A Lay Driven Church

Sermon given at Sydenstricker UMC 2/10/19

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^NRS Exodus 18:13 The next day Moses sat as judge for the people, while the people stood around him from morning until evening. ¹⁴ When Moses' father-in-law saw all that he was doing for the people, he said, "What is this that you are doing for the people? Why do you sit alone, while all the people stand around you from morning until evening?" ¹⁵ Moses said to his father-in-law, "Because the people come to me to inquire of God. ¹⁶ When they have a dispute, they come to me and I decide between one person and another, and I make known to them the statutes and instructions of God." ¹⁷ Moses' father-in-law said to him, "What you are doing is not good. ¹⁸ You will surely wear yourself out, both you and these people with you. For the task is too heavy for you; you cannot do it alone. ¹⁹ Now listen to me. I will give you counsel, and God be with you! You should represent the people before God, and you should bring their cases before God; ²⁰ teach them the statutes and instructions and make known to them the way they are to go and the things they are to do. ²¹ You should also look for able men among all the people, men who fear God, are trustworthy, and hate dishonest gain; set such men over them as officers over thousands, hundreds, fifties and tens. ²² Let them sit as judges for the people at all times; let them bring every important case to you, but decide every minor case themselves. So it will be easier for you, and they will bear the burden with you. ²³ If you do this, and God so commands you, then you will be able to endure, and all these people will go to their home in peace."

I stand before you today to acknowledge the accomplishment of laity throughout the history of our relationship with God. God has called us out to serve in ways that praise the majesty of God’s work here on earth and to perform the countless activities that God desires. We are called to witness to the power and majesty of God, the grace, mercy and love that is God, to the world around us through our hands and feet. This week I was saddened that we failed to secure enough hands and feet to support our ministry at Rising Hope for the homeless. That has never happened before. I pray that it will not happen again. For those of you that cannot comprehend, let me share it this way. Any one of us stands one catastrophic event from becoming like those who have come seeking a little assistance to allow them to keep their heads above water. When we provide food and shelter to the homeless, we acknowledge that we have an abundance that not everyone has. God asks us to share that abundance, our resources and our time, by providing a safe place for those who have no place to rest their heads to do so. Jesus said, foxes have holes and the birds have nests but the Son of God has no place to rest His head. Maybe, just maybe, that homeless person who has a place to sleep in safety and warmth is Jesus. So when we spurn the opportunity to provide it, we spurn Jesus.

The text today is all about letting go of ego and having control to share in the load of effort that life demands of us. Moses is leading the people into a new reality and he is trying to do so all by himself. Fortunately, for Moses, he has a wise father in law in Jethro. Jethro tells him, teach and let your teaching lead the people. Teach them the rules and the way of things. Then delegate those activities to the people to do the wok so that it may be done effectively and efficiently. So Moses does just that and the people, the laity of his day step up and perform the hands and feet work that must be done.  So begins the story of the laity.

In Jesus day, the disciples are called by Jesus to witness to the message of grace, mercy and love to the world. Now I think it is important that note that none of the disciples in the inner circle are seminary trained. Not a single one attended the Wesley school of Jewish religious studies located in the City of David. Not one wears the symbols of the office of ordained elder, the robe or the stole, though each we could argue wears the dirty sandals that are called for in their role. I often wondered how they could ever do what they do without that formal diploma hanging on their walls at home. Maybe, just maybe, because they are the laity they are more attuned to the needs of those around them. Maybe, just maybe, they understand what Jesus is trying to tell them because it relates to them more closely. So they go out and change the world. Now we can argue they become the Pastors of their day, but they certainly do not start out that way. I suspect if we could view the groups on that day there are many lay people doing the necessary work that needs to be done.

In more modern times, John Wesley began a movement that helped shape a nation. His desire to modify the current Episcopal order became itself an order called the Methodist church. At its very root is the role of laity. Laity led the church in study and order, only transferring that leadership to clergy for sacrament. Early churches existed in people’s homes and laity led the weekly worship. Clergy showed up every few months to baptize and share communion. Meanwhile the laity, not the clergy, did the work of the church, the day-to-day work, the witnessing and assisting and sharing. Interestingly enough, the church not only survived but also flourished in this laity led environment.

Today we have become more pastored centered. We rely on the pastor to lead and direct us, to share with us how to do this and that. But in truth, the pastor should be our spiritual guide to set vision and direction. Just like Moses, the church should function with the laity leading, driving and doing. Just like the model of Jesus with the Disciples, I should offer us vision and direction, which comes from God first, not me, and then let you the laity listen to that vision and lead us into the world. The laity of the church need to step up into the role of leading, doing and growing the church. John Wesley understood this well.

So what does that look like? For the last 2 ½ years we have been on a journey of discovery, learning and discernment. God has been leading us to grow as a church in new and different directions. We are called to build relationships with neighbor and family. Today we have Scouts here with us that are part of our extended family, who meet on Mondays and Thursdays and other times, many of those activities right here on our campus. As they are exploring how to grow into productive adults, we are here to assist them and guide them as God is guiding us. That is what relationship is all about. The earliest disciples were not focused on ego’s but on relationship. In fact, I heard a relationship story recently. There were two robins sitting on the electric line. One says to the other, “I’m really hungry.” The other replied, “So am I” “Well let us go down into the field below us and get some lunch.” So one flew down and then the other. The field below them has been freshly plowed so there were lots of worms to eat. Pretty soon, they were both full. The one says to the other, “I am so full I don’t believe I can fly back up.” The other says, “The sun is nice and warm, why don’t we bask in the sun.” Soon they were fast asleep. Suddenly a big fat cat came along and seeing the sleeping fat cardinals, ate them up. The cat said to itself, “I do so love baskin robins”  

When our egos are in control, we stand a good chance of losing sight of our surroundings and often find ourselves eaten by the world around us. Our efforts constantly need to be sharing radical hospitality to our neighbors, sharing the grace and mercy and love of God. Our new model of leadership is about practicing discernment rather than polarity. Practicing asking God to direct us is very different from the standard; I have an agenda model most churches practice. As laity, our role is take the vision from the Pastor and put it into action, through the hands and feet of the congregation. We the laity should drive the church to be the gift to neighbor that God intends it to be. What if we suddenly decided to no longer be a place where we simply come, but a place where we share the best of the best with each other? What if we decided to practice the love of God the way that God modeled it for us with the early disciples?

