Stranger Things Have Happened: The Sermon

Mark 9:2-10
2Six days later, Jesus took with him Peter and James and John, and led them up a high mountain apart, by themselves. And he was transfigured before them, 3and his clothes became dazzling white, such as no one on earth could bleach them. 4And there appeared to them Elijah with Moses, who were talking with Jesus. 5Then Peter said to Jesus, “Rabbi, it is good for us to be here; let us make three dwellings, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.” 6He did not know what to say, for they were terrified. 7Then a cloud overshadowed them, and from the cloud there came a voice, “This is my Son, the Beloved; listen to him!” 8Suddenly when they looked around, they saw no one with them any more, but only Jesus.
9As they were coming down the mountain, he ordered them to tell no one about what they had seen, until after the Son of Man had risen from the dead. 10So they kept the matter to themselves, questioning what this rising from the dead could mean.

Stranger Things Have Happened

It wasn’t as if Peter, James, and John had not been surprised by Jesus before. On the contrary, just the week before Jesus had fed four-thousand people using 7 loaves and a few fish and a few weeks before that he fed 5000 people with 5 loaves and 2 fish. At another time Jesus defied religious law and ate with a woman and a sinner at that. And before that Jesus calmed the winds and the sea by walking on the water toward them. And before that he healed the sick – a woman with a fever, a man who was paralyzed, someone with leprosy, another who was deaf. So when Jesus led them up to a high mountain, I am certain they expected something a little different to happen. After all, when Jesus was around, stranger things usually happened.
But then again, I am also certain that they were not expecting to meet up with Elijah and Moses. Elijah had been whisked off to heaven in a chariot of fire 9 centuries earlier and Moses, he had lived somewhere around 1400 years earlier. The last thing Peter, James, and John expected to see were two people who had lived and died hundreds of years earlier. But then again, with Jesus, stranger things had happened.

Peter considered it an honor to be in the presence of Elijah and Moses. He wanted to build them houses, keep them around for a little while. All he could think was . . . “Finally we’ll get some answers!” Finally Moses can tell us what he meant when he received all of these laws! Finally Elijah can tell us what really happened during the time when he lived! Finally the Word of the Lord will be taught to us authentically, by the people who lived the stories in the first place . . . no more distance from the social context of 1400 years ago, . . . no, we can get the whole story and perhaps understand what we can DO with that law. And so Peter tried to hear what Moses and Elijah were saying, but it got harder and harder to hear because a cloud came down upon him and James and John drowning out all voices except the one that belonged to God.

Imagine trying to hear the voices of those who helped to form your religion. Would you not strain to hear what was being said? Would you not want to make them the finest houses and clothe them in the clothes of royalty? And would it not knock you off your feet for God to cloud your understanding of what they were saying so that instead you heard the voice of God? Why, God’s voice trumps the human founders of your faith any day! God’s voice is like a homerun! A royal flush! Hearing God’s voice is like winning the lottery! And that’s what Peter James and John hear. They hear God’s voice, and they realize it’s no longer important what Moses and Elijah are saying. God says, “This is my Son, the Beloved; listen to him!” God says, don’t worry about what Moses and Elijah are saying, listen to Jesus, my Son. He knows what he is talking about.

This is HUGE. It’s the equivalent of God telling a Christian – don’t worry about what the Bible says, listen to this person instead – he’s my child. As God’s voice enveloped Peter, James, and John, they were told that what was truly sacred was standing right in front of them. More holy than the scrolls of even Moses, than the stories of even the great prophet Elijah, Jesus was the holy one.

As they walk down the mountain, they had to start believing that nothing stranger than this had ever happened. Surely they had seen it all. Except Jesus had spoken of the resurrection of the dead. With Jesus there was always more. The possibilities opened themselves up before him. When someone was sick, he would heal. When someone was a sinner, he would forgive. When someone was hungry, he would feed them. When someone was afraid, he would calm not only the winds and the waves but hearts as well. In the presence of Jesus, stranger things ALWAYS happen!

