Does what I believe matter? Do I really need to think about my theology?
The answer is yes. There are many theologies (what you believe about God). Not everyone perceives God the same way and there is nothing wrong with that. There is no one right or wrong theology. But, it is important to think through and even question what you believe.
I am writing this because of Senate candidate Richard Mourdock's comment on abortion. His statement, that a pregnancy, that occurs because of rape, is God’s will, has made many headlines. I do not believe he meant that God wills the rape. But, that is a logical conclusion from his statement. This highlights the reason why we need to ponder and question our own theologies.
If you believe God wills all pregnancies then you need to reconcile why God would will a women to become pregnant from a rape. You also need to reconcile why God would will some women not to become pregnant.
If you believe that God determines the day and time of a persons death. You need to reconcile why God decided to have so many people die on September 11th. You also need to reconcile that the pilots would have been part of God’s plan, thereby doing God’s will.
If you believe that God is all powerful than you need to reconcile why God allows bad things to happen when God has the power to change events.
If you believe that God is all loving then you need to reconcile that God must not be powerful enough to keep bad things from happening.
Every form of theology has questions. Acknowledging these questions does not minimize your theology, it strengthens it. Take some time to think about what you believe. What conclusions can be drawn from your belief? How does your belief relate to problems of life and problems of the community and the world?
These are great group discussion questions. Let me know if this interests you and maybe we can begin talking about it. This is how we grow in our faith.
Tuesday, November 13, 2012
Thursday, August 2, 2012
Where is God in Aurora? (Maidencreek August Newsletter)
As I write this letter, the news is filled with the shooting in Aurora, Colorado. The initial shock has passed and we are now hearing about the aftermath. The many funerals, the updates on those who were wounded and the personal stories of the victims. The news reporters also seem to be looking for a religious take on the tragedy. Columns keep appearing with the titles Where Was God in Aurora?
News stations have been lining up pastors from different faiths to answer the question. Pastors (maybe upset that they were not asked to speak) have been writing commentaries trying to answer the question. So, although, I may not be published in a high profile news report; I thought maybe the readers of the Maidencreek Newsletter would like to hear what I have to say on the subject.
I believe that we were created to love each other and live in harmony, while loving God. However, God does not force us to love. That love has to come from our own thoughts and beliefs. The closer we come to God, the more loving we act. The more removed we are from God, the less loving we are of others. But, no matter how far estranged we are from God and how bad our acts might be, I do believe that God has enough love to want us back.
So, where was God during the shooting? God was there in the midst of everyone. God was on the floor holding and comforting those who were hurting and those who were scared. God was with the first responders giving them strength and courage to walk into the room. God was with all the medical personnel holding their hands as they worked on victim after victim. God was crying and grieving with all the families as they heard the news about their loved ones. And I do believe that God was forgiving Holmes and trying to love him and bring him back into a relationship with God.
We cannot explain why some people do such horrific acts. We cannot explain why there are shootings, murders, or other violent acts (what some call evil) in our midst. I do not believe that this is what God wants or that God destines it to happen. But as humans we have free will and when our relationship with God deteriorates other priorities enter into our lives. As these self serving priorities start to dominate our lives, our relationship with God declines. There comes a time when God’s love is blocked and there is no love left in a persons life.
I will continue to keep all the victims in my prayers and that includes Holmes. Although he may not know it, God continues to love him just as God loves each of us.
Where was God during the tragedy? God was there in the midst of it. Providing what only God can------continuing LOVE for all.
News stations have been lining up pastors from different faiths to answer the question. Pastors (maybe upset that they were not asked to speak) have been writing commentaries trying to answer the question. So, although, I may not be published in a high profile news report; I thought maybe the readers of the Maidencreek Newsletter would like to hear what I have to say on the subject.
I believe that we were created to love each other and live in harmony, while loving God. However, God does not force us to love. That love has to come from our own thoughts and beliefs. The closer we come to God, the more loving we act. The more removed we are from God, the less loving we are of others. But, no matter how far estranged we are from God and how bad our acts might be, I do believe that God has enough love to want us back.
So, where was God during the shooting? God was there in the midst of everyone. God was on the floor holding and comforting those who were hurting and those who were scared. God was with the first responders giving them strength and courage to walk into the room. God was with all the medical personnel holding their hands as they worked on victim after victim. God was crying and grieving with all the families as they heard the news about their loved ones. And I do believe that God was forgiving Holmes and trying to love him and bring him back into a relationship with God.
