Luke 19:28-40 "The Stones Would Shout Out", sermon given on Palm Sunday, April 14, 2019

This past Sunday was as we all should know, 'Palm Sunday', and of course one is nearly entirely obligated to preach over the 'Triumphant Entry' of Christ into Jerusalem.  Those gathered that day fully expect and are ready to hear once again the story of Christ parading into the Holy City in full confrontation of the powers that would be... and thus I chose not to disappoint.

However, my sermon concerning Jesus riding in on a young colt took a turn that I suspect few of those gathered had ever heard or even were aware of.  My sermon focused upon the last verse of the chosen text, verse 40: 40 He answered, “I tell you, if these were silent, the stones would shout out.

"The stones would shout out"... I suspect that most of us 'modern day' Christians hear this verse and believe that what Jesus is getting at is that he has the power to make inanimate objects come to life and that they would then proclaim him to be the Messiah.  But, I'm fairly certain that this is not at all what Jesus meant nor how a first century Jew would have understood this verse.

One of our biggest weaknesses in being so far removed from the scriptures both culturally and geographically is that we don't know and thus miss much of the subtleties and complexities of Scripture.  In this story, Jesus has just entered or is just about to enter Jerusalem, he has come down the Mount of Olives and passed by what was already in his time the oldest and largest cemetery in the area of Jerusalem.  At the time of Jesus, this cemetery had already been in use for over 1,000 years (it's still in use today) and was therefore ancient.

It's also the place where those Jews that believed in the resurrection of the dead believed that the general resurrection would begin.  These stones were placed as a witness to these faithful souls buried there... these souls that hoped... believed... that they would be witness to the very beginning of the coming of the Messiah.  These are the stones that Jesus is invoking as a witness to his coming into Jerusalem.

Below please find the verses over which I preached and the supporting verses that I had prepared for the sermon.  I didn't end up using all of them, I tend to have verses ready and then see where the spirit leads me in my sermon.  They are provided for your use and or contemplation.  There is also a link to information about the cemetery by the Mount of Olives for your information as well.

Please take a few moments and give the sermon a listen, thank you for swinging through this little blog and as always...

Be a blessing to someone today!

In His Glory & Grace,
Roy

Luke 19:28-40 New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)
Jesus’ Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem
28 After he had said this, he went on ahead, going up to Jerusalem.

29 When he had come near Bethphage and Bethany, at the place called the Mount of Olives, he sent two of the disciples, 30 saying, “Go into the village ahead of you, and as you enter it you will find tied there a colt that has never been ridden. Untie it and bring it here. 31 If anyone asks you, ‘Why are you untying it?’ just say this, ‘The Lord needs it.’” 32 So those who were sent departed and found it as he had told them. 33 As they were untying the colt, its owners asked them, “Why are you untying the colt?” 34 They said, “The Lord needs it.” 35 Then they brought it to Jesus; and after throwing their cloaks on the colt, they set Jesus on it. 36 As he rode along, people kept spreading their cloaks on the road. 37 As he was now approaching the path down from the Mount of Olives, the whole multitude of the disciples began to praise God joyfully with a loud voice for all the deeds of power that they had seen, 38 saying,

“Blessed is the king
    who comes in the name of the Lord!
Peace in heaven,
    and glory in the highest heaven!”


39 Some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to him, “Teacher, order your disciples to stop.” 40 He answered, “I tell you, if these were silent, the stones would shout out.”