John Wesley in setting up small groups was modeling what he had read and understood from the model of Jesus. What had happened in the early church was that people gathered shared witness of Jesus to one another, shared a meal with one another, then went out, and did the hard work of lifting people into a better place. Small groups that took the vision given to them by Jesus and put it into action. What if we did the same? What might it look like?

Maybe the NLI model is the key. The Pastor sets the vision, the Leadership Board takes that vision and sets the policies and direction for the church, establishes the staff and volunteers needed and then empowers the laity to go and do. The laity in teams of small groups go out and do the work. That is the essence of where we are going and of what discipleship really looks like. Are you ready to go on this journey with me? Let us become the disciples for the modern age and change the world into a place of peace, joy and harmony, at least in this place and in this time.

A True Lay Leader

Sermon given at Sydenstricker UMC 1/27/19

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^NRS Nehemiah 1:4 When I heard these words I sat down and wept, and mourned for days, fasting and praying before the God of heaven. ⁵ I said, "O LORD God of heaven, the great and awesome God who keeps covenant and steadfast love with those who love him and keep his commandments; ⁶ let your ear be attentive and your eyes open to hear the prayer of your servant that I now pray before you day and night for your servants, the people of Israel, confessing the sins of the people of Israel, which we have sinned against you. Both I and my family have sinned. ⁷ We have offended you deeply, failing to keep the commandments, the statutes, and the ordinances that you commanded your servant Moses. ⁸ Remember the word that you commanded your servant Moses, 'If you are unfaithful, I will scatter you among the peoples; ⁹ but if you return to me and keep my commandments and do them, though your outcasts are under the farthest skies, I will gather them from there and bring them to the place at which I have chosen to establish my name.' ¹⁰ They are your servants and your people, whom you redeemed by your great power and your strong hand. ¹¹ O Lord, let your ear be attentive to the prayer of your servant, and to the prayer of your servants who delight in revering your name. Give success to your servant today, and grant him mercy in the sight of this man!" At the time, I was cupbearer to the king.

Today we want to spend some time talking about Nehemiah. Now Nehemiah is the central figure in the story today. He was governor of Judea somewhere around the time of Artaxerxes of Persia ruling all of that part of the world. This would have been around 450 BC. History has authenticated that he was a real person. Nehemiah was the cupbearer for the King. In other words, it was his job to assure that the King was not poisoned, often having to sip the wine first before the King to assure it was ok. This position would make a person very important to the King and the court and would allow someone to have intimate access to the King. He was not at the start a person who ruled, rather, he was a servant in a position to be the most giving of all people.

Nehemiah was maybe the first layperson who stepped up into the role of leader of the church and I believe set the example for us of what a leader, a true lay leader looks like. Nehemiah was a Jew in a place where practicing his faith was likely difficult, even though we know that the Babylonians allowed the Jewish people to practice their faith. We have numerous stories that indicate that this ebbed and flowed at times. Stories like the story of Daniel and Shaddrach, Meshach and Abednego, stories of Esther and then this story of Nehemiah. From them we can see that there were constantly forces against them and yet God allowed them to prevail.  

Therefore, the first order of things for Nehemiah is prayer. When he heard that, the Jews in Israel were suffering, that the Temple walls were falling down and being used in non-sacred ways, he cried out in agony to God. Nehemiah bows down and prays to God to make good on the promise that God made to Moses, that the people would be scattered to the nations but when the faithful prayed, God would return them. So Nehemiah prays that even though the world around the Temple is in trouble, Nehemiah asks God to fix it. Whether Nehemiah intended to be the fixer at that moment or God sent him into the fray, we do not know. What we do know is that God answered the prayer. Nehemiah was faithful in being a praying servant to God and a faithful and dutiful servant to his master, which allowed his voice to be heard.

From this point, the story takes several interesting twists. First, Nehemiah shares his desire with the King and is sent by Artaxerxes to rebuild the city walls and gates. Once he is there, even though the opposition is against him, he reminds the people that God is with them and as they submit to the will of God, the gates and walls began to be rebuilt.  In fact, in the face of opposition from those living in the land, Nehemiah was able to rebuild the walls of the city in 52 days. Under his twelve-year rule, he repopulated the city with the Hebrew people, released them from their debt and did that with justice and righteousness. He fed the hungry and gave new life to the poor. Where others had taken great tax and interest from the people, Nehemiah sacrificed things for himself so that others might have more.

Once his work was done, he returned to the King. The story takes an interest twist in that he is sent back to Judea to find that the people had fallen away from God and so he institutes order. This whole story is best read by reading Nehemiah and Ezra together since both men were likely in the land at the same time to do the same work that needed to be done.

So what can we learn from Nehemiah? First, that he was a prayerful man. He worshipped God in a personal way by constantly praying. It is said that he prayed and fasted for days in humble obedience to God. God pays attention when we are intentional about prayer. God pays attention when we are intentional about worshipping God and listens intently to our prayers. Nehemiah is a prayerful, diligent man of God and so when Nehemiah in that time of prayer, asks God to answers, God provides them. What that means is that if we become prayerful like Nehemiah, God will speak to us. God wants us to be in communication with God. What is your pray life like? Do you pray every once in a while or when you need something and think nothing of communicating with God at any other times? Or are you in constant prayer with God. Thanking God for the things that happen and asking God to intervene for others, all the while putting self-second to the will of God for others? The latter is the kind of prayer that Nehemiah demonstrates for us. Let us learn from it and begin a life of prayer.

Nehemiah cared about those who were in need. When he first learned of what was happening in Judah, he fasted, prayed, and used his position to share his desire with the King. When he arrived in Judah and realized that the common people were being heavily taxed and poverty was everywhere, he changed the paradigm. He shared all he had and then shamed the leaders to share what they had. Debts were repaid and the people were welcomed at his table. How do we share the abundance that we have? We so often like to remind ourselves what we do not have or where we fall short. But the truth is we have much to be thankful for. While the homeless struggle with the cold at night, we snuggle in our warm beds. When we discovered that people were struggling because of the furlough, we stepped up. Yes, there is an abundance and yes, we can share it with the world. Though I am aware that someone did clean out all the old stuff in their pantry and bring it to be given to those in need. If you do not want it because it is old and needs to be thrown away, do not bring it for those less fortunate. Be like Nehemiah and give away the governors share of the meal, the best meats and the best wines. Hmmm – that might mean as followers of God we practice radical hospitality.

