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“ DO YOU LOVE ME?…..FEED MY SHEEP”

Date: May 17, 2009

Text: John 21:1-19

“PETER, DO YOU LOVE ME?…..FEED MY SHEEP”

“PEOPLE OF EAST BETHANY, DO YOU LOVE ME?…..FEED MY SHEEP”

Several of the post Easter sermons have dealt with the meaning and impact of the resurrection event in our daily lives. There is, however, a dimension of the Easter experience that needs further exploration. It isn’t enough to internalize the experience for ourselves. It isn’t enough to know that God will take care of us. We need to share the meaning of Easter in the way we live each day! The last bit of dialogue between Jesus and his disciples in the Gospel of John makes it clear that WE ARE TO FEED CHRIST’S SHEEP! Isn’t that a strong declaration that we are to follow Jesus’ model in how we treat others and how we deal with societal issues?

There is an old story about angels that provides a good starting place for looking at the morning text. God sent a wonderful angel down to earth to do all kinds of good. Everyone loved this angel because he helped so many in need but those who were evil were jealous because people liked him so much. Eventually their envy reached such a peak that they took a giant sword and cut the angel right in half. They thought that would fix this individual who went around doing good and wanting to help people. But do you know what happened? All of a sudden there were two angels and they did even more wonderful deeds than the first one. This was too much for the evil people so they cut these two angels in half. And what happened? Immediately there were four angels. Every time the angels were killed, twice as many took their place.

Now if this were a TV show, we would go forth from worship, spreading good all around and our efforts would just multiply. We’d reach out in love and people would embrace us; we’d stand firm on a social issue and other people would change their views. Unfortunately, TV shows have little to do with real life, don’t they?

Our morning lesson from John 21 is trying to deal with this reality: Christ’s followers are not angels so how will they respond faithfully to the challenge of “feeding God’s sheep?” Picture the scene in those days after the resurrection. Excitement was growing in the hearts of Jesus’ disciples following Easter, as I hope it is in ours today. The movement was ready to take off. There was only one problem, one that still plagues Christianity today. The personnel to launch this new product, the resurrection and Christ’s presence, may not be prepared. Were the disciples up to the task? Are we up to the challenge? Look at Peter, supposedly one of the key followers. Only a few days earlier in the courtyard outside where Jesus was on trial Peter denied even knowing the man from Nazareth and he did it not just once but three times! I often say that the disciples offer us hope and solace because their shortcomings are so much like our own.

But the story is not about our imperfections, numerous as they may be, but about the power of God to use even flawed human beings. Study the dialogue in John 21 and compare it with the scene of Peter’s denial. Three times Peter had denied his Lord. Now three times he is given the chance to reaffirm his commitment. Clearly the writer sees in Peter’s story a three-act drama: rejection, forgiveness and empowerment. Each positive response, “Yes, Lord, I love you,” takes away one act of denial. What Jesus was hoping to achieve, at least in the mind of the early church, was nothing less than the redemption of a heart-broken angel! And it worked! Peter once again was freed from the guilt of past denial so that he could respond afresh to Jesus’ invitation to “follow me.”

Don’t we all need to experience the type of inner renewal that occurred in Peter’s life? We know all about our spiritual limitations in practical everyday living as Christian friends and workers, don’t we? Now we need to hear Jesus saying to us again, “do you love me?” and know that with our response comes the empowering grace of the resurrection experience. It also is to be noted that Peter’s need for forgiveness and new direction was not over. The Book of Acts tells us that throughout his life his imperfections were hanging out and yet it was just such a person that God used as He would use each of us. The call to “feed my sheep” is all about very ordinary people like those of us who are here this morning.

Fortunately the story doesn’t end with the frailties of the disciples or our own. Peter, a very imperfect human being, was being sent forth to share the good news and so are we! Jesus’ exhortation to love is given as a command. We dare never forget that Jesus is not saying, “If you have the time or feel like it, if you don’t mind would you take care of my Father’s children?” No, this is what Jesus expects of us on a regular basis! It often has been said that Christ has no hands but our hands, no feet but ours. We need to take this image more seriously. Would you agree that Christ’s work is going to come to fulfillment only if we are willing to do our part?

Sometimes we fail to realize that the image of feeding God’s sheep moves us out into to a world in which people are hurting! Just think of a few of the issues facing all of us right here: the need to share our faith with those who are looking for new direction; the need to think about the immigration problems of those working on farms in Genesee County and did you know that a few years ago Orleans County had the highest teenage pregnancy rate in the State outside of NYC and maybe Genesee isn’t far behind? Add that to family enrichment and spiritual growth and you have the exciting challenge set before Christ’s Church and its people.

The inner response when this challenge is thrown out is apt to be much like that of an individual quoted in a book I read about finding the common good.

I feel that somehow I ought to respond but I guess all that I know how

to do is what I was taught in Girl Scouts. So I try to be good and fair

to the people immediately around me – my family and co-workers.

Yet that doesn’t seem to be enough. I think that it is harder to be a

human being than it used to be.”

How do we know beyond the Boy Scout/Girl Scout mentality, as noble as it might be, to a deeper level of commitment? It’s not easy to live faithfully in today’s world with all its stresses and complexities. Too often we bog down in the demands of life; too often there never are enough people willing to help. Here is a quote to remember when you start to think that one person can’t do very much.

“I am only one, but I am one. I cannot do everything, but I can do

something, and what I should do and can do by the grace of God I will do.”

Still, I am keenly aware that mere good intentions or great quotes are not going to make more angels spring up in our footsteps. That’s why we continually are brought back to the resurrection and the power of Easter morning in our lives each day. We certainly do not have wings nor do our efforts automatically reproduce angels. What we do have is a faith in a God who has promised to use our endeavors and make something of them.

Have you heard this story? One time two men were talking about the state of the world, just what we are doing this morning. They discussed the homeless they saw in their town. They discussed the number of people lined up outside the soup kitchens on a cold winter day. They discussed the number of children who go to school hungry in the morning and then come home to an empty house in the afternoon, because their fathers are in prison and their mothers are forced to work two jobs just to make ends meet. One of the men said to the other, “I just don’t know why God doesn’t do something about it.” The second man said, “Well, why don’t you ask Him?” To which the first one said, “because I’m afraid He might ask me the same question”.

Think about the needs of our world: spiritual and physical, personal and global. And then remember the true meaning of Easter and the presence of the Living Christ.

Finally, hear again the words of our Lord. .

“DO YOU LOVE ME?…FEED MY SHEEP’

”NAMING NAMES”

Date: May 24 2009

Text: I Samuel 15: 34 – 16:13, Hebrews 12: 1-3

Several years ago Marilyn and I took a mini-vacation to Washington, D.C. The Vietnam Memorial was among the many places we visited. It always is a deeply moving experience not only to look at the names of the soldiers listed there but also to observe the faces of the people who come to sit, to touch, to remember.

Another time while at a conference in NYC we visited Ellis Island. It’s a place that always has fascinated me since the time when as a teenager I passed it every day during the summer taking the ferry from Jersey to a job on Wall St. If you aren’t familiar, Ellis Island is where many immigrants were processed before being allowed to enter this country. When you think of people crammed together crossing the stormy Atlantic, carrying all of their belongings in a trunk, it’s no wonder that seeing the Statue of Liberty was such a stirring sight but even then they were not sure of their future. One area of the main building was called “the kissing corner” because it was there that family members already in this country anxiously waited for the release of loved ones. Outside a stonewall lists the names of many of the immigrants. To run your hand down the list to see if there are any of your ancestors listed is indeed a stirring experience.

Yet another time when we went to Highland Park in Rochester to see the lilacs a new Vietnam memorial had been created, which also touched me. As you move down a brick walk, on one side are the names of the young people killed in combat, mostly in their late teens and early twenties. On the other side carved in stone are the events that took place during those years.

What these experiences say to me is that naming names and remembering one’s personal history are a very important part of defining who we are. There are people who have helped to shape our very being and we do not want to forget them. Isn’t that the true meaning of the Memorial Day observance?

Isn’t the Bible all about “remembering” and “naming names?” Beginning with Abram and Sari who become Abraham and Sarah, the Bible tells us about people we need to remember. The lives of these men and women are intertwined with the workings of the Almighty in such a way as to impact upon our religious heritage.

Our Old Testament reading is about naming names: Samuel, Saul, and David. All were important figures in shaping Israel’s relationship with Yahweh. Samuel was the spiritual leader of the Israelites who anointed the first king Saul. Sadly, power went to Saul’s head, as it often does, and Samuel rejected him. Then the text introduced David as the new leader that God had called forth.

David is “named” to be one of the great leaders who will serve God’s purpose. People after his reign begin to speak of “The Son of David” in terms of another unique individual who God will raise up to carry on the work of the greatest king Israel ever knew. There is a genealogy at the very beginning of Matthew’s account of Jesus’ life, which places Jesus within the family of David. It seems to us like a long list of difficult names to pronounce but Biblically it is “naming names.” Thus, Jesus is “named” and declared to be the One God has sent to bring in the kingdom. This “naming” culminated in Jesus’ baptism when our Lord was anointed as God’s chosen servant. Baptism in the church continues this tradition. A child or adult is “named” and in so doing God’s seal is placed upon his or her life.

