To Whom Did he Tell

Sermon given at Sydenstricker UMC 12/31/17

Click here for audio

^NIV Luke 2:8 And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. ⁹ An angel of the Lord appeared to 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. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. ¹¹ Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. ¹² This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger." ¹³ Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, ¹⁴ "Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests." ¹⁵ When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, "Let's go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about." ¹⁶ So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. ¹⁷ When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, ¹⁸ and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. ¹⁹ But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. ²⁰ The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.

I remember some years back hearing about shepherds and having a sheepherder come and talk to the group about how it all works. It is hard work watching over the herds especially in the first century. That job would have been delegated to the youngest boy or to the lowest slave on the totem pole. Late nights in the fields watching for wolves, large cats or other predators who desired to eat or steal the flock. As is usual in a community environment, the youngest would often wonder off to explore and the shepherd would have to go looking for the lost sheep. That is why they carry the staff they carry with a hooked end on it. They use it to lower it down into the crevice and gently life the young lamb out of danger. They also carry slingshots to ward off dangerous animals and we know from the story of David and Goliath, they know how to use it. I am told that when a young lamb is injured or ill, the shepherd places over his shoulders, around his neck and whispers its name until it gets well. What a great story and imagine for a moment that Jesus does the same for us.

Shepherds also allow us to connect with other stories in the Bible. For example, do you remember that David was a lowly shepherd that God called to do great things for the nation of Israel. In fact, Jesus is the answer to a promise that God made to David that his throne would never cease to exist. For folks listening to this birth narrative in Luke, it would have been easy to make the connection Jesus to David and even to understand why God chose Shepherds to tell first. Then we have the whole Jesus is the Lamb thing. John’s narrative use this image of Jesus as the Lamb of God throughout the story to share the sacrificial being of Jesus.

So why Bethlehem? Bethlehem is considered the birthplace of David. Bethlehem means House of Bread and that fits perfectly with the biblical story of Jesus who feeds us the nurturing food of eternal life. Bethlehem was a fortified city in the time of Jesus because it had water. Bethlehem is the place where the prophets said the Messiah would be born. So all of these things come together in the Luke narrative to give authenticity to Jesus as the Messiah.

So why tell the shepherds? We can already see that God holds them in a special place because of David. The shepherds are the people that face adversity every day as they protect their flock. Shepherds would be the perfect people to share the story of the Messiah since Jesus is coming in their lineage in a matter of speaking through David. Shepherds allow the Gospel writers to connect the pieces between Jesus birth and the prophecy of that birth so that they can point to authentic evidence that Jesus is who He said He was.

There is a story—they say it is true—about an old sheepherder in the hills of Idaho. He was a faithful listener to one of the finer musical programs on the radio. One night after listening to a concert, he wrote to the station with a most unusual request. He said, “I thoroughly enjoy your program from New York every week. I am writing to ask you a favor. I am a shepherd, and I get lonely up here in the hills. No one lives near me. I have little to entertain me except the radio. I have an old violin that I could play, but it is badly out of tune. I wonder if you could just take a moment on your program next week and strike ‘A’ on your piano so that I could tune my violin.”

When the people at the radio station read his letter, they smiled. One asked, “Why interrupt our program, which has thousands of listeners, for one little old shepherd?” Another said, “Why not? It will bring joy into his life, and I think our listeners would agree.” And so they honored his request. They interrupted their next program long enough to strike an “A” on the piano. The old shepherd in the hills of Idaho got the right pitch on his violin.

As people, we often ignore the single request for the masses. However, shepherds never do. They will search for that one little lost lamb until the find it. Jesus is doing the same things, sharing His story with the world around Him so that everyone single lost lamb can find love in the world. Not just the elite of the world, but the marginalized, the common folk, the people who connect with shepherds. Maybe the most important reason God spoke to the shepherds to let us know how important we are to God. That no matter what our role in life is, there is no place that God’s love does not reach. God spoke to the shepherds first so that the message of God’s birth would come to all people. God wanted each of to know that God’s love is for us.