When we find ourselves lifted up into leadership positions, we need to realize that those positions are for us to lead by example, to glorify God and not to let our egos think we now are something special. Just as Nehemiah never forgot that he was the cupbearer for the King, we must never forget the roots of where we came from. This means that we serve a great God and the people that we are called upon to lead. That is what makes a great leader, a great leader. As laity, we are called to witness, to serve and to share the example that Jesus established for us as we journey through this life.

The example that Nehemiah sets for us in this story is important as we begin the process of being good disciples. I love what the Florida conference set down as the model for laity and lay leading in the congregations of Florida. They remind us that we must have character that exemplifies the model of Nehemiah and Jesus. We must respect each other, treating each other with integrity, compassion regardless of where we have come from, our backgrounds or our lives. We are called to intentional pursue spiritual growth and renewal of body, mind and spirit, setting aside time each day to deepen our relationship with God. True Christian laity earnestly seek the will of God for the church and then work diligently, with tenacity and respect for the view of others, to bring about the changes they are led by God to bring.

Just as Nehemiah found a way to be a servant leader in this time of his calling, we need to be servant-leaders, seeking the good of the kingdom rather than our power or status. We need to make our decisions for the greater good of the church rather than our own preferences. We need to be future-oriented, not looking back even while we celebrate our past accomplishments.

Just as Nehemiah lifts up those around him in identifying those in leadership and I suspect, spends time creating new leaders, we need to work to create in our own circles new leaders. The life of the laity is an important role in the life of the church and the church fails when the laity fail to step up and do. This church is full of great laity who are willing to pitch in and help when necessary. Let us step up and be true lay leaders who share the love of God with the world around us.

General Conference - What is the right question

Sermon given at Sydenstricker UMC 1/20/19

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^NRS Genesis 19:1 The two angels came to Sodom in the evening, and Lot was sitting in the gateway of Sodom. When Lot saw them, he rose to meet them, and bowed down with his face to the ground. ² He said, "Please, my lords, turn aside to your servant's house and spend the night, and wash your feet; then you can rise early and go on your way." They said, "No; we will spend the night in the square." ³ But he urged them strongly; so they turned aside to him and entered his house; and he made them a feast, and baked unleavened bread, and they ate. ⁴ But before they lay down, the men of the city, the men of Sodom, both young and old, all the people to the last man, surrounded the house; ⁵ and they called to Lot, "Where are the men who came to you tonight? Bring them out to us, so that we may know them." ⁶ Lot went out of the door to the men, shut the door after him, ⁷ and said, "I beg you, my brothers, do not act so wickedly. ⁸ Look, I have two daughters who have not known a man; let me bring them out to you, and do to them as you please; only do nothing to these men, for they have come under the shelter of my roof." ⁹ But they replied, "Stand back!" And they said, "This fellow came here as an alien, and he would play the judge! Now we will deal worse with you than with them." Then they pressed hard against the man Lot, and came near the door to break it down. ¹⁰ But the men inside reached out their hands and brought Lot into the house with them, and shut the door.

Welcome today to a discussion about our upcoming special General Conference in February. I am not planning on detailing the five proposals that are now before the General Conference, that is a discussion for my chat and chews that I am having, one of them on Sunday at 3 PM. What I am hoping to talk about is the core issues that surround us and our Christian response to those issues. There is so much that is wrong with the world today. We are polarized around issues and all too often we cannot even come to the table to have discussion, rather we take to the media and the streets to proclaim our positions as if we believe that by doing so everyone else will immediately come to believe what we believe. I chose the scripture because it is one of many that is used to proclaim that God took a stand on LGBTQ long before we even called it what we do. In fact, laws that were on the books and may still be in some places used this scripture to describe the acts of LGBTQ.

Dr. Mickey Efird, professor at Duke Divinity School until his retirement, would often say, that we must ask the right question. As I have pondered this over the course of 17 years of ministry and countless years before that, I have found myself asking the wrong question more often than not. In congregations like ours where this issue is not printed material on the page, but real lifeblood challenges for our sons and daughters, for our neighbors and friends, this issue divides us all too often. When we look at the number of homeless people in the Greater Washington, we should be appalled that over 10,000 people are without shelter on these cold nights. When we look at the number of people who are living at the poverty level or below, that number surges to 18.6 % of the population. The cost of one Super bowl commercial could provide food for every man, woman and child in this area and yet we the church are strangely silent.

Jesus said to us, love the Lord your God with all your heart, your mind and your soul and love your neighbor in the same way. So maybe the question is not LBGTQ at all, but what as a church are we doing about the appalling condition of our neighbor? We will spend countless thousands of dollars, arguments from all sides of this discussion and when we do reach an agreement, some will leave the church. Some are even suggesting that we split the church and break it apart. I wonder how often Satan smiles with glee at that possibility. Moreover, when the splitting is done, we will be weaker than we are, less able to respond to crisis around the world and unable to assist those who need assistance. For what may we ask? So that we can say that, we followed blindly the inspired writings of men from three thousand years ago. A time when we did not understand medicine and the impact of relationships well? Why would God decree that we should not eat pork or shellfish three thousand years ago? Maybe, because the people of that day that God wanted to protect did not know about diseases that come from undercooked food from sources like pigs and shrimp and clams and I could on and on. Why would God decree that relationship challenges were wrong three thousand years ago? Maybe because God understood that adultery caused hardships and broken families and unrest among the neighborhoods. Especially in a nomadic tribe who numbered in the hundreds not like the cities of today that number in the millions.

God understands us better than we understand ourselves. God understands what it takes to have a harmonious environment that is safe and secure. As time has gone on, we have learned important things. Abuse is unacceptable everywhere, all the time. Paul argues against it in his day concerning the sexual misconduct between masters and apprentices or masters and slaves. Leviticus outlines rules by which harmony can exist. However, Paul is clear, we are followers of the Law in its entirety or we are followers of Christ. Which is it going to be? Christ is saying to us today, to love one another. I do not hear any exclusions. I do not hear Jesus say, well these folks over here, you do not have to love them or accept them. Send them into the wilderness where they will be devoured. The only people Jesus suggests that should happen to is those who refuse to follow Him.

