Эпизоды
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Jesus Cries with Us, Jesus Cries Out for Us
Last Sunday afternoon Jamie, Laurie, Phylis and I sitting at a large round table visited with Anna, Ashley, Alison (from Panama), Fatima (from Venezuela), three little people, and a faithful member of St. Christopher Episcopal Church.
St. Christopher is a sanctuary church in El Paso, Texas, a safe place for migrant people to live until they can travel on to a more permanent safe and caring community in which they could live and work and thrive. Many take dangerous and often illegal risks. Many are filled with great anxiety and uncertainty, exacerbated by antiquated immigration laws and processes that can mean months and even many years of waiting. Many are filled with fear both of countries they have fled and of our country because they know we are a deeply divided nation given to fear and even hatred of these aliens, these sojourners, these strangers.
But Sunday we all were in this safe and sacred place. Except for the little ones we introduced ourselves, shared little bits of our life stories, either in Spanish or English or both. All of us children of God, all of us on a journey, though for Alison and Fatima, a much more dangerous and harrowing one. We talked together, prayed together, sang a little together, ate a meal together, held babies (the best part!) and hugged one another…
A couple thousand years ago, Jesus too was on a dangerous journey. In John 11 we read of his crossing the Jordan River, going to Judea where he knowingly faced threats of stoning, persecution, and death. On the way there he received a message from beloved friends, Mary and Martha, that their brother Lazarus was ill. Jesus, the Son of God, knew that Lazarus’ illness was terminal. In fact, Jesus knew, he had already died. Yet Jesus stayed where he was for two more days…
And then came the account from the Gospel of John for this All Saints Sunday. In it we learn what God is like when we suffer, when we die. We know what God, is like, revealed most fully to us in Jesus, when Bob and Joy and Walter and Dale and Chip and David, whom we remember this morning, died during this past year. Jesus, the Son of God, wept with and for their families and friends. Jesus cried with them.
Jamie and Laurie and Phylis and I spent five days with Border Servant Corps guides, mostly with Ashley, a young woman about to graduate from college and then after a gap year on to law school. With her we visited border patrol folk, spent time with “guests,” always these migrant people were called guests, in processing centers and shelters on both sides of the Rio Grande River, talked with criminal court Judge Ritter presiding over cases against those crossing the border between legal points of entry. Perhaps most moving for us was our visit with Amanda, a federal public defender. With all of them we could see Jesus. We could see Jesus “greatly disturbed’ and crying with these guests and with those so committed to accompanying them on their journeys toward some semblance of mercy and justice.
We saw Jesus in Gracias, a feisty, self-proclaimed activist who is the shepherd of the shelter we visited in Juarez, Mexico. In, I think, more than a coincidence for us sojourners from Faith, Okemos, her call to this ministry came years agowhen she mourned the killing of two LGBT people at the border. At times Gracias has provided a safe haven for as many as 370 guests in a clean but very dilapidated five-story building. Last Monday we prepared and served a meal for 60 men, women, and children currently living there. We saw Jesus in Gracias and in Cesi with us that day, who translated my mini-sermon proclaiming God’s watchful care for these his beloved children. Cesi walks step by step with guests when they are able to fly or take a bus from El Paso to a new home somewhere in our country. We saw Jesus in the guarded but gently smiling faces of these guests, perhaps especially in the faces of the children.
But the gospel for today is not only about people for whom and with whom Jesus wept, for Martha and Mary and their friends. It is that, Jesus, the Son of God, the incarnation of God, was also for them the resurrection and the life. Jesus was and is God making of death only a transitory experience. Jesus, the resurrection and the life, cried out, now not with tears, but with a loud voice, to a man dead for four stinky days, “Lazarus, come out!”
To Walter and Dale and Bob and Chip and Joy and David, Jesus said, perhaps more gently, “Come, dwell with me now in my Father’s house. There you be forever safe, forever free, forever whole, forever loved and in love with all the children of God from Michigan and Texas and Mexico and Panama and Venezuela, from Sudan and Ghana and Mauritania, from Palestine and Lebanon and Israel, from Ukraine and Russia…”
On this All Saints Sunday remember. Remember that Jesus cries with you and Jesus cries out for you. Remember that Jesus cried with the family and friends of Joy, Chip, Dale, Walt, David, and Dale. Remember he wept for the LGBT people killed at the border. Remember he wept for those who bodies were and are still to this day found in the deserts of Mexico, bodies of souls striving in desperate, vain attempts to find a better life in our country.
But remember too and above all that Jesus cried out for Lazarus to come out, to rise from death. Remember, as you come at his invitation to dine with him at the communion table this morning, that he suffered and died for you and that he rose again for you and for all whom we remember this day.
I think of these beautiful words from Romans 6: Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? Therefore, we have been buried with him by baptism into death so that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life. For if we have united with him in a death like his, we will certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his.
Phylis and I, Laurie and Jamie, we did see Jesus at the border. With the eyes of faith, we see him here too, with our congregation in our worries, with us in our pain, with us in our losses. We see him here in the hearts of so many here who care deeply about each other and about strangers, about people on difficult journeys, people God has called us to walk with in love, to “walk in newness of life.” We see Jesus speaking through the work of the call committee, “crying out” to us to come out of any dark tombs of worry, of any paralyzing fears about the future well-being of our congregation. And, especially this week, may all of us see Jesus crying with us and crying out to us, “Come out of your dark tomb!”, no matter the outcome of the election on Tuesday.
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This is a special musical presentation of Hine Ma Tov with the Chancel Choir at Faith Lutheran Church in Okemos, Michigan.
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Пропущенные эпизоды?
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Since I will be on vacation beginning Wednesday, this will be my last sermon before the election. This does not mean that I am going to tell you who to vote for. I will be voting tomorrow. Many of you have voted by mail, others will take advantage of early voting and others will wait until election day. The important thing is to vote.
Leading up to this election the political ads have gotten to be very tedious and I mute most of them. I believe it is best not to listen to them as there are so many half-truths in them that it is not good to base your vote on ads. We all desire people to see the same truth that we do, but unfortunately that is not the case.
Thus, today on this Reformation Sunday, our texts point us to the truth that has kept the church moving forward since it began. We are pointed today to the person who represents truth and that is Jesus Christ. It is in John that we hear him say that he is the way, the truth, and the life and we can only get to God through him. This is a different kind of truth than what may be considered true or false in regards to our upcoming election.
Jesus came to give us freedom from sin, death and the power of the devil. I will not try and decipher truth or fiction from political ads, but I will tell you that I believe in Jesus, the truth who frees us. The truth that we hear about today on this Reformation Sunday, is one of relationship with Jesus, the truth.
Every day Jesus invites us into relationship with him. In our Gospel lesson we hear Jesus telling the Jews who had believed, if you continue in my word, if you abide in my word, if you stay connected to me, then you will be my disciples. Then his disciples will know the truth as they will know him and this is what and who frees us from sin, death and the power of the devil.
