Second Chances
By Rev Steven R Mitchell
First Congregational UCC, Rock Springs, WY 1/22/2012
Based on Jonah 3: 1-5, 10 & Mark 1:14-20
“Then the word of the LORD came to Jonah a second time…” Have you ever done something that was really wrong and wished that you hadn’t? Said something to someone and wished you could take it back, because what you said destroyed instead of build up? Or made a decision years ago and wondered what your life might be like if you had made a different choice?
In the classic movie, “It’s a Wonderful Life”, the main character George Bailey had his life all planned out for himself. He was going to go off and see the world after graduating from High School, then attend college and graduate with an architectural degree, then design building. There wasn’t going to be anything or anyone who was going to get in his way of achieving the goals he had for himself.
No body or anything, except life. At each important cross road in his life, George had to make a decision that challenged his dreams. As a young boy he lost the hearing in his right ear because he saved his younger brother from drowning in an icy pond. In Junior High, George was physically beaten by his boss, the druggist, for not delivering medicine to a family; medicine that the druggist, who in a distraught state of mind over the death of his own son had mistakenly added poison to the prescription. George had no plans of falling in love with the beautiful Donna Reid, but ended up marrying her and together they had four children. On his wedding day, George spent all his savings to stop a run on the family savings and loan at the beginning of the depression. George gave up his dream of adventure and becoming an architect when he took over the leadership of the family business, a business he hated in order to give an option to the citizens of Bedford Falls in doing business, so they would not be held captive to the evil Mr. Potter.
All of George’s life, the decisions that he was asked to make, seemed to always benefit others but never fulfilled his own dreams. George’s greatest challenge comes when his Uncle Billy misplaces the company’s deposits. For George, this meant scandal, financial ruin for the company, and prison for himself. He finds himself, standing on the edge of life, ready to jump off a bridge to end his life, for he felt that he was a failure; all of his decisions came to no good end. At this point in George’s life, God intervenes by sending down an angel who needs to earn his wings named Clarence.
George, true to his nature puts off killing himself to save the drowning Clarence. As the two are drying off next to a fire, George wishes he had never been born. With the help of Clarence, George is given a second chance; a chance to see what life would be if he had never been born. Since George wasn’t around to save his younger brothers life, his brother wasn’t able to save the lives of a thousand soldiers on a transport vessel during WWII. The druggist went to jail, because George wasn’t there to prevent the mistaken prescription. The beautiful Donna Reid never married and had an unfulfilled life. There was no Bedford Falls, as the town was owned by the evil Mr. Potter and was named Pottersville. George then realizes just how precisions his life has been and begs for a second chance to continue to live the life that he had had.
The story of Jonah is a great story about the adventures of a prophet. It shows us more of the human side of a prophet’s life, one that helps us realize that even though one is called to be a prophet for God, one doesn’t always willing follow orders. With Jonah, he is told by God to go to Nineveh and tell them they have only forty days before they are destroyed. Jonah being the devoted prophet that he was turned and ran the other direction. Of course, this decision brought on particular calamities for a lot of other people. Like George Bailey, the actions of Jonah weigh heavily upon what happens to others.
Also like George Bailey, Jonah at several junctures of his life journey is asking God to take his life that it is just too unbearable to continue on. Then God answers by coming back to Jonah a second time, and once again telling Jonah to go to Nineveh. So with much fear in his heart, he travels into Nineveh and delivers the message that God told him to deliver. To his surprise, the Ninevehites hear the word and repent are spared by God.
There is a similar reaction to the word of God, found in the first chapter of Mark, as we see Jesus, walking up to Simon and Andrew, then coming upon James and John and saying, “come follow me, I will make you fishers of humanity.” Upon hearing this invitation, these four men changed course, changed careers.
The main focus in today’s lectionary readings asks us to ponder upon the suddenness to which we can change when God speaks to us. There is no indication by Marks writings that these four fishermen had any prior knowledge of Jesus and his mission, only that when Jesus asked them to drop what they were doing and in following him, they did just that. For the people of Nineveh, they were not even told that their destruction was going to be coming from God, or that by repenting there would be hope of survival. They just inherently knew that they needed to repent from their actions.
Sudden change! Second chances, this is what we are reading about today. Barbara Brown Taylor, professor of religion at Piedmont College in Demorest, Georgia writes: Much has been written about the response of the disciples who dropped everything to follow Jesus. Why did they do something so drastic, and how could they up-end their lives so dramatically, and would that really be a good thing for us to do, that is, if we could "manage" it?
Could we measure up to the standard of those disciples, and drop everything, too? We might wonder why and how those first four disciples could do such a thing, without even a stirring sermon from Jesus, or maybe a dramatic miracle, or better yet, the sky opening up and a voice announcing that this was God's own beloved, and that they should listen to him Such an incident would have provided some clear explanation for their sudden abandonment of everything to follow Jesus. What did they know, on that seashore that we don't know?
We're missing the point if we linger on such questions. This is a story about God, not the disciples or us. To focus on what the disciples gave up (and whether we could do the same), is "to put the accent on the wrong syllable." This "miracle story," is really about "the power of God - to walk right up to a quartet of fishermen and work a miracle, creating faith where there was no faith, creating disciples where there were none just a moment before." Now this way of approaching the story may, oddly, make us uncomfortable, especially in a culture that emphasizes our choices and independence, our ability to shape our lives and determine our destinies. We can do whatever needs to be done; it's within our power; we can fix and improve everything; we can take hold of the future and make it what we want it to be. In fact, we have to do it, in order to please God and get to heaven. The better we are, the more saintly and sacrificing we are, and the more likely we are to earn our salvation.
With this type of thinking, Taylor says: "What we may have lost along the way is a full sense of the power of God – to recruit people who have made terrible choices; to invade the most hapless lives and fill them with light; to sneak up on people who are thinking about lunch, not God, and smack them upside the head with glory". Whether we're ready or not, God acts. Sermon Seeds, 1/22/2012
There are major changes going on within our community of faith. We are looking for a settled pastor to lead us. We are facing a budget that calls for more money than what is currently committed. Do we truly believe that God has the power to lead us, like the fishermen did when Jesus said, drop your nets and follow me? Or do we act like Jonah, size up the request as being too expensive, too risky, falling back on the false sense of "prudent paths of action" and try to run away from doing what God is asking us to do? As Barbara Taylor says, "are we putting the accent on the wrong syllable", have we lost along the way the sense of the power of God?
We stand at the threshold of new choices, of second chances. Will we run from the challenges or will we take up the call of God? Amen
Saturday, January 21, 2012
Saturday, January 14, 2012
Ears Tingling, First Congregational UCC, Rock Springs, WY, 1/15/2012, by Rev Steven R Mitchell
Ears Tingling
By Rev Steven R Mitchell
First Congregational UCC, Rock Springs, WY 1/15/2012
Based on 1 Samuel 3:1-11 & John 1:43-51
“11 And the LORD said to Samuel: “See, I am about to do something in Israel that will make the ears of everyone who hears about it tingle.” When I read this particular verse, I recall the movie, “The Music Man”, particularly the scenes where the women of the town are talking amongst themselves about the recent events concerning the newly arrived salesman, Professor Hill. As onlookers we are only privy to what they are saying through the song’s lyrics, “Pick a little, talk a little, pick a little, talk a little, Cheep cheep cheep, talk a lot, pick a little more.” Everyone’s ears in River City, Iowa were a tinglin’ with news about the extraordinary events that were happening since Professor Hill came upon the scene.
This morning’s scriptures are some of the most ear tingling selections of the lectionary readings for this year, as it explores the topic of hearing, listening, and responding to the calling of the Lord. We have three main characters, a small boy (Samuel) who represents those who do not yet know the Lord, an aging priest (Eli) who has served the Lord for many years, and (Nathanael) a man most likely in his mid to late twenties and is described as a man with no deceit.
In the story with Samuel and Eli, we have a young boy who has been given up by his mother, Hannah, to live a life of serving God in the temple located in the town of Shiloh. Samuel was an answer to prayers put forth by Hannah, who had for a number of years asked God to send her a child. As soon as Samuel was house broke, his mother presented him to the Priest Eli, so that Eli could mentor him in serving the Lord. In many respects that is what we celebrate this morning through the baptism of young Jason Martin. As a part of a much larger family of faith, we are an “Eli”, committing ourselves to help Jason grow up in the teachings of the church, helping him develop his relationship with God.
Eli, is described as growing in years, so much so, his eye sight was becoming dim. This could be just a description of the physical aspects of Eli, but I wonder if it is not also a metaphor for what was happening in Israel, as the beginning of this chapter starts off with the observation, “In those days the word of the LORD was rare.” We also read that Eli was not hearing the voice that Samuel was hearing that evening.
So here we have a seasoned man of faith and a newbie. Both are in the service of God; one who doesn’t seem to be able to hear God’s calling, the other, too new to recognize the calling of God. What an inspiration to us within the church, for are we not a group that also hosts a wide range of spiritual experiences! Here we have a young boy who is being called by God, “Samuel, Samuel”, but doesn’t recognize that it is God calling to him. Eli doesn’t hear this voice that Samuel is hearing but eventually recognizes that God must want to speak through Samuel. Neither are in a position to listen to God without the help of the other.