Jewish Cemetery - Mount of Olives

Luke 19:11-27 New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)
The Parable of the Ten Pounds
11 As they were listening to this, he went on to tell a parable, because he was near Jerusalem, and because they supposed that the kingdom of God was to appear immediately. 12 So he said, “A nobleman went to a distant country to get royal power for himself and then return. 13 He summoned ten of his slaves, and gave them ten pounds,[a] and said to them, ‘Do business with these until I come back.’ 14 But the citizens of his country hated him and sent a delegation after him, saying, ‘We do not want this man to rule over us.’ 15 When he returned, having received royal power, he ordered these slaves, to whom he had given the money, to be summoned so that he might find out what they had gained by trading. 16 The first came forward and said, ‘Lord, your pound has made ten more pounds.’ 17 He said to him, ‘Well done, good slave! Because you have been trustworthy in a very small thing, take charge of ten cities.’ 18 Then the second came, saying, ‘Lord, your pound has made five pounds.’ 19 He said to him, ‘And you, rule over five cities.’ 20 Then the other came, saying, ‘Lord, here is your pound. I wrapped it up in a piece of cloth, 21 for I was afraid of you, because you are a harsh man; you take what you did not deposit, and reap what you did not sow.’ 22 He said to him, ‘I will judge you by your own words, you wicked slave! You knew, did you, that I was a harsh man, taking what I did not deposit and reaping what I did not sow? 23 Why then did you not put my money into the bank? Then when I returned, I could have collected it with interest.’ 24 He said to the bystanders, ‘Take the pound from him and give it to the one who has ten pounds.’ 25 (And they said to him, ‘Lord, he has ten pounds!’) 26 ‘I tell you, to all those who have, more will be given; but from those who have nothing, even what they have will be taken away. 27 But as for these enemies of mine who did not want me to be king over them—bring them here and slaughter them in my presence.’”

Genesis 31:44-51 Revised Standard Version (RSV)
44 Come now, let us make a covenant, you and I; and let it be a witness between you and me.” 45 So Jacob took a stone, and set it up as a pillar. 46 And Jacob said to his kinsmen, “Gather stones,” and they took stones, and made a heap; and they ate there by the heap. 47 Laban called it Je′gar-sahadu′tha:[a] but Jacob called it Galeed. (heap & witness) 48 Laban said, “This heap is a witness between you and me today.” Therefore he named it Galeed, 49 and the pillar[c] Mizpah,[d] for he said, “The Lord watch between you and me, when we are absent one from the other. 50 If you ill-treat my daughters, or if you take wives besides my daughters, although no man is with us, remember, God is witness between you and me.”
51 Then Laban said to Jacob, “See this heap and the pillar, which I have set between you and me.

Matthew 27:52-53 New King James Version (NKJV)
52 and the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised; 53 and coming out of the graves after His resurrection, they went into the holy city and appeared to many.

1 Peter 2:1-6 New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)
The Living Stone and a Chosen People
2 Rid yourselves, therefore, of all malice, and all guile, insincerity, envy, and all slander. 2 Like newborn infants, long for the pure, spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow into salvation— 3 if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is good.
4 Come to him, a living stone, though rejected by mortals yet chosen and precious in God’s sight, and 5 like living stones, let yourselves be built[a]into a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. 6 For it stands in scripture:
“See, I am laying in Zion a stone,
    a cornerstone chosen and precious;
and whoever believes in him[b] will not be put to shame.”

Luke 19:41-48 New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)
Jesus Weeps over Jerusalem
41 As he came near and saw the city, he wept over it, 42 saying, “If you, even you, had only recognized on this day the things that make for peace! But now they are hidden from your eyes. 43 Indeed, the days will come upon you, when your enemies will set up ramparts around you and surround you, and hem you in on every side. 44 They will crush you to the ground, you and your children within you, and they will not leave within you one stone upon another; because you did not recognize the time of your visitation from God.”[a]
Jesus Cleanses the Temple
45 Then he entered the temple and began to drive out those who were selling things there; 46 and he said, “It is written,
‘My house shall be a house of prayer’;
    but you have made it a den of robbers.”
47 Every day he was teaching in the temple. The chief priests, the scribes, and the leaders of the people kept looking for a way to kill him; 48 but they did not find anything they could do, for all the people were spellbound by what they heard.

Zechariah 9:9 New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)
The Coming Ruler of God’s People
9 Rejoice greatly, O daughter Zion!
    Shout aloud, O daughter Jerusalem!
Lo, your king comes to you;
    triumphant and victorious is he,
humble and riding on a donkey,

    on a colt, the foal of a donkey.

Palm Sunday 2016

This past Sunday was, of course, Palm Sunday.  The Scripture which I chose to preach over from the Lectionary was Luke 19:28-40; the "Triumphant Entry" into Jerusalem.  This was one of my longest sermons here at Woodlawn Christian and was honestly a bit rambling.  I've attached the video of the sermon for those that wish to take a listen.  Before I go any further, let's take a look at the Scripture itself...