We cannot explain why some people do such horrific acts. We cannot explain why there are shootings, murders, or other violent acts (what some call evil) in our midst. I do not believe that this is what God wants or that God destines it to happen. But as humans we have free will and when our relationship with God deteriorates other priorities enter into our lives. As these self serving priorities start to dominate our lives, our relationship with God declines. There comes a time when God’s love is blocked and there is no love left in a persons life.
I will continue to keep all the victims in my prayers and that includes Holmes. Although he may not know it, God continues to love him just as God loves each of us.
Where was God during the tragedy? God was there in the midst of it. Providing what only God can------continuing LOVE for all.
Wednesday, June 13, 2012
Pentecost 2012
Pentecost, the birthday of the Christian church, the day we hear this weird story about wind, fire and tongues. Like many of our Biblical, stories it is so bazaar that we tend to miss some of what the author is trying to tell us. Today we hear how the Holy Spirit comes upon the followers of Jesus, all of the followers ! You heard Gary read the names of many places and people. If you think about it the church starts out as a Global Movement. The author makes a point to let us know that these followers are from all over the 1st century world.
We recognize some of the places that still exist today Asia, Egypt, Lybia. We may remember a few others from ancient history classes. But, most of these people and places no longer exist in the 21st century world and are long forgotten. Here's what we miss! The writer of Acts includes a people that did not exist in the 1st Century. Five hundred years before Jesus was born, the culture of Medes ceased to exist. This is one of those facts that a reader in the 1st century would notice. But unless you are a historical scholar we, in the 21st century, miss it.
So why would the writer include, in the list of was there, a culture that no longer existed? Could it be to remind us that the Holy Spirit is for everyone in all times and all places? To let us know that the church includes everyone no matter who you are or where you come from? All of the names of these people, all of the different cultures, languages and ethnicity, are included for a reason! The Holy Spirit comes to everyone! The church from the very beginning is global. Even though each ethnic group, each geographic area, each culture has different traditions, the Holy Spirit is there. Our faith practices are routed locally. We at Maidencreek Church are not doing the same thing as a church in China, Mexico, India, France, Africa or even the church down the street. But, we have the common Spirit that empowers all of us. And therefore, we can still understand each other - or at least we should. Isn’t that what this text is telling us? Even though people came from places all over the 1st century world and were speaking in their own languages, through the Holy Spirit this diverse group of people could understand each other. Today’s text reminds us the Holy Spirit calls people from far and wide, across the globe and from just down the street into the church. The Holy Spirit calls people of all traditions and the empowers us as a church to keep growing and changing into new traditions.
Today, just as in this text, we continue to be a diverse people gathered together from different places and from all walks of life. Over half of the people sitting here did not grow up in Maidencreek Church. But, because of the Spirit were drawn to this faith community. We have grown not only in numbers but in the gifts each person brings to the community. When we gather together we share new traditions and new ways of following Jesus. Because when these gifts are shared we become more and more the Body of Christ. And more and more open to where the Spirit is moving us.
The text also reminds us when the Spirit moves, things are rarely calm. I am not sure if I am ready to have the Holy Spirit come down upon us in flames of fire. Truthfully, I think that is pretty scary! But when we think about it, some of the changes that occurred at Maidencreek in the past years were pretty scary too. The Holy Spirit carries the church through change and empowered this faith community to be stronger because of it.
Today is the birthday of the church and we were given a gift - the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is a gift to people for all times and all places. It is the gift that keeps on giving, pulling us, moving us, changing us and challenging us. The Holy Spirit renews and empowers us. And thanks be to God the Holy Spirit reminds us who we are!
We are the Christian Church - a people from every tradition, culture, and ethnic group. A diverse people who together proclaim and live the Jesus Message.
Today, let us open our mind, open our heart, and open ourselves to the Holy Spirit as it falls upon us, empowers us, and leads us to new places, new traditions and new actions. Let us say Happy Birthday - not to the church as an institution or a building but to each other because together we are the church! As the church may we continue to follow the Holy Spirit as we are led to do things we never thought we would do! But the things we are called to do to live the Gospel. May it be so!
We recognize some of the places that still exist today Asia, Egypt, Lybia. We may remember a few others from ancient history classes. But, most of these people and places no longer exist in the 21st century world and are long forgotten. Here's what we miss! The writer of Acts includes a people that did not exist in the 1st Century. Five hundred years before Jesus was born, the culture of Medes ceased to exist. This is one of those facts that a reader in the 1st century would notice. But unless you are a historical scholar we, in the 21st century, miss it.