And that’s the good news, folks. When you’ve reached the end of your rope and feel that there’s not a chance on this earth that your situation will improve, you are reminded that stranger things have happened. When cancer takes over your life and healing seems a distant thought, remember that stranger things have happened. When your bank account seems empty and you wonder how you will ever pay all of your bills, remember that stranger things have happened. When it appears divorce is your only option, that your spouse will never understand what it means to love, remember that stranger things have happened!

Because stranger things HAVE happened! Transfiguration happened as Jesus’ clothes became radiant white on that mountaintop. And resurrection happened – life after death. If we truly “Listen to him” and believe the message that Jesus lived and proclaimed, then stranger things will happen!

When the session of this church last met, we dealt with the fact that we had a mold problem in the education wing. The bid from those who could get rid of the spores for us is running around $6000. As we met around the table, aware of our responsibility, one of the elders spoke up – “it has to be done, guys. The money will come from somewhere.” And we recognized that she was right. She reminded to us all that stranger things have happened than God providing for a church. The week after that, a church member called me up and asked if there was any pressing need that the church had. This week I brought an anonymous check for $6000 to the church office. Stranger things have happened.

Peter, James, and John kept forgetting that stranger things had happened. Someone would be healed and they would be amazed. And then someone else would be healed and they would be amazed. And then the winds and the waves would become calm and they would be amazed. And then they saw Jesus transfigured and they were amazed. And then they saw Jesus die and come back to life and they were amazed. Stranger things always happen. As Christians who believe that God is able to do stranger things than this, why do we continue to forget that stranger things have happened? Why do we continue to be amazed when stranger things happen?

I stand here to remind you so that you don’t forget. Stranger things WILL happen. All we must do is realize that Jesus is God’s beloved Son. Then we must listen to him. We will be amazed. Our situations will change. Our needs and desires will be met. For in the presence of our resurrected Lord, stranger things ALWAYS happen.

A Prayer For Those Who Struggle

(c) 2009 Rev. Katie Treadway

God, can you really meet my needs?

They seem to overwhelm me, to paralyze me, to the point that I just don't know what to do.

Stranger things have happened.

Calling forth something out of nothing at the creation of the universe;

Parting the Red Sea for a few hopeless creatures to find hope;

Sending a chariot of fire to woosh Elijah away to worlds unknown.

God, can you really meet the needs of this world?

The media plagues us with statistics of death and hatred and poverty and hunger.

Stranger things have happened.

Incarnation.

Transfiguration.

Resurrection.

Time, Time Tickin'

It's 11:32 PM and I'm exhausted but can't sleep, so I decided to write. There is much puttering around up here in my head -- the need to begin thinking about worship for next Sunday, the bulletin that needs to be completed tomorrow, the floors which need mopping, phone calls which need to be made, follow up visits to attend to, yet here I sit, averse to doing any of those . . . at least at this time of night.

I think I'm up because so much has been going on at the church lately. My outreach committee is really working hard at being a team to teach this congregation HOW to invite friends to worship and to share the love of God with their neighbors. This is big. I have tried many approaches to helping this happen but, like everything else in the church, a church member (preferably a volunteer leader) needs to get an idea in their head that this is what we need to do. I guess I see myself planting seeds until someone eventually says -- aha! THIS is what we need to do! And I nod my head as if I had never mentioned it before in my life. So anyway, this committe/team is doing a 2 month emphasis on sharing God's love with the "unchurched" -- meaning those who do not have a place to worship and who may not have ever considered that they even want a place to worship God. The first month they are introducing ways to connect to people. The second month, they are challenging the congregation to invite someone every week. I'm excited about this because the committee is excited about this. I'm also excited about this because the focus is not on money for a change but on the real stuff of ministry -- sharing God's love with our neighbors.

