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Sunday, July 21, 2013
Bible Reading: Colossians, Chapter 1 verses 15-20
Gospel Text: Luke, Chapter 10 verse 38
Dear Lord, Thank you for compassionately taking each one of us with our unique worries& distractions, and loving us just as we are… Then, Oh Lord, thank you for calling us to let go of those worries and distractions and to simply Rest in you. Transform our hearts & minds this day. Direct us so that we grow in putting you first, so that we more and more often just can’t wait to sit at your feet, dwelling in Your presence. In your name we pray, Amen.
What is there not to like about this Martha and Mary story? Martha is the one busy in the kitchen. Mary, the one sitting at the feet of Jesus. There is most likely a Mary and Martha part within each one of us. YES. Neither part is necessarily good or bad. Why? What would happen if no one ever was busy in the kitchen? No meals! Potlucks! (Or today at FL! Would not have had the pies last Tuesday, and the meal for hundreds of bikers!) In fact, as a whole group, if Lutherans took this passage literally, well, a lot of being Lutheran would be … gone!
No, shucks, Jesus is not telling us to never fuss in the kitchen. In The Message, his words go like this: “Martha dear Martha you are fussing far too much and getting yourself worked up over nothing. One thing only is essential and Mary has chosen it. It is the main course.” Single minded
devotion to Jesus is the One Thing! There are a bunch of different ways of illustrating this One Thing. Daily quiet time at the feet of Jesus. The One Thing. At Messiah the first hymn “Give me Jesus” That is The One thing. Billy Crystal movie City Slickers, Jack Palance plays cowboy Curly and he puts up his finger… The One Thing…
And just like Martha, we also can let distractions subtly or not so subtly crowd out our devotion to God. What kinds of distractions might we have? God knows our particular ways we let other stuff take a higher priority. How would you finish this sentence: “I was so busy with XYZ
that I didn’t have time to pray.” Well, then we are probably too busy! “Seek ye first the K…” are not scolding words. They are life giving words from Jesus! I want us to feel the compassion in the voice of Jesus to Martha, “Martha dear Martha” Take a moment and close your eyes… Picture Jesus saying your name… Bob oh Bob, Lorraine Oh Lorriane… Sandy Oh Sandy… No judgment or scolding… God loves us too much to not tell us when we are out of balance… but does it w gentle compassion and love.
Mary knows the One Thing is putting Jesus first. And our Colossians text is teamed up w today’s gospel to cement into us why we are encouraged to put Jesus first. And who is this Jesus? Please, take out your bulletin and read w me Col 1:15-20. Wow! When Paul says all of this Big Stuff, he is writing to and I quote, “a small fledging little band of believers … huddled on the fringe of the great Roman Empire.” Life could not have been easy for them. The feel of Paul’s words reminds me of a ML quote shared w us by Pastor Ron… “We are a church that shares
a living daring confidence in God’s grace..” Why sit at the feet of Jesus? Because grace abounds in Jesus, Reconciliation with ALL people, and all animals even. To receive this grace and power of love, we must stop and focus on Jesus. And to pray, Come Lord Jesus, Fill us with YOU, your love, grace, peace, joy…so that we can be vessels of grace! All of a sudden, this is not a should, it is a privilege… What a fellowship, what a joy divine, to lean on the everlasting arms of Jesus, and to sit at his feet!!!
The One Thing allows us to experience the transformative power of Jesus in our lives. WE don’t want to miss this because we are too focused on other stuff!
Another way to describe the ONE Thing is The Kingdom of God (the reign of God) is near to us in Jesus.. You and I are invited to spend our lives opening ourselves to God listening to God as we sit at the feet of Jesus. Paul preaches today in Col that in the end when all is said and done Jesus shall reign and all things shall be united in him. ALL.
Our worries and distractions might always be with us…some days more than others… worries include division, fighting, exclusion, judgment, or just busyness! This simple calming act of sitting at Jesus feet transforms us. IT is vital Sabbath renewing rest!