In contrast to this shared community, we live in a country that prides itself on “individualism”. We are taught to live on our own, make our own decisions, become the master of our fate; we are heavily influenced by the document we call, “The Declaration of Independence.” Yet, when we have big decisions to make within our lives, is it not prudent to seek out the opinions and advise of others? As Congregationalists, do we not believe in corporate decision making? As a part of our discernment process we not only look to scripture for guidance, but we as a denomination, as a congregation, also consider historical teachings of the church.
As a minister, I cannot tell you how often I hear people say in one form or another, “I don’t need the church to be spiritual”, or “I can be close to God out in the wilderness”. There is truth in what is said, you don’t need church to have a relationship with God. Yet, when and where do we generally take the time out within our busy lives in order to feed our spirituality? Where is it that we most frequently open our bibles and read from it, or be in conversation specifically dealing with the word of God? The majority of the time is in community, at church.
This leads me to the story with Nathanael. Here is a man described by Jesus as an Israelite who has no deceit. Yet, upon meeting Jesus, being introduced to Jesus by his own brother, Nathanael does not immediately recognized Jesus as being, “the one he has been waiting all his life to meet.” In fact, his first response upon being told that Jesus was from Nazareth was, “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” What a slap in the face that must have been to Jesus. It would be similar to going up to a Muslim and saying, “How can you know the word of God, you are Muslim.”
Nathanael had a pre-conceived understanding that the “Messiah” was to come out of Bethlehem, out of the family of David, in other words, the long awaited King would come from a more prestigious setting than from a poverty stricken, no nothing town of Nazareth. A town that not only had a just few hundred inhabitants but was up north in the “other kingdom”, not coming from Judea where the prophets of old had said the Messiah would come from.
How often do we deny ourselves the joy of hearing God, of seeing miracles, because of pre-conceived ideas? Of the way it is suppose to happen? Of not being able to hear God, when God calls to us? That is a strong argument for a community of faith needing to meet regularly, to study together, to discuss what we read, and of sharing the experiences that we have, so that we can through collaboration hear what God is trying to say to us.
God is constantly trying to speak to us. God is calling “Samuel, Samuel” all the time. God comes to us every day, just as Jesus came up to Nathanael, but like Nathanael, our pre-conceived idea’s, our already made up minds on how things are suppose to look, we the opportunity of God speaking to us.
An unfortunate fact for a large portion of the church in our country is that we have forgotten that God speaks through many voices: through the voices of children, through the voices of the dis-enfranchised, voices that come through the arts and sciences, even through the voice of our environment. We need to be open enough to collaborate with all these differing voices in order for us to hear what God is trying to tell us.
I suppose the true question is, “Are we truly willing to open ourselves to listen to the calling of God?” Will we be able to say as did Samuel, “Here I am Lord. Speak for your servant is listening”? Let us be ready to have our ears tingle! Amen.
By Rev Steven R Mitchell
First Congregational UCC, Rock Springs, WY 1/15/2012
Based on 1 Samuel 3:1-11 & John 1:43-51
“11 And the LORD said to Samuel: “See, I am about to do something in Israel that will make the ears of everyone who hears about it tingle.” When I read this particular verse, I recall the movie, “The Music Man”, particularly the scenes where the women of the town are talking amongst themselves about the recent events concerning the newly arrived salesman, Professor Hill. As onlookers we are only privy to what they are saying through the song’s lyrics, “Pick a little, talk a little, pick a little, talk a little, Cheep cheep cheep, talk a lot, pick a little more.” Everyone’s ears in River City, Iowa were a tinglin’ with news about the extraordinary events that were happening since Professor Hill came upon the scene.
This morning’s scriptures are some of the most ear tingling selections of the lectionary readings for this year, as it explores the topic of hearing, listening, and responding to the calling of the Lord. We have three main characters, a small boy (Samuel) who represents those who do not yet know the Lord, an aging priest (Eli) who has served the Lord for many years, and (Nathanael) a man most likely in his mid to late twenties and is described as a man with no deceit.
In the story with Samuel and Eli, we have a young boy who has been given up by his mother, Hannah, to live a life of serving God in the temple located in the town of Shiloh. Samuel was an answer to prayers put forth by Hannah, who had for a number of years asked God to send her a child. As soon as Samuel was house broke, his mother presented him to the Priest Eli, so that Eli could mentor him in serving the Lord. In many respects that is what we celebrate this morning through the baptism of young Jason Martin. As a part of a much larger family of faith, we are an “Eli”, committing ourselves to help Jason grow up in the teachings of the church, helping him develop his relationship with God.
Eli, is described as growing in years, so much so, his eye sight was becoming dim. This could be just a description of the physical aspects of Eli, but I wonder if it is not also a metaphor for what was happening in Israel, as the beginning of this chapter starts off with the observation, “In those days the word of the LORD was rare.” We also read that Eli was not hearing the voice that Samuel was hearing that evening.
So here we have a seasoned man of faith and a newbie. Both are in the service of God; one who doesn’t seem to be able to hear God’s calling, the other, too new to recognize the calling of God. What an inspiration to us within the church, for are we not a group that also hosts a wide range of spiritual experiences! Here we have a young boy who is being called by God, “Samuel, Samuel”, but doesn’t recognize that it is God calling to him. Eli doesn’t hear this voice that Samuel is hearing but eventually recognizes that God must want to speak through Samuel. Neither are in a position to listen to God without the help of the other.
In contrast to this shared community, we live in a country that prides itself on “individualism”. We are taught to live on our own, make our own decisions, become the master of our fate; we are heavily influenced by the document we call, “The Declaration of Independence.” Yet, when we have big decisions to make within our lives, is it not prudent to seek out the opinions and advise of others? As Congregationalists, do we not believe in corporate decision making? As a part of our discernment process we not only look to scripture for guidance, but we as a denomination, as a congregation, also consider historical teachings of the church.
As a minister, I cannot tell you how often I hear people say in one form or another, “I don’t need the church to be spiritual”, or “I can be close to God out in the wilderness”. There is truth in what is said, you don’t need church to have a relationship with God. Yet, when and where do we generally take the time out within our busy lives in order to feed our spirituality? Where is it that we most frequently open our bibles and read from it, or be in conversation specifically dealing with the word of God? The majority of the time is in community, at church.
This leads me to the story with Nathanael. Here is a man described by Jesus as an Israelite who has no deceit. Yet, upon meeting Jesus, being introduced to Jesus by his own brother, Nathanael does not immediately recognized Jesus as being, “the one he has been waiting all his life to meet.” In fact, his first response upon being told that Jesus was from Nazareth was, “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” What a slap in the face that must have been to Jesus. It would be similar to going up to a Muslim and saying, “How can you know the word of God, you are Muslim.”
Nathanael had a pre-conceived understanding that the “Messiah” was to come out of Bethlehem, out of the family of David, in other words, the long awaited King would come from a more prestigious setting than from a poverty stricken, no nothing town of Nazareth. A town that not only had a just few hundred inhabitants but was up north in the “other kingdom”, not coming from Judea where the prophets of old had said the Messiah would come from.
How often do we deny ourselves the joy of hearing God, of seeing miracles, because of pre-conceived ideas? Of the way it is suppose to happen? Of not being able to hear God, when God calls to us? That is a strong argument for a community of faith needing to meet regularly, to study together, to discuss what we read, and of sharing the experiences that we have, so that we can through collaboration hear what God is trying to say to us.
God is constantly trying to speak to us. God is calling “Samuel, Samuel” all the time. God comes to us every day, just as Jesus came up to Nathanael, but like Nathanael, our pre-conceived idea’s, our already made up minds on how things are suppose to look, we the opportunity of God speaking to us.
An unfortunate fact for a large portion of the church in our country is that we have forgotten that God speaks through many voices: through the voices of children, through the voices of the dis-enfranchised, voices that come through the arts and sciences, even through the voice of our environment. We need to be open enough to collaborate with all these differing voices in order for us to hear what God is trying to tell us.
I suppose the true question is, “Are we truly willing to open ourselves to listen to the calling of God?” Will we be able to say as did Samuel, “Here I am Lord. Speak for your servant is listening”? Let us be ready to have our ears tingle! Amen.
Sunday, January 8, 2012
Remember Your Baptism, First Congregational UCC, Rock Springs, WY, 1/8/2012 by Rev Steven R Mitchell
Remember Your Baptism
By Rev Steven R Mitchell
First Congregational UCC, Rock Springs, WY 1/8/2012
Based on Mark 1: 4-11
Last week we read about Jesus being presented at the temple for the ritual of purification, which was required in the Law of Moses. It was at the temple that Simeon and Anna, two individuals who were faithful in their commitment to God, finally received the fulfillment of God’s promise to them of being able to see the “hope” of Israel before they died. The theme of last week’s scripture focused on “vision” and living through that vision in hope, waiting for God’s timing.
This week, we are thrust forward many years, and we now see Jesus as a fully grown man, who is at the start of his ministry, a timely spot to start as we begin another new year within our own lives. In this morning’s story, we are told about this guy named John, coming from the dessert into the wilderness outside of the city of Jerusalem. This man was very unorthodox in his manor, he wore camel’s hair robes, was a vegan, and said, “Repent from your sins and be baptized in water.”
