Can These Bones Live? Only God Knows!

   One of the best stories in the Old Testament is the story of Ezekiel and the Valley of Dry Bones. We have songs and stories related to the bones rattling back to life. Shake Rattle and Roll!

   Ezekiel is a priest in exile, dragged away from Jerusalem and living in Babylon, far away from home and has experienced the loss of his lively hood, and his comfort zone, and the relationship to God that was so much a part of the Temple in Jerusalem. But God is awesome and even in exile, God speaks to Ezekiel and begins to reassure him. The visions, the experiences, the moments with God help all who have felt loss, to be strengthened.

   So where have you felt like a dry valley full of sun bleached bones? When have you felt like all is lost, there is no point to going on? When have you sensed that your prayers aren't going anywhere? Are there times you feel exhausted to the point you can't move and you feel like this valley is about your life? Ezekiel is invited to speak God's word to those bones.

   And the toe bone is connected to the foot bone, and the foot bone is connected to the ankle bone, and the ankle bone is connected to the leg bone, and the leg bone is connected to the knee bone, and the sound of rattling and snapping together fills the valley. Muscle and sinews appear, and then they are covered with skin, until the whole person is reassembled, like a mighty army asleep in the valley, Ezekiel discovers.

   Then God asks him if they will live? And Ezekiel is wise enough to know he should answer with another opening for God to work,  "Eternal Lord, certainly You know the answer better than I do" (The Voice) And God answers, and tells Ezekiel to speak the word of the Lord to them. To call for the wind (rauch-breath, spirit, wind) and they come to life. The Spirit of God inhabits them and they are alive. See God says, this is the people of Israel, their hope and life will be restored.

   So, can you let the Word of God spread over you to help you come alive? Can you let the Spirit of God come in and bring you back from the dead? Jesus did the same thing with Lazarus, when he ordered the stone rolled away and he shouted, "Lazarus, Come Forth." God has the power to bring back to life that which was dead. Are you ready to come back to life?

   The vision of Ezekiel tells us that God's word, like the story of Creation when God said, "Let There Be...." and it was, is going on still. God's word put into motion by the Holy Spirit brings us to life. God can restore, resurrect, redirect, renew, revitalize, refresh each of us. The Word comes to give us life. Jesus even said he had come so that we might have abundant life. God desires to bless and restore us. His Word will direct us and help us. This is pretty exciting stuff, don't you think?

   The latest Pew Research poll tells us that 72% of the USA population believes that faith is loosing it's influence. It's as if we have been counted out as a valley of dry bones. But the Message proclaims that God is in the renewal, resurrection and transformation business. God wants to bring us to fully alive in God.

   May your prayer life be revived. May your study of God's word bring you a fresh perspective. May the Word in Jesus' life bring you a new sense of hope and joy and abundance of grace and mercy.

Blessings

Pastor Jeff

Sermon on the Mount

   Hello Blog Readers. This coming week we are going to have a special service following the complete Sermon on the Mount. This is Jesus' best sermon and reflects the essential elements of who he is and what he leaves to us to follow. We are having a "Lessons & Carols" type of service to make sure we hear the full and powerful message from Jesus. We have several of our youth reading portions of the scripture. It will be a memorable celebration.

   One of my absolute favorite ways to see and hear the sermon on the mount is with the Visual Bible: Matthew. The visual Bible is a video that covers the whole Gospel of Matthew word for word but in story and with Jesus in locations that are similar to where Jesus was in his sharing the message. The actor who plays Jesus is so full of life and energy, that he is one of my favorite portrayers of Jesus. I would highly recommend you try to find a Visual Bible and watch this yourself sometime. They are available in Christian bookstores and Amazon has several of them. The Visual Bible is available for Matthew, John and Acts.  It all started with the movie Jesus, which has been seen by more people around the planet than any other movie in history. The movie Jesus is done by the Visual Bible people on Luke, but it was edited down to make it a more reasonable length.

   One of my fond memories in the ministry was doing the Sermon on the Mount at a lake in Centennial Park in Howard County as a part of a church service and picnic after the worship. Standing by the lake I had a chance to say what Jesus would say on several occasions. It was a lot of fun. One of the reasons it was a fond memory for me was that for some people, they had never heard the sermon all together. We usually break it up in worship, read a few verses, the preacher talks about it and we hear another part later on in the year. And if you follow the lectionary in worship, it's in year A and you don't get parts of it until the fourth year when year A rolls around again.

   The sermon starts with the first 12 verses that we are more familiar with, the Beatitudes, Blessed are the..... But Jesus goes on to talk about far more than that. He teaches us about gratitude, about prayer, about caring for others. It really is the essential teaching and the game plan for every Christian. So I challenge you to read it for yourself sometime. Matthew, chapter 5 and 6 and 7. Find a new version to read it, perhaps. The Message will really help you to hear it differently than you may have been used to. If you can't put your finger on a Bible right away, go to www.Biblegateway.com and you can read it there in whatever version you would like.

