZBr15C3Uvb13T3_Zgu5Zh9x65ZQ1C37UqkKPpNYLO11855ujLGB6tT2N8m4r3NoIkZCUlMlEc6QCHHewB0ats3D4xRbyv4a6Qd62z/s200/Wallenda3.jpg" width="181" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3G3hOZVGiJwGPgrZC9a5aF-vEPuXw6R1vlTORzklZBr15C3Uvb13T3_Zgu5Zh9x65ZQ1C37UqkKPpNYLO11855ujLGB6tT2N8m4r3NoIkZCUlMlEc6QCHHewB0ats3D4xRbyv4a6Qd62z/s1600/Wallenda3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a></div>
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Of course, Karl Wallenda was not the typical grandpa. He came from an amazing ancestral family that traveled as a circus troupe consisting of acrobats, jugglers, clowns, aerialists and animal trainers all in one family. As far back as 1780, the Wallenda family traveled throughout the villages of Europe setting up and performing in the city squares, trusting in their talent and skills to provoke thrills and joy, and relying on the generosity of the audience to reward them as they passed the hat around. In the late 1800s, for the next two generations, they became known for their expertise in the art of the flying trapeze.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgv520pQ9Vyj3CqAIcRJNsHJERilKFy58CiBgh-xlP92f7Voy5K-fP_jAoXh7kUboUft4tD-tYz_LLuZF3pg8Xfccwx3toRnWTcY5xwjaMnnj2xSOxS0Vp0GMjoeamYXw2IF6eIPInJxB1p/s1600/Wallenda2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgv520pQ9Vyj3CqAIcRJNsHJERilKFy58CiBgh-xlP92f7Voy5K-fP_jAoXh7kUboUft4tD-tYz_LLuZF3pg8Xfccwx3toRnWTcY5xwjaMnnj2xSOxS0Vp0GMjoeamYXw2IF6eIPInJxB1p/s200/Wallenda2.jpg" width="200" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgv520pQ9Vyj3CqAIcRJNsHJERilKFy58CiBgh-xlP92f7Voy5K-fP_jAoXh7kUboUft4tD-tYz_LLuZF3pg8Xfccwx3toRnWTcY5xwjaMnnj2xSOxS0Vp0GMjoeamYXw2IF6eIPInJxB1p/s1600/Wallenda2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a>The Great Wallendas were headliners with Ringling Brothers, Barnum & Bailey Circus during much of the 1930s and 1940s. One frightening event happened in Akron, Ohio, when the wire slipped slightly as they were performing. All four members fell to the wire, yet they were relatively unhurt. The next day, a reporter who witnessed the accident stated in the newspaper, "The Wallendas fell so gracefully that it seemed as if they were flying,", and the headline read "THE FLYING WALLENDAS." And that name is still synonymous with the family to this day.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikSGvI2cL6qBIhFlECJDc7nB6YUNXlEhs2jIPyWigHlUW-YX1CjaBJt6APPt-9K5mTMaSV-fLiwRcjSVWCrUHXv2tVM-qOHSEV5UEK0xEcWtF7HUNgbdDUDaR8Fne6qWRTW0zEwBzb68ZD/s1600/Wallenda7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikSGvI2cL6qBIhFlECJDc7nB6YUNXlEhs2jIPyWigHlUW-YX1CjaBJt6APPt-9K5mTMaSV-fLiwRcjSVWCrUHXv2tVM-qOHSEV5UEK0xEcWtF7HUNgbdDUDaR8Fne6qWRTW0zEwBzb68ZD/s200/Wallenda7.jpg" width="160" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikSGvI2cL6qBIhFlECJDc7nB6YUNXlEhs2jIPyWigHlUW-YX1CjaBJt6APPt-9K5mTMaSV-fLiwRcjSVWCrUHXv2tVM-qOHSEV5UEK0xEcWtF7HUNgbdDUDaR8Fne6qWRTW0zEwBzb68ZD/s1600/Wallenda7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a>At age 19, grandson Tino thought he was a real intellectual. “I was always eager to talk with people about things, ¬even religion, ¬ on an intellectual plane. If someone would talk to me about God, I would say, "I have thought about this, and I'm an agnostic." But I should have known that God exists. From the time that I was young, my mother and my father told me about God and heaven. They taught me how to pray, and I had a grandmother who told me again and again that God answers prayer. And there were other people in the circus world who told me about the reality of God. It wasn't personal testimony, however, that made an impact on my life. The thing that brought me to an understanding of the reality of God was the Word of God.” </div>
(Excerpts from articles on www.wallenda.com)<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh98vlbUurRURm5r_8cscjEzLJWReN2vRGnBj4b7K617LPh2qpzbBTQ5Zjr7aPnX0JHZhlFp3MkKQkOnwbRDWvYk5o_QlemHFvBYL8WSvpTXQILdVWty623-6n5Wg5zh305JLrReDef4jSC/s1600/storm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh98vlbUurRURm5r_8cscjEzLJWReN2vRGnBj4b7K617LPh2qpzbBTQ5Zjr7aPnX0JHZhlFp3MkKQkOnwbRDWvYk5o_QlemHFvBYL8WSvpTXQILdVWty623-6n5Wg5zh305JLrReDef4jSC/s1600/storm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh98vlbUurRURm5r_8cscjEzLJWReN2vRGnBj4b7K617LPh2qpzbBTQ5Zjr7aPnX0JHZhlFp3MkKQkOnwbRDWvYk5o_QlemHFvBYL8WSvpTXQILdVWty623-6n5Wg5zh305JLrReDef4jSC/s200/storm.jpg" width="190" /></a>Now it’s this perspective about God that Tino Wallenda expresses that raises my first question about this week’s gospel reading. What is exactly the word from God in this text? The story has quite a few inconsistencies that I have to address. First of all, what on earth are experienced fishermen doing out on a stormy sea in the middle of the night? Now if you’ve seen any of those movies like “The Perfect Storm” or shows like “The Deadliest Catch” you know that modern fishermen know when not to go out into a treacherous sea. Is it really plausible that Jesus would deliberately have sent his friends out into the teeth of a storm while he went off by himself to pray? Is it reasonable to conclude that hardened fishermen – twelve of them, as a matter of fact - couldn’t read the clouds or that they couldn’t have put to shore at the first sign of a storm? The story defies common logic for what we know of history and culture in Jesus’ day. Are we really dealing with an actual historical event that took place on the Sea of Galilee? <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgv41FNRfSQvhNJM-tZMfuBcDw6Y2cREQGWus80wsU6WsWz-NE8z6vfyxSBuWPYPAZRZdv5QW-_OB0MevzLwvXzYoeR2VkkLFUpGWdoBvFyunzrNUzo6kAeNqD_JQNjLZaYsBKHuD9MPbQt/s1600/Jesus+calms+storm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgv41FNRfSQvhNJM-tZMfuBcDw6Y2cREQGWus80wsU6WsWz-NE8z6vfyxSBuWPYPAZRZdv5QW-_OB0MevzLwvXzYoeR2VkkLFUpGWdoBvFyunzrNUzo6kAeNqD_JQNjLZaYsBKHuD9MPbQt/s200/Jesus+calms+storm.jpg" width="142" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgv41FNRfSQvhNJM-tZMfuBcDw6Y2cREQGWus80wsU6WsWz-NE8z6vfyxSBuWPYPAZRZdv5QW-_OB0MevzLwvXzYoeR2VkkLFUpGWdoBvFyunzrNUzo6kAeNqD_JQNjLZaYsBKHuD9MPbQt/s1600/Jesus+calms+storm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a>What we seem to be dealing with, at least what the author of the Gospel of Matthew is dealing with, is a parable about the relationship that exists between Jesus and those who follow him. And what Matthew has very much on his mind is the situation disciples were facing in his own church. They were living in a time and place that was very turbulent indeed. The heart of this incident for Matthew is this interchange between Peter and Jesus. Matthew is the only gospel writer who inserts this intriguing conversation and incident into the story. Why? It’s not the fact that Jesus is the one whom even the wind and the sea obey. The other Gospels make that point without Peter sinking.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiexYEvmF6Oj0v-yneyOtFImnCkPNVLZnbL9k04Nrq8g6pVTXryYnQFS70LP775E2MBKrK6FF6wcS_zeNY2WIzLfvRrZEtE-O4pZaraA_k2AOdwc2BHVywn8wdFtfzMi1eRxTfvz6lSJAHE/s1600/2-FrontJesusWalksOnWater.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="132" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiexYEvmF6Oj0v-yneyOtFImnCkPNVLZnbL9k04Nrq8g6pVTXryYnQFS70LP775E2MBKrK6FF6wcS_zeNY2WIzLfvRrZEtE-O4pZaraA_k2AOdwc2BHVywn8wdFtfzMi1eRxTfvz6lSJAHE/s200/2-FrontJesusWalksOnWater.jpg" width="200" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiexYEvmF6Oj0v-yneyOtFImnCkPNVLZnbL9k04Nrq8g6pVTXryYnQFS70LP775E2MBKrK6FF6wcS_zeNY2WIzLfvRrZEtE-O4pZaraA_k2AOdwc2BHVywn8wdFtfzMi1eRxTfvz6lSJAHE/s1600/2-FrontJesusWalksOnWater.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a>So let’s dig deeper. First, Peter makes a highly unusual request. “Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.” “If it is you . . .?” Why is there such uncertainty in Peter’s question? And who else would it be anyway? What is Matthew getting at here? Is Peter asking Jesus to make him capable of a supernatural feat? Once again, we need to consider what is plausible, reasonable; and what is certainly realistic. We know that the disciples of Jesus would indeed have been intimidated by the thought of carrying on the ministry of Jesus after his death. After all, they were surrounded by enemies who had demonstrated in no uncertain terms exactly what they had thought of Jesus and exactly what they would do to anybody who had similar ideas. We know that the reality of Good Friday and the scandal of the cross was very much on the minds of those first followers when they began to tell the story of Jesus. And now as it gets chronicled in written form at least 70 years after his death if not longer, the leaders of this emerging church face the same hostile environment. And yet Jesus had commanded them to do precisely that; to tell the story. The question was: would they be able to obey? Peter is clearly portrayed here as one who is questioning that command. “Uh, well, Lord, just in case I didn’t hear you right the first time, would you repeat that order? Give it to me one more time – just for the record.”</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmYBDSr1gFg_gbAqDmtaY4ZdTFDhYf9ka66mcUDIaSbcaXWQPmftXTz_vNC2Vm7Unyj0wdFXpa3oXhSPkA_N4hZ4tK705IqUBSt475dpeZZDBp5ShQPQMTD64G7wCkYIFQYcNDxKjriqkj/s1600/walk_by_faith_web.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="174" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmYBDSr1gFg_gbAqDmtaY4ZdTFDhYf9ka66mcUDIaSbcaXWQPmftXTz_vNC2Vm7Unyj0wdFXpa3oXhSPkA_N4hZ4tK705IqUBSt475dpeZZDBp5ShQPQMTD64G7wCkYIFQYcNDxKjriqkj/s200/walk_by_faith_web.jpg" width="200" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmYBDSr1gFg_gbAqDmtaY4ZdTFDhYf9ka66mcUDIaSbcaXWQPmftXTz_vNC2Vm7Unyj0wdFXpa3oXhSPkA_N4hZ4tK705IqUBSt475dpeZZDBp5ShQPQMTD64G7wCkYIFQYcNDxKjriqkj/s1600/walk_by_faith_web.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a>The second thing to notice is what happens when Jesus obliges him. Peter gets out of the boat. He begins to walk toward Jesus on the water. Dietrich Bonhoeffer commented on this story saying, “Peter had to leave the ship and risk his life on the sea, in order to learn his own weakness and the almighty power of his Lord. If Peter had not taken the risk, he would never have learnt the meaning of faith. Before he could believe, the utterly impossible and ethically irresponsible situation on the waves of the sea must be displayed. The road to faith passes through obedience to the call of Jesus. Unless a definite step is demanded, the call vanishes into thin air, and if men imagine they can follow Jesus without taking this step, they are deluding themselves like fanatics.” In other words, faith is only real when it is put to the test. If Peter had not taken that first step, his faith would have been worthless. (Dietrich Bonhoeffer, “The Call to Discipleship.”)</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVotceYaRs094pi5H_701PU1jND4n84osnqnn9PZ0L9VIBC6bTVpjXREjvLdwiATGpz_wf8UmqARhIvGvaq_g3J-cN6jz_zPFB3ZnkMUGMqbPU6VEBdRByXgR_vSL35pWY3l2fZSvOLRDQ/s1600/Peter-on-water.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVotceYaRs094pi5H_701PU1jND4n84osnqnn9PZ0L9VIBC6bTVpjXREjvLdwiATGpz_wf8UmqARhIvGvaq_g3J-cN6jz_zPFB3ZnkMUGMqbPU6VEBdRByXgR_vSL35pWY3l2fZSvOLRDQ/s200/Peter-on-water.jpg" width="160" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVotceYaRs094pi5H_701PU1jND4n84osnqnn9PZ0L9VIBC6bTVpjXREjvLdwiATGpz_wf8UmqARhIvGvaq_g3J-cN6jz_zPFB3ZnkMUGMqbPU6VEBdRByXgR_vSL35pWY3l2fZSvOLRDQ/s1600/Peter-on-water.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a>Finally, it is when Peter starts walking that he becomes frightened by the wind and starts sinking. We need to get the connection between faith and doubt or between faith and fear. Matthew is not talking about some kind of intellectual doubt. He’s not talking about the kind of skepticism that some people exhibit, people who have no real interest in putting faith to the test, who are merely interested in debating the issue. Matthew is talking about someone who has the nerve to take that first step and then, because of circumstances beyond his or her control, begins to falter and sink beneath the waves. That’s the kind of person, Matthew says, who discovers Jesus’ steadying, delivering hand.</div>
