"Taking the First Step"

2 Corinthians 13:11-13; Matthew 28:16-20

Finally, brothers and sisters,  farewell. Put things in order, listen to my appeal, agree with one another, live in peace; and the God of love and peace will be with you. - 2 Cor 13: 11

Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age." Matt. 28: 19-20

The biblical narrative is full of goodbyes. From the exit from the Garden of Eden onward, people are saying goodbye and prophets are encouraging the people onward.  But all the while, the narrative focuses on the way that, in the midst of goodbyes, God does not forsake them.  God is always there. 

And in the New Testament account, Jesus, post-resurrection, encourages the disciples to go everywhere and share the good news with everyone while remembering that he will always be with them.  

What this tells me is that leave taking is not an end, but a beginning.  God urging us to move to another journey, another path, another place.  Taking the first step in a new journey is never easy. Standing on the crossroad of an unknown tomorrow is a challenge.  But we are not alone. The Spirit guides us, the grace of Christ sustains us, and the never ending love of God enfolds us.  

So the image is not disciples stark and alone on a weary road.  Not at all. the image in the texts this week is disciples standing encouraged and excited and eager to follow God on the way.    Very encouraging news.  

God is here. Despite all the unknowns that make up our daily lives. The bad news cycles. The threats. The uncertainty.   Paul says it best, "Put things in order and the God of love and peace will be with you."  

And Jesus reminds us. "Lo, I am with you always. Even to the end of the age."

No matter what lies ahead.  God has got this. And so do we.

Hymns this week:

“For the Beauty of the Earth” UMH 92

“Down to the River to Pray” W&S 3164

“Go, Make of All Disciples” UMH 571

Crossroad Transformations: "The Gift of Understanding"

Sermon Series: June 4-18

Crossroad Transformations

 Acts 2:1-21

June 4 is the next Sunday I will be in the pulpit. It's Pentecost Sunday, the perfect Sunday to begin talking about the crossroad at which we find ourselves.  One month from Pentecost Sunday, you will begin your journey with a new pastor and I will begin mine with a new congregation. We are indeed at a crossroad.  We have several possible ways we can all move to the next phase.  So it's time we consulted our inner GPS. Our God Positioning System.

The Pentecost scripture is familiar to us... the followers of Jesus all gathered together in one place.  Common ground. Community. 

 And suddenly like the rush of a violent wind, the Spirit enters the room.  Flames of fire seem to rest on everyone's heads and suddenly everyone can speak in languages that all of the diverse populations that exist among them can understand.

Sounds like a message to spread the good news to everyone. Sounds like the same message of diversity and extension of love Jesus always preached.  But how do we do it?

First we need to allow ourselves to be blown away by the workings of the Spirit. Those of us in the highly-intellectual world of Christianity sometimes shy away from the Holy Spirit in our faith lives. But this moment of Pentecost clearly shows that the Spirit is not just for those who are more emotional about their faith.

This moment of the Spirit entering the room happens simultaneously with the very learned and intellectual moment of understanding another language and interpreting another language.  Which is the second thing we need to think about as we live into this Pentecostal crossroad.  What do we need to engage our brains in, what do we need to learn that we haven't before that will connect us to someone else who doesn't think the way we do?

The crossroad this week is understanding...  At what point do we allow the Spirit to guide our understanding and our learning so that we can better reach someone who would love to have God's love in the ways we do here. 

What do you need to learn?  What do you need to let go of to allow the Spirit to work in  you?

God be with you in the days ahead. I will see you on June 4 and we can let the Spirit blow us away with God's plans for us.  We will head different directions, but God will guide us all.

Peace,
Pam

Future sermons and hymns:

June 11: “Taking the First Step”

2 Corinthians 13:11-13; Matthew 28:16-20

“For the Beauty of the Earth” UMH 92

“Down to the River to Pray” W&S 3164

“Go, Make of All Disciples” UMH 571

June 18: “Welcome Mats in Every Direction”

Psalm 89:1-4;  Matthew 10:40-42

‘How Firm a Foundation” UMH 529

“Pass It On” UMH 572

“In the Midst of New Dimensions” TFWS 2238

June 25 Susan Warren preaching

“Tomorrowland”

1 Peter 2:2-10

Once you weren’t a people, but now you are God’s people. . . . Once you hadn’t received mercy, but now you have received mercy.

This is quite a Sunday we have coming up.  It is going to be a wonderful day. We are celebrating the young people  of our congregation through the confirmation of Erica and Olivia and the presentation of third-grade bibles to Dash and Elliot.  We could not be prouder of our young people. They are fun to be around, dedicated, helpful, kind and generous.  They love to help out and they love to be part of things. And we love that they are part of our church family.  

