Thursday, October 24, 2013

Sermon: "Let's Pray"

"Let’s Pray"
Luke 18:9-14

This is such an interesting story the author of Luke had Jesus tell. People who heard him tell the story could imagine a Pharisee praying like the one in the story. They tended to think they were better than others. And the tax-collector? Well, they weren't held in high esteem so his confession made perfect sense as well. I think there are some things we can glean from this story to help guide us in our own prayer life.

First, it's important for us to remember that the self-righteous Pharisees were in  the audience Jesus spoke to that day. Pharisees were highly regarded in most circles in Jesus' day, and rightly so in many ways because they did do a lot of good. Tax-collectors on the other hand were known for the despicable ways they fleeced the common citizens on behalf of the Roman government.

Now, both of these guys went to the temple to pray. That’s what devout people did in those days – they went to the temple to pray – at 9:00 a.m., noon and 3:00 p.m. Jesus’ only point here probably was that they were both being devout by setting aside a time and a place for their praying. The guideline for our praying is that it is important for each of us to determine an appropriate place and time for us to pray. For some of us it may be in the church sanctuary or chapel. For others of us it may be a favorite room or chair in our homes. For still others of us it may be while we’re walking on a favorite path or while working out at a local gym. We can be in prayer anywhere and anytime but it needs to be when and where we can communicate with God without being distracted. The question we need to ask ourselves is: "Where can real communication between God and me happen?"

The second thing I think it’s important to notice in the parable is that while both men were in the temple, one was in the front of the temple looking up to heaven while praying with himself about himself, while the other was in the rear with his head bowed and his eyes closed and his fists beating against his chest as he sought God’s mercy for the way he was living his life. The position we assume when we pray isn’t really what’s important – except, except, as it reminds us what our condition is that brings us to the time of sharing with God. It doesn’t matter whether we stand, sit, kneel, walk or lie down when we pray. What matters is the attitude or spirit with which we enter a time of prayer, and what it is we share with God during our time of praying.

Which brings us to a third learning we can glean from this parable. The contrast Jesus offers between the Pharisee and the tax-collector suggests that when we approach God in prayer it should be while recognizing the lowliness of who we are. This one sometimes creates controversy when Christians get together to consider such things. There are some who use this passage to emphasize the importance of our confessing our flawed condition - our sinful nature and sinfulness. Others argue that emphasizing we should constantly have on our minds our sinful tendencies and attitudes contributes to the development of low self-esteem, a lack of confidence, an overactive guilt complex, is questionable theology, etc. While they may agree with the concern for an over active sense of pride about who we are and what we do, they also want to be sure we don't forget that God heals us of self-doubt, low self-esteem, and acts with grace about who we are.

I will admit to you I think it's a matter of emphasis and there's value in the conversation and the theology undergirded both positions. It is our need for God’s mercy, God’s grace, God’s forgiveness that must motivate our going to God. It’s not to report to God on how good we’ve been as if our good deeds provide us the right of access to God. Rather, it’s to admit that despite our best effort we recognize our human frailties – we recognize our selfishness, our greediness, our shortcomings. We must take to God our greatest need – which is for God’s mercy, understanding, grace, forgiveness. AND, we must accept the grace and healing God provides.

Which is the final thing about prayer that I would want to offer you. And, I think, is the primary message of the parable. If we go to God seeking God’s mercy, good things will happen. Something powerful happens to us when we pray the way the tax-collector prayed. Something powerful happens to us when we admit that we’re not cutting it – that we know we’re not living as we should. And, what happens is, we’re made whole, justified. God grants grace, relationship renewal, mercy to those of us who face ourselves and admit our humanness – our inability to be good and to do good on our own. God lets us know that our relationship is made whole because of our recognition of our condition and God’s grace.

Amen. Peace be with you and remember our God is a God of grace.

(The sermon this was rewritten from is fairly old and was written before I posted on the internet and thus carefully footnoted. I am sure some of the above ideas were from other sources but decided to share and confess the situation rather than leave the text uncommented on.)

Tuesday, October 22, 2013

Sermon: "Faith-Forming Fellowship"

"Faith-Forming Fellowship"
II Timothy 4:6-8, 16-18

Paul was back in prison. Apparently he didn’t know how to keep his mouth shut when it came to proclaiming the message of Jesus Christ. In this second letter to his young protégé, Timothy, he was providing some final instructions to encourage him to keep the faith. There’s no question that there’s a somewhat somber mood in the letter. I'm guessing it had become apparent Paul wasn’t going to get out this time.

Despite, or maybe because of, Paul’s situation he instructs Timothy in this letter to “rekindle the gift of God that is within you through the laying on of my hands,” to “not be ashamed ... of the testimony about our Lord or of (mine),” “to hold to the standard of sound teaching,” to “share in suffering like a good soldier of Jesus Christ,” “to continue in what you have learned and firmly believed,” to “always be sober, endure suffering, do the work of an evangelist, carry out your ministry fully.” (1)

Despite Paul’s situation, he was not without hope. He used an unusual string of phrases that have become well-known in the church. He declared that he had “fought the good fight,” “finished the race,” and “kept the faith.” That is, he had done what he believed God’s mission for his life had been. And now, he was handing that ministry over to the youngster, his friend, Timothy. He further noted that he believed that as a result of his faithfulness he was going to receive “the crown of righteousness.” He confidently proclaimed that it would be given to him “on that day” when the Lord appeared again. This is perhaps the nugget he was offering to Timothy - this prize is for “all who have longed for his appearing.” There’s no question that Paul believed Timothy also qualified for the honor provided he respect and continue the same ministry Paul had been doing with the same faithfulness. (2)

After briefly mentioning a time when everyone deserted him, Paul noted that the Lord never left him though. He used his experience of being supported, undergirded, by the Lord, to further encourage Timothy as he prepared him to face the ministry that was ahead for him. “Tim, you’re going to have the resources necessary to do the ministry that is before you because the Lord is going to be with you as well.”

