Tuesday, December 18, 2012

Every Time A Bell Rings An Angel Gets His Wings

John 1:1-14

This Sunday we will have our first annual Impromptu Intergenerational Interactive Christmas Pageant. Wish I could tell you for sure what will happen, but I'm not sure how it will unfold. Which, in my estimation, makes it just about as perfect as you can imagine a Nativity being.  I can't wait!

On Christmas Eve, we finish our sermon series on The Gospel According to George Bailey, the theological insights in It's A Wonderful Life. This week's sermon blog below focuses on the Christmas Eve sermon, "Every Time A Bell Rings, An Angel Gets His Wings."

What George Bailey discovers in his journey with Clarence, Angel Second Class, is that life can be wonderful even if it is not what we planned. He also discovers that every person's life affects everyone else's life... even people we will never know are touched somehow by our moving about on this planet with them.

John 1 reminds us that the Light of Christ has been with us from the beginning.  That in him was life and "the life was the light of all people."  That "the light shines in darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it."

Our lives are the light.  The light of Christ shines in our hearts and in our souls and it is our duty and responsibility as people of Christ to release that light from within and let it shine on a world in darkness.

Clarence tells George that he will help him see that his life is worth living and that George, in turn, will help him get his wings.  Clarence will earn his wings by helping a lost soul that has gone terribly dark return to a joyous Christmas light.  And, in the last scene, when George sees all the pieces of his wonderful life shining around him in his living room, he gets it.  He knows his soul will no longer be dark and that the light he shines on the world matters.

Bells rang out across our land on Friday in memory of the victims of the shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary. Each of those bells represents a life lost, but also must represent a light that will continue to glow throughout the ages.  We can never get back, in physical form, those who pass on, but we can see to it that their light shines throughout the ages.

We do this by making a difference in big and small ways each day.  We do this by understanding what the Christmas Season of Peace is all about. We do this by letting the Love of Christ pour out of our souls and into the world.

... to all who received him, who believed in his name, he gave power to become children of God, who were born, not of blood or of the will of the flesh or of the will of man, but of God. And the Word became flesh and lived among us, and we have seen his glory, the glory as of a father's only son, full of grace and truth.


How can you shine your light not only on Christmas, but every day?  What lights have shined for you in times of darkness? Email me or comment below.  Merry Christmas.

Tuesday, December 11, 2012

I Don't Care What Happens to Me.... I Wanna Live Again

Luke 1:39-55

George Bailey finally gets a chance to see, through the magic of the second-class angel Clarence, what his life would have been like if he had never lived.  And he realizes that his Place on Earth is special, beautiful, wonderful.  The money is still missing, jail time may still be ahead of him, but he doesn't want to lose another second of the life God gave him.  So he stands on that same bridge where he almost took his own life and he says, "I don't care what happens to me.... I wanna live again."

Mary has been entrusted to carrying to term the Savior, the Christ Child.  She could have run from this. She could have said, "Thanks, but no thanks." She had a choice. But she says, "My soul magnifies the Lord." She says, "My spirit rejoices..." She says, "(God) has looked with favor on the lowliness of his servant." She understands that from now on, because of the choices she has made to face the road ahead, generations will call her blessed.

Knowing that something is happening in life that will forever affect your future is ominous and exciting. It is perilous and spectacular. The unknowns can paralyze you or they can make you soar.
Mary had no real knowledge of how things would turn out for her once she began the journey of becoming the mother of Jesus.  She just knew that she couldn't care what would happen, she needed to live into that reality, that promise from God that she would be blessed... regardless.

George faces an uncertain future and yet he is able to run through the streets with joy saying, "Merry Christmas" to all the parts of Bedford Falls that were, before his realization, more of a burden than a joy.

How do we move into an unknown future, an advent of expectation, with a calm reassurance that God will "look with favor" on our lives, no matter what lies ahead?  How do we begin to really LIVE again, despite not knowing what will happen to us tomorrow?

Email me or comment below.

Tuesday, December 4, 2012

Angel Second Class

Malachi 3:1-4

Luke 3: 1-6

One is coming who will prepare the way for you.
He will sit like a refiner and a purifier of silver.

John the Baptist says his mission is to tell people of the Coming Christ. His purpose is to make a straight path for Jesus, to refine a way for him to live into his life's purposes.

Not unlike our dear Clarence Oddbody, AS2. Angel Second Classs.  Clarence feels a bit inept that he has never earned his wings, but the Divine was waiting to send him on a mission perfect for him.  In that way, George and Clarence need each other. Clarence helps George out of his despair and into seeing that he really does have a wonderful life. George helps Clarence get his wings.

It's like that when we give of ourselves. We find that we, in turn, receive great benefits.  When we learn to give without any hope or possibility of anyone giving us anything back, it becomes a blessing.  That is what George has to discover about himself. He ends up in a set of life circumstances that, from the beginning, he never asked for or wanted.  But, he gave of himself, all the while. He gave people loans, he trusted people to pay back without signed contracts. He was a man of strong character, even if he has a secret desire to be spending his life somewhere else.

Clarence needs George to get his wings. But he also learns that his role in keeping George going is monumentally important. He learns that it isn't about getting his wings, it is about showing someone the way, being a guiding light when all the person you are with sees is darkness.

John the Baptist ends up giving his very life. He sets a stage of radical change, of something coming that people will not understand. He understands his role in this, but feels he has to do it anyway.  He understands that Jesus needs him to set such a stage. Jesus relies on John to get the ball rolling. If I may use theatrical metaphors,  Jesus needs John's 'stage managing' for his 'curtain to open.'

We all rely on each other for salvation from our current chaos, for setting the stage for the next act.  We need the people of our faith communities to hold us... and to push us into the spotlight when we are not sure we can do it anymore.

How do you see John the Baptist's role as vital in the Advent journey?  Could George have come out of his despair without his prayed for Angel Second Class to save him?

Email me or comment below.

Tuesday, November 27, 2012

"I'm at the end of my rope"



Isaiah 64: 1-6; Jeremiah 33:14-16)


"O that you would tear open the heavens and come down..."

"The days are surely coming, says the LORD, when I will fulfill the promise I made to the house of Israel and the house of Judah. In those days and at that time I will cause a righteous Branch to spring up for David; and he shall execute justice and righteousness in the land. In those days Judah will be saved and Jerusalem will live in safety. And this is the name by which it will be called: "The LORD is our righteousness."