The idea behind the whole thing, however, is to show the congregation what they can do. After the 2nd month is over, we don't expect things to chill out at all. Rather, we hope that everyone has "practiced" inviting their friends and that they aren't so afraid to invite people in the future.

So this is the year of the invitation. And as people come, we will have to follow up with them, care with them, help them make this church their home, etc. But the Invite is first.

I suggested to the committee that as part of the training we talk about why we like this church and what brought us here. The committee members are going to share their reasoning and challenge others to share. (I secretly hope there's a revival where everyone begins talking about what God has done in their life and how they began to notice when they came to this church!) The committee members told me -- but Katie, you don't have to tell why you're here. But you know, I began to think. Sure, I came for the job. But the longer you stay someplace, the more you become a part of the community and the more you observe what's going on in the community. I began to see prayers being answered and people giving thanks to God. I began to see incarnation as the body of Christ served one another when community members were sick or lost a loved one. I began to form relationships as I trusted people with my own concerns and joys. And through all of this, I began to see God through the eyes of older people whose lives of faith had been challenged, yet still they persevered.

In a couple of weeks I will have been here 5 years. I am grateful to be a part of this young church's growth.

Sermon Rough Draft -- February 15

2 Kings 5:1-17
I Corinthians 9:24-27
24Do you not know that in a race the runners all compete, but only one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may win it. 25Athletes exercise self-control in all things; they do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable one. 26So I do not run aimlessly, nor do I box as though beating the air; 27but I punish my body and enslave it, so that after proclaiming to others I myself should not be disqualified.

In our weekly gathering of youth at Roserio's Pizzaria I have been amazed at the sheer number of youth and young adults who are preparing to enlist in the United States military. For them it is a chance to make something of themselves -- to get an education, to travel and see the world, to matter. Last week three of these young people were talking about boot camp. I asked them if they were excited about it and all three said "yes!" But when I asked if they were prepared for it, all three said "no!" During the week these three decided that they would begin preparing for boot camp -- waking up early, exercising, whatever it would take to get themselves ready for the incredible stress bootcamp would place on their bodies this coming summer. Midway through the week I ran into one of the girls and asked her how it was going -- she said she was sore from playing football with the youth last Saturday. When I asked her if she was going to be ready for bootcamp, she just kinda shrugged her shoulders as if the goal that was before her was already beginning to fade. But yesterday I spoke with one of the other girls who will be enlisting this summer and she says she has started working out -- everyday. For her the goal is before her and she is rising to the challenge. She wants to reach her goal . . . whatever the cost.

There are two stories today. The first is the story of Naaman, the commander of the Aram army that has just defeated Israel. Strangely, this story appears in the Hebrew canon even though it is about their enemies and why? Most likely it is because of Naaman -- a man who converts to the Hebrew faith in this very story. Naaman had leprosy and whether we're new to the Bible or not, most of us are aware that leprosy is a horrible disease which, left untreated, can cause damage to the skin, nerves, limbs and eyes. Naaman was losing social status quickly, thanks to the disease, and wanted desperately to be healed. Naaman's wife's servant had been captured during one of Aram's raids on Israel and she conveyed to Naaman that she knew someone of her own people who could heal leprosy. Naaman was ready to try anything, well almost anything. He wanted to "save face" (bad pun) and maintain his authority and dignity during his healing, but he was willing to ask his king to talk with Israel's king . . . if he could just be healed. The King of Aram sent a letter to the King of Israel with lots of riches, asking if he would please allow Naaman to be healed. And the King of Israel thought the King of Aram was making fun of him by asking him to do something that he obviously could not do. But Elisha, the prophet, heard about this, and asked the King of Israel to have Naaman come to him so that the God of Israel could be known.