Jesus says today that anyone who commits sin is a slave to sin, and they will not have a permanent place in the household. In the Gospel of John sin is defined as not being connected to Jesus. Jesus invites everyone to be connected to him, to be in relationship with him. Jesus has told us that it is only through him that we can get to God.
Thus, it is only Jesus who frees us from sin, death and the power of the devil. Jesus has done the work for us and now he is asking us to be in relationship with him, to be connected to him. Jesus is God’s grace revealed to us. Jesus is truth revealed.
Even though there is no way to really verify any of this, we are asked to have faith and believe. We have been given God’s Word to help us know the story of God’s people. We are then invited into that story.
Paul lays out for us in our second lesson what we stand on as Lutheran theology, justification by grace through faith. This is what I have already been explaining. God sends Jesus to earth to die on the cross to forgive our sin. We are asked to believe this to be true.
Jesus’ death justifies us before God out of love, God’s grace. We are then asked to believe and receive. There is nothing that we can do to justify ourselves before God for our sin.
It sounds easy, but often as human beings we want to earn it, we want to do something, and this is where the law comes in. The law can point out to us the need for God’s grace, but it cannot justify us. Instead, the law is what we live out in love as a response to our justification by grace.
Paul wrote this letter to the house churches in Rome to prepare them for his visit. He was attempting to address the polarization between the Jews and Gentiles. Paul was trying to reconcile the two groups. Does this polarization sound familiar?
I’m sure the Jews were saying the law is what leads to salvation and the Gentiles may have been saying, no there is nothing that we can do, thus we don’t have to keep the law. Paul is trying to say please be quiet and listen because he is saying that they are both wrong.
There is a place for law and Gospel. Through the law comes the knowledge of sin, thus law is important but does not save us. We are justified by grace as a gift. This does not leave us off the hook as we are called to believe this, and God in Jesus Christ asks us for a response which we can model through the way that we live out our lives.
In the end, Paul is trying to say that, all our welcome, as all are justified by grace through faith. This all does not exclude anyone. The exclusions we see today are decided by human beings. How does this help their polarization, let alone our own? I believe Paul is saying that just by pointing fingers and saying someone is wrong does not change the fact that all are welcome in God’s kingdom.
We are all in the same boat, but not all will ever realize that. The only thing that we can do is live out our faith as justified by grace children of God. It seems throughout history we have been trying to learn how to love our neighbor, to welcome our neighbor. It becomes such a fearful thing that instead of welcoming we try to gain control over them.
Jesus continually calls us to stick with him as he is the truth revealed. He is the one who justifies us before God because no human being can. We continually repeat history, and I wonder if it is happening faster with media and technology.
We pray that our vote will continue democracy and continue to welcome all people. The freedoms we have as citizens of the United States of America are gifts from God are supposed to be for the betterment of the community and not any one group of people. Our vote is the only control that we have over these freedoms. The freedom we have through Jesus work on the cross is an absolute free gift.
As justified children of God we are not called to change people’s minds, but we are called to stick with Jesus and continue responding to his call to love God and neighbor. We don’t know what the future holds, but we do know who holds it. This is where are focus needs to be.
Let us pray: God of freedom, we thank you for the freedoms in our country, but above all for the freedom paid for by your Son, Jesus Christ. May your Holy Spirit help us to focus on you and living as justified by grace as your children. No matter what happens in the election, you continue to call us to connect with Jesus, the truth and thus to continue to love you and our neighbor. In Jesus’ name, Amen
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How many of us have said that we really don’t understand some people’s way of thinking? Our culture today has many conflicts and/or paradoxes. It hasn’t changed since the time of our Gospel lesson today. Only today it seems to be more polarized.
History continues to repeat itself and only we can be responsible for ourselves. The last verse of our Gospel lesson last week was “but many who are first will be last, and the last first”. Then in between last week and this week’s Gospel lesson Jesus forewarns of his pending death again.
So, when James and John ask Jesus to do for them what they want, you just want to say , “where did that come from?” Did they hear anything that Jesus had said? Following Jesus was about giving all that you had to help others. It wasn’t that long ago that that we heard Jesus say to follow means that disciples need to deny themselves.
James and John were attempting to put themselves above others, let alone their friends. Jesus challenged them, Are you able to drink the cup that I drink, or be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with? They said, yes we can do that. Jesus has just once again predicted his death, were they really willing to say that they would be willing to die also?
Thus far, it didn’t seem that they liked all of the negative attention from the church leaders. Here they were saying that they were willing to be leaders of the other disciples. Didn’t they realize that leadership puts you in the hot seat more than you usually want to be?
Jesus thought, well I don’t think they really understand what this means, but so be it. In the end, as God’s Son, he doesn’t make those decisions. Of course, once the other disciples had heard about their request, they were angry. Maybe because they hadn’t thought of it or why do they think that they are better than us?
Jesus reminded them that the people who were not Jewish recognize as their rulers, men who lorded it over them. The greatest being those who were tyrants. We have those rulers in our world today where there is no democracy. Jesus once again defines what God is looking for, which is that the greatest rulers are servants.
Jesus says if you want to be on the top, then you must be a slave to all. He gave the ultimate model for this in dying on the cross. This ransom that we hear about in our Gospel lesson is not about any transaction as Jesus does the work for us. It is a liberating action for us. It frees us to be the servant that Jesus has modeled for us and calls us to be.
I like how the inclusive Bible states what God is not looking for, someone who is domineering and arrogant, those great ones know how to make themselves important. Often these leaders have low self-esteem. When one feels that they have to dominate someone, it is often because they feel less than others. It’s very tricky because if you have to make yourself important, then you may not realize that you are already important in God’s eyes.
Jesus continually brings us back to what God wants leadership to look like. First of all, it is important to realize that we are already important in God’s eyes and that is the most important thing to recognize and accept. When we can recognize that God loves us is when we can begin to love ourselves in a healthy manner.
Jesus is describing leaders as a person who can listen and realize that they don’t have all the answers. He is also looking for a leader who can be honest in a respectful way. It is not about telling people what they want to hear.
At times in our life, we can be domineering or feel dominated. We are all called to be leaders as we are all called to model what it means to follow Jesus, thus we are called to keep ourselves in check. In the end it is about power and control. Do we feel the need to have authority and exert power and control over others?
One of the red flags for us is whenever we feel defensive. If we feel that we have to justify ourselves, then we can easily become domineering. If we feel insecure enough we can also become arrogant.
Unfortunately, we have gotten to a place in our country where too many think it has to be one way. There are leaders who will say or do, or justify whatever they have to have it their way. Similar to James and John who felt that if they were in control they may be able to keep things more in their way of thinking.
Now of course we can’t really relate to James and John, can we? At some time in our lives, each one of us has felt the need to control people and to have their approval. It is really part of being human, our brokenness.
As Christians, Jesus is reminding us today we need to check ourselves in how we relate to people. I believe that we are all leaders in faith and are reminded that in reality we don’t have control over other people. When we try is when we are really telling Jesus that we know better. This is what James and John were doing.
Whether everything makes sense to us or not, Jesus tells us that God is in control. We are loved and valued by God and not all others will love and value us, but we do not need their approval. Through Jesus death and resurrection, we have seen modeled how to serve and that new life comes from it.