Well in few short hours, we will meet the New Year, 2018. I have high hopes and prayers for 2018 and for the life of Sydenstricker in that New Year. I invite you to read the Bible in Chronological order this year. The reading list is in the Narthex in the Kiosk. I also will invite you to take the two important surveys that we use here to know who you are and how well we are doing. They are available through the Pastor so please let me know you are interested in learning more about your discipleship and your strengths. Finally, I invite you to consider joining or forming a small group. Information about small groups is in the current issue of the Steeple.

This year when you make your new year’s resolutions, consider asking God what God desires of you in your daily prayers. Consider giving 15-30 minutes every morning to devotion, Bible reading and prayer. It will change your life, I promise you. Discipleship is not a spectator sport. It is a place where we grow in our relationship with God. We become shepherds to the flocks we encounter every day. Being part of the Body means joining those who are already on the journey. Becoming Christ means learning to emulate Christ in our own lives and Joining Christ means that we serve one another. 

Emulate the Love

Sermon given at Sydenstricker UMC 12/24/17

Click here for audio

^NRS John 15:1 "I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinegrower. ² He removes every branch in me that bears no fruit. Every branch that bears fruit he prunes to make it bear more fruit. ³ You have already been cleansed by the word that I have spoken to you. ⁴ Abide in me as I abide in you. Just as the branch cannot bear fruit by itself unless it abides in the vine, neither can you unless you abide in me. ⁵ I am the vine, you are the branches. Those who abide in me and I in them bear much fruit, because apart from me you can do nothing. ⁶ Whoever does not abide in me is thrown away like a branch and withers; such branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned. ⁷ If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask for whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. ⁸ My Father is glorified by this, that you bear much fruit and become my disciples. ⁹ As the Father has loved me, so I have loved you; abide in my love. ¹⁰ If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father's commandments and abide in his love. ¹¹ I have said these things to you so that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be complete. ¹² "This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. ¹³ No one has greater love than this, to lay down one's life for one's friends.

There was a little boy visiting his grandparents on their farm. He was given a slingshot to play with out in the woods. He practiced in the woods; but he could never hit the target. Getting a little discouraged, he headed back for dinner. As he was walking back, he saw Grandma's pet duck. Just out of impulse, he let the slingshot fly, hit the duck square in the head and killed it. He was shocked and grieved! In a panic, he hid the dead duck in the woodpile only to see his Sister watching! Sally had seen it all, but she said nothing. After lunch the next day Grandma said, 'Sally, let's wash the dishes'. But Sally said, 'Grandma, Johnny told me he wanted to help in the kitchen....' Then she whispered to him, "Remember the duck?' So Johnny did the dishes.

Later that day, Grandpa asked if the children wanted to go fishing and Grandma said, 'I'm sorry but I need Sally to help make supper.' Sally just smiled and said, 'well that's all right because Johnny told me he wanted to help? She whispered again, 'Remember the duck?' So Sally went fishing and Johnny stayed to help.

After several days of Johnny doing both his chores and Sally's; he finally couldn't stand it any longer.. He came to Grandma and confessed that he had killed the duck. Grandma knelt down, gave him a hug and said, 'Sweetheart, I know. You see, I was standing at the window and I saw the whole thing, but because I love you, I forgave you. I was just wondering how long you would let Sally make a slave of you'. 

I wonder how many times we allow the world to make slaves of us because of something we have done that the world will not allow us to be forgiven for. How many times must we forgive? Jesus said that the answer to that question is 70 times seven or in the ancient world, an infinite number of times. We come to this place today to celebrate the birth of Jesus, a gift of God. We come to this place because God loved us so much that we can never repay that love, only live into it. What do I mean by that, well listen up as I tell a story.