Now, I want to go back to that comment from Paul about everyone deserting him when things got tough. Apparently, sometime in the past when Paul needed friends - supporters around him - they were nowhere to be found. We’re not really sure what the occasion was, no mention of it is offered in the text. It may have been one of his other imprisonments or the trial mentioned in the book of Acts. When it was doesn’t seem to be the focal point of Paul’s comment. Rather, it seems to be that he wanted to impress upon Timothy how much it would mean to him if he didn’t abandon him as the others had.

I think perhaps there's another reason Paul intentionally mentioned it. I think his intention was to note one of the identifiable characteristics of a community of faith: the need we all have for others to support us, care for us, as we live out the faith – as we try to be faithful. Life is tough. The life of faith is tough as well. And it is especially tough if we have to live it alone, without others who understand. Christians, like all other human beings, need to be part of a community – we need to be known and know others in the community of faith - we need to care for one another – we need to know there are others who know our situation and care about what is going on in our lives – our personal as well as our spiritual lives. That's why it's important for us to get together on a regular basis – it's important that we be present with one another.

The United Methodist Church has emphasized for a number of years that our primary reason for existing – our mission - is to make disciples of Jesus Christ. That is, we believe that the primary purpose, mission, goal of the local church is to make disciples. A sort of litmus test – a set of measuring images (and I mean that in a positive way) - was developed to guide our evaluating and planning. The images were determined to be best practices for those churches who want to take seriously the task of making disciples of Jesus Christ – of helping people on their journeys of faith be disciples of Jesus Christ. The four essential elements of a healthy congregation are:

1) Radical Hospitality – there will exist in the life of the church, in the DNA of the membership and what goes on it, the message that everyone’s welcome. There will be an openness to all, a reaching out to persons who might not be comfortable with us, nor us with them.

2) Passionate Worship – what happens when the community of faith gathers will speak to and come from the heart. People will be emotionally involved and left with a feeling that they’ve spent some time with God when they leave the worship experiences.

3) Risk-taking Mission – persons who are part of the community will be encouraged to reach out beyond the walls of the building to do things for and with persons who have needs that stretch us.

And, 4) Faith-forming Relationships – persons will be involved in small groups where faith can be formed and strengthened - where they are known in a deeper way.

While all four have a significant role in the formation, history, success, and life-blood of most churches, it's the last one I particularly want to give some time to in this sermon. It is a model whose roots gave birth to us. The small groups were called classes in those days. The story of how Wesley adopted the class meeting as the basic structure of his fledgling movement has always been interesting to me.

The Methodist society in Bristol was discussing a building debt and a retired seaman by the name of Captain Foy suggested that every member of the society contribute a penny a week toward the reduction of the debt. Some in the group noted that a penny might be a little too much for some in the group. Foy then said that he would personally take responsibility for the weekly collection from 10 – 12 of the members and then make up the difference himself if there were any in his group who could not come up with the amount needed.

Well, at that point, others stated that they would be willing to do the same. And so, “the whole society was divided into these ‘little companies, or classes – about twelve in each class,’ with one person, styled as the leader, to collect the weekly contribution.” (3) Wesley later said about it: “Thus began that excellent institution ... from which we reaped so many spiritual blessings that we soon fixed the same rule in all our societies.” (4) What began to happen (you see) was the groups got together to not only collect the penny each week but to share what was going on in their lives – what their week had been like trying to live as a faithful disciple.

David Lowes Watson has become somewhat of an expert on this early movement in the United Methodist Church and in his book Covenant Discipleship he notes: “The early Methodists were often very lonely because they were marked people. To declare publicly that the commandments of Jesus Christ for personal and social behavior were to be taken seriously, and to pattern their lives accordingly, meant considerable tension with the world in which they lived. It meant ‘fighting the good fight of faith’ in territory that was by no means neutral; and they certainly could not wage this fight alone.

“When the weekly visit of the leader came around, therefore, they had lots to tell; and it was soon decided that, instead of the leader visiting each member, the members should meet as a group. In this way, not only was the leader saved the task of going around to collect the weekly contributions, but everyone could hear everyone else’s account of their discipleship. In addition, the ‘advice, reproof, or encouragement' of the leader to individual members could benefit everyone. As a result, a dynamic of Christian fellowship quickly developed. They began to ‘watch over each other in love,’ and to hold one other accountable for their discipleship.” (5)

While some churches have thrived by reviving the intentional establishment of accountable small groups, many more churches have seen such groups simply be birthed serendipitously around a need or interest or social group or Sunday School class or common spiritual renewal experience.

I remember a few years ago a small group or ministry team developing around the common interest in model trains! A couple of people were talking one day about their train collections and they decided they wanted to get together to see each other's. Low and behold, that very year three people joined the church who had a similar interest. Soon the conversation turned to entertaining the possibility of sharing their enjoyment with others. The group has continued and a couple of times each year they bring their trains to church and have a good time with one another and share their enjoyment with several generations of people - thus creating a new fellowship opportunity - an intergenerational experience.

At another point in their early history one of the ministry team members shared with me that there was talk of taking some of the train displays up to Wesley Glen during the holiday season. There was excitement in his voice when he talked about how much they thought the residents would enjoy it – the reminiscing it would cause. Ministry taking place through a group of model train enthusiasts getting together - who would have thought!

I remember another time when one of the members discovered she had to have surgery several weeks after selling her condominium and purchasing a new house. She had to move the week after the surgery! She was still recovering from her surgery and there simply was no way for her to do all the packing and unpacking. Do you know what happened?

Well, a simple e-mail and a few phone calls went out to persons who had been in some studies with her and to some of those who sat near her every Sunday and the packing got done. She was overwhelmed with gratitude. The people who helped were overjoyed about the opportunity to be helpful to someone they cared about and they knew cared about them.