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. . . and beginning to sink, he cried out, “Lord, save me!” Jesus immediately reached out his hand and caught him, saying to him, “You of little faith, why did you doubt?”<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7EUpJNEqg4WmRFpffZFjlwXHh2UoeDu5ykcxa3vGq1RRREZ6PCac4undDr4sRRK2iyg2RX99x4BJTEqPGvd-PJli42VeMyvBvUnAhHE9_ScZ3PoVqFVwDGs7atzvnUNwdN5EE9x_dbuNa/s1600/Peter+with+floaty.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7EUpJNEqg4WmRFpffZFjlwXHh2UoeDu5ykcxa3vGq1RRREZ6PCac4undDr4sRRK2iyg2RX99x4BJTEqPGvd-PJli42VeMyvBvUnAhHE9_ScZ3PoVqFVwDGs7atzvnUNwdN5EE9x_dbuNa/s200/Peter+with+floaty.jpg" width="200" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7EUpJNEqg4WmRFpffZFjlwXHh2UoeDu5ykcxa3vGq1RRREZ6PCac4undDr4sRRK2iyg2RX99x4BJTEqPGvd-PJli42VeMyvBvUnAhHE9_ScZ3PoVqFVwDGs7atzvnUNwdN5EE9x_dbuNa/s1600/Peter+with+floaty.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a>“You of little faith . . .” wasn’t something Jesus ever said to those who refused to follow him. He said it to those who did but who began to falter along the way. He said it to those who had the courage to take the first step. “If we would follow Jesus we must take certain definite steps,” wrote Bonhoeffer and that first step is the one that counts most of all. It is that step that makes following a serious business and not just an intellectual enterprise. That first step cuts us off from the way we have been living up to that point, just the way it cut Peter off from his nets. The only proof of whether are not we are serious about following is whether or not we are prepared to get up and muster the courage to take that first step; to begin a deed worth making. A mustered deed takes real faith.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN1ntB-YmEfpRcSAGl3D799XvIvu6pZOzWqd9Gz992VIcIG_rCer4_8WFp3Q82WLQmZnF04YTnxPk7BYQZtSfhZHrdGvDq2g9dW-MKJNsfuZz4BqvXtIlDnw-9QxHkSNrN2-uAV3T3SQ0x/s1600/boat-in-the-storm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="163" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN1ntB-YmEfpRcSAGl3D799XvIvu6pZOzWqd9Gz992VIcIG_rCer4_8WFp3Q82WLQmZnF04YTnxPk7BYQZtSfhZHrdGvDq2g9dW-MKJNsfuZz4BqvXtIlDnw-9QxHkSNrN2-uAV3T3SQ0x/s200/boat-in-the-storm.jpg" width="200" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN1ntB-YmEfpRcSAGl3D799XvIvu6pZOzWqd9Gz992VIcIG_rCer4_8WFp3Q82WLQmZnF04YTnxPk7BYQZtSfhZHrdGvDq2g9dW-MKJNsfuZz4BqvXtIlDnw-9QxHkSNrN2-uAV3T3SQ0x/s1600/boat-in-the-storm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a>Of course, it places us in an impossible situation. Of course, it forces us to traverse deep and turbulent waters. Of course, it plunges us into a situation of deep insecurity. Does anyone seriously believe for one instant that following someone like Jesus of Nazareth would mean making ourselves popular, safe, or successful? Faith is not about sitting still and waiting. It is about leaving the boat and risking your life. The reason Peter sank, of course, was because he started to doubt himself. It is an easy mistake to make. To think that being faithful to Jesus is all up to us, that it has something to do with our strength, our conviction, our will power, our emotional maturity. When Jesus finally did haul Peter up out of whatever waters he had begun to sink into, he must surely have said to himself, “What a fool I was. Here I thought that it was all up to me.”</div>
(Excerpts from Barry J. Robinson’s sermon “The First Step” for August 7, 2005 – www.fernstone.org)<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieos-8Ue-1c0AYZQ2MFV56PLA-9GrWfjIPj_LuT8pH_tPrKatyqNrrsEXRODfwIhPvxiANYOnL_gHcdgh60UT90il0sHSmI1GTnvrfUJRm9L857F3poecIZ9wU9ZrL7YOFvSZyCaULxrUF/s1600/Wallenda.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="192" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieos-8Ue-1c0AYZQ2MFV56PLA-9GrWfjIPj_LuT8pH_tPrKatyqNrrsEXRODfwIhPvxiANYOnL_gHcdgh60UT90il0sHSmI1GTnvrfUJRm9L857F3poecIZ9wU9ZrL7YOFvSZyCaULxrUF/s200/Wallenda.jpg" width="200" /></a><br />
As an adult, Tino Wallenda still lives on the high-wire. And so does his family. He said, “At one time or another I have taken each of my four children ¬Alida, Andrea, Aurelia and Alessandro ¬ on my shoulders as I have walked across the high-wire. In those situations the children really can't do any balancing; I'm the one who has to balance and support them. And people have asked them, "Aren't you scared?"<br />
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"No," they have said. And when they have been asked, "Why aren't you scared?" They have answered, "Because that's my daddy." You see, they have confidence in me because I'm their daddy. (www.wallenda.com)<br />
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And because of that confidence, they have the courage to do it over and over again. And so can we, by the faith of just one mustered deed. Let us pray. <br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9Q6OWlZVsBvro-GHtIascz-oi5mjEZN8frmJw6ysP9OAC3B7qjZWHdRKjX1pezq1lV6upen_7grYbs9N46Sb1YpmDTievkfq-b314K5iJtiGk_544EamyIQswMSOfxswamlqysanVouYV/s1600/WaterWalking.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9Q6OWlZVsBvro-GHtIascz-oi5mjEZN8frmJw6ysP9OAC3B7qjZWHdRKjX1pezq1lV6upen_7grYbs9N46Sb1YpmDTievkfq-b314K5iJtiGk_544EamyIQswMSOfxswamlqysanVouYV/s200/WaterWalking.jpg" width="200" /></a><em>O God; your good news to us today is so simple. If it is our job to leap, then it is the Spirit’s job to catch us; if it is our task to yield, then it’s the Spirit’s job to strengthen us; if our task is total commitment, then it’s the Spirit’s job to bear us up; if it’s our job to trust, then it’s the Spirit’s task to see that that trust does not wither; if it’s our job to love and trust, then it’s the Spirit’s job to grow that love and trust stronger and longer. Thank you for being Abba to us. Thank you for being faithful. Amen.<br />
– Andrew M. Greeley <br />
<br />
</em> <strong>Meditation:</strong> 1. What are the turbulent and violent storms you’ve experienced in your own life?<br />
2. What did it feel like taking that first step into the unknown?<br />
3. What did it cost you?<br />
4. What was your experience of Christ’s hand reaching out to you? Rev Bricehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17136743615744294418noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3445624634508747595.post-27135809823556295212011-09-05T08:13:00.000-07:002011-09-05T08:54:18.604-07:00Who's Our Guest?<b><span style="font-size: large;">The Origins of Memorial Day in the United States</span> </b> (Sorry for the late posting! This sermon was originally preached on May 29, 2011)<br />
<br />It all started 147 years ago in the middle of the American Civil War when a battle at Petersburg, Virginia on June 9, 1864 caused the Ladies Memorial Association of Petersburg to be formed to memorialize the City's militiamen who had been killed. Mrs. John A. Logan visited Petersburg after the battle where she saw the flags and flowers on the graves of the fallen heroes. These memorial observances by the Ladies Memorial Association of Petersburg caused Mrs. Logan to tell her husband, who was a General, to do the same for all of the fallen heroes throughout the country. General Logan then established the practice of decorating veterans' graves all over the United States. General Logan also instituted the National Memorial Day to be the last Monday in May every year. <br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">Who’s Our Guest?</span></b> <br />
<br /><em>John 14:15-21 </em><br />
<em><span class="versetext" id="joh14-15" style="display: inline;"><span class="versenum"><strong>15</strong></span><span class="WordsOfChrist">"If you love me, you will obey what I command.<a href="" name="1" style="position: relative;"></a><sup class="crossref" style="display: none;"><a href="http://www.biblestudytools.com/john/passage.aspx?q=john+14:15-21#cr-descriptionAnchor-1" id="1" style="position: relative;" title="ver 21,23; Ps 103:18; Jn 15:10; 1Jn 2:3-5; 3:22,24; 5:3; 2Jn 6; Rev 12:17; 14:12"></a></sup></span></span><span class="versetext" id="joh14-16" style="display: inline;"><span class="versenum"><strong>16</strong></span><span class="WordsOfChrist">And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor<a href="" name="2" style="position: relative;"></a><sup class="crossref" style="display: none;"><a href="http://www.biblestudytools.com/john/passage.aspx?q=john+14:15-21#cr-descriptionAnchor-2" id="2" style="position: relative;" title="ver 26; Jn 15:26; 16:7"></a></sup> to be with you forever--</span></span><span class="versetext" id="joh14-17" style="display: inline;"><span class="versenum"><strong>17</strong></span><span class="WordsOfChrist">the Spirit of truth.<a href="" name="3" style="position: relative;"></a><sup class="crossref" style="display: none;"><a href="http://www.biblestudytools.com/john/passage.aspx?q=john+14:15-21#cr-descriptionAnchor-3" id="3" style="position: relative;" title="Jn 15:26; 16:13; 1Jn 4:6; 5:6"></a></sup> The world cannot accept him,<a href="" name="4" style="position: relative;"></a><sup class="crossref" style="display: none;"><a href="http://www.biblestudytools.com/john/passage.aspx?q=john+14:15-21#cr-descriptionAnchor-4" id="4" style="position: relative;" title="1Co 2:14"></a></sup> because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be<a href="" name="a" style="position: relative;"></a><sup class="footnote" style="display: none;"><a href="http://www.biblestudytools.com/john/passage.aspx?q=john+14:15-21#fn-descriptionAnchor-a" id="a" style="position: relative;" title="Some early manuscripts "and is""></a></sup> in you.</span></span><span class="versetext" id="joh14-18" style="display: inline;"><span class="versenum"><strong>18</strong></span><span class="WordsOfChrist">I will not leave you as orphans;<a href="" name="5" style="position: relative;"></a><sup class="crossref" style="display: none;"><a href="http://www.biblestudytools.com/john/passage.aspx?q=john+14:15-21#cr-descriptionAnchor-5" id="5" style="position: relative;" title="1Ki 6:13"></a></sup> I will come to you.