A Word From Pastor Mike - AGAINST AND FOR

Another one of Mike's sermons from the past...

AGAINST AND FOR

We are a debating society.  We are encouraged to "weigh in" on issues or matters of importance.  Of course, we don't have to be an expert.  We can just have "strong feelings" about something  In our modern age technology allows us to get our opinion out into the world.

On YouTube you can watch something , see how many times it was viewed, and then give it a thumbs up or a thumbs down.  I've never weighed in.

You can watch a news report and then you are invited to be part of the poll...  Are you for or against this issue? 

A few weeks ago I tried to get interested in Facebook. I looked on Sue's Facebook page and Yikes! Some people were spewing out some awful stuff!  I didn't need to read that! I haven't been back so I hope Sue will let me know if something important happens.

So, surely it's safe to look at your favorite hockey team and read an article about the St. Louis Blues? They didn't resign their captain to a contract...ok, that's fine.  Then I looked at the "comment section". Two Blues fans were going after each other.  "The team's going in the right direction." "No! it's not and by the way you are a jerk!"

It appears that we aren't always civil with one another in our society.

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The truth is, we all have opinions.  Sometimes we get worked up over certain hot button issues.  We might not like a person because they hold a different view.  Maybe it's someone close to us who is the arbitrator.  Who gets to declare the winner?  Is it important?

During the Civil War President Abraham Lincoln was asked if God was on his side.  Lincoln replied, "Sir, my concern is not whether God is on our side.  My greatest concern is to be on God's side, for God is always right."

In our lessons today God weighs in.  God has some opinions and really, that should be the most important thing.  What does God say about a thing?  Culture may have an opinion.  The "experts" may have an opinion. But if we are believers, what God thinks should be our primary concern.

The intro to our first lesson in Amos tells us what God is against.  The Word of the Lord came to Israel and chided them for their feelings of superiority over other nations and peoples.  Woe to those who make their beds in comfort, eat sumptuous meals and sit idly enjoying all the good things in life. They didn't make changes.  They simply didn't care while their country was ruined.

The only thing God is for is for them going into exile.  And that's exactly what happened in 722 B.C. The Assyrian Army conquered the North Kingdom of Israel and hauled them away to become slaves. They had stopped caring about what God thinks.

In Paul's first letter to Timothy we find that God's Word is for good leaders who are held to high standards.  God has been FOR that throughout the ages.

Moses was a good leader for Israel.  He had high standards but he wasn't perfect.

There were many good and noble things about King David.  He was Israel's greatest King.  He had high standards and tried to follow God but he didn't always succeed.

I think the second reading is telling us that we want our Christian leaders to have high standards, but that should be true of all Christians.  I think God wants us all to have high standards.  Always considering, always asking what does God want me to do?

In our Gospel reading in Luke 16 I think it's pretty clear that God does not want us to neglect the poor.  God is AGAINST that. The rich man is a terrible example of not even helping one of his own.

It's interesting that in all the parables that Jesus tells, only in this parable does a character have a name.  His name is Lazarus, or "God is my help."

Lazarus is a pitiful figure.  He's laid at the rich man's gate; he can't even get there himself. He's a beggar. He has terrible sores. Dogs are licking him and he doesn't even speak in this parable.  Yes, he is part of the great reversal that Jesus talks about, "The first shall be last..."

So, God is AGAINST neglecting the poor but I heard in this reading that he is all FOR listening to Moses and the prophets.  And what were they saying... "love God with all your heart soul, mind and strength and be a good neighbor."

You and me, we are the 5 brothers of the rich man in this parable.  We are still here in this world. Lazarus won't come and pay us a visit but we do have Moses and the prophets.  We do have Jesus rising from the dead.  So, what are we going to do with that?  I hope we can do something beautiful  for God.

Let me explain what I mean.  Mother Teresa was a Catholic Nun who went to Calcutta, India, one of the poorest cities in the world.  Mother Teresa started orphanages and hospitals to care for the dying. She was greatly admired for giving her life to care for the poor.

As Mother Teresa became famous, people from all over the world came to Calcutta to meet her. When journalists would finish interviewing her she would look at them with a twinkle in her eye and ask, "So, you want to do something beautiful for God?"

Her point was not to be admired but to ask, "Why don't you join me in this quest to be a good neighbor.  Help these people.  They are struggling.  When you go back home, help the struggling people there."

The interesting thing in Mother Teresa's story is that she started out in Calcutta as a teacher in a nice, beautifully manicured convent.  At night she would look beyond the walls of her second story apartment.  She would see the poor and dying.  At first she would throw bread and money over the wall to the poor gathered there.  She finally asked her Mother Superior if she could do face-to-face ministry with the poor.  She was granted permission.  She walked across the street and touched the skin of a dying man.  Her life was never the same.  She did something beautiful for God.

Last week I said we probably won't christen a ship, have lunch with the queen, convert a nation or be burned at the state.  But the world of our neighbor is all around us.  It doesn't have to be a big thing but let's DO SOMETHING BEAUTIFUL FOR GOD in the world of our neighbors.  I think God is all FOR that.

A Word From Pastor Mike - BEYOND DESPAIR AND MATERIALISM

This is a sermon Mike gave a while back...

Beyond Despair and Materialism

Rabbi Harold Kushner is best known for his book, When Bad Things Happen to Good People, but he has written other books, too.  One of these other books used the Old Testament writing of Ecclesiastes 1 as its foundation.  The book is titled When All You've Ever Wanted Isn't Enough. 