So why would the writer include, in the list of was there, a culture that no longer existed? Could it be to remind us that the Holy Spirit is for everyone in all times and all places? To let us know that the church includes everyone no matter who you are or where you come from? All of the names of these people, all of the different cultures, languages and ethnicity, are included for a reason! The Holy Spirit comes to everyone! The church from the very beginning is global. Even though each ethnic group, each geographic area, each culture has different traditions, the Holy Spirit is there. Our faith practices are routed locally. We at Maidencreek Church are not doing the same thing as a church in China, Mexico, India, France, Africa or even the church down the street. But, we have the common Spirit that empowers all of us. And therefore, we can still understand each other - or at least we should. Isn’t that what this text is telling us? Even though people came from places all over the 1st century world and were speaking in their own languages, through the Holy Spirit this diverse group of people could understand each other. Today’s text reminds us the Holy Spirit calls people from far and wide, across the globe and from just down the street into the church. The Holy Spirit calls people of all traditions and the empowers us as a church to keep growing and changing into new traditions.
Today, just as in this text, we continue to be a diverse people gathered together from different places and from all walks of life. Over half of the people sitting here did not grow up in Maidencreek Church. But, because of the Spirit were drawn to this faith community. We have grown not only in numbers but in the gifts each person brings to the community. When we gather together we share new traditions and new ways of following Jesus. Because when these gifts are shared we become more and more the Body of Christ. And more and more open to where the Spirit is moving us.
The text also reminds us when the Spirit moves, things are rarely calm. I am not sure if I am ready to have the Holy Spirit come down upon us in flames of fire. Truthfully, I think that is pretty scary! But when we think about it, some of the changes that occurred at Maidencreek in the past years were pretty scary too. The Holy Spirit carries the church through change and empowered this faith community to be stronger because of it.
Today is the birthday of the church and we were given a gift - the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is a gift to people for all times and all places. It is the gift that keeps on giving, pulling us, moving us, changing us and challenging us. The Holy Spirit renews and empowers us. And thanks be to God the Holy Spirit reminds us who we are!
We are the Christian Church - a people from every tradition, culture, and ethnic group. A diverse people who together proclaim and live the Jesus Message.
Today, let us open our mind, open our heart, and open ourselves to the Holy Spirit as it falls upon us, empowers us, and leads us to new places, new traditions and new actions. Let us say Happy Birthday - not to the church as an institution or a building but to each other because together we are the church! As the church may we continue to follow the Holy Spirit as we are led to do things we never thought we would do! But the things we are called to do to live the Gospel. May it be so!
Monday, April 23, 2012
God Slapped Me in the Face with a Pound Cake
The other day God slapped me in the face in a way only God can. Last Fall Gary and I attended the Greek Festival at St Matthew’s Greek Orthodox Church. While I was picking out some great food, Gary was talking with Father Demetrius Nicoloudakis’ wife. The clergy spouses were discussing a program that St Matthew’s coordinates, called Pound of Love. During the Easter season they deliver pound cakes to families of prisoners, Opportunity House (a homeless shelter) and local food pantries. These pound cakes are distributed to “the least of these” to remind them they are loved by Christ and us. It also reminds us of our call to serve others.
Two weeks before Easter, during my Tuesday office hours, a woman from the St Matthew’s showed up with two very large shopping bags overflowing with packets of empty pound cake pans. They were very organized each packet had four small loaf pans, zip lock bags to put the baked loaves into, stickers to put on the bags and the recipe. I took one look at all of those pans and thought of all the projects that were currently happening at Maidencreek. My initial thought was - Gary what have you gotten us into now! You and I will be baking for days! (No, I was not too happy about this) I told her we were very busy at church, I could only take one bag and could not promise I would find people to bake that many pound cakes. Our pot pie dinner was Saturday and people were busy baking for that event.
