Monthly Archives: November 2008

Decisions, Decisions, Decisions

Posted on by
1

Here are my thoughts for this Sunday, the 27th Sunday after Pentecost. The scriptures for this Sunday are Judges 4: 1 – 7, 1 Thessalonians 5: 1 – 11, and Matthew 25: 14 – 30.

As I pondered the Scriptures for this Sunday, I wondered what I would write. Each of the three passages has a distinct “flavor” and I wasn’t sure that I would be able to find the common denominator. (It should be noted that I have always looked for the single factor in all three lectionary readings, even though many people have said that I should just choose one and go from there; I started writing my sermons before I took the class that said “pick one” and it is the style that I am used to following.) So, as I wondered what I would write (and perhaps say), I listened to what others were saying and writing.

It is interesting to hear what others are saying these days. Last week, in my “political” piece, I made the comment that one way to solve the illegal immigration problem in this country was to help other countries create jobs so that people wouldn’t come here and take the jobs that no one in this country wants to do anyway. I was told, in effect, that we should just ignore those countries and focus on creating jobs in this country. As long as there is an incentive to seek work in this country, people will come. If we do not see beyond the horizons of our own country, we will have a difficult time seeing this country at all.

I have also suggested that perhaps we might enforce the laws that say companies aren’t supposed to hire illegal immigrants. Of course, as long as we believe that the problem lies with the immigrants themselves, we will never punish those who do the hiring. We would rather remove those whom we call illegal than punish those who do illegal things.

I also suggested that perhaps we should begin discussing a creation of a “living wage”, a wage that will allow people to live without fear. This is not an extravagant wage; it is what a person needs in order to live. But I was summarily told that the implementation of such an idea would bankrupt this country and essentially destroy its economy. What have we done now, with the bailout of companies whose leaders have received enormous bonuses and whose salaries will enable them to live several lifetimes and still have change left over when they die?

The argument against the development of a living wage is the same argument that has been made against raising the minimum wage. Keep in mind that a wage of $8.00 per hour equates to approximately $16,000 a year. Please tell me how an individual is supposed to live on this income and then tell me why we should not have a living wage. An argument against an equitable wage for the working class is an argument to continue slavery in a somewhat legal form.

It bothers me when I read and hear people say they are Christians but whose actions, thoughts, words and deeds are antithetical to what Christ said and commanded us to do. Christ opened the door for all of us, not just a select few. Yet those who proclaim to be Christ’s representatives on this earth this day too often shut the door and they have shut their mind so as not to be exposed to the problems of the world.

I do not disagree when it is pointed out that when He began His mission, Jesus spoke only to the Jews and said that the Gentiles were excluded. But He never turned a way a Gentile who sought Him out; He never denied anyone a place at the table while others in the establishment would do so.

Unfortunately the rhetoric today seems to be the rhetoric of exclusion. And the rhetoric of exclusion that dominates our discussion so much today is the rhetoric of ignorance. Not so many years ago we excluded people from society because of their race. We were taught that God created a hierarchy of race and we lived with that idea in this country for over two hundred years. Unfortunately, despite the passage of time, there are still some today who preach and speak of this idea today.

But as our scientific knowledge has increased and our ability to see beyond the color of one’s skin has grown, we have slowly come to understand that race is not a divisor. But while the subject of race and inequality may have finally been put to rest, it seems to me that we are allowing our ignorance of human sexuality to become the next divisor of society. There are those who seek to abolish abortion but are unwilling to let children and young adults learn what is going on. There are those who would seek to prevent same-sex marriages for reasons that seem to come from ignorance more than knowledge. And as is the case with so many of the arguments that are claimed to have Biblical backing, the verses are limited and often taken out of context.

My point here is not to advocate either abortion or same-sex marriages; those are individual decisions and decisions between two people and I do not have the power or the authority to impose my beliefs on others. And I think that when our knowledge of a subject is limited, then our actions are also limited. And what will we do some one hundred years from now when we find out that our sexual identity is in our genes and not by our choice? How will explain to those whom have been excluded or have been expelled from society that we made a mistake and that we are sorry?

We are at a point in time where we must have a new vision. A new vision requires leaders and it requires people who help to implement the new vision. It requires that each of us get involved.

The Old Testament reading is about leadership. It was for leadership that the people of Israel chose Deborah to be their judge. The commentaries that I follow suggest that the choice of Deborah was not some form of ancient political correctness but rather because 1) she had the talent and the ability and 2) the Israelite leadership at that time was bankrupt. It was a rather pointed statement that many of the leaders that preceded Deborah were more interested in their own well-being than they were in God or their country.

Her selection, by the people, was a reflection of her abilities and her talents. Her abilities came from her being with God and understanding where God was in her life. What is also interesting about this story, for which we only have the beginning, is that Deborah was not the only woman in the narrative. In the light of the views of many today that would place women in secondary roles, the fact that it was two women who lead Israel to victory is an interesting counterpoint.

This passage from the Old Testament and its commentary also speaks of the cooperation between the people of Israel in order to achieve the goals of the country. If we are to achieve success in the coming years, years that go beyond the next four years, it will be because we, the people, worked together.

Each one of us has a unique collection of talents. We can use those talents together or we can hide those talents. We can say that what we do is for everyone or we can say that our talents, our time, and our service are only for a select few. But when we limit our talents we are like the individual in the Gospel reading who took his single talent and hid it for fear of losing it. In the end, that is exactly what happened.

We cannot face the problems before us by hiding our talents or limiting their use. To do so is to limit our vision; if our vision cannot extend beyond the horizon, then it will be very difficult to see what is in front of us.

It has been said that the beat of a butterfly’s wing somewhere in Asia sets in motion the winds that blow across this country. So how we feel about those we do not know or do not see will determine how we feel about those whom we do see and hear. And when we choose not to see or hear those nearby, we are blind to the problems of the world. If we are blind to the problems of the world, then how can we use the talents that we have been given?

Paul points out that Christ died for all of us, not just a few of us. And we should not be worried about the one day that we do not know but rather we should be focused on what we can do. Paul notes in the passage from Thessalonians for today that we are all in this together and if we build up the hope for one, we build up the hope for all. No one is to be left out and no one is to be left behind.

The decision is not about how to use our talents but rather when we shall use them. And with all the problems that this world faces, the decision about when to use the talents is now, not later. It may be that we do things closer to home but each thing that we do, no matter where it might be done, will show to others the power of the Holy Spirit and will enable them to begin action as well.