God created us in perfection. God created us in harmony with the world, gave us sufficient food to eat, and we were created in the very image of God. What does that image look like? Glad you asked. God created us to love God, to love one another unconditionally and to love the world in which we live so much so that we would take care of it as if it was our own, which in a way, it is. We were created to be a blessing to those who follow us. Yet, in the understanding of perfect love, a love without binds, strings or abuse, we were given the choice to do something different than what God intended. Yet, God never stopped loving us even when we stopped loving God. Therefore, God sent Jesus so that we might see what perfect creation looked like, how we might interact with one another and how deed that love permeated the creation story. So Jesus came, taught, healed and shared. Then Jesus took on our sins, died on the cross and was resurrected in three days so that we might share in the creation story again for all of eternity. You like my story?

God sent us Jesus so that we might learn from it and become it. I love the Discipleship journey that suggests that we must learn to be part of the Body of Christ. That means that must learn to share with one another, love one another and yes, forgive one another seventy times seven times. We must learn how to support one another in the valleys and overflowing rivers that will come into our lives and rejoice when we climb to the top of the mountain and see the beauty below. I remember years ago being on a retreat with one of my best friends. We climbed to the top of the mountain and there below us was a beautiful valley even though we could not see it. It was shrouded in fog as the sun rose in the east and as we sat there contemplated the beauty of creation; the fog began to burn off allowing us to see the valley below. Life is like that you know. You meet someone and if you allow yourself to get to know them, you realize that there is a whole person under that fog of introduction.

After we get what it means to be part of the Body of Christ, after we explore the person we are building a relationship with and begin to truly love one another unconditionally, we must share a new journey. It is becoming Christ for the world. What does it mean to become Christ? I used the word emulate to describe it. The dictionary defines it as to match or surpass usually through imitation. So we are asked to match the love of Jesus through imitation. In other words, we become Christ for the world by imitating Him. When we are confronting with those who are ill, we bring healing. When we are confronted with those who are angry, we find ways to bring peace and harmony. When we are confronted with those wish us harm, we love them unconditionally. Becoming like Jesus means that we find ways to live into the love that God gives us every single moment of every day. Richard Rohr calls it an inner restlessness that sends us looking for our true self. He says that our task is to embody heaven now. Therefore, when someone encounters us they experience heaven, maybe not yet complete, but they get a foretaste of that God intended in the beginning.

So how do we emulate Christ? We do that by first realizing that heaven is not a future experience but the Kingdom of God is here with us. So we begin to release ourselves to this experience. We begin to open ourselves to the reality that Christ is within us and we begin to explore what the fruits of this experience might look like to others. We begin to genuinely love one another. That is a difficult thing to do but it is achievable because Christ showed us how. We find ways to build relationships with one another rather than focusing on the differences in us. We find ways to share and uplift one another, even on the difficult days. Jesus shared this kind of experience with everyone He encountered, why then can’t we? Jesus fought for the underdog, for the marginalized and the oppressed. Can we then do anything less? Jesus shared bread with everyone He encountered. Can we do anything less? Jesus shared His life with us on the cross so that we might experience the freedom to live our lives in relationship with God and one another. Can we do anything less? Emulating Jesus means that we spend our lives imitating Him every day.

We join Jesus where He is already working. We might find Him in the lowest of places where people are hurting the most. Becoming like Jesus means that fruit are evident to those around you. Maybe it is because of the way you deal with adversity. Maybe it is because of the welcome you give to everyone. Maybe it is because of the abundance you share with those in need. Maybe it is because in you there is a spirit that is experienced by those around you that shares that love even if they cannot recognize it or its source. Joining Jesus means that you reach outside your comfort zones to bring God into the places where people have forgotten or forsaken God. Why? Because that is precisely what Disciples do and what we are called to do.

In the city of Chicago, one cold, dark night, a blizzard was setting in. A little boy was selling newspapers on the corner; the people were in and out of the cold. The little boy was so cold that he wasn't trying to sell many papers. He walked up to a policeman and said, "Mister, you wouldn't happen to know where a poor boy could find a warm place to sleep tonight would you? You see, I sleep in a box up around the corner there and down the alley and it's awful cold in there for tonight. Sure would be nice to have a warm place to stay." The policeman looked down at the little boy and said, "You go down the street to that big white house and you knock on the door. When they come out the door you just say John 3:16, and they will let you in."