Let us pray: Gracious and loving God, thank you for loving and valuing us as your children. There are times that we do not recognize this and then try to go it on our own. This is when we may put ourselves over others. We are sorry for this. May your Holy Spirit help us to rest in you and give us the ability to see and hear how we relate to people that we may model that all of us are equal in your eyes. Also, to be able to discern future leaders in our country, according to what you are looking for in leaders. In Jesus Name, Amen
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Jesus has been and continues to be very pointed in what he is trying to teach. He is trying to prepare his disciples for his pending death and resurrection. Everyone seems to have their own idea of what the kingdom of God is supposed to look like.
Jesus says it is very hard to enter the kingdom of God. He told them it was easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle. Most of us know what it is like to put a piece of thread through the eye of a needle.
The disciples were greatly astounded and said to one another then how do we get in, how can we be saved? Jesus basically said that they can’t that only God can and will do this. For God, all things are possible.
The Gospel lesson began with a man running up to Jesus and kneeling before him and asking, “Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” Jesus said to him, why do you call me good? No one is good, but God alone. You know the commandments: You shall not murder; You shall not commit adultery; You shall not steal; You shall not bear false witness; You shall not defraud; Honor your father and mother.’
The man then said, Teacher I have kept all of these since I was a child. Jesus looked at him with love and said. You lack one thing, go and sell what you own, and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven, then come and follow me. The man was shocked by this response and went away very sad, for he had many possessions.
Human beings in the time of the Bible, had been continually getting off track of what God’s kingdom was meant to be. The man’s possessions were standing in the way of focusing on following Jesus. Jesus was on earth to once again define the kingdom of God. Yes God had given the ten commandments, but they were meant as guidelines.
As I have said before, the commandments were not given for people to have power and control over people. This man was rich in possessions and Jesus was telling him that they were obstacles for him in following Jesus. Above all, Jesus was working on creating a new community.
Anytime the word new comes into play, it does mean change. Something that is old will need to be let go of in order for new to occur. In systems, such as the church, it normally means that something in the system needs to change in order for newness or growth to happen.
This will create uncomfortableness because it is not how we have always done it. The first step is allowing ourselves to be open in honestly looking at things, in other words making an assessment. This is what the transition team did last year. They then made recommendations to the congregation council of things that need to be reorganized or addressed.
This will mean change. Some things will remain the same, other things will stop or look different. Room needs to be made for growth to happen. As soon as we say something needs to be a certain way, God often has a way of saying, we’ll see. What happens is we allow our fears and uncomfortableness take over and this is when it is difficult to see what God wants.
Eventually there will be a new pastor here. I pray that you will be ready to listen and support their leadership. Remember if you catch yourself saying, “We’ve never done it that way before”, it probably needs to change. I know some of our leadership does think this way.
God’s kingdom, this new community that Jesus is trying to describe is one that is not about power and control, but mutuality. Last week and again in today’s Gospel lesson we hear that we are to empower the vulnerable. It is what is best for the community of faith, not for individuals.
I want to tell you about how I see this new community being modeled here at Faith. Our Micro Food Pantry is a very important ministry. We had been filling the food boxes twice a day for some time, maybe even close to its inception. A crisis that has been building for a while become evident. We didn’t have money to sustain it the way it had been running.
Thus, an assessment was done of the food and its cost. A group met and examined the assessment and 1) it was determined that there was still a real need for it in our community, 2) In order to keep it up and running, changes needed to be made.
For a week or two we had stopped buying food until we could have this meeting and develop a plan for right now, in order to keep filling the boxes. It was decided that the boxes would be filled once a day instead of twice. Before we met again, people were brainstorming and developing plans to fund this ministry.
We met again and we are working on different avenues of funding. In the next couple of months, you will be presented with different ways that you can help support this ministry. I do want to thank you all of you for already supporting this ministry, because in some way everyone here has supported this ministry. It is this kind of work that models the new community that Jesus is talking about.
One other sign of this new community that Jesus is talking about is when Raymond joined our Worship and Music committee meeting and presented the idea of Visitors Sunday. The committee listened to this excitement to invite others to worship with us and introduce them to our family.
Raymond had ideas for worship that the committee heard, and we are working at implementing them. This is building this new community that Jesus is talking about. Every community of faith needs new life as this is when people want to join and be part of it.
This new community that Jesus is talking about is seen here at Faith. The building of this new community will continue to take stepping back and being willing to be honest with what is working and what is not working. This is called assessment.
From here it will take openness to new ideas and letting go of some things. Without this openness, this new community that Jesus is asking you to build will not grow. What we have heard today in our Gospel lesson is that we are called to let go of those things that we are holding on to too tightly. Those are things that are holding us back from following Jesus.
Jesus wants our attention now! Sometime in the near future, there will be more changes here. Eventually I will move on, and you will have a new pastor. Jesus challenges you and I to stay focused on him and keep our eyes and ears open. Be ready to let go of things in order to follow him.
The good news in all of this letting go and struggling with it, is that Jesus loves us through all of it. We are not alone. Jesus walks beside us.
Let us pray, Gracious God, we struggle with change. We struggle with being honest about what is working and what is not working. May your Spirit help us to have open hearts and minds. We desire to do your work and grow your community. Help us to identify and let go of those things that are getting in the way of doing your will. Thank you for your grace as we strive to do your will.
We humbly acknowledge that this is your kingdom and not ours. In Jesus, name, Amen.
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In my study groups this past week, it was a challenge to discuss what some call as the big “D” word, divorce. Jesus chooses to take on the difficult issues that people face. Some of you may have experienced divorce personally or most likely it has been in your family.
My grandfather divorced my grandmother in 1952 after finding work out of town and another woman. My grandmother was left to raise 5 kids on her own and that is not easy, let alone in that day. My mother then went to live with a family for her senior high in high school and be their nanny. She did not speak to her father for a number of years. When she got married, she felt it was time to welcome him back into her life.
All of us make mistakes. I have said that relationships are the most difficult thing in life. We are dealing with ourselves and then how we interact with another human being and some on an intimate level. Since we are broken people, when you put two broken people together, no matter the level of relationship, there will be unhealthy choices made.
In the end it is about navigating changes in our lives and then how that affects our relationships with others. Communication and trust are key in any relationship. We will never be perfect at these, but the more we practice them, the healthier our relationships will be.
When these are not working is when we often see divorce occurring. Relationships can be broken as I have already stated as we are already broken people. The minute we say it could never happen to me, is when we need to be concerned.
I believe we would all say that divorce should not be the first choice, but there are times that it can be the healthiest choice. Forced relationships do not work. Above all they are not healthy for the couple, let alone the people around them. Unhealthy relationships are not healthy models for children.
So, this is what we have learned. But what does Jesus have to say about. First of all, he was not teaching on it at first in our Gospel lesson for today, but was actually being tested by some Pharisees. They were always trying to test Jesus about the law. They had been finding out that Jesus felt the law was important, but it was not to be used as power and control over people. The law was given to help people live together in community.