It’s important that we get together. When we are present with one another we discover one another’s needs and know what to do and when to do it! Do you remember the TV sitcom “Cheers?” Do you remember the words to the theme song? “Making your way in the world today takes everything you’ve got. Taking a break from all your worries, sure would help a lot. Wouldn’t you like to get away? Sometimes you want to go where everybody knows your name, and they’re always glad you came. You wanna be where you can see, our troubles are all the same. You wanna be where everybody knows your name. You wanna go where people know, people are all the same, you wanna go where everybody knows your name.” (6)

In Charles Olsen’s book The Base Church he notes: “The church tries with name tags! Coffee! Fellowship time! Recreation! Visitation! But community calls for ... weeping with those who weep – rejoicing with those who are happy – bearing heavy burdens – praying for a brother (or sister) – praising God together.” (7) Small groups and ministry teams within the life of the church are ways to build community – little churches within the church where we can know one another well enough to know one another’s pains and joys.

We need to be present with one another to make sure no one gets deserted in their time of need. We need to commit ourselves to being with others who will help us be a faith-forming fellowship. I know we appreciate all who've helped that happen in our lives these last few years. I think Paul would like that to continue to happen as well.

1 Homiletics, September-October, 2007, p. 58 (referencing verses throughout II Timothy).
2 Ibid., p. 59.
3 “The Nature, Design, and General Rules, of the United Societies, in London, Bristol, King’s-Wood, and Newcastle upon Tyne,” in Wesley’s Works, 9:69 as quoted in David Lowes Watson, Covenant Discipleship (Nashville: Discipleship Resources, 1991), p. 43.
4 Ibid.
5 Ibid., pp. 43 – 44.
6 "Cheers" theme song words.
7 Charles M. Olsen, The Base Church (Atlanta: Forum House Publishers, 1973), p. xi.
A WELCOME HOME PARTY

Luke 15:1-10

Thursday, October 17, 2013

Sermon: "God Has Not Deserted Us"

"God Has Not Deserted Us"
Luke 18:1-8

In the passage of scripture just prior to the one we're considering in this sermon, we get an inside look of the master storyteller doing his thing. He'd been asked by his disciples about the coming of the Kingdom of God - what some call the "second coming" and some the "rapture" in our day. He likened it to what was experienced when the flood came and when Lot left Sodom and fire and sulfur rained down from heaven. Jesus notes that when it happens, it will be without warning. You simply won't have time to look back - that is, to change things about your life. The return of Christ is certain, but the exact time is not. Speculation is useless. We simply must be patient and faithfully, humbly, and watchfully continue living our lives. (Luke 17:20-37)

But, do you know the portion of that passage that really turns me on - lights up my faith - excites me? It's that portion of verses 20 and 21 when the author of Luke has Jesus say: “The coming of the kingdom of God is not something that can be observed, nor will people say, ‘Here it is,’ or ‘There it is,’ because the kingdom of God is in your midst." The Kingdom of God isn't in the future - it's already here - inside us - everyone of us! I've long held this as a tenet of my faith and thus haven't been much interested in talking about - trying to figure out these later descriptions of a specific time when - a second coming or rapture would happen.

One of the ways I've come to understand it is to think of it as there being a time when each of us become aware in a new and personal or corporate way of the grace of God and unconditional love. It is that time when we become aware that the Kingdom of God is already inside us and all around us. It sometimes can be understood as those "aha" moments, or being "born again" moments, or having a spiritual awakening, or God-moment. I suppose it's one of the primary reasons I don't get terribly excited/alarmed/depressed/etc. thinking about dying and going to be with God in heaven. The Kingdom of God is already here - we're already a part of it!

Now, before this turns into a treatise on the coming of the Kingdom of God instead of just a short (albeit I hope interesting) backdrop for the point of the story Jesus then shares, let's turn our attention to the text. In order to be patient and faithful and humble and watchful, Jesus said: "You need to develop a persistent prayer life." He then drove his point home with this marvelous little story about a widow and an unjust judge - a story made even more wonderful once we understand the day in which it was originally told.

Jesus said: "In a certain town there was a judge who neither feared God nor cared about men." Now, it's a significant aspect of the story to note that this judge was not a Jewish judge. The bible scholars come to this conclusion based on the fact that in the Jewish culture of that day ordinary Jewish disputes would be taken to the elders of the faith - they wouldn't have taken such matters to the public courts. Also they note, if a matter needed to be taken to arbitration the court would not be made up of just one judge but three. One would be chosen by the plaintiff, one by the defendant, and one appointed independently. They point out that this means that the one judge in the story was one of those paid judge-types - appointed either by Herod or the Romans. Such judges weren't known to have the best reputations - they were notorious for only settling cases in which they could gain something for themselves. So, if a person lacked either the influence or the money to bribe the appointed judge to a favorable verdict, not much was going to happen. The public referred to these notorious judges as "robber judges." (1)

Then Jesus said: "And there was a widow in that town who kept coming to him (the unjust judge) pleading, 'Grant me justice against my adversary.'" The widow symbolized all who were poor - all who were defenseless - all who were worthless according to the vantage point of these "robber judges." As a widow she was of no value - after all, she was unattached to a man. There was nothing about her that warranted taking a serious look at her plea because to do so would earn for the judge nothing. Still, she pleaded and pleaded and pleaded - apparently without restraint. She persistently made her case despite the hopelessness of her circumstances in the eyes of the corrupt judge. (2)

The corrupt judge was not about to be persuaded by such a tactic. But the widow's harangue finally became too much for even him to bear. Note his reason for acquiescing though: "It's not because of my fear of God. It's not even because I care about men, or, this specific woman - rather, it's because I'm afraid she's going to wear me out with her persistence." The interpretation being that he was afraid she was going to give him a black eye if he allowed her to continue badgering him! (3) It wasn't an attitude adjustment that caused the judge to act but rather his fear of physical harm.

Now, parables are not always mirror images of the point Jesus is trying to make. This is one of those Jesus offers up as a contrast of the point he wants to make. Jesus is not likening God to the unjust judge. Rather, he is saying that God is just the opposite of this  judge who doesn't respect God's laws or care about human beings. God deals with us justly and with love. God's primary interest is in our well-being.

While that's a significant element of the parable, there's another point to the parable and that is that while it's important for us to be persistent in our prayer life, it's a persistence of habit - it is so that we develop an intimate relationship with our God that we stay at it. It is so that we might be able to endure the hardships that come our way in life, which they do!, that we stay habitually in touch with the source of strength and comfort and grace and love! Now, this additional point of the parable Jesus told is not suggesting that we should hound God to get this or that from God.