Ever felt lost, on the edge, hopeless, just certain that no matter how hard you've tried to do the right thing, you still end up at the end of your rope?  Then you know how George Bailey feels in that moment at the bar when he sees an arrest warrant in front of him and the loss of $8,000 looming in his face like a cancer.  He feels absolutely helpless. A powerful scene from the movie:




This, too, is the world of the people of Judah and Jerusalem. The world of diaspora. The world of never feeling at home because you might get trampled on again sometime soon.  And this is much the same kind of atmosphere into which Jesus is born. A time when Herod is declaring that newborn sons will die and moms are running scared.


George Bailey shows us the depths to which we can fall into despair as humans, based on circumstances often out of our control.  He is truly contemplating what reasons he possibly has to continue life as he knows it.

All this month, we will be exploring the theological insights in the classic holiday film, "It's A Wonderful Life."  This first advent reading puts us in the right mindset. Times are dark. Life is chaotic and filled with unease. Into this place, we plead for our savior to arrive. Into this world, we ask the Christ Child to come to us.

What does it feel like to be at the end of your rope? What does bringing 'light into darkness' mean to you? How do you prepare to bring the Christ Child into the chaos of your world?  Email me or comment below.



Tuesday, November 20, 2012

Born to Pay it Forward

John 18:33-37
Revelation 1:4b-8

I just read that Christ the King Sunday (which happens this Sunday) is a recent addition to the liturgical year.  It was added in a time when respect for the church had fallen off and the control of nation states over churches was increasing. This was the time of the rise of Hitler and Stalin. Hitler's Mein Kempf had just been published when Pope Pius XI declared that the Roman Church would have a holiday to celebrate Christ as our one and only King.  Wow. That puts some perspective on the day.

The Catholic Church and also the Protestant Churches deciding to add a day to the church calendar when we would declare boldly that our one and only King is Christ is actually a big deal, it turns out. Not a day we should shove in with the leftover turkey and sit patiently through while we tap our toes waiting for Advent to get here.  This day deserves its own special LOUD AND CLEAR recognition.

This is the day we read of Pontius Pilate asking Jesus if he is King of the Jews.  And Jesus declaring that his kingdom is not of this world because if it was his followers would be fighting to keep him from being handed over to the authorities. His purpose, he declares, is to testify to the truth.

In other words, we can't put Jesus in most of the boxes we have in our world and have him fit. He can't go in the political box. He can't go in the commercial/capitalist box. He can't go in the American Dream box. He can't go in the Hollywood entertainment box.

Jesus is here to speak only the truth. And if any of those categories above were to actually decide to be about the kind of truth that Jesus declares, they would need to do some serious reframing.

Revelation tells us that in his death and resurrection, Jesus made us to be a kingdom, priests serving God forever and ever.  We are called to be the kind of king Jesus is, in other words. We have been called by his great sacrifice for his world to be the sacrificial leaders of our own.

Jesus, the nativity story and prophecies say, was born to pay it forward. Revelation tells us today that we were ALL born to pay it forward. All born to realize that being a kingdom of Christ is not about domination but about truth telling and putting God above any other facet of life.  Being a kingdom of Christ is ultimately about putting ourselves on the line for peace every single day.

Being born to pay it forward is a noble and high cause.  As we come to celebrate Christ the King this Sunday, ponder reverently your own higher calling. What is that "God instinct" calling you to that is noble and sacrificial?  In what part of your life can you truly begin to live as Christ lived?

It sounds large and impossible, but paying it forward begins in small steps. Look at Jesus. His journey begins in a shelter for animals that the innkeeper allowed Mary to stay in so Jesus wouldn't be born on the streets. And his mom has to push him into performing his first miracle. And he is still Christ the King.

Tuesday, November 13, 2012

What A Building Project Should Be




Then Jesus asked him, "Do you see these great buildings? Not one stone will be left here upon another; all will be thrown down."

These two scriptures hint at the same thing: what we have to offer God is only what God has already given to us.  Nothing more. Nothing less.   Hannah prays to the point of desperation for a child, whom she agrees to give to God, for God's purposes.  She receives her blessing and offers Samuel before the Lord.  Jesus implores those around him to understand that buildings are not lasting offerings to God, that they will be reduced to rubble in the end. His apocalyptic warning to the disciples is  there is nothing that man builds that will last.

Put these two texts into one thought process and you have the idea that the only lasting offering we can offer before God is our fully human selves, just as Hannah offers sacrificially Samuel, her precious only son.  (Reminds us, of course, of Mary, who offers the baby Jesus to God's will.)

We are the temple. Our lives are the temple. Our breath the bricks and mortar.  Not any building we call church, whether that is an actual church building or a more hip place like a bar.  No brick and mortar meeting place is able to be an offering to God.

We. are. an. offering. Our lives are the brick and mortar that builds the 'congregation' and keeps it strong.

But we fail to deliver that offering. We fear the commitment of fully laying our lives on the line to be used for God's purposes.   It's much easier to hide in the pews (or chairs) than to throw ourselves prostrate on the altar area and say, "God, I am yours. Use me to your purposes."

What does it take to create a sustainable building project these days? The first answer is to understand exactly what you mean by 'building.' If you mean adding square footage and some windows and a new front door, that's all well and good, but remember Jesus's words when he says it will all be torn down in the end.

A sustainable building project starts with people who bring themselves as their gift to God. A sustainable building project lists as the primary goal the building up of a congregation, in service and witness to the world. A sustainable building project means caring for children and youth and offering the aged a chance to participate in abundant living.  None of these involve hammers and drills and square footage. But they all require the greatest asset we have to be willing to part with: TIME.

What a building project requires most is TIME and ATTENTION and LOVE and SACRIFICE.  Do we have what it takes to build Christ's kingdom in this place?

Tuesday, November 6, 2012

When All You Have Is Enough

Mark 12:38-44

As I sit at my desk, writing this blog, with people just outside my office door voting for the next president of the United States, I admit I am a bit taken aback by the timing of this week's lectionary passage.  Really?

We have the gospel passage telling us of the scribes who parade around in their fine garb, 'devouring widows' houses,' which meant, basically, eating and drinking and using up the resources of those who could least afford to entertain them. The scribes, all the while, made sure they were publicly seen and acknowledged. 