There are three issues before us this morning. First, the issue of acceptance of those who are LGBTQ as members. Second, the acceptance of those who are LGBTQ as Christian leaders. Finally the issue of same-sex marriage. There are folks who will argue that homosexuality is not a choice. Scientific evidence appears to support that for the 1.6 – 6 % of the population that is gay; a percentage is genetically born that way. Those that support gay rights will argue that it should be a civil matter, an issue of equal rights under the law. That there is no difference between the commitment men and women make in heterosexual relationships and the commitment between partners in homosexual relationships. They point to the evidence that is supported by history that gay lifestyles have been the accepted norm in society form the beginning of time up until the last four hundred years of history. It was an accepted practice in the time of Jesus and Paul. Proponents of ‘Gay Rights’ point to Jesus not excluding anyone in his teachings or his behavior and treating everyone with love. They point to scripture being written before medical and scientific breakthroughs discovered that much of what we now know about illness, sexual preference and behavior is genetic. All skin diseases were considered leprosy in Jesus day and people were shunned and excluded. Women were treated as property with no value and Jesus railed against that injustice, meanwhile, homosexuality was part of society probably in the same proportions as it is today and He never said a word against it. A report of the committee to study homosexuality to the General Council of Ministries of the United Methodist Church reported that there is scientific evidence sufficient to support the contention that homosexuality is not pathological or otherwise an inversion, developmental failure, or deviant form of life as such, but is rather a human variant, one that can be healthy and whole. The American Physiological Association reported that most people experience little or no sense of choice about their sexual preference and LGBTQ issues have been removed from the list of illnesses reported on by the Medical community.

So where exactly does that leave us? As a United Methodist pastor, I live by two books, the Bible and the United Methodist Book of Discipline. I want to read you what the BOD says about this matter. In paragraph 161 the BOD states, “We affirm that all persons are individuals of sacred worth, created in the image of God…The United Methodist Church does not condone the practice of homosexuality and consider this practice incompatible with Christian teaching. We affirm that God’s grace is available to all… We implore families and churches not to reject or condemn lesbian and gay members of friends.”[i] And in paragraph 304.3, it states that practicing homosexuals cannot be ordained or appointed as ministers. In Paragraph 341.6, it says that United Methodist ministers may not perform or participate in same sex marriage ceremonies and paragraph 806.9 that no funds of the United Methodist church may be given to any group or caucus that promotes the acceptance of homosexuality. These paragraphs are being challenged at the called General Conference. What will be their decision? We will wait and see.

So what then is the right question?  I would be hard pressed to say it is as simple as only one question to be answered. I like the way Adam Hamilton sums it up. He reminds us that Paul spoke about seeing things dimly in a mirror that one day we will see clearly, but only when we are truly in the presence of God. I think that for all of us this issue is complicated. Will the church split over it and divide? Maybe! Where will Sydenstricker fall in the future United Methodist understanding? These are questions we need to ask. Part of the question is where we fall individually in our understanding. Are we, each of us a traditionalist who cannot accept LGBTQ folks in membership, leadership or marriage? Are we, each of us progressive who cannot accept a traditional stance by the church that excludes people even we speak of love? Or are we, each of us somewhere in the middle where the church can be church regardless of the position taken at General Conference? Today we stand at the crossroads of new realities. Regardless of where we go tomorrow, the right question is whom will I follow. Will I follow Christ and abide in Him as He abides in me, loving God with all my heart mind and soul and my neighbor in the same way? The choice is ours to make.

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[i] Smith, Judith E, ed. (2008). The Book of Discipline of the United Methodist Church 2008. Nashville: The United Methodist Publishing House. Page 103

Meaning of Gifts

Sermon given at Sydenstricker UMC 1/6/19

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^NRS Matthew 2:1 In the time of King Herod, after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, ² asking, "Where is the child who has been born king of the Jews? For we observed his star at its rising, and have come to pay him homage." ³ When King Herod heard this, he was frightened, and all Jerusalem with him; ⁴ and calling together all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Messiah was to be born. ⁵ They told him, "In Bethlehem of Judea; for so it has been written by the prophet: ⁶ 'And you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for from you shall come a ruler who is to shepherd my people Israel.'" ⁷ Then Herod secretly called for the wise men and learned from them the exact time when the star had appeared. ⁸ Then he sent them to Bethlehem, saying, "Go and search diligently for the child; and when you have found him, bring me word so that I may also go and pay him homage." ⁹ When they had heard the king, they set out; and there, ahead of them, went the star that they had seen at its rising, until it stopped over the place where the child was. ¹⁰ When they saw that the star had stopped, they were overwhelmed with joy. ¹¹ On entering the house, they saw the child with Mary his mother; and they knelt down and paid him homage. Then, opening their treasure chests, they offered him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. ¹² And having been warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they left for their own country by another road.

In June 2012, I had open-heart surgery. Following that surgery, I found myself at a follow-up visit with the surgeon who asked me this question, what are you going to do with the gift that God has given you? I have often thought about that question, especially since it came from the doctor who had just saved my life. What are you going to do with the gifts that God has given you?

Have you ever had an Epiphany? You know, one of those moments when you finally get it. Today is Epiphany Sunday, the Sunday closest to the day of Epiphany. Webster’s defines Epiphany as:

1. A Christian feast celebrating the manifestation of the divine nature of Jesus to the Gentiles as represented by the Magi.
2. January 6, on which this feast is traditionally observed.
3. A revelatory manifestation of a divine being.
4. A sudden manifestation of the essence or meaning of something.
5. A comprehension or perception of reality by means of a sudden intuitive realization: “I experienced an epiphany, a spiritual flash that would change the way I viewed myself”

We celebrate on January 6^th each year the arrival of the Magi to the baby Jesus. The Gospel of Matthew gives us no clue as to Jesus age when they arrive and yet the story in Matthew is meant for us to be a revealing story of who Jesus is. One of the definitions of the word Epiphany is that it is, “a revealing manifestation of divine being.” Simply said, it is that moment when we have a sudden awareness of Jesus, who he is and what he is. We have epiphany moments in our lives when we suddenly get it. I often call these moments “AH-HA” moments. They usually come in the middle of studying a particular bible verse, in the middle of a group study or even during sermons when suddenly we get it. There are those who would argue that the Magi visit never happened. That Matthew simply made it up in order so that we would understand who Jesus was through the story itself. Then there are those who believe it really happened just as Matthew says it does. My hope today is to give you reason to believe that it could have happened just as Matthew said it did. That the facts have been obscured by time and human misunderstanding.   