On Sunday morning prior to worship I gave these announcements: left over pot pie can be purchased following worship; it is the last day to order candy from the youth groups; there are a few items still needed for Easter Boxes that will be given to three of our families going through tough times; today is the last day to give items for the Easter boxes we are sending to our service personnel; parents please remember the Sunday school children are collecting items for Easter Baskets for our home-bound; don’t forget we are staffing the Food Pantry on Maundy Thursday, feel free to attend the service in your work clothes; additional readers are needed for the Good Friday Service; on the Saturday before Easter the young adults will be dying Easter Eggs with the residents of Keystone Villa others are welcome to help; .... and by the way... the pastor’s spouses got together and we are participating with St Matthew’s in the Pound of Love program. Please see Pastor Kim during fellowship time if you can bake pound cakes for families of prisoners, Opportunity House and local food pantries.
After worship, when I finished greeting the people at the door, I ventured downstairs to fellowship time. As usual there was a low hum of noise and a somewhat organized chaos. We are a church that has out grown our space so everyone is always on top of each other. Sunday school classes are held in closets and rooms where people walk through during classes. I finally found Pastor Kim, our student pastor, standing next to a table with the big red shopping bag setting on it. I asked her “did you get rid of any?” While in my mind I was trying to decide the minimum number of pound cakes Gary and I would have to bake for St Matthew’s without seeming inconsiderate. While I was trying to come up with a number - She turned to me and said we don’t have any pans left and people are still asking.
SMACK - Right across my face!!! All that went though my head was “Ye of little faith” - yes it was a double smack God even used the King James version.
In no uncertain terms God left me know. Who am I to decide what the faith community is capable of? Who am I to put limits on them? Who am I trying to box in the Spirit!
That afternoon I called St Matthew’s and asked for more pans. Gary ended up baking two packets (eight pound cakes). I didn’t even have to help. We boxed up and delivered 134 pound cakes! And this pastor is no longer going to worry about asking too much of the faith community! Thanks be to a God who places opportunities before us and calls us to account.
Two weeks before Easter, during my Tuesday office hours, a woman from the St Matthew’s showed up with two very large shopping bags overflowing with packets of empty pound cake pans. They were very organized each packet had four small loaf pans, zip lock bags to put the baked loaves into, stickers to put on the bags and the recipe. I took one look at all of those pans and thought of all the projects that were currently happening at Maidencreek. My initial thought was - Gary what have you gotten us into now! You and I will be baking for days! (No, I was not too happy about this) I told her we were very busy at church, I could only take one bag and could not promise I would find people to bake that many pound cakes. Our pot pie dinner was Saturday and people were busy baking for that event.
On Sunday morning prior to worship I gave these announcements: left over pot pie can be purchased following worship; it is the last day to order candy from the youth groups; there are a few items still needed for Easter Boxes that will be given to three of our families going through tough times; today is the last day to give items for the Easter boxes we are sending to our service personnel; parents please remember the Sunday school children are collecting items for Easter Baskets for our home-bound; don’t forget we are staffing the Food Pantry on Maundy Thursday, feel free to attend the service in your work clothes; additional readers are needed for the Good Friday Service; on the Saturday before Easter the young adults will be dying Easter Eggs with the residents of Keystone Villa others are welcome to help; .... and by the way... the pastor’s spouses got together and we are participating with St Matthew’s in the Pound of Love program. Please see Pastor Kim during fellowship time if you can bake pound cakes for families of prisoners, Opportunity House and local food pantries.
After worship, when I finished greeting the people at the door, I ventured downstairs to fellowship time. As usual there was a low hum of noise and a somewhat organized chaos. We are a church that has out grown our space so everyone is always on top of each other. Sunday school classes are held in closets and rooms where people walk through during classes. I finally found Pastor Kim, our student pastor, standing next to a table with the big red shopping bag setting on it. I asked her “did you get rid of any?” While in my mind I was trying to decide the minimum number of pound cakes Gary and I would have to bake for St Matthew’s without seeming inconsiderate. While I was trying to come up with a number - She turned to me and said we don’t have any pans left and people are still asking.
SMACK - Right across my face!!! All that went though my head was “Ye of little faith” - yes it was a double smack God even used the King James version.
In no uncertain terms God left me know. Who am I to decide what the faith community is capable of? Who am I to put limits on them? Who am I trying to box in the Spirit!
That afternoon I called St Matthew’s and asked for more pans. Gary ended up baking two packets (eight pound cakes). I didn’t even have to help. We boxed up and delivered 134 pound cakes! And this pastor is no longer going to worry about asking too much of the faith community! Thanks be to a God who places opportunities before us and calls us to account.