With so much celebrating of our youth, it's a good time to reflect on the journey of faith we are on, directed by God's grace and mercy. 1 Peter says like a newborn baby, we desire the pure milk of the word... and with it we will be nourished and grow into salvation.

The Methodists call this journey sanctifying grace. We are first surrounded by prevenient grace, and then in our acknowledgement of what God is doing in our lives, we are recipients of justifying grace. The rest of our days we are headed toward what Wesley called "going on to perfection," heading toward wholeness and full salvation in God's grace... sanctification.

Big words, maybe, but the sentiment is straightforward.  God loves you when you don't even know God is God. And God walks with you in ways that make you finally realize God is God. And God continues to walk with you all the days of your life as you journey ever closer to being one with God.

We come to worship this week knowing to whom we belong. And giving thanks for those whom we are privileged to share our own faith stories with so that they, too, can grow in the faith.

And it is in this continuing nurture of the next generation that we will all receive our sanctification. Helping a young person to grow their faith creates a legacy... and also a future. It gives us the ability to walk boldly into tomorrow hand-in-hand with the God who loves us all.

Now you are God's people.  Now you have received mercy.  Thanks be to God.

"Commune-ity"

Acts 2:42-47

New Revised Standard Version (NRSV) from biblegateway.com

They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. 43 Awe came upon everyone, because many wonders and signs were being done by the apostles. 44 All who believed were together and had all things in common; 45 they would sell their possessions and goods and distribute the proceeds[a] to all, as any had need. 46 Day by day, as they spent much time together in the temple, they broke bread at home[b]and ate their food with glad and generous[c] hearts, 47 praising God and having the goodwill of all the people. And day by day the Lord added to their number those who were being saved.

As I stated a few weeks ago, when this came up in the Lenten series on Grounded  this is one of my favorite scriptures.  People so completely devoted to one another in the community and their shared mission to do good to one another that all who were touched by them wanted to join them.  The message of the Good News spreading to all who heard it.

That warm and fuzzy feeling of a congregation sharing all they have with one another. That is what we celebrate on this day.  The many ways large and small we have made a positive difference and will continue to make a positive difference in the world in the days ahead as the little church with a big heart. From Outreach funds and projects, to UMCOR trips, to refurbishing our building and sharing it with others, we have and are making a difference in people's lives.

Come join us as we give thanks, praise God, and share the good news and the table of God's grace with one another. 

“Dinner Table Extension”

Luke 24:13-35

While they were talking and discussing, Jesus himself came near and went with them, but their eyes were kept from recognizing him.  --Luke 24:15-16

When he was at the table with them, he took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to them.  Then their eyes were opened, and they recognized him...  Luke 24:30-31

This famous scripture called the Road to Emmaus is full of wonder and mystery.  Jesus, the Risen Christ, walks along the road with two of his followers and they don't recognize him.  Later, after they invite him in to their table, and he breaks bread with them, they suddenly realize who he is.

What a scripture this is!  How often do we not recognize the face of Christ among us.  How often do we allow the Christ in our midst to walk on by without a greeting, a word of comfort, a touch?  Fortunately for these followers, they did invite Jesus in for dinner.  And it is in the sharing of a meal together that they finally see who he is.

In this time of threatening church schism and unrest in our society in general, what might it be like to start recognizing that Christ is with us on the road? You know he's there. So you'd better expect to see him.  In an unexpected form.  Waiting for us to invite him in.

Perhaps it's time to extend the dinner table in our own church, in our lives, in our neighborhood, in our society.  Perhaps it's time we started sitting down together with strangers more often and breaking bread until we become friends.  Perhaps it's time to really see instead of pretending to see.

Please pray for our UMC, the Judicial Council, our bishop, our jurisdiction,  and our conference during this week when the validity of Bishop Karen's election is brought before the Judicial Council.   Who are we not recognizing as the face of Christ in the midst of division?

Revolution: With Women in the Sequel

 Rev 22:1-2 ; Matthew 28:1-10

What do we really focus on in the empty tomb and resurrection story every year? Is it the fact that Jesus defied all odds and rose again? Is it the terror turned to amazement and joy that the disciples feel when they realize he is resurrected? Is it the fact that he appears first to the women and allows them to be the messenger of this amazing news?  It is a complex tale of disciples trying to wade through grief and mourning and determine next steps once their leader has been crucified.  And when they witness resurrection in the midst of the sorrow, it changes everything about how they feel empowered to move forward.