Meanwhile Naaman makes his way to Elisha's house, a little put out that a man of Naaman's social status would have to travel out to the countryside where those less-than-royalty lived. Coming to the door, Naaman's servants knocked, expecting the great healer to come out, bow down before Naaman, and touch him so that he could be healed, but Elisha had sent his servant to the door with a message that Naaman was to go bathe in the River Jordan 7 times and he would be healed. This made Naaman even more angry -- for he wanted to be shown respect! He didn't want to "grovel" in his enemy's river . . . not when greater rivers existed in his own land! He wanted healing on his own terms. And at that point, he almost gave up.

I'm going to stop the story there . . . just for a few minutes . . . so we can think for a minute about the epistle I read today from 1 Corinthians. 24Do you not know that in a race the runners all compete, but only one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may win it. 25Athletes exercise self-control in all things; they do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable one. 26So I do not run aimlessly, nor do I box as though beating the air; 27but I punish my body and enslave it, so that after proclaiming to others I myself should not be disqualified. What happens when a runner doesn't train? Well, he most certainly won't finish the race! She most certainly won't win the prize! If we, like Naaman, decide that we want spiritual healing on our own terms and fail to follow through on what's required of us, fail to discipline ourselves to listen for God rather than telling God we know what's best for us, then we will not win the prize.

Rick Warren, the pastor of the famous Saddleback Church and the author of the Purpose Driven Life and other purpose driven books teaches the following lesson: "We were made by God and for God, and until you figure that out, life isn't going to make sense. Life is a series of problems: Either you are in one now, you're just coming out of one, or you're getting ready to go into another one. The reason for this is that God is more interested in your character than your comfort. God is more interested in making your life holy than He is in making your life happy. We can be reasonably happy here on earth, but that's not the goal of life. The goal is to grow in character, in Christ likeness.This past year has been the greatest year of my life but also the toughest, with my wife, Kay, getting cancer. I used to think that life was hills and valleys - you go through a dark time, then you go to the mountaintop, back and forth. I don't believe that anymore. Rather than life being hills and valleys, I believe that it's kind of like two rails on a railroad track, and at all times you have something good and something bad in your life. No matter how good things are in your life, there is always something bad that needs to be worked on. And no matter how bad things are in your life, there is always something good you can thank God for. You can focus on your purposes, or you can focus on your problems. If you focus on your problems, you're going into self-centeredness,'which is my problem, my issues, my pain.' But one of the easiest ways to get rid of pain is to get your focus off yourself and onto God and others."

Naaman was focused on his problems. He was the one with leprosy and he deserved, in his mind, to be treated with the utmost care because of it. He, in his mind, deserved to be healed because of his social status, because his king had put forth the best money on his behalf. He did not want to wallow in his enemy's river . . . he did not want to demean himself. He wanted healing on his own terms. But then one of his servants said something that caught his attention: What if the prophet had asked you to do something difficult, something that would be more suitable to a man of your status -- wouldn't you do it? And if so, then go on down to the river and do this simple thing -- it's no loss to you. So Naaman did. He swallowed his pride and focused on his purpose rather than his problem. And when he came up out of the water the 7th time, he was completely well. And with that, his spirit was well too -- for he realized that healing had nothing to do with his own terms. He realized that the God of Israel had healed him. He realized, as Rick Warren pointed out, that he was made by God and for God, and suddenly life began to make sense.

What is the prize that is before us? It would appear that the prize that is before us is the purpose that drives our life -- and we get to choose what that will be. But until we realize that we were made by God and for God, until we realize that our lives are vessels that God can fill to provide hope and love to this world, life is not going to make any sense. Some of us realize that we were made by God and for God, but, like Naaman, we want life to happen on our own terms. We want inter-personal healing, physical healing, economic healing, vocational healing, spiritual healing -- but we want it on our own terms. Now. And frequently when we don't get healing on our own terms we become paralyzed with fear -- we look at our problems instead of focusing on the prize that is before us.