The scripture doesn't stop there, but also insists on telling us of the poor widow who gave every last coin she had to the offering at the temple, an offering, by the way, which was not mandatory for her, but voluntary. Jesus notes that the rich gave large sums, but only gave out of their abundance, in no way a sacrificial offering, in fact, money they would hardly miss at all. He notes the woman gave all of what she had, an amount of great sacrifice.

I can't help but think of the ridiculously insane amounts of money given for political ads during this campaign season, billions and billions of dollars...all for mostly negative and mostly false campaign slogans repeated over and over again. An abundant waste of precious resources, while people in this country went to bed hungry each night. And the campaign itself... often times seeming like scribes parading around in poor communities, 'devouring widows houses' and pretending they care about the needs of those who live there...

And yet, I am reminded that these stories told by Jesus are meant to teach us the power of sacrificial giving, the power of paying it forward.

This month we are focusing on that power of Paying It Forward.  Last week we looked at our responsibility to continue paying forward the contributions of the saints who have gone before us.  This week, we are given the example of giving as a form of worship.  The scribes offered themselves to the church for show, for appearances. Any gift they gave was to be paraded around and lauded.  The widow gave all she had, not to a required sacrifice, but to a voluntary offering.

A commentary I read posed this question, "What changes would our churches experience if more of us began to see giving as worship instead of obligation?"  I might add to that: What changes would occur in our personal lives and our communities and our world?

Email me or comment below.  May God be with us as we seek to be a nation of givers, rather than takers.

Tuesday, October 30, 2012

"Unbinding and Moving Forward"

John 11:32-44

When Jesus comes to the home of his dear friend Lazarus and discovers he has died, he weeps.  He cries, as any of us would, over the death of a dear friend.  Some suggest that Jesus, who just healed a blind man, should have been there earlier to keep Lazarus alive.

Jesus hears unbelief and lack of faith in their tone.

Jesus goes to the tomb of Lazarus and asks the stone to be rolled away and for Lazarus to come out.  Then he says to those gathered, "Unbind him and let him go."

This is a miracle story. The raising of Lazarus. And we are tempted to either disbelieve this story or to wonder why Jesus can't resurrect those who have died that we love. We are skeptics.

But this story has layers of reality, of stark truth, of grace...

When we lose those we love, we sometimes lose faith. It is hard to see past the reality of our loss. It is hard to understand, especially in the case of sudden loss, death or otherwise, what is going to happen next and how our lives could ever feel good again.

 Jesus, in his raising of Lazarus says, "Unbind him and let him go." We, too, must unbind that which wraps us up in our own 'burial clothes.' We must be willing to let go of what is in the past and move into what lies in the future.

We must be willing to let die that which has died and to embrace whatever forms of new life come out of our time of grieving.

On All Saints' Sunday this year, we will remember those saints of our church and our lives who have gone before us.  We will call out their names, we will take a look around at those memorials that we have within our walls, we will light candles to remember the saints of our lives, we will bring their memories with us as we come to receive the Holy Meal.

But we mustn't hold too tightly to the past. We must allow the great cloud of witnesses that has gone before us to lift us upward, lift us to new heights, new journeys, and new promise.  Those who came before us lived their lives in the hopes that those who came after them would continue that great journey toward a new heaven and a new earth, here and now.

What stories of loved ones do you like remembering? What do you think those who have gone before us would want us to be dreaming of doing here now?  Email me or comment below.

Tuesday, October 23, 2012

Jesus so loved the world

Hebrews 7:23-28

This scripture tells us that Jesus "always lives to make intercession" for us.  The ministry of Jesus included always thinking of the other person, being inclusive of all people and setting a great example of what it means to love all people.  It says that he does not need to offer daily sacrifices, which was a common temple practice we might equate with our weekly offering.  He does not need to do so because he has offered his life as a sacrifice, and thus made perfect forever.

This does not mean Jesus is perfect. It does not mean Jesus made no mistakes or treated everyone nicely every single time he walked out the door. Instead it means that Jesus understood that being a living sacrifice is understanding that rules don't matter as much as people, that service doesn't mean anything if done for show, that love can only truly be passed from person to person when no one is 'in it' for any reason other than to praise God as a God of love.

In Mark 10, Bartimaeus, the blind beggar, calls to Jesus... "son of David, have mercy on me." Jesus is stopped abruptly by these words. He is stopped by the realization that Bartimaeus understands Jesus is indeed the savior, the chosen son of David.  He tells Bartimaeus he is healed but it is his own faith that has made him well.  Bartimaeus understood that having sight wouldn't heal him if he didn't have his sights set on following God's way.

How do we even begin to love as Jesus loved the world?  Isn't it impossible?  Only if we let it be. We are supposedly created in God's image, in Christ's image, so therefore we should be able to love as Christ loved us.

Jesus so loved the world that he walked a path of complicated, difficult choices. He walked a path that included turning his back on the authorities, being with those the world shunned, and offering people a healing hand, a world of mercy and love, no matter what the rules of the day said he should do instead.

How often do we become radical like this Jesus we claim to love? When was the last time you walked a path that was sure to cause you scorn just so that you could continue to love the world with all your heart?  Do we ever truly love the world with all our hearts?  Email me or comment below.

Tuesday, October 16, 2012

I So Loved My Place In This World

Mark 10:35-45

"Teacher, we want you to do for us whatever we ask of you... Grant one of us to sit at your right hand and one at your left."

These disciples, James and John, are asking Jesus to sit beside of him, to be important in the land of Disciple.... And Jesus flips things around on them by telling them at the end of this scripture...

"... whoever wishes to be first among you must be slave of all."

Not exactly what they probably had in mind.

Why is it we often wish to have a high standing among everyone else we are around? Why is it we secretly want to be recognized for doing good and feel hurt and slighted when our good work seems to go unrecognized by others?  Why is it we get jealous or envious of others who seem to 'have it all' when we sure don't.

I so loved my place in this world, O God. I so loved my place in this world that I forgot that my standing among everyone and everything in life is truly for naught if I don't first learn to love.  That golden rule is ever golden: treat others as you would want to be treated.  Show love.  Just do it.

And yet, we can't even really identify lots of times what that might mean. People say that they want this or that from their church, but does God really need for us to 'want' the church to 'give' us anything?  What is church for?  If we answer that church is for showing our love for God and neighbor, then that pretty much does away with whatever we think we are supposed to get out of it.