Let's focus on these RE phrases this Easter: 

REsurrection

REcognition

REvelation

REvolution

It's important to remember what the REsurrection of Jesus points to in the distance. It points to a time when the systems that have oppressed the message will no longer be able to do so. It points to a day when the peaceable kingdom is actually achieved.  That is what the true REvelation of Christ is. The knowledge that the story ends in peace. It is important to note that the Bible itself does not end in heaven. It ends here.  With the angel of God saying (in Revelation 21) "the home of God is among the mortals" and that "all things will be made new."  Here. In this place.  

And for God to be at home among us, God must be seen in all of us.  The women see the Risen Christ standing before them in the garden and run to tell the others that they, too, can see him if they but look. In her book Grounded, Diana Butler Bass speaks of the word cosmopolitanism. She writes,

 "Cosmopolitanism is an inner awareness that our individual lives and national identities are playing out on a vast global stage. This implies recognition and a shift of perspective--of seeing and experiencing the web in which we live. Recognition, in turn, gives birth to empathy and the profound realization that we really, truly are in this together."  

When we have that REcognition that God is in our neighbor, when we see ourselves in each other, we grow in communion together. No matter what backgrounds we come from.  And we should be very clear of how this message is first spread in this Resurrection story. Christ comes to those with no voice, no power, no authority FIRST.  The women first receive the news. And Christ insists that THEY are the ones to GO and tell others what they saw. That begins a whole new REvolution.

What Christ points to in the REsurrection REvelation to the women is that God will be revealed in the days to come through all people. In diverse ways. By unexpected means. Even in stark contrast to what anyone might have heard or believed before. That seems to be, after all, one of the key themes of the biblical narrative.  As Bass puts it,

 "God's diversity in who is called to share God's message. She writes,"Even the book of Revelation describes a vision of diversity, of people from every tongue, tribe, and nation who gather in the New Jerusalem. In the holy city, we maintain our uniqueness while God dwells in our midst. Unity is experienced in love and friendship, not doctrine or dogma. There is no coercion of faith. "

I'm pretty sure this is what Jesus was promising when he goes to his death on the cross.  God will not let love die. Instead, Love wins.  It always has. That is the real REvolution that takes place on that morning long ago when some women see a REsurrection that changes everything.

Anyone who has a spiritual awakening or encounter, a sense of awe or wonder, leaves that experience wanting to share more goodness in the world.  That encounter with awe, or GOD, always leaves us breathless but eager to tell others what we experienced and looking for ways to draw others in.  It's like when we see God as all around us, instead of up above us or otherwise apart from us, we understand our common purpose together. 

Thoughts? Email me at peverhart@niwotumc.org or comment by clicking the comments tab below.

"Commons"

Matthew 21:1-11
Philippians 2:5-11

In the triumphant march into Jerusalem, we see the story of Jesus entering the city... neighbors waving palm branches out in the streets and people everywhere seemingly joined in unison celebration. But not really. Right? Because if that were actually the case then the loud Hosannas would have kept on ringing rather than the ever so quick call from the street crowd to "Crucify" him just a short time later.  What was lacking there, beyond a lack of desire to hear Jesus' revolutionary message, was a lack of concern for the commons... what is good for all, collectively.

You see we think we know who we are collectively as a society, but we don't often really act that way. We don't understand that there is a 'commons' that can hold us together. We don't rally around what is good for all of our society, and choose to act in ways that only benefit part of our society.

In Grounded, Diana Butler Bass explains the difference in a neighborhood and a commons. A neighborhood, she says is "whom we live with, those next door, whether 'next door' is literal or virtual geography. . . At their best, neighborhoods are open tribes that practice hospitality and the Golden Rule."  She then says "The commons is not that. The commons, sometimes referred to in the singular as the common, is what we live for, the public world tribes make together--that serves the good for all."

Neighborhoods are made of people and the ways they interact with each other. The commons is the sense of morality and purpose, the sense of doing good for all people. Neighborhoods, then, can choose to have a sense of the commons, or they can choose to be inward focused instead. Same with people. And churches. Especially churches.

In the walk to the cross, Jesus feels ever so gradually alone. Shunned. Disregarded by first acquaintances, then neighbors, then loved ones.  He quotes portions of  Psalm 22 when he's hanging on the cross, "My God, my God why have you forsaken me."  But is it God who is forsaking in this scripture, or is it the commons?

from Psalm 22:
All who see me mock at me;
    they make mouths at me, they shake their heads;
Do not be far from me, (O God)
    for trouble is near
    and there is no one to help.