Here in this church, we've spent a lot of time dwelling on problems -- financial problems, dwindling membership, etc. -- and when we do so we forget the purpose to which we've been called. We are the body of Christ -- blessed by God -- and called to be a blessing to others. We are called to share the Gospel of Christ with others. We can't lose sight of our goal by paralyzing ourselves within the problems of the moment. We can't lose sight of our goal by requiring that God heal us on our own terms -- with a larger income and a bigger membership. Rather, we have to allow ourselves to receive healing on God's terms. When we focus on God's purpose for this church -- to share God's love with our neighbors and to serve God with our whole lives -- healing will come.

Discipline is tough -- it requires that we look to our goal even when failures threaten to discourage us. We as Christ's body, are called to discipline ourselves -- to take time everyday as we not only pray to God but as we listen for God. We are called to listen for God as we read the scriptures, trusting God to meet our needs and heal us on God's terms. We are called to set aside our arrogance that we know what is right and who is wrong and rather open our eyes to obey whatever it is God wants us to do . . . even if it means that we must return to the place of Naaman's healing, the place of Jesus' baptism, the place of our own baptism and be made whole. We must run in such a way that we will win the prize. Amen.

Twas the Night Before Preaching

Tis the day before Sunday and here in my house, the pastor is studying and avoiding the souse. The scriptures on Naaman and leprosy and running are causing me grief that's in no way too stunning.

Here are the scriptures: 2 Kings 5:1-17 and I Corinthians 9:24-27 -- I've opted not to use the gospel story of Jesus healing the leper.

I love both of these passages. I love the 2 Kings story because 1) it's not familiar and 2) it takes some doing for Naaman to accept the healing that God wishes to pour out on him -- he's got quite a few "roadblocks" -- specifically arrogance -- that stand in the way of receiving what God has for him. And I love I Corinthians because it talks about the discipline with which Christians are to go through life to gain a prize that is eternal. In both of these scriptures, I see the prize before us -- for Naaman it is healing of both body and spirit -- and for Christians it is eternal life. But what else ties these two passages together? I'm stuck, you see, because Naaman seems to get hung up on receiving the gift that is before him because it's so simple, while Christians in I Corinthians seem to get hung up on the discipline that we must train ourself with because it's so hard. In both, God blesses. But the process to receive the blessing seems so very different. So I'm working through that now at the not quite 11th hour. If you have any last minute thoughts as you prepare for tomorrow, drop me a note!

Healing

I changed my sermon again. I realized that my congregation needs to hear more about healing right now than about focus. Or at least I felt that was the message I could share today. So here's a quick sketch of what I did. Again, from Mark 1:29-39

I’m a “Sound of Music” fan. Anything to do with music and dancing and frolicking children, well, that’s just good stuff. My favorite scene, however, is the horrible thunderstorm where, one by one, the kids come into Maria’s room (Maria being the nanny/nun) to try to find some comfort. And music is the great healer. (tell more)
Jesus was asked to use this power that God had blessed him with to bring comfort, much like Maria. When he was ready to call it a day, he healed Simon’s mother-in-law and suddenly scared people from all around town crowded him, asking him to heal them. And he did. . . .
But there came a point when Jesus said – it’s late, let’s go to bed. He said goodnight to each of his “Vontrapp” children and laid down to rest for the evening.
But he was troubled. Although he was thrilled to be given this gift of healing by God, he wanted someone to sing to him, to comfort him, to heal his mind and his heart of all of its overwhelming questions. So he went back outside, this time the children weren’t lined up hoping for healing. They were all asleep in their bed, fears gone. And Jesus sat. And he prayed. He asked God -- what is it YOU want me to be about? Is it this healing that everyone seems to want? Is that it? Because if that's what you want I'll make it my focus. Or is it the casting out of demons like I did the other day in the synagogue? Is that it? Because if that's what you want I'll make it my focus. Or maybe you want something else, something entirely different. Just tell me. I'm here as an empty glass waiting for you to fill me with your focus, your purpose. Just tell me. Just heal my mind, God. And as Jesus sat, he listened. (stop everything and listen for some sort of revelation).
We know that Jesus was healed of all that was plaguing his mind because by the next morning he was back to focusing on what was most important. He didn’t get caught up in the thunder and lightening that had haunted him the night before – no, he realized what he had been called to do. And he followed.