But, of course, it isn't so easy, is it?  We all have wants and needs from relationships and from institutions and so when we feel unfulfilled, it is easy to look elsewhere and seek something different.  Jesus clearly calls us to love without seeking a higher reward, without seeking a certificate of praise, without wanting to be #1.

What is this scripture telling us about the true job of being a part of the body of Christ?  How do we begin to do that?  Email me or comment below.

Tuesday, October 9, 2012

Are We Changing Lives... Through Love?

Hello friends,
This Sunday we are blessed to have my dear friend and colleague, the Rev. Jerry Herships, as our guest preacher. He serves as the pastor of a new church start called AfterHours Denver. 

Jerry and I had our first ever seminary class together at Iliff School of Theology in the fall of 2004 and we have been the best of friends ever since. It has been an interesting journey, full of twists and turns, as we have watched our ministries unfold. He probably never expected to see me so fulfilled in the local church setting, and I certainly never pictured him on the streets of Denver serving communion to the homeless.  God has an interesting way of putting us where we should be, especially when we can't see ourselves there.

Please join me in welcoming Jerry. I can't wait to hear his sermon... (he's a great preacher) and I look forward to our time together. We will likely learn from him how those most in need are often the ones who most know how to show love for one another.

As we move through our October sermon series on "Learning to Love," I pray our hearts and minds are open to learn from those unexpected and surprising people and places.

**A reminder please bring new socks for Jerry to take to the homeless he serves.  It's a small way to show love that makes a huge impact on someone who is unable to regularly bathe.

Go out and love someone today.

Tuesday, October 2, 2012

God so loved the WORLD

Hebrews 1:1-4, 2:5-12

God so loved the world... the world God created.  Jesus follows a path that leads to suffering and death, a choice that comes with the highest of price tags, so that he can live into what he believes is his fullest sense of the humanity God has given him. He is called the Son of God because he lives in such a way.

If we are, as the scripture says, just a "little lower than the angels," then why aren't we better at loving one another?  Why aren't we better at loving God?  God gives us free will, nothing is left out of our control in this earthly realm, says the author of Hebrews, and yet we often fail to praise God and give God our glory and honor. We sometimes choose instead to relegate God's working in our lives to the same position we might hold 'luck' or 'great timing' or 'our own good sense.'  And if things go poorly, we fail to see how God is working in all things.

It is difficult stuff, this business of loving God and believing God loves us. It might even be harder stuff than the stuff it takes to love our fellow human beings.  I mean, it is easy for me to understand what loving my son, or my spouse, or my cat should look and feel like... but loving God? It seems so far beyond my reach or my comprehension, the actual physical act of loving my God.

Perhaps it is best, then, that we start with all God created for humans to love. Perhaps we start by loving  all of the earthly created order that God has given us and then try to move closer to "God love" in the process.

This Sunday is World Communion Sunday. A Sunday when all across the globe, Christians celebrate the Sacrament of Word and Table together.  When we break bread, someone else across the globe breaks it with us in the same spirit of worldwide Christian community.  Perhaps we should take a moment to consider someone across the globe who needs our prayers and our love.

In our community, it is also Blessing of the Animals Sunday. A time when we gather as a faith community and invite our ENTIRE community to join us at the Longmont Humane Society for a blessing of all the animal friends in our lives.  We meet at 2 pm for a liturgy, some singing, some snacks, and lots of pet hugs and blessings.  We thank the LHS for sponsoring this event with us for the second straight year.

Perhaps this is the perfect first place to start, with the animals God has entrusted to our care. Animals that need us and love us, unconditionally (well, except maybe for the cats...), and who share our lives in an kind of interdependence that feeds our souls.  Our glorious opportunity to extend Christ's table to the humane society blessing is exactly what Jesus has in mind when he says, "I will proclaim your name to my brothers and sisters, in the midst of the congregation I will praise you." (Heb. 2: 12)

Do you know how to truly love God? What would that look like in your world?  How do you show the sacrificial love of Christ to your neighbors?  Email me or comment below.




Tuesday, September 25, 2012

Stumbling Blocks



For truly I tell you, whoever gives you a cup of water to drink because you bear the name of Christ will by no means lose the reward. If any of you put a stumbling block before one of these little ones who believe in me, it would be better for you if a great millstone were hung around your neck and you were thrown into the sea...Salt is good; but if salt has lost its saltiness, how can you season it? Have salt in yourselves, and be at peace with one another.

What stumbling blocks have you encountered along life's way?  An illness, unemployment, unexpected death or loss, a lack of funds, no health insurance, a disgruntled family member?  The list is long and mighty of those things we might call stumbling blocks that keep us from staying on the divine path.

And when that happens, we are prone to throw our hands up in the air and say, "Forget it! This is just too hard!"  And often we do. But more often than not, we dig deep and find the resources to turn those stumbling blocks into character building fodder for the journey.

What happens sometimes that we are less aware of, though, is our own 'stumbling block' throwing.  Times when we throw stumbling blocks in someone else's journey, in the way of someone else's divine path. We do it for all kinds of crazy reasons.  Jealousy, anger, greed, frustration, disappointment, grief, pettiness, ambition. And when we do it, it is sin. I think, in fact, that is what most of the Bible would define as the purest example of sin... things thrown in the way that prevent people from being able to stay on the divine path.  And when we are the 'block casters', well, that is tragic. This scripture above says it is as if we tied a huge rock around our necks and hurled ourselves into the sea. The worst of the worst.

So, what do we do to improve our flaws of character? What do we do to prevent pettiness and anger and greed and ambition and 'stumbling block casting' in our lives?  Jesus ends this scripture by saying "Be at peace with one another." Realize the saltiness, the seasoning, that God has given you to flavor the earth and believe in it. When you believe in your own specialness, then you are more likely to offer peace to the earth.

We sing a song called  "Let There Be Peace On Earth" that most of us love. The best line in it of course is 'and let it begin with me.' It's how the song begins and ends. And it is how our lives should begin and end.  "Let There Be Peace On Earth and let it begin with ME."

What do you do that casts stumbling blocks on the paths of others?  What do you do when they are cast your direction? Think of all the things that you can do to create paths of peace instead. 

Comments? Email me or comment below.