“Naming names.” Memorial Day is more than just a long weekend, time to put the finishing touches on the garden, go camping or any of that. Today we remember and lift up the names of those who have touched our lives. We take geraniums to the cemetery or find some quiet reflection place to recall people who have been important in our life history. Using the Biblical model, Memorial Day provides an opportunity not just to simply think of loved ones but more broadly to think about people who have been influential in helping us shape our spiritual and moral lives.

What names come to mind when you think of people who have been there for you and thus helped in your walk with the Almighty?

On Memorial Day we remember loved ones and those who have served this country in the military but I wish we would think of another group of people. A dear friend of mine who went through terrible times in Vietnam has reminded me more than once that we never should forget Jesus’ words: “Blessed are the peacemakers.” Should we not then also remember on this weekend people who have served or are serving this very day in roles of peacemaking around the world? As an example, there is a young man we know who graduated from Yale and could have gone into the business world but has chosen to be an Americorp worker teaching in an inner city elementary school in Houston. Let us include in our “naming of names,” along with loved ones and military people, the women and men, well known or anonymous, who also have worked to make a world of peace and justice and respect for all people.

Our next hymn expresses the hope of all we are honoring today: “O for a world where everyone respects each other ways. Where loved is lived and all is done with justice and peace.” I love the old spiritual “Down By the Riverside” with its repeated refrain “ain’t gonna go to war no more.” We are learning in the Iraq and Afghanistan conflicts, and not for the first time I am sorry to say, that going to war, though necessary at times, seldom provides the ultimate solution to ending any conflict. Do we not at every level of life from family to nation to world have too much violence and not enough efforts at peacemaking? As an illustration of how we may have things backwards in the 1970’s there was a proposal to create a peace academy in Washington to train people how to work to solve conflicts. It never got off the ground. Instead more and more is spent on military might. Again looking at Memorial Day as a day to lift up a dream for a better world for all people remember as we sing the stirring “Battle Hymn of the Republic” that it was written as a cry for civil rights and justice for all of God’s children.

This “remembering” is more than eulogizing individuals. God’s people got into trouble in the Bible when they exalted individuals like Saul or David and forgot that it was their Creator who was working through these people. I get a little uneasy at some funeral services when a person’s virtues are lifted up and little or no effort is made to thank God for the gift of this life. Always we need to recognize that God continues to work through men and women as He did in Biblical times. On a family level, we recall those who touched us and then we make a commitment to do our best to pass on a similar inheritance to our children and grandchildren. On a larger scale, we remember those who have worked for peace and justice. To me, that’s what Memorial Day is all about – a chance to shape our God-given lives now and in the future around the principles passed on to us by those we are remembering this morning.

In Central and South America there is an inspiring tradition that occurs when people gather to remember “the disappeared”, people in oppressive societies who simply are taken from their homes in the middle of the night and never are heard from again. The names of these individuals are read as families and friends gather for memorial services and people respond on their behalf - “present” or “presente”. Naming names – “Juan Gonzales” – presente”; “Maria Garcia – presente”; “Jose Martinez – presente.” Symbolically it was their way of saying that those loved ones always would be with them.

Today during the joys and concerns let us lift up the names of those who have impacted our lives and then let us declare – “present”. For these people are present through the power of the Spirit as we seek to carry on their highest values. It doesn’t matter whether the name be someone as well known as Martin Luther King or a grandparent who arrived at Ellis Island and created a heritage that has never been forgotten or a buddy from WWII, Korea, Vietnam or the Persian Gulf who kept us going when “war was hell.” Let us name names and let us declare “presente” as we ask God to make us that kind of person for someone else.

“IS GOD SAYING ANYTHING IN THESE TIMES?”

Date: July 5, 2009

Text: I Samuel 3: 1-10

The first verse of our Old Testament reading intrigues me. It declares, “the Word of the Lord was rare in those days” or in another translation “there were very few messages from the Lord.” I wonder whether the same thing might be asked of 2009. “Is God saying anything in these times?

A basic premise of the story of Samuel’s call and the rest of scripture is that God is very much a God of the present, involved in every day affairs and historical events. On a personal level, Samuel felt God leading him into the future. On a much broader landscape, the whole story of ancient Israel’s history tells of a God uniquely involved in the destiny of this small band of people.

Given this Biblical context, it is appropriate on this holiday weekend when we celebrate the great heritage of our own nation to ask whether the hand of the Almighty is at work in the historical events of our times. A word of caution is in order: don’t assume that God necessarily always is on our side. That seems to be the assumption all too frequently made. I have quoted so many times a comment of President Lincoln. The nation was on the eve of a crucial Civil War battle. As his cabinet met, someone said, “Mr. President, let us hope that God is on our side.” To which Lincoln immediately replied, “I never worry about God being on our side but I do worry a lot about our being on his side.” We need to probe more deeply in Biblical fashion and humbly try to discern where God is leading us, always trying to avoid the egotism and hypocrisy that so often shapes speeches around the meaning of July 4^th.

The tendency is to assume that the founders of this nation were conscious of God’s role in our destiny but such was not always the case. For example, the Constitutional Congress meeting in Independence Hall, Philadelphia was stalemated in its efforts to construct a constitution for the 13 fledging states. Ben Franklin, after weeks of deadlock, addressed the representatives and asked how it was that when they were under the king of England meetings always opened with prayer but now in independence the need for divine assistance seemingly had ceased. “Would it not be wise,” Franklin asked, “to call upon the Almighty to aid in their work?” He so moved but only two other delegates supported his motion and it was soundly defeated. Even then, there was the haunting possibility that “the Word of the Lord was indeed rare.”

What will be our criteria in looking for God’s presence in the midst of a long weekend of celebrations around this area? Obviously, our search needs to focus on the concept of “freedom,” a concept so crucial to our Founding Fathers and to the Biblical writers. The New Testament declares that Christ has come to “set people free.” “Freedom” in this Biblical context means more than just the right to vote or express one’s point of view, as important as those principles are. It is related to the concept of “wholeness,” of making life the way that God intended it to be. A fifth grader from NYC understood this idea when she declared, “freedom means an awful lot to me. It almost means my life because freedom is love, happiness, friendship and very, very hateless.”

Surely God desires a world that is “very, very hateless.” It is important to remember that the Biblical story of “freedom” or “deliverance” begins with Moses leading the Israelites out of Egypt and bondage. It’s that inner drive for “deliverance” and release from any form of bondage, whether it be unfair British taxation or later on slavery, that is very much a part of the history of our great nation.

Thus, if we want “to hear the Word of the Lord” in 2009, we need to listen and look more closely at those areas of life where the pursuit of freedom, release from bondage and inequality, appears to be taking place. Do you remember the folk song from the sixties?

“Well, I’ve got a hammer and I’ve got a bell and I got a song to sing all over the

land. It’s the hammer of justice, it’s the bell of freedom, it’s a song about

love between my brothers and sisters all over the land.”

So where do we see “the hammer of justice and bell of freedom” coming into play? We need to think not only of July 4, 1776 but of the rich heritage of this particular part of our country: of the underground railroad that came through this area; of Seneca Falls and Elizabeth Stanton and Susan B. Anthony leading a small band of women in their fight for the right to vote. We should be extremely proud of our local heritage because this region consistently has lifted up a banner declaring that “our God wants love, justice and very, very hateless for all people.”

We have to keep “looking and listening” as did the young Samuel. The youth was filled with questions and wanting to know why. Maybe that has to be part of our celebration. Among the questions of our day should we not be asking why in this great country so many people are worried about health care, why the prison population in this country exceeds that of almost every other nation in the world, why we continue to think that our way is the only way? If you have seen the musical “1776” or read any books on the American Revolution, you recognize that the founders of this great nation wrestled with similar issues of justice and equality.

Part of the Biblical equation, if one wants to discern what God is doing in our times, is to become personally committed and involved in the quest for the pursuit of freedom that was at the heart of the Declaration of Independence. The Word of the Lord is best heard according to scripture when one begins to respond actively. Samuel wasn’t sure what God wanted but he was willing to respond; Isaiah knew that he was in the presence of God and felt called to say, “Here I am. Send me.” Teddy Roosevelt one time read a book by the sociologist Jacob Riis about the terrible conditions in Hell’s Kitchen in NYC when the first wave of immigration in this country took place. Roosevelt was so moved that he immediately went to Riis’ home and left a note: “I have read your book. What can I do to help?” Clearly the Church of Jesus Christ is being challenged in our day to declare, “We have seen the vision you have for a better world. What can we do to help?”

Is God saying anything in our times? Let us confess that there are days when we aren’t sure as the TV News brings word of more deaths in Afghanistan or terrible health problems in Africa. But let us also look between the lines and see the efforts of so many people on behalf of others. If we look closely there are signs of God working through people to bring about the fulfillment of the dream of the Founding Fathers, which was the pursuit of liberty and justice for all. Actually there is a long list of those who have sought to live out the dream of 1776.

We need to give great thanks today for the deliverance that we have seen in our nation: an end to slavery, the right of women to vote, strides toward equal job opportunities.

We need to carry on the great traditions that have helped to make this nation what it is today but surely more needs to be done. Our promise for this day and all days might be shaped around the dedication in the front of a book I read a book one time.

