" The Second Week In Our New Year"

Isaiah the Prophet 600 years before the prophecy is fulfilled he proclaims in chapter 9 verse 6 of his writings:

For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace.

 In the world you live in what does the word Peace mean for you?

The Hebrew word for peace is “Shalom” Anyone know its full meaning? 

Hebrew words often go far beyond our English interpretations. Each Hebrew word conveys feeling, intent and emotion. Shalom is more than just simply peace as we would say it in English; it is a complete peace. It is a feeling of contentment, completeness, wholeness, of well-being and harmony. “Shalom”

I want you to keep this passage in mind as we discuss today readings:  In “John 14:27  ²⁷ “Peace is what I leave with you; it is my own peace that I give you. I do not give it as the world does.”    

Dec 7 2014  Psalm 85 2 Peter 3: 8-15 Mark 1: 1-8

 Last Sunday we took a look at the Hope Advent 1 offers us.  Advent is the season to revisit, reflect, and marvel at the prophecy and the miracle that came to us as a babe in the manger, and the reasons for His coming.  One of the reasons was to give us hope and that hope resides in the fulfillment of a prophecy yet to happen, just as it was for our Jewish ancestors.  The arrival of the Christ child was the fulfillment as promised, a Messiah for the Jewish nation, truly the Prince of Peace.  The Messiah was to be their hope that would save them from the oppression and domination of the Roman Empire.   Our hope also lay within prophecy.  It is the promise that Jesus will return, however that might occur and free us from our bondage to a modern day worldly Empire that is clearly running out of control.  We can see how this worldly Empire works in today’s world economy, within corporations, in governments, and religious groups and it’s not pretty folks.  Often you will find at their core, the Savior Syndrome.  People start with good intentions I’m sure, but as these tribal groups become institutions by gaining more and more power and control, they begin to see themselves the almighty authority. Those who want to lead us often portray themselves as masters of the turnaround.  In their minds, nothing good happens until “THEY” get to lead us, for they hold the truth.  Their promise is always that they can turn around the general incompetence of their competition.  The unspoken word is that they alone can SAVE us, and bring order out of our kayos.   Now I ask you to think about that folks, we see it dictatorships, it is there in democratic governments, it is in the church, you can even find it within ordinary folk,  and their lack of good sense is,  I know the truth and the way, trust me, I’m here to save you.    Jesus cautions us, there will be many a wolf in sheep’s clothing claiming to be your Shepherd.  Mark 13: 6.  I don’t know about you but it’s extremely easy for me to become prideful, allow my ego to rule, or to try and hide my predigests.  Are we not all venerable to these common human flaws?   John the Baptist admitted, I am not the way nor do to I claim to be your savior, I am his servant sent to prepare for His coming.   We today, who claim to be his followers, are called to prepare the way for Jesus’ return.  In fact, I believe that this is the complete essence of Advent.  We, the faithful, are to prepare the way for others, and it is not to the malls folks, but to the manger where our hope for a new world order really lay.      