A mother was walking by her son's room when she overheard him saying over and over again, "Tokyo." "Tokyo." "Tokyo." When she glanced into her son's room she noticed that he was on his knees praying. She was concerned that he had perhaps become interested in some eastern religion and was practicing a chant one of his friends had taught him. So she asked him about it later. He rather sheepishly said, "Oh, we had a geography exam today and I was praying that God would make Tokyo the capital of France." (4)

Now, I have to admit that even though I theologically and intellectually don't believe that's the sort of subject matter appropriate for our prayers and consciously attempt to steer clear of such prayer content, I succumb once in awhile and my prayers sound like a bit like the little boy's. You know, things like: "Help me get rid of this cold." "Change the diagnosis from ALS to something else." "Help this sermon be better than the effort I put in on it." "Change those words I sent in that email before he/she reads it." My guess is some of the rest of you entertain such thoughts in your prayers once in awhile also.

I don't think that's what Jesus had in mind when he instructed us to be persistent in our prayer lives. The purpose of our being persistent in our prayer life is not to get God to change the natural order of things - to make special compensations for our mistakes - to make Tokyo the capital of France. A persistent prayer life will not do those things. What a persistent prayer life will enable to happen, however, is a coming forth of those resources - those inner resources, those God-given resources which will allow us to handle our mistakes, to make something out of our errors, to sense God's presence in the midst of the frustrations of life, and yes, resurrect something else out of the bad, the mistakes, even if it's only a resolve on our part to be different because of it. A persistent prayer life enables us to take heart and to be faithful despite what comes our way. If we are persistent in our praying, we will discover that God has not deserted us but is the source of healing, of caring, of love that picks us up and keeps us going.

There's another thing being persistent in our prayer life doesn't mean. It doesn't mean that we have to be repetitious with the content of our prayers - or, that there are certain phrases or language (thees, thous, just, etc.) that are somehow more appropriate in prayers than others. Jesus warned in fact against such vain, repetitious prayers. Being persistent in our prayer life does not mean to just be saying words to be saying words. It means to think about what we are saying and to listen to what God might be saying to us as well.

I think behind the offering of this story was Jesus' concern for our human nature. He knew some days were going to pass between his living physically among them and his return. He was concerned that his followers in his day and in ours could be discouraged with the delay. He knew they and we would have to endure suffering and persecution and that one of the things that would keep us from becoming discouraged - to sense that God has not deserted us - abandoned us - would be the strengthening of our relationship with God which can be developed by a persistent prayer life.

I think that's an important message for us to continue to hear: God has not deserted us even though our circumstances suggest that to be the case. We develop the strength not to quit - not to feel God has abandoned or deserted us - by the persistent, regular visit with God in prayer. While I will confess to you that I've never been as persistent in my prayer life as I think this story implies we should be, I can tell you I'm a lot more persistent than I used to be. But, it has to do with the amount of time I have available and the real life challenges ALS constantly provides me and my growing compassion for what others are going through and fanatic desire for further and successful research, etc.

There's a wonderfully insightful story about a little girl who bumped her head on a low hanging branch of a tree in her yard when she rode her bike under it. She ran into the house hollering, "Mommy, mommy, Joey hurt me!" Her mother looked up from what she was doing and calmly said: "Now, sissy, Joey didn't hurt you. Joey's not even here. He went to the grocery store with your daddy."

The little got this startled look on her face and in a rather bewildered sort of voice said: "You mean stuff like this can happen on its own, at anytime? Whoa, bummer!"

Yea, bummer, right folks! Although there's much that happens to us that we deserve or that we cause or that someone else does to us, there's also much that happens that is no one's fault. And, it's at those times, isn't it, more than at any other when we are tempted to ask: "Where is God?" "Where are you, God?" It's at those times when we are tempted to wonder if God has deserted us or if there's a God at all. It's those situations and the resultant questions that can throw us off balance, aren't they? Being persistent in our prayer life - remaining faithfully in touch with God - I assure you can help us handle the difficulties that are our reality and the reality of every single human being.

Friends, there's no place, no pain, no situation in which God isn't present. God does not - will not - desert us and we can strengthen our acceptance/recognition of this truth by being persistent in our prayer life. Henri Nouwen summarized it all with these words: "We only can be faithful in our affirmation that God has not deserted us but calls us in the middle of all the unexplainable absurdities of life."

Thank goodness! I'm in pain - often discouraged - sometimes angry - sometimes I laugh - sometimes I cry - but always I trust that God shares my feelings/emotions and is with me on this journey. While that's always a truth I've wanted to communicate, I also trust my continuing to develop a persistent continuous praying/conversation with God helps that to be even more true and faith-building.

Peace, friends! God be with you!

1. William Barclay, The New Daily Study Bible Series: The Gospel of Luke (Louisville, Westminster John Knox Press, 2001), 262-264/355.
2. Ibid.
3. Ibid.
4. King Duncan, Collected Sermons, Dynamic Preaching, 2005, 0-000-0000-20 as shared in "Persistence in Prayer" from the esermons.com website. The illustration was supplied him by Rev. Don Emmitte.

Wednesday, October 9, 2013

Sermon: "The Voice of Thanks"

"The Voice of Thanks"
Luke 17:11-19

Sometime in October all the churches I've ever served held the annual stewardship  campaign. The last two I served used the membership vows to emphasize the importance of supporting the ministries of the church with our prayers, presence, gifts, and service (and now witness) with one of the aspects highlighted each October Sunday morning. The method was used as a way to lend practical opportunities for the ministry model each had chosen to provide church members a way to understand themselves as ministers. The model has been popularly known as "Every Member in Ministry." Several times I used this story in the Gospel of Luke to consider the commitment to give in our membership vows.

So, you have an advantage over the people sitting in the pews on the Sunday mornings when I offered my thoughts on the subject - you can close the blog. I often teased the congregation that it was too late in the service to leave and besides the ushers have locked the doors. It usually got the laugh I hoped for and opened the door for me to continue. So, in respect for those congregants who had to endure, how about sticking around for awhile to see how you feel about what gets written?