Take just a minute and think about how we, who live out our faith within the walls of the “established church” {of who we will call “Main-line denominations” such as the Episcopal, the Lutherans, the Methodists, the Presbyterians, the American Baptists, the United Church of Christ}, would react to a guy who just hit town and started holding prayer meetings down in the Bitter Creek River bed. The guy is wearing sandals, wearing blue jeans, a polo shirt, has a shaved head, and is speaking at the top of his lungs like a used car salesman, telling people that they need to repent from their sins, follow a new path and leave the old behind. Funny thing is, thousands of people in Rock Springs are hearing about this, wondering out to where he is at and for some reason are buying into what this guys is saying, being baptized in the dirty waters of Bitter Creek and having changed lives. This guys church is growing in leaps and bounds, reaching out to all sorts of people, that we in the “main-line” denominational churches, those established institutions, have never been able to reach. What would be our first reactions to all this, when we out of curiosity, go out to see for ourselves, what is going on, to see what is being said to bring such a change to the general population? Would we rejoice in what we observe? Or would we grumble and try to discount the validity of what these people are experiencing? My guess is that as part of the established religious groups in town, we would have the latter reaction to what this up start preacher was doing.
What we are reading in this first chapter of Mark is a revolutionary event going on. The whole description about John the Baptizer puts him as the outsider of the establishment. (The Joe Blow, down at Bitter Creek baptizing people.) His location alone – is announcing that God can live outside of the temple, that Jerusalem is not the only place that faith is acted out. John was telling a population that was spiritually hungry that there was something more that was needed beyond being a Hebrew, a biological part of father Abraham, that just because you are a descendant of Abraham, you are not necessarily living in the spiritual path that God is hoping for.
The need to repent, which tends to be more associated with the season of Lent, is brought up at the beginning of Jesus’ ministry. When we hear this word, we tend to think about the turning away from sin, or sinful acts. The word for us, tends to mean, “Being sorry, or remorseful, or even penitent”, but there is a deeper meaning within Jesus’ Judaism. Repent, is more closely associated with the idea of returning from exile; ‘to repent is to return, to follow ‘the way of the Lord’ that leads from exile to the Promised Land.” The Greek roots of the word suggest an additional meaning; to repent is to 'go beyond the mind that you have' - to go beyond conventional understandings of what life with God is about" (Jesus: Uncovering the Life, Teachings, and Relevance of a Religious Revolutionary).
When we read that Jesus also came out to the river Jordan and was baptized as well, this begs some questions that scholars have argued about for the past several thousand years. Questions such as: “Why did Jesus need to be baptized”? “If John’s baptism was for repentance, then why would Jesus need to be baptized, if he were in truth sinless?” But if you think in respect to what Mark is describing with the whole story of John the Baptizer, the message that God is found not only in the temple but outside where daily life takes place, that repentance wasn’t so much about “remorse for actions, or a turning away from specific actions” but rather a refocusing on returning from exile, that idea of being imprisoned or enslaved and breaking away from what has kept you away from God’s promise, then for Jesus, it would be a natural statement for him to be making. A statement that says, “I want to move beyond the understanding that I currently have about my relationship with God, to move into a new aspect of living in that promise that God has made.”
Theologian Marcus Borg reflects further on this story in his book, Jesus: A New Vision - Spirit, Culture, and The Life of Discipleship: "Renowned for his eloquent and passionate call for repentance, John proclaimed that it was not sufficient to be 'children of Abraham,' but called the Jewish people to a more intense relationship with God sealed by a ritual of initiation. Crowds flocked to this charismatic, some to be baptized. Jesus was among them." Not only does this story place Jesus "in the Spirit-filled heart of Judaism," but it also puts him right in the midst of a renewal movement. Elton Brown quotes The New Oxford Annotated Bible: "Jesus himself is baptized into the renewal movement that began before him." Therefore, Brown observes, "In part this reminds us that in Jesus Christ [God] does a new thing, but not a brand-new thing. Israel, Torah, the prophets, John the baptizer all prepare the way" (Feasting on the Word). Found in the Sermon Seed UCC 1/8/2012
In a few minutes we are going to remember our baptism. This is something that we do yearly. But before we celebrate our life in Christ, as members of this faith community, I ask that you think about “what does your baptism mean to you?” Some of us were baptized as infants, so we can’t remember the actual event, for you I would ask you to think about, “what feelings are evoked when you witness a baby being baptized?” For those who have been baptized as young adults or later in life, I ask that you take a few moments and reflect on that event and recall feelings or possibly impressions of that special time in your life. (pause)
Baptism is a bond that uniquely shapes us as a community. God has formed us in love and found us good, yet much too often we see ourselves and one another as flawed and deficient. What would happen if we saw ourselves as created for God's glory (Isaiah 43:7)? What if we saw ourselves and others as God saw Jesus the day that he was baptized, with the heavens being torn open and a voice saying:”You are my child, the beloved; with you I am well pleased.” How much stronger, do you think we as a body of faith would be able to love not only those around us, here in this sanctuary, but to those who have not yet started on that road that will return them to the promised land of God? Remember your Baptism. Amen
By Rev Steven R Mitchell
First Congregational UCC, Rock Springs, WY 1/8/2012
Based on Mark 1: 4-11
Last week we read about Jesus being presented at the temple for the ritual of purification, which was required in the Law of Moses. It was at the temple that Simeon and Anna, two individuals who were faithful in their commitment to God, finally received the fulfillment of God’s promise to them of being able to see the “hope” of Israel before they died. The theme of last week’s scripture focused on “vision” and living through that vision in hope, waiting for God’s timing.
This week, we are thrust forward many years, and we now see Jesus as a fully grown man, who is at the start of his ministry, a timely spot to start as we begin another new year within our own lives. In this morning’s story, we are told about this guy named John, coming from the dessert into the wilderness outside of the city of Jerusalem. This man was very unorthodox in his manor, he wore camel’s hair robes, was a vegan, and said, “Repent from your sins and be baptized in water.”
Take just a minute and think about how we, who live out our faith within the walls of the “established church” {of who we will call “Main-line denominations” such as the Episcopal, the Lutherans, the Methodists, the Presbyterians, the American Baptists, the United Church of Christ}, would react to a guy who just hit town and started holding prayer meetings down in the Bitter Creek River bed. The guy is wearing sandals, wearing blue jeans, a polo shirt, has a shaved head, and is speaking at the top of his lungs like a used car salesman, telling people that they need to repent from their sins, follow a new path and leave the old behind. Funny thing is, thousands of people in Rock Springs are hearing about this, wondering out to where he is at and for some reason are buying into what this guys is saying, being baptized in the dirty waters of Bitter Creek and having changed lives. This guys church is growing in leaps and bounds, reaching out to all sorts of people, that we in the “main-line” denominational churches, those established institutions, have never been able to reach. What would be our first reactions to all this, when we out of curiosity, go out to see for ourselves, what is going on, to see what is being said to bring such a change to the general population? Would we rejoice in what we observe? Or would we grumble and try to discount the validity of what these people are experiencing? My guess is that as part of the established religious groups in town, we would have the latter reaction to what this up start preacher was doing.
What we are reading in this first chapter of Mark is a revolutionary event going on. The whole description about John the Baptizer puts him as the outsider of the establishment. (The Joe Blow, down at Bitter Creek baptizing people.) His location alone – is announcing that God can live outside of the temple, that Jerusalem is not the only place that faith is acted out. John was telling a population that was spiritually hungry that there was something more that was needed beyond being a Hebrew, a biological part of father Abraham, that just because you are a descendant of Abraham, you are not necessarily living in the spiritual path that God is hoping for.
The need to repent, which tends to be more associated with the season of Lent, is brought up at the beginning of Jesus’ ministry. When we hear this word, we tend to think about the turning away from sin, or sinful acts. The word for us, tends to mean, “Being sorry, or remorseful, or even penitent”, but there is a deeper meaning within Jesus’ Judaism. Repent, is more closely associated with the idea of returning from exile; ‘to repent is to return, to follow ‘the way of the Lord’ that leads from exile to the Promised Land.” The Greek roots of the word suggest an additional meaning; to repent is to 'go beyond the mind that you have' - to go beyond conventional understandings of what life with God is about" (Jesus: Uncovering the Life, Teachings, and Relevance of a Religious Revolutionary).
When we read that Jesus also came out to the river Jordan and was baptized as well, this begs some questions that scholars have argued about for the past several thousand years. Questions such as: “Why did Jesus need to be baptized”? “If John’s baptism was for repentance, then why would Jesus need to be baptized, if he were in truth sinless?” But if you think in respect to what Mark is describing with the whole story of John the Baptizer, the message that God is found not only in the temple but outside where daily life takes place, that repentance wasn’t so much about “remorse for actions, or a turning away from specific actions” but rather a refocusing on returning from exile, that idea of being imprisoned or enslaved and breaking away from what has kept you away from God’s promise, then for Jesus, it would be a natural statement for him to be making. A statement that says, “I want to move beyond the understanding that I currently have about my relationship with God, to move into a new aspect of living in that promise that God has made.”