You are called to make a decision. Shall you follow Christ, wherever He may ask you to go, or shall you stay at home? The decision is yours.

The Meaning of Service

Posted on by
2

This is the message I presented at Tompkins Corners UMC on the 26th Sunday after Pentecost, November 17, 2002.  The Scriptures were Joshua 24: 1 -3a, 14 – 25, 1 Thessalonians 4: 13 – 18, and Matthew 15: 1 – 13.

———————————————

It was the great Western philosopher and former Yankee catcher Yogi Berra who once said “when you get to a fork in the road, take it.” After all the laughter has died down, it is interesting to note that Yogi was merely restating what Isaiah said in Isaiah 30:21, “Your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying this is the way, walk in it, whenever you turn to the right hand or whenever you turn to the left.”

The idea of having to make a decision; of having to choose which path one will take is not new. Even Jeremiah wrote

This is what the Lord says: “Stand at the crossroads and look; ask for the ancient path, ask where the good way is, and walk in it, and you will find rest for your souls.'(Jeremiah 6: 16)

But it is, with some confidence, that I hope this congregation has not answered the Lord as the Israelites answered Jeremiah, “But you said, ‘We will not walk in it.”

This congregation has elected a new church council and with its election set a path for the future. It is a statement that the moving towards the future is more important than dwelling on the past. We appreciate what those who have served this congregation faithfully over the years have done, but there is also an understanding that a continuation of the past would never allow this congregation to move forward.

We have made a choice and we have asked a number of people to serve, to lead this congregation into the coming year. As much as the Gospel reading for this morning is about stewardship in its simplest monetary terms, it is also about service and which each person can give.

Many preachers typically use the parable of the talents in its simplest monetary terms to encourage the congregation to develop a successful stewardship campaign. The parable of the talents goes far beyond money. It speaks of the skills and the abilities each of us have.

A church has to be more than just dollars and cents; it must be a presence in the community and the congregation must find ways to make that presence known. It does not matter if we have one skill or many skills, it is only when we use those skills and abilities do they prosper and grow. If we have but one skill or ability and choose not to use it, then it will wither and die.

It is not easy to define what one’s talents or abilities are; some spend many years before finding out the answer to that question. But if one does not strive to find that one thing that can be called their own, if they say that they have no unique abilities; then they will be like the person who took the one talent and hid it away. They will end up having the talent they do have taken from them and they will lead a sad and lonely life.

Deborah’s selection as judge points out that leadership is not decided by the person one is but rather by the abilities and talents of that person. She did not become a judge out of some need for political correctness but rather because those who might have been judges did not have the leadership qualities that she had. Judges in those times were the leaders of the nation of Israel, chosen for their ability to understand what God wanted done, chosen because they were prophets in their own time.

Barak, the general mentioned in the Old Testament reading today, hesitated before going into battle. It was this hesitation that forced Deborah to lead the armies and along with Jael receive the honor and glory that came with the victory. The commentary makes a very pointed remark that Israel’s leadership at that time was bankrupt. These are not politically correct statements but rather statements indicating that those who served their self-interest before they served God were doomed to defeat, even when the enemy was against God.

Deborah’s leadership abilities came from her being with God, of understanding where God was in her life. With God in her life, she had the wisdom and understanding to make the decisions to lead the nation. Those who lead must understand that leadership does not mean doing everything themselves. Nor does it mean simply telling others what must be done.

Paul reminds us that our actions are done both in the name of God and with God’s presence in our lives. We cannot bear the breastplate of righteousness if God is not with us. But more importantly, we cannot do things alone. Paul also writes that we work together as one for the community, not as a community of individuals.

So it is that we come to this place. It is all right to look over our shoulder and see where we have been. Perhaps it is all right to think about what might have been down the other path. But we have chosen to walk this path and we have chosen to walk it with and in the company of the Lord.

John Kennedy was fond of quoting a statement about service, one that speaks to the present time and place.

“In every age there comes a time when leadership suddenly comes forth to meet the needs of the hour. And so there is no man who does not find his time, and there is no hour that does not have its leader.” (The Talmud)

This is such a time and this is such a place. This is a call for each of us to take on a new meaning of service, for we do things not for ourselves and ourselves alone but because we are a part of a renewed community of Christ, seeking to show the light of Christ to the world. To all that serve and who have served, we say thank you.

Perhaps we have not yet figured out what it is that we can do; then the call is to accept Jesus Christ into one’s heart and allow him through the Holy Spirit to guide and direct your life. Perhaps you know what it is that you want to do but are afraid; again, the call is to accept Jesus Christ into your heart and allow him through the Holy Spirit to guide and direct your life. And others will find that the call this day is to renew your covenant with the Lord, taking on the tasks present before you, accompanied by the Holy Spirit.

What Will You Do?

Posted on by
Reply

This is the message I presented at Walker Valley on the 25th Sunday after Pentecost, November 14, 1999.  The Scriptures were Judges 4: 1 – 7, 1 Thessalonians 5: 1 – 11 , and Matthew 25: 14 – 20.

———————————————

The reading from the Old Testament today comes at an interesting time in Israel’s history. It was the time between the leadership of Moses and Joshua and the rise of the great Israelite kings.

This was also a time, as was noted in the beginning of the reading when Israel was straying from its path with God. As God had promised, as we heard in the covenant made last week, when the people of Israel strayed, God would not protect them. But when they followed God, then God protected them and helped their armies defeat their enemies.

At this time, leadership came from a group of individuals collectively known as judges, though the people wanted a king just like the countries around them. Never mind that God had said He would be their once and future King, if other countries had a king, they wanted one too. We may think of judges as something like magistrates or county executives who oversaw the daily activities of the nation. But these judges were more than simple county executives; their powers were note simply limited to the executive branch but included the legislative, judicial, and sometimes military branches as well.

Judges did not get their position through election by the people or through hereditary; they were called to serve and empowered by God.

The acknowledged leader of Israel at this time was Deborah. Now, at this time, Israel and the other ancient societies around it were patriarchal in nature. All the leadership positions, be they priests, town elders, military leaders, or simply just the head of households were occupied by men. What counted most, then, in the selection of Deborah to serve, as the judge at this time, was not her gender but rather her gifts and talents and her calling by God to serve.