The commons is gone. There is no sense of doing good for all. People have scattered and run trying to save themselves.  What do we do when we lose our sense of common humanity and being on the journey together?

Perhaps we should really consider the moral and salvation-inducing effects of believing in the commons. Of knowing that if one suffers, we all suffer. Of believing in the good of the whole, not in the winner takes all.  How do we do that?

"Neighborhood"

Isaiah 32:16-20; Luke 10:25-37

(I took this photo at the recent Open House at the Islamic Center of Boulder) 

I don't know why it often takes tragic events to make us feel like we need our neighbors, but often it does.  Over the weekend, many neighbors from all faith traditions gathered outside the Islamic Center in Fort Collins after news reports of its being vandalized. They were all there to show their Muslim neighbors their support.  "It's what neighbors do," I heard someone say on a news report.

Many of us can recall stories about how in the days after tragic events like wars or mass shootings or 9/11, people found ways to connect with their neighbors to 'do good' in ways they hadn't before.  

Many of you can recall such experiences, perhaps in more distant years,like the JFK assassination or the war years of the 1940s.  Times of intense public unity are often times of intense public trial.  We realize that we are not in it alone and that someone else is going through the struggle with us.

It's why people in communities tie yellow ribbons on trees to remember those gone to war, or when a child goes missing from the neighborhood, etc. It's a way to show the tie that binds a neighborhood. A common purpose.

But what constitutes a neighborhood? Is there an actual borderline on who is a neighbor?

In Grounded by Diana Butler Bass, she says, "People create neighborhoods when they gather together beyond family ties, live close to others, and choose to share certain resources (in the contemporary world, those resources include, for example, electricity, schools, roads, places of worship, stores and often a park or some other commons)."

And what of the idea that God is a part of the neighbor and the neighborhood around us?

"If we understand that neighborly relations are woven into divine love, then we can grasp that God is, essentially, a near-dwelling God." --Diana Butler Bass

It is worth noting that we say that God abides with us and that abide and abode are essentially the same word. Our home has God in it and God is also in the neighborhood.  It is important in a world that feels ever more isolating that we see the command to love our neighbors as probably the most important part of being faithful to God. Many religious leaders agree. In fact, Pope Francis has made the command to love God and love neighbor a centerpiece of his papacy.

And in this day and age of isolating lives and garage door openers and social media neighbors, the question "Who is my neighbor?"  is more complex and difficult to answer than ever.  Because of technological advances in who we connect to, our neighborhood is no longer tied to simple geographical proximity. And ironically, perhaps, it is that vast global neighborhood  that has led us to retreat to our homes. We are intimidated by the vastness of our neighborhood in today's terms.

The word neighbor comes from Old English roots and it means "near dweller"  Someone dwelling nearby, But in today's world, does that mean physically near? How has technology changed what a near dweller might be? Neighborhoods are made up of real people who already are, in one way or another, intersecting our lives. Whether they live near or far away.

"All of the world's religions make neighbors the central concern of spirituality and ethics.  Love of God and neighbor are absolutely intertwined."--Diana Butler Bass

Christianity, Judaism, and Islam all have passages in their sacred texts that point to an expanded definition of who we think our neighbor is.  In the Good Samaritan story, Jesus expands the idea of neighbor to include someone who is shunned by his own group. An outsider. He presses the point of neighborliness being tied to kindness and mercy, rather than what we have in common or what group we belong to. In the Qur'an, there is a scripture that says "Worship God and join none with HIM in worship, and do good to parents, kinsfolk, orphans, the poor, the neighbor who is near of kin, the neighbor who is a stranger, the companion by your side, the wayfarer that you meet. (Qur'an 4:36).

Who is my neighbor is an age-old question that people struggle with in each generation, despite the commandments of their faith traditions to love neighbor as self.

"Home"

Exodus 6:1-8          Acts 2: 38-47

"To transform home is to transform the world. Domestic revolts are spiritual and political ones as well," --Diana Butler Bass

The transformation of what a home is and who lives in a home is changing.  In some ways, it is a return to the past... people are starting urban farms, learning to butcher meat,  raising chickens, etc. And in some ways it is a leap into the future. Skyping or FaceTiming so that you can join one another for dinner though miles away, creating economic alternatives like multi-family households, etc.