Theologian Marcus Borg reflects further on this story in his book, Jesus: A New Vision - Spirit, Culture, and The Life of Discipleship: "Renowned for his eloquent and passionate call for repentance, John proclaimed that it was not sufficient to be 'children of Abraham,' but called the Jewish people to a more intense relationship with God sealed by a ritual of initiation. Crowds flocked to this charismatic, some to be baptized. Jesus was among them." Not only does this story place Jesus "in the Spirit-filled heart of Judaism," but it also puts him right in the midst of a renewal movement. Elton Brown quotes The New Oxford Annotated Bible: "Jesus himself is baptized into the renewal movement that began before him." Therefore, Brown observes, "In part this reminds us that in Jesus Christ [God] does a new thing, but not a brand-new thing. Israel, Torah, the prophets, John the baptizer all prepare the way" (Feasting on the Word). Found in the Sermon Seed UCC 1/8/2012
In a few minutes we are going to remember our baptism. This is something that we do yearly. But before we celebrate our life in Christ, as members of this faith community, I ask that you think about “what does your baptism mean to you?” Some of us were baptized as infants, so we can’t remember the actual event, for you I would ask you to think about, “what feelings are evoked when you witness a baby being baptized?” For those who have been baptized as young adults or later in life, I ask that you take a few moments and reflect on that event and recall feelings or possibly impressions of that special time in your life. (pause)
Baptism is a bond that uniquely shapes us as a community. God has formed us in love and found us good, yet much too often we see ourselves and one another as flawed and deficient. What would happen if we saw ourselves as created for God's glory (Isaiah 43:7)? What if we saw ourselves and others as God saw Jesus the day that he was baptized, with the heavens being torn open and a voice saying:”You are my child, the beloved; with you I am well pleased.” How much stronger, do you think we as a body of faith would be able to love not only those around us, here in this sanctuary, but to those who have not yet started on that road that will return them to the promised land of God? Remember your Baptism. Amen
Sunday, January 1, 2012
The Wonders of Waiting, First Congregational UCC, Rock Springs, WY, 1/1/2012, Rev Steven R Mitchell
You may notice that there hasn't been any posting for the last two Sundays of December. That is because the children held the worship on Dec 18th and there was no Sunday worship on Dec 25th. So we start off this year's Worship reflections on the very first day, first Sunday of the New Year of 2012. There are many changes in the wind as I work toward separating myself from the transitional ministry of the past 2 1/2 yrs with First Congregational UCC, which ends on Jan 31, 2012 and begin to serve the Mountain View United Church of Aurora, CO starting on Feb 1,2012 as their settled pastor. Much excitement is being generated with this up coming move and I will address those items in the up coming weeks. Peace to you all and have a Prosperous New Year and in harmony with the reflection of this week, may you know and embrace "The Wonders of Waiting!"
The Wonders of Waiting
By Rev Steven R Mitchell
First Congregational UCC, Rock Springs, WY 1/1/2012
Based on Luke 2:22-40
This morning’s scripture reads pretty straight forward, yet as is generally the case, it has many directions in which one can contemplate. We can read how devout Joseph and Mary are in respect to their religious believes. Even as a very poor couple they follow the Law of Moses to the letter; having Jesus circumcised on the eight day, at which time they give the name Jesus to their son. Now they have journeyed into Jerusalem to consecrate their first born son. They lived within a covenant community and were determined to raise their children in the way of that covenant.
So, the most obvious way to take this morning’s reflections is to focus on the holy family. But the story also has two other characters, Simeon and Anna, who were also very devout Jews and very much a part of this same community. The theologian Fred Craddock says of Simeon and Anna that these two are, “miniature representation of Israel at its best: devout, obedient, constant in prayer, led by the Holy Spirit, at home in the temple, longing and hoping for the fulfillment of God’s promises. They embody what have been called ‘the wonders of waiting’, an art seemingly lost to us today.”
This is what I’d like to focus on this morning, the wonders of waiting. Simeon declares at the sight of Jesus, “God, you can now release your servant; release me in peace as you promised. With my own eyes I've seen your salvation;” Mary and Joseph were taking Jesus into the temple to be blessed, but before this could happen, Simeon, lead by the holy spirit to go to the temple that day, see’s them, steps up and takes the child into his arms and then Blesses God, not the boy! God had made a promise to Simeon back in his youth that he would not die until he had seen the “hope” of Israel.
Then comes along a ninety-one year old widow who also is devout, never leaving the temple and waiting upon God’s promises, sees the baby Jesus and then goes out into the city and declares to friends that God’s promise of “freedom” had finally come. We don’t know how old Simeon was, but he was up there in years, as was Anna, both who had been waiting to see the fulfillment of God’s promise to them! This begs the question, “How long are you willing to wait for a fulfillment of a promise? Especially one made by God? “
Because of these two peoples devotion to God, they had received particular visions of what they were to expect. For Simeon, he was promised that before he would die that he would see the promise of Israel. With Anna, she too had lived in hope of a promise, a vision that God would send one who would save Israel.
Having a vision, or rather gaining a vision in a world where there is so much at our finger tips is truly a difficult thing to do. I compare it to the story of Willie Wonka and the Chocolate factory. A story where a group of children a chosen to go through this candy factory and the one deserving child will become the new curator of this factory. Almost all the children were children of privilege in one form or another and one by one are dispelled from the factory. As a society, we are pretty much like most of the over privileged children, where we expect and at times demand what we believe we deserve, whether merited or not.
As a society, Christmas is a season where this becomes so painfully obvious. There are children who have an abundance of toys, yet expect to receive even more gifts and are disappointed if those expectations are not met. Then, there are children who live in very meager surroundings, very much like the economic level that Jesus was born into. When a present comes to them, they are filled with joy because it was something that they were not expecting, even though the season of Christmas promises the gift of presents. With some of these children they dare not even dream about receiving a gift. They have no expectations, no vision of what this season of giving promises. While others as the poem goes, “dream thoughts of sugar plums dancing in their heads.”
“A vision” is the life line of any person of faith. “Vision” is at the heart of any ministry for a church. For without a vision, you have nothing to look toward, no expectations, no promises to be fulfilled. I want to share with you a thought in this week’s “Sermon Seeds” as written by Kathy Huey. She shares a story of a friend of hers who is blind, “I once had a conversation about the vision thing with a colleague who had lost his eyesight many years before. We talked about this reading, about the ability of Simeon to see more than a baby in his arms, to see within and beyond this baby to God's hand at work in the world.
My colleague said that his own inability to see with his eyes is sometimes a gift because it enables him not to be distracted by things that might keep him from seeing "to the heart of things." Whenever he would say that something was "gorgeous," I wondered how he knew that, but he explained that his heart sees what his eyes cannot. He says that he sees the beauty of creation – instead of ugliness – because he can only see with his heart, his soul, and his mind. Most of all, he tries to see to the heart of each person he encounters, so the things that matter to the world matter very little to him. He looks, instead, within the person, to the Christ within. He believes that we're each called to see – to behold – the promise of God's grace and the Christ in one another – which helps us to understand better Jesus' teachings about things like loving our enemies and having the reign of God within us.” UCC lectionary study, 1/1/2012 Kathy Huey
If we can hold onto the same vision that Simeon and Anna had, in a world that too often distracts us with the false promises of wealth, easy living, enlarged ego’s, then we will be able to see the world as Kathy Huey’s friend see it, “the promise of God’s grace and the Christ in one another.” But it doesn’t just happen because we want it to happen, we must work at preparing ourselves for this type of vision, by practicing what our faith teaches us: things such as devotion, obedience, constantly in prayer, willingness to be led by the Holy Spirit, being at home in the temple, and longing and hoping for the fulfillment of God’s promises.
These are not easy attributes, they come with commitment through a covenanted group of people. It doesn’t come by just attending worship now and then, it comes from an intentional commitment of time, time that we commit to study, worship, prayer, fellowship, and a commitment of our money to make sure that these things will be available for us to pursue. Following our faith is not cheap, even as poor as Joseph and Mary were, they paid the cost of sacrificing two doves in order to follow and be true to their commitment to the Law of Moses.
Vision is a necessary thing to have, to hold onto, to work toward. It is the cornerstone of “faith”, and yet as we read these and other stories found in the scriptures, we quickly learn that our faith, our visions, will not be cheap. Amen!
The Wonders of Waiting
By Rev Steven R Mitchell
First Congregational UCC, Rock Springs, WY 1/1/2012
Based on Luke 2:22-40
This morning’s scripture reads pretty straight forward, yet as is generally the case, it has many directions in which one can contemplate. We can read how devout Joseph and Mary are in respect to their religious believes. Even as a very poor couple they follow the Law of Moses to the letter; having Jesus circumcised on the eight day, at which time they give the name Jesus to their son. Now they have journeyed into Jerusalem to consecrate their first born son. They lived within a covenant community and were determined to raise their children in the way of that covenant.
So, the most obvious way to take this morning’s reflections is to focus on the holy family. But the story also has two other characters, Simeon and Anna, who were also very devout Jews and very much a part of this same community. The theologian Fred Craddock says of Simeon and Anna that these two are, “miniature representation of Israel at its best: devout, obedient, constant in prayer, led by the Holy Spirit, at home in the temple, longing and hoping for the fulfillment of God’s promises. They embody what have been called ‘the wonders of waiting’, an art seemingly lost to us today.”
This is what I’d like to focus on this morning, the wonders of waiting. Simeon declares at the sight of Jesus, “God, you can now release your servant; release me in peace as you promised. With my own eyes I've seen your salvation;” Mary and Joseph were taking Jesus into the temple to be blessed, but before this could happen, Simeon, lead by the holy spirit to go to the temple that day, see’s them, steps up and takes the child into his arms and then Blesses God, not the boy! God had made a promise to Simeon back in his youth that he would not die until he had seen the “hope” of Israel.