In one part of this book Kushner writes about a depressed man who came to see him in his study.  The man told the rabbi he had attended a funeral for a man from his office who had died rather suddenly. The man told Rabbi Kushner that they had already replaced the man at his office and his wife had moved out of state.  He said, "Rabbi, I've hardly slept at all since then.  I can't stop thinking that it could happen to me; that one day it will happen to me.  A few days later I will be forgotten as if I had never lived.  Shouldn't a man's life be worth more than that?

The Book of Ecclesiastes takes on the deep questions of life. "I saw all the deeds that are done under the sun; and see all is vanity and chasing after the wind.  What do mortals get from all their toil under the sun? For all their days are full of pain, and their work is vexation. Even at night their minds do not rest.  This is also vanity.

Ecclesiastes is a thinking person's book.  It wrestles with questions of meaning and despair:

• Why am I here?
• What should I do with my life?
• Does it matter?
• Who will remember me?

Ecclesiastes is a book that raises a lot of questions, but it is woefully lacking in positive answers and hope.  It's not a good book to read when you are depressed but it gets you to think and take your life seriously.

Singer Paul Simon is a thinking man's songwriter.  He's written positive things like "Bridge Over Troubled Water" but he also seems to have a dark muse.  In the song "Slip Sliding Away" he writes, "God only knows and God makes his plans. The information's unavailable to the mortal man.  We'll work at our jobs, collect our pay...believe we're sliding down the highway when in fact, we're slip sliding away."

Despair lurks nearby for those who have never established a healthy center of life.  Despair can run people over when bad things happen.  That's why we need a firm foundation, a strong center, that we can return to when things get tough.  We need to hear the positive promises of God's word like, "Nothing in all creation will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus."

The book of Ecclesiastes also talks about going after possessions to find meaning in life..."I also had great possessions of herds and flocks, more than any who had been before me in Jerusalem.  I also gathered for myself silver and gold and the treasure of kings and provinces...I kept my heart from no pleasure...Then I considered all that my hands had done...and behold all was vanity and a striving after wind and there was no thing to be gained under the sun."

I served a 3-point parish in Montana many years ago.  Every Sunday I drove past the Bair Mansion. The last member of the Bair family died sometime after we left the area and the home was opened for tours.  I went on one of those tours as we traveled back through and found out more about the Bair family.  Back in the 1800's a man named Charles Bair came out West with 14 cents and 7 green apples.  He came to earn his fortune in sheep and cattle ranching, as well as gold, coal and oil interests.  Charlie Bair knew how to make money and he could be very generous with his money. But, his money seemed to have a strange effect on him and his family.

Charlie would shear sheep and brand cattle in  his finest suits.  Why? Because he could afford to. So he did.

Charlie had two daughters but to him no one was good enough to marry them.  Charlie was afraid to turn his money over to a non-family member.  One day the oldest daughter, Marguerite, rebelled and eloped with the ranch foreman.  When they came back, Charlie still made the husband stay in the bunk house!

Alberta Bair was the youngest daughter and the last surviving member of the family.  A member of one of the congregations I served worked for Alberta.  I asked her to ask Alberta if she would like me to drop by since I was the only pastor in the area.  Her reply was, "No, he's probably after my money."

The book of Ecclesiastes tells us an obsession for possessions is a futile struggle.

Jesus tells us "One's life does not consist in the abundance of possessions...Instead, seek his kingdom and all these things will be added unto you."

So, what are the alternatives to despair and materialism?  

Our second reading from Colossians 3 offers this advice, "Seek the things that are above - where Christ is...Set your mind on things that are above, not on things that are on the earth."

The Christian faith provides meaning for this life and the life to come.  God gives us life.  God gives us gifts.  God gives us each other.  Got wants us to have an abundant life now, but also in the age to come when our lives are done.  Our hope, our meaning comes from God who loves us and sees each one of us as valuable.

Questioning is good and natural.  Good questions lead us to the discovery of a good God.  But, sometimes questioning can lead us to endless questions, despair or even anger.

Posessions aren't necessarily bad, but they don't always lead to happiness.  I look at the Bair family. Were they happy because of their wealth and possessions?  No, they seemed guarded and a little afraid of people.

Posessions and wealth can be a good thing.  They can bless you to be a blessing to others.  They can bring security.  But, they are not to be the primary thing of life.  Meaning and hope are found in the Christian faith, in setting our minds on things that are above.

I'd like to tell you about a couple of pastors in my life who reflected the joy of living with meaning in life, and a living faith.

Ermin Lunder was a retired pastor living in Issaquah, WA.  He lived in a retirement community next to the Lutheran Bible Institute where I was going to school.  He became a part of our "Life Group" on the LBI Campus.  He had his burdens to bear.  His wife of many years had health problems and the beginning of Alzheimer's Disease.  Still, he had a very joyful and encouraging spirit.  He knew the sufferings of this life were temporary.  He set his mind on things above.  The joy of the Lord was his strength.  He was an excellent example to young people of how to carry on in faith in spite of suffering.

Another pastor of influence was Lowell Satre.  He was my Greek Professor at Luther Northwestern Theological Seminary.  We didn't always know what to make of Professor Satre.  He had the most outlandish clothes.  He was the King of  Polyester.  We didn't know if this was his trademark, if he was fashion challenged or just poor.  But, we did know that he loved the Lord Jesus Christ.  He wanted us to succeed as pastors.  He wanted us to bring the good news to the world.  At the bottom of our papers he would write encouraging things and invite us to "Press On!"

There are things in life that are worrisome or depressing.  Things don't always go right or as we planned but we don't live for this life.

This life isn't about knowing all the right answers.  Nobody knows all the answers to the mysteries of life.

