I look forward to Thanksgiving every year, for a variety of reasons. It comes up too quickly and goes away in an instant, I would love to find a way to put it into slow motion, so I could enjoy it more.
I enjoy becoming William Bradford, second Governor of Massachusetts in character for worship and for school programs, because it forces me to review and re-read the story of our pilgrims first Thanksgiving. They went through so much to get here and we general don't reflect too much on that story. So allow me to reflect a moment.
William Bradford was born in 1590 in England. As a teenager, he had a serious falling out with his parents, no surprise there, but it was over religious freedom. He was influenced by the Separatists who felt that the way King James was leading the church wasn't good. They read the Bible for themselves and saw a lot of things they didn't like. so William was willing to leave home over the rights of proper worship and faithful life. It made it very difficult for him. Scrooby, love that name, was the town where they had their church. The post master, William Brewster, was like a leader of the community. Bradford was arrested a couple of times in sweeps to get rid of the separatists.
As a result they decided to move to Holland, where religious freedom was available. But Amsterdam, proved to be too sinful and fancy a city to their licking, and ended up in Leiden, a small town with a University where several of them found work. All was well for a few years, until the older members where getting sick and dying. The children lost their English ways trying to become like little dutch boys and girls. And the King of Spain, threatened war for the Netherlands. Thus, the conversation started about going to the new world.
Every new idea comes with some excitement and some or maybe a lot, of fear. The voyage to the new world was treacherous. The natives on the other side might be savages. The weather was going to be hard, the ground hard to plant in, no one to welcome them into a comfortable inn when they got there. There was a lot of discussion, according to William Bradford's journal. But they began to think that if God were with them, some of this wouldn't happen, because they relied on the Lord, just as Moses and the Israelites relied on God to get them to the promised land. Not all of their worst fears could all happen. Some trouble could be covered by good planning and preparation, and so they began to move forward with the idea.
They gathered their money and purchased the Speedwell. A not so sea worthy ship. They connected with merchants in London, who helped arrange for the cost of passage if they paid them back over the next seven years as indentured servants. They began their adventure to cross the Atlantic in Aug of 1620. They had to turn back twice before giving up on the Speedwell. So they put two ships worth of people into the Mayflower. A wine and merchant ship, 102 passengers and a crew of 26. Sailing in September, it took 65 days to get across the Atlantic and the storms had blown them so far off course, they weren't any where near Virginia. Plan B, lets head for the Hudson River and New York. Too far off course for that too.
They spotted Cape Cod Bay, and dropped anchor near what is now Provincetown. Dorothy Bradford fell overboard and drowned. First casualty of the voyage. During the winter as they were trying to build houses on an old abandoned Indian village, one half of them died. By Spring only 8 men, 20 women and 27 kids were still alive. The Mayflower went back to England in April, promising to return with more people.
That should give you some things to think about and find some reasons for thanksgiving for not having to face those issues. I'll write more real soon.
Blessings and Happy Thanksgiving. Tell God how grateful you are for all those who have helped you to be where you are today.
Pastor Jeff
Tuesday, November 25, 2014
Saturday, November 8, 2014
Duel in the Sun, or Trial by Fire
Has your spiritual life hit a drought where you don't feel the touch of God on your life at the moment? Do you feel like you have been limping along and bouncing back and forth between a working relationship to God and one that doesn't seem to be going anywhere? This is not the first time nor will it be the last. But there is a great story that relates to this dilemma found in 1 Kings 18 with Elijah the prophet.
The nation of Israel was split in two. The two smaller tribes remained faithful to the King in Jerusalem the 10 northern tribes went off and formed their own nation and appointed their own king. Around 875 BC God warned the ten northern tribes that they were drifting away from the right attitudes and worship and to help them realize they were following the wrong deity, God would keep rain from falling on their land until they saw their mistake.
This was in part to see if they would discover that the Baal they were worshipping, who was a god known for weather and crops and fertility, could over come the God who created the world, and the rain and the crops. They went three years without a drop. the Baal god was not doing so well.
Elijah heard from God and was told he should help fix the problem by getting King Ahab of the northern kingdom to gather all the priests of Baal at Mt. Carmel for a show down, God to god. Ahab managed to get 450 priests to gather with Elijah.
Elijah challenged them to a duel of sorts, a test to see who the real God was. The opportunity to prove once and for all who should be worshipped and followed. Elijah proposed that two bulls be prepared for sacrifice. The 450 could choose their bull and prepare it for the altar. And Elijah would take the other bull and prepare it for sacrifice as well. The first God who responded with fire for the altar would be the one true God. The Baal priests gladly accepted.