Then comes along a ninety-one year old widow who also is devout, never leaving the temple and waiting upon God’s promises, sees the baby Jesus and then goes out into the city and declares to friends that God’s promise of “freedom” had finally come. We don’t know how old Simeon was, but he was up there in years, as was Anna, both who had been waiting to see the fulfillment of God’s promise to them! This begs the question, “How long are you willing to wait for a fulfillment of a promise? Especially one made by God? “
Because of these two peoples devotion to God, they had received particular visions of what they were to expect. For Simeon, he was promised that before he would die that he would see the promise of Israel. With Anna, she too had lived in hope of a promise, a vision that God would send one who would save Israel.
Having a vision, or rather gaining a vision in a world where there is so much at our finger tips is truly a difficult thing to do. I compare it to the story of Willie Wonka and the Chocolate factory. A story where a group of children a chosen to go through this candy factory and the one deserving child will become the new curator of this factory. Almost all the children were children of privilege in one form or another and one by one are dispelled from the factory. As a society, we are pretty much like most of the over privileged children, where we expect and at times demand what we believe we deserve, whether merited or not.
As a society, Christmas is a season where this becomes so painfully obvious. There are children who have an abundance of toys, yet expect to receive even more gifts and are disappointed if those expectations are not met. Then, there are children who live in very meager surroundings, very much like the economic level that Jesus was born into. When a present comes to them, they are filled with joy because it was something that they were not expecting, even though the season of Christmas promises the gift of presents. With some of these children they dare not even dream about receiving a gift. They have no expectations, no vision of what this season of giving promises. While others as the poem goes, “dream thoughts of sugar plums dancing in their heads.”
“A vision” is the life line of any person of faith. “Vision” is at the heart of any ministry for a church. For without a vision, you have nothing to look toward, no expectations, no promises to be fulfilled. I want to share with you a thought in this week’s “Sermon Seeds” as written by Kathy Huey. She shares a story of a friend of hers who is blind, “I once had a conversation about the vision thing with a colleague who had lost his eyesight many years before. We talked about this reading, about the ability of Simeon to see more than a baby in his arms, to see within and beyond this baby to God's hand at work in the world.
My colleague said that his own inability to see with his eyes is sometimes a gift because it enables him not to be distracted by things that might keep him from seeing "to the heart of things." Whenever he would say that something was "gorgeous," I wondered how he knew that, but he explained that his heart sees what his eyes cannot. He says that he sees the beauty of creation – instead of ugliness – because he can only see with his heart, his soul, and his mind. Most of all, he tries to see to the heart of each person he encounters, so the things that matter to the world matter very little to him. He looks, instead, within the person, to the Christ within. He believes that we're each called to see – to behold – the promise of God's grace and the Christ in one another – which helps us to understand better Jesus' teachings about things like loving our enemies and having the reign of God within us.” UCC lectionary study, 1/1/2012 Kathy Huey
If we can hold onto the same vision that Simeon and Anna had, in a world that too often distracts us with the false promises of wealth, easy living, enlarged ego’s, then we will be able to see the world as Kathy Huey’s friend see it, “the promise of God’s grace and the Christ in one another.” But it doesn’t just happen because we want it to happen, we must work at preparing ourselves for this type of vision, by practicing what our faith teaches us: things such as devotion, obedience, constantly in prayer, willingness to be led by the Holy Spirit, being at home in the temple, and longing and hoping for the fulfillment of God’s promises.
These are not easy attributes, they come with commitment through a covenanted group of people. It doesn’t come by just attending worship now and then, it comes from an intentional commitment of time, time that we commit to study, worship, prayer, fellowship, and a commitment of our money to make sure that these things will be available for us to pursue. Following our faith is not cheap, even as poor as Joseph and Mary were, they paid the cost of sacrificing two doves in order to follow and be true to their commitment to the Law of Moses.
Vision is a necessary thing to have, to hold onto, to work toward. It is the cornerstone of “faith”, and yet as we read these and other stories found in the scriptures, we quickly learn that our faith, our visions, will not be cheap. Amen!
Sunday, December 11, 2011
Who Are You, Mountain View United Church, Aurora, CO, by Rev Steven R Mitchell, 12/11/2011
Who Are You?
By Rev Steven R Mitchell
Mountain View United Church, Aurora, Co
Based on Isaiah 61:1-4 & John 1:19-28
We are starting the third week in Advent, which means we are half way to the time when we will celebrate the birth of Jesus, or more importantly for some of us, we have only a couple of more weeks till we get to open presents! In just eleven days we will once again experience the Winter Solstices, the longest night of the year. For those of us who prefer longer days and shorter nights, this time of the year can become very depressing for us.
For twenty-five years I lived in the Pacific Northwest, and was amazed at the length of the days in the summer, where bright twilight was common up to 10:30 p.m. The flip side to that is a realization that by mid August the days are shortening, and when “daylight savings” ends, there is a reality that darkness is rapidly increasing. In fact, come mid-October, you rarely see the sun until mid February.
Darkness often times is accompanied by a kind of sadness. For many it is a time of uneasiness, a time of possible danger, at the very least, a time of uncertainty. We equate darkness as a playground for misfortune, evil deeds, and vulnerability. In the movies, it is a time filled with vampires, zombies, and creatures that live beneath the ground.
Scripture also uses the contrast between darkness and light to describe moral situations. In the November 29th publication of The Christian Century, under the section of Faith Matters, Barbara Brown Taylor writes: “Biblically speaking, darkness is the pits. In the first testament, light stands for life and darkness for death. When God is angry with people, they are plunged into darkness. People grope in the dark without light….
In the second testament, light stands for knowledge and darkness for ignorance. When the true light comes into the world, the world does not know him. Jesus has come so that everyone who believes in him should not remain in the darkness…. First John sums it up: ‘God is light and in him there is no darkness at all.” Or more succinctly stated on a Chattahoochee Baptist Church sign, “If you cut God’s light off, you’ll be sitting in the dark with the devil.”Redeeming Darkness, by Barbara Taylor pg 37
Advent is that sort of darkness that we live in until the birth of Jesus. We often use Isaiah as the primary book of reflection because of its understanding of being held captive, then the joy of freedom. As a book, Isaiah is split up into three major sections. The first speaks to the despair, the hopelessness of being held in captivity. The second part of the book, speaks about the hope, the joy of returning home, back to that place that God had given to them. In the last part of the book, there comes a realization that in the home coming, there has to be a rebuilding, for what had once been, no longer exists. Often times despair accompanies that realization; yet, Isaiah gives a message of “hope” as Israel looks to a time when all will be restored. This restoration has come to be understood through a little baby born in Bethlehem, whose name is Jesus.
Continuing on the thought of Barbara Taylor, she challenges the idea of darkness as “sitting with the devil.” As Christians, we measure time differently from the dominant culture in which we live. We begin our year when the days are getting darker, not lighter. We trust that the seeds of light are planted in darkness, where they sprout and grow we know not how. This darkness is necessary to new life, even when it is uncomfortable and goes on too long. The Christian Century, Nov 29, 2011, pg 37
In the first chapter of the Gospel of John, we read where the dominant culture has come out beyond the river Jordan, to inquire of John the Baptizer, asking “who are you?” This man was nothing like the dominant culture. When I read about John’s demeanor, I envision a thin man with hair pulled back in a pony-tail, dressed in holie jeans, a t-shirt that says something like: “It’s not about me”. A kind of David Popham type! John didn’t even have a church to preach in, and he used the local river to conduct his revival meetings.
On this third Sunday of Advent, the question, “Who are you” is a very valid question. It is valid because of my presence this morning. Outside of the short bio sent out to you a couple of weeks ago, I am a person unknown to most of you, standing here as a candidate seeking to become your next settled pastor. Although I am not wearing worn-out jeans or a t-shirt that says, “It’s not about me”, in a real sense, it is about me. Like John I do not represent the dominate portion of society in some ways, and like John the baptizer I understand what the dominant society is searching for, but seems to be stumbling around in a kind of darkness, not being able to discern what it is they most desire; a reconnection with the one who is the author of all that is.
Today’s reading of Isaiah 61: 1-4 is most appropriate for me, because it was what I used at my ordination service. It is the basis of my understanding of what being a minister is about. It is the foundation that I see as the church’s purpose, as it works to share the Good News of God to a creation that is walking around in a dark haze; in a kind of Matrix that has hidden the love and light that God has for all of creation.
We live in a society where people are less connected to a church than two generations ago. Today, Christians and churches are looked upon in wonderment by most of the un-churched world and wonder what is wrong with us, asking, “why we seen to hide in a world that isn’t real?” They look at us and ask, “Who are you?” I find many churches cannot answer that question with clarity. John was asked by his contemporizes, “are you a prophet?” No. Are you Elijah? No. Are you the Messiah? No. Then who are you? John’s reply was, “I am a voice in the wilderness, making straight the path for the Lord.”
Is the church supposed to be the savior of the world? No, that is God’s job. We are “the voice in the wilderness crying out”, and we are supposed to be making a path straight for the one greater than us to come. So how do we do this? What do we cry and how do we make the path level? What we cry and how we make this path, is by taking on the ministry that Jesus proclaimed at the beginning of his ministry. “… The LORD has anointed us to proclaim good news to the poor. God has sent us to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners,[a]to proclaim the year of the LORD’s favor and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn, 3 and provide for those who grieve— to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair. We will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the LORD for the display of God’s splendor. 4 We will rebuild the ancient ruins and restore the places long devastated; we will renew the ruined cities that have been devastated for generations.”