Wednesday, February 29, 2012
Preached Feb 26, 2012
The story of Noah and the flood is very familiar to most of us. If you went to Sunday School you heard it many times. Probably even played with a toy ark and animals. If you had a baby you likely
received something that had the ark and some animals on it whether it be a blanket, a book, a wall hanging or picture frame. We even had a fairly recent movie about a contemporary Noah. It is a familiar story. But it is not clear cut. This text can bring up two radically different images of God.
One way, as I said, we think of this as a children’s story. We picture the animals walking up the plank into the ark. We see Noah with a white beard and a large crook standing on the ark smiling. There are fish in the sea next to the ark and birds flying overhead. We can even see the scene on the trim in the nursery. It is a beautiful picture for children. This is a story about God's love for animals, about remembering God's love each time we see a rainbow, even about the bright side of every storm.
The second way to look at this story is it is about a destructive wrathful God. A God of revenge and judgement. A God that drowns creation. Wiping out everything in a divine destructive rage. This is a story about a God of wrath who is ready and willing to strike down sinners.
But when we read the text without our preconceived notions, whatever they may be, we realize neither of these images is the whole story and in fact both images have very little to do with the text. The story of Noah and the flood is the story of a God who decides to have a relationship with us. It’s about a God who determines that violence is not the answer. A God who resolves to no longer be separate but to be bound with humanity in a new and different way. This is a story of God’s relationship with humanity - God’s relationship with us.
It is not important whether or not you believe that God flooded the entire earth or if you believe that Noah gathered up every animal in creation and put them on that ark. Notwithstanding those details, this is a story about a newly restored relationship between God and humanity. -specifically about how God is now bound to humanity.
In ancient times lightening was seen as destructive arrows being shot by God toward earth. God therefore had a bow. Like the gun today the bow was the weapon of ancient times. To hang up ones bow is to retire from battle. In this text God is hanging up the instrument of destruction - "When I bring clouds over the earth, the bow will be seen in the clouds; then I will remember my covenant that is between me and your descendants, between all living creatures, all flesh. The waters never again will flood, will corrupt all flesh. When the bow is in the clouds, I will see it in order to remember the eternal covenant between God and every living creature, all flesh, that is on earth." The relationship between God and humanity is changing and God is initiating the change. God is hanging up the bow and promising for all time never to destroy again. God is doing a new and different thing by binding God’s own self to all humanity.
With this promise God is no longer separate from us but has entered into a relationship with us. In actuality God is making a sacrifice because now God’s actions are limited. Think about it, God is willing to give up some freedom - because as upset as God may become with us - God now has promised never to destroy creation again. And it seems God does not want to forget this promise. To make sure that this promise is remembered there is a sign - a bow is set in the sky - what we think of today as a rainbow. But who is that rainbow for ? God said - When the bow is in the clouds, I will see it in order to remember. It seems God needs to be reminded never again to destroy the earth that God so lovingly made. It could be said that the rainbow is the string tied around God's finger! According to this story the bow is not to remind us of the promise. But to remind God.
As we enter into the season of Lenten we spend a lot of time contemplating and thinking about our relationship with God. We talk about what we are doing or not doing. Ponder what we should or should not do. Consider how we can strengthen our relationship with God. But the one thing we tend to forget is it is not a one way street. God is a part of this relationship. It is not only about us. Yes, Lent is a journey. But is a journey with God not by ourselves. It is a journey with a God who is committed to us through a promise. A promise that binds us together. A God who says to each one of us I am in a relationship with you.
As we journey though Lent, we may be challenged, to look at God differently, and that may make us a little uncomfortable. So I suggest each of us hang up our own bows and instead of fighting with new ideas, we struggle through them. Lent is sometimes a long journey - especially as we get to the passion and the cross but we know at the end of the journey is the resurrection.
God is waiting to journey with you. Today is a good day to start that journey.
received something that had the ark and some animals on it whether it be a blanket, a book, a wall hanging or picture frame. We even had a fairly recent movie about a contemporary Noah. It is a familiar story. But it is not clear cut. This text can bring up two radically different images of God.
One way, as I said, we think of this as a children’s story. We picture the animals walking up the plank into the ark. We see Noah with a white beard and a large crook standing on the ark smiling. There are fish in the sea next to the ark and birds flying overhead. We can even see the scene on the trim in the nursery. It is a beautiful picture for children. This is a story about God's love for animals, about remembering God's love each time we see a rainbow, even about the bright side of every storm.