All morning long and into the early afternoon they danced and sang and called out to Baal to come and bring fire on the altar. By noon Elijah was beginning to challenge them, maybe even taunt them a little. Where is he? Maybe you should scream a little louder, maybe he is away, maybe he is occupied and needs a reminder? The Baal priests began to dance and shout even louder and some began to cut themselves ceremonially to prove their urgency to Baal. But by 2 there was still no fire.
Elijah saw that the regular hour for the sacrifice, 3 pm, was coming, so he rebuilt the fallen altar. He took 12 large stones, to represent the 12 tribes of Israel, the united kingdom, and built an altar to the God who delivered them from slavery and gave them the land. He put fire wood on the altar, he cut up the bull and placed it on the altar as well. Then he asked for water to douse the wood and the altar. He even dug a channel around the altar to catch the water which they poured on the sacrifice three times in total.
At 3 pm, the official time for the evening sacrifice, Elijah called out to God, and fire descended from heaven, consumed the bull, the wet wood and soaked up all the water, even in the trench around the altar. God was God. The people who witnessed this shouted their allegiance to the one true God.
Then Elijah had the 450 false priests killed for misguiding the people with their false worship. And lo and behold a cloud came up from the west, and eventually it poured, ending the draught, and restoring the land for crops to grow. God is God.
Now we may not get to see such a challenge for ourselves. But we can be blessed that God has done that before and we should stop vacillating from one spiritual idea to another, and put our allegiance in the one true God. We will be so much better for it, and won't find ourselves in a draught of doubt, or unanswered prayers. God is giving us a new chance to see that God is God and can do what needs to be done, when we put our allegiance in the one true God.
Don't limp along between ideas of godliness or qualifications to get God's attention. Come and worship the one who is able to supply your needs, and give thanks.
Blessings
Pastor Jeff
The nation of Israel was split in two. The two smaller tribes remained faithful to the King in Jerusalem the 10 northern tribes went off and formed their own nation and appointed their own king. Around 875 BC God warned the ten northern tribes that they were drifting away from the right attitudes and worship and to help them realize they were following the wrong deity, God would keep rain from falling on their land until they saw their mistake.
This was in part to see if they would discover that the Baal they were worshipping, who was a god known for weather and crops and fertility, could over come the God who created the world, and the rain and the crops. They went three years without a drop. the Baal god was not doing so well.
Elijah heard from God and was told he should help fix the problem by getting King Ahab of the northern kingdom to gather all the priests of Baal at Mt. Carmel for a show down, God to god. Ahab managed to get 450 priests to gather with Elijah.
Elijah challenged them to a duel of sorts, a test to see who the real God was. The opportunity to prove once and for all who should be worshipped and followed. Elijah proposed that two bulls be prepared for sacrifice. The 450 could choose their bull and prepare it for the altar. And Elijah would take the other bull and prepare it for sacrifice as well. The first God who responded with fire for the altar would be the one true God. The Baal priests gladly accepted.
All morning long and into the early afternoon they danced and sang and called out to Baal to come and bring fire on the altar. By noon Elijah was beginning to challenge them, maybe even taunt them a little. Where is he? Maybe you should scream a little louder, maybe he is away, maybe he is occupied and needs a reminder? The Baal priests began to dance and shout even louder and some began to cut themselves ceremonially to prove their urgency to Baal. But by 2 there was still no fire.
Elijah saw that the regular hour for the sacrifice, 3 pm, was coming, so he rebuilt the fallen altar. He took 12 large stones, to represent the 12 tribes of Israel, the united kingdom, and built an altar to the God who delivered them from slavery and gave them the land. He put fire wood on the altar, he cut up the bull and placed it on the altar as well. Then he asked for water to douse the wood and the altar. He even dug a channel around the altar to catch the water which they poured on the sacrifice three times in total.
At 3 pm, the official time for the evening sacrifice, Elijah called out to God, and fire descended from heaven, consumed the bull, the wet wood and soaked up all the water, even in the trench around the altar. God was God. The people who witnessed this shouted their allegiance to the one true God.
Then Elijah had the 450 false priests killed for misguiding the people with their false worship. And lo and behold a cloud came up from the west, and eventually it poured, ending the draught, and restoring the land for crops to grow. God is God.
Now we may not get to see such a challenge for ourselves. But we can be blessed that God has done that before and we should stop vacillating from one spiritual idea to another, and put our allegiance in the one true God. We will be so much better for it, and won't find ourselves in a draught of doubt, or unanswered prayers. God is giving us a new chance to see that God is God and can do what needs to be done, when we put our allegiance in the one true God.