That leads us to the Second gift in Advent, the gift of Peace and it asks us to consider a question.   Jesus said “Peace is what I leave with you; it is my own peace that I give you.  I do not give it as the world does.”  John 14: 27.  What is He telling us here?  I always thought I knew what peace meant, but Jesus claims that His peace is different from our understanding of peace, He claims it is a peace the world does not know.  So, may I suggest that we begin with the peace we do know?   After war or conflict our leaders make peace, right, but the peace has never lasted, why? Can anyone help me out here ---WHY?  {Discussion time}   Now I don’t know about you but in my own personal family, and in the many church families I have been a part of, there were many attempts to make peace but again it never lasted for long, something or someone always broke the peace.  Has that been your experience here on the Island too?   Are you with me Church!!!    There have been peace packs made with aboriginal peoples all over this world, but they too have not lasted?  WHY?  I think your getting the picture folks.  It would appear that we are incapable of bringing to the world a lasting peace on our own.  The peace we offer is somehow tainted, flawed or incomplete.  I think it is because we humans hold tight to our pride, often it is our ego that rules, and our jealously and predigests are often hidden and if we were honest with ourselves, you could probably add a few more flaws of the flesh to the list.   Now if I were to get stuck there, if I don’t grow by feeding on the word of God, I would be left with regret and despair, confusion and kayos.  But FOLKS the first gift we are offer in Advent, is the gift of HOPE.  With Jesus as our mentor there is always HOPE for change and a new beginning.  Let us not forget the prophecy that was written in Malachi 3:1 and fulfilled by God, that one of us would prepare the way for the Messiah, his name would be John the Baptist.   He would prepare the way for the Prince of Peace who offers His own peace, not to the world but first to the lowly shepherds and now to you.   It is an inner peace that can put out the fires of pride, ego, jealously, predigest, hatred, revenge.  It truly is an everlasting inner peace that the world cannot understanding, it opens the door so you can truly forgive your enemies.   If you haven’t accepted it for yourself first, how then, can you expect to show Jesus'  peace to your family, a neighbor or to the world?  For we cannot give to the world something we ourselves have not yet received.  If you don’t feel this inner peace yet, do not despair, keep doing good, for God is still seeking you, God wants you to receive all the Advent gifts.  That is why we get to celebrate Christmas over and over again. God doesn’t give up on us folks, God is persistent in the rescue of His children to the end of the ages our scriptures tell us.  Trust in Him, surrender to Him and embrace the prophecy for it will come to pass.       

 For those of us who have already begun to surrendered our pride, our ego, our religion, jealously, and our predigests we have a responsibility, to share what we have received from Bethlehem and bring Jesus’ Hope, Peace Joy and Love to the world.     Jesus said “ My peace I give to you” not to the world, but to you personally.   After you have accepted His offer you won’t have to tell others with words, Oh no, they will see it your contentment and your compassionate acts of love for your neighbor.   “Blessed are the peace makers for they shall be called the children of God”.     Jesus is telling us: “I am the Lord of Peace the only source for genuine Peace.  I give you this gift, not as something separate from Myself, but as part of who I am.”  You cannot just grab this blessing on the run folks.   You need to set aside time for focusing on Jesus and enjoying His Presence.  There you will begin to understand this gift He offers.

"Happy New Year Folks"

Did you know that Advent is the first week in the New Year for Christians?  Well Happy News Year folks.   

So I challenge you to take the next four weeks before Christmas and make at least one New Year’s resolution per week.  The first resolution will come from the word Hope, because the first Sunday in Advent asks us to ponder our Hope for this season.  

We often struggled with this word hope because we cannot hope for something we already know or already have experienced.  May I suggest that for many, the Christmas season is very venerable to repeated traditions we already know or have experienced, making it very hard for the first word of Advent “Hope” to take root in us?

So!! What is it that you HOPE for this Christmas?    

 Nov 30 2014

Advent One:  Readings: Isaiah 64:1-9  Psalm # 80, 1 Corth.1: 3-9 Mark 13:24-37

It may sound strange but many people I speak with these days have expressed an uneasiness about the holiday season?  That the secular buying and celebrations have taken over president from its original meaning.  How many of us here today really look upon the season as a time of rest and reflection as central to the season?   A time of hope with great anticipation that something new and exciting is going to be birthed in your life.  It is about a birth you know, no pun intended!  

How many of us have said or have heard others say they actually are not looking forward to Christmas at all?  What is wrong with this picture folks!!!?

Surprisingly I hear these statements coming from regular church going folks.  So then, why has this season become for so many, a season of burnout, sickness, and depression, not a season of hope, of well being with the enthusiasm and   excitement of new beginnings?   As I mentioned earlier for us it is the beginning of a new year in the church.  It should be for us at least, a time of resolutions for our New Year.