We start this discussion with who are the Magi and did they really exist. The Magi were wise men or astrologers. We actually met them in the Old Testament Book of Daniel. They were the King’s wise men who were unable to understand the Kings dream and Daniel, given a vision by God of the dream, came to prominence through that vision. The Magi were students of astrology who foretold events in the world through the alignment of stars, planets and the sun. Their existence is well documented in the historical records of ancient empires. These particular individuals are thought to be a remnant of the Babylonian Magi. Why is that important? The Babylonian Empire conquered the people of Israel and brought the best of the Hebrew people back to Babylonia, in what is now modern day Iraq. At that point the stories and prophecy of the Messiah would have become a part of their culture as well. So these Magi would have been looking for a sign in the heavens of the birth of that child. And they would have looking for this sign for as much as 600 years before the birth of Christ.

So where would they look? To understand the answer to that question, we need to understand a little about Astrology. In and around the first century, we find historical evidence that the world embraced Astrology with the exception of the Hebrew people. That point will have significance in a moment. Astrologers would have looked to the Constellation Aries. Not fully understanding the science behind that, I will simply tell you that Aries represented the Judean region of the world. Jupiter was the sign of royalty and when it aligns with the Moon in the constellation Aries it would have represented to the Magi, the birth or conception of a divine presence in the Judean region. This would be the sign that they were searching for to tell them that the birth of the Messiah had occurred. Well, it turns out that this event happened twice in 6 BC, in April and again in December of that year. By the way, the calendar we have today is in error. When it was created, the priest or monk tried to calculate the birth of Jesus as year zero. After it was created it was learned that Herod died by the current calendar in 4 BC indicating that the calendar was incorrect by 4-6 years. We have prophesy that starts the Magi searching the heavens and a celestial event that could have led the Magi to move towards the East, and Magi who really existed. Now I am not discounting the ability of God to create a miracle Star. Consistently in the Bible, when God wants something to happen or a sign in the heavens it is done through the natural order of things. God is so great, that we can accept that the Magi were led to Israel by a sign in the heavens placed there by God.

The thing that becomes important is that the Magi would only have a celestial event that tells them a general location. They would not have had the knowledge of later prophets that tell the specific location. So they begin their travel in order to bring gifts to this divine presence. And this is where Herod comes into the story of Jesus birth. The Magi looking for a King would have gone to the local ruler to find the King, probably fully expecting this young child to be in the royal palace. And yet he is not there. But Herod’s version of the Magi know where he is supposed to be born. In Micah, the town of Bethlehem is identified as being the place of this divine birth. All of these pieces coming together in this way are then an elaborate imagination or as we believe, the actual story that happened.  

We come now to the gifts themselves and their importance to both the identification of the person they came to see and what these gifts say about that person. Gold carries obvious significance in that it is precious and worthy among all cultures and nations. It is a sign of royalty and wealth. It would easily have been a gift for a king and would have been appropriate to their understanding of the role of this child in the world. The next gift was Frankincense which was a special incense used in the ancient world. Its purpose was for healing and quiet contemplation and would have been a sign of sanctuary and peace. The final gift was Myrrh. In the ancient world this was used for two purposes. It is a strong anti-inflammatory or antiseptic quality and is still used today to treat patients in many parts of the world. The second purpose of Myrrh was to use it as an embalming material and it was one of the burial spices with Jesus in his tomb.

As you shopped this last Christmas season for gifts for family and friends, you more than likely tried to purchase the things you knew they wanted or would want. You spent some time focusing on making each gift special for that person who would receive it. So too, the Magi spent time thinking about what the proper gifts should be. Well they gave symbols of power, prestige, and wealth in their choice of Gold, symbols of peace, healing, uplifting spirits and warmth in their choice of Frankincense, and finally, a symbol of healing and a death perfume in the form of Myrrh. What would you have thought if you were the parent and these gifts were given to your child as gifts? The first two would probably have caused no concern, but that last one, well, I am sure that we would consider it a little strange, don't you think? I mean that a burial spice would have been given as a gift at birth is a little on the strange side unless you consider that Myrrh is also used to treat illness today. In these gifts, if you are carefully paying attention is a wondrous sign of who Jesus was and what he was to do through his life and then his death. Impressive don’t you think that we should be reminded at his birth of his life’s purpose?

As we think about the season, we must realize that the reason we call it Epiphany, a comprehension or perception of reality by means of a sudden intuitive realization, is that we are faced with the glory of what the birth of this child has brought into our hearts and homes. What gifts are you giving to the world to show your love for one another? While other people are opening presents and exchanging gifts, we are receiving things greater than our understanding, greater than our ability to return, and completely beyond our deserving of such a gift. Let us rejoice in the gifts brought by the Magi as the complete understanding and validation of this child, the gift for humankind brought into the world in the most humble of settings to assure that this gift is received by all who ask. What are you going to do with the gift that God has given you?

And he named him Jesus

Sermon given at Sydenstricker UMC 12/30/18

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^NRS Matthew 1:18 Now the birth of Jesus the Messiah took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been engaged to Joseph, but before they lived together, she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit. ¹⁹ Her husband Joseph, being a righteous man and unwilling to expose her to public disgrace, planned to dismiss her quietly. ²⁰ But just when he had resolved to do this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, "Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife, for the child conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. ²¹ She will bear a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins." ²² All this took place to fulfill what had been spoken by the Lord through the prophet: ²³ "Look, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall name him Emmanuel," which means, "God is with us." ²⁴ When Joseph awoke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him; he took her as his wife, ²⁵ but had no marital relations with her until she had borne a son; and he named him Jesus.

Today we celebrate the 5th day of Christmas as we continue the journey that began on Christmas Day. Remember that the days are counted from sundown to sundown so the first day would have been from sundown the 25th to sundown the 26th, the first day. So much has been told about the story of Jesus, his birth narrative including the wise men and the shepherds. But little is known about his earthly father, Joseph. Who was Joseph? What happened to him and why is his presence so important to the story of Jesus?