Don't limp along between ideas of godliness or qualifications to get God's attention. Come and worship the one who is able to supply your needs, and give thanks.
Blessings
Pastor Jeff
Wednesday, October 22, 2014
The Rush to Hallow Thank Mas
In reading the gospels again, I am struck by how many times
Jesus encourages us to see things differently than the world around us does.
Reformation, transformation, renewal of our faith is all wrapped up in that
seeing how to live in this world differently, so that we can be more like
Christ.
Martin Luther in
1519 had an idea about renewing the church by reconnecting us to the Bible as
the source of life. His tacking 95 Thesis (complaints and fixes) about the
church started the Reformation. We are protestants because of that. His major
contribution was translating the Latin,
Greek and Hebrew scriptures into everyday German, so that his church
participants could read it for themselves and live a life following the
teachings of Jesus and learn it for themselves, and not be depended upon the
priests teaching alone.
All my efforts as
the pastor of this church and all my efforts for my whole ministry of 38 years,
was to help people hear from God directly by helping to make the scriptures
clearer and more available to each individual. We end up slipping back into
just what the priest says if we are not digging into the Bible for ourselves.
It might not be a bad idea to look for and buy The Story and read it for a fresh perspective. The Story is a readers' Digest like version, where the most important parts of the Bible are left in, so you can read it with all the helpful components available. You might also want to get into a small group where you can ask questions and
learn from others just like you, who may be further along the road than you are
spiritually.
We have many ways
to nurture your knowing and connecting to God through the regular reading of
the Bible. There are many daily Bibles to choose from, there are many online
reading lists. There are many email programs you can sign up for and have a
message and a devotional sent into your inbox, that you can read whenever
during the day.
We are losing a
battle of faith by not having a clear impression in our own minds about what
living with and like Jesus should be. Eighty percent of Christians say they do
NOT read their Bibles on a regular basis.We are bombarded by political adds on
issues that twist the truth. We see movies and watch television where the
decisions that the characters make in the story are so off from a follower of
Jesus would do that sometimes I am truly embarrassed to be watching them. It
fuels my desire to spend more time with God in study.
Speaking of reading
the Bible, I had a conversation the other day about preaching and it stirred up
an idea for me. You might like to know how I decide what to preach on and what
shapes the sermons. It’s a journey for sure. I'm using a book by Thomas Bandy, called The Uncommon Lectionary, a book that highlights for pastors, the 52 most important stories about the Bible for those who don't know a whole lot. And 52 important stories followers of Jesus need to have in their system.
My sermon
preparation usually starts during the summer in trying to decide what the
upcoming Sundays during the season of September to May are going to look like.
If I can plan out a nine to ten month outline schedule, and I begin to collect articles or stories and illustrations that might come in handy when I get to that week's message. I make the list available for people, because I could always use some research assistants. If that's something you would like to do, let me know.
I pick up the most
important Sundays first, like Labor Day and World Wide Communion Sunday and All
Saints Day and begin to prepare for them. The HallowThankMas rush (Halloween,Thanksgiving, Christmas) has a power and set of messages
all it’s own. So the message is based on how we can understand what God is doing to help us to feel God's love, God's grace, God's mercy, and how we can demonstrate those qualities in our own lives. St. Paul said, "Have this mind in you that was in Christ Jesus." (Eph. 2: 5)
We
continually look to know God and share God’s love with one another. Blessings
on your faith journey this month.
Pastor Jeff
Tuesday, October 7, 2014
I Just Want to Celebrate
Allow me to share what a wonderful day this past Sunday was for us. We joined together in remembering that it's world wide communion Sunday. So we had a great variety of music, the Anthem came from South Africa, and the gathering for communion by standing around the outside wall of the sanctuary to make one big circle was very symbolic of our congregation's origins and the nature of the church of Jesus Christ in the whole world. As brothers and sisters of faith, we form one big circle. We sang the Lord's Prayer together in the circle holding hands and were reminded that this is God's will being done on earth as it is in heaven.
Not only that, but we left the worship to go to an International Pot Luck Supper. Our diverse congregation brought food to share, from all over the world. Each dish was named for where it came from. It was an awesome feast. We sat down together and shared a heavenly banquet. Just like the kingdom of God is going to be. A chance for all of us to get to know one another and to share what God has done for us and with us. It was a fantastic moment, and I am so glad we had this chance to do so. I am extremely thankful for the chance to do this, and grateful for the many hands that made this work. Our fabulous kitchen crew made the gift of hospitality very obvious for this. THANK YOU all.