This life isn't a contest to see who can get the most possessions.  The book of Ecclesiastes tells us that's like trying to catch the wind.

Paul wrote to the Colossians, "So if you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above where Christ is seated at the right hand of God.  Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on the earth.  For you have cried and your life is hidden with Christ in God.  When Christ, who is your life, is revealed, then you also will be revealed with him in glory."

A Word From Pastor Mike - Patchwork of Sermons

I am so far behind on typing out Mike's sermons for you, I decided to do a medley of some to catch you up...

One sermon was about the parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus from Luke 16.  Mike reminded us that it began with a certain rich man dressed in fine clothes and feasting lavishly.  A poor man, Lazarus was cast down at his gate. Lazarus was full of sores.  Lazarus was longing for even just the crumbs that fell from the rich man's table but he got none.

A great reversal occurs as both men die.  Lazarus is carried to Abraham by angels.  The rich man endured agony.

This sermon was about being a neighbor.  The rich man failed to be a good neighbor to Lazarus. He failed to care, feed or shelter him.  The point?  Be a good neighbor now. It will be too late to be a good neighbor later on.

Another parable sermon was from Luke 14:15-24, the Parable of the Great Banquet. In this parable a man was throwing a banquet and many were invited, but they all had excuses.  They were busy.  One just bought a field, another had to deal with oxen and yet another just got married.  When the man throwing the banquet heard of all these excuses he was angry.  Instead of cancelling the banquet, he sent out invitations to people who appreciated the invitation... the poor, crippled, blind, lame, etc.  He also sent out his people to bring in travelers, whoever would accept the invitation.  He then stated that none of the original invitees would taste of his banquet.

Lesson to be learned?  Respond to God's gracious invitation. Don't let excuses and busyness keep you from your relationship with God.

In another sermon, titled "Jesus the Gutsy", Mike told about Jesus' courage as he lived his last days before his death.  He knew what was coming but he went anyway.  He celebrated the Passover with his disciples.  He washed their feet and reminded them that they were called to be servants in this world.  He gave his disciples a new commandment to LOVE ONE ANOTHER AS I HAVE LOVED YOU. He taught them about communion, so that we can always have him with us. He went to the Garden of Gethsemane to pray. He was given a death sentence. On the cross he forgave his enemies, converted a thief and gave him the good news of eternal life.

When Jesus died a Roman Centurion gave the first confession after the death of Jesus, "Truly this was the Son of God."

Jesus' death was summed up by John the Baptist, who pointed to Jesus and said, "Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world."

Easter Sunday Mike talked about Jesus' life as a story.  That story included being conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, baptized by John the Baptist, tempted in the wilderness, teaching and doing ministry.  He was crucified, died, buried and resurrected...victory over death!

Mike spoke of our lives as stories as well. The question being, what kind of story will we each live? He spoke of how our stories bump into one another, and our stories bump into the Jesus story as well.  Our stories may include tragedy, all include struggle at some point.  We may be living stories of rags to riches, satire, thriller, or fairy tale (he told the congregation that was my story because I was married to him).

Mike stated that he wanted to leave a good legacy with his story, one that says that faith is important. He stated that he wanted to be a life long learner, immersed in God's Word, prayer, repentance and service.  He also wants to have some fun at times, to be a comedy.

                Mission accomplished.

A Word From Pastor Mike - Generosity Allowed

excerpts from one of Mike's recent sermons....

Mark 12:38-44New International Version (NIV)

Warning Against the Teachers of the Law

38 As he taught, Jesus said, “Watch out for the teachers of the law. They like to walk around in flowing robes and be greeted with respect in the marketplaces,39 and have the most important seats in the synagogues and the places of honor at banquets. 40 They devour widows’ houses and for a show make lengthy prayers. These men will be punished most severely.”

The Widow’s Offering

41 Jesus sat down opposite the place where the offerings were put and watched the crowd putting their money into the temple treasury. Many rich people threw in large amounts. 42 But a poor widow came and put in two very small copper coins, worth only a few cents.

43 Calling his disciples to him, Jesus said, “Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others. 44 They all gave out of their wealth; but she, out of her poverty, put in everything—all she had to live on."

That's pretty intense.  Let's begin with a not-so-serious moment and look at stewardship...

This may come as a revelation to you but there are many churches in Las Vegas.  Not surprisingly, some people who come to church will put casino poker chips in the offering plate instead of money.  Since churches get chips from many different casinos, the churches have devised a method to cash in all these different chips.  The churches send all their collected chips to a nearby Franciscan Monastery for sorting. From there the chips are taken to the casinos of origin and cashed in, then the cash is given back to the churches.  This work, this labor, is done by....

Chip Monks!  

Today, I want to talk to you about "Generosity Allowed".  In our gospel reading a poor widow gives everything, even though it isn't much. She gives everything to help others. Jesus doesn't stop her. He allows her to be generous, even though she was the one in need.

Generosity is a willingness to give more of something, more than is expected.

We often speak of people being generous with their money, but people can be generous with their possessions, talent, time, attention, compliments, help, encouragement, hugs, listening, advice and so on.

When people are generous, without fanfare or hoopla, they are blessed, whatever the gift. Generosity leads to blessings.

Beth Hughes, a stay-at-home Mom in Oklahoma, was about to pay the grocery store cashier for food for her family's Thanksgiving Dinner last November.  A customer tapped her on the shoulder and said, "Ma'am, I'm going to pay for your groceries."

The customer stepped in and swiped her credit card, paying the $214 grocery bill, and left.  According to KJRH TV, Hughes was so shocked that she can't remember if she said "Thank you" but she did share the story on Facebook and encouraged others to do the same.