When the law was given, it was in the time of the Old Testament. The law was quite patriarchal. Women and children were seen more as property. Basically, the men were in charge and could do almost anything they wanted.
The Pharisees asked Jesus whether it was lawful for a man to divorce his wife. Jesus turned it back on them and asked them what did Moses command you? They said a man could write a certificate of dismissal and divorce her. Jesus told them that Moses wrote this because of their hardness of heart.
Jesus reminded them that God made males and females and two of them could become one flesh. And that no one should separate them. Jesus went on quite bluntly and said that whoever divorces their wife and marries another has committed adultery. The same for whoever divorces a man and marries another has committed adultery. Jesus was radical again in saying a woman could divorce her husband. This was not the law the Pharisees knew.
Then Jesus uses a child again as an example for his teaching. Children and women were looked at as the least in society and were vulnerable. People were bringing children to Jesus in order that he might touch them. The disciples sternly told them that Jesus did not have time for this and to leave.
Jesus said no, bring them here to me. He said the kingdom of God belongs to the children. If you don’t receive the weak and vulnerable then you will not enter the kingdom of God. Jesus took the children in his arms and blessed them.
His disciples were corrected, and I wonder if the Pharisees were still around to hear this proclamation. Jesus is saying that all are welcome in the kingdom of God. For people contemplating, going through or have been through a divorce, I can only imagine that it is not easy. It is a vulnerable position to be in. Any broken relationship is emotionally difficult and often takes a physical toll as well. One broken relationship can affect all of your other relationships in some way.
Over the years churches have pointed fingers and maybe even shunned people who have experienced divorce. This is not where Jesus is. I do not believe that Jesus likes to see broken relationships, but he knows that they are going to happen. God has given us guidelines to help us be in relationship with human beings and Jesus has tried to say over and over again that even though we don’t always follow them, that we are still welcome in the kingdom of God.
This is the message that I believe needs to come from churches. We are called to support those who are experiencing brokenness in relationships and in a vulnerable situation. It is not our place to judge. The rhetoric that I am often hearing today is not supporting the vulnerable. It often only supports those that have more power.
As a church and followers of Jesus, we are called to listen to what people are saying and this includes those who are claiming to follow Jesus. This also means that we are called to listen to ourselves and observe what we do and who we hang out with. Jesus is challenging his followers even today to lift up the vulnerable, those who are experiencing brokenness in their relationships.
We can use words of love and concern and not judgement. We can model what it means to be people of support by listening and not taking sides. Jesus is asking us today to continue sharing his message of love and grace.
I believe that we have some in our country who want to go back to what the Pharisees were looking for. Which is a patriarchal household, where the man is the one in charge. I believe Jesus was trying to teach his disciples as well as us that all people are welcome, especially the vulnerable. Males and female are equal in God’s eyes. In any relationship, it is about working together.
In Jesus day it was the women and children. But even the fact that Jesus said a woman could divorce her husband was probably not what the Pharisees or his disciples were expecting to hear. Because of the insecurity of some white men, many in leadership in Christian churches, want to go back to this Old Testament model of the family. This is what is being held up as what God wants.
I believe that Jesus in today’s Gospel lesson is saying no that all are welcomed equally into the kingdom of God. He is even saying that men and women are equal. Jesus is calling us to left up the vulnerable. I believe when insecure white men want to have the power, it makes others such as women, children, and today many others vulnerable. We are called to lift them up and go against the old patriarchal system.
The D doesn’t have to be big. It happens in our brokenness. The church is called to be a place that will welcome in love all who are broken, you and me.
This is how Jesus defines the kingdom of God as welcoming all people equally and especially the vulnerable. What are we going to do and say to lift up the vulnerable?
Let us pray, Gracious and loving God, you sent Jesus to clarify what it means to live in your kingdom. Our humanness always seems to get in the way. Jesus reminds us again today that all are welcome in your kingdom and especially the vulnerable. May your Holy Spirit help us to model this welcome through word and deed. Help us to live forward into your kingdom and not go back to the Old testament ways which Jesus has redefined.
In Jesus’ name, Amen
— 451 — 2025 Presidential Transition Project Goal #3: Promoting Stable and Flourishing Married Families. Families comprised of a married mother, father, and their children are the foundation of a well-ordered nation and healthy society. Unfortunately, family policies and programs under President Biden’s HHS are fraught with agenda items focusing on “LGBTQ+ equity,” subsidizing single-motherhood, disincentivizing work, and penalizing marriage. These policies should be repealed and replaced by policies that support the formation of stable, married, nuclear families. Working fathers are essential to the well-being and development of their children, but the United States is experiencing a crisis of fatherlessness that is ruining our children’s futures. In the overwhelming number of cases, fathers insulate children from physical and sexual abuse, financial difficulty or poverty, incarceration, teen pregnancy, poor educational outcomes, high school failure, and a host of behavioral and psychological problems. By contrast, homes with non-related “boyfriends” present are among the most dangerous place for a child to be. HHS should prioritize married father engagement in its messaging, health, and welfare policies. In the context of current and emerging reproductive technologies, HHS policies should never place the desires of adults over the right of children to be raised by the biological fathers and mothers who conceive them. In cases involving biolog- ical parents who are found by a court to be unfit because of abuse or neglect, the process of adoption should be speedy, certain, and supported generously by HHS.
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Today we are celebrating Michael and all Angels Sunday. This is a festival dedicated to the archangel Michael that started in the fifth Sunday in Rome. Michael is not a saint, but in Jewish angelology, he is one of the four arch angels who carry out the will of God. The stories about Michael center around war scenes which are battles between good and evil.
The second lesson from Revelation today finds Michael and his angels fighting against the dragon, which relates to the serpent in Genesis. The serpent and dragon are seen as the devil or satan, the deceiver of the whole world. He was thrown down to the earth along with his angels.
The book of Revelation was written by John from the island of Patmos to Christians who were being persecuted by the Roman Empire. John received visions from an angel to comfort and challenge Christians.
Revelation is an apocalypse or unveiling of what soon must take place. Although this is not a book to predict the future. It’s a message of hope for all Christians, for all ages. We find a great deal of symbolism based on the Old Testament.
As I have stated earlier, in our text from Revelation today we have a connection to the Old Testament the serpent and the dragon. In Genesis chapter 3 we have the serpent in the Garden of Eden enticing Adam and Eve, that if they eat the fruit from the tree in the middle of the garden, they will be like God. This is after God said do not eat from the tree in the middle of the garden, for if you do, you will die.
The serpent appealed to them and twisted God’s words and said God would not kill them as God knows that when one eats fruit from the tree in the middle of the garden that their eyes would be opened, and they will then know the difference between good and evil. The woman ate one of the fruit and offered it to the man and he ate also.
Their eyes were opened, and they did not die. They did realize that they were naked. This was the first time that human being on earth had contact with evil, the serpent. The sin here was wanting to be like God and listening to the wrong person. This same issue continues to plague us as human beings. We want power and control.