Dedicated to my children

John, Mary, Lisa and Sherman

In the hope they will continue the struggle

To make the world a better place.

Let’s recognize on this holiday weekend that the love of Christ has set us free, first to live as God intended and then to join with others to make the hammers of justice and the bells of freedom continue to ring not only in our own country but also around the world.

“GRASS GROWING THROUGH THE ASPHALT”

Date: July 19, 2009

Text: Mark 4: 1-9

One of the remarkable qualities of Jesus’ parables is that they can lead your thoughts in many directions. For instance, one time I preached on the parable of the sower and dealt with our responses to God’s love. Some Christians are like the seed falling on shallow soil and so on. Another time the sermon dealt with how there is a little of each response in all of us. Some moments we are red hot for our faith but the seed hardly gets planted before it is blown away while on other occasions it really takes root and blossoms. This morning I want to move in a third direction and focus on the “plentiful harvest” and all that can happen in our lives because of divine grace.

First, we need a little background in Biblical studies. The writer of the Gospel of Mark is believed to have written his interpretation of the life of Jesus around 65 A.D., some thirty-five years after Jesus’ death. Small communities of Christianity located throughout the Middle East and Egypt had preserved and passed down stories from the life of our Lord. Those who were writing down the recollections of Jesus’ life in each community would emphasize those parts of the story that were most relevant to their local situation.

One question that was being raised with increasing concern fifty years after Jesus’ death was “why can’t we see more evidence of the new kingdom that had been initiated by our Lord?” In our day, I would reshape the question to address a common concern I hear among mainline Christians? What happened to all the people who used to be in our churches? Where is the harvest today? The writer of Mark seeks to address that concern.

The New Testament continually talks of a harvest. “Harvest” as I understand that word, refers to more than just warm bodies to be saved but it speaks to a new way of life at all levels of human need, from the most personal to improving the social system. Think of the people you will be associating with this week: I suspect that some will have struggling marriages, be worried about the behavior of a teenager or the loss of a job. Add to that personal dimension all that is reported on TV in terms of conflict in the Middle East, Aids in Africa and too much hunger in too many places and you can see why there is a great need for the harvest. Seeds of the harvest begin to sprout when more and more people are touched by a Divine Love that lifts the soul of the individual and brings people together.

And is not the task of the Church is to be leading the way in creating this new order, God’s kingdom? As I mentioned two weeks ago, all too often people in the local church get depressed thinking about how things were better in the “good old days” or where is the money going to come from to pay for repairs. What we need to do is to capture the New Testament vision all over again! The Church’s primary purpose is to bring meaning, vitality and dignity to all humankind. Does any other organization have such a job description? Is the need any less today than it ever has been? Perhaps a local congregation can’t double its membership overnight or triple its budget but there is a great deal that every church can do in the ministry of our Lord. I am pleased that we seem to be moving in the right direction but when we consider the needs, just right around us, so many friends, neighbors, strangers, whose lives might be enriched by sharing the gift of God’s love, then we can see the challenge.

Unfortunately, it isn’t all that easy to share this precious gift, is it? You just can’t go out this week and throw the seeds of faith around and expect people to flock to you. Jesus himself knew the difficulty and thus the parable. He recognized that as soon as he started talking and challenging people to respond that it is human nature to think of all the reasons why it won’t work. In another parable, Jesus spoke of people being invited to a wedding feast and all the excuses they made to get out of the invitation, excuses just like are made today!

Some years back the Burpee Seed Company awarded a $10,000 prize to a woman who produced a white marigold flower. Our immediate response is “Boy, what I could do with $10,000!” What we forget is that it took her 20 years! Each summer she had to take the seeds that came closest to the desired color and mark them and use them next year and on and on until she finally produced a white flower.

I am afraid that when it comes to sharing and living out the Good News we are all too inclined to bet on the lottery rather than putting forth a similar effort to that woman. Of course, some of the time we try, a little tenderness to our marriage partner, more understanding with the kids, even a contribution for world hunger but all too frequently. those darn birds, thorns and weeds make it too hard! Then we cry out: why aren’t there more signs of the new kingdom?

There is cause for being frustrated whether you are a lst Century Christian or living in 2009. Indeed, if you aren’t more than a little frustrated at times, you probably aren’t taking your faith seriously enough. BUT THERE IS A HARVEST. Listen again to the scripture” “Other seed fell on good soil and brought forth grain, some a hundredfold.” A 100% increase! You try to live in the name of Christ and the result multiples and multiples. You say it is impossible? But with God nothing is impossible.

We miss the point of the parable if we think it all depends on us. Conservative and liberal Christians, though their style of faith living differs greatly, both agree that the harvest depends on the work of the Almighty. We are not the seed. All we are doing is scattering the seeds of divine love by living out the Biblical story. Then it is up to God to see what He wants to make of our efforts. Believe me, that is more than just a theological cliché. Our job is not to be successful but to be faithful and that distinction is crucial as we try to live out our faith. If our goal is success, then, we are bound to be very frustrated. If our goal is faithfulness, then, we just have to stick in there and let God do the rest.

Some years ago two young parents chanced to meet in the playground of the park. Carmine, the child of one of the mothers, had a new jump rope. The other parent began to demonstrate the intricacies of jumping rope. After a while, Carmine began to jump, first once, then twice. The two mothers clapped loudly for her skill. Eventually the little girl was able to jump quite well on her own and wandered off with her newfound skill. Not long after, the girl came back looking very sad and dragging her jump rope. “Mommy, “ she lamented, “ can do it but I need lots of clapping.” Isn’t it our task as individual Christians and a community of faith to bring that kind of affirmation of God’s love to those around us? I speak of the impact being part of this community of love and faith will have on the younger generation. I speak of a phone call you made to a friend in need and how much that was appreciated. I speak of inviting someone else to church and begin to see real changes in their lives. Some times we never will know the impact that sowing the seed has but you can count on God to make something of our efforts.

Think of the week that is ahead. How will you sow the seed of God’s love where you work, live and play? What will you do to bring the kingdom a little closer?

Where we used to live one summer we had a new black top driveway put in. Almost immediately grass starting poking through. We tried to kill it with Round Up or pull it up but still it persisted. That grass was meant to break forth and find sunlight and that grass was going to do its best to achieve that goal despite our efforts to the contrary. Christians, according to the parable, are meant to share the love of God, care about others, and join the fight for peace and justice. The world will do everything possible to kill or pull up that divine seed but, with God’s help, there will be a wonderful harvest.

“THE POPULARITY OF THE 23^RD PSALM ”

Date: July 26, 2009

Text: Psalm 23, John 10: 11 - 18

I always ask families when I meet with them to plan a memorial or funeral service if there are particular passages of scripture they would like to have read. Do you know what they usually respond whether it is an active church family or one that has no church connection? “We don’t know much about the Bible but he loved the 23^rd psalm.” Thus that psalm is part of almost every memorial service and often people are asked to say it out loud with me. It continually moves me that in a supposedly Biblical illiterate society so many people are able to recite the words from memory. What is it that makes the 23rd psalm one of the most popular, most comforting and supportive of all Bible texts?

The psalm begins “THE LORD IS MY SHEPHERD.” People in an area with so many farms may appreciate more than most what a difficult task a shepherd had in ancient Israel. Sheep couldn’t find grass or water on their own, wolves and other animals were a constant threat. A shepherd had tremendous responsibilities. The psalmist applies that imagery to God. Our creator will look after us and protect us as a shepherd does his sheep. It’s no wonder that Jesus picked up on this imagery and describes his task in terms of being The Good Shepard who looks after all of God’s children.

“The Lord is my shepherd.” What will that mean practically? The psalmist put it simply: ”I SHALL NOT WANT.” The Good News translation says, “The Lord is my shepherd. I have everything that I need.” Think about that for awhile. Do we live as though that verse is true? Why is it that it takes a major crisis or illness in our lives to help us realize that our Heavenly Parent really is guiding us through the peaks and valleys of life? So many times an individual who is critically ill has said to me “I never realized what a privilege it is to listen to the birds sing or share a day with my family.” How much of life is spoiled because we always want something else? I read somewhere that 50 years ago Americans had a basic list of about 10 needs such as food, shelter and family. Today Americans have a list of over 100 needs! The line between need and want has been blurred in our society. It is something to consider at stewardship time: what are our basic needs and how much do we want and where does my gift to Christ’s ministry fit in?

The shepherd leads his sheep to fields of grass. Will God do anything less for his people, the psalmist wonders? Of course, not! “HE WILL MAKE ME TO LIE DOWN IN GREEN PASTURES.” What a glorious image! It’s the sensation of lying on your back in an open field looking up at the clouds moving by. You feel a little bit like Huck Finn with not a care in the world. When it gets too hot lying under the sun, you can soak your feet in a cool spring. There is a story that lifts up the feeling of being cared for by someone who won’t let you down. One time a little girl who had been in too many foster homes was being tucked into bed. It was her first night in another temporary situation and yet another “temporary mother” was tucking her in. The new foster mother was surprised when the child asked her to take off her wedding ring so she could see it. Wanting to respond warmly she did as requested. Then she was startled when the little girl clutched the ring tightly in her little fist and put her hand under the pillow. “There,” she said, “Now you won’t leave me while I am sleeping.” Can you sense how on a much broader level the 23^rd psalm provides the same assurance?