I don’t know about you, but for me, I often find it difficult to understand God's perceptions of our world, but we certainly know we are out of sync with God’s precepts.   Let me give you a cute example of mans perception verses God’s perception.   One day, little Jimmy was laying on a hill in the middle of a meadow on a warm spring day.  Puffy white clouds rolled by and he pondered their shape.  Are you with me Church, have you ever been there?  Soon, he began to think about God.   "God?  Are you really there?" Jimmy shouted out loud.  To his astonishment a voice came from the clouds. "Yes, Jimmy? What can I do for you?"   Seizing the opportunity, Jimmy asked, "God? What is a million years like to you?"   Knowing that Jimmy could not understand the concept of infinity, God responded in a manner to which Jimmy could relate. "A million years to me, Jimmy, is like a minute."  "Oh," said Jimmy. "Well, then, what's a million dollars like to you?" "A million dollars to me, Jimmy, is like a penny."   "Wow!" remarked Jimmy with excitement, "I’ve heard that you are a generous God, could you please give me one or your pennies?"   God replied, "Sure thing, Jimmy! Just wait a minute.   Little Jimmy wasn't ready for how God sees things was he?   What about you, are you ready for a new way of thinking when it comes to Christmas and the season of Advent?   Are you waiting with hope and anticipation that God will revile a new perspective for you this year?  Don’t you want things to change so something exciting can happen to you this Christmas?    Often we repeat the same old traditions every year expecting it to be different, but hope cannot be found there.   The great Mathematician Einstein defined insanity as “doing the same thing over and over again expecting a different result."

Our text this morning from Mark seems an unlikely scripture for Advent but for the modern day church it is the place to start:  With hope and a promise for Jesus’ return, for that is what our modern day Christmas is supposed to be about folks.  

Our hope is not that the baby Jesus will come again, no! That event has already happened, our hope cannot be found there.   Our hope should be that the prophesy of his returning spirit will manifest itself in our hearts and we will begin to see the truth about our material Christmas and its celebrations that have gotten way, way out of hand folks.

As we approach the First Sunday of Advent this year, let us remember it was quite different for the Jewish people of Israel, why, because the events of our Christmas had not yet happened.  Their story of waiting with hope and anticipation certainly had nothing to do with Mary and Joseph, shepherds watching their flock or 3 Wise man from the east.   They were not waiting for a modern day Christmas, as our traditions have developed over the years:   they were waiting with hope for the fulfillment of a promise from the old testament or Hebrew scriptures and they waited believing in a generous God who would give them a Deliver.    Literally, there hope was for a Savior who would free them from their bondage and slavery to the Roman Empire that dictated their lives.   Is it not the same for us today folks, don’t we want to be saved from the shopping malls and the credit debt of Christmas, freed from traditional expectations and obligations that weigh us down and tire us out.   May I suggest we are to controlled by the world’s economy as empire.   How many of us here today can relate to our Jewish roots.   Many of us feel enslaved by expectations that are tied to the secular holiday and are not really connected to the spirit of the season.     The Jewish people were hoping for a Messiah and the promise of new world kingdom.    Is that not our hope too,  that a Savior might come once again and save us from this materialistic and violent world, in essence someone who can save us from ourselves and show us how precious we and life really are!!   

So I ask the question once again:  you wait with hope and anticipation for what?  Remembering that you cannot hope for something you already know or have.  Hope doesn’t exist there.  Where do I start you might ask?  Well!!   

There should be much more in our Advent than the retelling of the old, old story.   Advent is also about a new story in the making.  It is about your story, your life, your hope, your future.  It is about your personal relationship with God.   Jesus tells us to be awake and alert, for the day is coming when He will return to rule this new heaven and a new earth and he wants to find you as one of the builders of this new kingdom.   He also tells us that we will never know the mind of God nor will we ever fully comprehend God’s timing for His return, but prophecy tells us He will, come again, embrace the mystery folks.    Let us then begin our new year with the hope that the resurrected Spirit of Christ will invade you personally this season:  That you will surrender to Him and become one of the builders in the new kingdom, and that you will find yourself safe in the fold when He comes again.   You hold the power of Hope within you.  

                             "Hope Always Births Something New"

"The Emerging Church"

                 

     

Returning to Essentials

Hospitality is the practice that keeps the church from becoming a club, a members-only society. —Diana Butler Bass [1]

Practical, practice-based Christianity has been avoided, denied, minimized, ignored, delayed, and sidelined for too many centuries, by too many Christians who were never told Christianity was anything more than a belonging or belief system. Now we know that there is no Methodist or Catholic way of loving. There is no Orthodox or Presbyterian way of living a simple and nonviolent life. There is no Lutheran or Evangelical way of showing mercy. There is no Baptist or Episcopalian way of visiting the imprisoned. If there is, we are invariably emphasizing the accidentals, which distract us from the very “marrow of the Gospel,” as St. Francis called it. We have made this mistake for too long. We cannot keep avoiding what Jesus actually emphasized and mandated. In this most urgent time, “it is the very love of Christ that now urges us” (2 Corinthians 5:14).