It’s so easy to lose our focus – to miss out on what God is telling us, what God is calling us to be. We get sidetracked by the storms that blow up on us in life. We think – I CAN’T – until someone reminds us that we can, until someone starts singing to us about “raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens.” Most often what we need to do is just get away from it all, taking a step away from the routine and the demands just to pray to God, asking God to heal us, and then to listen. (stop everything and listen for some sort of revelation)
And when we emerge from our silence, we will know what it is we are called to do. We will know where our own healing comes from so that we can heal others, singing the song of healing for others – so that we will know what it is we have been called to.
Throughout life we will need to be healed. Sometimes we need physical healing, but always we seek spiritual healing – someone to touch us and take away our fears, someone to offer us hope.
That’s why we gather here, week after week. We gather to listen for the one who speaks with authority – not me, but God. We gather to listen for a word of hope, a word of healing. We gather to ask God to heal us, and we wait, expectantly, for that word . . . for that song that will allow us to sleep soundly.
What is the Word we are receiving, Spring Lake Presbyterian Church? When we, like Jesus, go off to a quiet place to listen for God, what do we hear? Jesus must have been given hope because by morning he was ready to do God’s will. He got up, acknowledging that he wouldn’t be able to heal everyone, and moved right along to the next town and the next town and the next town. He walked into synagogues and said – This is the message of God – not a set of laws, but simply two rules: Love God and love your neighbor. And healing occurred. Healing occurred in Jesus himself because he realized he was doing exactly what God had called him to do – not what the crowds wanted from him but what God wanted from him. And healing occurred in all who heard him – perhaps not physical healing (though that happened too) but a deeper healing, a spiritual healing – a healing that replaced fears with hope.
Where is it you need healing today? Of what are you afraid? Let Jesus touch you and watch the fever disappear. Is there a place deep within you that feels empty or lonely? Take the time to listen for the One who speaks with authority – not me, but God. Allow God to meet you in your emptiness and fill you, heal you, befriend you. Allow God to sing you the song you need to hear so that you can sleep soundly.

Where's My Focus?

Here is where I am in sermon preparation right now:

Mark 1:29-39
29As soon as they left the synagogue, they entered the house of Simon and Andrew, with James and John. 30Now Simon’s mother-in-law was in bed with a fever, and they told him about her at once. 31He came and took her by the hand and lifted her up. Then the fever left her, and she began to serve them.32That evening, at sundown, they brought to him all who were sick or possessed with demons. 33And the whole city was gathered around the door. 34And he cured many who were sick with various diseases, and cast out many demons; and he would not permit the demons to speak, because they knew him. 35In the morning, while it was still very dark, he got up and went out to a deserted place, and there he prayed. 36And Simon and his companions hunted for him. 37When they found him, they said to him, “Everyone is searching for you.” 38He answered, “Let us go on to the neighboring towns, so that I may proclaim the message there also; for that is what I came out to do.” 39And he went throughout Galilee, proclaiming the message in their synagogues and casting out demons.

The working title of my sermon right now is "When the bandwagon is going the wrong direction." The old phrase "Jumping on the Bandwagon" seems apropos these days. A new church pops up in the middle of town and everyone runs to it, only to run to the next one when it opens, and the next one when it opens. We like to be a part of something fresh and new. We like to feel that we are a part of the best thing going on. But sometimes, as people are hopping on the bandwagon, they have no idea what they are hopping on for. They have no idea where the bandwagon is going or why it is going. They know only that they want to be a part of it. And that is where things start to go wrong.

Jesus set out to do God's will. Last week we learned that he spoke with a new kind of authority -- an authority that people could easily hear, and authority that even the demons listened to and obeyed. So in today's story, his authority is catching on. Simon's mother-in-law was sick so Jesus was called on to heal her. And he did. he walked right in, took her hand, and the fever went away.