Tuesday, September 18, 2012

Underlying Issues

James 3:13-4:3, 7-8; Mark 9:30-37

We all have them. Issues.  Stuff we leave unresolved or lying around somewhere in the corners of our minds that reaches out to get us when we least expect it. Baggage. Left unresolved or unattended for very long can lead to anger and resentment.

In the James passage, we read of what happens when we are unsatisfied with ourselves. We try to find happiness in nonspiritual ways and forget to seek that peace that comes from above. We get into conflicts and disputes and other wickedness because we submit to greed and worldly pleasures and not to God.

In the Mark passage, we read of the disciples arguing with themselves about who is the greatest.  Sounds almost like a presidential debate.  Ugh.  And Jesus says, very succinctly, that the one wants to be first must be last of all and servant of all.

Going on, he says if you really want to 'get it,' you will learn that whoever welcomes a child, also welcomes him.  A child was thought of as little more than property. Bottom of the barrel in that society. And Jesus says we are to think of children as our most welcome of all. Which pretty much takes whatever we might want for ourselves out of the equation.

We have so much internal stuff we deal with, inside and outside the church.  We have those who 'want it done the way it always has been done;' we have those who 'have already done their fair share;' and we have those who 'would love to but can't commit to it' within our ranks.  We have those who get paid to do the work and those who would never dream of being paid to do the work.  And sometimes, all that creates a sort of tension, an awareness of a set of underlying issues, that needs addressing, mending, sorting, and maybe even re-creating.

How are the underlying issues in your own life affecting you today? How are the church's or society's underlying issues affecting you? When they do affect you, what do you do? Do you put your head in the sand? Do you walk away? Do you resolve to work out something that works for you? Do you resolve to follow your gut/God instinct no matter what?

Email me or comment below.

Tuesday, September 11, 2012

Peer Pressure

Mark 8:27-38

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."

Peer Pressure is setting our mind on human things. It is falling prey to the human condition, the tendency to not follow our own gut/God instincts about what is right and doing something entirely different.  Or, in the words of a youth: "When someone tries to get you to do something just because they say everyone is doing it."

Notice the reality check there.  Not that everyone is doing it, but that the word on the street is the presumptive notion that everyone is doing it.  The spoken reality versus the actual reality.

When Jesus starts telling the disciples that he will suffer and die in the days to come, Peter gets angry and rebukes him.  Word on the street would indicate that 'saviors' don't get killed. Everyone knows that saviors do what everyone says they should do.  Behave the way a Messiah should behave.

And Jesus says, very sternly, "Satan get outta the way."  Aware that the master tempter is once again in place to make Peter and the others feel that if Jesus was really any kind of savior, he would do what word on the street proclaims of a Messiah.

When do we follow what the world tells us and what our gut tells us?  Preteens and teens are classically thought of when we hear the words peer pressure, but we all succumb to it on our own ways.  In our homes, in our lives, in our institutions, especially in our churches.

We have to do it the way the cool kids do it.  Or the way word on the street says it should be done.  I know as a pastor I often feel pressured to find the cool kid way to do things, or I feel pressured to do it the way we are expected to do it.. the way "they say" everyone is doing it.  And I fail to follow my gut/God instinct.

Peer pressure is actually a form of anger, in a way. We are trying to validate our choices by making others do the same as us.  Even when we aren't happy, necessarily, with the choices we have made. We might be angry that life isn't smooth sailing, so we pressure everyone else into getting on our ship of doom and poor choices.

What is at the root of peer pressure, or societal normalizing?  Why do we do it?  What does it mean to follow a Christ who bucked societal norms at every turn?

Email me or comment below.


Tuesday, September 4, 2012

Being a Mama Bear

Mark 7:24-37

What does it take to turn us into "mama bears?" What does it require someone to do to our child or someone we love before the 'claws' come out and we begin to lash out in protective anger? When is it ok to be a mama bear, and when is it better to keep ourselves out of it?

This month's sermon series is called "Anger Management." We are trying to decide when anger is appropriate, what kind of reaction we should have when we do get angry and how we can get better at  distinguishing between appropriate responses. Like when is it better to try responding with gentleness and kindness instead of clawing someone's eyes out....

A related idea to this is the phenomenon of 'helicopter parenting.'  I think I might be guilty of that. Trying to do so much for your kid that they don't have the chance to learn things for themselves. In terms of Anger Management, I think it would relate to being so involved in your kids' or grandkids' lives that you also end up fighting their battles for them.  When is too much simply too much?

The Syro-phoenician woman in today's text is crying out to Jesus to heal her daughter and he has apparently not paid her much attention. The corresponding Matthew scripture of this story even says he tells her he has come to the Israelites and not to her people.  Mark's version doesn't go that far, but clearly she has to get Jesus' attention.... and he says to let the children eat before the dogs.... implying that she fits in the second category and will likely not receive aid.

This story kinda makes you want to flash the bear claws, doesn't it? Makes you want to urge the woman to keep on... keep at Jesus until she gets her say. She does, and he responds, and her daughter is healed.

When is being a mama bear the appropriate response when we are advocating for the God's children? How does this differ from of "quick to listen, slow to speak, slow to anger" from last week's scripture? Can we heed that advice and still advocate for someone "in the moment" when that someone is being mistreated or ignored? Tough to know what to do.

Comments, thoughts, are always welcome.  Email me or comment below.

Tuesday, August 28, 2012

Speak Easy

James 1:17-27

You must understand this, my beloved: let everyone be quick to listen, slow to speak, slow to anger;  for your anger does not produce God's righteousness. Therefore rid yourselves of all sordidness and rank growth of wickedness, and welcome with meekness the implanted word that has the power to save your souls.

A speakeasy is an establishment that illegally sells alcoholic beverages. They came into prominence during the Prohibition era of the 1920s. According to Wikipedia, though, the term 'speakeasy' might have gotten its start as early as 1888, when saloon owner Kate Hester refused to pay a fee increase from $50 to $500 for a saloon license. She continued to operate, as did others, illegally, but tried to keep the noise in the place down to avoid unwanted attention.  Wikipedia reports that when her customers got too rowdy, she would hush them by saying, "Speak easy, boys! Speak easy!"

What does it mean to speak easy?   The speaking easy I am referring to isn't a hushed silence in an illegal bar, but a kind of universally appealing thoughtfulness and mindfulness about what we say and do, which might take place in a bar, on a plane, at the dinner table, and in the church.  