To close this morns message, I can’t help but share more words from Jesus, about the necessity of sitting at his feet and resting. Jesus says it like this in Matthew 11: “Come to me Jesus all who are weary and are carrying heavy burdens and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find REST for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” There is a rendering of this verse in Aramaic, and I’d like to share that with you now. Aramaic is the language Jesus used: “Come to me all of you, all of
yourself in your frenzied weariness, your movement without end, your action w/o purpose… come enmeshed by what you carry, the cargo taken on by your soul, the burdens you thought you desired which have constantly swollen and now exhaust you. Come like lovers to your first meeting and I will give you peace and renewal after constant stress.” Wowowow. The Aramaic version of Take my yoke upon you and learn of me…goes like this: Jesus saying, “Why not absorb yourself in my work!” That is what it means to sit at the feet of Jesus. Why not absorb yourself in my work Here is newly plowed earth ready for a crop of guidance and illumination. Jump into the whirlpool of wisdom. Wow. That is what it means to sit at the feet of Jesus. Here is the peace you are looking for, the softening of the hearts rigid feelings and thoughts. There’s more. If you haven’t gotten yourself in the sitting at the feet of Jesus position, do so now and hear these words from Jesus: “In my way you will find a refuge of renewable energy within the struggle and grasping of your subconscious soul.” In the way of following Jesus, we find a refuge of renewable energy. Sitting at the feet of Jesus in our daily quiet time of prayer, silence, breathing in the peace of Christ, reading scripture, worshiping God alone or together. This is what allows us to THEN, get back into the kitchen, the classroom, the field, the yard, the living room, the playground… where-ever it is that we need to be. When we’ve had our sitting time, then we are much more likely to be transformed w the image of the invisible God, the image of Jesus pressed deeper upon our heart. We are renewed. “Oh Martha dear Martha you are worried and troubled about many things Only One Thing is essential and Mary knows what it is.” Today you and I are reminded… to sit at the feet of Jesus, to gaze at his face, to sing songs like Beautiful Savior.. King of Creation, Son of God, Son of Man Truly I love thee, truly I’d serve thee, light of my soul, my joy my crown.
Let us sing as if we are at the feet of Jesus ELW 838, LBW
Bible Reading: Colossians, Chapter 1 verses 15-20
Gospel Text: Luke, Chapter 10 verse 38
Dear Lord, Thank you for compassionately taking each one of us with our unique worries& distractions, and loving us just as we are… Then, Oh Lord, thank you for calling us to let go of those worries and distractions and to simply Rest in you. Transform our hearts & minds this day. Direct us so that we grow in putting you first, so that we more and more often just can’t wait to sit at your feet, dwelling in Your presence. In your name we pray, Amen.
What is there not to like about this Martha and Mary story? Martha is the one busy in the kitchen. Mary, the one sitting at the feet of Jesus. There is most likely a Mary and Martha part within each one of us. YES. Neither part is necessarily good or bad. Why? What would happen if no one ever was busy in the kitchen? No meals! Potlucks! (Or today at FL! Would not have had the pies last Tuesday, and the meal for hundreds of bikers!) In fact, as a whole group, if Lutherans took this passage literally, well, a lot of being Lutheran would be … gone!
No, shucks, Jesus is not telling us to never fuss in the kitchen. In The Message, his words go like this: “Martha dear Martha you are fussing far too much and getting yourself worked up over nothing. One thing only is essential and Mary has chosen it. It is the main course.” Single minded
devotion to Jesus is the One Thing! There are a bunch of different ways of illustrating this One Thing. Daily quiet time at the feet of Jesus. The One Thing. At Messiah the first hymn “Give me Jesus” That is The One thing. Billy Crystal movie City Slickers, Jack Palance plays cowboy Curly and he puts up his finger… The One Thing…
And just like Martha, we also can let distractions subtly or not so subtly crowd out our devotion to God. What kinds of distractions might we have? God knows our particular ways we let other stuff take a higher priority. How would you finish this sentence: “I was so busy with XYZ
that I didn’t have time to pray.” Well, then we are probably too busy! “Seek ye first the K…” are not scolding words. They are life giving words from Jesus! I want us to feel the compassion in the voice of Jesus to Martha, “Martha dear Martha” Take a moment and close your eyes… Picture Jesus saying your name… Bob oh Bob, Lorraine Oh Lorriane… Sandy Oh Sandy… No judgment or scolding… God loves us too much to not tell us when we are out of balance… but does it w gentle compassion and love.