The truth of the matter is this is a Sunday that both preachers and the people in the pews alike dread. Dread may be a little strong, but we all definitely approach the day with some apprehension, maybe even a little fear of trembling. Most people in congregations feel that way because they're concerned that we preachers will say something that will make them uncomfortable, guilty about some recent purchase or lifestyle. We preachers are apprehensive because we wonder if it's possible for us to talk about money this one Sunday a year without being accused of only caring about money. We're concerned that people will stay away if they know we're going to talk about money or after they hear us talk about money.

In one of those churches we had a phone system that called everyone on Friday afternoon to entice people about Sunday morning's worship service and special activities. One year I confessed that I had considered not sending out the weekly message for fear some would stay away if they knew my planned Sunday morning topic. I remember one year meeting with a couple for a pre-marital counseling session. When they shared with me that they were planning on attending worship the Sunday I had scheduled to speak about money. I remember cringing, sort of apologizing, and then warning them about what my subject was going to be.

Then came the year after reading numerous articles about stewardship and commentaries on this scripture passage that the thought occurred to me that that's not the way we should be about our giving. It's certainly not the way Jesus intended us to be. Bible scholars share statistics that make it obvious that Jesus believed our attitude toward money is significant. They share things like: in sixteen of the twenty-nine parables Jesus told the subject matter was people and money/possessions; one out of every six verses in the books attributed to Matthew, Mark, and Luke deals with money; Matthew references it about 109 times, Mark 57 times, Luke 94 times and John 88 times. (1)

One writer illustrated the inappropriateness of our being uncomfortable about discussing money matters in church by likening it to a trip to the doctor for an annual check up. "You know the routine: the doctor pokes and prods and presses various places all the while asking things like: 'Does the hurt?' 'How about this?' And if we cry out in pain, one of two things are possible: either the doctor has pushed too hard, or, something's wrong. And if the doctor is sure what he or she did wasn't the cause of our pain, they will say something like: 'We'd better do some more tests.' 'It's not supposed to hurt there.'"

The writer went on to observe: "So it is when pastors preach on financial responsibility and certain members cry out in discomfort, criticizing the message and the messenger. Either the pastor has pushed too hard, or, there's something wrong. ANd in the event that there's something wrong we need to consider, 'We're in need of the great physician because it's not supposed to hurt there.'"

Talking about money in church shouldn't hurt, friends. We shouldn't be embarrassed when we do it; when we are challenged about our commitment to financially support the ministries of the church. I'd like to share with you three ideas that I think can help us rid ourselves of the hurt, the uncomfortableness, the concern about talking about giving.

The first one I'd offer happens after almost every national or international crisis/tragedy. What I observe after such sensational events is this outpouring of aid which suggests that it is easy to give - easy to solicit money from others - to dig deep and give that which we normally would not - what we normally would have rationalized we needed more ourselves - when we know the need - when we believe in what our money is going for - when we believe our money, together with lots of other people's money, is needed and will make a difference. The sense that we need every cent in our pockets, every dollar in our saving account - the being embarrassed about asking for money - to talk about giving - goes out the window when we are shocked with the reality of the enormous need.

While it's true that our giving to the local church pays for the salaries of the staff (pastoral, program, custodial, music, secretarial, etc.); and, while it's also true that our giving pays utility bills so it's comfortable when we attend church functions; and, while it's also true that those things pale in comparison to the needs of people most directly impacted by weather emergencies, acts of terrorism or gun violence, I would still want to suggest to you that our giving to the local church is vitally important. Giving through the local church enables (in the United Methodist denomination that I am part of) the church to be present immediately after such disasters through the United Methodist Committee on Relief. Our giving also enables people to be cared for in hospitals and nursing homes, enables food for the hungry, children to be cared for during worship services and other special activities involving parents. It enables food to be taken to persons after they've been hospitalized or after a baby has been born. It enables young people and adults from churches go to areas of need and improve the lives of those they go to minister with, and we could go on and on. I invite all of us to spend some time examining all the wonderful ministries our giving to the local church really makes possible. It doesn't need to hurt when we give to the church and it won't if we know the really important ministries our dollars are supporting and we believe in the things those dollars are supporting.

A second idea that I think could help us eliminate this uncomfortableness about talking about giving is our adopting the Biblical understanding of what we have and who we are. We have to believe this concept in our hearts and minds if we're really going to  rid ourselves of our uncomfortableness when it comes to making decisions regarding our money and our possessions. Here it is: "Everything we have is God's - everything we have and are comes from God." It is ours as a trust from God. We are responsible for caring for it, for using it on behalf of God. We have been made "stewards" of portions of God's creation. God has gifted us with time, talent, money, skills, and we are responsible for what we do with what God gives us. I think the issue is framed quite nicely by the words of a W. Graham Scroggie: "There are two ways in which a Christian may view his or her money - 'How much of my money shall I use for God?' Or, 'How much of God's money shall I use for myself.'" (2)

I read it stated another way in the Joyful Noiseletter,  one of my favorite newsletters, "When we place money in the offering plate, we are not really giving to the Lord. We are simply taking our hands off what already belongs to God." (3)

And in still another article written by James Howell, shown to me by a former associate, he offers: "In God's family, my money isn't mine: it belongs to God - not just some percentage I nobly bestow upon the Church, but all of it. This means not only that I must get deadly serious about giving to the Church; but also, that I begin to inventory all of my spending, asking if it makes sense in light of God's claim. How much of my spending is frivolous? Self-indulgent? If an archaeologist dug up my checkbook in a thousand years, what kind of person would she assume me to be? How much money is enough? And am I learning the sheer delight of generosity?" (4)

Friends, when we resolve that issue in our hearts, minds and guts, it's a whole lot easier to talk about giving and to actually give. "Everything we have and are is God's." It's a belief statement - it's a philosophy of life - it's a concept about how the world is ordered that we have to be at  home with and live by. Believing it - ordering our lives by it - makes all the difference in the world.