Quaker pastor Philip Gulley superbly summarizes how we must rebuild spirituality from the bottom up in his book, If the Church Were Christian. [2] Here I take the liberty of using my own words to restate his message, which offers a rather excellent description of Emerging Christianity:

Jesus is a model for living more than an object of worship.

Affirming people’s potential is more important than reminding them of their brokenness.

The work of reconciliation should be valued over making judgments.

Gracious behavior is more important than right belief.

Inviting questions is more valuable than supplying answers.

Encouraging the personal search is more important than group uniformity.

Meeting actual needs is more important than maintaining institutions.

Peacemaking is more important than power.

We should care more about love and less about sex.

Life in this world is more important than the afterlife (eternity is God’s work anyway).

If this makes sense to you, you are already inside of Emerging Christianity.

References:

[1] Diana Butler Bass, A People’s History of Christianity: The Other Side of the Story (HarperOne: 2010), 64.

[2] See Philip Gulley, If the Church Were Christian: Rediscovering the Values of Jesus (HarperOne: 2010). This list is adapted from his chapter titles.

Adapted from Richard Rohr, “Emerging Christianity: A Non-Dual Vision,” Radical Grace, vol. 23, no. 1 (Center for Action and Contemplation: 2010), 3, 22.

  

  

"When Did I See You Lord?"

                              Bishop Desman Tattoo of South Africa

When you hear the word Saint, what or who comes to mind for you? 

What do you think that being a Saint entails for the average person? 

Matthew 25: 31- 46,

 Bishop Desman Tattoo of South Africa once said that somewhere deep down inside every person is the ability to recognize good.  A Saint "isn’t" a person who is void of human error, but a Saint is a person who is truly trying to live a life that pleases their Heavenly Parent?   And all the Saints in Heaven rejoice!  
Yet even atheists, those who reject the very idea of a God would recognize and identify a Mother Teresa as Saintly.  Not a person who is void of mistakes but one who lives a life of generosity, compassion, gratitude, goodness and in service to God through the one who has appeared to us in human form. John 1:14.   So then where does this ability to recognize goodness come from?  When I do a good deed does that goodness come from me?  Do I own my goodness, or does it came through me from somewhere else?   The Hebrew understanding of the word kindness might give us a clue.   In English we would say “Mrs. Brown is a kind lady”. but in the Hebrew they would say “Mrs. Brown is a daughter of kindness”.  Attributing her kindness not to her specifically but, coming out of generations of kindness, a mother, a grandmother a great grandmother.  The Hebrew would suggest that our goodness and kindness comes not from us, but comes through us as part of our inheritance.    Therefore we cannot take full credit for acts of generosity, compassion or kindness etc.   Jesus and the other great religious teachers of our world always refer to their courage, compassion, acts of faith or servant hood as coming not from them, but through them, from a higher power, their source of life, from that which created all things, from God.   In all instances there appears to be a price paid for goodness, and there is a price in sharing it.   I don’t know about you but I don’t usually go looking for what an act kindness has cost me, but I do have a tendency to look for some sort of acknowledgement that I have done something good.  