Remember that story the next time you look at all the magazines by the checkout counter of the super market. I guarantee that you will see plenty of articles about dealing with stress which comes about because of loneliness, low self-esteem and much more. Could it be that we as religious people have the answer to all the feelings produced by the pressure of our daily affairs and are not taking advantage of it? Could a few minutes quietly shared with our Creator, letting him become our Shepherd, help us deal with the fears and anxieties of our day – rejection, job loss, health concerns?

Walking through “THE VALLEY OF THE SHADOWQ OF DEATH I WILL FEAR NO EVIL.” Just so we don’t think that the psalmist was engaged in wishful thinking let’s be clear that the writer knew that he had to leave the verdant pastures and the quiet still waters and return to the dirt and noise typified by the 6 o’clock news. His so-called retreat time ended and he returned to what we would call ‘the working week” but with renewed appreciation for the Creator’s role. He had a confidence that the Almighty would truly be his Shepherd. The 23^rd psalm. as I have reminded people so often in times of trials, does not say that God will take us out “OF THE VALLEY OF THE SHADOW OF DEATH” but rather that God will see us to the end. How important it is for someone waiting in a hospital corridor or grieving at a funeral home to know that there is someone walking with them through the tunnel and leading them to new light. Add the 23^rd psalm to Jesus’ saying that he was “The Good Shepherd” and you have a powerful statement of God’s presence in our lives each day.

The psalmist also spoke of “A TABLE PREPARED IN THE PRESENCE OF MINE ENEMIES.” He knew that getting along with one another could be one of the most difficult parts of life. This verse of the psalm was commonly read in churches in London during WW II as the Sacrament of Holy Communion was being served. The German buzz bombs were roaring overhead, no one knew where they would land, and sometimes churches were hit. What meaning the words “thou preparest a table in the presence of mine enemies” would have for people in that church! The Sacrament became a sign of God’s eternal protection. They were scared and some might not make it through the war but they knew that their God would take care of them in this life and that which was to come.

Can you begin to see why it is no accident that people want the 23^rd psalm read at a memorial service? The psalmist speaks to our deepest needs and not just when crisis hits but as we go about our daily activities.

The whole emphasis of the psalm is “take comfort, God will guide, strengthen and protect you.” I intensely dislike the old cliché: “God never gives you more than you can handle” because I have seen too many people who have been overwhelmed by tragedy. Nevertheless, I can tell you about people who have found incredible strength while going through unbelievable ordeals. Let me also point out that God’s help is not limited to major crises in life. People have found comfort when upset by little things and strength simply to be a good parent and on and on. It’s no wonder that this psalm has spoken to so many people. The psalm touches all of us in the little and big events of life

Some years ago a personal experience demonstrated the power of the 23^rd psalm. A young woman was beaten to death by her husband right around the corner from us in North Chili. It was a very sad happening. What made it worse was that Melody had grown up in the Gates Church where I served and her parents are long time friends. Back then, a graveside committal service was planned some days after the memorial service at the church. The Gates pastor was called away suddenly that morning because of the death of his father and the associate was out of town. I was asked at the last moment to fill in. The family gathered at a small rural cemetery in Bristol overlooking the hills of Canandaigua Lake. Obviously the family was in anguish but as we shared the 23^rd psalm together in that beautiful setting you could feel comfort and strength come over those present. No easy answers to a terrible tragedy, many difficult days ahead but those people sensed within the presence of The Good Shepherd and what a difference that made.

Another week is about to begin. Just another week? No, we go with the Lord as our Shepherd! And so it is back into the real world with a smile, with a serene inner spirit and a commitment to love and peace.

“REST AND RESPONSIBILITES”

Date: August 9, 2009

Text: Deuteronomy 5: 12-15; Mark 2:23 – 3:6

How many of you remember a time when everything was closed on Sunday except for emergency services? That’s right, you couldn’t go to the mall or run in Wegman’s or Tops! I wouldn’t mind going back to those days when the church was the center of Sunday activity. It certainly would make my job easier if there weren’t sales or sporting events to lure people away from worship. It also might provide an impetus for family togetherness at a time when everything you read suggests the family is being pulled apart by the stresses of life. Wouldn’t it wonderful if there were one day out of seven when people could be together, assuming of course, we could find something to do besides watch TV.

Unfortunately, you have to be realistic. There is no way in our lifetime that we ever will return to those days when everything shuts down on Sunday. Indeed, seem to be moving in the other direction in our “go-go” society. I have noticed recently that garage sales have started to extend from Friday and Saturday over into Sunday. The new Target store in Chili had its grand opening at 8 a.m. on Sunday! The calendar isn’t going to turn back so what can we do to recapture the truly positive qualities of “keeping the Sabbath” as the Ten Commandments challenge us? Interestingly enough, many articles and books are appearing that talk about “finding and keeping the Sabbath,” not necessarily Sunday but some time each week.

To put the question another way: how do we find rest in the midst of all the responsibilities of life? We start our search by looking more closely at the nature of the commandment given in Exodus and repeated in Deuteronomy in the Hebrew Scriptures. “We are to keep the Sabbath holy.” The two books have a slightly different emphasis: In Exodus the Sabbath is related to God creating the world and then resting; in Deuteronomy the Sabbath is perceived as an occasion of remembrance. People are to take a break and consider all that God has done for them, exactly what our time in worship together is intended to accomplish.

This morning let’s concentrate on the Deuteronomy theme. Specifically, God’s people always are to find time to remember their deliverance. The frame of reference is the Exodus story of God leading his people out of bondage in Egypt but the implications go much deeper. What holds us in bondage: past guilt, fallen expectations or captivity to material things? God in Christ can lead us to new freedom from such burdens. As I mentioned a few weeks ago, I actually prefer to talk more about “deliverance” than “salvation” because the latter has become such a misinterpreted term.

Finding time to rest is more than taking a nap as satisfying as that may be. It is finding time to remember and thus restore our connection with our Creator. But where is the time set-aside in our society to pause and remember? Memorial Day? – A time specifically set aside to for that purpose but more often a day to plant the garden, open the cottage or have the season’s first barbecue. July 4^th? – Go to an observance of our independence except fireworks displays and note how few participate. We haven’t as a nation done a very good job of building upon the Civil Right movement of the ‘60’s or learning from the Vietnam War and thus racism and wars continue to plague us.

What is even more distressing is that all too little remembrance takes place on a religious level. How many people in the great land of prosperity pause each day to thank the Ultimate Provider? The busier we get and the less we remember, what happens to our umbilical connection with our Maker? A recent major study of the decline in mainline denominations during the last 30 years shows that these religious groups lose people not to fundamentalism primarily but to secularism. In other words, Presbyterians aren’t leaving just to go to those churches that are springing up all over the place but rather they turn to hobbies or shopping or simply sleeping in.

Christians trying to keep the Commandments quickly discover that it is no easy challenge. Indeed there is a double burden. On the one hand, we are talking about finding time for “spiritual rest” and remembering all that God has done. On the other hand, there also are “responsibilities,” aren’t there? In an episode of “Everybody Loves Raymond,” while the children are at their grandmother’s Raymond is looking forward to some intimate time with his wife. They just start to get close when suddenly the three kids come into the house. His response, which seems impossible unless you know the show, is “What are you doing here?” To which his nine year old replies ‘Oh, we live here.” How do we find time for relationships, for family, for community and for church, to say nothing of trying to make a living, while seeking “rest” in the midst of such hectic schedules? To me that is a crucial question for anyone committed to sustained, long term Christian growth.

Jesus himself was not immune to this tension as we see in the reading from Mark. He took the Sabbath and all the laws surrounding it very seriously and yet he also felt the need to help people. Can you sense the real inner wrestling that went on in Jesus’ mind and heart when faced with a situation like the one described in Mark? Jesus, like us, had a full calendar. He too felt the demands of people all around him.

The key for our Lord and for all of us is achieving a balance. We can learn from Jesus’ own rhythm. The Gospel story exhibits an ongoing movement from “rest to responsibility” and back again. Sometimes Jesus almost seems to be saying, “I can’t deal any more with human need. I need to get awhile for while.” Then, he escapes to the other side of the lake. Of course, as soon as he returns people besiege him for assistance.

When we talk of “keeping the Sabbath” in the Biblical context worship and prayer become essential in acquiring the rhythm of the Christ-like life. I am convinced that Christianity will fade away if its people do not hold fast to the Biblical conviction that “where two or three are gathered in my name there I am in the midst of them.” Communal worship has to be re-enforced with private meditation. Tom Troeger, a friend and seminary professor, says “prayer is staying in touch with God while we are on the run.”

“Rest and responsibilities,” a balance in life. Connecting with God and serving others, the Great Commandment, is very much what following Jesus is all about. And make no mistake it is much more difficult in 2009 than 1908 in terms of the pace of life. We need all the help that God can give us, all the support others can muster in the midst of crowded schedules if there is to be time to “remember,” “to recharge,” “to reenergize” while also serving as God’s people in a very needed world and meeting other obligations. We can’t give up all our responsibilities and go and live in a monastery. Nor should we forget the need to find times to pause and reconnect with our maker. I would urge each of us to give serious thought to achieving such a balance. We all have responsibilities. We also need “rest,” in the Biblical sense, if we are to have the energy, wisdom and courage to live as Christ’s people. How are we going to achieve this goal?