Well, the final idea I want to consider is one that I think the scripture passage according to Luke about the ten lepers offers us: It's important for us to thank God for God's gifts. And one of the best ways to say thanks, is to give. Giving, in fact, is the voice of thanks. It's one of the best ways we have to let God know that we recognize that what we are and what we have are God's gifts and that we appreciate the honor of being entrusted to care for and use God's gifts.

Well, we're all fairly familiar with the story of the ten lepers: ten lepers approached Jesus as he entered a village between Samaria and Galilee. Like all lepers in Jesus' day, they were a desperate bunch. They were so desperate they didn't even give Jesus time to eat or drink. While leprosy has pretty much disappeared from our portion of the world, it still is a concern in India and parts of Africa and Asia. In Jesus' day though it was a terrible and terrifying disease. It could be present in a person for years before the physical symptoms appeared. It first appears as nodules on the surface of the skin. In time these nodules grew larger and larger until deep wrinkles covered the leper. Lips, noses, ear lobes grew very thick. Ulcerations were everywhere. Arms and legs sometimes became horribly mutilated. Fingers and toes sometimes disappeared. And sometimes blindness resulted.

But, the disease's cruelty was more than what it did to one's physical being. Leprosy was believed to be highly contagious, which we know today is not the case. But that was the belief in Jesus' day and so Jewish law banished lepers from the community, labeling them unclean. Lepers were considered outcasts. They had to beg for food. They often lived in caves outside the city. Everywhere they went people shouted "UNCLEAN!" "LEPER!" Sometimes people hurled stones at them.

Out of their desperation they risked approaching Jesus and pled their case: "Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!" And Jesus told them to go and show themselves to the priests. Now, my guess is they were a little confused by Jesus' assignment since there was no evidence yet on their bodies that they were indeed healed and they needed to be rid of the disease in order for the priests would declare them clean. Nevertheless, they did as Jesus told them - they started on the journey to see the priests and lo and behold, it began to happen! Their decaying skin started to heal - clear up.

Imagine their joy - the excitement - their relief - the new lease on life that had to have filled the ten of them. All ten were healed, but only one went back and thanked Jesus. We're not offered any explanation in the text for this strange behavior on the part of the nine who failed to return to thank. Several years ago I read one person's creative reconstruction of a set of possible excuses for the other nine: perhaps one wanted to see if the cure was real - perhaps one waited to see if it would last perhaps one said he would see Jesus later - perhaps one decided that he never had leprosy in the first place - perhaps one said he would have gotten well anyway - perhaps one gave the glory to the priests -  perhaps one thought that Jesus didn't really do anything anyway - perhaps one said, "Oh, I already really was much improved."

Well, perhaps some of those reasons were the reasons the nine didn't return, we really don't know. It might have been they just couldn't accept that they were really clean until the priests said they were - it might have  been that they were so happy to be better that they couldn't wait to go and be reunited with their families. We really don't know. And apparently it's not important for us on our spiritual journeys because the writer of Luke doesn't offer us any clues. But the writer does have some more to tell us about the one who did return and fell all over Jesus thanking him.

The author of Luke informs us that as a result of the former leper's offer of thanks Jesus said, "Get up and go on your way; your faith has made you well." Literally, "made well" means "has saved you." Jesus was basically saying to the thankful Samaritan leper that it was his faith - his attitude of gratitude - that not only made him physically well but also spiritually. His voice of thanks revealed to Jesus the changed nature of his soul.

Martin Luther once said that three conversions are what is necessary  in a person: the conversion of the heart, the conversion of the mind, and the conversion of the purse. I think Martin Luther was correct. The questions we probably ought to ask ourselves are these: Is my pocketbook, my purse, my billfold converted? Do I honor God with the way I dole out my money? Is there evidence that I treat all my money and my possessions as God's? (5) Does my giving reflect my relationship with God?

Brothers and sisters, our giving is our voice of thanks. We give because God gives us the resources to meet the needs of our world. We give because God has first given to us. We give because all that we have is God's. We give because we are thankful and because it is a mark of our salvation.

Rev. Felix A. Lorenz, Jr., Joyful Noiseletter,  October, 2004, p. 4.
W. Graham Scroggie.
Lorenz, Jr., Joyful Noiseletter, p. 4.
James Howell, eFaith Reflections @www.mpumc.org, Shape of the Christian Life Series.
Ibid.

Sunday, October 6, 2013

"I've Been Touched!"

"I've Been Touched!"

I'm writing this blog post during the Sunday School Hour. That's a confession. I'm playing hooky, not because I don't like attending Sunday School, but because I talk too much when I go. I'm not referencing here that I say too much that is controversial or monopolizing of the conversation, but rather that it makes me tired and unable to enjoy the rest of the day.

Well, that's not really what I want to write about today. I'm finally ready to put some words to last weekends' experiences and how/why I was touched by them. I had another touching experience yesterday at ONU which further offers me the opportunity to reflect on the things and people that bless my life.

On Saturday, September 28, the Second Annual Putnam County ALS Golf and Walk Benefit was held at the Pike Run Golf Club. My wife, Dorothy, and I both spent our early years in Putnam County and consider it our home area. She graduated from Continental High School and I graduated from Ottawa-Glandorf High School. We are both very appreciative and proud of our geographical and familial roots. We don't get back near as often as we would like to, mostly for family gatherings but even those are less often than they used to be. But we enjoy when we return the opportunities to see old friends and family.

Last year was the first year of the Putnam County ALS Benefit and it was primarily a golf outing with most of the proceeds being donated to the ALS Association Southern and Central Ohio Chapter on behalf of my ALS team, Bill's Backers. The initial idea was formulated by my sister, Phyllis Macke, but many other family members and other family members of persons with ALS (PALS) helped make it a successful first year.

But this year, WOW!!! Again the proceeds went to the ALS Association but the benefit expanded to include a walk and numerous others were involved in the planning and pulling off of the event. The number of businesses and individuals who got behind and supported this year's event was simply amazing!!!!! Over 130 people walked and 100 golfed to raise awareness and funds to continue the fight to combat and defeat ALS.