And even today, what counts the most are not the limitations placed on people by society and societal views but how God enables us to work.

That is the meaning of the Gospel message for today. The passage for today is often used for financial reasons because the talent referred to was a unit of money. But I like to think of the word in its broadest sense, the gifts and abilities one has to use.

For even if we have but one talent, if we fail to use that talent, then we will have gained nothing. But, on the other hand, if we use those talents that we have, then we find that our abilities and capabilities quickly expand and we gain more from our use of those talents.

And even if we simply have one talent, should we not use that talent to its fullest ability? Suppose all that you can do is say hello to someone. Just because you don’t know that person, is that a reason to not say hello? The story is told of a church that received a check from a lawyer representing the estate of one individual. The check was of such a size that it could be used as a down payment for the parsonage that the church was contemplating buying. And why did this church get a check of such a value from an individual no one knew? Because that individual had once visited that church and people had stopped and said hello. Even the simple talent of saying hello can provide many great rewards.

But against that backdrop is the fact that we sometimes view this use of our talents with cynicism. This last week we celebrated Veterans’ Day. It is a time when I think of honored veterans, the men and women, buried alongside the members of my family, my grandfather who served in the Army during World War I and through 1943 and my father who served in the Air Force during World War II and through 1964, at Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery in St. Louis. Was not the only talent many of them had a willingness to serve?

On March 22, 1980, paramilitary forces in La Paz, Bolivia assassinated a Jesuit priest by the name of Luis Espinal. Shortly before his death, he wrote the following mediation

There are Christians who have hysterical reactions, as if the world would have slipped out of God’s hands.

They act violently as if they were risking everything.

But we believe in history; the world is not a roll of the dice going towards chaos.

A new world has begun to happen since Christ has risen. . .

Jesus Christ, we rejoice in your definitive triumph . . . with our bodies still in the breach and our souls in tension, we cry out our first “Hurrah!” till eternity unfolds itself.

Your sorrow now has passed.

Your enemies have failed.

You are a definitive smile for humankind.

What matter the wait now for us?

We accept the struggle and the death; because you, our love, will not die!

We march behind you, on the road to the future.

You are with us and you are our immortality!

Take away the sadness from our faces.

We are not in a game of chance . . .

You have the last word!

Beyond the crushing of our bones, now has begun the eternal “alleluia!”

From the thousand openings of our wounded bodies and souls there arises now a triumphal song!

So, teach us to give voice to your new life throughout all the world.

Because you dry the tears from the eyes of the oppressed forever . . . and death will disappear.

I do not know why Father Espinal was assassinated though I can imagine it was because of the message he preached and the challenge he presented to the people of his community. Against that backdrop, it is very easy for us to say “Let others do it, it is too great a task for me.”

But we cannot get off that lightly. Even if we are not called to serve in the world, there are problems here in New York that demands our attention and presence. To be a presence in this world is a daunting enough challenge. We are just a little church, in the hills of New York. How can we do anything?

First of all, if the statistics that I am familiar with are still relatively the same, we are not a small church but rather a medium-sized one. Second, borrowing from Pastor Paul Rosa of the New Prospect Church down the road, who wrote in his church’s most recent newsletter,

A small church is not necessarily one “one the way” to becoming a megachurch. And we certainly should not measure our ministry by statistics. But, there is no faking it, no anonymity in a Wee Kirk. No hiding behind a busy program schedule and four-color brochures. What we must offer to the Lord and show to the world is a community that is visibly different, bearing witness in our lives, relationships, and conduct that our Lord is the one who died and rose again, to heal our broken lives and cultures.

Our work today cannot be accomplished solely through what we think we might do. There are times that we, like the people of Israel, so many years ago, wish for a strong leader to guide them and direct them. Listen carefully to the political rhetoric of the coming campaign and you will hear that call. But, should we not look at what we can do.

That is part of the reason why I put that insert in today’s bulletin. That may not be a comprehensive list of talents that one can use and it is certainly not a comprehensive list of areas where one can use those talents, but it is a start. And as we begin the planning for the coming year, I want you to think about how you can use the talents that you have to help this church and make its presence in the community a stronger one.

It is a frightening thought, I am sure, to do what the Lord commands you, not someone else, to do. So many of the leaders of the past often thought that God wanted someone else to do His work. But when God calls you to serve, as he called each of the judges, it is because it is your talents, your skills and abilities that are needed at this time.

Yes, it is frightening. But Paul told the people of Thessalonians to “put on the breastplate of faith and love” and wear as a helmet “the hope of salvation”, not as decorations to be worn and displayed for all to see but rather as the source of strength for one’s work in this world.

You have the list of talents before you; there is a category for other talents not listed. You have the list of places where those talents can be used as well as a category of “other” in case there are areas that are not listed. My friends, the question before you this day is “What Will You Do?” with the talents you have?

The Next Step

Posted on by
1

Here are my thoughts for the 26th Sunday after Pentecost, 9 November 2008.  The Scriptures for today are Joshua 24: 1- 3a, 14 – 25,  1 Thessalonians 4: 13 – 18, and Matthew 25: 1 – 13.

——————————

Last week marked the completion of two long-term events.  One was local; the other national.  The national event was, of course, the Presidential election; the more local event was a completion of a study of the Book of Revelations.  The one thing that came out of the study was that it is not the doom and gloom book that is so often the public perception.  Nor is it a predictor of things to inevitably come; it may be more a descriptor of things to come if we do not do certain things.

There are those, of course, who are predicting gloom and doom for the coming years because of the election and its outcome.  The rhetoric against the new administration has already begun, even though the new administration does not take office for two months.  And the rhetoric is not just from one side of the political spectrum but both.  While there are those who feel that too much is going to be done, there are also others who feel that not enough is going to be done.

But no where in this dialogue is there any discussion about what the people will do.  And I think this is the one thing that was missed.  If John the Seer foresaw death and destruction in his vision outlined in Revelations, it was because he saw a group of people unwilling to work for the completion of God’s Plan on earth.  He saw a people who would let the world around them fall into decay with people going hungry and sick, homeless and naked.  He saw a world where oppression was on the rise and the people willing participants in its ascendancy.

The Old Testament reading for today (Joshua 24: 1 – 3a, 14 – 25) tells us about the people of Israel making a covenant with God, that they will follow God and that they will never forsake God.  Yet, we know that is exactly what the people will, time and time again, not do.  They will leave God behind; they will forsake God; they will find other gods to worship.