The second way to look at this story is it is about a destructive wrathful God. A God of revenge and judgement. A God that drowns creation. Wiping out everything in a divine destructive rage. This is a story about a God of wrath who is ready and willing to strike down sinners.
But when we read the text without our preconceived notions, whatever they may be, we realize neither of these images is the whole story and in fact both images have very little to do with the text. The story of Noah and the flood is the story of a God who decides to have a relationship with us. It’s about a God who determines that violence is not the answer. A God who resolves to no longer be separate but to be bound with humanity in a new and different way. This is a story of God’s relationship with humanity - God’s relationship with us.
It is not important whether or not you believe that God flooded the entire earth or if you believe that Noah gathered up every animal in creation and put them on that ark. Notwithstanding those details, this is a story about a newly restored relationship between God and humanity. -specifically about how God is now bound to humanity.
In ancient times lightening was seen as destructive arrows being shot by God toward earth. God therefore had a bow. Like the gun today the bow was the weapon of ancient times. To hang up ones bow is to retire from battle. In this text God is hanging up the instrument of destruction - "When I bring clouds over the earth, the bow will be seen in the clouds; then I will remember my covenant that is between me and your descendants, between all living creatures, all flesh. The waters never again will flood, will corrupt all flesh. When the bow is in the clouds, I will see it in order to remember the eternal covenant between God and every living creature, all flesh, that is on earth." The relationship between God and humanity is changing and God is initiating the change. God is hanging up the bow and promising for all time never to destroy again. God is doing a new and different thing by binding God’s own self to all humanity.
With this promise God is no longer separate from us but has entered into a relationship with us. In actuality God is making a sacrifice because now God’s actions are limited. Think about it, God is willing to give up some freedom - because as upset as God may become with us - God now has promised never to destroy creation again. And it seems God does not want to forget this promise. To make sure that this promise is remembered there is a sign - a bow is set in the sky - what we think of today as a rainbow. But who is that rainbow for ? God said - When the bow is in the clouds, I will see it in order to remember. It seems God needs to be reminded never again to destroy the earth that God so lovingly made. It could be said that the rainbow is the string tied around God's finger! According to this story the bow is not to remind us of the promise. But to remind God.
As we enter into the season of Lenten we spend a lot of time contemplating and thinking about our relationship with God. We talk about what we are doing or not doing. Ponder what we should or should not do. Consider how we can strengthen our relationship with God. But the one thing we tend to forget is it is not a one way street. God is a part of this relationship. It is not only about us. Yes, Lent is a journey. But is a journey with God not by ourselves. It is a journey with a God who is committed to us through a promise. A promise that binds us together. A God who says to each one of us I am in a relationship with you.
As we journey though Lent, we may be challenged, to look at God differently, and that may make us a little uncomfortable. So I suggest each of us hang up our own bows and instead of fighting with new ideas, we struggle through them. Lent is sometimes a long journey - especially as we get to the passion and the cross but we know at the end of the journey is the resurrection.
God is waiting to journey with you. Today is a good day to start that journey.
Monday, February 13, 2012
Possessed / Adicted
Jesus is teaching in the synagogue and someone in the congregation stands up and starts yelling. This person is possessed by an unclean spirit and Jesus says come out of him and the demon comes out..........
What does that have to do with us today??? Unless you like to watch movies like the Last Exorcist, we don’t hear about demons do we? After all, we are in the 21st century and we certainly know better than to believe that evil can possess someone. We have all kinds of tests, medications, psychology and we can take care of all these kinds of things scientifically. Educated people are not possessed by Demons in the 21st century. Are they??
Well after pondering this text, trying to put this into perceptive, I realized I have been part of some exorcisms. I have worked with people, trying to get a demon to leave. I have yelled come out of him! Maybe not in those words but just the same. Yelled, that they get help for their addiction. Screamed for the person, I once knew, to come back. Hoped, we could convince her to get help. Prayed, that I could see the person I knew, through the demon.
Today we have many demons, possessing people in the form of addictions. We have demons of alcohol, drugs, gambling... These demons take control of a person, and take over their body and their mind. These demons are real.
I don’t know if you ever sat with a person, who needed a drink or was coming down and wanted that next hit. They are not the person they use to be. The addiction, the demon, takes over their entire being. A person, possessed by an addiction, will do anything to get the money to buy drugs. They will do things they never thought they would including stealing from their family or friends.