What causes someone to be generous, especially without a reward?  Well, I suppose it has to do with one's heart, one's spiritual condition, one's willingness to listen to God's promptings, a willingness to bless others...In reality, we humans can be both self-centered and generous.

The opposite of generosity is greed.  Our whole lives we will struggle with our sinful self.  We will want to take care of #1.  We will hurt others, just so we can get our way.  We will pass up opportunities to be generous and act selfishly. Of course, we will have justifiable reasons for our actions.

But, we see in our gospel reading that Jesus is a people watcher.  In his teaching Jesus said "Beware of the scribes..." be he could have said "beware of your own sinful self." The flesh, that selfish part of you, needs to die everyday and a new God-centered self should arise to live in obedience to God and God's ways.

Jesus took the disciples aside and said, "watch this." It was an insignificant act, a poor widow putting in a penny.  Jesus, the people watcher, was telling the disciples, "I like this. This is the kind of person you were created to be. You are allowed to be generous!"

My life has been blessed by generous Christian people.  My parents were generous and giving people.  They gave to the church and the community and to their children.  My mother has said, "I'm giving you this money.  My parents did it for me.  I hope you do it for your children."

I had a friend by the name of Terry Jones. Generosity came more naturally to him than to me.  He was willing to share candy bars, pop, toys, etc. with me.

I have been blessed by generosity in the church. One of those generous people was Evelyn Muir  in Harlowton, Montana.  One day, before church, she grabbed me by the arm and marched me up to the offering plate at the front of the church.  Then she announced, "Pastor, I want you to know that I just won the lottery and I am giving 1/10 of my winnings to the church." Then, she placed a $1 bill in the collection plate and returned to her seat.  Evelyn was generous to the community as well.  Every year she bought a golf membership at the country club.  She didn't golf but she knew that it helped the club survive in a small town.

Dick Frier was the barber in Harlowton.  He took care of a man who had a drinking problem.  This man had burned bridges with friends and family. Yet, Dick gave him free haircuts, brought him groceries and checked in on him.

Our gospel reading is telling us, generosity is allowed, you were made for this.  God sees the core of us.  He knows we struggle with sin and selfishness but he knows our great potential. He knows that in each one of us is a generosity impulse. We are being told to go ahead and give in to that impulse. The world, and you, will be blessed by your generosity.

A Word From Pastor Mike - Humble Pie, Anyone?

Mark 9:35 "If anyone would be first, he must be last of all and servant of all."

James 4:6  "God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble."

James 4:10  "Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you."

Humility is a key value in the Christian Faith.  Jesus exemplified humility.  Our reading from James and Mark call followers to humility.

What is humility?  The word literally means "to be near the ground" or perhaps one could say, it means to be grounded.  

Here are some not-so-serious quotes about humility...

• "Oh Lord, its hard to be humble, when you're perfect in every way." Mac Davis

• "My incredible humility is what makes me superior to everyone else."

• "I try not to laugh at my own jokes, But we all know i'm hilarious."

• And maybe the most outrageous quote of all, "Humility.  I've mastered it."

And that's the thing with humility.  You can't master it.  You can't win the humility championship.  You can't bestow the title on yourself.  The complete opposite of humility is lurking in the shadows.  That is pride.  Some say pride is the original sin; it's what caused Adam and Eve's fall from grace.

In the book of Mark, Jesus announces that he will be arrested, killed and 3 days later, rise again.  The disciples' response?  They did not understand.  The light did not come on.  Later, when they got to Capernaum, Jesus asks what they were discussing on the way.  They were discussing which of them was the greatest!

The disciples are us.  They weren't complete blundering fools but the Bible doesn't paint their picture with halos over their heads. They were people like you and me.  All human beings have their strengths and their weaknesses.  The power of sin is working on us but the Spirit of God also dwells within the faithful.

For some Christians, humility is a God given gift.  Other Christians learn to be more humble but then still sometimes struggle with pride.  We do some thing nice, some thing kind, and then we blow it by announcing to the world how kind and humble we are.  

Jesus took a child and put him in the midst of them, and taking him in his arms, he said to them, "Whoever receives one such child in my name receives me, and whoever receives me, receives not me but him who sent me."

In Matthew's gospel, Jesus tells about the separation of people like a shepherd separates sheep and goats.  Jesus talks about being hungry, thirsty, a stranger, naked, sick, in prison.  They ask him when did they see him that way.  Jesus responds, "As you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me."

Mother Teresa, who worked with the poorest of the poor in Calcutta, India said, "Let us touch the dying, the poor, the lonely and the unwanted according to the graces given us and let us not be ashamed or slow to do the humble work."

In our society when the proud are brought down, when the arrogant are shamed, we say they have eaten humble pie. But this is really the encouragement of the whole Bible for Christians.  We SHOULD be feasting on humble pie.  Why is humility so important?  Because it keeps us grounded.  It keeps people connected and caring for each other.  Humility brings out the best in us.

Pride, in the bad sense of the word, can lead to arrogance, meanness, hard words and separation. Eating humble pie keeps us grounded, keeps us focused on what's most important.  The most important things are not trophies or awards but the kindness you showed others and how you helped those in need.

Jesus told his disciples that he would be arrested, suffer and die. The disciples didn't get it.  Later he would explain the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many.  Jesus giving his life for us was, in part, an example of humility.

In the letter to the Philippians Paul would write, "Have this same mind among yourselves that was in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God did not count equality with God as a thing to be grasped but made himself nothing, taking on the form of a servant... he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on the cross.