Imagine, if you will, that you heard that someone might be able to heal someone YOU know -- just by touching them. No meds or surgery, just a touch and suddenly that person would be well. Wouldn't you follow? Well, that's what happened. Simon told his friends who told their friends who told their friends and suddenly, everyone had jumped on the bandwagon, bringing the sick to Jesus and asking him to heal them. And by the power of God, Jesus did heal them one by one. But Jesus realized something -- they were no longer coming to hear him because he spoke with authority. They weren't coming because of the message he had to give them. They were coming because they wanted healing. And this disturbed Jesus.

He slept a restless sleep that night, a sleep full of questions without answers. And so early, before anyone else was up, so early that it was still dark outside, Jesus disappeared to a place where no one would look for him. The place was quiet and the cool of the early morning was exaggerated by the darkness that preceeds dawn. Jesus wandered off to this place where he could think and pray without the agendas of the people being thrust upon him. And there he sat. And he prayed. He asked God -- what is it YOU want me to be about? Is it this healing that everyone seems to want? Is that it? Because if that's what you want I'll make it my focus. Or is it the casting out of demons like I did the other day in the synagogue? Is that it? Because if that's what you want I'll make it my focus. Or maybe you want something else, something entirely different. Just tell me. I'm here as an empty glass waiting for you to fill me with your focus, your purpose. Just tell me. And as Jesus sat, he listened. (stop everything and listen for some sort of revelation).

We don't know the specific words that were spoken to Jesus. We just know that he heard something, that he finally got the answers to his questions. Simon searched everywhere for Jesus once the people started lining up to be healed outside of his door. He had no idea why the great healer would hide from people. It was his responsibility to heal him, to use his gift to make these people well. Simon found Jesus praying and told Jesus the urgency with which he was needed. But by then, Jesus had his answer. And he looked at Simon and pronounced -- tell the people I'm not going to heal them today. It's time for me to go to the next town and do God's will there. It's time for me to share the message with people who need to hear. What was that message? If we look back at the beginning of Mark 1, we remember that John the Baptizer pronounced that the one who is coming will baptize people with the Holy Spirit -- with understanding and clarity. It's no wonder that those in the synagogue said he spoke with authority. Jesus was speaking in such a way that people could understand what the Kingdom of God was all about -- Jesus was speaking about more than a catchy phrase that signals that it's time to jump on the bandwagon.

And so he went to many other towns. He continued casting out demons and healing the sick. But his focus? Well, his focus was on bringing understanding in the synagogues; his focus was on speaking a message that can be heard.

What is our focus, Spring Lake Presbyterian Church? At one point, 5 years ago, this church decided that our mission would be to demonstrate God's love to each other and the world. But is that still our focus? Are we willing to demonstrate God's love to people who have never been loved? to saints and sinners alike? Are we willing to ask our neighbors: What is it you need in order to see God? to know God? to find God? Are we willing to take our focus away from what is comfortable for us so that we can help others be comfortable? I learned this week that there are 500 school-aged kids in Spring Lake alone -- that's not including preschoolers or young adults. Are we willing to demonstrate God's love to them? As we talked about last week, there are so many people in our community who really don't care about what might happen in a church because what they are truly looking for is authenticity rather than organized religion. Are we willing to demonstrate God's love to them? I'm here to challenge you, Spring Lake Presbyterian Church, because you are incredible about demonstrating God's love to each other. I've never known a more generous community who will bend over backward for each other. I've never seen a more caring community in which cards are sent, calls are made, food is shared, and friendships are established. But God's love has got to get out of this building, has got to go into the world. And so perhaps, what we need to do, is step away from what we know, from what feels good and familiar, and instead ask God: What do you want of me? Will we make ourselves like an empty glass and allow God to fill us with God's purpose, God's focus? Are we willing to set aside our own agendas and ask, instead, what God has for us?