<a href="" name="6" style="position: relative;"></a><sup class="crossref" style="display: none;"><a href="http://www.biblestudytools.com/john/passage.aspx?q=john+14:15-21#cr-descriptionAnchor-6" id="6" style="position: relative;" title="ver 3,28; S Mt 16:27"></a></sup></span></span><span class="versetext" id="joh14-19" style="display: inline;"><span class="versenum"><strong>19</strong></span><span class="WordsOfChrist">Before long, the world will not see me anymore, but you will see me.<a href="" name="7" style="position: relative;"></a><sup class="crossref" style="display: none;"><a href="http://www.biblestudytools.com/john/passage.aspx?q=john+14:15-21#cr-descriptionAnchor-7" id="7" style="position: relative;" title="Jn 7:33,34; 16:16"></a></sup> Because I live, you also will live.<a href="" name="8" style="position: relative;"></a><sup class="crossref" style="display: none;"><a href="http://www.biblestudytools.com/john/passage.aspx?q=john+14:15-21#cr-descriptionAnchor-8" id="8" style="position: relative;" title="Jn 6:57"></a></sup></span></span><span class="versetext" id="joh14-20" style="display: inline;"><span class="versenum"><strong>20</strong></span><span class="WordsOfChrist">On that day<a href="" name="9" style="position: relative;"></a><sup class="crossref" style="display: none;"><a href="http://www.biblestudytools.com/john/passage.aspx?q=john+14:15-21#cr-descriptionAnchor-9" id="9" style="position: relative;" title="Jn 16:23,26"></a></sup> you will realize that I am in my Father,<a href="" name="10" style="position: relative;"></a><sup class="crossref" style="display: none;"><a href="http://www.biblestudytools.com/john/passage.aspx?q=john+14:15-21#cr-descriptionAnchor-10" id="10" style="position: relative;" title="ver 10,11; Jn 10:38; 17:21"></a></sup> and you are in me, and I am in you.<a href="" name="11" style="position: relative;"></a><sup class="crossref" style="display: none;"><a href="http://www.biblestudytools.com/john/passage.aspx?q=john+14:15-21#cr-descriptionAnchor-11" id="11" style="position: relative;" title="S Ro 8:10"></a></sup></span></span><span class="versetext" id="joh14-21" style="display: inline;"><span class="versenum"><strong>21</strong></span><span class="WordsOfChrist">Whoever has my commands and obeys them, he is the one who loves me.<a href="" name="12" style="position: relative;"></a><sup class="crossref" style="display: none;"><a href="http://www.biblestudytools.com/john/passage.aspx?q=john+14:15-21#cr-descriptionAnchor-12" id="12" style="position: relative;" title="S ver 15; 1Jn 5:3"></a></sup> He who loves me will be loved by my Father,<a href="" name="13" style="position: relative;"></a><sup class="crossref" style="display: none;"><a href="http://www.biblestudytools.com/john/passage.aspx?q=john+14:15-21#cr-descriptionAnchor-13" id="13" style="position: relative;" title="Dt 7:13; Jn 16:27; 1Jn 2:5"></a></sup> and I too will love him and show myself to him."</span></span><br /></em><br />
While preparing for my sermon on this Memorial Day I spent some time reminiscing about my first experience of leaving home bound for Air Force basic training in San Antonio, Texas in the summer of 1981. Those of us who have served, or still serve in the Armed Forces will probably never forget the day we began our new life in the military. I was just barely 18 years when I stepped off the charter bus into the hot, arid heat of Texas. Now this was quite a shock to my Midwestern sensibilities, and those first few inhospitable days in the Texas heat was a wakeup call for me. I knew that, not only was I no longer home, but I had started on a journey so different than my experience of life so far…and I was scared to death. For the next six weeks I stumbled through basic training like a scarecrow, all the time repeating the words of Dorothy Gale, “There’s no place like home. There’s no place like home!”<br />
<br />After basic training I settled into my Russian language school studies and realized that I wasn’t afraid as much of this military life, but still felt that something was missing. I needed to find a church. Being raised Pentecostal; I immediately gravitated toward the Assemblies of God pastor who held worship services at the base chapel and became fast friends with his family. I even started driving a church van picking up military men and women on base for their services. This church became my home away from home, connecting me to the community of faith that I had left behind. <br />
<br />And I had a similar experience once I moved to West Berlin Germany for my first duty station following the completion of my technical training. I arrived speaking no German, but immediately found a church full of people all ages who welcomed me with open arms, regardless of the language I spoke! I remember trying to communicate with just my hands and body language that first Sunday, listening to a worship service and sermon all in German, but somehow feeling such warmth as the congregation embraced me for who I was in spite of the strangeness. <br />
<br />These experiences remind me of the uniqueness of the Christian community; that you could go into any worship center in any part of the world and feel a part of something familiar, yet new and different. It could be that is our real call as Christians. Let me explain. I used to think that the biblical discipline of Hospitality was one of those “less important” spiritual gifts. I remember taking those spiritual gift inventories growing up, and thinking that gifts like hospitality, also known as helps or helping, seemed to be relegated to those who liked to “be in the background.” In fact, the classic story of Jesus chastising Martha for being too “busy” serving everyone else was case in point for me. Did Jesus really think that serving and helping others was not as important as sitting at his feet in worship?<br />
<br />But if we look deeply into this gospel text this morning a powerful image of hospitality emerges in this teaching by Jesus. Here’s a little background. In the lives of Old Testament Semitic peoples, hospitality was not an option in life, but a moral obligation. The harshness of the desert life made nomadic people sensitive to the needs of those who appeared at their tents seeking food and shelter. And it wasn’t just among the Hebrew people; many followers of pagan religions also considered it a duty. Yet in the New Testament hospitality has a different flavor. Inns and hostels that sprang up along Roman roads offered placed to say, which lessoned the importance of private accommodations. The strong sense of community was breaking down and with it the practice of hospitality. Even though the Romans like to throw lavish banquets, it was not their custom to offer hospitality to wandering strangers.<br />
<br />By the time of Jesus, hospitality had become something of a burden. The result was that people had to be reminded to show hospitality. And as it became less impromptu, it began to require rules. Invitations became more formal. Banquets, weddings, social occasions; all required an etiquette. It was to this reality that Jesus addressed his disciples on his last evening with them, and he was reminding them of the importance of hospitality from their ancient scriptures. Old Testament hospitality was not just about offering food and shelter to strangers; it was also marked by sacrifice. Killing an animal was regarded as a sacrificial act. Therefore when meat was eaten on festal occasions it carried sacred significance. In these sacrificial meals, the people and their God came together at the same table to partake of the same holy food. Eating together resulted in being drawn together, in a renewal of the covenant bond. Hospitality became an expression of the covenantal relationship with God and other human beings. The guest, when accepted into the sacred community, receives food for the body and for the soul. Through fellowship, story sharing, and being welcomed, the guest goes forth renewed and restored.<br />
Both the Old and New Testaments stress that the primary recipient of hospitality is to be the stranger. <br />
<br />However, strangers are not necessarily those different in culture, race, or socioeconomic status. They may be members of our family, or friends or neighbors who have become alienated from us. When we offer hospitality to anyone “estranged” from us, some curious and unexpected results occur. To offer hospitality to a stranger is to welcome something new, unfamiliar, and unknown into our life. Strangers have stories to tell which we have never heard before, stories which can redirect our seeing and stimulate our imagination. Hospitality to the stranger gives us a chance to see our own lives afresh. <br />
<br />Hospitality is the hallmark of a welcoming community. When we take time to discern the needs of the local community and then find ways to express compassion; that process calls us to respond to the real needs of people. We each bring unique gifts to the community, and authentic hospitality invites us to share those gifts. Our mission efforts are never one-way streets. Risking outreach to others creates opportunities to, not just give, but also receive. Feeding the neighborhood, clothing the needy, visiting the sick and those in prison, and might even hosting a kid’s carnival on our lawn yesterday, are ways of welcoming Christ into the community. We who are sent forth into mission are uniquely able to return with lessons of hospitality offered by those who have been served. Our open hearts and serving hands that reach out to the world are the same hearts and hands that receive God’s hospitality in return. <br />
<br />This understanding of hospitality has both inspired and haunted me. For in it we, as God’s children, are called to not only give, but also receive hospitality. It is not a one way street. The communion table is a universal example of Christian hospitality in our worship. But it wasn’t until I began training as a hospice chaplain that I realized how the world that we live in and serve is much like the communion table. We partake of the gifts of God, receiving them in their broken state, and become nourished by their gifts back to us. We receive that which we are there to give. I have worked weekly in hospice settings over the past year. When I enter the room of a patient with the expectation of receiving the same measure of hospitality that I give, I am truly humbled and transfigured by these experiences. <br />