Luke 19:28-40 New Revised Standard Version

Jesus’ Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem

28 After he had said this, he went on ahead, going up to Jerusalem.

29 When he had come near Bethphage and Bethany, at the place called the Mount of Olives, he sent two of the disciples, 30 saying, “Go into the village ahead of you, and as you enter it you will find tied there a colt that has never been ridden. Untie it and bring it here. 31 If anyone asks you, ‘Why are you untying it?’ just say this, ‘The Lord needs it.’” 32 So those who were sent departed and found it as he had told them. 33 As they were untying the colt, its owners asked them, “Why are you untying the colt?” 34 They said, “The Lord needs it.” 35 Then they brought it to Jesus; and after throwing their cloaks on the colt, they set Jesus on it. 36 As he rode along, people kept spreading their cloaks on the road. 37 As he was now approaching the path down from the Mount of Olives, the whole multitude of the disciples began to praise God joyfully with a loud voice for all the deeds of power that they had seen, 38 saying,

“Blessed is the king

    who comes in the name of the Lord!

Peace in heaven,

    and glory in the highest heaven!”

39 Some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to him, “Teacher, order your disciples to stop.” 40 He answered, “I tell you, if these were silent, the stones would shout out.”

Jesus has entered Jerusalem from the East on this first Palm Sunday, as Borg and Crossan point out in their wonderful book "The Last Week", Pontius Pilate would have entered the city in or around the same time period from the West side of Jerusalem.  One is a peasant procession and the other a Roman military parade.  One is a symbol of peace and grace, the other a display of power and might... where might makes right and the end justifies the means, the means of which is violence and power. 

Luke chooses to mention the 'multitude of the disciples' in his version of the entry into Jerusalem.  Let's think just a moment about those 'disciples'.  Among this motley and varied group we have a tax collector, some fisherman, and at least, one Zealot (personally I believe that there are two Zealots, those being Simon the Zealot and Judas Iscariot).

We often think of Jesus' message as being favored by the disadvantaged and down-trodden.  But, this isn't always the case, if we look at Lazarus and his two sisters we find a family that must have had some means available to them.  The perfume that Mary anoints Christ with is estimated at a value in today's dollars of $12,000 or more, this would seem to indicate some degree of wealth that would be beyond what we normally think of for Jesus' closest followers.  Then let us remember Joseph of Arimathea who provided a brand new tomb to be used for Jesus' body, along with Nicodemus who brought along close to one hundred pounds of spices to anoint the body.  I know that spices aren't cheap in today's world and I can't imagine them being any more of a bargain in the first century....What I'm driving for is that Jesus' following was much, much more diverse than we are used to considering.

We live in a world with a great deal of diversity in who we are and how we interpret Christ's message.  But, if we look at the original disciples and followers of Christ we see just as diverse of a group.  They literally came from every walk of life, with various political beliefs, different economic situations, different sexes, and different stages in their lifetimes.  This Christ of ours had something for them all and just the same he has something for all of us today.

One of the things that I always liked about the American Baptist denomination and which I also find equally among the Disciples of Christ is this steadfast belief in the autonomy of individual congregations and individual believers.  I absolutely love it that we can have a fundamentalist sitting in the same pew as the most liberal christian worshiping together on a Sunday morning.  This diversity makes us stronger and wiser.

Stronger and wiser as long as we remain respectful of each others diversity and are willing to be in dialogue with each other.  One of my own quotes is that "I'll never learn anything if I only talk to people I agree with".

God's blessings to you all and have a wonderful Holy Week!

Be a blessing to someone today!

In His Grace & Love,

Roy 

The 5th Sunday of Lent - John 12:1-8 - Mary's Lavish Expression of Love for Jesus

This past Sunday the piece of scripture which I selected from the Lectionary offerings was the 12th Chapter of the Gospel of John, verses 1 through 8.  This passage concerns a 'celebration supper' in the home of Lazarus, Martha and Mary.  The celebration is due to Jesus having raised Lazarus from the grave in the previous Chapter in the Gospel story.

But, before we go any further, let's take a look at the verses themselves...

John 12:1-8  (NRSV)  "Mary Anoints Jesus"

12 Six days before the Passover Jesus came to Bethany, the home of Lazarus, whom he had raised from the dead. 2 There they gave a dinner for him. Martha served, and Lazarus was one of those at the table with him. 3 Mary took a pound of costly perfume made of pure nard, anointed Jesus’ feet, and wiped them with her hair. The house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume. 4 But Judas Iscariot, one of his disciples (the one who was about to betray him), said, 5 “Why was this perfume not sold for three hundred denarii and the money given to the poor?” 6 (He said this not because he cared about the poor, but because he was a thief; he kept the common purse and used to steal what was put into it.) 7 Jesus said, “Leave her alone. She bought it so that she might keep it for the day of my burial. 8 You always have the poor with you, but you do not always have me.”