But what does "home" mean, really?  Home is not really a place. It is more of a feeling. A sense of belonging and purpose and identity that grounds you to who you are.  That is why the old adage "you can't go home again" often rings true.  When we move away from our childhood homes we often change in ways that alter our sense of belonging and identity and purpose and so 'home' can never feel the way it did when we were younger.  And yet, rootedness in that way of life will continue. Meaning your roots will never leave, but your sense of what 'home' is will forever be landing somewhere else.

The Exodus story is filled with painful and longing images of home.  Home that was ripped away from the Hebrews when they were forced into slavery by the Egyptians. Home as a promised land as they were led away by the pillar of cloud toward Canaan.  Home as an unsettled place during the diaspora.  And yet in Acts 2, we have such a beautiful sense of what Peter sees as the image of home for the earliest of Christians.  Home is people who devote themselves to a common purpose. Home is people who believe in sharing what they have with one another. Home is giving to everyone who needs it. Home is meeting together around the dinner table and discussing the ordinary with one another.  Home is a place that all are grateful to find.

The old hymn says it best... Home is not a place, home is God.
"O God, our help in ages past, our hope for years to come, our shelter from the stormy blast and our eternal home."

No matter how much life changes, our sense of home in the presence of God and God's people remains constant.

What are your favorite stories of 'home?" Would you come and share one with us on Sunday?

Email me at peverhart@niwotumc.org or comment by clicking on the comments tab below.

"Roots"

Job 14:7-9, Romans 11: 13-21

There's a great story in the book Grounded by Diana Butler Bass of feeling connected to a place you've never been before. She tells of taking a vacation with her husband up the eastern shore of Maryland to visit historical sites, on of them being the Third Haven (Quaker) Meeting House outside of Easton.  She describes her experience there and says she wanted to stay there forever. She later learns, during some genealogical research, that she has ancestors connected to that church. 

from the website: http://www.thirdhaven.org/index.php

Our roots form us. Our ancestors breathe our lives into future existence. They create who we are, even if we don't know who they are. When I read this chapter last year, I knew instantly that I wanted to have an experience like that.  I was writing a grant proposal at the time to take a sabbatical leave and added to it some travel to Northern Ireland and England to explore my ancestral villages.  Unfortunately, I wasn't awarded the grant and therefore, my travel plans were halted, but I do hope one day to be able to explore those villages and see if I, too, can have a connection like Bass does in that meeting house in Maryland. Some of you have told me that you have felt connections like that upon finding a great grandparent's house or visiting a European city that once was home to your ancestors.  I am anxious to know that feeling, too.  

There are reasons why the book by Alex Haley and later TV mini series Roots became so popular in the 1970s. And why sites like Ancestry.com has become so popular.  There are reasons why the Mormon Church has one of the world's largest genealogy collections.  There are reasons why the lineage of the Kings and Queens of England is steadfastly protected and why the line of Catholic popes traces itself all the way back to Peter.  Human beings wish to be connected to who we were and who we are.  Of course, there are other less-than-appealing reasons also, like maintaining patriarchy or racial or tribal purity.  But there is something profound about the way a story of our ancestral heritage affects us that is undeniable. We DO feel grounded in that knowledge.

Paul writes in his letter to the Romans in chapter 11

If a root is holy, the branches will be holy too.  If some of the branches were broken off, and you were a wild olive branch, and you were grafted in among the other branches and shared the root that produces the rich oil of the olive tree, then don’t brag like you’re better than the other branches. If you do brag, be careful: it’s not you that sustains the root, but it’s the root that sustains you. --Romans 11:16b-18

It's not  you that sustains the root, but it's the root that sustains you.  We are not the sum total of who we have created ourselves to be, rather we are part of a larger equation that began being computed long before we found ourselves in it and will continue to be added to long after we are gone.  And all of what comes after is held to the same roots that have always held us to one another.  

That is true not only of our biological genealogy, but of our chosen families like the church and our neighborhoods.  What roots of church and neighborhood are holding us together now? What roots are influencing what we do and don't do in our locations even now?

Thoughts? Email me at peverhart@niwotumc.org or comment here by clicking the comments link below.

"Sky"

Psalm 115:1-3, 16
Matthew 4:12-17

The conventional thought on God is in the heavens and man is on the earth is that God is somehow separate from man, living somehow above the world.  In the chapter entitled Sky in the Diana Butler Bass book Grounded, she describes her encounter with the deep dark night at Ring Lake Ranch in Wyoming and how the dark sky and its millions of stars affects her thoughts on sky.  I think this suggests we think of sky not as something separate from us, but as something that is enveloping us, all around us, part of all we are, but also much more infinite than we can ever imagine.