One of the really significant outcomes of this year's event is the building community of PALS and their families. The awareness is increasing of what PALS and their families are going through, who the PALS are/were, and how many others are willing and want to help when they know who we are and that we are in need. I was touched in many ways on Saturday - emotionally by the support of sponsors, the hard work of many volunteers, the smiles on people's faces, the seeing old friends and family, the meeting of other PALS and developing new relationships as a result - physically with the numerous hugs and kisses and handshakes - spiritually for all of the above and absolutely one of nature's really beautiful days. Thank you Putnam County for touching me!

Then on Sunday, September 29, the Annual Columbus Walk to Defeat ALS was held at the Fred Beekman Park on The OSU campus. This is one of three walks held each year, the other two in Dayton and Cincinnati, to raise funds for the ALS Association for staff to assist PALS and their families, sponsor support groups, loan necessary equipment, and provide necessary funds for ongoing research seeking cures and treatments for PALS. I was again WOWED! The Columbus Walk is approaching its goal of $290,000. The Bill's Backers raised close to $30,000 because of the generosity of over 300 donors (family, friends, fundraisers and interested people) and had 150 walkers that day - largest amount raised and biggest team!!

But the day was about a whole lot more than raising money. It was also about celebrating with other PALS and family and friends the tremendous work of the ALS Association to raise the awareness level about ALS. It was about seeing fellow PALS in a different setting than at support group or on Facebook. It also was about touching one another emotionally and physically and being touched emotionally and physically by family and friends! It was being touched by all those walkers from each of our teams being together and realizing just how many lives are touched/effected/impacted by this terribly unfair disease. Thank you family, friends, ALS staff, the Columbus Zoo, Brutus, musicians, and fellow PALS and all of our walkers for an exciting, uplifting, depressing, joyous day of being together!

Then, on Saturday, October 5, we went to ONU to be part of the dedication of the new all-weather athletic fields and the naming of the football field after a very dear friend of ours, Bill Robinson, Mr. ONU! Bill has been on the staff of ONU for 53 years! When we were there we knew him as the Dean of Men and then Dean of Students. Some of the other positions he's held over the years were assistant football coach, Director of McIntosh Center, Director of Admissions, Director of Development, and Assistant to the President. He's also a member of the athletic Hall of Fame and received an honorary doctorate. He touched the lives of several thousand of us - ONU students and members of the staff - over his 50+ years. It was a touching luncheon and dedication ceremony.

I had been a member of the ONU Board of Trustees for 19 years prior to my receiving the ALS diagnosis. I was named a Life Trustee in 2011 but had a difficult time making meetings since that honor. Saturday was the first time I'd seen many of my ONU family in quite awhile. They showered me with touches - words, handshakes, hugs, and several accompanying kisses on my balding head or forehead. I get a lot of those kind of kisses now! I receive them as the touches of love I believe the givers mean them as - intimate, but different than the intimacy of my wife's. Interesting thought isn't it - affection/touching can be intimate without implying sexual or the intimacy of lovers.

Which is a prelude to a final reflection on receiving care from a new set of people. I mentioned in a recent blog post that we are now receiving hospice care. In our case this involves a weekly visit from a nurse, a massage therapist (yep, not covered by private insurance or medicare, but by hospice), and an aide providing me a shower three days a week along with some accompanying less than attractive tasks. I receive a lot of caring touching - healing touching - physically invigorating touching. I think the work of an aide is unbelievably significant and as a recipient of this often not pretty ministry my life is made easier, at least I'm a little less tired and for sure a lot cleaner!

Thanks to everyone who has provided the healing ministry of emotional, physical and spiritual touching throughout my life, but especially what I've tried to highlight on my life journey these last few weeks.

Friday, October 4, 2013

Sermon: "Faith Connections"

Sermon: "Faith Connections"
II Timothy 1:1-14

(I wished I had reread this sermon earlier in the week. In some ways it helps set up the blog post I want to write about the two ALS events this past weekend - in my hometown: The Putnam County ALS Golf and Walk Benefit; and in Columbus: the annual Walk to Defeat ALS for the ALS Association Central and Southern Ohio Chapter. There was a lot of touching physically, emotionally, and spiritually. But, we'll get to that in another post.)

A mother had a long - hard - rotten day and it was time for her three-year-old daughter, Abigail, to go to bed. The mother got herself through the story - the song - the drink of water - and the back rub. Finally, she said to her daughter: "Abigail, you know I could sure use a big hug." And so, Abigail wrapper her little arms as far around her mother as they would go and gave her what the two of them called a "Super Hug." The mother told Abigail how wonderful the hug was, how it was exactly the hug she needed, and how it was the best hug ever. Then she asked her if she had any more to give.

Abigail very seriously replied, "I have more mom. I get them from my heart."

And the mother asked, "What?"

And Abigail restated it, "I have hugs in my heart."

And the mother asked, "Well, could I have another one? I could sure use another if you have enough."

And Abigail replied, "Sure you can, mom. I can always grow more hugs in my heart."

Dr. Virginia Satir wrote in "Family Happiness is Homemade": "Hugging can be vital for your emotional well-being. Everybody feels skin hunger throughout their lives, and unless that hunger is satisfied by touching, there's a vital void in the emotional make-up that's going to cause deep unhappiness. We all know that babies thrive on frequent stroking. Well, adults are no different. When they are not patted on the hand, embraced around the shoulder or hugged, they withdraw into themselves. I prescribe four hugs a day for survival, eight for maintenance, and twelve for growth." (1)

There's no question we're living in a confusing and difficult time when it comes to touching. A lot of people have been scarred by acts of inappropriate touching. We need to be in ministry with those who've been abused by such forms of inappropriate touching. We need to be understanding and patient with them - we need to be careful how and when we touch them - we need to protect persons from inappropriate touching - we need to support efforts to educate  people about what is inappropriate touching - we need to seek treatment for and lock-up persons who inappropriately touch to be sure. (My own denomination has for a number of years required every clergy person to attend a Clergy Boundaries Training (Sexual Ethics) course because of violations in both my denomination and others. In fact, my clergy friends are currently engaged in this necessary and vital time of clarification and reflection.)