According to our text from Revelation, the dragon, representing the serpent, the devil, satan, wanted to be in control and Michael and his angels said no and kicked him down to earth. Human beings have been dealing with evil, the devil, satan from the beginning of time, Adam and Eve.
What is going on here is that evil was defeated in heaven. Now, something we discussed in bible study on Tuesday was the fact that we thought heaven was devoid of evil. I believe the message here is that if evil was defeated in heaven, it has been defeated here on earth in the person of Jesus. Through Jesus’ death and resurrection, sin, death and the power of the devil have been defeated.
We may ask, then why are we still dealing with evil in the world? Because we continue to try and do everything on our own and we have not defeated evil. Jesus has. Thus, we need God, Jesus and Holy Spirit to help us deal with evil in the world.
So often it seems to be so easy just to point a finger at a person and say they are evil. The person themselves are not evil, but evil may have more control over them. Evil can be in a person’s actions and words.
In reality, as human beings, we can allow evil to influence our thoughts, words and actions. When we are tired, frustrated and/or scared, we are vulnerable and often rely more on ourselves. This is when evil can influence us. Our other option is to stay connected to Jesus and this is not easy as it takes work.
Staying connected to Jesus, means that we are called to examine what we hear and observe as well as what we think say or do and measure it against what we have learned and understand God’s Word to say. When we are tired, frustrated and/or scared, we often just go with the flow.
I would like to define evil at this point as going against God’s will in thoughts words and actions. We can hear and see it in others. But it is not our job to judge them, but we are called to challenge them, if we feel that we can have a healthy discussion.
Some things for us to listen to as followers of Jesus in our own and others words and actions: Do we hear and observe love or hate? Do we hear and observe that our world is full of enemies or neighbors to be loved? Do we hear and observe the ability to listen even though we may not agree? Do we hear and observe people taking responsibility for their words and actions and admitting if they are wrong?.
When we try and manage our lives on our own, it tells Jesus that we have chosen not to follow him. It means that we are trying to have power and control over our thoughts, words and actions and as a result we try and do the same thing over others. This is when we are vulnerable and will find it easier to listen to the serpent or dragon.
The serpent or dragon is alive and active here on earth. They are always trying to tell us that we don’t need God’s help, that we have the power and control within ourselves to know and understand everything. This does not mean that God hasn’t given us abilities to understand many things and to be able to determine the truth. The serpent or dragon continues to spread evil with messages that are not in accordance with God’s will. When we are vulnerable and don’t search for the truth, we are allowing evil to come into our lives.
In our country today, many of us would like to point fingers at specific people and say that they are evil. I would challenge us not to do that. Their words and actions may be evil. The truth is becoming more difficult to determine in words and actions.
Today we are reminded that first of all our salvation is paid for by Jesus and we can rejoice. Also, that Jesus has defeated sin, death and the power of the devil. Unfortunately, this does not mean that we don’t have any work to do in this arena. It does mean that we are not alone in this battle of good and evil in our own lives and the life of our country.
Evil lies in the shadows of our lives and our country. What is in the shadows needs to be revealed. This is where our work comes in, but not without asking the Holy Spirit to give us wisdom in trying to figure out truth from untruth. We have people and countries trying to keep the truth in the shadows. This is evil at work.
Michael and the angels defeated the dragon in heaven. We have been given the power through Jesus to do it here. It takes more work to love than hate, it takes more work to look at people as neighbors and not enemies, it takes more work to listen to people that we may not agree with, and it takes more work to take responsibility for our words and actions.
When we don’t do the work is when the serpent or dragon spreads evil and we can be colluding with them.
With the power of Jesus, we can do the work to love our neighbors and discover the truth as we take responsibility for our words and actions and defeat evil as Michael and angels did.
Let us pray, Hi God, when it comes to determining good and evil, we need your help. We know that truth is good, but it becomes more and more difficult to discern it. During this time in our country, we continue to come back to you and admit that we cannot do this on our own. You have given us the tools, your Word and your Son, Jesus has defeated evil. Today we bring our vulnerability to you and seek to hear your voice over the serpent/dragon’s voice that we may do your will.
In Jesus’ name, Amen.
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There seems to be a great deal of confusion or disagreements on who we welcome. We have people, including Christians who want to define who to welcome. It is one’s interpretation, but is the interpretation based on love or fear.
The God that I read about and experience and see modeled through Jesus is about welcoming all out of love. I do not believe that we are called to be gate keepers to God’s beloved community. Yet there seem to be some Christians who believe they are. There are documents that are written and set to be introduced with a new president that would delete the terms sexual orientation and gender identity (“SOGI”), diversity, equity, and inclusion (“DEI”), gender, gender equality, gender equity, gender awareness, gender-sensitive, and a number of other things, and any other term used to deprive Americans of their First Amendment rights out of every federal rule, agency regulation, contract, grant, regulation, and piece of legislation that exists. This is the wording from the document.
I don’t believe that it speaks as to where we are at Faith. Most of these terms are exactly what we have written in our welcoming statement as in affirmation. We, at Faith Lutheran Church, welcome you as a child of God. As Paul said in his letter to the Galatians, “for in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith.” (Galatians 3:26) We strive to be a place where everyone is welcomed and affirmed.
No matter your age, gender identity, sexual orientation, race, ethnicity, marital status, faith background, political leanings, or mental or physical ability – you are welcome as you are. As children of God, we are all one in Christ Jesus and rely on the unconditional nature of God’s love and grace to be our help and guide.
As an RIC congregation, how would we respond if this document was introduced for the United States to adopt? Our welcoming statement turns this around and says that we are called to welcome and recognize all people the way God created them. When we start deciding who is not welcome, I believe we put ourselves above others. Also, it is out of fear and not love.
In our Gospel today, Jesus and his disciples were travelling through Galilee. They did a great deal of ministry in this region. Jesus was teaching only his disciples and telling them about his pending death and resurrection. The disciples did not understand what he was talking about it and were afraid to ask him.
Instead, they were arguing about who was the greatest. Male bravado at work. Even though Jesus knew what they were talking about, he asked them any way. But they were embarrassed and did not want to tell him.
Thus, Jesus did more teaching. He told them that in order to be great, one must be the last and servant of all. Quite a contrast from the male bravado that had gone on with the disciples. To emphasize his point even more he took a little child and put it among them. Jesus picked the child up and said, “whoever welcomes one such child in his name, welcomes me and not only me, but the one who sent me.”
I am sure Jesus left the disciples dumbfounded again. Children held the lowest place in society. Thus, how could Jesus say this. They may have thought that God looked for the one who stood above the rest. One way to do this is to put someone down.
God was supposed to be looking for the one who kept all of the commandments. God was supposed to be looking for the one who modeled greatness. Jesus said no. God welcomes the child, the least one in society.
Children didn’t have any rights. They were still learning the commandments and needed to be disciplined. Why would God be looking for the least in society?
I believe when we feel insecure, is when we have to raise ourselves up. This normally means putting someone down. Don’t we say this about bullies? It’s as if they have to prove something. They may think it is to others, but I wonder if it is more to themselves.