There is story about a group of businessmen who took the train along the Hudson River into NYC every morning and evening. If you ever have taken that train, you know it is a beautiful ride along the Hudson. Every day the men would play intense poker games. One morning one of the players happened to look out the window. “Look guys,” he called out in surprise. “There’s a river.” Doesn’t that say a great deal about what we miss in life? May God continue to be with all of us this week as we seek this precious and joyous balance that brings so much happiness and meaning to our lives. May God be with us so we don’t miss “the rivers of life.”

SEXUAL IMMORALITY IN KING DAVID'S TIME AND OURS"

Date: August 16. 2009

Text: II Samuel 11: 22 - 12: 13

It's the middle of summer when pastors have to do anything that they can to entice people to worship. Some pastors even have sermon titles like "Sexual Immorality In King David's Time and Ours". After all, everybody knows that sex is a big sell.

Seriously, as I have said before it continually amazes me how relevant the Bible is to current issues. Our scripture talks of a leader with great influence and power caught in unfaithful beahvoir. And what have we heard on the evening news in the recent past? The governor of NY resigning because of dealings with a prostitute; the governor of South Carolina claiming to walk the Appalachian Trail but actually being with a mistress in Argentina; a senator from Nevada who was a leader in Promise Keepers, an organization committed to faithful relationships, confesses to adultery. There even is a place in Washington called the C-House where politicians go supposedly for meditation but also to use the private space for sexual encounters! Do you see why King David would feel right at home in our society?

And haven’t you said to yourself: what can be done about the immorality in high places in our culture to say nothing about the dealings among average folk? Well, let me tell you about a man called Nathan. His courageous confrontation with the king is one of the great Biblical narratives.

Nathan’s story gives us a lot for us to think about and some of what I say may raise questions so I hope that you will feel free as follow-up.

Just as drama II Samuel 12 is grand but what is its meaning for us in August 2009? What stands out as pertinent for our lives in the next week?

The story is about sexual immorality. Nothing new in that story line. The National Enquirer and other such journals make a fortune sharing tidbits about people just like David and Bathsheba. The story is about the rich and powerful getting what they want. Again there is nothing new in this tale. Time after time we see the rich and famous having the resources to bring to play that the average person never could and thus they are more likely to have results come

out their way.

So what does stand out in this grand story? Nathan stands out as an individual who believes in righteousness. Now this may be a front-page headline because we don't hear too much about people who believe that some actions are wrong and that there are consequences. Indeed Nathan stands in the Old Testament tradition that sin has two results: it separates a person from God but it also produces evil effects in the world. We have gone through a period in American culture where the consequences of actions have been brushed aside but recently the tide has begun to swing back. Hopefully we are hearing more about people facing up to what they have done whether it is Elliot Spitzer resigning or Bernie Madoff going to jail for a long time. Still a long way to go and our society has to be aware of what Nathan realized: every action has consequences and sometimes the results are more devastating than presumed.

Nathan's strong conviction about "doing right" led him to confront the great king of Israel. Now this does get our attention! Where are the people today who confront those in power and dare to say to them "you cannot casually have affairs or use our influence to gain business success?" Where are the individuals

who will confront a friend and tell them "You have a drinking problem and need to get help?"

Perhaps you have heard this story. One time a woman named Marie found herself in dire trouble. Her business had gone bad and she was in serious financial trouble. She’s so desperate she prays to God for help. “God, please help me. I’ve lost my business and have no money. I am going to lose my house as well. Please let me win the lottery.”

Lottery time comes and she isn’t a winner so she prays again. “God, please help me to win! The business is gone, the house lost and now I am going to lose my car. Again the lottery drawing comes and no luck Once again, she prays, “My God, why have you forsaken me? I’ve lost my business, my house, and my car. My children are starving. I don’t often ask you for help and I always have been a good servant to you. PLEASE just let me win the next lottery.” Suddenly there is a blinding flash of light and Marie is confronted by the voice of God: “Marie, how about meeting me halfway on this. Buy a ticket.” Is it too much to say that many people, like Marie, complain about things in our world but do very little to meet God halfway in an effort to change conditions?

Nathan to his everlasting credit does not hold back, as so many people do today, and there might be more reluctance because of the king's position. But for Nathan wrong is wrong whether you are the man in the street or a person on Wall Street or in the capitol! Even within the church a double standard can come into play. One aspect of the on-going debate about the ordination of homosexuals that always has bothered me is the inherent inconsistency in the denomination’s policy. The official church has had a great deal to say about the ordination of homosexuals but very little about the adulterous behavior of some heterosexual clergy. There are many positions represented in the debate so it is a complicated issue but at least the Church needs to look at the matter from Nathan's point of view: unfaithfulness in any form needs to be criticized regardless of who is involved. There can be no double standard for behavior for men and women, gays and straights, rich and poor, ordinary and powerful.

Unfortunately in our day those who are most apt to speak out do so self-righteously. Thus, another aspect of the story that stands out is that Nathan's courageous confrontation is wrapped in humility. He avoids self-righteousness in telling his story. In other words, he isn't like Jim Baker who preached against the

sins of others while dishonestly filling his pockets. Nor is he like radio talk show hosts who preach about morality and high standards and yet whose lives don't reflect that type of pattern at all. To have the balance of Nathan is extremely important. Too many so-called religious people have been terribly arrogant and forgotten Jesus' comment "about the person who is without sin casting the first stone" On the other hand, there is a great need for individuals and the Church to stand up as Nathan did when witnessing blatant injustice.

Now do you begin to see why I said at the beginning that this is such a great story with powerful implications? Nathan presents a model for us to follow. He cared about doing right and our society needs people who are concerned about fairness and dignity for all people. This prophet was willing to take a stand.

Humbly, not judgmentally, Nathan was able to look the king straight in the eye and declare, "You are the man!" And let us not forget that the King, the most powerful person in all of Israel, listened to what the prophet had to say and repented. When was the last time you saw a public figure apologize as sincerely and contritely as King David? Whether it is the nation or the home, now we need people who are able to say, "I was wrong and will try to make amends."

The king had forgotten his obligation to his Maker. He thought he could have whatever he wanted and he wanted Bathsheba. But Nathan reminded him and us that life is not simply a matter of getting what we want. Life is all about relationships: with God and with one another. Life is about doing what is right and when we fall short confessing our wrongs knowing that Christ is there to help us make amends.

“WORK? I’M SURVIVING”

Date: Sept. 6, 2009

Text: Ecclesiastes 2: 18-26; I Corinthians 12: 4-11

A few years ago at another church I was greeting at the door after worship. A man came out who had lost his job several months earlier and recently had started a new one. I asked him how things were going. His reply simply was “I’m surviving.” Something has changed significantly in the work place in the last 15 or 20 years. I read this week that the average person will have 7 jobs during his or her lifetime. That’s a far cry from the time when my father worked for the Prudential Life Insurance Company for 49 years. College graduates no longer easily get jobs in their chosen profession or may have to move out of state. Early retirement is longed for in many cases but for quite a few people retirement only means looking for another part-time or full time job.

Would you agree that these work place modifications, in many cases driven often by the demand for immediate bottom-line profit, pose a great challenge for Christianity? At the heart of our faith has been the assumption that God has given everyone gifts to be used for the benefit of humankind. The creation story in Genesis stresses this human calling. In our New Testament lesson, we read that certain people have a talent for teaching, others for organizing and others leading and so on. All of these issues present a most appropriate subject for Labor Day weekend.

Much of the time the Biblical concept of “gifts” is interpreted as applying primarily to the church. A person is to use their talents as an officer or a teacher or a choir member. Certainly as our program for fall gears up I would not want to deny that important part of ministry. Your particular gifts are needed if we are to be the Church of Jesus Christ.

There is more, however, to the use of gifts” than just application in the church. I always like to preach on Labor Day weekend because the connection between faith and work is so crucial and yet so often neglected in conversations heard around the typical church or from the pulpit. A long time ago I read about a man named Dan Ayers who was in the magazine distribution business. He refused to handle trash magazines that stressed nudity or excessive violence. It cost him $20,000 a year in business, no small amount in those days. When asked why he did it, Dan made a rather unusual reply: “I didn’t want to pay the price in terms of my values.” Competitors would ask him, “What are you some kind of religious nut?” “I tell them maybe I am but I’m happy about it and can sleep well at night.” Dan Ayers understood the connection we are trying to make this morning: how you act at work needs to be connected with your faith commitment.

Thus our continuing challenge is to apply the gospel where we work. I want to define “Work” as whatever we do with the time we are awake each day. Hence the workplace can be a classroom, one’s home, an office or factory or what we do in retirement. Regardless of location, each of us is called to serve Christ the best we can each day. We make that statement week after week but I am not sure that it always is applied to what is commonly called “the job.”