And what are we doing today?  We are, as were the people of Israel some three thousand years ago, witnesses to our own actions.  We see what is going on but we would rather complain bitterly about what is happening rather than take action.  Paul warns the people of Thessalonica that they need to be looking forward, not carrying on as if the world was already over. (1 Thessalonians 4: 13 – 18)

Now, you may say to me that Paul is writing about the Second Coming and how those who are Christ’s disciples on earth will receive their rewards.  I won’t deny that but Paul is also pointing out (as he did in other letters) that we cannot get hung up on that point.  Excuse me for pointing out the obvious but if we stop moving forward, we cannot get where we want to go.  Those who quit working for the kingdom because they think that the time is at hand will not get to the kingdom or receive its rewards.  John the Seer made the same point in Revelations.  Just because we say we are believers does not guarantee us salvation if we do nothing but stand aside and let the world destroy itself.

We have become a society of quick fixes, instant gratification, and self-centeredness.  We want the benefits of a good society but we are unwilling to pay for the benefits.  We want the rights of citizenship without the responsibility.  We want it all but we want others to pay for it.  We have become a society of the foolish virgins in today’s Gospel reading (Matthew 25: 1 – 13); we are unprepared for the problems that we have to face and we expect quick solutions will solve problems that have been developing over the past few years (and I am not talking just about the past eight years or so).

The coming years are going to be a challenge; there is no way that the problems that we have right now are going to be solved immediately or in the next 100 days or perhaps in the next 1000 days.  The problems are far too complicated to be easily and quickly solved.

We are faced with an energy crisis and the answer is not going to be drilling for more oil wherever it may be located.  The answer lies in seeking other solutions but other solutions also take time and money, factors we seem to generally ignore.  World hunger is on the rise, so the answer is to grow more food.  But growing more food requires more land and more fertilizer.  To get more farm land, we destroy forests; more fertilizer requires more of the resources that we need to solve our energy crisis.  Each problem that we are faced with has a solution; but we have to stop and think first, not act and hope that what we do right now is correct.  We have to remember that the earth’s resources are finite.

The prophet Jeremiah once told us to stand at the crossroads and look at the paths before us.  One of these paths is the true path, the right path; the other looks good but is filled with trouble and turmoil.  Choose the path you wish to walk, Jeremiah told the people.  Choose the true path, he cried, but the people refused.

That is where we are right now.  We are at a crossroads in this journey of life.  There are some who would wish to turn back and return to the place from whence they come; turn back into a life of slavery to sin and death.

There are some who will profess faith and loyalty to God, just as the people of Israel did on the plain of Shechem some three thousand years ago.  But they will quickly choose another god to follow and the path they walk will lead to death and destruction. 

Some will choose an easy path to walk because that is what they think is the path to the Promised Land.  They will keep the things they have and tell others in need to get it on their own.  Their easy path will quickly become very difficult.

Some will seek to walk the path to the Promised Land but want others to carry them while they are able to walk.

Others will choose the one true Path.  It will not be an easy path to walk and it will be filled with many hardships and much turmoil.  Along the way, they will find themselves helping others who do not have as much as they do.

So we stand at the crossroads, preparing to take the next step.  What will it be?

And Now It Begins

Posted on by
4

Much is going to be written and much is going to be said about the election of Barack Obama in 2008.  Those that are on the right and left of him are going to be saying what was right about this election and what was wrong about this election. 

There are some who will say that they are going to hold President-elect Obama to his campaign promises and that is great!  That is the way it should be.  But where were these people eight years ago and then again four years ago?

Regardless of what is written and said, the discussions and the words written will focus on last Tuesday and not the coming two years, when the next major election is held.  And unless something dramatic and, dare I say, radical is done, the “off-year” election in 2010 and the Presidential election in 2012 will be more of the same.

Unless there is a serious and thoughtful discussion of the problems and issues facing this society, this country, and this planet the elections of 2010 and 2012 will do little to change the direction we are headed and the path upon which we walk.  I wish it were as simple as saying that we need elections that are not based on fear and ignorance, but that would be to ignore the nature of past elections (not just the 2008 election but elections of many years past).

I think that the problem is that we, as the people, have forgotten the basics that we were once taught in school.  In the 2000 election, many people could not understand how it was that Al Gore could win the popular vote yet not be President.  Yet, if they remembered studying the Constitution, they would have at least remembered hearing the term “electoral college”.  Unfortunately, with the nature of society, most people are not going to think about a college unless it plays in a bowl game on New Year’s Day or makes it to “March Madness”.

It is clear that we do not think much about the election process.  The Republicans made the argument that the House of Representatives and the Senate should not be controlled by the Democrats in order to insure that there was not an “electoral dictatorship” for the next two years.  Yet, in making this argument, they conveniently forgot that from 2000 to 2006 that is exactly what we had. 

It is clear that we don’t think much, period.  If the problem cannot be fit into a short sound bite, we do not what to think about it.  We want fast food, cheap gas, and an easy life.  We want everything but it seems as if we do not want to pay for it.

The issues that face this country are complex and cannot be discussed in short sound bites.  They are issues that many times transcend state lines and national boundaries.  We are all angry that jobs are being outsourced to other localities, be it to non-union states or foreign countries.  Yet we want low-cost, high-quality goods (which seems to me to be impossible if not impractical).

We want illegal immigration stopped yet we do not want to help the countries from where the immigrants come create jobs there.  And we are not particularly crazy about taking the low-paying, labor-intensive jobs that only immigrants (legal or illegal) take.  And the laws against illegal immigrants do nothing against the employers. 

We want quality health-care but we seem to think that health-care is a privilege rather than a right.  We complain about the rising costs of health-care and it seems to be one of the “hot-button” issues in management-labor discussions when work contracts come up.  We still haven’t learned, despite all the evidence, that preventing sickness is cheaper than curing it. A healthy nation is a productive nation; a productive nation is a wealthy nation.

We are faced with an energy crisis.  We heard the mantra of “drill, baby drill” throughout the past election.  Is more crude oil that is to be refined into gasoline actually the answer?  Or is the development of more fuel-efficient vehicles and the expansion of alternative forms of energy a better answer?  We might even create an entire industry worth in the neighborhood of 5 million jobs; jobs that would pay Americans a decent wage.