Well pastor, “How will this happen?” “What bright idea’s, pastor will you be bringing if you come here?” “What kinds of programs will we undertaking to achieve these things?” I can’t tell you right now, for this is a journey that has to be taken in partnership; in partnership with one another and with God, through the guidance of the Holy Spirit. But before we can successfully take that journey, we need to be able to answer that question of “Who are you.”
A part of that answer is: you are a family of faith, united through three denominations that have a proud history in sharing the love of God. You are a voice in the wilderness, that cry’s out the restoration that comes through Christ and His teachings. Do you have all the answers? I hope not. Do you struggle with the questions and the how’s? I hope so. For it is in that struggle that God’s love is birthed; this struggle, this journey is the Advent that we celebrate. Amen
By Rev Steven R Mitchell
Mountain View United Church, Aurora, Co
Based on Isaiah 61:1-4 & John 1:19-28
We are starting the third week in Advent, which means we are half way to the time when we will celebrate the birth of Jesus, or more importantly for some of us, we have only a couple of more weeks till we get to open presents! In just eleven days we will once again experience the Winter Solstices, the longest night of the year. For those of us who prefer longer days and shorter nights, this time of the year can become very depressing for us.
For twenty-five years I lived in the Pacific Northwest, and was amazed at the length of the days in the summer, where bright twilight was common up to 10:30 p.m. The flip side to that is a realization that by mid August the days are shortening, and when “daylight savings” ends, there is a reality that darkness is rapidly increasing. In fact, come mid-October, you rarely see the sun until mid February.
Darkness often times is accompanied by a kind of sadness. For many it is a time of uneasiness, a time of possible danger, at the very least, a time of uncertainty. We equate darkness as a playground for misfortune, evil deeds, and vulnerability. In the movies, it is a time filled with vampires, zombies, and creatures that live beneath the ground.
Scripture also uses the contrast between darkness and light to describe moral situations. In the November 29th publication of The Christian Century, under the section of Faith Matters, Barbara Brown Taylor writes: “Biblically speaking, darkness is the pits. In the first testament, light stands for life and darkness for death. When God is angry with people, they are plunged into darkness. People grope in the dark without light….
In the second testament, light stands for knowledge and darkness for ignorance. When the true light comes into the world, the world does not know him. Jesus has come so that everyone who believes in him should not remain in the darkness…. First John sums it up: ‘God is light and in him there is no darkness at all.” Or more succinctly stated on a Chattahoochee Baptist Church sign, “If you cut God’s light off, you’ll be sitting in the dark with the devil.”Redeeming Darkness, by Barbara Taylor pg 37
Advent is that sort of darkness that we live in until the birth of Jesus. We often use Isaiah as the primary book of reflection because of its understanding of being held captive, then the joy of freedom. As a book, Isaiah is split up into three major sections. The first speaks to the despair, the hopelessness of being held in captivity. The second part of the book, speaks about the hope, the joy of returning home, back to that place that God had given to them. In the last part of the book, there comes a realization that in the home coming, there has to be a rebuilding, for what had once been, no longer exists. Often times despair accompanies that realization; yet, Isaiah gives a message of “hope” as Israel looks to a time when all will be restored. This restoration has come to be understood through a little baby born in Bethlehem, whose name is Jesus.
Continuing on the thought of Barbara Taylor, she challenges the idea of darkness as “sitting with the devil.” As Christians, we measure time differently from the dominant culture in which we live. We begin our year when the days are getting darker, not lighter. We trust that the seeds of light are planted in darkness, where they sprout and grow we know not how. This darkness is necessary to new life, even when it is uncomfortable and goes on too long. The Christian Century, Nov 29, 2011, pg 37
In the first chapter of the Gospel of John, we read where the dominant culture has come out beyond the river Jordan, to inquire of John the Baptizer, asking “who are you?” This man was nothing like the dominant culture. When I read about John’s demeanor, I envision a thin man with hair pulled back in a pony-tail, dressed in holie jeans, a t-shirt that says something like: “It’s not about me”. A kind of David Popham type! John didn’t even have a church to preach in, and he used the local river to conduct his revival meetings.
On this third Sunday of Advent, the question, “Who are you” is a very valid question. It is valid because of my presence this morning. Outside of the short bio sent out to you a couple of weeks ago, I am a person unknown to most of you, standing here as a candidate seeking to become your next settled pastor. Although I am not wearing worn-out jeans or a t-shirt that says, “It’s not about me”, in a real sense, it is about me. Like John I do not represent the dominate portion of society in some ways, and like John the baptizer I understand what the dominant society is searching for, but seems to be stumbling around in a kind of darkness, not being able to discern what it is they most desire; a reconnection with the one who is the author of all that is.
Today’s reading of Isaiah 61: 1-4 is most appropriate for me, because it was what I used at my ordination service. It is the basis of my understanding of what being a minister is about. It is the foundation that I see as the church’s purpose, as it works to share the Good News of God to a creation that is walking around in a dark haze; in a kind of Matrix that has hidden the love and light that God has for all of creation.
We live in a society where people are less connected to a church than two generations ago. Today, Christians and churches are looked upon in wonderment by most of the un-churched world and wonder what is wrong with us, asking, “why we seen to hide in a world that isn’t real?” They look at us and ask, “Who are you?” I find many churches cannot answer that question with clarity. John was asked by his contemporizes, “are you a prophet?” No. Are you Elijah? No. Are you the Messiah? No. Then who are you? John’s reply was, “I am a voice in the wilderness, making straight the path for the Lord.”
Is the church supposed to be the savior of the world? No, that is God’s job. We are “the voice in the wilderness crying out”, and we are supposed to be making a path straight for the one greater than us to come. So how do we do this? What do we cry and how do we make the path level? What we cry and how we make this path, is by taking on the ministry that Jesus proclaimed at the beginning of his ministry. “… The LORD has anointed us to proclaim good news to the poor. God has sent us to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners,[a]to proclaim the year of the LORD’s favor and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn, 3 and provide for those who grieve— to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair. We will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the LORD for the display of God’s splendor. 4 We will rebuild the ancient ruins and restore the places long devastated; we will renew the ruined cities that have been devastated for generations.”
Well pastor, “How will this happen?” “What bright idea’s, pastor will you be bringing if you come here?” “What kinds of programs will we undertaking to achieve these things?” I can’t tell you right now, for this is a journey that has to be taken in partnership; in partnership with one another and with God, through the guidance of the Holy Spirit. But before we can successfully take that journey, we need to be able to answer that question of “Who are you.”
A part of that answer is: you are a family of faith, united through three denominations that have a proud history in sharing the love of God. You are a voice in the wilderness, that cry’s out the restoration that comes through Christ and His teachings. Do you have all the answers? I hope not. Do you struggle with the questions and the how’s? I hope so. For it is in that struggle that God’s love is birthed; this struggle, this journey is the Advent that we celebrate. Amen
Sunday, December 4, 2011
What Shall We Cry?, First Congregational UCC, Rock Springs, WY 12/04/2011
What Shall We Cry?
By Rev Steven R Mitchell
First Congregational UCC, Rock Springs, WY 12/04/2011
Based on Isaiah 40:6-11 and Mark 1:1-8
This week is the second week of Advent. Last week we discussed the news of the return of Christ not as the end of time, but rather as a beginning of a new understanding of living in God’s presence. The scriptures that we are looking at this week are now talking about “preparing the way” for the coming of God’s representative, of who we have come to understand as Jesus of Nazareth, through the person of John the Baptizer. We have experienced this morning a prophet coming down our aisle proclaiming that message from Isaiah as one in the wilderness crying out “make straight the path. Prepare the way of the Lord.”
Mark begins his Gospel with these words: “The beginning of the good news of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. As it is written in the prophet Isaiah…” Mark is telling us that the arrival of Jesus was not a last minute event, a hasty decision by God to send his son, because the world wasn’t listening to previous prophets that spoke the word of God, rather Mark is telling us right from the beginning that God has been planning this event for a long time.
As we begin this second week of Advent, we also come before the Communion Table, where we will experience once again the act of remembering the Christ, of the selfless act in love of giving up his life so that we might enjoy a fuller communion with God. We come before this table after confessing our sins and being assured of our continuing relationship with God. Isaiah begins with the statement: “Comfort, O comfort my people, Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and cry to her that she has served her term, that her penalty is paid…” This is the good news that God has shared from the beginning of time and was shared with the birth of Jesus, and is still being shared with us today. As far as God is concerned there is no more penalty held against us and we are able to come together at this table as debt-free people.
One of the temptations that can happen in reading about the one “preparing the way” is to assign that “voice in the wilderness” to someone other than ourselves. John the baptizer is the most famous voice, coming out of the wilderness, calling for repentance of sin. He declares himself as a person who is preparing the way for one who is greater than he; he is preparing the path for what Jesus’ ministry was going to be.
As your transitional pastor, I too am in many respects a voice like John the baptizer, preparing the way for your next called minister. But this scripture isn’t just for ministers; it is also for each congregation that calls itself a community of faith, based on Jesus’ teachings. The church is called to be the “voice in the wilderness.” Yet what is this voice suppose to be saying?