So, here we have Mary once again at the feet of Christ just as we found her in Luke 10:39.  But, here in John we find Mary not focused upon Jesus' words and teachings, but rather in a state of worship and adoration.  Mary is anointing Jesus' feet with a very fine and very pricey perfume.   Modern commentaries estimate that this perfume's volume was approximately 12 ounces and if we were to convert the value to our modern dollar it would be somewhere in the range of $12,000.00, a pretty pricey product to say the very least.

This is extremely lavish love that she is heaping upon Jesus, and to make it even more startling... she is using her own hair to wipe this precious ointment upon his feet.  Now, there are a number of things that we can take away from this passage (and I've gone deeper into this in the actual sermon, the video is linked) but perhaps the most poignant is the lavishness and intimacy of this act.

Mary does not care what others may consider of her act, she has let her hair down in order to be even nearer to her beloved Lord Jesus.  Now, we need to remember that in Jewish culture an adult woman (other than a prostitute) would never let her hair down in any company other than that of her husband.  Here she has let her hair down and has used it to apply this very expensive perfume to Christ's feet.  This is an act of intimate and lavish love... this is a model of how we are to love our Lord in like fashion.  Not in a literal reenactment of this scene but rather in our spirit, we are called to love our Lord intimately and lavishly... just as our God loves us.  God loves each of us with an intimacy and a lavishness that is beyond our own comprehension.

Also in these verses we see Judas reacting to this extreme display of excess.  He rightly points out that from a strictly pragmatic stance, this is wasteful behavior, but the Gospel writer quickly points out that Judas' heart wasn't in the right place, rather than being worried about the poor, he only wanted the monies in the common purse so he could have access to them.  Jesus steps in on Mary's behalf and defends this extreme act of worship, he rightly points out that there will always be poor in this world but he in the flesh would not always be among us. (of course in spirit he remains with us always)

Here we see Judas criticizing how Mary has chosen to display and act in her devotion and worship of her Lord; perhaps we can take away from this exchange the thought that we should never let others opinions or criticism influence how we feel compelled to live out our worship, love and adoration of our all loving and gracious God.  Let us never be afraid to publicly, lavishly and intimately love our Lord.

Remember to be a blessing to someone today!

In Christ!
Roy  

The Parable of the Prodigal Son, March 6th - 4th Sunday of Lent 2016

This Sunday the Lectionary's Gospel verses came from the 15th Chapter of Luke.  The verses covered three of Christ's parables; the parable of the lost sheep, the parable of the lost coin, and the parable that most of us know as 'the Prodigal Son'.  I will confess that Luke is my personal favorite of the four Gospels, and one of the reasons for this is it is the only book that relays the parable of the Prodigal Son.  It has long been my opinion that it is virtually impossible to grasp the true nature of our all loving God without the parable of the Prodigal Son.  Here in this story (with no small assist by the two preceding parables) is I believe the clearest and most concise illustration of the greatest characteristic and primary attribute of our God and Father in Heaven.

The parable of the Prodigal Son is found at the very center of the Gospel of Luke as written in Greek.  This is significant to note as so very often in Scripture the 'meat of the matter' is found in the center of the writing.  There can be no doubt that to Luke this story is literally and figuratively central to the message of Jesus in Luke's eyes and in his writing.

So, let's take a look at the scripture containing these three parables:

Luke 15  New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)

The Parable of the Lost Sheep
15 Now all the tax collectors and sinners were coming near to listen to him. 2 And the Pharisees and the scribes were grumbling and saying, “This fellow welcomes sinners and eats with them.”

3 So he told them this parable: 4 “Which one of you, having a hundred sheep and losing one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness and go after the one that is lost until he finds it? 5 When he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders and rejoices. 6 And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and neighbors, saying to them, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep that was lost.’ 7 Just so, I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance.