Right now, the automotive industry is struggling but it is struggling because it offers vehicles that people cannot afford.  Is our economic future tied to the sale of SUV-type and large fuel-inefficient vehicles?

I could continue because there are so many issues where what we say we want runs counter to what we are willing to seek.  And quite honestly, it seems to me that we are asking for more than we should have.  That is not to say that we should strive for more; to paraphrase what Robert Browning once wrote, “a person’s grasp should exceed their reach, or what is heaven for?”

But is a society where only some are able to grasp or even try to reach a society in which all can live?  Is a society which only thinks of tomorrow or only has the capability of living until tomorrow a society that can survive into the coming years?  We must begin thinking not of ourselves or tomorrow but of all peoples and for the coming years.  We need long term vision, not short term goals.

This is not a call for a discussion of political principles, per se.  It is a call to begin thinking and working to make sure that everyone on this planet has a decent quality of life, regardless of their race, their religion, or their economic status.

The election is over, so let us begin the process of working together for the people of the world.

————————-

Cross-posted to RedBlueChristian

The First Tuesday in November

Posted on by
Reply

This is the day that the American Revolution was about – the chance for the people of the country to have a say in the government of the the country.  Now, in the case of today’s Presidential election, we are not voting for the candidate of our choice but rather for a slate of electors representing the candidate of our choice but we are voting to give those individuals direction as to how to cast such votes.  Still, we are directly voting for a representative in the House of Representatives and in some states we are voting for Senators as well.  There are other elections at the state and local level as well.

Ours in the only country that has repeatedly and consistently transferred the power of the people from one political party to another through the voting process.  It is a demonstration of the democratic process that this country stands for.Let us hope that this election, no matter the outcome, is a safe election, a fair election, and what it is meant to be, the voice of the people.  It is clear that there are differences between the candidates but that is the nature of the system and that is why we have an election.  Let us pray, not for our candidate to win, but for the election to be fair and unquestioned.

If you feel that you must use illegal or unethical means to achieve the results you desire, remember that, no matter whether you are caught and judged in this time, there is a special place in the after-life for you and that you will have to answer for your actions when the time comes.

What I know is this: if you are registered to vote and you do not vote, you have failed in your duty and responsibility as a citizen. You may believe that your vote does not have an impact on the direction that this country will take in the coming two to four years but, excuse me for being blunt, you are wrong.  Your vote does count and your failure to vote means that you have forfeited your right to say anything about what the government does and does not do in the next few years.

So vote!

The Time Is Now

Posted on by
1

This is the message I presented at Tompkins Corners UMC on the 25th Sunday after Pentecost, November 10, 2002.  The Scriptures were Joshua 24: 1 -3a, 14 – 25, 1 Thessalonians 4: 13 – 18, and Matthew 15: 1 – 13.

——————————————-

In the three or so years that I have lived in New York I have attended or participated in at least six weddings. The old adage that the more things change, the more they remain the same certainly applies to weddings. No matter whether it is the 21st century or the early days of the Christian era, planning a wedding is a long and time-consuming process.

There are a number of weddings mentioned in the Gospels. Jesus’ very first miracle was performed at the wedding in Cana when he changed the water into wine at the behest of his mother (John 2: 1 – 3). This was more than a simple social error since the family had the obligation to provide a feast of the socially required standard. I am sure there are mothers around today who can relate to the panic that must have run through the bride’s family that day.

On more than one occasion Jesus spoke of the wedding feast and the preparation that went into planning a wedding of that time. Notes from that time tell us that the wedding planning began a year in advance with a marriage contract between the bride and groom. A year later the groom went to the bride’s house where the bride was presented to him. This was followed by a procession to the groom’s home where a festive wedding banquet was held. This banquet could last up to a week, depending on the resources of the groom.

Some weeks ago, the Gospel reading spoke of the wedding and noted that invitations had been sent to the guests over a year before the actual wedding in order that the guests could make preparations. We are reminded that Jesus used this story to remind those listening to him that His coming had been announced long before Jesus came to Galilee. The second invitation was to let the invitees know that the time had come for them to come to the wedding. Again, Jesus used that analogy to announce that now was the time of His coming.

In the Gospel reading for today, the ten virgins are waiting for the procession of the bride and groom from the wedding to the groom’s house for the feast. The use of the lamps is necessary because this procession was typically a nighttime one. The five wise virgins are complimented and rewarded for the preparation while the five who were not so wise are punished for their lack of wisdom, for their squandering of what had been given to them. Just as it would be embarrassing for the family to run out of food or drink at the banquet, so too must it have been embarrassing for those five to be shut out of the wedding festivities.

But the message we must take from this is our preparation for the coming of the Lord. Our preparation must begin from the moment we know that Jesus is our Savior; it cannot wait for the moment when we really need His presence. We know that Jesus is part of our lives; we do not know when the time will come when we will meet Him.

The Thessalonians expressed a concern that they would not be a part of the Second Coming of Christ. They had mistakenly thought that only those who were alive at the time of the coming of Christ would witness and share in the glory of it. The fact is that Christians who have died will be raised first and so go before the living to the gathering in the sky. In writing this portion of the letter, Paul is looking for a practical and immediate response to the great doctrinal teaching of the Second Coming. We, like the Thessalonians, should remind each other of the truth of Christ’s presence as a source of comfort in times of death and stress. Paul wrote “Therefore encourage one another with these words” (1 Thessalonians 4: 13 – 18) in the present tense so that they would be a constant comfort as we do wait for the time to come.

But what shall we do while we wait. Do we sit back and let everything go? Or do we take a stand against the forces that distract us from this simple basic truth?

The Old Testament reading today comes at the end of Joshua’s time as the leader of the Israelites. Joshua’s words are an appeal to Israel to choose between God and the many false substitutes around them. If they were not to choose God, if they were not to serve the Lord, then they would have to choose between the gods that their ancestors had worshipped or the gods of the people who lived around Israel. It is a fitting tribute to his leadership that Joshua clearly and unambiguously takes the side of the living God. Joshua showed that a leader must be willing to move ahead and commit to the truth regardless of the people’s inclination.

In response, the people acknowledged that all that had transpired was because of God and that all that they had gained was because of God’s presence in their lives. To remember God and what He had done was to insure that they would continue to serve Him. But history also shows that the people of Israel were quick to forget what it was that God had done for them. Joshua’s challenge that day is to make the commitment to serve God more than a statement but rather the basis for action. This challenge is given to us today as well.