   A quick walk through includes what it really takes to be Happy. Then comes the idea that you are salt and light, a better way to make the world whole and peaceful. Jesus tells us how important the law is, like Moses with the Ten Commandments, but he reminds us it's the essence of the love of God that makes a difference. Jesus is full of surprises in that he takes excuses we make about all kinds of things and "ups the anti", raises the stakes, in other words he tells us somethings are far more important than we make them. When we are angry, it's like murder, when we lust, it's like adultery, when we say something, it should stand as a guaranty. He talks about divorce, pledges/commitments, retaliation, and love.

   He warns us about showy religion, showy prayer, showy fasting, when we are trying to look better and more faithful than we really are. He warns us about too much dependency on treasurers that can be stolen or rust and get eaten by moths. He reminds us of serving our neighbors to bless them. He warns us how dangerous worry can be. He tells us not to judge one another, like we want to so often. He offers us great ways to get to God, as easy as asking, seeking, knocking to connect with God in prayer. He warns us that it take more effort to concentrate on doing what he asks of us, which makes it a narrow gate. But faithfulness brings fruit and good things.

   Finally he warns us not to be hypocrites. He doesn't want his people to be accused of messing up other people's relationship to God. If we listen and put it into practice, he reassures us that we will be the one who built his house upon the rock. When the wind blew, and the rains came and the waves came up, the house on the rock stood firm. But if we ignore God's directions, we are building on the sand, so that when the rains come, and the wind blows, and the floods come, the house on the sand goes SPLAT!

   "When Jesus finished these words, the crowds were amazed at his teaching because he was teaching them like someone with authority and not like their legal experts."  (Matt. 7:28-29 Common English Bible.)

   So come and join us for this service. But more importantly, read the sermon all at once, and then pick the things you will start to do as Jesus says.  Blessings on your adventure, your pilgrimage, your journey as a follower of Jesus.

Pastor Jeff

Bible for Dummies

   Have you ever been overwhelmed when reading the Bible? Lots of people are. They feel confused, lost, and even irritated by the challenge of knowing what this all means. You are not alone. And you don't have to stay that way either.

   Starting on Monday Sept. 8 at 7 pm, I'll be leading a Bible for Dummies type of class. There is even a book by that title, as well as The Idiot's Guide to the Bible, and The Bible for Blockheads. I just purchased a Bible with the Flyover subtitle, a guide, a path, to important parts without having to worry about all of the pages in between. We would love to have you join us at North Bethesda UMC located in Bethesda on 10100 Old Georgetown Rd. at Lone Oak Drive. We are located between the Beltway and Rt. 270. The class will meet on Monday nights at 7 and starting soon, Thursdays at 1:30 pm.

   I've been teaching introductory classes for years and I find that folks really appreciate the chance to get an overview. The class is like a Grand Sweep, a way to see the important introductory stories in Genesis and Exodus, to become familiar with the prayers of Psalms. The know how to learn about Jesus, and the first century church. Even Revelations is looked at to help people see some kind of insight into the message written in a way that hints at what God can do. A long time ago I learned in a Trinity Bible Study that the three points of the trinity are also a good way to read the Bible. What does it say, you have to start there, what does it mean, and how does it apply to me, or what can I do now that I know this?

   I will help you find other resources for study as well. There are guide books, Who's Who, Atlases, and hundreds of other books that might help you find your way into the resources, including internet resources and help, that God can give you for dealing with life. The stories are about real people who heard from God and tried to do what he suggested or asked of them. All of the characters in the Bible except Jesus, had flaws, made mistakes, tried to do things their way first and many other typical, real, usual mistakes that we normal people do. You will find yourself in good company.

   I try to lead the class and share my experience with Scripture, but the class is based on the questions people have, so that we focus on what the needs of the participants are. I've read the Bible cover to cover every year, using the One Year Bible, for about 25 years. I learn something new each time I read it, and surprise myself when I do discover those new elements, or a new emphasis that I may have forgotten from a previous reading. My wife Elaine, accuses me of having a membership in a Bible of the Month club. Not quite true, but I do have most of the version/translations/paraphrases in my collection. I'm always amazed that the notes, and other information that is added to the latest edition of the Bible.

   I look forward to teaching this class again. You are invited to join. Perfect attendance is not required. You should be able to get good stuff from the class whenever you can attend. BYOB, bring your own Bible, that way you can find the material in your own copy. Blessings on your adventures in learning about what God can offer us for meeting the challenges and situations we face.

   Pastor Jeff