Let me tell you a true story of a young business man who lived in a small community with his wife and children.   He lived a modest life, always had enough for his family with a little extra to go around for special occasions.  As a young boy growing up the man found that many outside his own family were very generous with what they had and he was sometimes the recipient of their generosity.  This made an impression on the boy and as he grew into manhood he decided that he too would be generous with his fellowman.  It became a very easy thing to do for the most part except for one small detail yet to be discovered.  One day he met an old man that by cultural standards was rejected by the community, because of his posture, dress, his physical appearance, his speech impediment and mannerisms.  Out of the goodness of his heart, the businessman befriended the old man, and on several occasions invited him into his home to share a meal.  One day the old man asked if he could borrow 20.00 dollars as he was a little short, and needed gas money for his lawn mowing business.  So the businessman gave his friend the 20.00 dollars, never really wanting the money back, but never telling him that it was a gift.   A week or so later the man came by, told the businessman that the insurance on his vehicle had run out and he needed 35.00 dollars more.  The businessman was this time a bit hesitant, there were many questioning thoughts racing through his head, he gave the his friend the 35.00 dollars but with this condition added “I would like you to pay me back when you can, please”.  The man eventually paid back 20.00 dollars and then seemed to disappear.   The businessman began having extreme mixed emotions about his experience.  He had been a friend to the old man, kind, generous, compassionate, he thought.  Why didn’t the old man just tell him he couldn’t pay the money back in the first place?   But then again, why didn’t the businessman just give him the money outright?  The money really didn’t matter, or did it?  It was the act of kindness wasn’t it, or was it?  The businessman couldn’t figure out his feelings of sadness, discontentment, or the emptiness, “My only intention was to do a good deed” he thought.   One evening a few days before Christmas Eve, the old man showed up at his door again, “Sir” he said “could lend me 30.00 dollars as I am a little short for Christmas”.  The businessman reached in his wallet and gives the old man a 50 dollar bill saying “not a loan, but a gift for you and your family”.  The old man just before opening the door glanced back at the businessman with a strange smile, a giggle of joy, the gleam in his eyes spoke without words to the businessman “Merry Christmas Sir” he said and left.   That was the day I personally learned to see God in the ordinary.  My previous giving had become a subtle form of idolatry, worshiping my own good works.  I also learned that day that this common form of doing “good” can only lead to discouragement because of my concealed expectations.  It wasn’t until I shifted my thoughts from performance, to God’s radiant presence, then I began to see the light.   “When you do for the least of these you did it unto “ME”.  Matthew 25: 40.  I truly saw the face of Jesus in the old man that day.    

What are we missing then, when we do good works and yet still feel empty, get tired of doing and we have not met God in our offering?  I think that the answer is simple, because of our need of acknowledgement, our hidden expatiations or unspoken conditions we can miss the sense of the holy in the ordinary, in the people we serve, but especially in the poor, the hungry, the thirsty, the prisoner, the sick, or the dying.   Jesus tell us folks it is there that we will meet and see God, in and through them. 

As we read this week's parable we are reminded that it is in the feeding of the hungry, caring for those on the margins of life, visiting the sick, clothing the naked, and being present to the prisoner that our faith in God is revealed. This is the measure by which we are judged, not by our belief in creeds or our interpretation of scriptures. This reading comes at a time when the world around us is gearing up for the biggest buying spree of the year, Christmas and people are being asked to make gift wish lists for relatives and friends.  For many in our world the wish list is for shelter, clean water, something to eat, a visit or a visual sign that someone cares.  Faith without works is not faith at all Paul writes.  James 2:14-26.  Our nation, our group, our church, we personally will be judged, not for the good we have done, but we will be judged for the good that we have not done.   
                   YOU CAN  MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN THE WORLD

"Double Your Money"

How many people here today would jump at the chance to double your money? 

What would you think of an investment manager who told you, give me your money I can double it in a month? 

What would you say is the best way to protect your investment money today? 

Reading Matthew 25:14-30

At first glance I found this parable a little hard to take as my understanding of doubling your money in any century is almost impossible unless the deal is, well you know shady.   In fact all good investment councilors today will tell you this is not realistic in any economic conditions.  So what was Jesus getting at with this parable?  Money talk!! Investments!! Profits!! Personal gain!! or loss!!.  Well I think Jesus is pretty witty, because there is no better way to get someone’s attention than money talk, would you agree?    Isn’t it ironic that if you look at many of Jesus parables, there seems to be a lot of talk about money.   I think it was and still is one of the best way to get someone’s  attention?   You will recall the women who gives her last penny, everything she had financially. Then there is the story of a wealthy man trying to get into the kingdom of heaven.  Jesus tells his listeners; that is like trying to push a camel through the eye of a needle.  Jesus asks for a Roman coin when ask if they should pay taxes to Rome.   The prodigal son, is about Money, the young son, foolishly spending his inheritance.  The Good Samaritan pays the inn keeper and tells him if there are any further charges for keeping the Stanger he will pay it, and the list just goes on, and on.  Jesus often seems to be pointing to this:  There is always a price to be paid when choices have to be made isn’t there.  I believe Jesus is just trying to illustrate for us that there are better choices in life than that which money, position or power can provide.  The worldly way often leads people into places of kayos and darkness.