So he did. He walked up the steps and knocked on the door, and a lady answered. He looked up and said, "John 3:16." The lady said, "Come on in, Son." She took him in and she sat him down in a split bottom rocker  in front of a great big old fireplace, and she went off. The boy sat there for a while and thought to himself: John 3:16....I don't understand it, but it sure makes a cold boy warm. Later she came back and asked him "Are you hungry?" He said, "Well, just a little. I haven't eaten in a couple of days, and I guess I could stand a little bit of food." The lady took him in the kitchen and sat him down to a table full of wonderful food. He ate and ate until he couldn't eat any more. Then he thought to himself: John 3:16... Boy, I sure don't understand it but it sure makes a hungry boy full. She took him upstairs to a bathroom to a huge bathtub filled with warm water, and he sat there and soaked for a while. As he soaked, he thought to himself: John 3:16... I sure don't understand it, but it sure makes a dirty boy clean. You know, I've not had a bath, a real bath, in my whole life. The only bath I ever had
was when I stood in front of that big old fire hydrant as they flushed it out. The lady came in and got him. She took him to a room, tucked him into a big old feather bed, pulled the covers up around his neck, kissed him goodnight and turned out the lights. As he lay in the darkness and looked out the window at the snow coming down on that cold night, he thought to himself: John 3:16... I don't understand it but it sure makes a tired boy rested.

The next morning the lady came back up and took him down again to that same big table full of food. After he ate, she took him back to that same big old split bottom rocker in front of the fireplace and picked up a big old Bible. She sat down in front of him and looked into his young face. "Do you understand John 3:16?" she asked gently. He replied, "No, Ma'am, I don't. The first time I ever heard it was last night when the policeman told me to use it." She opened the Bible to John 3:16 and began to explain to him about Jesus. Right there, in front of that big old fireplace, he gave his heart and life to Jesus. He sat there and thought: John 3:16. .. .. I do not understand it, but it sure makes a lost boy feel safe.

You know, I have to confess I do not understand it either, how God was willing to send His Son to die for me, and how Jesus would agree to do such a thing. I do not understand the agony of the Father and every angel in heaven as they watched Jesus suffer and die. I do not understand the intense love for ME that kept Jesus on the cross till the end.

I don't understand it, but it sure does make life worth living.

John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
 

Job Chapter 8

Click here for audio

Lesson 8

Scripture: Job 42: 7-17

We have come to the point in this study when we close up what we have learned. My hope is that at this point, we have all come to understand the truths of Job more clearly and that understanding or wisdom brings us into closer relationship with God. We finished last section with Job admitting that he was speaking of things he did not understand and his asked for forgiveness. Job repents of this lack of understanding but never admits to some sin that would merit such punishment from God. Rather he repents for saying that God was not administering justice fairly and God is his enemy. But before Elihu speaks, Job (31:23) tells us that his desire to love God comes not from faith alone, but his fear that he would lose all he has. Not surprising, this was Satan’s argument all along and Elihu picks up on this as central to his complaint against Job. But by being faithful in this way, a theology of fear, Job had lost sight of what is important about God. One of the greatest themes of the story is the character of God. So often, especially in our modern world today, we see God as distant and impersonal, an uncaring God who is not part of our world even as we acknowledge that God created it. We see God as having little compassion for our trials and tribulations and our suffering. Or some might argue as Job’s friends argued, God is a judgmental God who causes us to suffer for our sins, something as humans we do all too often. And then we encounter this loving God in the New Testament that forces us into a new perspective of God. But in the story of Job, Job has little or no knowledge of this loving God. Rather, we are given to understand that Job agrees with his friends that suffering is a result of his own sin or that of his ancestors.

