1 Corinthians 1:1-3

1 Corinthians 1:1-3 

English Standard Version 

  When I think about my young dreams to play professional sports, they were perhaps not dreamt in accordance with my talents.  They were aspirations, but not aligned with reality.  I didn't pay enough attention to what I was actually good at and think about my dreams related to my actual skills.  I just liked playing basketball.  It's a shame I was terrible at it.

  Paul, here, is called to be an apostle.  It's interesting to think about Paul's life -- while he was trained and skilled in religion, he certainly wasn't trending towards Christianity as he was persecuting it.  But God called him -- he had leadership skills and plenty of passion.  He needed a little adjusting, but God took care of that on the road to Damascus!

  Others were called to be saints together.  They weren't called to be apostles -- they had other calls, just as important, but different.  We're not all called to be apostles.

  So when you listen to how God is calling you, pay attention to what is going on in your life around you, to the skills and passions that you have, to the community you have and how they affirm you in your life, and then move in that direction, listening for God's Word to continue to guide you, often speaking through those around you.  It can be hard to find your call, but we're all called -- some as apostles, some as saints together, others in other roles.  Thank God we have one another!

Luke 2:16-20

Luke 2:16-20 

English Standard Version 

  There's a place for everyone in Scripture.  For the extroverts, we have the shepherds, going with haste and telling everyone what they've heard. For the introverts, we have Mary, taking it all in and treasuring these things in their hearts.  Some glorify God publicly, others privately.  Each of us has our own walk -- don't try and live someone else's life, don't try and fit yourself into someone else's faith.  It's easy to wish we had someone else's life, but that's not how we're called.  We live together, and we benefit from each other's gifts.  To withdraw from community is to miss out on the gifts of one another.  But we don't have to imitate or copy each other -- we're all called differently, separately, and we glorify God in our own ways.

Luke 2:13-15

Luke 2:13-15 

English Standard Version 

  Curiosity is said to have killed the cat, but in the case of Christianity, it can be one of our greatest strengths.  

  Without curiosity, the shepherds hear the angels and then stay in the fields.  Without curiosity, they're intrigued by the message of the angels, but since it doesn't fit in the mold of what they're expecting, it'd be easy to cast it aside and not take the next steps.

  But they hear what the angels have to say, and curiosity takes over, so they go and look for what the angels have spoken about.

  It's a question for us, too.  Are we curious enough to follow where angels may lead?  When we have thoughts on our hearts or minds, do we patiently listen for more direction, talk about them with a friend, find what opportunities are out there?  God is always calling us forward, but we have to be willing to follow, even if we're uncertain about what the next stage of the path looks like.  God will be there to catch us if we fail, and we'll often receive more guidance along the way.  But we need to be willing to step out in faith and let our curiosity lead us forward.

Luke 2:8-12

Luke 2:8-12 

English Standard Version 

  Think of all the possible people that the angels could've announced the birth of Jesus to.  If there was someone born that was going to change the course of human fate, you'd imagine that they'd be announced in every palace on earth.  

  Would that have worked?  

  We don't know.  If that had been God's plan, it would've almost certainly worked.  I'm not going to doubt God's plan.

  But we know that God started with the shepherds, just like God chose humble fishermen as the first disciples.  And from those humble beginnings, the Gospel spread to every corner of the known world.  

  So what does that teach us?  We'd be wise to think about how the Gospel is at work in the humble parts of the world.  We often have our eyes focused on the most powerful places in society and we don't think much about the humbler spots.  May we pray for the wisdom to open the eyes of our hearts to follow wherever God may lead, even if it is to unexpected spots that are far from the centers of power.

Luke 2:1-7

Luke 2:1-7 

English Standard Version 

  Every year, we come to this point, and every year, it's a miracle unfolding before us.  A baby, fragile and vulnerable, entering a world of poverty and danger, all of it woven together to help us see the breadth of the love of God.  You'd never write the story this way -- you'd have the Prince of Peace coming into a castle, with a throne inlaid with gold waiting him, but that's not the way the story goes.  If Jesus came into wealth and power, only the wealth would understand him.  Instead, Jesus comes in poverty, and we see dependence and need, and the entire world looks upon him and can identify.  We're all in need.  