When John Wesley began his ministry after Aldersgate, Joseph Butler, Bishop of Bristol, confronted him:

Butler – “You have no business here. You are not commissioned to preach in this diocese. Therefore I advise you to go hence.”

Wesley – “My lord, my business on earth is do what good I can. Wherever therefore I think I can do most good, there must I stay so long as I think so. At present I think I can do most good here. Therefore here I stay.“ (Frank Baker, “John Wesley and Bishop Butler: A Fragment of John Wesley’s Manuscript Journal)

Wesley knew that his ministry would not be defined by the place but by the time and that to delay the time would delay the ministry. If one is to find success in their own ministry, it will because they do not wait for the moment or rely on the past. We cannot wait for a time that is at our convenience; we must act when the time is now.

It is possible to come to this table today without worrying about tomorrow. It is possible that our ministry will never be called up. But those are possibilities that can never be considered, for to do so would be to make everything Jesus said and did meaningless in our lives today.

We can never know when that invitation to heavenly banquet will be received and neither should we ever worry about that. What we do know is that, like the Israelites so many years ago, when the torch of leadership was passed to a new generation, that we must renew the covenant first made by the blood of young lambs shed for Passover and then by the blood of the Lamb on the cross at Calvary.

The time is now to say that we will serve the Lord our God with our heart, our mind, and our body.

 

Who Shall Serve?

Posted on by
1

This is the message I presented at Walker Valley on the 24th Sunday after Pentecost, November 7, 1999.  The Scriptures were Joshua 24: 1 -3a, 14 – 25, 1 Thessalonians 4: 13 – 18, and Matthew 15: 1 – 13.

————————————

When I was looking at the scriptures for this month and thinking about what I would entitle each of my sermons, I saw a theme of service and commitment. Granted, I was also working with the nominations and personnel committee and there is a connection between what that committee does and how I interpreted the scriptures,

Congregations tend to get leery when they hear that their preacher is planning on preaching about service to the church because that means, as often as not, that the preacher is going to preach about money. For many people today equate service to the church to mean how much money they should give to the church.

But that is not what this sermon is about. The time is not right for me to preach, if I were so inclined, to do so. Maybe, just maybe, after we had determined the budget for the coming year, I will preach on the subject of money and one’s giving to the church but I seriously doubt that I will.

There are a number of reasons why I will not do so. First, of all, solely preaching about money ignores the fact that it is only one part of the commitment, you made to the church when you first joined and which you reaffirm each time some else joins the church or, as last week, when someone is baptized. At that time we affirm that we will “faithfully participate in the ministries of the church by our prayers, our presence, our gifts, and our service.”

Second, one of the reasons given by visitors as to why they did not come back to a church or join it after visiting it is that they almost always asked to contribute financially to the church. It should be expected that all members and regular attendees contribute to the church, either through tithing or reasonable giving, but the financial committee should never be the first group that a church member, new or old, meets.

And, given the opportunity, most congregations would rather that their pastor preach on evangelism before preaching about giving, but it is always with the proviso to go easy on the topic.

Service to the church is much more than simply attending on Sundays and giving something when the offering is passed. It is about giving of one’s self and one’s time. Throughout this month, the nominations and personnel committee will be contacting people to fill vacancies in the administrative council and various committees of the church. The administration of the church is as much the work of the church, and even more so for Walker Valley.

One other thing that successful churches do is they make sure that someone other than the pastor greets any visitors to the church. For visitors to return, they must feel welcome and that can only occur when other members of the church make them feel welcome.

I am not limiting the role of the pastor. For it is up to the pastor to make that second call. It is just that in our case, the congregation must help make that first call. And I would add that when I have the visitor’s name and address (and cards for that purpose are in the back), I make sure that a letter from the church is sent to them.

Service to the church is perhaps the most important part of a church’s growth. Service is what the Old Testament reading is about. Joshua tells the assembled people of Israel

But if serving the Lord seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your forefathers served beyond the River on the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord. (Exodus 24: 15)

As I read that passage, I could not help but think of another call to service made in 1775. On March 23rd of that year, Patrick Henry stood before Virginia’s House of Burgesses and gave a speech, the concluding paragraph many of know and perhaps had to memorize while in high school. But the speech is more than that concluding paragraph.

It is a challenge to the men sitting there to think about what was going on in that country at that time and to determine what it was they were going to do. Should the people of Virginia join in the fight for liberty and freedom or should they sit back and hope for a settlement of the issues that divided England from its colonies and even the people of the colonies themselves?

The questing before the House is one of awful moment to this country. For my own part, I consider it as nothing less than a question of freedom or slavery; and in proportion to the magnitude of the subject ought to be the freedom of the debate. It is only in this way that we can hope to arrive at truth, and fulfill the great responsibility which we hold to God and our country. Should I keep back my opinions at such a time, through fear of giving offense, I should consider myself as guilty of treason towards my country, and of an act of disloyalty toward the Majesty of Heaven, which I revere above all earthly kings.

One could ask why we, safe in the freedom earned by the victory some two hundred and twenty-three years ago, care what Patrick Henry said. Because his call for action, just like the challenge brought forth by Joshua on the backs of the river Jordan holds true today.

Shall we sit back and watch as the winds of change sweep through our society, hoping that we will be able to survive them? Patrick Henry said,

Mr. President, it is natural to man to indulge in the illusions of hope. We are apt to shut our eyes against a painful truth, and listen to the song of that siren till she transforms us into beasts. Is this the part of wise men, engaged in a great and arduous struggle for liberty? Are we disposed to be of the number of those who, having eyes, see not, and, having ears, hear not, the things which so nearly concern their temporal salvation? For my part, whatever anguish of spirit it may cost, I am willing to know the whole truth; to know the worst, and to provide for it.

Joshua asked the people of Israel to choose between their past and their future; Patrick Henry asked the people of Virginia to do the same. And as we come to the end of this year, so to must we choose. As you know from the children’s sermon, I got a mailing from the District Superintendent the other day. His letter to the pastors and congregations of the district was about thinking about the role of the church in tomorrow’s society and how each individual church can fill that role. Rev. Winkleblack’s words were to “think outside the box”, to think of ways that service can be accomplished outside the traditional means. This is a challenge that many are uncomfortable with. They like their church the way it is.