"Have this same mind among you."  Christ came to teach us to be humble servants.

Let us close by praying this Humility Prayer (author unknown)

Lord, I am far too much influenced by what people think of me, which means that I am always pretending to be either richer or smarter or nicer than I really am.  Please prevent me from trying to attract attention.  Don't let me gloat over praise on the one hand or be discouraged by criticism on the other.  Don't let me waste time weaving imaginary situations in which the most heroic, charming, witty person present i myself.  Show me how to be humble in heart like you.  Amen.

A Word From Pastor Mike - Bread That Lasts

I am way, way behind on passing on sermons from my husband. Here is one from awhile back...






John 6:27 "Do not work for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give to you."

John 6:35 "I am the bread of life...Whoever comes to me shall not hunger."

Bread is a staple of life for most of the world. Here are some "fun facts" about bread:

• Bread is probably the one food that is eaten by every race, culture and religion.
• It takes 9 seconds for a combine to harvest enough wheat to make 70 loaves of bread.
• Each American consumes 53 pounds of bread per year.
• 1 bushel of wheat will produce 73 one pound loaves of bread.
• In 1997 Kansas wheat farmers produced enough wheat to make 36.5 billion loaves of bread, enough to provide each person on earth with 6 loaves of bread.
• Farmers receive approximately 5 cents for each loaf of bread.
• In 1995 a team of bakers from Wheat Montana Farms Bakery set a Guinness World Record.  They harvested and milled wheat from the field then mixed, scaled, shaped and baked a loaf of bread in 8 minutes 13 seconds.
• Breaking bread is a universal sign of peace and fellowship.

In the next few weeks our gospel readings from John 6 will focus on "Jesus the Bread of Life".  Here are some "fun facts" about bread in the Bible.

• We don't know if Adam and Cain made bread but they were tillers in the ground. God told Adam, "In the sweat of your face you shall eat bread."
• One of the first mentions of bread in the Bible is in Genesis 14. Melchizedek, King of Salem, brought out bread and wine and blessed Abram after a victory over several kings.
• At the Oaks of Mamre Abraham received three visitors. He bowed before them and asked if he could bring them a morsel of bread.
• In Genesis 25 Jacob stole Esau's birthright with stew and bread.
• In Exodus the Jewish people were to bake unleavened bread for they were to leave Egypt in a hurry. They didn't have time for bread to rise.

In the Gospels, bread plays an important role in the life and ministry of Jesus.

The first temptation Jesus faces from Satan in the wilderness is to turn stones into bread. Man does not live by bread alone.

• The Lord's Prayer - Give us this day our daily bread.
• Feeding of the 5,000 involves bread.
• Disciples are sent out without bread on a mission.
• Disciples forget bread for one of their boat journeys.
• Jesus reminds Pharisees that David took the Bread of the Presence when hungry, teaching them that Jesus is Lord of the Sabbath.

Jesus went to the Feast of Unleavened Bread. He took the bread, blessed it, broke it and said, "This is my body..."

In the time of Jesus, bread was a fixture in the Jewish diet. If you had flour, you baked bread. Jewish women baked bread every morning and bread was consumed throughout the day. In the morning, bread baking started again.

In the Gospel Jesus took a common element from Jewish life, made a pronouncement, an authoritative statement, "I am the bread of Life. Whoever comes to me will never hunger." At that point a discussion about physical and spiritual bread began.

What we see in John's gospel is that people are often too literal. They don't understand what Jesus is trying to teach them. Their main concern was their next meal.

Here is a brief synopsis of what Jesus was saying to them: 

• God has sent me to nourish your spiritual hunger.
• If you believe in me, in my teaching, in my death and resurrection for you, you will never be spiritually hungry again.
• This bread, my life that I give to you, will lead you to eternal life.

Unfortunately, the crowd wouldn't understand this. Some would grumble, some would question. Some of his followers would leave. The teachings of Jesus were too hard. He said things like, "unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you." Jesus wonders if the 12 disciples will leave, too. Peter responds with the great confession, "Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life" and "We have come to believe and to know that you are the Holy One of God."

We humans are interesting. We can be asked, "What is most important to you?" and then "How involved are you in what's most important to you?" How do you actually spend your time?

If an average American lives to 78.6 years, we will find that we spend: 25 years sleeping, 10.3 years working, 9.1 years watching TV-2 years are just commercials, 3.66 years eating, consuming 35 tons of food, 4.3 years driving, 3 months waiting in traffic.

An average person will walk 110,000 miles, 4 times around the world. Some will spend 1 year of their lives deciding what to wear and 8 years shopping, 1 1/2 years doing their hair.

On the other hand, when asked what is most important people will respond with:

1. God
2. Love
3. Family
4. Music
5. Health
6. Friends
7. Food and Drink
8. Happiness
9. Knowledge
10. Parents

But if God is most important, why does the average Christian spend only 15-30 minutes a week in prayer? 57% of Christians read the Bible 4 times a year or less while only 26% read it 4 times a week. Only 20-30% of Americans attend worship weekly. That is not a very good track record for us.

The truth is, we humans are mostly busy living our lives. The thing we do the most in life is sleep, but nobody except insomniacs puts that as the most important thing in life.

Invite God into your busy life. See the things you do, like working and cooking and cleaning, as spiritual things you do and not just tasks to be completed.

I don't think it does a whole lot of good to feel guilty about not praying, worshiping or Bible reading enough. Just start again, be positive and ask for God's help.

Do not work for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you.

I am the Bread of Life. Whoever comes to me shall not hunger.