She writes of sky also being water in the clouds and light from the sun.  Sky encompasses all of life. So why wouldn't the psalmist describe God as being in the heavens?

The words of Jesus also remind us of this God both infinite and right in our faces.  He often talks of the kingdom of heaven as something we create here and now, not something we aspire to.  In the Lord's Prayer it says, "Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven" which means the 'heaven' we speak of is something we are to aspire to create right here on earth.  In this scripture above, Matthew 4, we read of Jesus' relocation from Nazareth to Caperneum as fulfilling the prophecy of Isaiah, which also says that those who have been sitting around in darkness need not do that any longer because now the sun has come up.  We have here the belief that a new day has come through the message and witness of Jesus.  Jesus says, "Change your life. God's kingdom is here."
The heavenly perfection you desire to reach.... just look around you, it's right here.

I have a children's book called ""I've Never Seen the Wind."

"I've never seen the wiind, but I know it's there.
I know it's there because it lifts my kite into the sky. the wind blows my hair and chases off the dark clouds when the rain is over."

Sky is both a concrete concept that can be explained by science and an abstract one that encompasses much of our very being.  What if we stopped thinking vertically about our faith... thinking of God (and sky) as something way up there above us and started thinking more horizontally about our faith... God (and sky) are all around me, a part of all that is and all that has been and all that will be.

Thoughts? Email me at peverhart@niwotumc.org or comment at the comments link below.

"Water"

John 4:5-15


This famous scripture about the woman at the well has a lot to offer us. We see an example shown by Jesus of how to treat a fellow human being.  He treats her kindly although based on the scenario, most men would not have spoken to her at all.  For one, women who were good and decent drew water in the morning, so she was an outcast if she's there at noon. For another, men didn't talk directly to women in such a way.  For a third, she is a Samaritan and he is a Jew.  But he shows her kindness.

Another thing this scripture offers us is a description of what Jesus is saying can happen if we follow him.  What Jesus offers is living water. Water that will be so quenching of our thirst that we will never be thirsty again.

In her book, Grounded, Diana Butler Bass uses this scripture and a lot of other descriptions of water to show us the deep connection we have to water in our lives.  Of course, our bodies are to a large degree made up of water, so there's that.  There is also the deep connection we make to the natural bodies of water in our world. She tells the story of  diving for a conch shell and the connection she has with the sea.

Of course we all know that water is essential to our survival. No possibility of our lives continuing if we don't have water to drink.  But there are so many other ways that water is essential to our existence. And so many ways that the water around us is actually not only essential, but sacramental, in our lives.  Water is holy and powerful and able to connect us both to the earth and to the Divine.

Here are some stories about water that you might find meaning in reading: http://www.takepart.com/feature/2015/03/22/charity-water-world-water-day

We are fortunate in the Western World to not have to work to get our water.   Many do not have that luxury, so while they need water to survive, they have to work very hard to get it.  And so they don't take it for granted.

I admit, water for me usually equates to fun and happiness.  I know I have a memory full of stories from my childhood trips to Myrtle Beach. My brother and I loved to swim and ride rafts in the ocean. And I loved (still do) walking down the shoreline with my feet in the tide.  What memories and stories can you share about water in your lives?   Email me at peverhart@niwotumc.org or comment by clicking the comment link below.

"Trail Mix"

Matthew 17:1-9

Transfiguracion del Divino Salvador del Mundo at Catedral Metropolitana del Divino Salvador del Mundo

The transfiguration scripture is a strange one indeed.  Jesus takes Peter and James on a hike up a mountain by themselves.  On the hike, he suddenly starts shining, like glowing from the inside out... and his clothes became dazzling white.  And then Peter and James saw Moses and Elijah standing with him there.  Peter, overcome, says they should build three shines to the three prophets.  And then God speaks, saying, just as he did when Jesus was baptized by John, "This is my Son... with him I am well pleased." and "Listen to him."

This whole weird surreal encounter certainly scares the heck out of Peter and James and they fall to the ground.

Jesus encourages them not to be afraid.  As soon as he says that, and they look up, they see no one except Jesus.

Then they go down the mountain.

Crazy set of circumstances. What exactly happened here?  We don't really know. But we do know that as they are alone with Jesus on the hike they are introduced in a profound way to the lineage of the faith tradition. They see the connection between Moses and Elijah and Jesus and they understand, though frightened, that this is a lineage that is powerful and filled with strength and light.

And this mountain hike happens just after Jesus has told them in Chapter 16 that whoever wants to be his disciple must "Take up their cross and follow him."  He tells them in 16 that they will need to embrace suffering because being his disciple is not an easy path.