But in a society that moves forward, it is very difficult for a church that remains in the past, both secularly and spiritually, to survive, let alone grow. I wondered how I was going to fit the reading from the Epistle with the Old Testament and Gospel readings for today. But as I read Paul’s words to the Thessalonians, I felt that he was telling those people that as we go forward, we cannot forget the past, we cannot forget those who worked so hard to insure that there would be a church for those in the future. For in going forward to the future, we insure that our past is more than just memories.

But we cannot operate a church based entirely on a fact of the past, namely, the life death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, which is proclaimed on the basis of the witness of the apostles as the salvation of men and the source of hope? A church that does so has no vision of the future, only of the past.

The church of the future does not ignore the death and resurrection of Jesus. After all, that is the cornerstone of our faith. But we need to see Jesus as the coming Christ who offers us hope for the future. Just as we can look back to the death and resurrection, so to should we look forward to the time when He will fulfill His promise to make the world a new Heaven and a new earth. We need to provide the means by which others can come to Christ.

Perhaps many years ago, churches could be successful by operating only on Sundays. But that is no longer the case. Churches need to reach out in society. When John Wesley began his ministry, there were others who cried out from the pulpit with concerns for the lower classes and the poor. But it was done with the assumption that the only way for them to be saved was to emulate the upper classes. But Wesley believed that it was not necessary for the working class to be like the upper classes; that to be saved was not simply a matter of a better life style. It was and should be the role of the church to enable all people to find their way to Christ.

So today, we must choose. Who shall you serve? And who shall serve the church? The difficult part about making such a decision is that you have no time to think about it. The meaning of the Gospel reading for today is very clear; one cannot foretell the time of Christ’s coming so it is one’s best interest to be ready. To wait and see what might happen is not an option.

Yes, it can be frightening. After all, think of what must have been going on in Patrick Henry’s mind when he so emphatically proclaimed,

It is in vain, sir, to extenuate the matter. Gentlemen may cry, Peace, Peace– but there is no peace. The war is actually begun! The next gale that sweeps from the north will bring to our ears the clash of resounding arms! Our brethren are already in the field! Why stand we here idle? What is it that gentlemen wish? What would they have? Is life so dear, or peace so sweet, as to be purchased at the price of chains and slavery? Forbid it, Almighty God! I know not what course others may take; but as for me, give me liberty or give me death!

To stand there and say those words was tantamount to a death sentence if the revolution failed. The people of Israel told Joshua

Far be it for us that we should forsake the Lord to serve other gods; for it is the Lord our God who brought us and our 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 the Lord drove out before us all the peoples, the Amorites who lived in the land. Therefore we also will serve the Lord, for he is our God.”

But Joshua warned them what would happen if they failed to serve God

“You cannot serve the Lord, for he is a holy God. He is a jealous God; he will not forgive your transgression or your sins. If you forsake the Lord and serve foreign gods, then he will turn and do you harm, and consume you, after having done you good.”

So the people affirmed what they had said, that they would serve God.

“No, we will serve the Lord!” Then Joshua said to the people, “You are witnesses against yourselves that you have chosen the Lord, to serve him.” And they said, “We are witnesses.” He said, “Then put away the foreign gods that are among you and incline your hearts to the Lord, the God of Israel.” The people said to Joshua, “The Lord our God we will serve, and him we will obey.”

Think about the affirmation that you made last week. Will you serve God with your prayers, your presence, your gifts, and your service? Are you willing to serve if asked. If you are not a member, are you prepared to join? The church of the future is one in which all members work for the common goal. When asked “who shall serve?” are you capable of saying, as did Joshua, “As for me, I choose to serve God.”

Why Am I A Lay Speaker?

Posted on by
Reply

Elaine Winward, the chair of my district’s lay speaking committee, asked me to write some thoughts down on the development of my ministry for use in a Ministry Fair at Jesse Lee Memorial United Methodist Church (location of the church).

I posted them to another page (“Why Am I A Lay Speaker”)of the blog since they are more in keeping with that page rather than the weekly stuff that I post

This isn’t so much why I am a lay speaker but more of how I came to the ministry that I do. 

Where Shall You Stand?

Posted on by
1

This Sunday, the 25th Sunday after Pentecost, I am  at Dover United Methodist Church in Dover Plains, NY (Location of church).  The service starts at 11.  The Scriptures for this Sunday are Joshua 3: 7 – 17, 1 Thessalonians 2: 9 – 13, and Matthew 23: 1 – 12.

——————————-

This sermon is being prepared at a time when we are preparing for the singular most political act of our life and at a time when we quietly (perhaps too quietly) remember those who have fallen on the field of battle.  Whether we wish it to be or not, Election Day is somehow intertwined with Veteran’s Day; for those we have elected in the past and those we elect next Tuesday and in elections to come will have, in some part, the command of those who have died or will die on fields of battle.

Our thoughts of wars to come should be tempered by our thoughts of wars past.  Yet, it would seem that we would rather not think about them at all.  We have turned our commemoration of Memorial Day into a celebration of summer and we barely even know what the significance of the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month means or why Armistice Day is now called Veterans’ Day. 

We are fighting in at least two wars overseas right now yet we see or hear nothing related to the costs in human terms or the future of this country.  A war against terror cannot be fought on traditional battlefields with traditional weapons; a war against terror is fought against the causes of terror including poverty, hunger, sickness and disease, oppression and inequality. We seem to blindly accept the words of our leaders that we are winning a war against terror but yet we still send troops overseas. 

We have also forgotten what Robert E. Lee said, “It is good that war is so horrible or we might grow to like it.”  General Lee also said “What a cruel thing is war: to separate and destroy families and friends, and mar the purest joys and happiness God has granted us in this world; to fill our hearts with hatred instead of love for our neighbors, and to devastate the fair face of this beautiful world.”

It is not a question of do we fight or should we fight; it is a question of how do we solve the problems of the world without resorting to violence and power.  This is not a statement of appeasement or capitulation; it is a statement that says we must seek solutions to war and violence before war and violence are given the chance to develop.  We know what causes war but what do we do to remove the causes of war from our lives?  We know that a group of people or a nation oppressed will seek to rise up so why do we not seek to remove the oppression?  We know that a people starving and impoverished will seek ways to find food and resources, so why do we not work together?  Yet, we willingly and easily listen to leaders who offer the blood and sacrifice of others in exchange for the promise of easy victory at no cost.  We accept those words because we see war as the ends to a mean, not a continuation of the process.