A person with an addiction acts possessed. These addictions are the visible demons that live among us. We may not want to call them demons, but they act the same way, possessing people and making a person act differently than they would otherwise. It is not just alcohol and drugs. Face it we have society approved addictions, like work-aholism, greed, eating disorders to remain thin.
People possessed by demons walk into our church every Sunday. And I ask you how would we act if someone would start to yell Help Me!!! Our first thought might be - to yell back at the person - get out - we want nothing to do with you! But Jesus didn’t do that and neither should we. Jesus yelled, "come out of him" and it did. Now, I don’t know if we have the ability to immediately have the spirit come out of him but ... we do have the ability to help!
We have the power to help each other rid ourselves of demons. Not only drugs and alcohol, but demons of work alcoholism, greed and beauty. Through an intervention, sending a person to rehab, or helping them get to meetings, as a Faith Community we are here to help each other with and through our problems. To be here for each other. To support each other. To lean on each other.
Living our lives in today’s society today is not easy. It is easy to fall pray to the many demons that lurk in our midst. It can happen to anyone - even those we think of as strong or untouchable. I don’t think anyone is immune from addictions.
As a community we are here to help others through our tough times. Not just to say to come out of her, but to give support when that demon leaves. To be there for the person and their family. As a faith community we need to be here to welcome a person into our midst for the first time and to welcome them back. To take them by the hand and say join us we are here for you!
We don’t know what Jesus was preaching that day. But we do know he commanded the demon to leave the person - not the person to leave the synagogue. The demon left and the person remained in the faith community.
Jesus is still in the business of freeing us, from anything that distances us, from what God hopes and intends for us. Thanks be to God!
What does that have to do with us today??? Unless you like to watch movies like the Last Exorcist, we don’t hear about demons do we? After all, we are in the 21st century and we certainly know better than to believe that evil can possess someone. We have all kinds of tests, medications, psychology and we can take care of all these kinds of things scientifically. Educated people are not possessed by Demons in the 21st century. Are they??
Well after pondering this text, trying to put this into perceptive, I realized I have been part of some exorcisms. I have worked with people, trying to get a demon to leave. I have yelled come out of him! Maybe not in those words but just the same. Yelled, that they get help for their addiction. Screamed for the person, I once knew, to come back. Hoped, we could convince her to get help. Prayed, that I could see the person I knew, through the demon.
Today we have many demons, possessing people in the form of addictions. We have demons of alcohol, drugs, gambling... These demons take control of a person, and take over their body and their mind. These demons are real.
I don’t know if you ever sat with a person, who needed a drink or was coming down and wanted that next hit. They are not the person they use to be. The addiction, the demon, takes over their entire being. A person, possessed by an addiction, will do anything to get the money to buy drugs. They will do things they never thought they would including stealing from their family or friends.
A person with an addiction acts possessed. These addictions are the visible demons that live among us. We may not want to call them demons, but they act the same way, possessing people and making a person act differently than they would otherwise. It is not just alcohol and drugs. Face it we have society approved addictions, like work-aholism, greed, eating disorders to remain thin.
People possessed by demons walk into our church every Sunday. And I ask you how would we act if someone would start to yell Help Me!!! Our first thought might be - to yell back at the person - get out - we want nothing to do with you! But Jesus didn’t do that and neither should we. Jesus yelled, "come out of him" and it did. Now, I don’t know if we have the ability to immediately have the spirit come out of him but ... we do have the ability to help!
We have the power to help each other rid ourselves of demons. Not only drugs and alcohol, but demons of work alcoholism, greed and beauty. Through an intervention, sending a person to rehab, or helping them get to meetings, as a Faith Community we are here to help each other with and through our problems. To be here for each other. To support each other. To lean on each other.
Living our lives in today’s society today is not easy. It is easy to fall pray to the many demons that lurk in our midst. It can happen to anyone - even those we think of as strong or untouchable. I don’t think anyone is immune from addictions.
As a community we are here to help others through our tough times. Not just to say to come out of her, but to give support when that demon leaves. To be there for the person and their family. As a faith community we need to be here to welcome a person into our midst for the first time and to welcome them back. To take them by the hand and say join us we are here for you!
We don’t know what Jesus was preaching that day. But we do know he commanded the demon to leave the person - not the person to leave the synagogue. The demon left and the person remained in the faith community.
Jesus is still in the business of freeing us, from anything that distances us, from what God hopes and intends for us. Thanks be to God!