At times I find it helpful in substituting names and places that I am familiar with, into scripture as a way of making it more powerful. Hear how Isaiah speaks to us more directly with a few substitutions as he responds to God’s request to comfort God’s people. A voice says, “Cry out!” And I said, “What shall I cry?” All people are grass, their constancy is like the flower of the field. The grass withers, the flower fades, when the breath of the Lord blows upon it. The grass withers, the flower fades; but the word of our God will stand for ever. Get you up to White Mountain, First Congregational, herald of good tidings; lift up your voice with strength, Rock Springs, herald of good tidings, lift it up, do not fear; say to the cities of Wyoming, “Here is your God!” See, the Lord God comes with might…
So we as Disciples of Christ are called to speak out the Good News of God. Yet what does that news look like? Isaiah says, “God will feed his flock like a shepherd.” This speaks about God providing for the physical needs of the world. We as the voice in the wilderness, need to speak up for affordable housing for those who earn minimum wage, we are to be concerned about issues such as adequate health care for all people. We are to help the poor, care for the widows and orphans, to be peace makers, to be people who build and renovate, and to feed those who are hungry.
Isaiah points out a second aspect of what God does, “God will gather the lambs in her arms and carry them in her bosom.” This speaks about the spiritual nurture that we receive from God. We are to speak out about the concern that God has for all of creation, in ways that people who have been disenfranchised can once again believe in and take heart and know also that God truly loves them. We are to be the voice of respect in a wilderness that works hard at striping people’s dignity away, a voice of care and love in a world that tells people - they are not worthy of the gifts of God, we are to be the voice of encouragement in a world that likes to kick people when they are down. This is how we let people know that God carries them in her bosom.
The third and last point Isaiah shares in “what shall we cry”, comes in his statement, “and gently leads the mother sheep.” God provides guidance, and we find that guidance with the help of the Holy Spirit. These are the messages that as a body of faith, as the voices in the wilderness should be crying out. We are not called to be timid and quiet, but rather be like John the baptizer, calling into account the actions of those who do wrong, demanding that they repent for their hard-heartedness, of their injustice toward those who are not as strong as they. We are not called to live in a cocoon of comfort, but seek comfort for those who are being marginalized by society’s obsession for self fulfillment and self-edification.
As we meditate upon these readings during this second week of Advent, let us remember, we are the voice in the wilderness, preparing the way of the Lord. Amen
By Rev Steven R Mitchell
First Congregational UCC, Rock Springs, WY 12/04/2011
Based on Isaiah 40:6-11 and Mark 1:1-8
This week is the second week of Advent. Last week we discussed the news of the return of Christ not as the end of time, but rather as a beginning of a new understanding of living in God’s presence. The scriptures that we are looking at this week are now talking about “preparing the way” for the coming of God’s representative, of who we have come to understand as Jesus of Nazareth, through the person of John the Baptizer. We have experienced this morning a prophet coming down our aisle proclaiming that message from Isaiah as one in the wilderness crying out “make straight the path. Prepare the way of the Lord.”
Mark begins his Gospel with these words: “The beginning of the good news of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. As it is written in the prophet Isaiah…” Mark is telling us that the arrival of Jesus was not a last minute event, a hasty decision by God to send his son, because the world wasn’t listening to previous prophets that spoke the word of God, rather Mark is telling us right from the beginning that God has been planning this event for a long time.
As we begin this second week of Advent, we also come before the Communion Table, where we will experience once again the act of remembering the Christ, of the selfless act in love of giving up his life so that we might enjoy a fuller communion with God. We come before this table after confessing our sins and being assured of our continuing relationship with God. Isaiah begins with the statement: “Comfort, O comfort my people, Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and cry to her that she has served her term, that her penalty is paid…” This is the good news that God has shared from the beginning of time and was shared with the birth of Jesus, and is still being shared with us today. As far as God is concerned there is no more penalty held against us and we are able to come together at this table as debt-free people.
One of the temptations that can happen in reading about the one “preparing the way” is to assign that “voice in the wilderness” to someone other than ourselves. John the baptizer is the most famous voice, coming out of the wilderness, calling for repentance of sin. He declares himself as a person who is preparing the way for one who is greater than he; he is preparing the path for what Jesus’ ministry was going to be.
As your transitional pastor, I too am in many respects a voice like John the baptizer, preparing the way for your next called minister. But this scripture isn’t just for ministers; it is also for each congregation that calls itself a community of faith, based on Jesus’ teachings. The church is called to be the “voice in the wilderness.” Yet what is this voice suppose to be saying?
At times I find it helpful in substituting names and places that I am familiar with, into scripture as a way of making it more powerful. Hear how Isaiah speaks to us more directly with a few substitutions as he responds to God’s request to comfort God’s people. A voice says, “Cry out!” And I said, “What shall I cry?” All people are grass, their constancy is like the flower of the field. The grass withers, the flower fades, when the breath of the Lord blows upon it. The grass withers, the flower fades; but the word of our God will stand for ever. Get you up to White Mountain, First Congregational, herald of good tidings; lift up your voice with strength, Rock Springs, herald of good tidings, lift it up, do not fear; say to the cities of Wyoming, “Here is your God!” See, the Lord God comes with might…
So we as Disciples of Christ are called to speak out the Good News of God. Yet what does that news look like? Isaiah says, “God will feed his flock like a shepherd.” This speaks about God providing for the physical needs of the world. We as the voice in the wilderness, need to speak up for affordable housing for those who earn minimum wage, we are to be concerned about issues such as adequate health care for all people. We are to help the poor, care for the widows and orphans, to be peace makers, to be people who build and renovate, and to feed those who are hungry.
Isaiah points out a second aspect of what God does, “God will gather the lambs in her arms and carry them in her bosom.” This speaks about the spiritual nurture that we receive from God. We are to speak out about the concern that God has for all of creation, in ways that people who have been disenfranchised can once again believe in and take heart and know also that God truly loves them. We are to be the voice of respect in a wilderness that works hard at striping people’s dignity away, a voice of care and love in a world that tells people - they are not worthy of the gifts of God, we are to be the voice of encouragement in a world that likes to kick people when they are down. This is how we let people know that God carries them in her bosom.
The third and last point Isaiah shares in “what shall we cry”, comes in his statement, “and gently leads the mother sheep.” God provides guidance, and we find that guidance with the help of the Holy Spirit. These are the messages that as a body of faith, as the voices in the wilderness should be crying out. We are not called to be timid and quiet, but rather be like John the baptizer, calling into account the actions of those who do wrong, demanding that they repent for their hard-heartedness, of their injustice toward those who are not as strong as they. We are not called to live in a cocoon of comfort, but seek comfort for those who are being marginalized by society’s obsession for self fulfillment and self-edification.
As we meditate upon these readings during this second week of Advent, let us remember, we are the voice in the wilderness, preparing the way of the Lord. Amen
Sunday, November 27, 2011
Waiting for the First Day!, First Congregational UCC, Rock Springs, WY 11/27/2011
Waiting for the First Day!
By Rev Steven R Mitchell
First Congregational UCC, Rock Springs, WY 11/27/2011
Based on Isaiah 64:1-9 & Mark 13:23-37
First Sunday of Advent
Today is the first day of the new church year. It happens every year on the Sunday following Thanksgiving; we call this season, Advent. Though, you might not recognize it, for you cannot look around without seeing decorations telling you that it’s Christmas. You drive down any main street and can see Christmas lights lining the avenues, the stores are decorated for the season, there is the white noise of musak playing Christmas music in the background. Many churches start singing Christmas songs with the beginning of Advent. Yet Christmas doesn’t start until the birth of Christ, which we typically celebrate on Christmas Eve and the twelve days after.
We are in the season of Advent not the season of Christmas. Advent is a four week period where we contemplate the “coming” of Christ. It is a time of preparation, not a time of celebration. We take this time to work toward the stable that is found in the little hamlet of Bethlehem, so that when we greet the Christ child, we will be able within our hearts to play that drum, or sing songs that Herald Christ’s birth, and bring our gifts to this person who is restoring the world into God’s image.
Each week we light our advent candles. The first is called the "Candle of Hope." It symbolizes faith in God keeping his promises to humanity. The second is called the "Candle of Preparation," reminding Christians to "get ready" to receive God. The third candle, the "Candle of Love," reminds Christians that God loves them enough to send his only Son to Earth. The fourth candle is the "Candle of Joy." It recalls the angels joyfully singing about the birth of Christ. The "Christ Candle," the white candle in the center, stands for Jesus Christ himself.
In general, I enjoy this period of “advent” as well as the season of “lent” for these make me take time to think about the “why’s” in my life, more so than the rest of the church year. Yet, I always seem to have issues with the scriptures that are presented for the first Sunday of Advent, each year. The first Sunday of advent generally focuses on scripture which deals with the second coming of Christ. This gives most ministers the opportunity to talk about the end times, the retribution that God will give to those who do not believe, of Christ riding up on a white horse with hoards of angels at his side, cutting down all the bad people. Historically, I dislike these particular texts because it is in conflict with how I view Christ’s role in healing a broken world, as well as poor theology about who gets into God’s Kindom and who is left out. These texts have somehow become messages of the end. Yet, if the first candle of Advent is the candle of “Hope”, how does that represent the idea of the “end?”