But if we learn to surrender to God’s way, it always leads us to the light.  

Jesus tells these stories in the middle of his high risk venture.  It was during the last few days of his life that he shares this particular parable.  But, Folks: do you think this story is really about money, fairness, or God’s wrath?   How many of us have had the experience of the third servant, I mean seeing God as unjust; a hard task master who’s concerned more about us doing everything right and punishing those who you get it wrong rather than loving us unconditionally?   When you make a choice in life and things don’t work to your advantage, who do you blame: your wife, husband, neighbor, your employer, or do you do as the third servant does in the parable, put the blame on God? 

May I suggest a question for us to consider here this morning.  How often do you turn to the bible seeking answers to you choices?   Even deeper, how often do you seek counsel through prayer.  Are you seeing God as did the third servant, a hard task master, who is harvesting his obedient children only for thy Kingdom come.  Do you think an unconditional loving God separates his obedient children from the disobedient then sends some off to eternal punishment?   May I suggest to you that it is you or I who call down judgement upon ourselves when we make a bad choice?  Being expelled from the Garden of Eden was mixture of choices humans made, not Gods.  The planet is still struggling with the curiosity of humankind.   We who think we can do a better job of creating circumstances than God.

The deeper understanding here is our bad choices in life do not stop God from loving us as one of His own.  If God were to punish or reward you according to your behavior, would that not put an expectation on God’s unconditional love.  Punishment or reward are expression of conditional love but God does not love us with conditions folks.

Wrath is a consequence, one of the fruits of conditional love.  Wrath is the consequence or the results of sin, or in short as the Hebrew would say missing the mark  folks.   I challenge you the next time you are in difficult circumstances, confused, or lost, call out to Jesus for help and His Father who has promised never to forsake or leave you will show up, somehow, some way.   If you can trust in that rather than your money or your security your life will change.  Turn around, and you will see God has never left you. 

Do you know the lyrics to “Turn your eyes upon Jesus”.   

Are we that naive to believe that God somehow takes away our ability to choose and then builds the difficult circumstances surrounding our lives?  Do not the scriptures throughout the Hebrew and Greek writings teach us of a God who continuously rescues us from the circumstances we have created, offering us a place of sanctuary and a way home?  Is that not the God of our ancestors? 

Are we that naive to believe that we do not call down upon ourselves kayos and wrath?  Are we not aware that the circumstances surrendering our lives do not control our future?   Try telling that to, the Gandhi’s of this world, the Paul Hansen’s or the physicist Stephen Hawkins.  How about the Mother Tessa’s, or the Martin Luther Kings of our world.  All those great names who have superseded their circumstances.

I’m sure you probably have known someone in your own communities who has defied their circumstances to live a full life.  For them obstacles and hardship actually turned into opportunities.  You see everything is possible with God folks, nothing can defeat the faithful.  Want to be part of the Kingdom of Heaven, turn around and begin again.  Take the risk, learn to discover your talents and gifts and begin using them as a one of the Kingdom builders.  When you do, God will multiply and expand your territory and give you more. 

Jeremiah 29: 11:  “For I know the plans I have for you” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. 

Even if you only see yourself as a one talent person.  May I suggest to you this morning to begin using it in to help in the building of the kingdom of heaven?  Jesus tells us that the Kingdom begin right here, right now.  We are either kingdom builders for God or we are still trying to build our own little kingdom.   
                                    "Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus"

Remembrance Day

Nov 12 2017:     Isaiah 11: 5-9  Luke 22: 12-20

   A time to remember!    Each of us will remember in different ways.  For some a memory might be triggered by a touch, smell, taste or a sound.  Many a time in my own life I have heard a particular song, or smelt the aroma of a baking, and it has taken me back,  back to place and time long ago but not forgotten.  As a child I can remember entering the gravel road to Heathers beach.  It was the start to our summer vacation.  What a feeling of freedom as we began our two months of sun, fun, and the cottage.  Everything there was so different from home, you had to fetch your water, cook on a wood stove, use oil lanterns for light at night and the ice man would come round selling a large block of ice for the icebox.  He keep it from melting by hiding it under a pile of sawdust shaving on the back of his wagon.  For me it was remembering a gentler time.  