In today's text, James suggests that it first begins with listening.  "Let everyone be quick to listen."  It is often my initial reaction in any situation to say something. Anything.  Mindless chatter.  I'm good at that. And it is rarely helpful.  What we should be doing first, says James, is listening.  And then when we do offer a comment it should be slowly offered. We should rid ourselves of bad and negative energies that often surround our thoughts and, instead, "welcome with meekness" the word "implanted" in us already. That word (that Spirit, that sense of the Divine) has the "power to save your souls," says James.

 James is trying to assist the early church, who, like us, was filled with misbehaving, misaligned, though well-meaning people. He is trying to diagnose sources of their malcontent and offer remedies or at least managed care.  Speak when it is well-meaning words you  aim to say.  Listen profoundly. 

We all know this is the case. My sermon and blog "Mouthwash" from a couple of weeks back addresses a similar topic.  Watch what you say, don't speak carelessly or harmfully. In that one we talked more about careless language. This one, I think, focuses more on 'intentional dialogue" in the world.

During the year of presidential campaigns and gotcha politics, it is hard to read pie-in-the sky words like James in Chapter 1 and not think, "Impossible."  But we know that as Christian people we must. And we know as people who are ambassadors in this area for Niwot UMC we have an obligation to  do it.

I invite you to consider your conversations, your dialogues (with yourself and others).  What are you doing right? What could you do better?  How does the church, at large, speak? 

Email me or comment below.

Tuesday, August 21, 2012

Rock and Roll Psalms, Part 2: Serenade

Psalm 84

In last Sunday's sermon, I talked about psalms and rock and roll having a message that was often subversive to the dominant culture and often hinting at social action. I mentioned that Walter Brueggemann, a Psalms scholar, saying we often just pick out the 'sunshine and light' psalms when we read from that book, and that we miss the full-bodied message of the Psalms when we do that. Rock and roll music is like that too, I suggested.

That being said, there are psalms that are designed to praise God. Designed to remind us and prompt us to let go of that which holds us and grasp on to the peace that God provides. Such is Psalm 84.  A psalm which reminds us of the sheer and utter joy we have just because we have a God who cares for us.

We needn't worry about our children or grandchildren as they spread their wings because God shelters, for example.  Even the sparrow finds a home, and the swallow a nest for herself, where she may lay her young, at your altars, O LORD of hosts, my King and my God.  Happy are those who live in your house, ever singing your praise. Selah

We are assured good things if we walk as godly people, the psalm reminds us. Darkness may creep in, but with the right attitude, we are sure to feel God's goodness with us, even so.   For the LORD God is a sun and shield; he bestows favor and honor. No good thing does the LORD withhold from those who walk uprightly.

Sometimes the right song/psalm is a song that reminds you to praise. To look around you and give thanks for every good thing, large or small, that blesses your life. A roof over your head, the stars, the wind, the sun, time spent together.

In Serenade, the Steve Miller Band sings such words of praise. "Did you feel the wind as it blew all around? ... The sun comes up and it shines all around."

This Sunday is our kick off to the fall season at NUMC. We are combining our annual Feast of Beginnings kick off with our annual Summer Picnic.  We have much for which we can praise the Lord! Talented people of all ages, encouraging youth, vibrant children and an absolutely brilliant future ahead of us.

What are you thankful for at NUMC?  What brings you joy?  I'd love to hear from you. Email or comment below.

Peace.

Tuesday, August 14, 2012

Rock and Roll Psalms—Part 1: Handle With Care

Psalm 34: 9-14

On Fire, our beloved band, returns to us this week for a two-week engagement. And we are focusing on the outpouring of emotion found in the musical lyrics of both the Hebrew Bible's Psalms and soul-filled classic rock.

In Psalm 34 we read,  The young lions suffer want and hunger, but those who seek the LORD lack no good thing... Which of you desires life, and covets many days to enjoy good? ... Depart from evil, and do good; seek peace, and pursue it.

In "Handle With Care" we hear "I've been fobbed off and I've been fooled. I've been robbed and ridiculed. In day care centers and night schools. Handle me with care.... I'm so tired of being lonely. I still have some love to give. Won't you show me that you really care?"

Joining forces in this outpouring lyric of emotion,  we feel the longing of the psalmist and the lyricist to just be protected and loved.  The psalmist is convinced that trusting in God can keep the 'bad stuff' away, or at least make it bearable. The lyricist is sure that being with another human can keep the 'bad stuff' away, or at least make it bearable.

Such is life. We stand in the midst of an open field, or in the center of a crowded mall, and we cry out (either literally or just inside ourselves)... "Why do I feel so alone?"  And we long for that sense of purpose, that sense of belonging to someone else besides ourselves, that sense that someone cares for us so deeply that no matter what happens we know we are loved.

What songs or Psalms do you turn to in times of loneliness? What activities do you pursue when you need to 'get on with life'?  How do you handle times when the 'lonelies' or the 'dissatisfied doldrums' set in? What role does God or your faith play in all of this, either good or bad?

Email me or comment below. I am so looking forward to rockin' out with you and On Fire for the next couple of weeks.

Tuesday, August 7, 2012

Mouthwash

Ephesians 4:25-5:2

Almost everyone remembers a parent or grandparent saying, "I'm gonna wash your mouth out with soap" in response to a curse word or an angry outburst from a child or grandchild.  And some of us may have, indeed, have our mouths literally washed out with soap. Ew.

Today is Paul's version of that with the Ephesians. He is encouraging them to speak with kindness and the love of Christ. It is important to note that he isn't saying to be sugary sweet and fake or artificial. In fact, he acknowledges the legitimacy of anger, saying:

 Be angry but do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, and do not make room for the devil...

He follows this up by encouraging them, even when they are angry, to  "let no evil talk come out of your mouths, but only what is useful for building up, as there is need, so that your words may give grace to those who hear."

What useful words in the midst of today's violent and hate-filled rhetoric about politics, social issues, topics of race, gender, class and sexual orientation, etc.  We don't seem to "get" what being a Christian is about, at least in terms of what Paul suggests here.

Injustice is something to be angry about. But creating more injustice by spouting off our mouths in violent and destructive ways only contributes to the injustice.  Feeling ignored or insignificant is something to be angry about. But letting our anger boil over inside of us until we spew it out in a rage against someone or some institution only contributes to our own feelings of inadequacy.