This is some kind of 'diet' to feed his fellow trail mates. A trail mix of epic proportions.  Hard to swallow, in fact.  Tell them that following him is akin to suffering. Then taking them up the mountain and giving them this crazy weird experience where he glows and Moses and Elijah appeared.

What does this experience mean to Peter and James? Why are they exposed to a glow from Jesus and the vision of Moses and Elijah?  Is it to show them that they aren't just following anybody? To convince them that he is worth 'taking up their crosses' for because he is part of a greater lineage of prophets who have a path worth following?  Is it to share with them the echoes of walking in the way of justice that both Moses and Elijah followed?  No one really knows for sure, but we do know how Jesus told them to handle their fear of what is unfolding in front of their eyes.  He told them to not be afraid.

Jesus leads them into the mountains.  There they experience strange and frightful things.  But Jesus says get up and fear not.  From the beginning of his life to the end, Jesus always seemed to lead those around him into unpredictable circumstances out of their control and sometimes fraught with danger. But echoing all throughout this story is "Fear not."  

The message for us, then, may be as simple as allowing the journey to unfold with courage and without fear.  Follow the way of Christ, even to the top of the highest unexplored mountain, although you might feel more comfortable in the safety zone.  And get up when anxiety and fear knocks you down.  Feed yourself on the words "do not be afraid" and keep on walking the trail.

What does this bizarre story say to you?  Email me at peverhart@niwotumc.org or click Comments below and leave a message there.

"Salt on Display"

Matthew 5:13-20

Salt is used here as a metaphor for bringing God to life in our daily journey.  Salt is a seasoning. By itself it isn't very good, but add it to foods and other flavors and it enhances the taste.  In this scripture, Jesus is telling those gathered for what we call the Sermon on the Mount that they are to be salt for the world. That they will be the salt that brings out God's realm. That because they will add their own unique flavor to the New Heaven on Earth that they are creating, God will be magnified in many different ways.

Jesus goes on to say, "don't hide your light."  And Jesus also says that he has come to fulfill the law, to complete it.  He never once suggests that the law as given by God to the Hebrew people isn't valid. He says that his message, his purpose in being here, will fulfill that law.

But what does that mean?  I think it means that God's sending Jesus to us is a way to connect the dots for us to what it means to be fully human.... what it means to live into our own special seasoning, our own special light, our own special piece of the creation.  We are all created in God's image and yet we are all very different.

Jesus says in this passage that diversity is good. That diversity is the key to the Peaceable Kingdom. That diversity is life.  Jesus asks us from the very beginning of his preaching ministry to embrace all people and to also embrace exactly who we are.   To allow our true selves to be fully displayed as we seek to share God's love with the world. And that when we do that, we will fulfill the law, which upholds love of neighbor above all else. 

"Baby Food Beginnings"

1 Corinthians 3:1-9

Paul is talking about maturing in the faith here. He's making a point of saying that being a Christian is a  lifelong learning venture. That we don't graduate from Sunday School one day and know everything there is to know about Jesus' message to us. That we don't go to seminary for three or four years and graduate with a Master of Divinity degree and know everything there is to know about Jesus' message to us.  That it takes a lifetime to walk the way of Christ. That our struggles will be ongoing and relentless. We will learn a little here and learn a little more there, but there will always be something that we don't know.  

We come to our faith like babies being fed milk and no solid food. And gradually we are able to eat more solid food and different types of food and, all the while, we are experimenting and growing and changing and challenging ourselves in what it means to be Christian.

 

Photograph: WFP / Edward Parsons

Another thing that is challenging about faith development is it's cyclical, spiral nature, sometimes. It's important to know how little we know.  We can be 9 or 90 and both be at the same level of understanding about God. In fact, sometimes the youngest among us have the most profound sense of awareness of the Divine.  We start to get hardened and more cynical as we age, and sometimes faith is about suspension of what we think we know with our heads and recognizing instead what we know we feel with our hearts.  

We also learn in this scripture that we can't seem to erase quarreling from our faith walks with one another.  One group of people believes X to be true about their church, their mission, their purpose... and the other group believes Y to be true.  And so, rather than continuing to grow their faith and the community around them, they just shoot darts at one another.   But Paul reminds us that neither of us has the answers without God being in the center. In verse 7 of this text, he says

"So neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth."

A reminder to us that the most important first step in our faith voyage is fully relying on God and not on our own understanding.  Allowing God to lead the way in this faith walk and not think that our way is the way it is supposed to be. But also not allowing someone else to stray us from what we feel is a right path to take,  Allowing ourselves to stop, look within and listen deeply for the path God and God alone wants us to take.