The message that started this off, was the feeding of the five thousand by Jesus. It was fitting that there were twelve baskets full of leftovers, all coming from the lunch of a little boy, who was willing to share it. Put in Jesus hands, miracles are possible. The pot luck dinner had leftovers as well, just let us know that God does provide. Jesus also had a chance to encourage his disciples to get involved in this effort to feed others. We need to know we are going to be asked to share and work with Jesus on lots of challenges. This feeding the 5,000 was another sign that with God's help, all things are possible.
The miracle is also a part of the work that Jesus does in spite of his own challenges. He was apart from the crowd to grieve the recent death of his cousin, John the Baptist. John was just beheaded by Herod, because Herod was angry at him for teaching the truth about his lifestyle choices and decisions. Jesus went out into the wilderness to pray and recover from this loss. His own disciples had just come back from a major missions trip into the surrounding villages and needed a break to recover from their work. It was supposed to be a time for rest for all of them.
But Jesus was discovered to be nearby, so a huge crowd gathered around him. And he had compassion on them, and healed their sick, and taught them about the kingdom of God. He saw their loneliness, their pain, their uncertainty and helped them to see God in the middle of all of this. It's only natural that when the day ran out, it was time to get something to eat. Jesus wanted to help them with that problem too. The disciples are more like us, why don't you send the people away, so they can get their own meals and leave us alone for a while.
No, Jesus said, you give them something to eat. The lesson is that we are in a world where people need help and Jesus is asking us to do something about it. And just when we think we don't have the tools or resources to respond, he challenges us to trust him. So look around and see people who need help, and offer to comfort, to listen, to heal, to provide for them, knowing that God will fill the need and you need not worry about how. Miracles are possible when we begin to do what Jesus asks of us.
May you see miracles with Jesus encouraging you to do something for others.
Blessings on your journey of faith.
Pastor Jeff
Not only that, but we left the worship to go to an International Pot Luck Supper. Our diverse congregation brought food to share, from all over the world. Each dish was named for where it came from. It was an awesome feast. We sat down together and shared a heavenly banquet. Just like the kingdom of God is going to be. A chance for all of us to get to know one another and to share what God has done for us and with us. It was a fantastic moment, and I am so glad we had this chance to do so. I am extremely thankful for the chance to do this, and grateful for the many hands that made this work. Our fabulous kitchen crew made the gift of hospitality very obvious for this. THANK YOU all.
The message that started this off, was the feeding of the five thousand by Jesus. It was fitting that there were twelve baskets full of leftovers, all coming from the lunch of a little boy, who was willing to share it. Put in Jesus hands, miracles are possible. The pot luck dinner had leftovers as well, just let us know that God does provide. Jesus also had a chance to encourage his disciples to get involved in this effort to feed others. We need to know we are going to be asked to share and work with Jesus on lots of challenges. This feeding the 5,000 was another sign that with God's help, all things are possible.
The miracle is also a part of the work that Jesus does in spite of his own challenges. He was apart from the crowd to grieve the recent death of his cousin, John the Baptist. John was just beheaded by Herod, because Herod was angry at him for teaching the truth about his lifestyle choices and decisions. Jesus went out into the wilderness to pray and recover from this loss. His own disciples had just come back from a major missions trip into the surrounding villages and needed a break to recover from their work. It was supposed to be a time for rest for all of them.
But Jesus was discovered to be nearby, so a huge crowd gathered around him. And he had compassion on them, and healed their sick, and taught them about the kingdom of God. He saw their loneliness, their pain, their uncertainty and helped them to see God in the middle of all of this. It's only natural that when the day ran out, it was time to get something to eat. Jesus wanted to help them with that problem too. The disciples are more like us, why don't you send the people away, so they can get their own meals and leave us alone for a while.
No, Jesus said, you give them something to eat. The lesson is that we are in a world where people need help and Jesus is asking us to do something about it. And just when we think we don't have the tools or resources to respond, he challenges us to trust him. So look around and see people who need help, and offer to comfort, to listen, to heal, to provide for them, knowing that God will fill the need and you need not worry about how. Miracles are possible when we begin to do what Jesus asks of us.
May you see miracles with Jesus encouraging you to do something for others.
Blessings on your journey of faith.
Pastor Jeff
Thursday, September 25, 2014
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
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
Tuesday, September 16, 2014
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
Thursday, September 4, 2014
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
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
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)