In our country today, how much of politics is about putting someone down. You don’t want to vote for them as they are doing a terrible job. Look at me and I will prove that I can give you what you are looking for, no matter what political party. How many enjoy listening to political ads? Isn’t this what all of them do, put the other candidate down.
How often do I want to say, please tell me what you might be able to do and how. It sometimes makes it difficult to figure out what the truth is. We may want to be asking questions such as, “Do their words match their behavior?” Even more in line with our Gospel lesson today, “Do their words and behavior lift up the ones who are considered the lowest in our society?”
This is the challenging question for our church and ourselves today, Do our words and behavior lift up the least in our society today?. We would say of course through the Parish House and the Micro Food Pantry. Yes that is true. Our welcoming statement says that we welcome all as this is what Jesus is teaching us to do.
There are some in our country including Christians who would like the refugees, the immigrants removed from our country. Thus, we have confusion and disagreements in our country about who to welcome. Some of the non-welcoming language that I hear brings me back to the Old Testament. Almost as if Jesus’ message of welcome is not recognized.
In Jesus’ time there were two main groups of people, the Jews and Gentiles. Jesus and then Paul were saying that all were welcome. This was not easy for followers of Jesus to understand either. Jesus and Paul both knew that things would have to change.
This is when arguments and disagreements happened. When followers of Jesus had to change in order to welcome, they were not happy and tried to keep things the way they were. The message has not changed. In fact, we have been trying to affirm people as they recognize who God made them to be.
This may be affirming to some, but unfortunately it is making others feel uncomfortable. When we become uncomfortable is when we put the brakes on and put up walls. We want to go back to the way it was when we felt we understood more and were comfortable.
This is what has been going on in our world, our country and our faith communities since the beginning of time. Unfortunately, it is now more polarized than ever before. It is scary as defenses become high and healthy discussions are more difficult.
I believe that we need to listen closely to the messages that we hear and see from the leadership in our country and in our faith communities. Do we hear and see messages of welcome or unwelcome? Do we hear and see messages of building up or tearing down? God’s love is shown through welcoming and building up.
Our challenge is to be aware of our uncomfortableness when we are challenged to welcome all. We will have to decide whether it comes from danger or maybe a lack of understanding. I believe Jesus would challenge us to understand others who God made different from us, which in reality is everyone.
Jesus has really defined who is welcome, all people especially those who are looked at as the least in our society. This includes the refugees, the immigrants, the LGBTQ+ community. Welcoming does not mean better than but equal to. God does not call us to be gatekeepers, but actually gate openers out of love and not fear. For Jesus has told us this is where he will be.
Let us pray, welcoming God, thank you for welcoming each one of us into your family. There are times that we become uncomfortable with other people. Give us your wisdom in discovering who they are as you created them. Help us to remember that you do not call us to be gatekeepers, but to be gate openers to those who are viewed as the least in our society. You have told us that this is where you will be.
In Jesus’ name, Amen
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This is a special musical presentation of Revive Us Again with the Chancel Choir at Faith Lutheran Church in Okemos, Michigan.
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Many of us have been through exit interviews. They are about how learning about how we were received. I wonder if we would ever consider asking the question, “Who do people say that I am? In other words how would people describe me. We would have to be ready for anything depending on what had occurred during our time of employment. There are a great number of unknowns when we ask the question.
The experiences that people have had in their lives will have an influence on their answer. If we tend to be a person who asks a lot of questions, this can stimulate people’s thinking or make people feel uncomfortable. I am a person who asks a fair amount of questions.
It is important for me to understand where people are coming from and to try and understand to the best of my ability what they mean. Depending upon where people are at in life, it may cause someone to be uncomfortable. Thus, we would need to be ready for any kind of answers. There is the key, to be ready.
How many of us are even ready to ask the question, “Who do people say that I am”? Would we be ready to hear the answer? It is one way to check out a person’s perception of us as sometimes we do not know. As followers of Jesus, it is important to know as we are called to let Jesus lives and shines through us.
Jesus had been with his disciples for a while. He had been teaching them and demonstrating what it meant to follow him. Thus, to check out what they had been learning about who he was and why he was there, he asked the question, “Who do people say that I am? Some said John the Baptist; and others say Elijah; and still others one of the prophets.
But then he asked them, but who do you say I am?, of course Peter had to answer the question. He often experienced nervous energy. Peter said, “You are the Messiah.” Jesus sternly told them not to tell anyone about him.
Jesus knew Peter, let alone the other disciples, probably had no idea what this title, Messiah, really meant. He began to teach them about it. He said that the Son of Man would have to suffer a great deal, be rejected by the elders, chief priests and religious scholars, be put to death and rise again three days later. Jesus said this in a very matter of fact way.
This is not what Peter wanted hear. Peter took Jesus aside and basically said, no this is not how this works. This is not what Peter had in mind for who the Messiah was to be. Most likely no one else had this in mind either. Peter may have thought that since he had followed Jesus for a while that he could take Jesus aside and straighten him out on how he was to be the Messiah.
Jesus turned right to Peter and said get out of my sight, you satan! You are judging by human standards and not by God’s! Peter touched quite a chord in Jesus and Jesus told him about it. Basically, that Peter was not getting it, and Peter did not really understand who Jesus was and what God’s plan was for Jesus.
Now Jesus called the crowd together and said, If you really want to follow me, you must deny yourself, take up your cross, and follow in my footsteps. If you would save your life, you’ll lose it, but if you lose your life for my sake, you’ll save it. This was quite radical.
Jesus was definitely not describing the Messiah that Peter, and the other disciples were looking for. The Messiah was supposed to be a conqueror, a winner of land and people. He was not supposed to be dying and taking up a cross. The cross was the most cruel death there was and would involve much suffering. This was not their idea of a Messiah nor maybe one that they wanted to follow.
Someone who dies and suffers, may not seem like a leader to some. A conqueror and a winner of land, people and ultimately power and control did not seem to be what Jesus was describing. I am seeing this same Messiah being sought after by people in our country today.
This is what people have been seeking for many years. It is what people were asking God for. Jesus tried to reinterpret what God’s kingdom was to look like. A kingdom that loved and was about what was best for the community according to God and not by human standards.
So, getting back to Jesus question, to the disciples, which includes us, is “Who do you say that I am?, is even more difficult to answer. Jesus died for the sake of others, you and me, not himself. Of course, we cannot be the Messiah, there is only one, Jesus Christ.
Yet, we are called to follow in his footsteps and allow Jesus to live and shine through us. How far are we willing to go to follow Jesus? Where do you think Jesus might be leading us today, right now? How many would say, right here in this building? What about after that? Jesus would be leading us right back into the world. We need to figure out where and what that looks like.
It would be easy for us to think as Peter did and figure this out according to our standards. As human beings we often take the easiest way possible. Our way of thinking is of course based upon what is going on in our individual lives right now. But I believe Jesus was trying to tell Peter that to get to how we are to follow in Jesus footsteps means that we cannot be thinking in human terms.
Some years ago, there was a program called “The church has left the building”. It meant that on a Sunday morning instead of meeting for worship in the building, the church, in reality, the people, went out into the world to serve by doing different projects. In a sense this is what “God’s Work, Our Hands” can be. This is an event that the ELCA suggests to do on Rally Day.