            God starts out by rebuking Job’s friends. God challenges the things they said about God. God challenges their compassion of Job and the idea that God would cause Job’s suffering. In order for them to get right with God, they must make penitence with God. Remember that Job had entered into the story as a righteous person in God’s eyes and Satan challenged God that Job was righteous because his life was so good. And Job understood that he was suffering not because of some sin, but because of something other than that. His friends on the other hand had little compassion for Job and refused to believe that Job was blameless. And God responded to Job not by addressing their concerns, but by showing Job a broader perspective of God. And God’s response is a wonderful way to strip away how we view God and show us a greater perspective of who God is. We can no longer look at our lives in terms of good or bad based on material things, but rather that we must look at our lives in the context that we are here to serve God. That is not easy, nor is it worldly rewarding. Rather it is that we are here in the midst of a greater battle of good and evil played out often in the world in front of us and so often we are the actors and actresses in this play. We must deal with the fact that when we are in fact living in this new reality of life, we can neither anticipate nor plan for the future. And suffering is a real part of this world in which we live when we follow Jesus.

            God in his response and throughout this story shows us that God is a God of compassion and a caring and loving God who watches everything we do. God constantly is working in the world limiting Satan’s power in our lives and those around us. Having said that, God does not stop evil from permeating its way into our world. Certainly 9/11 and the events of April 16^th on the VT campus are examples of that evil played out through the actions of humans. What God also wants us to see and understand is that God is fighting that battle for us and often with us. IN our modern perspective (modern here because Job knew nothing of Jesus or did he [allow time]) we have the sacrifice of Jesus through the cross to see this caring, loving and compassionate side of God. But we also must not ever lose sight of the suffering that God was willing to share through Jesus and so we as Christians must accept that suffering is a reality of this life and our journey.

            In the end God restores what Job has lost. But not just what Job has lost, God restores double. In Exodus God decreed for the life of the Israelite, that if they do harm to another that they must return that which was lost in twice the quantity (Ex 22: 1-9).

^NRS Exodus 22:1 When someone steals an ox or a sheep, and slaughters it or sells it, the thief shall pay five oxen for an ox, and four sheep for a sheep. The thief shall make restitution, but if unable to do so, shall be sold for the theft. ² If a thief is found breaking in, and is beaten to death, no bloodguilt is incurred; ³ but if it happens after sunrise, bloodguilt is incurred. ⁴ When the animal, whether ox or donkey or sheep, is found alive in the thief's possession, the thief shall pay double. ⁵ When someone causes a field or vineyard to be grazed over, or lets livestock loose to graze in someone else's field, restitution shall be made from the best in the owner's field or vineyard. ⁶ When fire breaks out and catches in thorns so that the stacked grain or the standing grain or the field is consumed, the one who started the fire shall make full restitution. ⁷ When someone delivers to neighbor money or goods for safekeeping, and they are stolen from the neighbor's house, then the thief, if caught, shall pay double. ⁸ If the thief is not caught, the owner of the house shall be brought before God, to determine whether or not the owner had laid hands on the neighbor's goods. ⁹ In any case of disputed ownership involving ox, donkey, sheep, clothing, or any other loss, of which one party says, "This is mine," the case of both parties shall come before God; the one whom God condemns shall pay double to the other.

And so God makes good in the same way that God has decreed in us. This also shows God’s compassionate and fairness, something that Job had spoken out against. And so we come to this point with several important themes in this story. They are:

1.     Even good Godly people suffer.

2.     Truths that we have been taught, like suffering is the result of sin, are not always true.

3.     One can question, maybe even argue with God if the argument is truthful and honest.

4.     We should love God not for what we might gain, but simply because that is what we must do.

5.     God is God! God is so complex that we can neither fully appreciate nor understand God. Remember, Solomon was given total wisdom and drove him insane.

And as a side note, think about how Job’s story and Jesus story parallel or divert. How can we see Jesus in Job’s story or hear of Jesus there. And how is the story of Job different?

Lesson 8 Questions

Read Job 42: 7-17

Answer the following questions in discussion group:

1.   Why does God rebuke the three friends?

2.   What does he demand of them?

3.   What do you make of the fact that God does not speak about Elihu?

4.   In this whole story, where do you see injustice?

5.   Where do you see justice?

6.   Why did God restore double what had been taken (hint: see Exodus 22: 1-9)?

7.   Tell how the story of Job might parallel the story of Jesus?

8.   What are your final thoughts on the story of Job?