Faith walking, then, is a complicated journey.  One of my favorite responses to questions when I was in seminary, from just about any of the Bible professors, was "Well, we really don't know."  That's a tough pill for some of us to swallow.  We really don't know all the answers about why we are loved by a God who created a world of magnificence.  Oh yes, we can explain the science of the universe and its ongoing created order, and thanks be to God for our scientists who continue to teach us so much.  But we can't really explain the majesty and heart of it.  Except we all know that when we see a brand new little baby with sparkling eyes that a sense of wonder overcomes us all.  We know that somehow, someway, somewhere there is a miracle at work. A soul growing. A life building.  One baby food faith meal at a time.

What are your challenges in the Christian walk?  Who do you want to become?  What do you still want to learn?  Email me at peverhart@niwotumc.org or click the comment link below to leave a comment here. 

"Grapes for the Food Bank"

February 5: Grapes for the Food Bank

Leviticus 19:1-2. 9-18 (MSG)

Wow. This list is hard core.  I don't even know where to begin.  Now granted this is Leviticus, a book that often gets verses ripped out of context for political and social debate, but you can hear echos of Jesus' message here, can't you?  In this passage it is the LORD speaking to Moses, offering a very clear message of saving something for your neighbor, not taking everything for yourself when you harvest... and being kind and not slanderous or manipulative of your neighbor in all the transactions of community life.  And it ends with "love your neighbor as yourself," which, of course, was Jesus repeated mantra over and over and over again.  

I love how this starts though... the very lovely way it reminds us to care for others more than self.  the LORD suggest to Moses that when the fields and vineyards are harvested it is important to not taking every single bit of harvest for yourself.  Leave some for people in need to harvest for themselves, as well.  Share with your neighbor the bounty of your harvest.  It's beautiful. A clear reminder in poetic, pastoral terms, that it is not all about us and what we want and need, but ultimately about building a sharing and loving community.

And on Sunday when we share in Holy Communion, I would like us to think about what it means to not only share the "grapes of our harvest" in terms of sharing our resources with others, but also what it might mean to share the "grape harvest" of our Holy Meal with others.  How do we take the grace and peace Christ offers in the sacrament and truly change our lives, our perspective, our witness in the world? How do we actually embody Christ so that when we walk away from the table and into the world we consider every action we make as a reflection of Christ?    Such a challenge.  So important,

Thoughts? Email me at peverhart@niwotumc.org or comment by clicking the comment link below.

"Turn and Bless"

Matthew 5:1-16

I recommend a full reading of all of Matthew 5, to be honest. We will only look at the first 15 verses of this chapter, but all of it is a clear indication of what kind of world Jesus is trying to build.  One that respects and values neighbors of all walks of life. One that encourages people to tell each other the truth and to uphold commitments to one another. One that encourages people to work for peaceful relationships as much as is humanly possible.  One that suggests that we never hide who we are, but climb to the top of the highest hill and let the world see and hear about who God is calling us to be.

We focus mostly this week on the Beatitudes portion of this text.  Blessed are the.... fill in the blank, but not with who the world thinks is blessed...  instead, most people who are struggling in this world get an honored place in this blessed list.  The poor in Spirit, the meek, the grieving, the persecuted. Oh and also, blessed are the peacemakers.  Sadly, peacemakers, too often get reviled by the world-at-large.

Jesus tells all those who feel discouraged to rejoice for their reward is great in heaven.  He is dogged in his concern for the downtrodden as he shares with all who are gathered on that hillside to hear him deliver an instructional sermon about how to create a more perfect society.

Matthew 5 encourages us to look for a new view of God's blessings in this world.  It is a view that is 180 degrees from any prosperity gospel you will hear.  It is a view that elevates those the world chooses to trample or ignore. It is a view that offers those who feel discouraged a path forward to let their light shine, rather than their darkness permeate.

It should speak to all of us in some way.  We should hear warnings to us about the struggles we have in our society today.  We should hear encouragement about the ways we love one another.  There's something special about this sermon by Jesus.  He's shifting our vision from one perspective to another.  Being righteous and faithful is not like being successful in the ways of the world.  Look to see who needs a lift up, Jesus says, and then do everything in your power to provide the lift.  Shine your own light of goodness in a way that brings everyone to the table together.

What beatitude do you struggle with the most?  Which do you think our society could best pay attention to?  Email me at peverhart@niwotumc.org or comment below on the comments link.