God sent Jesus to nourish our spiritual hunger, our spiritual lives.

If you believe in me, in my teaching, in my death and resurrection for you, you will never be spiritually hungry again.

This bread, my life that I give to you, will lead you to eternal life.

God is calling us. God is drawing us to the Bread that lasts.

A Word From Pastor Mike - Identity

Identity

Mark 1:11  And a voice came from heaven, "You are my beloved son; with you I am well pleased."

Mark's gospel doesn't leave us any surprises as to the identity of Jesus. 

        -Mark 1:1 "The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ the son of God"... That's pretty clear.

        -Mark 1:11 Then the baptism, the Dove, the Holy Spirit, the voice.."You are my beloved Son."

There isn't much mystery in Mark's gospel. Jesus is the Son of God. That's his identity.

I started to think about the word, identity. We all have one, or maybe we have many identities.

Our identity, the way we see ourselves, is in part formed by us.  But then, we should also admit that people and things and circumstances form our identity, too.

For instance we have... 

     a)    a national identity. We are Americans and you would be different if you were born in South                 Africa.  

     b)   a cultural identity - cowboys/girl - What is Wyoming culture now?

     c)   a gender identity - male-female-confused

     d)   a racial identity - different shades of brown - human race

     e)   a social identity - the "we", the "they" cliques...the people who do this, the people who do that.

     f)   a religious identity - I am a Christian first. I am also a Lutheran.

Our identity is always in flux; It's always changing.

    a)   I look in the mirror and find that I am not a 16 year old boy with acne.

    b)   I see pictures of myself as a 1 year old.  That was me, that's not my identity today.

Sometimes our identity is...

    a)   bound up in the past (he showed a photo of high school football)

    b)   bound up in the future...here's how I will look when I get serious about my exercise program               (he showed a photo of Arnold Schwartzenegger during his body building days)

   

For the Christian, our identity is with Christ. What I am concerned about is our identity today, right now and into the future. I want you to have a positive identity of yourself as a follower of Christ. Things in your past may not be so good but with God "right now" is a new opportunity. God is good at forgiveness, new chances and moving ahead with a positive Christian identity.

You know Jesus had/has an identity, too. We are at the beginning of the season of Epiphany, as season in which the identity of Jesus is being revealed.,,

   a) Baptism - my beloved Son

   b) Transfiguration - my beloved Son, listen to him

   c) Jesus revealed as the Son of God

(I have to tell you that there were a lot of pictures shown as Mike talked about each point. The picture that went with an  ascension  point was of Jesus up high with people down below looking up at him. I was holding Elise and when that photo went on the screen she had several comments, "Why is Jesus in the sky? Everyone can see his feet!"  I just thought I'd share that with you.)

So, let's look at some aspects of the identity of Jesus. First, he had a national identity. Jesus was a Jew/Hebrew, a follower of the law. Jewish law established how you felt about men's and women's roles and how you felt about Gentiles.

Jesus had a cultural identity. Time and culture had an influence on who Jesus was. Some were scandalized that Jesus was from Nazareth of Galilee. Even one of Jesus' own disciples said, "Can anything good come of out Nazareth?" 

Jesus had a gender identity. Jesus was a man. can you imagine Jesus as a woman rabbi in that culture? What a shock that would have been.

Jesus had a social identity. He was a member of the carpenter's union. This didn't win him any "cool points" as he tried to esta

blish himself as a rabbi/teacher. The term of derision was, "Isn't this the carpenter's son?"

One of the most important pieces of the identity of Jesus is as Son of God. Throughout history that has been the struggle... Jesus, divine AND human? The confession of the scriptures and the church is unchanged, Jesus is God's Son,

However, Jesus more frequently refers to himself as "the Son of Man" which can refer both to his humanity and to a figure who will come at the end times.

Now, I want you to think of the identity of Jesus in a different way., in a way in which we can identify.  Jesus was part of a family. Families form our identity, for the good or for the bad, functional or dysfunctional.

Jesus lived under a foreign oppressive government. The Jews didn't like living under Roman domination. Some thought Jesus might lead a revolt against Rome. He didn't, but they did 66-70AD.

Jesus was a sage, a wise man.

Jesus was a social reformer. He was known to talk with women, blessing children and going into Gentile land.

Jesus was a sender. He told his disciples to go into the villages, go and make disciples.

Jesus was a compassionate one...they were like sheep without a shepherd.

Jesus was an angry one. He cleansed temple, turned over tables.

Jesus was a non-violent one. "He who lives by the sword will die by the sword."

Jesus was a chastizer. He was especially hard on the disciples... "You of little faith, how long must I be with you?"

Jesus was an encourager, "Your faith has made you well...no longer have I called you servants, I call you friends...you are the light of the world."

Finally, we have an identity in this Christ, this Jesus, this Son of God.

Our identity as Christians is formed by the Word and the Holy Spirit. Who is God forming you to be today? We need to kick the negative stuff out of our lives. We can let the negative pastor form who we will be today or tomorrow. The devil, the world and our own sinful self may whisper that we are "no good" or "we failed in the past" but we can't listen to those voices.

God has a good place for you and a good future. With God's help, maybe you will be an encourager, a compassionate one. 

I don't know what the future holds but if we listen to him, to the beloved Son, well then, good things are coming our way. We are living out our true identity. We are part of God's family. God loves us, forgives us and gives us second chances. He knows our true identity.

A Word From Pastor Mike - "The Word"

It has been awhile since I snagged a copy of one of Mike's sermons. Here you go...

The Word

I want to see how good you are at recognizing great words, words that have shaped us as a people.  Here are some lines from great speeches. You tell me who said it.