While it is vitally important that the inappropriate/illegal/abusive forms of touching be addressed/defined/spelled out/corrected, it also is important that we consider the reality that people are also being damaged because of a lack of appropriate touching. We dare not let the abusers abuse us more by letting them dictate, take away from us, something that is a necessary aspect of our human nature - that is so necessary for our growth as humans - so vital to our existence. We must learn to appropriately touch again.

Human touch has always been regarded in the church as a method or symbol of power being imparted. When Jesus touched people they were healed. Some of the most significant moments in the life of the Christian journey are noted with a touch: baptism, confirmation, ordination, anointing with oil. In the portion of Paul's second letter to Timothy we are considering, Paul is reminding Timothy of his having laid his hands on him and thus instilling in him the gift of God. "Remember the power, the love, the self-discipline from God that filled you when I touched you. It's still within you, Tim. Fan the flame of God's gift in you again."

It's important to remember that this portion of Paul's second letter to Timothy was written while he was imprisoned for the second time in Rome - at a time in his life when he had begun to face the reality that the end of his ministry and possibly the end of his life was near - when he was feeling particularly cut off physically from those people and churches he had nurtured in the faith. It is because of Paul's circumstances that I think it's important to talk about the importance and appropriateness of touching, both the physical and the emotional kind, in the life of the church. One of my favorite resources is Ann Weem's Reaching for Rainbows. One of the chapters in her resource is "Touch in Church." I'd like to share it with you. It's longer than most quotes.

"What is all this touching in church?
It used to be a person could come to church and sit in the pew
and not be bothered by all this friendliness and
certainly not by touching.
I used to come to church and leave untouched.
Now I have to be nervous about what's expected of me.
I have to worry about responding to the person sitting next to me.
Oh, I wish it could be the way it used to be;
I could just ask the person next to me: How are you?
And the person could answer: Oh, just fine,
And we'd both go home...strangers who have known each other
for twenty years.
But now the minister asks us to look at each other.
I'm worried about that hurt look I saw in that woman's eyes.
Now I'm concerned, because when the minister asks us to pass the peace,
The man next to me held my hand so tightly I wondered if he had
been touched in years.
Now I'm upset because the lady next to me cried and then apologized
And said it was because I was so kind and that she needed
A friend right now.
Now I have to get involved.
Now I have to suffer when this community suffers.
Now I have to be more than a person coming to observe a service.
That man last week told me I'd never know how much I'd touched
his life.
All I did was smile and tell him I understood what it was to be
Lonely.
Lord, I'm not big enough to touch and be touched!
The stretching scares me.
What if I disappoint somebody?
What if I'm too pushy?
What if I cling too much?
What if somebody ignores me?
'Pass the peace.'
'The peace of God be with you.' 'And with you.'
And mean it.
Lord, I can't resist meaning it!
I'm touched by it, I'm enveloped by it!
I find I do care about that person next to me!
I find I AM involved!
And I'm scared.
O Lord, be here beside me.
You touch me, Lord, so that I can touch and be touched!
So that I can care and be cared for!
So that I can share my life with all those others that I belong to
You!
All this touching in church - Lord, it's changing me!" (2)

Being willing to touch and be touched, physically & emotionally, is an important aspect of being a Christian. It's the avenue through which healing happens. Physical, emotional, psychological, spiritual healing happens when we are touched by another, when we touch another - touch is a conduit of new life - it's an avenue through which God is experienced.

I like the way Leonard Sweet defines what happens when we are touched by the realities in the lives of others. He invites us to think about it through a set of questions.

* "When touched by another's suffering, do you weep?
* When touched by another's joy, do you laugh?
* When touched by another's pain, do you ache?
* When touched by another's warmth, are you comforted?
* When touched by another's coldness, are you chilled?
* When touched by another's sorrow, do you mourn?
* When touched by another's love, do you multiply that love?" (3)

What impact does being touched by another's suffering, another's joy, another's pain, another's warmth, another's coldness, another's sorrow, another's love have on you?

In one church when I shared some of the ideas in this sermon the choir director chose for the morning anthem "I Have Felt the Hand of God" by Craig Courtney. The words to Courtney's anthem are:
"I have felt the hand of God in your hand.
Holding me, you gave me strength to stand.
When I was alone, you came and met my need.
And when I lost my way, - your hand was there to lead.
Through your touch, God's hand reached out to me.
I have felt the hand of God - in your hand.
I have heard the voice of God in your voice, singing praise,
You taught me to rejoice.
Your voice of comfort caused my grief to end.
And when my faith was gone, you called me home again,
When you spoke, God's voice called out to me.
I have heard the voice of God in your voice.
I have seen the face of God in your face.
Giving all, you shared with me God's grace.
And you were faithful to guide me as I grew.
I saw your love for God and I saw God in you.
When you smiled, God's love surrounded me.
I have seen the face of God, heard the voice of God,
Felt the hand of God through you." (4)

We are indeed faith connectors for one another - that is, we bring to one another - we reveal to one another - we uncover in one another - we activate in one another - Faith - when we are touched physically or emotionally by one another. Timothy's mother, Eunice, and his grandmother, Lois, and Paul were faith connectors for him and they are for us also and we are for one another as well.

Holy Communion/the Eucharist/the Lord's Supper is one of those holy times when we celebrate our connectedness with one another "in Christ." We are reminded through the sharing with one another of a common meal - of a holy meal - that we are connected with Christ through others and with others through Christ. We are one with others - their needs, their pains, their joys are ours. We touch their lives, we touch one another's lives in a mystical but real way when we share this meal of faith. We remember and celebrate with one another how Christ has touched us, what Christ has done on our behalf.



1. Virginia Satir. BrainyQuote.com, Xplore Inc, 2013. http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/v/virginiasa175185.html, accessed October 4, 2013.
2. Ann Weems, Reaching For Rainbows (Philadelphia: The Westminster Press, 1980), 35.
3. Leonard Sweet, (I have lost the source but will continue to search!).
4. Craig Courtney, "I Have Felt the Hand of God" (Columbus: Beckenhorst Press Inc., 1997).