Earlier in my ministry when we would travel to New Jersey to visit family I used to think of the person who took my quarter as we got off the Garden State Parkway as offering the greatest challenge to the Biblical call to use your talents. How does someone in a booth collecting quarters all day practice his or her faith? Through the years, I have listened to many experiences of what goes on in the work place, some real horror stories, and I realize that a great challenge does confront every Christian. How does one go to work on Monday with positive feelings when you aren’t sure whether you will be working or told your services aren’t needed any more? How do parents practice their faith at the end of a long day when a child is giving them a really hard time?

It’s a challenge to be a Christian 7 days a week and that is why worship is so important as a time for re-grouping and re-charging. It needs to be said, furthermore, that in responding to the call to follow Christ every day there comes great satisfaction. It is as we strive to be faithful that we become disciples regardless of how successful we are at any given moment. It’s when we seek to connect our faith with those very difficult ethical situations at work that faith becomes alive and vibrant and growing.

Still, I know it can be difficult and I have been thinking all week about what our faith offers to those of you who do work under very stressful conditions. Very humbly, I would ask you to think about the following.

First, do take seriously what the Apostle Paul was saying: each human being has been given special talents. How can you best use these gifts? If I might speak personally, our son Lon obviously has gifts in music and I can say that because he is adopted and thus his genes came from someone else. It would be a shame if he were stuck in a nine-to-five non-music job so even though the reality is that most musicians barely live above the poverty line, we encourage him to explore his chances as far as possible. It may not work out but he is trying to utilize his God-given talents. I know that some of you have sons and daughters who have faced similar situations as they try to utilize their talents and it certainly isn’t easy path.

Secondly, remember that Presbyterians traditionally have been motivated by the Puritan ethic and a desire to do one’s best in whatever one is about. It may be more difficult when the company doesn’t seem to care or when kids are more trying and yet the principle remains valid. We need to try our best. For instance, there was a bus driver on a New York City line who wanted to get another job but since none were readily available he determined to make the most of his present position. Do you know what he did? He went out of his way to greet each passenger pleasantly. At 8:00 a.m. a smile and warm greeting were like a burst of sunshine to those half-dazed commuters and it made them feel good.

More significantly, keep in mind Jesus’ own experience. He seemed to be a master at reaching out to people who were on the periphery of whatever was going on. Someone touched his robe, a person up in a tree….Jesus had the sensitivity to pick up on the needs of people. Even if our labor doesn’t always seem beneficial can we turn the work place into an opportunity for ministry? I certainly am not talking about preaching at people but rather following Jesus’ example. Many of you already are tying to listen closely to what those around you are saying, to be aware of comments about home life, about cries for help. Some of you in management positions have tried to deal sensitively with your team, being aware of their personal stresses and problems.

Finally, always remember that you are more than just a job, a grade in school, a paycheck; you are more than the success or failure of your children. You are a child of God! Otherwise, you can end like the writer of Ecclesiastes. He sounds like a bitter middle-aged man who has much materially but nothing that really satisfies him. He cries out, “you work and worry your way through life and what do you have to show for it?”

Hopefully as Christians, we bring to each day a different perspective. We are able to declare: “God made me and gave me talents and thus I will always be a somebody.”

As we think of “our labors” remember this old story. Three stonecutters were working on a church building. A stranger came along and asked each one what he was doing. The first replied, “I’m doing what the boss told me to do”; the second said, “I’m making a living”; the third responded happily, “I’m building something to the glory of God”. May each day be an opportunity to build for the glory of God.

A BOTTOM LINE FAITH!

Date: Sept. 13, 2009

Text: Mark 7: 24-30

One of the things that I appreciate most about the Bible is that you can read a passage again and again and suddenly some new idea will burst forth. The faith of the woman with the ailing child in the scripture just read always has impressed me but this summer in reading the story again I was literally stunned by the depth of her conviction. In contrast to the rather casual and insipid attitude that sometimes passes for Christian faith this woman really believed in the power of God! What commitment and what determination were expressed in her response to Jesus' comments.

There really are two issues or themes in our morning text: Jesus’ words and the woman’s faith. First, what's was Jesus thinking in making what appears to be such a harsh response to a woman in need? This may be one of the few stories in the New Testament where someone comes across as more appealing than Jesus. His reply to her plea for help just doesn't sound right. He told her "First of all God's help must be given to the children of Israel and then you can have what is left over." Is this the Jesus who welcomes noisy children and outcasts like lepers and prostitutes? Is this the Jesus who is kind to everyone? The word "dog" in Greek referred to more than the family pet but actually was a symbol of dishonor. Jesus treated her request rudely at best.

Scholars have offered several possible explanations none totally satisfactory. I think that the best explanation is that here is a case where our Lord’s true humanity is apparent. Jesus, as happened often during his ministry, was struggling with his cultural background. He had been raised to think of Phoenicians as 2nd class citizens and to put Israel first. The tension between his inner inclinations about caring for all people and the societal boundaries with which he had been raised is apparent in this incident. Did God really intend for his message to be limited to one group of people? That's one of our Lord's basic dilemmas and of the entire New Testament. Is not our society struggling with similar issues concerning diversity and multi-culturalism?

Thus, Jesus’ struggle with cultural mores is also my struggle and perhaps yours. The society in which I was raised had lots of stereotypes: women belonged in the kitchen and subservient to their husbands, people of color were inferior; gay and lesbian individuals were "queer." If we are honest, all of us when our Christianity becomes serious have to start wrestling with what I would call "cultural conditioning." Do I want to treat people the way these stereotypes would suggest and put those who are different from myself down? Or are all people children of God? Intellectually, we know the answer but believe me breaking down those internal, emotional barriers is much harder as many of us discover when we struggle with black/white, gay/straight, male/female issues.

Jesus came to realize that his initial response was based on cultural prejudice and that the woman's faith merited greater consideration. That break-through gives me hope. Perhaps we too can put stereotypes behind us. Maybe we can see people for their inner being and not outward circumstances. My hope, our hope, is that in sharing in Jesus' struggle that his break-through can become our break-through so that there is a broader, more compassionate vision to guide us each day.

Now onto the second theme which deals with the remarkable faith of this woman. In the lst Century there were no knives or forks or table napkins. People ate with their hands; they wiped their soiled hands on chunks of bread and then flung the bread away for the house dogs to eat. The woman didn't care what she got so long as it was something to help her daughter. If it were just crumbs so be it. What a response! What a contrast with many modern Christians who have to be stroked and patted on the back constantly if they are to stay around. What a contrast to the “Prosperity Gospel” that was featured in a front-page article in last Sunday’s Rochester paper.

This woman believed in the power of God and she was determined to share in that divine power! She was like Job who had lost everything and whose friends sought to find explanations for his troubles while Job insisted that God would not desert him. She's like people in this congregation who have been beaten down again and again and yet who have clung fast to their faith and it has kept them from sinking. She is like parents who have been driven to the wall in loving their children, whatever their age, and worrying about them and still look to God for a new day.

This is the kind of faith that is needed in 2009. It's not based on instant gratification or the promise of wealth and other perks. It's a bottom line faith. It's a trust that there is One who holds the world together and who looks after us. The poet Sister Corita once said, "It's believing that somewhere, there is someone who is not stupid." Shel Silverstein, the children’s author, put it this way:

This boat that we just built is fine

And don’t try to tell us it’s not.

The sides and the back are divine.

It’s the bottom I guess I forgot.

It’s that foundation that needs to concern us. Is there anyone or anything but the Almighty who can make certain that we don’t sink beneath the quicksand of daily living?

There is an Orthodox church in the San Diego area that has a magnificent gold dome. I do not know if it was part of the architectural plan or not but regardless of which side of the church you travel by, when the sun strikes the gold dome you can see the image of the cross. East, west, north, south, always there is the cross. That gold dome is a reminder of what faith is all about, about the cross being there for us all the time. Or as Paul said 'nothing in life nor in death can ever separate us from the love of God." I wish for myself, for all of you, a faith such as this woman had, a faith that enables us to care about life's necessities and problems but not be consumed by them, a faith that helps us develop some priorities in life so each mishap does not seem like the end of the world.

For those who like something concrete to take home here are two suggestions. First, Jesus' struggle with cultural conditioning is my struggle and yours. There are too many stereotypes bombarding us each day. In school it used to be nerds, jocks, grubs. The names may change but the labeling still goes on based on ethnicity, race or what have you. And today we have added broad stereotypes about people of a Muslim background. Jesus, in this story and throughout his life, offers us a new and far better vision of human existence. Jesus offers us a chance to live with all kinds of people and to see how much we can share with each other.

Second, this woman's faith offers a model for faithfulness and highlights the essence of meaningful daily living. Life has a lot of dimensions and ramifications but at rock bottom if one feels deeply the power of God and lives accordingly then each day is changed.

It’s the beginning of the fall season. Lives become more hectic with getting kids ready for the school, attending meetings and on and on. It’s a time when we need a solid foundation for living, what I call “a bottom line faith.” Think of the woman in the Biblical story. Just a few crumbs, just a touch of divine love and life will never be the same.

And apply this old story to your own life. A little child bumped into an adult friend who observed that she had a huge mass of cotton candy on a paper cone. Noting her size and the size of the cone, he asked, “How can a little girl like you eat all of that cotton candy?” Delightedly she answered, “Well, you see, I’ really much bigger on the inside than I am on the outside!” How true. How true.