  So let us come to the manger and peer in with anxious hearts, ready to be comforted, trusting in the God who comes to us in mysteries, in riches, in love.  May we come this Christmas and hear the story again, and as it comforts our weary hearts, may we be enrobed in light and love and encouraged once more to love the world with the same selfless love with which God loves us.

  Merry Christmas!!

John 20:30-31

John 20:30-31 English Standard Version 

The Purpose of This Book 

  There's so much we never see.  We don't know the half of what goes on with most news stories, but reporters summarize the events to give us an understanding of the most important people and newsworthy items.  When you're telling someone about your day, do you tell them every little detail?  Or do you summarize and capture the most important moments?

  Likewise, when John is trying to tell you about the life of Jesus Christ, he summarizes.  He would've run out of paper if he'd tried to tell you everything.  All the parchment in the world couldn't contain that.  But he tells you the most important things that you need to know, and we can trust that the things that are left out are similar enough to what is in there that it fits with the image of Jesus portrayed in the Gospels.  

  So we can believe based on what we have read, and trust that we'll know the remaining details someday.  

John 20:26-29

John 20:26-29 

English Standard Version 

  There are so many people who think God is out to get them.  As though God, the perfect Creator of the universe, would need to play 'gotcha' games to find a reason to smite anyone.  

  What Jesus is showing us here is that it is the will of God to save.  Jesus wants Thomas to believe -- he goes out of his way to give Thomas the proof.  Jesus doesn't tell Thomas that he needs to believe more or figure it out on his own.  Jesus reaches out in grace and love to bring Thomas in and speak to his doubts.

  Jesus looks at you and I the same way -- through a lens of grace and love.  Jesus wants you to believe, to have faith, and sends out the Holy Spirit to speak to our doubts and questions.

John 20:24-25

John 20:24-25 

English Standard Version 

  For the record, this seems like an entirely reasonable position that Thomas takes.  Also, it reminds us that the 1st century disciples weren't any more likely to believe that dead people came back to life than we are.  If we were told this, we'd want a little evidence, too, and more than just an online video.  We'd want concrete proof, and would be unlikely to settle for anything less.

  So let's not be too hard on Thomas, and may we pray for God to soften our hearts around areas where we struggle to believe.  

John 20:19-23

John 20:19-23

English Standard Version 

  In the 21st century, it's easy to think that the disciples were gathered together, perched on the edge of their chairs, waiting for Jesus' resurrection.

  No, they were in a locked room, afraid for their lives, wondering if the Romans would kill them, too, as an effort to completely crush the movement.

  They didn't fully realize how much more powerful Jesus was than the Roman empire.  If they had known at the time, then maybe they wouldn't have been sitting inside behind locked doors, but would instead be sitting in the garden, unafraid of the Roman guards, waiting for the resurrection.

  But they weren't.  They were hiding, afraid.

  What's amazing is that after Jesus ascended to heaven, this group of scared disciples would go on to transform the world, and they'd do so unafraid of death.  Most of them would be publicly martyred, killed for their proclamation.  They were afraid here, but not later on -- they went boldly into public, each of them proclaiming what they believed to be true.

  What changed?

  Jesus came into a locked room and breathed the Holy Spirit upon them.

  It is my solemn prayer that the same Holy Spirit come into the locked doors of our hearts and continue to breathe that same peace upon us, that we, too, may go out into the world with joy and boldness.

Sermon for December 18, 2022

John 20:18

John 20:18 

English Standard Version

  What would you say if someone came up to you a few days after a funeral and told you that they'd seen the deceased at the grocery store? Would you laugh in their face?  Silently make a note to call friends and family later?  Be so upset that you'd cry?