Tuesday, January 3, 2012
The Nativity
Scripture Luke 2:8-20. Christmas Eve 2011
Isn’t it just wonderful hearing that story? We can imagine the beautiful scene. The stable, with light all around it, Mary and Joseph kneeling down at the manger. The baby Jesus laying there content with his arms held up - kind of pointing to God, the shepherds looking on with their sheep in the background.
We usually throw in the wise men - even though we know they came later. One of them is kneeling, their camels are next to them, and they are holding their gifts - stretching them out toward Jesus. We glimps angels in the background - the glow from star forms a halo over this scene and sometimes we can even hear Christmas carols in the background.
Everyone is in awe of the baby, everyone is happy, the animals even seem to be smiling. It is just this perfect comforting calm scene. This is the feel good scene we see on Christmas cards, were taught in Sunday School, envision in our minds.
But think about it - in this scene is a women who just gave birth. After giving birth, I agree that many mothers are glowing and happy - but face it, there is some residual pain after birth and she certainly is not going to be kneeling on floor. This was a natural birth - Mary did not have an epidural and she didn’t even have a bed to lay in to give birth. And if all those animals were surrounding her - she gave birth in a pretty smelly place.
And on top of that she and Joseph had been traveling - have you ever been on a trip and not been able to find a hotel?? I don’t know about you but I get really cranky - and here is Mary tired, in labor, with no place to stay, and ends up giving birth in a stable - you only imagine what she was yelling at Joseph during the birth!
So there they are Mary a scared teenager who just gave birth in a stable and Joseph who I would think was also kind of scared - after all Mary is giving birth to the son of God and he couldn’t even find a room for her. Then all these shepherds show up. From what I have learned about shepherds in the first century is they were about the lowest rung on the social ladder. They stayed out in the fields with their sheep most of the time; so they were dirty, they smelled, and here they are showing up at the birth.
After all that do you think everyone would be happy and smiling???
How we have santized this scene. Cleaned it up and wrapped it in a nice bow so we could feel good on Christmas Eve. Lets face it, the scene we invision today is not he scene that the 1st century writer of Luke is explaining to us. Let’s try to put this story in the 21st century.
What would we say if the homeless people, living under the Penn Street Bridge, would start talking about hearing angles sing and walk through the city telling about the messiah being born -that God had come to live with us???
And then what if that child was found in the back room of an abandonded/condemed/crack house. Born to an unwed teenager, who traveled from New York with her boyfriend (who says he is not the father of her child)?
Doesn’t look like the scene we want to have on our Christmas cards does it? But, that scene is more like the story in Luke than what we have turned the nativity into.
The story of Jesus birth is telling us that God comes to us in the fringes. Jesus was not born to Caesar’s’s daughter but a peasant girl. The Angles announce the birth to the lowly shepherds, not the rich elite. This miraculous birth did not occur in a large palace with room enough for everyone to visit. It happens in a smelly stable. And there God is, as a child, laying in a manger.
God comes to us in the fringes. In places you least expect God to be.
God comes to us when we are living under the Penn Street Bridge or the homeless shelter. God comes to us when we are we are sitting in a room waiting for a loved one to die. God comes to us when everything we hoped and dreamed for has suddenly crashed and we don’t know which way is up any more.
Lets face it, all of our lives are filled with regret and disappointment. But we know there are so many people who live on the fringe, whose lives are, more often than not, difficult, painful and all too short. And in this wonderful Christmas story - God comes ...
God come not at the center of the world; but on the fringe to call the orders and structures of the day into question and herald a new beginning. A new beginning for a world that will be turned upside down. For God will not play favorites with the rich and the powerful. God will not play favorites with anyone... God will be there for everyone. Especially the down trodden and the helpless.
Luke's nativity scene is all about being on the fringe. God comes, in a little backwater town called Bethlehem. God comes, when a scared young teenager and her equally scared fiancee can't even find a decent place in which to give birth and are forced to take refuge with animals. God comes, and only dirty shepherds and their even dirtier sheep take notice.
God did not come to earth in a touchy, feel good, perfect picture. God came to earth to those living on the fringe in a dirty, real life way. Yes we can keep the sanitized nativity picture in our minds - but don’t let that picture determine who God is.
God came into this world to break out of that perfect image. To show us that all people are worthy and those who society places on the bottom, those who live on the fringe, are on the top.
God did not come to perfect people. God came in the midst of a very chaotic scene. In an anything but perfect way.
God came to us in the fringes for a reason.
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