“WHERE DOES JESUS FIT INTO YOUR LIFE?”

Date: Sept. 20, 2009

Text: Mark 8: 27-38

Let’s start with the premise that everyone has certain building blocks around which life takes shape. These are the things/priorities that govern our actions. The building blocks can be family, friends, money, faith, success work, or what have you. Now let’s ask this question: why should anyone make Jesus the chief building block? Why have some of you done so? Why have some of you at some point in your life come to the conclusion that Christ might help make sense of everyday existence?

Whether you realize it or not, what we are doing is re-phrasing the question that Jesus put to his disciples: “Who do people say that I am?” It is obvious in the Gospel accounts that the question is a crucial one as Jesus’ ministry unfolds. The first response given human nature is to think in terms of what Jesus can do for you. Sunday TV is filled with preachers promising that Christ can cure you, make you a financial success, and take all your troubles away. It’s tempting to think of Jesus as a miracle worker. That’s not surprising. Jesus’ wondrous deeds attracted people to him initially. If you were to poll people today many would say that Jesus was great because of all the miracles he performed.

Miracles are only one aspect of Jesus’ ministry, however. and I would say a relatively small part in Biblical terms. The Gospel of Mark is emphatic on this point: Jesus did not want people gathering around him because of the wonders that he could perform. Indeed when he did heal someone he frequently told those present “to keep silent.”

Thus, if we are going to find that Jesus is the chief cornerstone of our daily lives it will have to be as something more than just a miracle worker. Our Lord in talking to his followers said that those who adhere to his teachings would know suffering, pain and eventually perhaps even death. The suffering would come not from illness or other uncontrollable problems but from choices the disciples would make in following their Master. The early Church applied to Christ the words of Isaiah from the Old Testament: “He was bruised and afflicted.” Jesus was sent not to be a miracle worker but rather a suffering servant who came to give his life that others might find their lives.

Doesn’t this Biblical idea of “a suffering servant” often clash with the concept of the American Dream? Often it is a dream based upon ease and comfort. It’s like that airline ad that declared, “Come travel to us to Israel and follow the route of Jesus in air conditioned comfort!” Is it surprising, considering the human inclination to take the easy way, to find Peter pulling Jesus aside in order to try to get him to adjust his teaching to what the people desired to hear? Everybody was expecting a messiah who would lead the Hebrews to military victory over the hated Romans. No one would be interested in someone who was “bruised and afflicted”, to pick up on the words of Isaiah. Jesus was clear in his curt answer to Peter that he was going to continue to insist that his followers truly “take up their cross and follow.”

Now why would anyone choose to follow this suffering servant? A miracle worker who bails you out of every predicament surely but someone who is going to lead you to new challenges and maybe difficulties, doubtful. But there is another way to look at this scenario. Suppose the power and attraction of this man from Nazareth may derived from his determination to have us deal with life as it really is and not some fairy tale that we hope will come true. Educators and psychologists tell us that it is only by enduring the ups and downs of life that one grows as a human being. Indeed, we are seeing some evidence that the younger generation has a harder time dealing with rejection and failure because they never had to endure a depression, a world war or the turmoil of the ‘60’s. It may sound strange to say but they have almost had it too good and thus are unprepared for life’s big obstacles. The theologian H.A. Willams has written, “A cardboard god, we might say, is much more comfortable than the real one. But then cardboard gods cannot give life because the price of life is always conflict.”

Did any of you happen to see the Sidney Portier movie “To Sir With Love, II?” In the film Portier retires from a successful teaching career in England to teach in a run-down urban school in Chicago. There are some difficulties but eventually he wins over these street-hardened students and they do well academically. When the movie ended, my comment, which I suspect would be echoed by many in education, was “If only it were that easy.”

I have a feeling that it is when we confront the reality show of our own lives, the difficulties of teaching 25 small children or being a parent or the aches and pains of growing old, that Jesus’ message and ministry are seen in a new light. Ask yourself: “If I am looking for a building block which will help me deal not just with each day but help me get the best perspective on life: am I helped more by one who promises to take me out of it all like some fairy godmother or am I helped most by having someone who offers to share the burdens and show me how to deal with them? Do you see the difference between a cardboard, saintly miracle working Jesus and One who walks with us each day whether it be sunny or stormy? The reason why Jesus has become the chief building block for a growing number of people is because he is so much a part of our lives. In his life, death and resurrection, he shares the human experience and helps restore the connection with our Creator.

Christ certainly does help us “through the valley of the shadow” as we discussed in a sermon on psalm 23 this summer. But Jesus also reshapes the ordinary times of life. Do you recall the comic strip character Charlie Brown? Someone has written a poem about his low self-esteem and Jesus.

Do you ever feel like Charlie Brown?

Sometimes I do.

I feel as if I’m lost and alone

And I feel I can’t find you.

I’m growing up so quickly, Lord

My world is moving so fast.

But there you stand with an open door,

And I wonder if it will last.

I barely pay attention, Lord

To the important things in life

Like peace, world hunger, happiness,

And even war and strife.

I’m more concerned with my own world,

And if I will succeed.

Why am I constantly overcome,

By my own source of greed?

But then your shining light comes through,

A source of love and hope.

And I’m opened to a brand new world,

A beautiful kaleidoscope!

Now do you begin to understand anew why Christ has become the answer for so many? Why he is the “way, the truth, and the life”? I like to start the fall season presenting some of the foundation posts of our faith. Certainly one of them is our commitment to the Living Lord. Such commitment doesn’t just happen. Each of us every day has to make choices, set priorities, and choose the way to go.

As you think of this coming week ask yourself: is there justification for letting Jesus the Christ be the chief building block in my life? Can he open us “to a brand new world, a beautiful kaleidoscope?” That's a very personal decision. Some of us already have decided. Others still are contemplating. When the time is right, and over and over, then, you like the disciples, will declare, “You are the Christ!”

“MOSES AND A FIELD OF BROKEN DREAMS’

Date: October 4, 2009

Text: Deuteronomy 34: 1-12

Do any of you watch the TV show “Heroes?” I confess that I do not but the ads suggest that it is about ordinary people who are enabled to do extraordinary things. Ordinary people who do extraordinary deeds – that’s a Biblical concept of great importance. However, there is a major difference between the TV show and Biblical theology. Let me describe one of the Bible’s heroes.

He was kind and compassionate but also had quite a temper and even killed an Egyptian solider who was beating a defenseless man.

God entrusted him with precious tablets but the first time around he smashed them

He was a great leader but hated to speak in public gatherings.

He had grandiose dreams for his people but his final dream remained incomplete.

Of course, we are talking about Moses, one of Israel’s greatest leaders. What does this picture say to you about Biblical heroes? To me, the above portrait presents a very complex human being rather than a superhero. Moses was blessed with exceptional leadership skills but he also had a temper and certainly was reluctant to respond to God’s challenge of leading the people out of Egypt. The heart of the Biblical assertion made over and over again is that people like Moses, with all of their limitations and excuses, can be empowered by God. In other words, our God uses very ordinary people to carry on his work! Thus, the exodus, the greatest drama in Israel history, is actually not about Moses at all but says a great deal about how Yahweh, the One we call our God, deals with his people back then and in 2009!

God called a very ordinary human being Moses, that’s the similarity with the TV show. The bible, however, is more complex as we see in our Old Testament lesson this morning from Deuteronomy, which deals with the end of Moses’ life. The scripture says that Moses lived to be 120 but bear in mind that numbers in ancient times were used symbolically rather than being accurate statistical tools. For instance, the number “40” was frequently used in Biblical writing to signify a long period of time. Thus 120 years is simply 40 x 3 suggesting that Moses lived a good full life.

Note, and here is the contrast with TV, that this Biblical hero never actually achieved his goal of crossing the Jordan into the Promised Land. He stood on the top of the mountain looking over what was to be the new home of his people but he did not cross over. The Bible with all of its honesty says simply that Moses died and was buried in some unknown place.

Can you imagine how Moses must have felt at the end of his life to realize that his greatest dream was not to be fulfilled? He wanted so much to enter the Promised Land but it was not to be. TV heroes end up succeeding big time but not Moses. Can you relate to Moses’ feeling of disappointment based on your own experiences? All of us have dreams – just out of high school, when we get married, in middle life and as we retire. Dreams are grand except if you listen to what the American people are saying today they seem to be terribly frustrated when what they hoped for doesn’t become a reality.

A psychologist in assessing our culture once made this comment. “The disappointments of mid-life all revolve around one central theme: people say ‘now, that I know what life is really all about, I’m disappointed that’s there isn’t more. The dreams don’t seem to be as good as I thought they would be.’” And that quote came before the recent fiscal calamity when many people have seen their financial plans shattered. I repeatedly say that it is amazing how the Bible connects with contemporary life and that certainly is true when we think of Moses’ disappointments and what many people are going through today.

The end of Moses’ life becomes especially significant in a culture like ours that currently is struggling with the gap between what was envisioned and reality and may have to do so even more in the future. I suspect that “The American Dream”, which we hear so much about, better jobs, bigger houses, increased material goods, may not be quite the same in coming years as it has been in the 1980’s, ‘90’s and early in this century. Thus, Moses dealing with “broken dreams” may come closer to reality than any of the TV reality shows. Now here comes the $64 question. How was Moses able to inspire his people with the vision of the Promised Land and then accept rather calmly the reality that he personally was not going to see the dream completed? Certainly his farewell address that preceded our text gives no indication of bitterness or depression that doctors and counselors tell us so often gets played out “on the field of broken dreams.”