Yes, there are governments and there are people whom we may call evil.  We must work to see that such individuals do not dominate this world.  But, is using their ways the best way to defeat them?  Or, in using their ways, their methods, do we not become like them?

We see it in our political rhetoric today.  If we cannot win the people with our ideas, we will use their fears.  It is often much easier to cloak our opponents with the mantle of darkness and evil than it is to offer a new vision.  For a new vision can only be seen in the light of truth, justice, and equality; false teachings will quickly die in such light.

The other day I got a chance to hear Janis Ian speak about her career. In 1966, she recorded a song called “Society’s Child”. This was a very controversial song when it was released because it dealt with the subject of inter-racial dating. In her interview, Ms. Ian recounted how protesters almost drove her off the stage and out of the profession. But she continued to sing and during this one performance, when those who were protesting her song looked like they would attack her, the theater management shined lights on them. In that light, where others could see them, they quickly stopped their harassment and tried to hide. It has been said time and time again that false teachings will wither in the light of truth. This is but just one example.

In the 1960’s did we win more with the Peace Corps or our various military corps? Did our leaders then and do our leaders today understand what force can or cannot do?  Will those whom we elect in two days understand the outcome of their decisions and the effects that such decisions will have?

We have created a world in which hatred, violence, and war are seen as the solution to the problem rather than part of the problem.  It is time that we take a stand against this path; it is time that we take a stand for what is right.

I am not saying that we should say to the person whom we elect as Commander-in-Chief this Tuesday that they will be expected to lead our troops, the young men and women of this country, into the next big battle.  I am saying that whomever we elect must be prepared to do all that he can do to insure that such a battle doesn’t take place.  And that is a statement to each one of us that we must do all that we can do to insure that the next battle doesn’t take place.

And while we must demand that our leaders stand with us, we must stand against the changes we see in the world that lead us to more wars and more violence.

You will say to me that it is impossible for an individual to change the system that is so large that it threatens to dwarf us.  But to stand against poverty, against hunger, against sickness, against injustice and equality and for righteousness is more than dashing off letters to Congress or refusing to buy products that threaten the health and safety of both the buyer and the worker.

We need to invest energy in remembering what and how our spiritual ancestors stood against the corruption, the injustice and the oppression of their times.  Three thousand years ago, the prophet Amos spoke out against the direction society was headed.  It was a time when great wealth was flowing into the country but it was also a time when the rich were getting richer and the poor were getting poorer.  It was a time when the people did everything “right”; they tithed, they kept the Sabbath.  But the people, despite their apparent religiousness, ignored the poor and the downtrodden.

Is that not the truth today?  There are over two thousand verses in the Bible that deal with wealth and poverty and our responsibility to the poor; yet we ignore these words and say that any discussion is irrelevant to the problems of poverty and its effect on the poor.

If there is poverty, hunger, sickness, or oppression in this world; there will be violence and destruction, for violence and destruction grow out of poverty, hunger, sickness and oppression.  We cannot seek justice and equality in other lands if we do not seek justice and equality at home.  We cannot say that we need a strong defense for national security if there are people we are protecting who have nothing.  We have forgotten the lessons that tell us that we cannot have both guns and butter; we will have to learn that we need butter before we can have guns.

We cannot have a god that only serves us when we desire it to; we must also serve God when He demands that we do.  It is our Biblical faith that calls for those with “eyes to see” and “ears to hear” to stand with Jesus Himself on the behalf of those who cannot.

Henri J. M. Nouwen, in Making All Things New, wrote

The spiritual life is not a life before, after, or beyond our everyday existence.  No, the spiritual life can only be real when it is lived in the midst of the pains and joys of the here and now.  Therefore we need to begin with a careful look at the way we think, speak, feel, and act from hour to hour, day to day, week to week, and year to year, in order to become more fully aware of our hunger for the Spirit.  As long as we have only a vague inner feeling of discontent with our present way of living, and only an indefinite desire for “things spiritual,” our lives will continue to stagnate in a generalized melancholy.  We often say, “I am not very happy.  I am not content with the way my life is going.  I am not really joyful or peaceful, but I just don’t know how things can be different, and I guess that I have to be realistic and accept my life as it is.”  It is this mood of resignation that prevents us from actively searching for the life of the Spirit.

Our first task is to dispel the vague, murky feelings of discontent and to look critically at how we are living our lives. This requires honesty, courage, and trust.  We must honestly unmask and courageously confront our many self-deceptive games.  We must trust that our honesty and courage will lead us not to despair, but to a new heaven and a new earth.

When the Israelites crossed the River Jordan, the leaders were right there, in the middle of the River.  Joshua did not say to the Israelites, “cross the river where I show you.”  He stood in the river with the other leaders and said, “Now you can cross.”  The people could not have crossed the river until the appointed leaders carried the Ark of the Covenant into the River.  It was that direct involvement that insured that the people could cross.

Jesus spoke of leaders who would carry the burden instead of giving it to others to carry.  Jesus very bluntly points out that difference between the leaders and the people.  The leaders placed the burden on the people while taking all the glory.  And when it came time, Jesus carried the burden for all of us.  We come to the table today because that is what He did.

Jesus presented us with the concept of the servant-leader, the leader who didn’t stand in front of the people for the glory of the task and hide when the task was tough but rather was there with the people where the work needed to be done. Paul is pointing out that he and his companions in ministry did not expect “extra-special treatment” for what he was doing.  Paul also noted that he was pushing the people of Thessalonica to lead lives worthy of the glory of God.

We must take a stand today.  On the eve of the Armistice of the Great War, the war they said would end all wars but only caused more, that we will not only say we are against war but we will begin working to make sure that there are no more wars.  We will do that by saying that Gospel message to feed the hungry, heal the sick, find homes for the homeless and bring hope to the oppressed is more than just words in a book but the goal of life. We must give dignity and the means to a quality life to all people, not to just a few. Again, we recall that Jesus gave dignity and meaning to the life of those who sought Him after society had rejected them; so too are we called to do the same.

We remember that Christ called us to follow Him; we remember that He stood for us against slavery to sin and death.  He calls us to stand with Him today.  Where shall you stand?