Is life so dear or peace so sweet as to be purchased at the price of chains and slavery? 

For bid it, Almighty God!

I know not what course others may take,

but for me

give me liberty or give me death.

That came from Patrick Henry 1775, from a church pew when discussing whether to mobilize forces against the British.

Fourscore and seven years ago, our fathers brought forth

on this continent a new nation conceived in liberty

and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal.

That came from Abraham Lincoln in his Gettysburg Address. Critics said it wasn't a good speech because it was too brief.

It was we the people, not we the white male citizens, 

nor yet we the male citizens but we

the whole people

who formed the union

and we formed it not to give the

blessings of liberty

but to secure them not to the half of ourselves

and the half of our posterity but the whole people,

women as well as men.

That was from Susan B. Anthony when she was fined $100 for casting an illegal ballot in the 1872 election.

My fellow Americans, ask not what your country can do for you.

Ask what you can do for your country.

That was in JFK's inaugural address in 1961. He was 43 years old, the youngest and first Catholic president.  It seems like words we need to hear again in a society that is more individualistic.

I am also amazed by great words in the scriptures.  Every time I read John 1:1-18, the prologue, or the first word in John's gospel, I am overwhelmed at the great words.  There is so much to chew on, to think about in these 18 verses. I had a seminary professor tell me that when he took "The Gospel of John" when he was in seminary, his teacher spent 80% of the class on these first 18 verses. Almost every line is a classic:

• In the beginning was The Word and The Word was with God and The Word was God.
• The light shines in the darkness and the darkness has not overcome it.
• He was in the world and the world and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him.
• But to all who did receive him, who believe in his name, he gave the right to become Children of God who were born not of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man but of God.
• And The Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son, from the Father, full of grace and truth.
• No one has ever seen God, the only Son, who is at the Father's right side, he has made him known.

Great, great words.  Let me see if it can be summarized in a few sentences.  By taking on human flesh, Jesus the Word comes into the world he created. The Word is the light of God that overcomes spiritual darkness and Jesus authorizes believers to become Children of God.  The only Son reveals God the Father to the World.

Words have great power over us. We are being bombarded by words on a continual basis. Those words, whether we realize it or not, are shaping us.

We are speaking words, and hearing words. We have words in our heads.

We get up in the morning and the words start coming.  Conversation, TV, radio, Kindle, words on my coffee machine, words on the packaging of my bread, on my cereal box...

As I write I notice words on my sweatshirt. It says, "2006 World Series Champion St. Louis Cardinals". Words are everywhere.

This year I have cut back on listening to/reading the news. This was hard for a boy who started reading the newspaper when he was in the 4th grade. The news was bringing me down. 

Every morning I listen to an Old Testament reading, a New Testament reading and a devotional reading on my Kindle. I have a prayer time with God. That is, I speak words to God - confession, thanksgivings, words for others, words for myself, praise for God...

In his book he promises to speak over your life. Joel Osteen writes "Our words have creative power. Whenever we speak something, either good or bad, we give life to what we are saying.  Too many people say negative things about themselves, their families and about their futures. Here is the key. You've got to send your words out in the direction you want your life to go. You cannot talk defeat and expect to have victory.  You will produce what you say (or think)... With our words we can bless or curse our future."

When I read the words of John 1:1-18 I am encouraged.  It takes a lot of pressure off of me.  God created the world through The Word.  God continues to take care of the world, this congregation, my family, me.

I don't have to worry about salvation.The true light has come into the world that enlightens everyone. All who receive this light, believe in his name, are authorized to be Children of God.

Its a new year. I have no idea what will happen but I believe that God will take care of us.  I don't know about you but I am going to cast all my anxiety on God because he cares about me. I am going to make this a year of good words, of positive thoughts and positive proclamations. I know I feel better when I do this and I think you will, too.

Jesus is the ultimate good Word that God speaks to us. That Word is light and life. Go into 2015 with God's Word, Jesus, in the center of your life.

Wedding Sweetness

1 Peter 4:8

Above all, love each other 

deeply, 

because love covers 

over a multitude of sins.

The wedding on the mountain went well yesterday. 

I was proud to be the date of the most handsome man there.

There was a few unplanned events that occurred. I expect they will be the things those families speak of for years to come. My favorite was when the sweet little flower girl got almost to the wedding party when she kind of froze. I saw the groom beckon her to come to him, which she did. He then bent down and seemed to reassure her. Then, he calmly leaned down, scooped up a handful of flower petals and tossed them about. The little girl then went and sat down, calm and happy. It pleased me to see the groom deliver the petals. It was sweet.

Don't you think the things that go wrong at a wedding are sometimes the best parts? Tell me some stories of things that happened at your wedding, or any wedding, that made you smile or touched your heart.

From Pastor Mike - The Freeing Word

 The following is a sermon Mike wrote based on Mark 7:24-37.  So, in my husband's words...

The first time I saw Rich he was sitting next to a window overlooking downtown St. Paul.  Rich was a patient at the Ramsey County Hospital Psychiatric Ward.  He was 23 years old.  He had a severe case of acne and he had a slight quiver to his movements.

Rich was an addict.  He told me he chain smoked cigarettes, drank 3 pots of coffee a day, smoked marijuana when he could and drank alcohol to excess.

Rich came to the hospital when someone became concerned about his behavior. He said he wasn't doing anything bu the cops threw him down, handcuffed him and took him to the hospital.

Rich told me, "I didn't have any problems until I started drinking. I drank my first beer when I was 12 years old and I immediately knew that I had a problem with alcohol."