Mary knows the One Thing is putting Jesus first. And our Colossians text is teamed up w today’s gospel to cement into us why we are encouraged to put Jesus first. And who is this Jesus? Please, take out your bulletin and read w me Col 1:15-20. Wow! When Paul says all of this Big Stuff, he is writing to and I quote, “a small fledging little band of believers … huddled on the fringe of the great Roman Empire.” Life could not have been easy for them. The feel of Paul’s words reminds me of a ML quote shared w us by Pastor Ron… “We are a church that shares
a living daring confidence in God’s grace..” Why sit at the feet of Jesus? Because grace abounds in Jesus, Reconciliation with ALL people, and all animals even. To receive this grace and power of love, we must stop and focus on Jesus. And to pray, Come Lord Jesus, Fill us with YOU, your love, grace, peace, joy…so that we can be vessels of grace! All of a sudden, this is not a should, it is a privilege… What a fellowship, what a joy divine, to lean on the everlasting arms of Jesus, and to sit at his feet!!!
The One Thing allows us to experience the transformative power of Jesus in our lives. WE don’t want to miss this because we are too focused on other stuff!
Another way to describe the ONE Thing is The Kingdom of God (the reign of God) is near to us in Jesus.. You and I are invited to spend our lives opening ourselves to God listening to God as we sit at the feet of Jesus. Paul preaches today in Col that in the end when all is said and done Jesus shall reign and all things shall be united in him. ALL.
Our worries and distractions might always be with us…some days more than others… worries include division, fighting, exclusion, judgment, or just busyness! This simple calming act of sitting at Jesus feet transforms us. IT is vital Sabbath renewing rest!
To close this morns message, I can’t help but share more words from Jesus, about the necessity of sitting at his feet and resting. Jesus says it like this in Matthew 11: “Come to me Jesus all who are weary and are carrying heavy burdens and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find REST for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” There is a rendering of this verse in Aramaic, and I’d like to share that with you now. Aramaic is the language Jesus used: “Come to me all of you, all of
yourself in your frenzied weariness, your movement without end, your action w/o purpose… come enmeshed by what you carry, the cargo taken on by your soul, the burdens you thought you desired which have constantly swollen and now exhaust you. Come like lovers to your first meeting and I will give you peace and renewal after constant stress.” Wowowow. The Aramaic version of Take my yoke upon you and learn of me…goes like this: Jesus saying, “Why not absorb yourself in my work!” That is what it means to sit at the feet of Jesus. Why not absorb yourself in my work Here is newly plowed earth ready for a crop of guidance and illumination. Jump into the whirlpool of wisdom. Wow. That is what it means to sit at the feet of Jesus. Here is the peace you are looking for, the softening of the hearts rigid feelings and thoughts. There’s more. If you haven’t gotten yourself in the sitting at the feet of Jesus position, do so now and hear these words from Jesus: “In my way you will find a refuge of renewable energy within the struggle and grasping of your subconscious soul.” In the way of following Jesus, we find a refuge of renewable energy. Sitting at the feet of Jesus in our daily quiet time of prayer, silence, breathing in the peace of Christ, reading scripture, worshiping God alone or together. This is what allows us to THEN, get back into the kitchen, the classroom, the field, the yard, the living room, the playground… where-ever it is that we need to be. When we’ve had our sitting time, then we are much more likely to be transformed w the image of the invisible God, the image of Jesus pressed deeper upon our heart. We are renewed. “Oh Martha dear Martha you are worried and troubled about many things Only One Thing is essential and Mary knows what it is.” Today you and I are reminded… to sit at the feet of Jesus, to gaze at his face, to sing songs like Beautiful Savior.. King of Creation, Son of God, Son of Man Truly I love thee, truly I’d serve thee, light of my soul, my joy my crown.