Matthew includes Joseph in his genealogy featuring that the birthright of Jesus in the lineage of David comes through the male side of the family. Luke on the other hand, brings the lineage through Mary which biological is correct. That they both are part of the lineage of David is important to whether those demanding that to be correct follow a male or female genealogy to get there. We, Protestants and specifically Methodists understand that Jesus is divinely born and is the Son of God and God incarnate so the lineage only makes a difference in justifying His right to be proclaimed the Messiah. Joseph becomes Jesus father in all ways that fathers raise their sons, make them a part of their families and teach those values along the way. Joseph is one way, becomes for us the perfect example of an adoptive parent, never differentiating between his true bloodline children and Jesus. As an aside, there has been great debate over the generations whether the siblings of Jesus, James, Joses, Judah, Simon, and unnamed sisters in Matthew 13:55 and Mark 6:3 are His stepbrothers and sisters or half brothers and sisters. We will never know the answer to that question in our physical lives. But suffice it to say, how they are related is not as important to us as that they are.

Joseph comes into the story from the beginning, though only Matthew and Luke include him. Joseph is likely a younger man, though that has been argued down through the centuries as well, who has requested Mary to be his wife. In those days, Joseph would not have been allowed to marry until he was established on his own right and had a home of his own. Once that was established he could then marry the woman of his choice. By the way, if we go down that bunny trail, if he was in fact widowed, there would have been no need to wait to marry so their marriage would have happened quickly and Mary being unmarried would not make much sense in that version of the story.

Joseph has chosen Mary. She is likely 14 or 15 years of age as we gather from the story we share. We know the story of Mary and the angel and the pregnancy. What we also know is that Joseph is on the sidelines of the story following the birth but very much a part of the birth story.

Matthew begins this story in the first chapter. He introduces Joseph as a righteous man and his unwillingness to expose her to public disgrace says a lot about who he is. You see, in that day and time he could very well have sent her to be stoned for being pregnant and unwed. He could at the very least have her thrown out of the town with nowhere to go and no one to turn to. Matthew wants us to know that he is a righteous man. In that, day and time to use that word would make a connection with Noah, a righteous man that God used to start the world anew. Or Job who was the ultimate expression of faith. Matthew goes on to tell us that an angel of the Lord who told him what was going on visited Joseph. He was also was told to name Him Jesus. The story continues that Joseph awoke from his dream and did exactly what God commanded him to do. Would you have done the same? Jesus birth story is a story of unwavering faith in the midst of supernatural goings on. Most people would have pushed against the will of God but not Joseph and Mary. Joseph shares with us what a faithful man of God looks like. To go against the grain, the rumors and the shame thrust upon him and Mary because of this pregnancy. 

Joseph takes Mary for his wife and they go to Bethlehem to fulfill the prophecy concerning the birth of the Messiah as well as comply with the Roman requirement for registering. There Jesus is born. The story could well have ended for Joseph at this point but it does not.

Here the continuation of this story in Matthew chapter 2.

^NRS Matthew 2:13 Now after they had left, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, "Get up, take the child and his mother, and flee to Egypt, and remain there until I tell you; for Herod is about to search for the child, to destroy him."  14 Then Joseph got up, took the child and his mother by night, and went to Egypt, 15 and remained there until the death of Herod.

Joseph now must leave all that he knows, his family and likely his business to move to Egypt to keep Jesus safe. In some ways we now follow and Abraham story for Joseph. What trade does he do in Egypt? How does he take care of his family? The Gold given by the Magi certainly helps during this time. But was it enough? We never get this part of the story.  

So we continue the story in Matthew chapter 2, verses 19-23:

^NRS Matthew 2:19 When Herod died, an angel of the Lord suddenly appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt and said, ²⁰ "Get up, take the child and his mother, and go to the land of Israel, for those who were seeking the child's life are dead." ²¹ Then Joseph got up, took the child and his mother, and went to the land of Israel. ²² But when he heard that Archelaus was ruling over Judea in place of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there. And after being warned in a dream, he went away to the district of Galilee. ²³ There he made his home in a town called Nazareth, so that what had been spoken through the prophets might be fulfilled, "He will be called a Nazorean."

There we hear nothing else until Jesus is around 12. We can surmise some things about what happens in those early years. First, Joseph would have to regain the trust and respect of the town and regain his business and trade. That would have taken some time and would have taxed anyone, especially a person under the circumstances of Jesus. We know that Joseph was a dutiful father who taught his son the trade he knew. I would guess that Joseph was a righteous father who taught his son the ways of being a Hebrew. Jesus would have grown up learning the Law of Moses, memorizing the Torah at an early age and working hard to learn how to be a carpenter. Joseph could very well have simply ignored Jesus and let Mary raise him but that is likely not the way of it. Joseph was a loving father who cared for Jesus as his son, just as an adoptive parent does every day of an adoptive child’s life. Joseph was a righteous man of God.

After bringing Jesus to the Temple at age twelve, we have no record of Joseph. Some believe that he dies before Jesus turns 30 and begins his ministry but there is no biblical record. When Jesus is on the cross, he asks John to take Mary as his mother, which would only be done if she were a widow at that moment. But the truth is, we just don’t know. What we do know is that Joseph, a righteous man, raised Jesus to be the man God called Him to be. Joseph named Him upon His birth, a name in Hebrew that is Yeshua. Yeshua, commonly translated Joshua which means, to deliver, to rescue is also translated for us, Jesus.

As we celebrate the birth narrative in this season we call Christmas, let us men become Joseph like, righteous, willing to do the will of God and willing to love those who are not our own by birth. Let us become the people God is calling us to be. Will you?

The Christmas Story

Sermon given at Sydenstricker UMC on 12/23/18

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^NRS Luke 2:1 In those days a decree went out from Emperor Augustus that all the world should be registered. ² This was the first registration and was taken while Quirinius was governor of Syria. ³ All went to their own towns to be registered. ⁴ Joseph also went from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to the city of David called Bethlehem, because he was descended from the house and family of David. ⁵ He went to be registered with Mary, to whom he was engaged and who was expecting a child. ⁶ While they were there, the time came for her to deliver her child. ⁷ And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in bands of cloth, and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn. ⁸ In that region there were shepherds living in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. ⁹ Then an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. ¹⁰ But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid; for see-- I am bringing you good news of great joy for all the people: ¹¹ to you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is the Messiah, the Lord. ¹² This will be a sign for you: you will find a child wrapped in bands of cloth and lying in a manger." ¹³ And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God and saying, ¹⁴ "Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace among those whom he favors!" ¹⁵ When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, "Let us go now to Bethlehem and see this thing that has taken place, which the Lord has made known to us." ¹⁶ So they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the child lying in the manger. ¹⁷ When they saw this, they made known what had been told them about this child; ¹⁸ and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds told them. ¹⁹ But Mary treasured all these words and pondered them in her heart.