<br />Walter was one of my first hospice patients. I met him at a nursing facility that was pretty run down and located in a not so great part of town. As I was driving to the appointment I realized it was not far from where I grew up. Just up the street from this nursing facility my Uncle died in desolation five years earlier, lying in a dirty apartment littered with trash, empty beer bottles, drug paraphernalia, and filled with hopelessness. I’ll never forget the moment I arrived at his apartment as hospice was called in. My grandmother, who lovingly cared for him his entire life—was there by his bedside—holding his hand and sweetly singing. My Uncle’s death would close a difficult chapter in our lives. But he would not die alone because my Grandmother, perhaps the greatest living example of God’s love and hospitality to the “stranger,” was there with him—comforting him as he took his last breath. All of those memories flooded back to me as I entered the nursing facility and walked across the worn floors, the smell of urine and cries of pain and hopelessness filled the air. Who was I going to be in that place? Would I mirror the abandonment of the world which daily passed judgment on the undesirables and fringes of society? Or was I going to be the agent of God’s grace and love welcoming healing and wholeness into these least of God’s children? <br />
<br />Moving into Walter’s room I sensed his loneliness. Cognitively he didn’t seem “all there.” The nurse wheeled him in from the TV room and he seemed a little agitated. Walter didn’t know what a chaplain was, and seemed a little suspicious of me. I didn’t push Walter very hard and I excused myself after a few minutes and wheeled him back to the TV room. He didn’t say thanks. He didn’t say see you later. But I hoped he would remember me next time. Each time I returned to visit it seemed I moved one more step toward radical hospitality. I meet Walter next time around Christmas while his family visited, and led them in singing Christmas carols with him. A month later we talked a bit deeper about his love of bluegrass music and memories of his long departed wife. The next visit he stayed in bed facing the wall the entire time, but seemed willing to talk even though I had “interrupted” his nap time. And the last time I visited Walter invited me to stay and have lunch with me. There it was, radical hospitality in action, and I received it from Walter.<br />
<br />It is no coincidence that hospice and hospitality come from the same Latin root hospes, which is formed from hostis, which originally meant "to have power." Linguistically, the word served double-duty in referring both to guests and hosts. Hospitality is a two way street, where both guest and host are imbued with power to transform the relationship. Jesus is our host at the communion table where that which is broken and poured out is used to create a covenantal community. It was this sacred moment that Jesus expressed his affection and companionship for his disciples. But our text tells us that we will still experience this radical hospitality. Jesus said he was sending an Advocate, the Spirit of Truth, to be with us. The Greek word used here is “paraclete” which means, “one who has been called to our side” to stand up for us. Think of lawyer shows on television. Think of detectives and mystery and action. The Paraclete, the Advocate, is a force on the move…just as Jesus was a force on the move in his lifetime. <br />
<br />Jesus clearly promises his presence and the presence of the Spirit to those who keep his commandments to love and serve one another. The love Jesus commands is not a feeling—but an action of hospitality to the stranger. What if we really understood Jesus words this way? What if we were to recognize that Christ is truly present among us, not just within ourselves as Christians, but whenever we greet and serve the stranger, the guest, the visitor that walks through those doors? This is why the work of hospitality in the church has illuminated the power of the Christian way for me. For in Christ there is no stranger. There is no separation. And in the words of Dorothy Gale, “There is no place like home!” So click your heals together and believe it. Amen!Rev Bricehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17136743615744294418noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3445624634508747595.post-70944624972238989102009-04-02T08:08:00.000-07:002009-04-02T08:38:00.723-07:00Drawing Power<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjB5wf2T7eNZdFlEOBKE0WutjvHe7E1ziJ4e_gWbJHADI9cwen1KntQJNxvl81pvlU5JB_sOluwHcZeGkXIG35W1Sy8mvNFS9LMci2H_I-zbcFJKPMyxr9pPbf1eM-2Ltygm65Zw5BYtnnE/s1600-h/Drawing+Power.png"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjB5wf2T7eNZdFlEOBKE0WutjvHe7E1ziJ4e_gWbJHADI9cwen1KntQJNxvl81pvlU5JB_sOluwHcZeGkXIG35W1Sy8mvNFS9LMci2H_I-zbcFJKPMyxr9pPbf1eM-2Ltygm65Zw5BYtnnE/s200/Drawing+Power.png" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5320113736895748834" /></a> <span style="font-style:italic;"> * John 12:20-33 - Now among those who went up to worship at the festival were some Greeks. They came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, and said to him, “Sir, we wish to see Jesus.” Philip went and told Andrew; then Andrew and Philip went and told Jesus. Jesus answered them, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. Very truly, I tell you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains just a single grain; but if it dies, it bears much fruit. Those who love their life lose it, and those who hate their life in this world will keep it for eternal life. Whoever serves me must follow me, and where I am, there will my servant be also. Whoever serves me, the Father will honor. “Now my soul is troubled. And what should I say—‘Father, save me from this hour’? No, it is for this reason that I have come to this hour. Father, glorify your name.” Then a voice came from heaven, “I have glorified it, and I will glorify it again.” The crowd standing there heard it and said that it was thunder. Others said, “An angel has spoken to him.” Jesus answered, “This voice has come for your sake, not for mine. Now is the judgment of this world; now the ruler of this world will be driven out. And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.”</span> <br /><br /><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/gnvx--K77aA&hl=en&fs=1&rel=0"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/gnvx--K77aA&hl=en&fs=1&rel=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpTVj5MetDgy_G1TRRTxNKZBCO6mT3zhGJhlqLwRk2vBuz5A8nBiTMM1JiDwJdoEMRcQ-ujNr-iidfE9bc_Cwx3BuaFWyI5G5KmJDK4OZWkyHwptYscAbOA_Hc0fY59V-u-DFLBlHxAtgz/s1600-h/magnets.png"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 133px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpTVj5MetDgy_G1TRRTxNKZBCO6mT3zhGJhlqLwRk2vBuz5A8nBiTMM1JiDwJdoEMRcQ-ujNr-iidfE9bc_Cwx3BuaFWyI5G5KmJDK4OZWkyHwptYscAbOA_Hc0fY59V-u-DFLBlHxAtgz/s200/magnets.png" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5320114545079676866" /></a> Magnets are an important part of our daily lives, serving as essential components in everything from electric motors, loudspeakers, computers, compact disc players, microwave ovens and the family car. Their contribution is often overlooked because they are built into devices and are usually out of sight.<br /> <br />Understanding the scientific properties of magnets can be a bit overwhelming at first. But there are some interesting principles about magnets that can inform or theological discussion today. <span style="font-weight:bold;">At the very basic level, the motion of charged particles such as electrons produces magnetic forces. </span> This magnetic force may cause attraction or repulsion, depending on the movement of the electrons, which may pull magnets together or pull them apart. <br /><br />A magnet attracts iron, steel, nickel, and certain other materials. <span style="font-weight:bold;">The attracted materials then become magnets themselves in a process called magnetization.</span> For example, if you were to place a nail near a magnet, it would become magnetized and would then attract a second nail. Magnetization occurs because the magnet causes particles called electrons in the atoms of the nail to align along the magnet's lines of force. The atoms with aligned electrons then act like tiny bar magnets themselves.<br /><br />Magnets have many uses in our everyday life as well as in our homes. We see them most frequently clinging to our refrigerator with pithy sayings or our favorite photos. However, the most important use of magnets in your home are the ones found in electric motors. Believe it or not it's electromagnetic and permanent magnets that help keep your blenders, vacuums, CD players and washing machines all running. They are also termed "heads" when referring to your VCR. <br /><br />Scientists have also discovered that many animals, including pigeons, honey bees, salmon, tuna, dolphins and turtles are able to detect the earth's magnetic field and may use it to help find their way. Particles of magnetite have been found in the body tissues of these animals. They suspect the particles form part of a system that sense the geomagnetic field. Certain species of bacteria found in the water have also been found that use the geomagnetic field to find their preferred habitat. Each bacteria use the particles as tiny compass needles to guide them along the electromagnetic field. (Source: www.sdmiramar.edu/faculty/fgarces/ChemProj/Ch100_F2K1/Chem100Page/YarbroughL/magnet portfolio.html#hm)<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHmrFty-sH2ChgcOCs5Hm7CsuVXKzaPqc0tVzta8ry6uT2JCNgX0DgmXlnkZr_QvMSQ8A2mvMP98J5HVFQd8h5fSKuf0H6KVZfC5XpOw0l1n6ic9JZM46SzmFMFYgMshJahgXqGeHOPg7i/s1600-h/John+12+25-26.png"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 124px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHmrFty-sH2ChgcOCs5Hm7CsuVXKzaPqc0tVzta8ry6uT2JCNgX0DgmXlnkZr_QvMSQ8A2mvMP98J5HVFQd8h5fSKuf0H6KVZfC5XpOw0l1n6ic9JZM46SzmFMFYgMshJahgXqGeHOPg7i/s200/John+12+25-26.png" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5320116128899122626" /></a> After listening to this scientific summary, I’m wondering if you caught on to some of the properties of magnets that just might “attract” you to the Good News this morning. It is helpful to remember a few things about the ministry of Christ. He spoke pretty straightforward about it in verses 25-26 of our Gospel text.<br /> <br />If there is one sure thing we can say about Jesus’ life—it was a life of great extravagance—in the truest sense of the word. He was extravagant in his reckless and scandalous expenditure of his life for the sake of the world's life. That is what the author of John's gospel wants us to hear today. Christ gave his life away without thought of gain or reward. He loved people wastefully. As a result, his life was not a very prudent life. It was not a very conservative life. It was not a very cautious life. It was not - by the standards most people use to measure things - a very successful life.<br /><br />He shunned no one, not even adulterers, not even tax gatherers, not even neurotics and psychotics, not even those tempted to suicide, not even alcoholics, not even poor people, not even beggars, not even lepers, not even those who ridiculed him, not even those who betrayed him, not even his own enemies. He shunned no one. And the words that describe his ministry seem to be words of sorrow, poverty, rejection and radical unpopularity —words of agony and loss. <span style="font-weight:bold;"><blockquote>“As I am lifted up from the earth, I will attract everyone to me and gather them around me.”