Our text for today does present the reality that all of us experience at various times in our lives, the question of “why me?” There are people sitting here this morning hurting because of broken relationships, of abuse, of the feelings of isolation, or feeling inadequate because of a job loss. There are times in our lives where we just want the world to stop so we can get off, or that God will come and punish all those bad people who make life so unbearable. Like our ancestors in faith, we and all of humankind stand before God in “helplessness and need.” “Not only are we vulnerable to those forces that may destroy our happiness – indeed, our very existence – but there is little or, nothing we, when left to ourselves, are capable of doing about our precarious state.” Quote from James Newsome, Sermon Seeds, UCC 11/27/2011
Earlier this past week, I was reading the continuing saga of my youngest daughter’s blog which I think exemplifies the Advent message of today. She writes: I am trying to stay upbeat, despite the fact that Thanksgiving is around the corner and I know my new boys won't be home to celebrate with us. I honestly never thought this would happen. Last September when we started this process, I had no doubts the boys would be home by now.
My sister had her new baby (#5) on Wednesday morning. Bless her heart, labor started Saturday, but she now has a beautiful boy to show for it! I am excited, sad, and jealous all at the same time. My brother and his wife also had a little girl placed in their home (hopefully to adopt) as well as giving birth to another baby, and I am still waiting. I was officially 'expecting' before either of them. Don't get me wrong, I am so excited for two new nieces, and a new nephew! I am SO excited! I love my family and all my nieces and nephews (there are a bunch!), but I want my boys.
I broke down Sunday at church. I just couldn't take it. Friends of ours have friends who started their adoption (from another country) after us, and are bringing their 4 kids home today. Another friend is pregnant, there are like 6 new babies in our church - 5 of which are families in our Sunday school class. I am so excited for each and every family and each baby. I am happy for them, truly joyful, but that doesn't mean at the same time, I don't struggle. I am human, I am jealous, sad, angry, frustrated, happy, excited, all at the same time. We were talking to friends on Sunday and equated this adoption to a roller coaster. I LOVE roller coasters, but we have now been on this one so long, that I am nauseas. I am about to lose my lunch! All I want is to get off!!! It can't come soon enough. And, just when I think we are about to be done and get off, there is another drop or loop
I am confident in my God. I am confident He has a plan and His will is being lived out through this adoption. That is the comfort I hold on to. We are being given the opportunity to witness to others. To be a Christian example. We have already seen this. We have been asked about adoption by a few people in our church who are sincere, which is exciting. Because of the delays, more people in the church are becoming aware of our situation, and are now praying for us. Our prayer support has doubled, at least. It is exciting and a challenge to see others watching us. What an opportunity we have been given to live out the gospel! I hold on to the Father, and He is holding us! Therefore, we have joy!
The title of today’s reflection is “Waiting for the First Day.” Where my daughter Tara is concerned, she is waiting for the end of the adoption process. An end that means she will be able to physically have her two new sons at home with her. Yet, what is truly going to happen when this “roller coaster” ride ends, all of her waiting will have been for the first day of a new life. This is what we are doing at present with our faith. We are on a roller coaster that we call life, waiting for God to enter once again and repair what’s wrong with the world, shaping a new creation where grace, justice, and joy will be the norm.
Within this week’s reading in the Gospel of Mark, we are reminded of the paradoxes within the Gospels. The paradox that God has already entered into the world through the birth of Jesus of Nazareth, but also the “not yet” reality of God’s kindom here on earth is not completed. We are in a waiting period. We are living in the present kindom of God, yet working toward the completion of that kindom, that “first day” that God has planned. This waiting period is a time of preparation for us, where we can actively work to help usher in the completeness that God wishes for all of creation. Amen
By Rev Steven R Mitchell
First Congregational UCC, Rock Springs, WY 11/27/2011
Based on Isaiah 64:1-9 & Mark 13:23-37
First Sunday of Advent
Today is the first day of the new church year. It happens every year on the Sunday following Thanksgiving; we call this season, Advent. Though, you might not recognize it, for you cannot look around without seeing decorations telling you that it’s Christmas. You drive down any main street and can see Christmas lights lining the avenues, the stores are decorated for the season, there is the white noise of musak playing Christmas music in the background. Many churches start singing Christmas songs with the beginning of Advent. Yet Christmas doesn’t start until the birth of Christ, which we typically celebrate on Christmas Eve and the twelve days after.
We are in the season of Advent not the season of Christmas. Advent is a four week period where we contemplate the “coming” of Christ. It is a time of preparation, not a time of celebration. We take this time to work toward the stable that is found in the little hamlet of Bethlehem, so that when we greet the Christ child, we will be able within our hearts to play that drum, or sing songs that Herald Christ’s birth, and bring our gifts to this person who is restoring the world into God’s image.
Each week we light our advent candles. The first is called the "Candle of Hope." It symbolizes faith in God keeping his promises to humanity. The second is called the "Candle of Preparation," reminding Christians to "get ready" to receive God. The third candle, the "Candle of Love," reminds Christians that God loves them enough to send his only Son to Earth. The fourth candle is the "Candle of Joy." It recalls the angels joyfully singing about the birth of Christ. The "Christ Candle," the white candle in the center, stands for Jesus Christ himself.
In general, I enjoy this period of “advent” as well as the season of “lent” for these make me take time to think about the “why’s” in my life, more so than the rest of the church year. Yet, I always seem to have issues with the scriptures that are presented for the first Sunday of Advent, each year. The first Sunday of advent generally focuses on scripture which deals with the second coming of Christ. This gives most ministers the opportunity to talk about the end times, the retribution that God will give to those who do not believe, of Christ riding up on a white horse with hoards of angels at his side, cutting down all the bad people. Historically, I dislike these particular texts because it is in conflict with how I view Christ’s role in healing a broken world, as well as poor theology about who gets into God’s Kindom and who is left out. These texts have somehow become messages of the end. Yet, if the first candle of Advent is the candle of “Hope”, how does that represent the idea of the “end?”
Our text for today does present the reality that all of us experience at various times in our lives, the question of “why me?” There are people sitting here this morning hurting because of broken relationships, of abuse, of the feelings of isolation, or feeling inadequate because of a job loss. There are times in our lives where we just want the world to stop so we can get off, or that God will come and punish all those bad people who make life so unbearable. Like our ancestors in faith, we and all of humankind stand before God in “helplessness and need.” “Not only are we vulnerable to those forces that may destroy our happiness – indeed, our very existence – but there is little or, nothing we, when left to ourselves, are capable of doing about our precarious state.” Quote from James Newsome, Sermon Seeds, UCC 11/27/2011
Earlier this past week, I was reading the continuing saga of my youngest daughter’s blog which I think exemplifies the Advent message of today. She writes: I am trying to stay upbeat, despite the fact that Thanksgiving is around the corner and I know my new boys won't be home to celebrate with us. I honestly never thought this would happen. Last September when we started this process, I had no doubts the boys would be home by now.
My sister had her new baby (#5) on Wednesday morning. Bless her heart, labor started Saturday, but she now has a beautiful boy to show for it! I am excited, sad, and jealous all at the same time. My brother and his wife also had a little girl placed in their home (hopefully to adopt) as well as giving birth to another baby, and I am still waiting. I was officially 'expecting' before either of them. Don't get me wrong, I am so excited for two new nieces, and a new nephew! I am SO excited! I love my family and all my nieces and nephews (there are a bunch!), but I want my boys.
I broke down Sunday at church. I just couldn't take it. Friends of ours have friends who started their adoption (from another country) after us, and are bringing their 4 kids home today. Another friend is pregnant, there are like 6 new babies in our church - 5 of which are families in our Sunday school class. I am so excited for each and every family and each baby. I am happy for them, truly joyful, but that doesn't mean at the same time, I don't struggle. I am human, I am jealous, sad, angry, frustrated, happy, excited, all at the same time. We were talking to friends on Sunday and equated this adoption to a roller coaster. I LOVE roller coasters, but we have now been on this one so long, that I am nauseas. I am about to lose my lunch! All I want is to get off!!! It can't come soon enough. And, just when I think we are about to be done and get off, there is another drop or loop
I am confident in my God. I am confident He has a plan and His will is being lived out through this adoption. That is the comfort I hold on to. We are being given the opportunity to witness to others. To be a Christian example. We have already seen this. We have been asked about adoption by a few people in our church who are sincere, which is exciting. Because of the delays, more people in the church are becoming aware of our situation, and are now praying for us. Our prayer support has doubled, at least. It is exciting and a challenge to see others watching us. What an opportunity we have been given to live out the gospel! I hold on to the Father, and He is holding us! Therefore, we have joy!
The title of today’s reflection is “Waiting for the First Day.” Where my daughter Tara is concerned, she is waiting for the end of the adoption process. An end that means she will be able to physically have her two new sons at home with her. Yet, what is truly going to happen when this “roller coaster” ride ends, all of her waiting will have been for the first day of a new life. This is what we are doing at present with our faith. We are on a roller coaster that we call life, waiting for God to enter once again and repair what’s wrong with the world, shaping a new creation where grace, justice, and joy will be the norm.
Within this week’s reading in the Gospel of Mark, we are reminded of the paradoxes within the Gospels. The paradox that God has already entered into the world through the birth of Jesus of Nazareth, but also the “not yet” reality of God’s kindom here on earth is not completed. We are in a waiting period. We are living in the present kindom of God, yet working toward the completion of that kindom, that “first day” that God has planned. This waiting period is a time of preparation for us, where we can actively work to help usher in the completeness that God wishes for all of creation. Amen
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