Reverend Henry E. Riley Jr. was a great orator, a great mentor and a great friend. At one time almost every ordained minister in the Virginia Annual Conference had had some kind of conversation or been influenced by him. His life until the very end was spent preaching and teaching the message of Jesus. He was a tall man and when he came into a room you felt his presence. He is the reason I am here. He once told me, Don, if you cannot do anything else in life, then preach. I thought what a silly thing to say. But I learned when God calls you, you cannot do anything else. This is what you are called to do.  Henry died this week. He is receiving his heavenly reward for a job well done for a long time. I cannot imagine a better time for him to go home than the time of year when we anticipate the celebration of the birth of Christ for whom Henry lived.

My good friend Rose Mott, 103 is in serious condition as I give this message. She is in the hospital in critical condition with pneumonia. I talked with her the other day and she said she was ready to go home. Rose has endured much. She saw her husband die in a tragic tractor accident. She lost her child to murder. She broke her ankle severely several years ago and laid all night alone, in the dark, because she did not want to bother anyone. She endures. And yet, she became a great inspiration to me throughout the five years I served Grace UMC on the Eastern Shore. Regardless of adversity she was a familiar face every Sunday morning. She shared her faith with anyone that would listen.

You may wonder why I started a Christmas sermon this way. Christmas is the day when we celebrate the birth of a child. Not any child. A special child. Now we know that Jesus was not born on December 25^th. In fact, he was likely born in early to mid-spring of the year and we have several historical facts that point in that direction. So why December 25^th? Maybe because it made sense to the early Christian church to celebrate the birth of the light of the world during the darkest time in the world. Maybe because it made sense to argue that Jesus birth celebration date was not as important as celebrating it and we already celebrate death and resurrection in the spring. Who knows? What we do know is that Christmas is a time of celebration of something significant. Henry and Rose are significant to me. Their lives interweaved with mine in a way that changed me to become the person I am today. How many of you have people or events that when you think of them, instantly return you to an earlier time?

I talked last week about Bethlehem and why the birth was in that small insignificant little town outside of Jerusalem. What is God doing? Jesus birth was to a moment in time that is meant to be remembered, not for the when, but the why. Jesus birth is a moment in time when God looked on the world and determined that it needed an intervention. The world had forgotten how to love. The world had forgotten how to have relationship with God and one another so God decided that the world needed to be changed. God changes us through people and events that happen in our lives at significant moments in time. When walk through those moments and come out on the other side different. Jesus birth is one of the moments for the whole world. When Jesus came into the world, the thirty-three year journey would change it in ways that the world could not even imagine. No one person has ever had the impact on the world that Jesus did.

I want us to imagine for a moment what the world would be like if Jesus had not come. We already fight commercialism and political polarization not just within a country but also throughout the world. We already deal with hate and war. What would it be like if there was no Jesus? If there was no love in the world to counter those feelings? What would the world look like if there were no churches, no sanctuaries from the evil of the world where at least one day for one hour we can come and feel better, feel safer and feel loved? Christmas is not just a celebration of the birth of Jesus but a time when we can experience God closer, more accessible, more loving than any time of the year.

I know, many are saying that Christmas is no longer about God or Jesus but about Santa and presents and on and on. But it is because we allow it to be. Henry would often say significant things to me. One of them was that if every weekend I am not causing someone to be uncomfortable I am not doing my job. If I am not speaking the truth of God from the pulpit in such a way that you are feeling a little discomfort, then I am not speaking truth. One District Superintendent told me that we as Pastors should not make waves in our churches. Henry said those waves should be tsunamis. God is speaking to us through the celebration of Christmas.

A speaker the other day suggested that if every commercial had Jesus in it, the world would be very different. If every time we are bombarded with the newest electronics, the newest toy, or the newest vehicle we also were presented with the love of Jesus, the world would be very different. I believe with all my heart that is the message of Christmas. Every time I see a Christmas tree, hear Christmas Carols, see people smiling, I feel the presence of Jesus. God has it right! God directed the early Christian movement to place this holiday smack in the middle of winter. Winter that time when depression is at it highest, the sun at its lowest, at least in the northern hemisphere and people are dreaming for something better. More warmth, more sun, more daylight! So God decided that the world needed a significant event to celebrate in that moment to remind us of the depth of God’s love.

I love the scripture that says that Mary treasured all these things and pondered them in her heart. She had just given birth to the Son of God. She had done that in a smelly stable with animals all around. Childbirth is not easy nor is it romantic is it ladies? The birth at the end makes it all worthwhile and seeing that baby for the first time, well that is a life-changing event. God wants us to celebrate loving God and one another and the best way to do that is set apart a special time of year. Why not in the middle of winter after all. So why did I start this with Henry and Rose? Because I want you to reflect on the things, the people and the events in your life that made you. I want you to spend some time in the next few days reflecting on who you are and why you are. Then, I want each of us to reflect on what Christmas means to us. What is God trying to focus our attention on and who are we supposed to be as Christmas people? Then, let us intentionally walk a journey together with God in the lead, God in our hearts and that little baby Jesus helping to make us better.

Merry Christmas!

Why Bethlehem

Sermon given at Sydenstricker UMC on 12/16/18

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^NRS Micah 5:1 Now you are walled around with a wall; siege is laid against us; with a rod they strike the ruler of Israel upon the cheek. ² But you, O Bethlehem of Ephrathah, who are one of the little clans of Judah, from you shall come forth for me one who is to rule in Israel, whose origin is from of old, from ancient days.

 ³ Therefore he shall give them up until the time when she who is in labor has brought forth; then the rest of his kindred shall return to the people of Israel.⁴ And he shall stand and feed his flock in the strength of the LORD, in the majesty of the name of the LORD his God. And they shall live secure, for now he shall be great to the ends of the earth; ⁵ and he shall be the one of peace. If the Assyrians come into our land and tread upon our soil, we will raise against them seven shepherds and eight installed as rulers.