</blockquote><br /></span> That is what John wants us to get from his gospel. It is something at the very heart of what John believed Jesus was all about. Jesus was a magnetic force in the world, because he knew his purpose. He understood his reason for being. And in the midst of a religious society that determined its connectedness to God according to how connected they were to wealth and power, Jesus message was a shock to the system. He believed that his connection to God demanded sacrifice and service to others.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">It is the ultimate paradox, of course: lose life in order to gain it.</span> That statement reflects the essence of all that Jesus said and did. It gave his life meaning. Trust life so much that you are free to give it away without thought of return. Apparently, he expected us to live our lives like that - so selflessly, so innocently, without thought for tomorrow - that our lives would seem to be profoundly careless. Was that not the kind of trust that marked the character of his life? <br /><br />That paradox: giving our lives away in order to gain them is supposed to characterize the Christian life as well. We, too, are called to identify with the least of our brothers and sisters, as he did, that our lives take on the very same sorrow, poverty, rejection, agony and radical unpopularity that summarized his life. After all, he did not tell us just to "make it up as you go along". He called us to live the only life he considered worth living, which is, of course, the life he was and is.<br /><br />From so many conversations I’ve had with other clergy within our denomination and outside of it, it seems that most churches these days are about preserving and maintaining what they possess. What do we need to do in order to reduce the deficit, repair the boiler, pay the staff, and keep the photocopier running? That's the stuff that usually takes up nearly all of their time and energy. Instead the very elementary question that we need to ask—in whatever church we find ourselves, is—do we have and hold what we do have and hold with integrity? The answer to that, of course, is that we do, IF we are free to give it all up for the world as a witness to the ministry of Christ, as a sign of dying in Christ, and as a way of attracting others to Christ. <span style="font-style:italic;">(Excerpts from Barry J. Robinson’s sermon “Paying the Rent” for April 6, 2003 – www.fernstone.org).</span><br /><br />From the outside looking in, Jesus magnetic personality does seem to be a downer in our consumerist society that values ownership and affluence. But I think his way of being was so much deeper than we really understand. In fact, we are just beginning to unlock the secrets to his teachings. Jesus drew so many people to him, not just because of his philosophy about God; he knew who he was. He knew his purpose. He understood his reason for being. <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgb0GTPlevNlXfHj6A5jD25AH4ibo15Qmp5B9fSdDY9gklEimhFOO3JZ4zscT-gkRJ1-8zs5M8VXy7vRa812XC3tmePlOlIJF0CzchoDueevaiXFASsm0sA2dGXq38qRpXliDFRidxIGGzl/s1600-h/Law+of+Attractino.png"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 133px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgb0GTPlevNlXfHj6A5jD25AH4ibo15Qmp5B9fSdDY9gklEimhFOO3JZ4zscT-gkRJ1-8zs5M8VXy7vRa812XC3tmePlOlIJF0CzchoDueevaiXFASsm0sA2dGXq38qRpXliDFRidxIGGzl/s200/Law+of+Attractino.png" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5320117077903210770" /></a> One of the great laws of the universe is the Universal Law of Attraction. It states: We attract whatever we choose to give our attention to—whether wanted or unwanted.<br /><br />This Law is Universal because it does not matter who you are, where you live, what your religious beliefs are, what year you were born...the Law is true for everyone equally. It is as true as the Law of Gravity. Most of the time, we attract by "default" rather than by deliberate choice. We just sort of go through our day, focusing on problems that need to be solved or on things that did not feel good nor seem right. In so doing, we are actually creating more problems, more of what does not feel good and more of what does not seem right. <br /><br />Think of yourself as a huge magnet. The kind that pulls metal to itself from afar off. It doesn't "try" to attract, it simply does attract. It is the same way for us. Whether or not we are trying to attract, we ARE doing so all the time. And we attract the likeness of what we think about. If we are thinking about a lack of something, we are attracting more lack (scarcity). If we are thinking about something we love, we are attracting more of what we love and enjoy. I know it sounds incredibly simple, and it is. We humans are actually very powerful attractors and we can use this wonderful, God-given power to attract more of what we want in life-simply by paying attention to where we place our thoughts and desires. Picture your heart as a powerful magnet. Your heart is the "vibrator" of all the signals that attract. <br /><br />Think of a radio. It has many different stations. To tune into a station you dial a specific frequency. As soon as we turn our attention to something it begins its journey to us. To be rid of something you do not want in your life, simply tune in to a different vibration (frequency or radio station)—to something that you do want. Just as magnetic fields are created by the motion of charged particles like electrons, our thoughts and emotions will create our reality. The first principle of the Law of Attraction is; <blockquote><span style="font-weight:bold;">In order to attract what you need, be very clear about what it is you want.</span></blockquote><br />The next principle of the Law of Attraction concerns magnetization. <span style="font-weight:bold;"><blockquote>You attract or repel negative and positive emotions by aligning your thoughts with what you want.</blockquote> </span>The more you focus on what you don’t want, the more likely you will get it.<br /><br />And the third principle of the Law of Attraction; <blockquote><span style="font-weight:bold;">Allow what you want and need to come to you. </span></blockquote> You can do this through detecting the greater force that is around you; trusting that God and the universe will bring to you all that you need, and allow that to guide you. <br /><br />Just as the magnet attracts and repels, we have the opportunity to gain clarity in knowing precisely what we want, through the many "contrasts" that life offers us. The key to successfully using contrast is to observe it briefly and use it to help you decide what you do want. This takes a little practice, since our habit is to talk about, tell others about and focus on what we did not like. <br /><br />Our ministry, our work if you will, is to let go of all resistance and believe that what you want will come to you—simply because you want it. Jesus did the same. He knew his purpose, we focused on that intention, and he transformed the world by following it. And Jesus challenges us to follow to. Let go of your life as it is, being reckless in your love for God and others, and you will have God’s life—without illusion, real and eternal. The Universal Law of Attraction also confirms it: in order to receive love, you must first give it. How will you give love this week? And how will you receive it? <span style="font-style:italic;">(Source: www.law-of-attraction-info.com/whatisloa.html)</span>Rev Bricehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17136743615744294418noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3445624634508747595.post-30128678494936215072009-03-23T15:05:00.000-07:002009-03-23T17:39:35.785-07:00Trading Up!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYIcquRBqxjnvcqVD8K9z3tBPayj8sT96XEWny6Z2upfLgxhnUjdBEjcIDr0rylbhyphenhyphenYUn9fW1dlQkcRM7qrSElj3KybyZ7RkYKShNbdN4DmDdkSZUA0YM0f5X453tcsJ7ip0tDChyphenhyphen4bZK6/s1600-h/Trading+Up.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYIcquRBqxjnvcqVD8K9z3tBPayj8sT96XEWny6Z2upfLgxhnUjdBEjcIDr0rylbhyphenhyphenYUn9fW1dlQkcRM7qrSElj3KybyZ7RkYKShNbdN4DmDdkSZUA0YM0f5X453tcsJ7ip0tDChyphenhyphen4bZK6/s200/Trading+Up.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5316544483056582370" /></a> * Mark 8:27-38 - Jesus went on with his disciples to the villages of Caesarea P<span style="font-style:italic;">hilippi; and on the way he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that I am?” And they answered him, “John the Baptist; and others, Elijah; and still others, one of the prophets.” He asked them, “But who do you say that I am?” Peter answered him, “You are the Messiah.” And he sternly ordered them not to tell anyone about him. Then he began to teach them that the Son of Man must undergo great suffering, and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again. He said all this quite openly. And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. But turning and looking at his disciples, he rebuked Peter and said, “Get behind me, Satan! For you are setting your mind not on divine things but on human things.” He called the crowd with his disciples, and said to them, “If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake, and for the sake of the gospel, will save it. For what will it profit them to gain the whole world and forfeit their life? Indeed, what can they give in return for their life? Those who are ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of them the Son of Man will also be ashamed when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.”</span><br /><br />I’ve had quite a few hobbies collecting things in my life. I’ve collected stamps, foreign money, beanie babies, and beer steins. But my most recent collecting craze has involved collecting symbols of my faith. I’ve brought a few of items from my cross collection. As you can see, I have crosses that come from different cultures and theological perspectives. I don’t know what it is about the cross—but I am intrigued at how my understanding of cross and its place in my spirituality has evolved over the last decade. For me, the cross is not just a nice artifact that I like to collect, but has become one of the most important symbols of my faith. It wasn’t until I looked into the cross’s own journey as a symbol throughout the last 2000 years, did I come to understand it could have a deeper meaning for me.<br /><br />I’d have to start by saying that I’ve always been intrigued by ancient symbols. During the season of Lent and Easter our Christian symbols play a vital role in connecting us to Jesus’ own journey to the cross and his crucifixion. We use a lot of symbols to identify Jesus as our center of worship. <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinRx6VqKoontgO_VK6wDv1P_j8x-ePzxk-SjC-iL1OLWnMFf1dhT4YzbjwIuFruw2Am_QAXjRyXJnc9xJMxfh03e3rY_OtrdOK2wI250qMQKmv_nbpUw0ZtNcdfYYhiqGrsyO4Juhsnrq1/s1600-h/IHS.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinRx6VqKoontgO_VK6wDv1P_j8x-ePzxk-SjC-iL1OLWnMFf1dhT4YzbjwIuFruw2Am_QAXjRyXJnc9xJMxfh03e3rY_OtrdOK2wI250qMQKmv_nbpUw0ZtNcdfYYhiqGrsyO4Juhsnrq1/s200/IHS.