How can we heed Paul's advice as Christians in 2012? What can we do to contribute "only what is useful for building up" as we go about our daily lives? What can we do to make people see that the Christ we follow isn't about taking sides, but about allowing for grace to enter?

Email me or comment below. Peace be with you.

Tuesday, July 31, 2012

Breadwinner

John 6: 24-35

(I am referring to a book called The Spirituality of Bread by Donna Sinclair for this sermon, as well.)

Bread is considered to be a life source for most of the world. People since ancient times have cobbled together grains finely ground and water and created enough food to give them sustenance.  Manna was considered to be a sort of bread given by God to the Israelites during their journey in the desert. A devilish temptation offered to a starving Jesus during his forty days in the wilderness was a delicious taste of bread.  We depend on bread to live.

In a world that is increasingly gluten-free, this can be an interesting concept to discuss.  How can something like 'regular ordinary bread' hurt so many people's digestive systems?  I suspect it has more to do with current additives and modified growing practices than with the ancient natural stalk of wheat, but I am not here to give you an agricultural changes talk. I am here to talk to you about Jesus being given to us as the bread of life. And the ways we can look at the concept of 'bread of life.' Why is Jesus giving himself to the world compared to bread?

Bread connects us to one another.  We associate breads with where we are from... where I come from, for example, cornbread is made in a skillet and has NO sugar added.  Every nation on earth seems to have a bread or two that is representative of their culture.  I remember days I spent in Paris in college, spreading some soft cheese each morning on a half of a baguette, that combined with my chocolat chaud made for such a wonderful start to the day. And I would wrap the other half in a napkin and put it in my backpack for a delicious lunch later in the day.

Bread connects us to justice. We read of the biblical stories of sharing bread. From the manna in the wilderness,  to the woman who makes bread from a little flour and oil, to the feeding of the 5000, to the breaking of the loaf as a symbol of Jesus' approaching death, we are faced time and again in the biblical story with the miraculous nature of sharing bread to create a stronger humanity.  Whether we are sharing literal bread with others (in a meal like our Soup, Soup and more event...), or we are sharing the abundance of our resources, bread reminds us that we are called to break our loaves and our lives open for those who need it.

What memories do you have of bread? Have a favorite recipe or holiday where special bread is served? How does bread symbolize holy in your life?

Email me or comment below.

Tuesday, July 24, 2012

The Food Network

John 6:1-21

This story is probably one of the top five most famous Bible stories. The account of Jesus taking a little boy's lunch and miraculously blessing it so that it feeds over 5000 people has been told throughout the centuries with great gusto. It is counted as one of Jesus' miracles with good reason.

I have no doubt it was a miracle indeed. But what I wonder about is the way it all occurred. I think Jesus' actual miracle in offering the blessing might have centered more around having people who were tired and sorely wanting... they came looking to Jesus for help after all.... being able to pull together and get past their individual crisis to share themselves with one another.

I have to think that surely more than one little boy's mom remembered to pack him a loaf and fish lunch?  Surely others had food on them as well; after all they had long walks everywhere they went. Is it possible then, that Jesus is able to use the beautiful miracle of this little boy's willingness to share a lunch as a catalyst for everyone doing so?

Frank told a story during children's time last week of a congregation that invited an immigrant congregation to a potluck, but didn't explain to them what a potluck was... everyone bringing a dish to pass...  and yet, somehow everyone was fed.  The miracle is that in some kind of wonderful Pentecost moment, everyone gets on the same page and understands what it means to pool together resources and share, and the ways that can lead to abundance beyond imagination.

Let's consider what we can do to share a little more of what we have each week to give to the collective body. If we all give a little, as the story says, we will be surprised by the abundance we have left over.

What cool miracles have you witnessed? Have you ever seen a little turn into an abundance? Email me or comment below.

Tuesday, July 17, 2012

Jesus Christ Superstar

Mark 6:30-34, 53-56


Ever had a time in your life when you always felt like someone wanted "a piece of you?"  Being so tugged and pulled in so many different directions that you weren't sure where or what to go to first?  That feeling is why we decide to retire, right?  All of us have some times in our lives when we feel that everyone around us is pulling us to do something for them, to help them, to be with them... and we feel like we have no time to be ourselves.


That's why I love this passage today.  I read this passage whenever I feel pulled in a thousand different directions because that is what is happening to Jesus here. He has people following him around and wanting something from him wherever he goes. He can run, but he can't hide. 


Reading this passage reminds me that Jesus feels my pain, understands what it is like to be overburdened by other people's demands.


So many times, when we see photos of famous people on TV or in magazines, etc., the photo we see is taken with dozens of other people standing nearby taking their own photos. Celebrities are never alone when they are out in public. They are always bombarded and find it very hard to escape from the constant crawl of the paparazzi.  What must that feel like? Jesus understood that, too.


My thought in this is always, also, "When does Jesus take care of himself?" He hardly every gets a chance to get away.  Some of my colleagues are always talking about self care... caring about yourself so that you can care for others. Important, of course. And definitely the reason that I am diligent about my Friday "Sabbath Family Time." But Jesus shows us time and again that living selflessly is a call from God.


What do we make of this story? What lessons does it have for us? Perhaps your tugs in life are from people, perhaps they are from decisions you need to make, perhaps they are from the voices in your own head, but all of us feel tugs at our time and our being... wanting us to move in different directions and do something here and something else there.  And all of us resist them from time to time.


How do you deal with the tugs of life? What pulls you around? How do you find a balance between being pulled around and pulling yourself back to center?


Email me or comment below.



Tuesday, July 3, 2012

Freedom


Galatians 5:13-14
The Message (MSG)
 13-15It is absolutely clear that God has called you to a free life. Just make sure that you don't use this freedom as an excuse to do whatever you want to do and destroy your freedom. Rather, use your freedom to serve one another in love; that's how freedom grows. For everything we know about God's Word is summed up in a single sentence: Love others as you love yourself. That's an act of true freedom. If you bite and ravage each other, watch out—in no time at all you will be annihilating each other, and where will your precious freedom be then?