Today we celebrate the third weekend of Advent, the weekend when we light the pink candle, often known as Mary’s candle or the candle of joy. On this day we focus on the joy of the birth of Jesus Christ and why that joy sustains us through all of the times of trial and tribulation that we encounter in our lives. The question that I want to ask you today as we focus on the upcoming birth of Christ is, “Why Bethlehem?” Of all of the places for the child of God to be born, why some small insignificant town on the outskirts of Jerusalem? Why of all of the places that He could be born, why in a manger, the feeding trough of animals? These are serious questions for a serious discussion as we encounter Christ in the world of humankind. I say it to you that way because we must focus on the fact that Jesus birth signifies an opportunity to meet our God on a human plane.

Let us begin by describing the city of Bethlehem and the surrounding area. Bethlehem sits in the hill country of Judah and is considered to be the birthplace of Christianity. What we also know about the city of Bethlehem helps explain our theological question, why Bethlehem. In Hebrew Bethlehem means, “house of bread” and in the original Aramaic means, “house of meat’. Some might regard these terms as contradictory and yet both terms signify nourishment and sustenance of the body. Bethlehem is also known as the city of David. It is here that Rachel and Ruth of the Old Testament are buried. Now there is significance in that statement, the place that Rachel and Ruth are buried. For it is from Rachel that we receive the lineage that brings Apostle Paul into the world through the heritage of Benjamin and it is through the lineage of Ruth and Boaz and the tribe of Judah that we receive Jesse and then David and then ultimately Jesus. For us to discount the significance of this city just on the basis of its size and position might well lead us to forget its history. We cannot stop there. For Bethlehem is the place that Samuel anointed David king by the well of Bethlehem where David was nourished during his long struggle with King Saul. This small town on the outskirts of the city of Jerusalem has a history that leads us ultimately to the birth of Jesus. By the way, did I forget to mention that David was also born here? Now to me that becomes significant because it is David whom God promised that his heir would come to rule the world. 

Now let us dwell into another aspect of the city of Bethlehem. Bethlehem is in the hilly country just outside of Jerusalem and is noted for the many caves that surround the city. What is unique about some of these caves is that they became the holding pens for animals. It was the norm for the inhabitants of the city to keep their animals in the various caves around the city. Here they could be protected and secured in a safe place where they could be fed and sheltered. Bethlehem even though it had a wonderful history, was a small community of people. It was not the major shipping port or major government center like some of the cities to the east and north of Bethlehem, but can be described as a sleepy little town about 5 miles outside of Jerusalem.

Historically, we know that Jesus lived in this area even if there is argument about His ministry, miracles and healings. In fact we know that around 150 AD, St. Justin the Martyr referred to Bethlehem as the birthplace of Jesus in one of those little caves where animals were kept. Origen, one of the founding fathers of written Christian history writes that in Bethlehem in a cave, Jesus was born in a manger and place in swaddling clothes.

So this tradition of the Christmas story is based on information gleaned at the earliest of times in the life of the Christian church. That is significant to us when asked how we can believe that this story is true. It comes to us from early written records that tell us of its truth. Before men could invent it, it was already a part of the historical record. Indeed the church, St. Mary of the Nativity, stands over the top of the cave where Jesus is said to have been born. Originally built in 527 AD, this church is placed at the birthplace of Jesus. Now it seems to me, that if history records the birth in a place and the written record comes to us through the centuries, then we ought to have faith in its authenticity. I also think that we need to focus again on the significance of it being the place of David’s birth and also a place where the common people lived in the social economic strata of life. It was not the place of rulers and kings, but rather the place of normal everyday people like you and I.

Finally, while we focus on the place, we must also focus on the why. God does what God says God is going to do. Not one single piece of prophecy has been found to be false. Some have not happened yet. Unlike all of our modern day prophets, God’s prophecy is always correct. This brings us to our text today and the point of it. Micah means literally, “who is like Yahweh” and the prophet Micah lived between 750 BC to about 686 B.C. This prophecy comes to us maybe 700 years before the birth of Christ as a promise from God to the Jewish people. You O Bethlehem, who are one of the little clans of Judah, from you shall come forth for me one who is to rule in Israel. Now hear these words carefully, he goes on to say, whose origin is from of old, from ancient days.

Now in the Old Testament text, when the ancient days were used, this language indicates we are talking about heaven before the earth was formed. We get the immediate sense that he who comes will not be of this world in the sense that you and I are. Furthermore, he will be born in the home of one of the twelve tribes of Jacob, specifically the tribe of Judah. Now some theologians would argue that Judah here is the Judah we know as Israel and yet, when Micah was writing his prophecy, the twelve tribes were never referred to except by their own identification. It is only in modern times that Judah has taken on the meaning of all of Israel.

What we know from the prophecy is that one from ancient times, from heaven before the earth is formed, will come to rule Israel and He will come to Bethlehem through the tribe of Judah. We know that Boaz and Ruth had a son, Jesse. Jesse had a son David. In that lineage then comes the man we know as Jesus.  Now the rest of the written word also tells us something about the event and then about what it is that this child will accomplish and be. When the woman gives birth tells us that this child will be human and then in the interpretation of the original Hebrew, we find the masculine pronoun, he used.

We know that this child will be a male and that he will be born in Bethlehem to the lineage of David. This man will reunite the kindred, feeding the flock in the strength of God and he shall be the one of peace. For those who may still not believe, let me ask you a question? What was the preaching of Jesus all about if not how to enter into a relationship with God and about achieving peace in your lifetime? Does this passage not give you a sense that God had a purpose for Jesus to be born in Bethlehem? With all of its history and significance, here is where it was supposed to happen.

God told us where he would be born, history tells us he was born there so what is so unacceptable about the story that you cannot believe? When God speaks, it is to tell us what God’s intentions are and to make known what God is doing in the world. Seven hundred years before Jesus is born, God through Micah tells us the place, who the person is and what he comes to do.

As we prepare for the coming celebration, realize that you have a choice today. You can stand on the sidelines looking in and questioning the authenticity of the story, or you can realize that God spoke; history happened, and join the rest of us on the inside. Christ came to make peace with the world and to reignite a relationship with God. He came for the kindred of God who are the kindred of Noah. That includes every member of the community called the earth. Don’t wait until it’s too late to begin to realize that God wants to be in relationship with you.

So what is going on?

So I have not been posting in a while. Some of that is simply you get out of the rhythm of doing things, some the busyness of my schedule and some of it the reduced number of people who actually view the blog. Of course I could respond to more relevant issues and challenges daily rather than just posting my sermons and maybe I should. Give me some feedback so I know that one, you are out there watching and listening and two, what kind of things can we talk about.