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5316513131540926290" /></a> Does anyone know what these letter stand for? It is the most common abbreviation used in churches, and they are on our altar, and on our banners. IHS stands for the first three letters of the name of Jesus in Greek—Iota Eta Sigma. The name Jesus was actually pronounced as Y-AY-SUS. Since there is no letter “J” in the Greek language, Jesus name actually begins with a “Ya” sound—as in “yoke.” The second letter of the Greek name of Jesus is the Eta. This Greek letter looks like an English “H” but sounds like a long “A” sound—as in “hay.” And of course the Greek “sigma” is our English “S”. Thus IHS is actually pronounced I-AY-S.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAoGxuZMKpKIFPjTH7SxL9781NNL0ACq0QOTeHDRHL3HG7CCrDohR_xSZ_2Og8DGtxBDVJPN_fKrz6W0lx7iCu3RRhjz8wZHTQXCARYlH5KjMmgQC5OstzTvHLpSuS4foGk3iM_DUt2pfZ/s1600-h/icthus2.gif"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 88px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAoGxuZMKpKIFPjTH7SxL9781NNL0ACq0QOTeHDRHL3HG7CCrDohR_xSZ_2Og8DGtxBDVJPN_fKrz6W0lx7iCu3RRhjz8wZHTQXCARYlH5KjMmgQC5OstzTvHLpSuS4foGk3iM_DUt2pfZ/s200/icthus2.gif" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5316514320994738802" /></a> Disciples of Jesus have also been symbolized from ancient times by the word fish, which in Greek is “ICHTHUS.” ICHTHUS is also an acronym for Jesus.<br />During the early centuries following the death of Christ when it was illegal to be a follower of Jesus, the sign of the fish was used as a secret indicator of being a Christian. It was a symbol of brave faith and of deep conviction. <br /><br />It is however during the season of Lent that we focus on a symbol that are probably the most well known through the Christian tradition. It is of course, the cross. However, you may have noticed that there are many different images of the cross. <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKDp3hjq6RX4rmM1rbK5nVzPsFV8lKK_Dt16yX1f_MlVkapF5aqtvnR8iYHu66THBzNtoM3VQ_3LkltnReFQFTK5SEFHrrtJ1tCVCaHz7Ke2gSA-7TvClNciZZIxS95RxgSvjvkOqsOctL/s1600-h/wood+cross.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 112px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKDp3hjq6RX4rmM1rbK5nVzPsFV8lKK_Dt16yX1f_MlVkapF5aqtvnR8iYHu66THBzNtoM3VQ_3LkltnReFQFTK5SEFHrrtJ1tCVCaHz7Ke2gSA-7TvClNciZZIxS95RxgSvjvkOqsOctL/s200/wood+cross.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5316519425964842978" /></a> Perhaps we are most familiar with the Latin cross shown here. Our own crosses in the sanctuary are modeled after this cross. The Latin cross is a very plain image. Its simplicity and clean figure appeal to the time of Lent when we seek clarity and simple expression in our worship.<br /> <br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYbjPsIXhnqF6Yw8rW5kaCBCaP7hCYObwY478R7HzwnboghMuxlAfI0XsL7Rcsvo8T7_Zz91oFAeeoIxj7QknyF8zvgxblRWjdymttBvNiMFrvbJXSQcHl7oeh-nEVx3B_CCPzUWTjXpZB/s1600-h/Celtic+Cross.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 134px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYbjPsIXhnqF6Yw8rW5kaCBCaP7hCYObwY478R7HzwnboghMuxlAfI0XsL7Rcsvo8T7_Zz91oFAeeoIxj7QknyF8zvgxblRWjdymttBvNiMFrvbJXSQcHl7oeh-nEVx3B_CCPzUWTjXpZB/s200/Celtic+Cross.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5316519668129582530" /></a> My favorite representation of the cross is the Celtic cross. I have several images of that version in which a circle is added to the classic Latin design signifying eternity. The Celts believed that the work of redemption accomplished on the cross was planned in eternity—and that work continues permanently. This cross suggests the timeless dimension of God’s salvific work.<br /><br />But the cross has a dark history as well. Did you know that a cross hung over the concentration camp at Auschwitz? The cross greeted the thousands of Jews, homosexuals and others who were murdered by the 3rd Reich. In the face of such tragedy and brutality delivered in the name of Yaysus Christos, we have to ask ourselves; how did this symbol of faith evolve from the execution of Jesus to a symbol representing the extermination of millions of people who don’t follow him? <br /><br />Perhaps Jesus himself can tell us a little about that. Our gospel text this morning comes at the middle of Mark's story of Jesus of Nazareth. Jesus has begun his public ministry and people have started to follow him. But Mark wants this struggling and grassroots band of believers to know what's involved in following Jesus. In particular, he wants them to know that being a disciple is not some simple theological belief; but that it's about being willing to pay the price. Jesus asks outright, “Who do people say that I am?” The other disciples, of course, play the role of the clueless and ignorant. "How about Elijah?" one of them says. "Guess again." "John the Baptist?" another chimes in. "Wrong again." “Just another prophet?” still another suggests. Finally, good, old, impetuous Peter comes through for us. "I know who you are – You are the Messiah!" Ding, Ding, Ding! Peter hits the jackpot, he gives the winning answer. Peter has figured it out. Hooray for Peter! Hooray for all of us who know who Jesus really is.<br /><br />But Mark doesn’t leave it there. Peter is immediately silenced by Jesus. “Yes, you are right. But I’m going to die for my cause. So keep quiet until it’s time.” Why would Jesus predict the end of his ministry this way? Why on earth would Jesus gain by scaring off his disciples prior to accomplishing his most important work? Jesus is telling his disciples that if they are to follow him they must confront the powers that be. Jesus will not enter Jerusalem as the triumphant military leader everyone expected the Messiah to be. Rather, he will be executed by the leaders of the nation; and if that weren’t enough; he would choose not to avoid it.<br /><br />And what is Peter's response? “No Jesus! I refuse to accept this meaning of Messiah. There’s no way you are going to die. I won’t let it happen. Absolutely not! You’re not going to Jerusalem. I won’t let you. I won’t listen to this anymore!” This sharp exchange between the two escalates until finally Jesus silences Peter. "You are aligned with Satan!" he tells him. "Get out of my way!" Wow! Talk about a conflict of interest. But, if you think about it, we really shouldn’t be too hard on Peter. After all, we have had much in common with him. Christians still have trouble following a Messiah who ends up on an execution stick. The point being - the cross was not a religious icon in first century Palestine. Nor was "taking up the cross" a metaphor for surviving personal anguish. Crucifixion had only one connotation: it was the vicious form of capital punishment reserved by imperial Rome for political dissidents.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJtKxv1dhjt7dn6S1LTchaucGZ7Zm8MTHRYeG9VM-ih8hxqmfB_MIHTPzKuG2-Aq24AOJpovvfXQ6tReHafS35JAsKTySX_LyYcYGy07Dy0hyphenhyphenjKFa2DbTnNsqkxU15pxwp6vRA6avK4tcv/s1600-h/constcross.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 250px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJtKxv1dhjt7dn6S1LTchaucGZ7Zm8MTHRYeG9VM-ih8hxqmfB_MIHTPzKuG2-Aq24AOJpovvfXQ6tReHafS35JAsKTySX_LyYcYGy07Dy0hyphenhyphenjKFa2DbTnNsqkxU15pxwp6vRA6avK4tcv/s320/constcross.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5316547029556547250" /></a> But it didn't stay that way for long. Around 312 C.E. the emperor Constantine was leading an army to battle against another Roman emperor, Maxentius, for control of the entire Roman Empire. Before a crucial battle Constantine had a vision of a cross with the inscription, "In this Sign Conquer". And the rest, as they say, is history. Christians started planting crosses all over the world, usually in the bodies of their victims. All in the name of Jesus under the sign of the cross.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizU3sp79tehwlGOl6JEiE9AOWbAF8uVn4hOSP7xtfAC4phLgdcpzSVSiU_tMSZQEFzVcPqBF_3HvFwMNZrA79cFtDK42xZ1dTiT98McR4IzLVDtyjdOMAcp1kgbS_XgFUwwK57YaYSocMj/s1600-h/crusades.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 255px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizU3sp79tehwlGOl6JEiE9AOWbAF8uVn4hOSP7xtfAC4phLgdcpzSVSiU_tMSZQEFzVcPqBF_3HvFwMNZrA79cFtDK42xZ1dTiT98McR4IzLVDtyjdOMAcp1kgbS_XgFUwwK57YaYSocMj/s320/crusades.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5316547109409818418" /></a> The Crusades were followed by the Inquisition, in 1232 and lasted for more than 600 years down into the nineteenth century. Its high point was the expulsion of Jews and Muslims from Spain in 1492. Women were singled out by the thousands and burned at the stake as witches. All under the sign of the cross. The cross at Auschwitz, in other words, did not get there by accident. It grew out of that particular mindset, ingrained into the Christian psyche, that we had a right, even a moral and spiritual obligation to rid the world of those who were not like us. The question is: how much is there left in this symbol of the humble Galilean and his vision of the kingdom of God—a realm where everyone is equal in God’s eyes? It’s not easy to hear what has happened to this symbol many of us have treasured all of our lives, is it? But we need to own what the church has done down through the centuries if we are ever to understand those who see us now as the infidels, the faithless ones. After all, our history speaks for itself!<br /><br />So where is the good news today? How can we reclaim the image of the cross of Jesus as a symbol of salvation it was intended to be? I suppose the answer to that lies in how serious Christians are willing to suffer for Jesus' vision as much as he was; because that's what the cross was really about for him. The cross is a symbol of Jesus’ self-sacrificing life. And the cross in the daily life of a believer is not mere suffering, but is a symbol of our service to others—service which is often costly and burdensome. The authentic cross bearer is the one concerned about service instead of slaughter, kindness instead of killing, welfare rather than war, forgiveness more than fortune. That's what the cross really meant. The question is: are we prepared to live that way?<br /><br />I collect crosses. I am intrigued by its symbolism, its beauty, and its meaning in my life. I enjoy reflecting on it as a vision of my own journey to be an authentic child of God. And like many of you, I’ve experience persecution because of that vision. I pray that I might live out that vision as one who embraces the cross of Jesus. For it is Jesus that asks us; "If any want to become my disciples, let them deny themselves and take up the cross and follow me." What will you trade for this kingdom value? What will you trade to join Jesus on his journey to the cross? Amen!Rev Bricehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17136743615744294418noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3445624634508747595.post-14898882014525699982009-02-25T11:36:00.000-08:002009-02-25T11:53:40.171-08:00Creating Inner Space<span style="font-style:italic;">* Mark 9:2-9 - Six days later, Jesus took with him Peter and James and John, and led them up a high mountain apart, by themselves. And he was transfigured before them, and his clothes became dazzling white, such as no one on earth could bleach them. And there appeared to them Elijah with Moses, who were talking with Jesus. Then Peter said to Jesus, “Rabbi, it is good for us to be here; let us make three dwellings, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.” He did not know what to say, for they were terrified. Then a cloud overshadowed them, and from the cloud there came a voice, “This is my Son, the Beloved; listen to him!”Suddenly when they looked around, they saw no one with them any more, but only Jesus. As they were coming down the mountain, he ordered them to tell no one about what they had seen, until after the Son of Man had risen from the dead. So they kept the matter to themselves, questioning what this rising from the dead could mean.