This week's service is going to be terrific! There is no sermon, but our fine team of readers will speak 'freedom words' from a great series of scripture readings and quotes from famous promoters of freedom, like Abraham Lincoln and Nelson Mandela. We are also singing all the hits from the hymnal that we rarely sing, like "America" and "America the Beautiful."  Beautiful music, powerful readings, lots worth mulling over...
In preparation for the service, how do you define 'freedom' for yourself? What do you see as 'true freedom'? How do we, as Christian people, create 'freedom in Christ' for one another? What does the example of Christ's sacrifice tell us about freedom and oppression?
Have a great Fourth of July!  See you soon!


Tuesday, June 26, 2012

Balancing Act

2 Corinthians 8:7-15

This scripture reminds me of the scripture in Acts 4:32-35 I called the Commonwealth scripture a few weeks ago. The one where everyone puts all their resources together and each person takes only what he or she needs.  This time, Paul is telling the people of Corinth that he wants them to excel, but not at anyone else's expense.  He wants people to be eager to serve the Lord, but balanced in how they live life day to day.  Don't create an unbalanced system where one person has much while another suffers with little.

It is hard not to look at this in economic terms. I mean, when I read this, I immediately think, "Wow, I wish the politicians and the bankers felt this way."  I would love to hear the rhetoric from Washington and Wall Street include the phrase "it is a question of a fair balance between your present abundance and their need, so that their abundancy may be for your need."

But just because our economic structure does not lend itself to that, it doesn't mean that we can't be a family of God who lends itself to such a philosophy.

If we are to create a community that promotes a fair balance, then we are making sure that our abundance is available in circumstances where someone else has a need.  In building terms, it's why it might be great if our building could be more of a community center, since we lack one in the Gunbarrel area.

Here's a thought.  List all the categories of your life in which you have abundance.  Now, list out beside of that a situation where someone else doesn't have such abundance.  The link between those two is the work you must do to create that fair balance Paul speaks of. After you do that exercise for yourself, try doing it for NUMC.  It might be a good first step into what we need to do to move into our vision of embracing the community and sharing ourselves with others.

Comments? Email me or comment below.

Tuesday, June 19, 2012

Battleship

Mark 4:35-41

This summer one of the blockbuster movies is named after a famous pen and paper game, which later became a board game. Remember "Battleship?" I loved it as a kid... "you sank my battleship!" I loved it when I sank my brother's aircraft carrier, because that was the BIG one. This movie is based loosely on the game, and it has the US Navy fighting a phantom fleet of alien ships.

That is a bit different than the smallish boat that Jesus is on when a storm blows up and scares everyone in the boat except Jesus. This is one of the most famous stories of Jesus. The disciples fear for their lives in the storm and Jesus says, "Peace. Be still" while scolding the disciples for their lack of faith.

Life can be like a fight against alien battleships sometimes, can't it? We don't know what is ahead of us and we can't see the obstacles and the dangers that lie ahead. Life can be like a boat tossed on a stormy sea, too, can't it?  The storm is all around us. The intensity doesn't seem to waver. The waves crash around us and it is easy to lose faith.

"When the storms of life are raging, stand by me. When the world is tossing me like a ship upon the sea, thou who rulest wind and water, stand by me." Lyrics to a great old song that fits this scripture reading.

How do we continue to have faith when we are facing unknown battles ahead? How do we believe that Jesus will create peace in our lives if we just have a little faith?  It is hard sometimes to have faith. But that is what Jesus calls us to do. And we have to believe that Jesus will, indeed, stand by us.

What are the battles you fight that challenge your faith? What do you do when storms rage around you? Email me or comment below.


Tuesday, June 12, 2012

E.T.

2 Corinthians 5:6-17


Yes, we do have confidence, and we would rather be away from the body and at home with the Lord. So whether we are at home or away, we make it our aim to please him.



From now on, therefore, we regard no one from a human point of view; even though we once knew Christ from a human point of view, we know him no longer in that way. So if anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation: everything old has passed away; see, everything has become new!


How do you come 'home' to God right now? Many of us think of 'going home' to God as the moment when we die, but this passage suggests perhaps that it is something different. It is a sort of 'shedding' of our old skin and the taking on of a new one. Like the moment of baptism.


In the movie E.T., an extra-terrestrial being from another planet befriends a young boy.  The journey they take is  a remarkable one as they realize that feeling 'at home' with someone is simply making the effort to know and understand them.  They also learn that always being together doesn't always mean you are in the same place (or on the same planet) at the same time.


What is home to you? Is it a place or is it people? I wrote a blog a couple of years ago now about the Finale song in the musical "In the Heights."  I want to share it with you here. It gets at this feeling of finding your true home. Here it is:



Tuesday, August 10, 2010
Home is our Destiny   

 Why does the Finale of "In The Heights," the Broadway musical, always make me cry?  This morning I nearly had to pull my car over because the tears were clouding my vision as I was driving to work listening to the song.

That song is so powerful. It suggests that we are a part of a greater legacy than we can ever imagine. That our lives are intricately connected to the lives of those who have come before us. It suggests that, even though we all get to choose our own way in the world, sometimes our way is chosen for us by those who came before us. We may walk it differently than those who came before, but we are a part of a continuous thread that lasts beyond our time.

Usnavi, the lead character of the show, is all set to take some lottery winnings he inherited and head to his roots in the Dominican Republic.  The lottery-winning matriarch of the street corner they all lived on, a lady everyone called grandma, ‘Abuela,’ wants this for him.  When she dies unexpectedly, he (and all the other characters) are forced to re-evaluate what has true meaning in their lives.

He finally realizes his true destiny is to keep Abuela’s legacy alive on that street corner. If he leaves there, who will keep her voice alive?  “This corner is my destiny”... he says...not the island of his birth, but the corner of Washington Heights where he was formed. His journey, his way in the world, was set in place by others. He wanted to escape it, but it was a part of a bigger-than-life legacy that he needed to keep moving forward. He had to be the standard bearer for another generation.

The way this song gets to me is in the sheer power of recognizing ‘home’ and what that is for us. The ‘home’ in our lives is that force that pulls us, sometimes without our desire or even our recognition, to a place we belong... Home is not necessarily just a place, but also a feeling, a forward movement in time that joins all of our past with all of our future... Home is the conduit between yesterday and tomorrow.

E.T. Phone Home. What do you need to do to 'phone home' as a follower of Christ.  What would look like for you to be 'at home' with the Lord? What would you need to do to be a new creation? Email me or comment below.