Rich said he suffered from schizophrenia.  He said, "It isn't good when I start drinking heavily.  Sometimes I hear voices from cars or radios.  Sometimes I wake up and wonder if I just dreamed something or if it really happened."

When I talked to Rich, I realized he was a man imprisoned. Sure, he was in a psychiatric ward with bars and locked doors, but his prison seemed deeper that that. He was a prisoner looking to be free from addiction and mental illness.

In our gospel reading for today Jesus encounters two people in prison, a woman who had a child with an unclean spirit and a man who was deaf with a speech impediment. In both cases, Jesus speaks a freeing word and people ARE set free.

The demon or unclean spirit was cast out and in the deaf man's silent world he could suddenly hear the sound of his own voice. The actions of Jesus reflected the words of Isaiah 35. The eyes see, the ears hear and the lame leap, the speechless sing for joy.

The healing ministry of Jesus was like Jesus going to a prison, opening the lock on the door and speaking the words, "You may go now.  You are free!"

At the beginning of his ministry, Jesus traveled back to his home town, went to the synagogue, opened the scriptures and read from Isaiah that he has come "to bring release to the captives."

As humans we can become imprisoned by so many things, some of our own making, some we don't understand, some we have inherited from ancestors or from birth and sometimes it is others who imprison us with their actions.

As for Rich who was in the psychiatric hospital in St. Paul, I prayed for him be he didn't become immediately healed.  I talked with the chaplain on that floor. He said we are not Jesus but prayer is a good thing.  He encouraged me to keep praying for people.  He said he has seen many people become better through prayer, talk therapy and medicine.  He told me not to give up hope in Jesus who speaks the freeing word.

Sin is another power that can enslave us. We say that sometimes in our confession.. "We confess that we are in bondage to sin and cannot free ourselves."

At the  beginning of every worship service I appreciate the time of confessing and forgiveness.  It is a time to be set free so we can turn our focus to the worship of God and to be strengthened by God for our journey through this life.

Jesus died on a cross to set us free from the power of sin.  I like the word REDEMPTION. It's a word that is sometimes used in the Bible to speak of slaves being set free for a price, through the death of Jesus. We are set free. We are no longer in sin's power. The door is opened. We have received God's forgiveness.

Martin Luther often felt deep remorse for his sinfulness. He felt like he deserved to die by the gallows, run through by a sword or burned at the stake for his sinfulness. He knew he had offended God with his sin but as he read the Bible he knew God didn't want him imprisoned by sin but rather set free by Christ. He wrote, "This is wonderful news to believe that salvation lies outside ourselves. I am justified and acceptable to God although there are within me sin and unrighteousness. Yet I must look elsewhere (to Christ) and see no sin. This is wonderful not to see what I see, not to feel what I feel. Before my eyes I used to see a gallows or a sword or a fire. But now, through Christ, I can say there is no gallows, no sword, or fire. This is what the forgiveness of sins is like."

I believe the ministry of "the freeing word" is something that Jesus passed on to the church. Jesus told his disciples, "If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them..." And so we make confession and forgiveness and Holy Communion key components of our worship services.

And all of us, as Christians, have many opportunities to speak freeing words to one another, like...
"I forgive you."
"I'm sorry."
"I love you."
"Peace be with you." The sharing of the peace is more than a handshake and a phrase. It's a time for us to say, "I hold nothing against you. I want God's peace in your life."

It's so easy to be negative with someone, to hold a grudge, to keep people down when you've got them down. But we set ourselves free when we are able to speak a freeing word to others.

Finally, I want you to hear a word from a former teacher, Gerhard Forde. He asked our seminary class, "Now that Christ has set you free, what are you going to do?"

The ways we live out our lives before God is to serve in and beyond the congregation. Now that Christ has set you free, what are you going to do? We need ushers, readers, greeters, communion servers, fellowship servers, teachers, helping at the rescue mission, serving comfort food and so on.

Are you already serving on or beyond the congregation? Well, take somebody with you.  Be a mentor. Be a teacher, a discipler. The book of James reminds us that the works we do are a response to the faith we have.

Hear and do the word.

You are free!

Go.

Serve the Lord this week.


Mark 7:24-37 RSV

24 And from there he arose and went away to the region of Tyre and Sidon. And he entered a house, and would not have any one know it; yet he could not be hid. 25 But immediately a woman, whose little daughter was possessed by an unclean spirit, heard of him, and came and fell down at his feet. 26 Now the woman was a Greek, a Syrophoeni'cian by birth. And she begged him to cast the demon out of her daughter. 27 And he said to her, "Let the children first be fed, for it is not right to take the children's bread and throw it to the dogs." 28 But she answered him, "Yes, Lord; yet even the dogs under the table eat the children's crumbs." 29 And he said to her, "For this saying you may go your way; the demon has left your daughter." 30 And she went home, and found the child lying in bed, and the demon gone. 31 Then he returned from the region of Tyre, and went through Sidon to the Sea of Galilee, through the region of the Decap'olis. 32 And they brought to him a man who was deaf and had an impediment in his speech; and they besought him to lay his hand upon him. 33 And taking him aside from the multitude privately, he put his fingers into his ears, and he spat and touched his tongue; 34 and looking up to heaven, he sighed, and said to him, "Eph'phatha," that is, "Be opened." 35 And his ears were opened, his tongue was released, and he spoke plainly. 36 And he charged them to tell no one; but the more he charged them, the more zealously they proclaimed it. 37 And they were astonished beyond measure, saying, "He has done all things well; he even makes the deaf hear and the dumb speak."