</span><br /><br />Do you mind if I take your picture before I begin? I want to remember this moment. Could all of you kind of scrunch in together so I can get you all in the picture? Noel, could you lean in your head toward Elva? Perfect. Say Cheese. (Click!)<br /><br />The world is full of amateur photographers, and I am one of them. I think that most of us are obsessed with taking pictures and having our pictures taken. In focus or out of focus, posed or candid, we are forever snapping pictures of each other, of the things around us, of things inside of us and anywhere else we can focus our trustworthy lens. There is nothing too sacred to escape the click of the omnipresent shutterbug. Baptisms, confirmations, weddings, birthdays, and especially family vacations are all fair game for amateur photographers. <br /><br />And now in this new age of digital media, we put our photos not just in wooden or plastic frames, but on digital photo players, mouse pads, key chains, refrigerator magnets, slideshows, on internet web pages and social networking sites, even on DVDs. We have turned the photography business into a multi-billion dollar industry. Indeed, it wouldn't surprise me that if the Jesus appeared here this morning, someone would immediately whip out their camera phone try to digitally capture him.<br /><br />It occurred to me, as I contemplated our obsession with picture taking, how things might have been in biblical times if these familiar characters had had the use of the modern camera. Can you imagine Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden, with Eve trying to take a photograph of Adam for the grandchildren? "Stand up straight, Adam, and for goodness sake keep those leaves still. We will never get these pictures back from Walgreen's if you don't keep covered up!"<br /><br />Or can you see Noah, after the flood was over, trying to get a picture of all the animals in front of the ark with the rainbow in the background? "Japeth! Tell those rabbits in the front row to stop fooling around. And get that giraffe to hold his head down so I can get him in the picture."<br /><br />Or King Solomon taking a picture of all his foreign wives and concubines and kids? It might have looked like the Democratic National Convention last year. <br />Or can you imagine a church historian at Pentecost trying to get a picture of the crowd with the tongues of fire over their heads? "Preach that sermon one more time, Peter, I want to get a shot from the back."<br /><br />Or the disciples taking pictures during Jesus' ministry? "Don't heal that leper yet, let me get my camera in focus. OK, go ahead! Oops, could you have him kneel away from the sun?"<br /><br />Can you see Peter on the day of the Transfiguration? "Oh, isn't this wonderful? Lord, if only we could stay here always! Just a minute, let me get a picture of this so we can show all the guys when we get back. Jesus, could you have Moses and old E'Lije come back for just a minute so I can get a picture of the three of you together? No one is going to believe this!"<br /><br />If Peter had had a camera that day he would have been taking pictures until everyone was tired of posing. Peter was just like most of us. He wanted to preserve a meaningful moment for all time. If he had had his way he would have stayed there forever. "Lord, it is good for us to be here; if you wish, I will make three dwellings here, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah."<br /><br />We all try, in our own ways, to prolong the mountaintop experiences of our lives. But they never look quite the same in photographs or on videotape. The Holy can never be fully captured by pictures or stories. Jesus is always taking us back down the mountain, back to our everyday realities. The best we can do is to enter fully into the transfiguring experience so that the way we live our lives from that moment on will have a transfiguring effect on others.<br /><br />“And he was transfigured before them, and his face shone like the sun, and his clothes became dazzling white.” The language of transfiguration is not unfamiliar to us. We use phrases such as, “the radiant bride,” “the beaming father,” “her face just glowed.” When we use this language, we are describing a transfiguration of someone near to us. Transfiguration happens not only in the Bible but also to real people in the real world today.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQflAnUSGPCVrERFlHcV60EhiZxAf3IelGsFfQkha2bqUAqhUwfr8wLU8u09UFtaJ2FtTI8gPvrnzrTp9RDVzJmu1LXGYREKPvHAIi0FRqFSZ2B9qSyxbaqD1SETNKafFV7ZBbOmLHysxN/s1600-h/DSCN0344.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 150px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQflAnUSGPCVrERFlHcV60EhiZxAf3IelGsFfQkha2bqUAqhUwfr8wLU8u09UFtaJ2FtTI8gPvrnzrTp9RDVzJmu1LXGYREKPvHAIi0FRqFSZ2B9qSyxbaqD1SETNKafFV7ZBbOmLHysxN/s200/DSCN0344.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5306824205961110802" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg338AnFdXz7Sfeav-4AfJVaU6l1lMmJ_xKnPnnMEIwmSsdjvD6UVwVNq79Rm5VEJ0PXBomRc-XTrJ_mZsdjvj7jkFzNB4Gjvozd2jnsxbl4t4ialt1H2xbRbOu25WEcTsGylwnTLfR0Vhr/s1600-h/100_0712.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 134px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg338AnFdXz7Sfeav-4AfJVaU6l1lMmJ_xKnPnnMEIwmSsdjvD6UVwVNq79Rm5VEJ0PXBomRc-XTrJ_mZsdjvj7jkFzNB4Gjvozd2jnsxbl4t4ialt1H2xbRbOu25WEcTsGylwnTLfR0Vhr/s200/100_0712.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5306824677020425362" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSjRgr2rjKkWnPkHCdlOJP1cBZbkAsydFFP8KyGhValeJ5_qkzKyKbe9wOkPQIFFPLLe7COENePV-hWXskLpYAv_f4xF9T2JdC0ig0zvuVME6BbgyibHeUA2hZUqR3N6o1gqHpmfS0DoSs/s1600-h/Graduation.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 138px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSjRgr2rjKkWnPkHCdlOJP1cBZbkAsydFFP8KyGhValeJ5_qkzKyKbe9wOkPQIFFPLLe7COENePV-hWXskLpYAv_f4xF9T2JdC0ig0zvuVME6BbgyibHeUA2hZUqR3N6o1gqHpmfS0DoSs/s200/Graduation.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5306825091805874450" /></a><br /><br />I’ve truly had many experiences in my life when I was transformed from one state of consciousness into another. I remember the experiences of visiting a new country while stationed in the Air Force overseas…always meeting someone who was also traveling and sharing the experience…like; standing on the edge of the cliffs of the Island of Santorini in Greece. Riding my moped across the Island of Crete and picking olives for extra cash. I remember jumping off of waterfalls in Hawaii…and the feeling of exhilaration from such a perilous experience. The time I traveled to Israel, was baptized in the Jordan River and visited the places where Jesus walked. I’ll never forget standing at the entrance to Checkpoint Charlie in West Berlin, being inspected by Russian guards before crossing the border. Memories of; flying over the glaciers in Iceland in a helicopter; standing atop the Eifel Tower in Paris; climbing to the top of one of the pyramids of Giza in Egypt; all of which I’ve taken pictures.<br /><br />But I’ve also been transfigured by every day ministry experiences; the death of my grandmother after her short illness, holding her in my arms and pleading for just one more minute of time with her. Walking into a hospital room and praying for a beloved church member as they pass from earth to heaven. Sitting in that first church service after 10 years of running from God, and feeling so much love as if it were a warm blanket surrounding me. Standing before our association and answer questions about my theology. Being applauded for my desire to risk ministry as an out gay man. Walking the aisle during my ordination service, and releasing all the memories of oppression and prejudice from the church of my past. The opening night of Common Grounds coffeehouse in Lebanon, and the hundreds of people surrounding me with good wishes and hope for my emerging ministry. <br /><br />And often it’s not the mountaintop experiences that have the biggest impact on us, but the ones that occur while we are living the darkest valleys of our life; those dark night of the soul kinds of experiences. The phrase, "This too shall pass" is not telling you that you should not enjoy the good in your life, nor are they merely meant to provide some comfort in times of suffering. They have a deeper purpose: to make you aware of the fleetingness of every situation, and the transience of all forms. When you become of way of the instability of everything, your attachment to them lessens, and you then can disidentify from them. Knowing that change is inevitable, you can enjoy the pleasures of the world while they last without fear of loss or anxiety about the future. The recognition of “this too shall pass” brings detachment and with detachment another dimension comes into your life—inner space. It comes as a stillness, a subtle peace deep within you, even in the face of something seemingly bad. Suddenly, there is a space around the event. And from that space emanates a peace that is not of this world. This is the peace of God.<br /><br />Whenever you are upset about an event, a person, or a situation, the real cause is not the event, person or situation but a loss of true perspective that only space can provide. The words, this too shall pass, can restore awareness of that inner dimension within you. And in this space do we find the perfect love of God.