What do you think God would say if one Sunday out of the year we would not meet here for worship? We would go out or maybe even some in the building, to do projects for the sake of others. I believe we are called to go out and connect with our neighbor. This is following in the footsteps of Jesus.
We come here to be strengthened so that we can take up our cross for the sake of others and follow in the footsteps of Jesus. Some of us might say that the Micro Food Pantry is how we serve our neighbor. That is true, but it does not directly connect us to our neighbor.
The Caring Committee helps us find ways, as do the quilters, and the Parish House to meet the needs of our neighbors. Each one of these are ministries in which we meet our neighbor’s needs, but it does not always directly connect us to our neighbor. If the church has left the building, the church being the people, you and me, then we are called to be out with our neighbor.
Even though we are not the Messiah, we are who people see or don’t see Jeus in. Following in the footsteps of Jesus is going out into the world and doing the work of Jesus. We carry our crosses for the sake of others. Jesus died for all of us and not himself.
In our country today there are groups of Christians who view the kingdom differently then we do. They see the United States as only a Christian nation where all are not equal. Listen closely to messages coming from candidates. You will need to decide who has the message that will support God’s kingdom as we have come to know it. One of love and forgiveness and not fear. One that sees all people equal in God’s eyes. One that seems to want to use power and control to support the right for all people.
This is what God’s kingdom is to look like. Is this the kind of Jesus, the Messiah that people see in us? I want stress here it is not something that we do on our own. This is good news as our salvation is not based on our performance. It is only by the power and guidance of the Holy Spirit that Jesus lives and shines through us.
When Jesus asks the question today. “Who do you say that I am?” The answer will be found in how we follow in the footsteps of Jesus and going out into the world in the name of Jesus representing Faith Lutheran Church to our neighbors. This is where we will meet Jesus, the Messiah and people will see Jesus in us and the kingdom of God brought to earth. This is how the question will, Who do you say that I am will be answered.
Questioning God, you challenge us today with the question, Who do we see that you are? Peter thought he understood who Jesus the Messiah was according to his way of thinking. You sent Jesus to try and model and teach what it means to follow you. May your Holy Spirit give us the wisdom to know how to live out your kingdom in the world today modeling for our neighbors who Jesus is. As a result of how we allow you to live and shine through our lives, the question will be answered, Who do we say that you are. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
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In my husband’s psychology practice, many had the diagnosis of Mental Retardation, now known as Intellectual Disability. Most of them were high functioning to the point, that one asked my husband, I hear people saying that I am mentally retarded, “What does that mean?” My husband told him that is was a level of functioning, but in reality, he told him that all of have disabilities.
I believe that this is true. In a sense our weaknesses are disabilities. This is when we really need to ask for help. We will never be able to do everything well, even though sometimes we think we can. The older we get the more we realize that we can’t do everything also. God did not create us to do everything well.
It took a lot of strength for this Gentile woman in our Gospel lesson to come before a Jewish man who was known for speaking out and healing to ask for help. The woman knew her daughter needed help, and she couldn’t take care of her. She did believe that Jesus could heal her daughter. Our text does not state that her daughter was even present, but the woman bowed down before Jesus and begged him to heal her daughter and cast out the demon that was in her. I would like to define begging as asking from deep in her heart. A better word may be entreating.
I’m not sure that she was expecting Jesus’ answer. Jesus basically told her that the Jewish people were first. She reminded him that children held no position of authority. C. Clifton Back says it this way, “Sir, even house-dogs under the table scarf down the kids’ bitty scraps. She reminded Jesus of his teaching that there were no distinctions between Jews and Gentiles in God’s eyes.
Then Jesus granted her request. The woman went home and found her daughter lying on the bed and the demon was gone. The woman was persistent and as a mother she was willing to do almost anything for her daughter. Whether Jesus was testing the woman or needed to be reminded, we don’t know, but his focus changed in the next part of the Gospel lesson for today.
Jesus continued to travel and heal. People brought him a deaf man who had a speech impediment. Thus, we have a person with two recognized disabilities. This is a very common pairing. When we can’t hear, it is hard to produce sounds until one learns how.
The people entreated Jesus to lay his hands on him and heal him. Jesus chose to take him aside, away from the crowd. Jesus put his fingers into the man’s ears, and he spit on his tongue. Jesus looked up to heaven and said “Ephphatha”, that is “Be Opened”. Immediately his ears were open, his tongue was released, and he spoke plainly. Then Jesus ordered them to tell no one, which was common in the Gospel of Mark.
Now, if anyone did this today, what would we really think? How would we react? Has anyone ever seen this done? Let alone, the person being healed. Don’t you think it would be kind of weird? Maybe that is why Jesus took the man away from the crowd.
The crowd was probably looking for some show, to see if Jesus really was this man sent from God. I tend to visualize things, and this is quite different. How many of us want to run out and tell people about this story? We are told the whole story. The crowds may not have seen the actual act, but only the healed man.
Even though Jesus told them not to tell anyone, they did any way. The more he told them to stop the more people they told. Jesus often told his disciples not to tell others also because he did not think they would fully understand until after his death and resurrection. The people were astounded beyond measure and were saying he did it and did it well. He gives hearing to the deaf and speech to the speechless.
The crowds were excited about what Jesus had done. In both healing stories, Jesus was recognized as the healer. The women and the people entreated Jesus to heal. They recognized that they could not take care of these issues. Recognition is always step one.
They realized that it was out of their control. There is that word control. We all desire control over things and others, but in reality we don’t have it. People with disabilities realize what they don’t have control over in their own lives and make adaptations. Their first step in moving forward is recognizing it and not letting it have control over them.
When we apply this to us and if we believe that each one of us has at least one disability, then our first step is to recognize it. God did not make us capable of doing everything or why would we need each other let alone God.
There is a great deal that we can learn from people with recognizable disabilities, such as blindness, deafness or an issue with mobility. In order for them to function in life, it first takes recognition that their disability does not have control their life. It also takes persistence such as the woman in our gospel lesson today.
As followers of Jesus, when we are struggling with something, do we entreat Jesus to help us? Do we believe that Jesus can help us? But here is the thing, if we entreat and believe, are we willing to receive his answer. How easy is it for us to entreat Jesus to open our hearts and minds to his will?
Whenever we do this, there will be changes. The woman and the people expected changes. The daughter’s and the man’s life were definitely changed. The woman and the crowds’ lives were also changed. Mark tells us the crowds couldn’t contain their excitement and they kept sharing with others Jesus’ work.
Jesus in Mark challenges us to be persistent in asking Jesus to help us in our weaknesses, in the things that plague our minds. Are we willing to have our hearts and minds opened to see and hear new things? Jesus always stands ready to do this.
There is a great deal of miscommunication in our world today. It is difficult to see and hear what God in Jesus Christ wants us to. Every one of us sitting in this room has weaknesses or disabilities. Do we know what they are?