Now I don’t know about you but the smell of a pine or spruce tree sometimes brings back the memories of Christmases long passed.  Now there are other times when all I need to do, is close my eyes and begin to remember a time of joy, happiness, or some other place of tranquility, where I felt safe and secure.  Like being cradled in the arms of my mom or my nanny.

A German theologian who eventually died in one of the concentration camps wrote: They can take away my food, they can strip me of my freedom, or they can kill my body, but the one thing they can’t take from me is my thoughts of those I love or my faith in God.  And it was those moments of remembering that gave Bonhoeffer the courage to go through what he called, hell on earth.  He went on to write that remembering the love and joy of faith, family and friends and the good times kept him alive, even when he could see no future.

I would like to try with you this morning an exercise in remembering, I hope you will participate with me.  You will remember from last week I talked about the breath, breathed into the nostrils of the man Adam which brought him to life.  We all know the power of breath don’t we, because if you cannot take a breath you become deceased.

Let us start by clearing our minds of today’s thoughts. To do that may I suggest a breathing exercise that will help you to relax and help you to let go of the clutter.  I will first demonstrate how we will proceed.   First you draw in a breath, doing it very slowly making the sound “YA” as you do.  Let this represent taking God into your being or into your soul.  Now when you exhale or breathe out, make the sound “Way”.  Let this represent surrendering your thoughts and your emotion to the Spirit that gave you life and breath.   Try and find a comfortable sitting position with your hands on your lap, palms up.

Try and feel the breath of life filling your lungs, fell the aliveness and then as you exhale try and feel the sense of surrendering your breath.   Now let do the exercise 5 to 10 times with closed eyes and on the 5 th or 10th time relax and only listen to my voice.   Let us begin.

 Let this quietness take you back to a place and time when you felt good about life, a time of well being.  It may have been as a child, a young adult or it may be happening in your life right now.  It was or is a time of joy and laughter, and time of peace, contentment and happiness.   I would like you picture in your mind’s eye, the faces of those whom you love, those from the past and those from the present?  Can you feel the love and joy shared by all?   It feels good to remember, because it helps me to feel good about myself and about the people around me.    

Now I would like you to come back into the present, let yourself slowly return as you begin to reunite yourself with the moment.  SEE HOW EASY IT IS FOR US TO FORGET but not forgotten.  It is not hard for us to think about the present, our present condition, it is not hard for us to think about war and it destruction today.    Mainly because it is right there in our faces every day isn’t it.   We can feel lost and alone, sick and depressed in the moments of life can’t we.   That’s why it is so important to be able to glance back and to remember.  So we never forget and remembering also help us express our gratitude for all that has been given to us.  That is why it is so important to remember those who gave up their lives for us, for the good of all.   Even if we don’t know them personally, we need to offer thanks for them being there for us, just as we remembered loved ones both past and present in the meditation.  We give thanks for the freedom we enjoy here on this beautiful Island paradise, for so many still are facing war and destruction right now.   In the bible reading today, Jesus, was about to offer his life for the sake of humankind in obedience to His Fathers will.  Jesus asked the disciples to remember Him whenever they would share a meal together, break bread and share a drink.   He was not asking them to just remember His suffering but to remember His life, what He stood for, His teachings, the miracles of healing, His ultimate act of love and His promises of a life to come.  By remembering Him in this Way we are remembering His joy, His laughter, His wisdom, His wonderful compassion.   These are wonderful things to remember and keep close to your heart.  That all who believe in Him and His promises shall not die but will have an everlasting life.  Let us the on this day of remembrance include Jesus who died for all God’s children and be truly thankful.

"Spiritual Mentors"

  

A kindergarten teacher was walking around observing her classroom of children while they were drawing pictures. As she got to one girl who was working diligently, she asked what the drawing was.
      The girl replied, "I'm drawing God."
      The teacher paused and said, "But no one knows what God looks like my dear."
      Without looking up from her drawing, the girl replied, "They will in a minute."