Even Jesus had to step aside. Taking time to re-evaluate is not something that weaklings do. Rather it's something that anyone who wants to be open to the pouring out of the Holy Spirit should do. This church is God's church. Let's take time to ask God how we can serve, what we've been called to do, and may we offer ourselves without hesitation.

Yesterday at the youth gathering, I met four youth who are preparing to enlist in the military. These young people -- aged 16-21 -- knew the sacrifice that was involved and decided to offer themselves to serve this country without hesitation. One even said -- even if I have to go to a place like Iraq, I will. And I had no doubt that she was serious. She really feels called to leave her own comfort zone so that others can be made comfortable.

The call of Christ sounds to us just as deeply -- come, open yourselves to the possibilities, even if that means sacrificing your own agenda for yourself. Get off the bandwagon, the notion that Christianity is simply a "popularity" contest, and join instead the One who calls us to give beyond ourselves, to "be all that we can be" and even more. Amen.

meeting God

I just finished a memorial service for someone I never knew. He was young -- 65 -- and a member of the community, though not at all associated with the church. I'm used to leading memorial services for church members, but it was really interesting to lead one for a stranger. The church was packed -- close to 80 people there and only 5 church members. And I got to wondering, as I often do when I don't know the person, how he might have experienced God in his life. It doesn't sound like he ever entered a church. He was a Harley Davidson rider and a nature lover (hunter and fisher). And I got to thinking . . . ya know, God meets us wherever we are. He seemed to live in response to having seen a bit of the Blessing too. He lived 9 years longer than his doctor expected him too. In return he took his neighbor to the store and to the doctor; he drove his wife to work and waved at all of her fellow workers, he drove to the hospital to help his older brother pull through 8 weeks of intense pain after a motorcycle accident. And while I don't believe the gospel of Jesus Christ is about works, I do believe it is about grace and as such, I believe the way of Christ can meet us wherever we happen to be. And I believe that the works we do reflect the fact that God's love has touched us, and changed us. So where is he today? Like I can really say . . . but I believe he's in the arms of God. Aren't we all?

Jesus Came to Do What?

Mark 1:29-39
29As soon as they left the synagogue, they entered the house of Simon and Andrew, with James and John. 30Now Simon’s mother-in-law was in bed with a fever, and they told him about her at once. 31He came and took her by the hand and lifted her up. Then the fever left her, and she began to serve them.
32That evening, at sundown, they brought to him all who were sick or possessed with demons. 33And the whole city was gathered around the door. 34And he cured many who were sick with various diseases, and cast out many demons; and he would not permit the demons to speak, because they knew him. 35In the morning, while it was still very dark, he got up and went out to a deserted place, and there he prayed. 36And Simon and his companions hunted for him. 37When they found him, they said to him, “Everyone is searching for you.” 38He answered, “Let us go on to the neighboring towns, so that I may proclaim the message there also; for that is what I came out to do.” 39And he went throughout Galilee, proclaiming the message in their synagogues and casting out demons.

I've always wondered why Jesus wanted to "keep things secret" in the gospel of Mark. There are academic answers for that which I won't go into right now. But as I read the scripture the one thing that popped out at me in such a way that I could not look away was verse 38: "Let us go on to the neighboring towns, so that I may proclaim the message there also; for that is what I came out to do." He literally turned people away who wanted to be healed, who could have added to his following. He walked away from them and said -- this isn't it. This isn't what I'm supposed to be doing right now.

I wonder some times if we miss it also. Perhaps if we stopped for a moment and listened to God and prayed a bit we might hear what it is we are supposed to do. I'm thinking that's what Jesus did. He was getting really excited about this healing stuff, but in stopping and talking to God, he realized, it's just not it -- it's not why I am here.

We Christians like to talk about our Jesus - our healer -- but is that what he came to do? Perhaps we should think about that. What are your thoughts?