  There's all sorts of possibilities, but I doubt you'd immediately jump to belief that the person had risen from the dead.  These things don't happen.  It's easy to assume in our modern day that people were simpler and more gullible 2,000 years ago.  But they understood life and death -- what do you think they had all those purity codes for?  They didn't have the same level of scientific knowledge, but they were just as skeptical as we are of the idea of someone rising from the dead.  

  But Mary saw enough to convince her to go and tell the story.  She understood and believed, and then was the first witness to the resurrection to invite others to explore this possibility that opens a window into a new reality.

  May we pray for the wisdom to have open minds and open hearts.  Open minds to listen to what God has to say to us and is calling us into, and open hearts to love those that God puts in our path.

John 20:17

John 20:17 

English Standard Version 

  Jesus has been resurrected for less than a day and he's already pointing people towards one another.  Christianity isn't meant to be just 'me and Jesus', but rather there is a horizontal component that is just as important as the vertical -- we do faith with one another.  This is where a lot of spirituality programs fall short -- they miss that Jesus is always sending us out into the world together, to love and serve one another.  I think we miss this a lot in church, too -- church isn't just about showing up once a week to serve God individually.  It's about building relationships with one another, building a community of faith that worships together, as one body, and complimenting each other's strengths and weaknesses.  We do this together, not individually, and we're better for it, even as we're occasionally in conflict, because we all have some sharp edges that run up against the sharp edges of other people.  

  May we love and serve together, and recognize the ways Jesus sends us into the community.

John 20:16

John 20:16 

English Standard Version 

  There's a delicate and intimate nature to Jesus' interactions with us -- in the midst of the cosmic work that he's doing, he addresses us by name -- he calls us, the same way he calls us into being.  In the midst of a billion souls, Jesus knows your name and speaks it over you.

  And to hear Mary's response -- Rabbon means great master, while the 'i' on the end is possessive, meaning 'My Great Master' or 'My Great Teacher'.  This is the highest designation a teacher can receive, and isn't it amazing that it's Mary that bestows such a title upon Jesus?  It's not a lifelong student or someone with a clean background, but Mary Magdalene who calls Jesus this name.  Jesus addresses her by name, and in response, she gives him honor. 

  What Jesus is telling us is that on the other side of the resurrection, we are known by name and interact with Jesus on an individual level.  Again, this is all regardless of our backgrounds -- Jesus loves us and calls us by name.  

  What a gift.  What love is poured upon us, and even on the other side of the grave, we have the opportunity to respond in praise.

Romans 12:1-2

Romans 12:1-2

English Standard Version 

   I found my old CD cases, which are a fascinating time capsule into the music I used to listen to 20 years ago when I was actively buying CDs.  I've got a CD player in my car that has presented the opportunity for nostalgia every time I drive down to Cincinnati or out to some rural Ohio business.  It's fantastic, and it's also a reminder as to how much life has changed.  I'm not the same person I was 20 years ago, but I really did have some great taste in music back then!  When I think about presenting myself as a living sacrifice, that means something different today than it used to.  15 years ago or 15 months ago, I was a different person, and sacrificing different things.  

  Part of the amazing reality of Christianity is that it evolves and grows as we grow -- we find additional depth in the Word of God.  As we encounter all the various joys and challenges of life, we find new facets of faith that we hadn't thought about before, and the Holy Spirit encourages us to lean into faith, to sacrifice differently.  The old saying I quote whenever I read this passage is that the problem with living sacrifices is that they keep crawling off the altar!  We're never the same, and we come back, time and time again, to be comforted and challenged and encouraged and embraced.  