Question:  Who was it that first brought you to church?  Who would you say was the spiritual mentors in your life and how did they influence you? 

Nov. 5, 2017  Readings:  I Thessalonians 2: 9-13, Psalm 107,  Matt 23: 1-12

Throughout his missionary work, Paul relied on the encouragement and support of his fellow companions, as they began to build the Christian Church as we know it today.  They were:  Barnabas  John Mark  Luke   Priscilla & Aquila  Silas  Timothy   Titus

Every once in a while it is a good thing to reflect on and remember the spiritual encourages and mentors in your life.  Who were they and how did they impact your faith and your thirst for God.  For some it may have been someone who was consistent about you attending Sunday school as a child or it could have been through seeing a firsthand act of compassion for the elderly.   Could it have been by someone who was working with the disadvantaged in some way, reaching out to the poor, or an act of being loved unconditionally by someone you knew or by a stranger you didn’t know.  

In my growing up years I would have to say that my grandmother was my spiritual mentor, she was the example and encourager.  Think about this for a moment folks:  no loving father would purposely neglect the safety of his child, allowing him or her to walk into difficult circumstances that might be harmful or fatal.  In the same way we must be the encouragers for newcomers to the faith.  We must take them under our wing until they are mature enough to stand on their own.   We must help new Christians become strong enough to influence others for the sake of the gospel.

When my wife and I began to build a family and have children, we also found ourselves going through a difficult time in our marriage.  Through casual conversations I developed a friendship with a man whom cared about us and our future.  He would come to our house every Sunday evening over many, many weeks just to see how things were going and give us counsel.  He would not accept compensation for his time.   He never took sides, never judged our shortcomings, and never left without saying “I am as close as your phone, all you have to do is call night or day”.  Over the years because of this friendship he has become an extended family member, a brother, a friend to both Carolyn and I.   As I got to know him I saw some of his human flaws, but I also saw that he was not just doing this for us but he was out there doing it for others too.  Maynard passed away while I was here ministering with you last Feb. I couldn’t make the closing service for his life.  He remains one of the most import spiritual mentors in my life.  His acts of compassion and his nonjudgmental attitude towards others helped to change my life and brought me to the door step of pastoral ministry.  When you look back, who do you see, who supported you and gave encouragement that helped build your faith? 

It is always of great value to identify our spiritual companions, to see how they have faithfully instructed and influenced us. 

How many of you recall the actor Sidney Poitier.  When he first came to America his first job was as a houseboy for a hotel in Pennsylvania.  Only one person and older man at work took the time to help the young aspiring actor learn the customs, the common language, and the history of his new homeland.  In an interview many years later after becoming one of most celebrated actors of his day, he said he couldn’t remember the older man’s last name but there was something of that man in everything he did.  Every good act that comes out of your life has been shown to you by somebody.

Paul would have said the same accept he never forgot the name of the man who changed his life, it was Jesus and he told who ever would listen that he kept true to Jesus and his teachings.  A well-known preacher once concluded that no faith can be kept without obedience.  We were not called to become famous suggests Paul, we are called to be obedient to the word of God.  Trying to maintain obedience in your life is how You Can love God too.

In urging the followers of Jesus to be worthy, faithful servants, Paul is insisting that their labor should not be excessively casual or halfhearted.  Have you ever heard this saying   “If you go halfway with me and I go halfway with you and the world would be a better place.”  Sounds good doesn’t it?   As hard as I have looked to get conformation of that statement in scripture, it’s just not there.  God doesn’t want half of me, God wants all of me.  God has not called me to preach you a one half sermon, nor are we to discover only half of a truth, God wants us to have the full meal deal, with all the trimmings folks.   Paul is challenging the Thessalonians and us to a life worthy of God, to be empowered by the Holy Spirit.  Listen to these word in this song “Holy Spirit come”  

https://soundcloud.com/sim-rushtonuser-360084415/the-great-i-am-holy-spirit-come

As we prepare to approach the communion rail today, my prayer for you is that the Holy Spirit might come into your life, to show you that your acts of goodness and compassion for others have come from those who carry the light.  That we too might become a light for those who are looking.