<br /><br />What the disciples witnessed with Jesus was obviously a transfiguration. The fullness of his life burst out. The Spirit within him erupted. He was full of love for God and humanity. It was obviously a total, energetic love. Jesus turned his life over to humanity and God for the sake of God and humanity. <br /><br />Marianne Williamson, a prolific writer on the power of love in spirituality, wrote “As you are liberated from your own fear, your presence will automatically liberate others.” The presence that Williamson speaks of is Christ consciousness, or oneness with Universal consciousness. Resting in the stillness of Christ consciousness, you cannot DO anything for another person. You simply manifest your stillness as outer purpose that automatically liberates others. You cannot DO anything. You cannot change anything. You can be the change, and by being the change, you align your purpose with the flow of the universe. Then change happens, and you are part of the co-creation of a new earth. <br /><br />Just like it was for Jesus, the fullness of life and love is for us too. The transfiguration is about us. It is for us. It’s about being the incarnation of God. We trust God with our lives. We die to our old life and are born to a life in the Spirit. We shine with new life. And the transfiguration is for our churches. We talk of transformation and revival. What we want is transfiguration. We want energy, spirit and radiance. What we want is what God offers. <br /><br />Transfiguration is about changing appearances. We change not because of necessity, but out of our desire to please God. How can we please God? What exactly did Jesus do to evoke such strong emotion from God? Can we do the same? What are the mountaintop experiences that change us? <span style="font-style:italic;">(Excerpts from John Keeny, “Lectionary Musings,” (www.gbgm-umc.org/daytonsouthdist/lectionary%20musing.html)</span>Rev Bricehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17136743615744294418noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3445624634508747595.post-42547437145595013022009-02-25T10:55:00.001-08:002009-02-25T11:35:23.192-08:00Love Is...<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhz7HwBL5J8t2vavBAsWhZhdksL56NNH4_twB8TjasrPMmJj9RYEZu-VcsonDfajmTTSRyiMfqc_24vtpchgr8n-QT5dUaS7NPbF5QsNCpK6qgIeb2R6bLgIGfdvL1bCMlMq5JaMbFeRuW4/s1600-h/PizzaandPraise-2.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 154px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhz7HwBL5J8t2vavBAsWhZhdksL56NNH4_twB8TjasrPMmJj9RYEZu-VcsonDfajmTTSRyiMfqc_24vtpchgr8n-QT5dUaS7NPbF5QsNCpK6qgIeb2R6bLgIGfdvL1bCMlMq5JaMbFeRuW4/s200/PizzaandPraise-2.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5306814436521830642" /></a> <span style="font-style:italic;">* Mark 1:40-45 - A leper came to him begging him, and kneeling he said to him, ‘If you choose, you can make me clean.’ Moved with pity, Jesus stretched out his hand and touched him, and said to him, ‘I do choose. Be made clean!’ Immediately the leprosy left him, and he was made clean. After sternly warning him he sent him away at once, saying to him, ‘See that you say nothing to anyone; but go, show yourself to the priest, and offer for your cleansing what Moses commanded, as a testimony to them.’ But he went out and began to proclaim it freely, and to spread the word, so that Jesus could no longer go into a town openly, but stayed out in the country; and people came to him from every quarter.</span><br /><br />You’ll have to forgive me in advance today for what I’m calling my “sick sermon.” I call it that because I was literally sick while writing it. Now I’m not going to tell you a sob story about being ill with the flu this week…but, it was horrible. Ever have one of those weeks when everything just felt more depressing or chaotic because you were sick? I mean the dogs and cats around the house were more annoying than usual…you see I have 5 dogs…and, hmm, several cats, and have you ever realized just how loud a beagle sounds when you have a headache? Or how about a cat kneading its paws on your back while your trying to sleep away your flu body aches and pains? Feels like a frickin’ chain saw!<br /><br />Okay…so you get the picture. I didn’t feel well. So as I’m laying in bed yesterday for the third day in a row, starting to think about how the heck I’m gonna write two sermons by tonight on seemingly two totally different subjects…one of which is about Love…possibly the biggest subject in the world…my mind kept going to the Gospel text for this Sunday. The story of the leper that finds Jesus in Galilee. On the surface it’s certainly doesn’t seem like a story about Love…at least not in the traditional sense. It’s not a story about Love like you find in Corinthians…oh you know that story…written by Paul to the church at Corinth; Love is patient. Love is kind. Love does this; Love does that. You know that Love letter…right? I mean, have you ever been to a wedding when that scripture wasn’t read? No…instead of concentrating on what the Bible might say about Love, in general, my mind kept seeing and hearing the chaos and conflict that must have been surrounding Jesus in our Gospel text for Sunday. <br /><br />That’s why I love the lectionary. Instead of taking “pot shots” at our sacred scriptures, it forces us to look at the context of the stories of our faith, and helps us discern the Good News for this very time and place. So…in our text we find Jesus in the middle of taking a whirlwind trip through Galilee healing people with diseases, casting out demons in every small town up and around the Sea of Galilee. In just a very short time, perhaps only a few weeks or several days…Jews from all over the area hear about the amazing things this teacher and prophet from Nazareth is doing. <br /><br />I mean…there is some serious stuff going down. The crowds are growing larger and larger…and even Jesus seems to be a little concerned. No longer is his anonymity a safe haven. The world begins to see him as a commodity and wants more of him. It kind of reminds me of a relationship I once had with a friendship I once had with someone I met at a Bible college I attended in the early 90s. His name is Kevin Jonas, and he was the worship leader at the college, with which I occasionally sang. Over the years I tried to get in touch with him, but without much success. I heard he had moved to the East Coast and was working in the music business. Well, one day I was flipping through TV channels and I got a glimpse of Kevin on...the Oprah Winfrey Show. I was as surprised to find out that his three songs, Kevin, Joe and Nick were actually the Jonas Brothers that had skyrocketed to fame within the last year. No wonder I couldn't find Kevin! He had been quite busy over the last 18 years!<br /><br /><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/f8WFQLB9Gcg&hl=en&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/f8WFQLB9Gcg&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object><br /><br />So here we find Jesus in the midst of this rock star like atmosphere; and somehow this leper, some unclean person gets close to Jesus. Now the original Greek uses the terms leper and leprosy pretty interchangeably. It can mean a number of diseases or conditions. We now understand leprosy to be a skin disease that can take the appearance of scales (from the Greek – lepi, meaning scales of a fish). And it’s interesting to note that leprosy is not highly contagious like it was once thought. It is a bacterium that can be treated quite easily. Whatever the man was suffering from, it was bad enough to ostracize him from society. But I’m not talking about being talked about behind his back…or being blacklisted from the country club…this guy had been physically removed from the city limits by the religious leaders. <br /><br />You see, according to Leviticus law, if the priest discovers that someone in the family has any kind of social illness; they are labeled impure, unclean, and a source of danger and contamination to the entire family. For that reason they must be expelled from the community according to sacred law (Lev 13-14). They can not pray in the temple or go to the synagogue, or eat at the dinner table with their family or friends…or spend the night in the homes. They become isolated people; a separate species.<br /><br />So this outcast comes to Jesus, doing what he always does… begging, but instead of begging for money, or food, he asks for Jesus to make him ritually clean again. “If you choose, you can make me clean.” Now for this man…being ritually clean was the answer to everything. Being clean would mean he was restored to society. It means that he would be given a way back into relationship with his family and friends. He could once again eat at their tables, have Sabbath dinner again. He could celebrate all the Jewish festivals; spend the night at Mom and Dad’s house again. He could be made whole and complete…clean…again. Was he asking for healing? We don’t know…that’s not what it says…all he said was that he didn’t want to be ritually unclean any more. Remember, leprosy was a social disease.<br /><br />And Jesus response was classic. The NRSV said, “moved with pity.” The NIV says, “filled with compassion.” But this Greek verb, “splanch-niz-omai” is only use 3 times in the entire book of Mark. It literally means to explode kindness, consideration and compassion upon another person. <br /><br /><blockquote>Splanchnizomai - to be moved with intense emotions for another</blockquote><br /><br />To shower someone with intense feelings of care and concern overflowing out of an intense emotional response to their relationship with you. People…this is what LOVE IS! It is one of those truly Christ-like qualities that we rarely possess for very few people…and when we possess it they know it!<br /><br />It’s like getting a bouquet of hear shaped balloons at your work desk from your favorite person. It’s opening a fresh box of Esther Price chocolates from your lover. It’s getting that Hallmark Card for no other reason than…there is someone that loves you. It’s dinner on their dime. It’s Valentine’s Day…every day. That is the kind of LOVE that Jesus is pouring out to this total stranger, this ugly, scaly, socially impure, not fit for anyone’s table broken down poor old man with leprosy. This is LOVE. This is Jesus.<br /><br />We meet so many people looking for this kind of love in their lives. They search from church to church looking to be made clean again. The come to us in their rags of despair and isolation. Their skin bruised and discolored by the rules and regulations of our doctrines and dogmas. Their spirits broken by our self righteousness. And over and over they are turned away because they aren’t socially acceptable. And all they want is to be invited back into God’s family. And that’s where we’ve missed sharing the Gospel. Being the compassion of Jesus is not merely a matter of temperament, but is the mark of a disciple. As disciples of Jesus we are called to break down all barriers—social, economic, political, and yes, religious—between human need and God’s liberating mercy. To touch the untouchable, to violate our Christian rules and regulations and risk becoming unclean ourselves. To rewrite the book on God’s beloved community.<br /><br />And so…do you know what love is? Have you ever received an unwarranted, unexpected act of compassion or kindness from someone you didn’t even know? Has someone ever broken down a barrier that kept you from feeling God’s grace and mercy? Have you been touched by the Christ and made clean?<br /><br />We are the children of God, sent by Christ to do just that. Not just telling another that we love them…but by showing every person we meet the unbridled compassion and unrestrained grace of God. How do you do that? Well, you can start with “splancknizomai-ing” somebody today. Somebody that doesn’t deserve it…but somebody who desperately needs it. I bet you’ll know how. And I’ll bet you get “splancknizomai-ed” in return!Rev Bricehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17136743615744294418noreply@blogger.com0