  We also see the amazing reality that Christianity has something relevant to say to modern America.  What Jesus taught in 1st century Jerusalem is applicable to daily life.  We present our bodies and renew our minds, and it's all offered to God.  It matters how we surf the internet and what we watch on television -- this is part of our spirituality.  Faith doesn't shrink, but we change and wear the cloth of Christianity in different ways.    So may we give thanks for the gift of a relevant faith and a God that cares about us just as much today and God cared about us a decade ago, and that love will stretch on forever into eternity, long after the sun has worn itself out and the oceans have ceased to crash on the shore.  Thanks be to God! --

John 20:14-15

John 20:14-15 

English Standard Version 

  Martin Luther talked about the human heart as a factory of idols -- in summary, he said we have an amazing ability to turn almost anything into an idol.  Augustine talked about it as a disordered loves, in that we love other things more than God.  We look at the world, and we see other things to worship, and we neglect the worship of God.

  Mary falls prey to the same temptation in a different way.  She's not guilty of idolatry, but she looks directly at Jesus and sees a gardener.  She's despondent and wracked by grief, so it makes sense, but it's strange to picture, this woman who knows Jesus looking directly at the resurrected Savior and assuming it's a stranger.  

  We do the same thing.  God shows up and is active in the world and in our lives, and we assume that it's something else.  Our eyes aren't clouded by grief, but usually by some other worldly desire, and so we're caught up chasing the world's success, and we miss God in front of us.

  May we pray for clear vision, for God to direct the eyes of our heart, that we may see when God is in our lives, leading us forward, and follow God wherever we are led.

John 20:12-13

John 20:12-13 

English Standard Version 

  I imagine people who are born and raised in San Diego don't truly understand winter.  They might know what winter is conceptually, but the idea of being cold because it's negative 5 degrees and the wind is howling is so foreign as to be incomprehensible.

  The angels have the same problem.  They can't understand weeping. They've seen the Gospel narrative unfolding, and they know Jesus has been raised from the dead, so all they know is joy.  Weeping from sorrow doesn't occur to them.  

  One day, when we're on the other side of the veil, we won't know sorrow.  We won't know heartbreak.  We won't remember what it's like to weep with sorrow.  In the meantime, we unfortunately still know this reality all too well.  We lose people.  We experience illness.  Our minds and bodies fail us.  In this world, death is still here -- so may we aspire to the day when we understand the world as angels do, and may we be extremely sensitive to one another as we undergo heartache.  We may not understand why others are weeping, for they may be experiencing heartbreak that we don't understand.  May we listen well, and care deeply.

Sermon for December 4, 2022

John 20:11

John 20:11 

English Standard Version 

  I don't like thinking about death very often.  It's not the brightest subject.  But it's real and it's out there, whether I like it or not.  One of our clients lost his wife very surprisingly and far too young the other day, and I can't help but ponder it.  As a Christian, I believe that death is a veil that we pass through into something else.  My belief in this is based on the fact that Jesus Christ died and rose from the dead.  He's the only person in human history to do this, he predicted it, and the foundation of the church that I serve is rooted in this fact.  The apostles went to very, very unpleasant deaths proclaiming this to be true, and if there was a body, the Romans could've produced it at any point to put an end to any resurrection nonsense.  They didn't because they couldn't.

  Therefore, death is truly a beginning -- like a newborn child, when we die, we pass through something immensely stressful, and we enter into a world completely unknown, where our senses are likely to encounter a world unlike the one we've known in our previous experience.  Try explaining the world to a newborn that's spent 9 months in a warm, dark place, listening to its mother's heartbeat and digestive track as it moves food along the process.  It simply wouldn't compute -- the outside world is too different.  No wonder babies cry when they're born.  

  And yet, because it's so hard for us to contemplate, and because we can't wrap our heads around a completely different experience, we end up like Mary here in John 20:11 -- when we think about it, we find ourselves standing outside of death, weeping at the very thought of it.  This world is so beautiful, and so many relationships are so rich, and the next step is so foreign, that we cannot help but weep out of sorrow for what we lose.  Mary, who knew and saw far more than I did, wept at the reality of it.  

  Tim Keller says that the only thing death can do is make us better.  I think about that a lot.  It's an unshakable optimism and confidence in God's sovereign power over death.  I pray for that.  I hope for that.  I don't know that I have it now.  But maybe I'll grow into it.