Let us sing as if we are at the feet of Jesus ELW 838, LBW
Sunday, July 14, 2013
Gospel Text: Luke, Chapter 10. Verses 25-37
Dear Lord,
As we hear the story of the Good Samaritan, show us anew, how you always care for those in need. Remind us that we could be the one, hopeless and left for dead in the ditch. May each one of us envision your kind compassion for ourselves and for all people.. Then, Out of deep gratitude, help us go and do likewise. In your name, we pray, Amen.
In this story let’s look at the characters: Robbers: the ones who stripped and beat a man, leaving him half dead. In modern terms, the robbers are horrible bullies! Then we have the guy in the ditch, the victim. Bullies and victim a straight forward story. It gets complicated when we look at how to respond. Some say that we are wired for two ways of responding: fight or flight. Flight means to flee. Who fled in this story? The religious people. For whatever reason they did not see a neighbor in the ditch. They turned their eyes and walked on by. They fled-Flight.
The fight response is not listed in this Bible story, but we know what fighting looks like: “Find the no good sons-of-guns who did this bad deed, and punch the living daylights out of them-and teach them a lesson.” That is the Fight response. In today’s story Jesus describes a third way:
Show compassion to the person in need.
A standard question when reading this story is: Which character do you most identify with? The lawyer who asked the Question, the religious people who walked by? The good Samaritan? OR Could it be that Jesus wants us to identify with the person in ditch, the person-hopeless and left for dead? What if Jesus tells the story to show that God in Christ is the Good Samaritan who embraces us with the tender compassion? Who is my neighbor? Everyone and Everyone deserves love and compassion.
When we relate the most to how God loves that person in the ditch, and when we realize that could have been me, our whole perspective changes and we are transformed. That could have been me who is hopeless, could be me who got the cancer diagnosis, could have been me who got bullied. When we hear the story and realize that God’s love is always the key.
The story does NOT tell us why the beating up had to happen. We don’t get that. And that is true in life. WE do not get reasons why some people are bullied. I can’t tell you why some get cancer, house fires, robberies, etc. Jesus doesn’t explain it, but Jesus says that God’s purpose is to help in this messy world. We followers of Jesus are asked to “Go and do likewise.”
IF we help because we should then we will burn out! If we help out of an attitude of gratitude that goes like this: “Since by grace, I’m not in the ditch, so for sure, the least I can do is to help that person out!” Our helping will be richer when it comes from I want to rather than I should
help. Back to the religious people who did not help. We will never know their reasons. WE can speculate but let’s not judge them. Let’s focus instead on how gracious God is! Let’s live our lives with a prayer something like this “Oh Lord transform our hearts so that we live our lives experiencing you and your love! Oh Lord, we are so thankful to be loved by you just as we are, so therefore by grace, we want to love because we’ve first been loved.”
Now today’s gospel text is teamed up with Paul’s words to the people of Colossai. Paul is writing about what happens after we accept God’s grace! Then what? Well, read with me -Pretend that Paul and Tim are writing to us!
1. To the faithful brothers & sisters in Christ in Washburn & Port Wing! Our prayers for you are always spilling into thanksgiving… We keep getting reports on your steady faith in Christ and the love you continuously extend to all.... From the very first day you heard and recognized the truth of what God is doing, you have been hungry for more. Starting with gratitude to God for God’s grace, then, let us pray:
Dear Lord: By the power of your Holy Spirit, May others see our steady faith in YOU May others see the love we continuously extend to all. May we be ever growing in our HUNGER and desire for You!