Are we willing to come and entreat Jesus to help us as the woman and the people did who brought the man for healing. In these cases, they were physically healed. Healing does not always come in this form.
Sometimes healing comes in the form of being able to rest in Jesus and let go of the old in order to see and hear the new that God in Jesus Christ has in store for us as individuals and as a community of faith.
Thus, our challenge is to first recognize what we need Jesus’ help with and then entreat Jesus to show us what changes that he is asking us to make. I would define this as a healing.
Let us pray: Healing Jesus, we get so easily caught up in trying to have control of things and other people. We are taught by our culture that we can do everything by ourselves. We know this is not true. We entreat you to open our hearts and minds to be able to see where we need you. May your Spirit humble us to rest in you and receive your help and be healed. In Jesus name, Amen.
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This is a special musical presentation of Down to the River with the Sinful Sinners at Faith Lutheran Church in Okemos, Michigan.
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For Not with Swords Loud Clashing
Lead on, O King eternal! The day of march has come; henceforth in fields of conquest your tents will be our home. Through days of preparation your grace has made us strong; and now, O King eternal, we lift our battle song.
Lead on, O King eternal, till sin’s fierce war shall cease, and holiness shall whisper the sweet amen of peace for not with swords loud clashing, nor roll of stirring drums, but deeds of love and mercy, the heavenly kingdom comes.
Lead on, O king eternal; we follow not with fears, for gladness breaks like morning wher-e’er your face appears. Your cross is lifted o’er us; we journey in its light; the crown awaits the conquest; lead on, O God of might! Evangelical Lutheran Worship 805
Grace to you and peace from God our Father and from our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his power. Put on the whole armor of God, so that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. Ephesians 6:10-11
Whether you are a Republican, a Democrat, an Independent, or just befuddled by it all, you know there is great tension in our country right now. Many are anxious and worried about the future. On a much smaller scale, many of us at Faith may have at least moments of anxiety and worry about the future of our congregation. It’s easy to go dark, especially in times of transition in pastoral leadership. Rumors can flee and misunderstandings can abound. We may even wonder if we have a future together.
I love the inspired and inspiring words in the readings of scripture for today, words in Psalm 34 like these:
The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves those whose spirits are crushed. Many are the troubles of the righteous, but the Lord delivers them from every one.
I think about what it means to be righteous: through the death and resurrection of Jesus, we are made righteous. Day after day we are forgiven. Day after day we are set free from the bondage to sin, to self-centeredness. We are set to do what is [righteous] right for our sisters and brothers. It is pretty much guaranteed that all of us will have many troubles, many afflictions. A near certainty that our hearts will be broken. But the Lord of steadfast love will never abandon us, will always set us free for deeds of kindness and of love and mercy.
Or I think of these words in Joshua: “Far be it from us that we should forsake the Lord to serve other gods; for it is the Lord our God who brought us and ancestors up from the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery, and who did those great signs in our sight. He protected us along all the way that we went and among all the peoples through whom we passed.”
And for me right now these words from the letter to the Christians in Ephesus:
Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his power. Put on the whole armor of God, so that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For our struggle is not against enemies of blood and flesh, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers of this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. Therefore, take up the whole armor of God, so that you may be able to withstand on that evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm.
It is so important to remember that our struggle is not against a particular political leader or party, or much closer to home, not against a member of our extended family with whom we may strongly disagree, or against our pastor or any member of the congregation about whom we are troubled. It is not against our own flesh and blood, any members of the human family. Again, I think this is so important. We ought not demonize our sisters and brothers but rather recognize that we are struggling against the wiles of the devil. We are struggling against the “cosmic powers of this present darkness,” or as someone has translated, “the organized forces of malevolent spirit beings.”
We are struggling against the deceitful schemes of the devil who is always looking for ways to lure us into believing in a false righteousness. The devil, which scripture also calls “the father of lies”, is always seeking to worm his way into the ears and hearts and minds of every one of us…every one of us, from the lowliest to those with great power and influence.
Therefore, we read, take up the whole armor of God, so that you may be able to withstand on that evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm. Stand therefore, and fasten the belt of truth around your waist, and put on the breastplate of righteousness. I would paraphrase those words like this: Clothed in the powerful, protective presence of God the Father, listen carefully to your gut and to your heart. Protected by your always honest brother, Jesus, listen to your gut feelings about what is true or false. Listen to your heart, ever made new by the gentle Holy Spirit, to sense what is morally right or wrong, loving or hateful.
As shoes for your feet put on whatever will make you ready to proclaim the gospel of peace. Be ready to go to be with someone who is lonely or afraid. When I was serving as a bishop, I was blessed to know and deeply respect a retired, widowed, genuinely caring pastor living in South Haven who would frequently, I think weekly, bake a batch of pies and walk them, still warm, to his elderly neighbors. Even without words he with his hands and his feet joyfully proclaimed the gospel of peace to his cherished peers living out the last chapters of their earthly lives.
With all of these, take the shield of faith, with which you will be able to quench all the flaming arrows of the evil one. As I too age, I am more deeply aware of how necessary it is for me to pray every single day for the gift of faith. It was always true that I needed to do that. It’s just that now I recognize more clearly how vulnerable I am to the flaming arrows of despondency, of fear and anxiety, of ill-considered words, and of too quick, dismissive judgments of others. The shield of faith, this precious daily gift of faith, this trust in God’s ever-present steadfast love for me and for my neighbors really does quench the evil one’s arrows that would wound me, yes, wound all of us, with the bondage to despair, with an obsessive fear of others, with a chronic inability to accept and love and engage others as they are, as equally beloved children of God.
And then these words: Take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. I think of a motorcycle accident just yards down the street from us just a few weeks ago. Though the young man on the bike was seriously injured, most obviously with a broken leg and foot, he was still conscious. We all thought that if he had not been wearing a helmet, he’d likely have died or at least his brain would be irreparably damaged.
With half-truths and outright lies, the wily one can cause us to think wrongly about our world, our country, our neighbors, our congregation, our very selves. In our brains, perhaps especially in the frontal lobe, we may think, we may reason, we may conclude that the world is surely going to hell. Or we may conclude that only some, some who have the correct beliefs, or some who are most cunning, or some who are the wealthiest, or some who have the most power will be spared, they will be saved.
But with the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit we think differently. Jesus suffered and died and rose again for the whole world, to save all of creation. In our minds, protected by the helmet of salvation, we know all is not lost. With the sword of the Spirit, the word of God, we know, in the words of the psalmist, that “The Lord is near to the brokenhearted, and saves the crushed in spirit.” We know that “The Lord redeems the life of his servants; none of those who take refuge in him will be condemned.” We know in the words of the Old Testament prophet Joel that “In the last days it will be, God declares, that I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh…then everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.” We know in the words of St. Paul that “God is faithful, and will not let you be tested [tempted] beyond your strength, but with the testing he will provide a way out so that you may be able to endure it.”
So, let us put on the whole armor of God, so that together we may be able to stand firm against the wiles of the devil, not with swords loud clashing, nor roll of stirring drums but with Spirit-inspired, prayer-filled deeds of love and mercy!
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