His attitude was based, as was the impetus for the Exodus, on a great confidence that God would guide and shape his life and that of his people regardless of particular ups and downs. It is this confidence in God’s presence and love that enables a human being to dream great dreams but also to accept the disappointments that come along the way. One time a blind teenager was discussing his affliction and comparing it with the paralysis of Roy Campanella who was a great baseball catcher injured in an auto accident. The young man reflected: “I decided that the worst thing that can happen to a person is not being blind or paralyzed. The worst thing is to lose all sense of direction in your life and feel that you have no place to go.” The young man’s comment reminds me of a bumper sticker that I saw one time that said, “honk, if you know where I am going,”

Wouldn’t you agree that men and women do need to feel that their lives are moving in the right direction? All the disappointments in Moses’ life seldom are the main point lifted up out of this Biblical story but they may be important for our own journey of faith. He certainly knew his share of frustrations from the continuing reluctance of pharaoh to let the people go to the grumblings during the 40 years in the wilderness. Nevertheless, looking back, Moses felt his life had purpose and direction because of God’s leading.

Can you see how Moses’ example might be helpful in our own lives this coming week? I am sure that if there were time that many of us could speak about the “disappointments of life”, of all “the might have beens.” We know a lot about looking over at the Promised Land but never quite arriving ourselves, don’t we? People disappoint us and sometimes we frustrate ourselves.

We could go on and on but remember Moses gives us a different perspective. Is the glass half empty or half full? Can we not look back on the way in which God has guided our lives in truly remarkable ways? Perhaps not always as we might have desired but always God has been guiding us and enriching our daily ways so that even though all our dreams haven’t come to fruition yet life has been good and full. It’s the same realization that Moses had in our morning lesson as he looked back upon the journey that he had shared with Yahweh.

Henri Nouwen, the wonderful Christian who touched many of us with his writing, referred to a scene from Leonard Bernstein’s “Mass” which was written in memory of John F. Kennedy (talk about broken dreams). Toward the end of the mass, the priest richly dressed in splendid liturgical vestments is lifted up by his people. He towers above the adoring crowd, carrying in his hands a glass chalice. Suddenly, the human pyramid collapses and the priest comes tumbling down. His vestments are ripped and the glass chalice fails to the ground shattered. As the priest walks slowly through the debris of his former glory now barefoot, wearing only jeans and a T-shirt, children’s’ voices are heard to be singing “praise, praise, praise.” This touching scene startles the priest and he notices the broken chalice. He looks at it for a long time and then, haltingly, he says, “I never realized that broken glass could shine so brightly.”

Keep on dreaming and hoping even though all your dreams may not come true. Also keep looking for God’s presence during the journey of life. And never forget that in Christ “the broken glass of life can shine ever so brightly.”

"CHRISTIANITY IN A NUTSHELL"

Date:  October 11, 2009

Text: Mark  12: 28 -34

            Have you ever had a time in your life when you felt that your faith might be slipping or you were not sure of your beliefs? I had been in parish ministry about 15 years when I felt I the need to take some time to step back and look at my own faith. During those fifteen years there had been the Civil Rights movement, the Vietnam War and the typical struggles of people in any congregation. It just felt like time for serious reflection. Particularly I felt a need to ask myself this very personal question: What does Christ mean to me in terms that I can share with others and which will be more than just religious clichés? I went back to Union Seminary in NYC where I had graduated for a week of study on what might be called Christology. After reading and thinking, one conclusion was that the passage just read, the Great Commandment, expresses the Christian faith in a nutshell.

            What would you say if someone were to ask you what it meant to be a follower of the Living Christ? Our starting place always is Jesus’ command:  “LOVE GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART AND MIND.” It seems like a simply statement but it is based on a very fundamental and crucial principle. There is a greater force than ourselves at work in our world! I have led several spiritual retreats for men in AA who are recovering alcoholics or drug addicts.  I have been impressed and moved by their deep conviction that there is a Higher Power upon which they are totally dependent if they are to move on with their lives.  Most people may not have such a penetrating feeling but still in most of us there is a feeling that Someone greater than ourselves is in control of this universe. The alternative is chaos because then the world is subject simply to the whims of chance.

            If it be true that God is our Creator, then, this God, Jesus says, commands our loyalty. Even more the bible asserts that life will be incomplete until we live in partnership with our Maker. We need that connection to be whole and fulfilled. A growing number of people are coming to this conclusion. To "love God" means to make God the center of our lives and to shape daily behavior around the Divine Presence.

            The second part of the Great Commandment addresses a most difficult question: How does one put into practice this love of the Almighty? In addition to such things as prayer and worship, CHRISTIANS LOVE GOD BY LOVING OTHERS. In the small book of I John in the back of the New Testament, one of my favorites, it says, "no one has ever seen God. But if we love each other, God lives in us and his love is truly in our hearts." 

            Some time ago I read about an elderly black woman in Mississippi who has warmed the hearts of many. She still lives in the same small house that she bought in the 1940's when the road outside was dirt. She has eked out a living with odd jobs and has only a small black and white TV and modest clothes. Somehow, along the way, however, she managed to save $155,000 and she gave it all to the local university for their scholarship fund. Her gift touched people so much that she has appeared on most of the TV talk shows, been a guest at the White House and honored at numerous colleges. Her generosity strikes something deep within the human psyche, that which is often brushed aside in the rush to the mall, and that is the desire to reach out to others. The same kind of feeling occurs in many a church when people respond to the needs of people along the Gulf Coast or give to peace causes.

            It was no accident that in Luke’s account Jesus’ teaching on the Great Commandment is linked with the story of the Good Samaritan. Recall it's a story about a man beaten and left on the side of the road and the one person who stops to help him. Jesus was clear about helping those in need. Reaching out to others is an integral part of what it means to be a follower of the Living Christ. Let me quickly add that “neighbor” has broader dimensions than we normally assume. A rabbi recently said, “that while there is one command to love your neighbor there are 36 references in the Hebrew scriptures to loving the stranger.”  Think of that stranger as an immigrant farm worker, a person of a different color or economic position and then every church has to ask itself: “how do we welcome the stranger?” You may recall that was the message for the children last Sunday.

            A third essential in the Christian way is the need to love ourselves as well. How did Jesus know long before any of the pop psychology books that one is severely limited in sharing with others unless a person feels good about one's self?  He wants us to sense intuitively God's love for us, a love that accepts us as we are, and bids us make that the foundation for loving others.

            Something else that I had re-enforced on that study leave was the realization that the life that Jesus set before us, living out the Great Commandment, cannot be achieved without his help. I never have been comfortable with the phrase “Jesus died for our sins” as providing the answer to what Jesus means to me. I much prefer to say that to live in love some very basic change has to take place in our hearts and that transformation cannot take place without assistance.  For me this basic life changing alteration of one’s perspective begins with Jesus’ death and resurrection, which clears away the debris of my selfishness and makes it possible to truly walk in new ways.

            Consider how important Jesus becomes as a model when we try to “love God and others.” How else apart from him do we know that this Great Being who made us is compassionate and thus worthy of our devotion? I grew up near the Jersey shore. Watching the waves beat against the beach after a hurricane one witnesses the full force the power of God. And living in Upstate NY the last few weeks we have watched the beauty of divine handiwork in the changing colors of the trees. But how do we know about God's love? For me, it becomes real when I personally experience the words of John 3: 16: "God loved us so much that He gave His only son..."

            And how does one learn to love others? Certainly not by watching the usual shows on TV. Personally it is very important to say that if I want to know about the love of God or loving others Jesus is the one who shows me the way. When I think about what it takes to be a sensitive partner or a patient, wise parent or what teenagers need to grow, I shudder at first but then I give thanks that there is one who shows us the way. Truly, Jesus is our guide when it comes to listening to others, standing with those on the outside, hanging in there. But even more, when we aren't quite all those things that we need to be in daily life, Christ is there to forgive us and set us on our feet again. Such is the power of the cross/resurrection.

            Sometimes the comment is made: "I just don't know what is expected of me as a Christian." Jesus gave us the answer:  you are TO LOVE GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART AND MIND AND STRENGTH AND YOU ARE TO LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF." Life is all about connecting: connecting with the One who has made us and connecting with each other. Now making these connections each day is no simple matter. There isn't enough time, the world presses in on us and often old ways take over but nevertheless those who seek to live out the Great Commandment discover the true joys of daily living.

            There is an old story that says it all about the power of love.  The year of the 250th anniversary of the birth of Ben Franklin a fourth grade teacher asked her class to write a biography of Franklin. One child wrote the following.

            Benjamin Franklin was born in Boston. He got onto a boat and

           went to Philadelphia.  He got off the boat and he bought a

            loaf of bread. He put the loaf of bread under his arm and

            he walked down the street. A woman saw him and laughed at

            him.  He married the woman and discovered electricity.

            Such is the power of love.  Loving God, loving others, loving one’s self, isn’t that what living is all about?