What if Paul and Tim continued to write to us and say:
2. Be assured that from the first day we heard of you, we haven’t stopped praying for you. We ask God to give you wise minds and spirits attuned to God’s will. We are praying that you acquire a thorough understanding of the ways in which God works. We pray that you will live well for the Master, making him proud of you as you work hard in his orchard. As you learn more and more how God works (as in how God in Christ loves everyone, even if we are hopeless and left for dead) you will learn how to do your work. These verses. Take us from the Good Samaritan story to our own prayer life where we can pray daily: Lord, give us wise minds and spirits attuned to your will. Lord, help us grow in understanding how you work so that we grow in learning how to do our work! Lord, help us to live well for you!
What if Paul and Tim continued to say to us:
3. We pray that you will have the strength to stick it out over the long haul, not the grim strength of gritting your teeth but the glory strength
God gives. It is strength that endures the unendurable and spills over into joy, thanking the Father who makes us strong enough to take part in everything bright and beautiful that God has for us.
Dear Lord: Grant to us Your strength! Help us see that you give strength that not only endures hard stuff; help us see that in and through you, there can be joy!
This is a lot in one sermon, I know. To summarize: What if Jesus told the Good Samaritan story to get us to focus on God’s grace? That we are the one in the ditch and God saved us, so that, to live a life of following Jesus. Our service always stems from Gratitude and Grace? What if??
Service out of gratitude. Might there be a day when we do not help the person in the ditch? YES, perhaps. The story is about God’s grace, not about a list of shoulds to get into heaven…God’s grace…for you, and for me…amazing grace. We pray for a servant heart which is two-fold as the next hymn suggests when burnout happens when we surrender all and simply trust that God will use us. Let us end with this prayer:
Sisters and brothers: Both your work and your rest are in God. Will you endeavor to pattern your life on the Lord Jesus Christ, in gratitude to God and in service to others, at morning and evening, at work and at play, all the days of your life?
C: I will and I ask God to help me.
We pray: Almighty God by the power of the Spirit you’ve knit us into the one body of your Son Jesus Christ. Look with favor upon us in our commitment to serve in Christ’s name. Give us courage, patience, and vision; and strengthen us all in our Christian vocation of witness
to the world and of service to others; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Gospel Text: Luke, Chapter 10. Verses 25-37
Dear Lord,
As we hear the story of the Good Samaritan, show us anew, how you always care for those in need. Remind us that we could be the one, hopeless and left for dead in the ditch. May each one of us envision your kind compassion for ourselves and for all people.. Then, Out of deep gratitude, help us go and do likewise. In your name, we pray, Amen.
In this story let’s look at the characters: Robbers: the ones who stripped and beat a man, leaving him half dead. In modern terms, the robbers are horrible bullies! Then we have the guy in the ditch, the victim. Bullies and victim a straight forward story. It gets complicated when we look at how to respond. Some say that we are wired for two ways of responding: fight or flight. Flight means to flee. Who fled in this story? The religious people. For whatever reason they did not see a neighbor in the ditch. They turned their eyes and walked on by. They fled-Flight.
The fight response is not listed in this Bible story, but we know what fighting looks like: “Find the no good sons-of-guns who did this bad deed, and punch the living daylights out of them-and teach them a lesson.” That is the Fight response. In today’s story Jesus describes a third way:
Show compassion to the person in need.
A standard question when reading this story is: Which character do you most identify with? The lawyer who asked the Question, the religious people who walked by? The good Samaritan? OR Could it be that Jesus wants us to identify with the person in ditch, the person-hopeless and left for dead? What if Jesus tells the story to show that God in Christ is the Good Samaritan who embraces us with the tender compassion? Who is my neighbor? Everyone and Everyone deserves love and compassion.
When we relate the most to how God loves that person in the ditch, and when we realize that could have been me, our whole perspective changes and we are transformed. That could have been me who is hopeless, could be me who got the cancer diagnosis, could have been me who got bullied. When we hear the story and realize that God’s love is always the key.
The story does NOT tell us why the beating up had to happen. We don’t get that. And that is true in life. WE do not get reasons why some people are bullied. I can’t tell you why some get cancer, house fires, robberies, etc. Jesus doesn’t explain it, but Jesus says that God’s purpose is to help in this messy world. We followers of Jesus are asked to “Go and do likewise.”
IF we help because we should then we will burn out! If we help out of an attitude of gratitude that goes like this: “Since by grace, I’m not in the ditch, so for sure, the least I can do is to help that person out!” Our helping will be richer when it comes from I want to rather than I should
help. Back to the religious people who did not help. We will never know their reasons. WE can speculate but let’s not judge them. Let’s focus instead on how gracious God is! Let’s live our lives with a prayer something like this “Oh Lord transform our hearts so that we live our lives experiencing you and your love! Oh Lord, we are so thankful to be loved by you just as we are, so therefore by grace, we want to love because we’ve first been loved.”
Now today’s gospel text is teamed up with Paul’s words to the people of Colossai. Paul is writing about what happens after we accept God’s grace! Then what? Well, read with me -Pretend that Paul and Tim are writing to us!
1. To the faithful brothers & sisters in Christ in Washburn & Port Wing! Our prayers for you are always spilling into thanksgiving… We keep getting reports on your steady faith in Christ and the love you continuously extend to all.... From the very first day you heard and recognized the truth of what God is doing, you have been hungry for more. Starting with gratitude to God for God’s grace, then, let us pray:
Dear Lord: By the power of your Holy Spirit, May others see our steady faith in YOU May others see the love we continuously extend to all. May we be ever growing in our HUNGER and desire for You!
What if Paul and Tim continued to write to us and say:
2. Be assured that from the first day we heard of you, we haven’t stopped praying for you. We ask God to give you wise minds and spirits attuned to God’s will. We are praying that you acquire a thorough understanding of the ways in which God works. We pray that you will live well for the Master, making him proud of you as you work hard in his orchard. As you learn more and more how God works (as in how God in Christ loves everyone, even if we are hopeless and left for dead) you will learn how to do your work. These verses. Take us from the Good Samaritan story to our own prayer life where we can pray daily: Lord, give us wise minds and spirits attuned to your will. Lord, help us grow in understanding how you work so that we grow in learning how to do our work! Lord, help us to live well for you!
What if Paul and Tim continued to say to us:
3. We pray that you will have the strength to stick it out over the long haul, not the grim strength of gritting your teeth but the glory strength
God gives. It is strength that endures the unendurable and spills over into joy, thanking the Father who makes us strong enough to take part in everything bright and beautiful that God has for us.
Dear Lord: Grant to us Your strength! Help us see that you give strength that not only endures hard stuff; help us see that in and through you, there can be joy!
This is a lot in one sermon, I know. To summarize: What if Jesus told the Good Samaritan story to get us to focus on God’s grace? That we are the one in the ditch and God saved us, so that, to live a life of following Jesus. Our service always stems from Gratitude and Grace? What if??
Service out of gratitude. Might there be a day when we do not help the person in the ditch? YES, perhaps. The story is about God’s grace, not about a list of shoulds to get into heaven…God’s grace…for you, and for me…amazing grace. We pray for a servant heart which is two-fold as the next hymn suggests when burnout happens when we surrender all and simply trust that God will use us. Let us end with this prayer:
Sisters and brothers: Both your work and your rest are in God. Will you endeavor to pattern your life on the Lord Jesus Christ, in gratitude to God and in service to others, at morning and evening, at work and at play, all the days of your life?
C: I will and I ask God to help me.
We pray: Almighty God by the power of the Spirit you’ve knit us into the one body of your Son Jesus Christ. Look with favor upon us in our commitment to serve in Christ’s name. Give us courage, patience, and vision; and strengthen us all in our Christian vocation of witness
to the world and of service to others; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