The Parable of the Lost Coin
8 “Or what woman having ten silver coins, if she loses one of them, does not light a lamp, sweep the house, and search carefully until she finds it? 9 When she has found it, she calls together her friends and neighbors, saying, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found the coin that I had lost.’ 10 Just so, I tell you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”

The Parable of the Prodigal and His Brother
11 Then Jesus said, “There was a man who had two sons. 12 The younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the share of the property that will belong to me.’ So he divided his property between them. 13 A few days later the younger son gathered all he had and traveled to a distant country, and there he squandered his property in dissolute living. 14 When he had spent everything, a severe famine took place throughout that country, and he began to be in need. 15 So he went and hired himself out to one of the citizens of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed the pigs. 16 He would gladly have filled himself with the pods that the pigs were eating; and no one gave him anything. 17 But when he came to himself he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired hands have bread enough and to spare, but here I am dying of hunger! 18 I will get up and go to my father, and I will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you; 19 I am no longer worthy to be called your son; treat me like one of your hired hands.”’ 20 So he set off and went to his father. But while he was still far off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion; he ran and put his arms around him and kissed him. 21 Then the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you; I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ 22 But the father said to his slaves, ‘Quickly, bring out a robe—the best one—and put it on him; put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. 23 And get the fatted calf and kill it, and let us eat and celebrate; 24 for this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found!’ And they began to celebrate.


25 “Now his elder son was in the field; and when he came and approached the house, he heard music and dancing. 26 He called one of the slaves and asked what was going on. 27 He replied, ‘Your brother has come, and your father has killed the fatted calf, because he has got him back safe and sound.’ 28 Then he became angry and refused to go in. His father came out and began to plead with him. 29 But he answered his father, ‘Listen! For all these years I have been working like a slave for you, and I have never disobeyed your command; yet you have never given me even a young goat so that I might celebrate with my friends. 30 But when this son of yours came back, who has devoured your property with prostitutes, you killed the fatted calf for him!’ 31 Then the father said to him, ‘Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours. 32 But we had to celebrate and rejoice, because this brother of yours was dead and has come to life; he was lost and has been found.’”

Now, let's take a look at this bit of scripture, we'll first turn our attention to the third parable, the story of the Prodigal Son. Obviously, the first thing that we have going on here is the younger son's complete lack of respect or regard for his father.  His statement to his father on wanting his inheritance immediately is basically saying to the father "your wealth is more important to me than you are, I wish you were dead so I could have the money that is entitled to me"; this incredible request is callused to say the very least.

The next thing which is equally amazing is that the father acquiesces to his young son's unreasonable demand.  The father gives the son his share of the father's property, which under Jewish tradition would have been a third of all that the father possessed.  Under Jewish custom the eldest son would be entitled to a double portion, in other words, two-thirds of the fathers estate.  Given this property, the younger son liquidates the assets and takes off to parts unknown with the cash in hand.

To add injury to insult the young boy goes off to foreign lands (gentile territory) and proceeds to waste his inheritance on wine, women and song... and to make it all even worse... that's gentile wine, women, and song.  He's not even blowing his money on naughty Jewish girls these are gentile strumpets he's carousing with.  In short order, he's blown through the cash and he finds himself in the worst possible situation that a 'good' Jewish boy can find himself in... he's tending to swine!

At last the boy comes to his senses (a little late as everyone notes) and realizes that he needs to go back home.  Back home perhaps his kind father will allow him to live in the household as a servant or slave.

The boy heads home and is barely upon the horizon when his father spies him on the road.  Immediately, the father forgets all decorum and runs to the boy, he throws his arms around his son and kisses him in sheer joy! The son tries to offer up his wager of being a servant to the father... but, the father simply ignores this suggestion.  

Bear in mind during all of this that the son has been off in gentile territory, carrying on with gentile women.  And whereas the father realistically couldn't have known that he had been tending to hogs... we the readers (listeners in Jesus' day) know, and we are horrified, for the son is about as ritually unclean as one can be.  The father disregards all this uncleanliness and freely and spontaneously embraces his lost son.

The father quickly turns and calls to a servant (who no doubt has come running when he saw his master running, which is something that no adult Jewish male EVER did, and this bears no small amount of notice), for the servant to fetch immediately three items.  Now... we need to carefully examine these three items because they are very important to the understanding of this extremely vital parable. 

The first item that the father calls for is a robe, the third thing that the father requests are a pair of shoes.  Both of these items signify that the boy is not a slave nor a servant.  The robe isn't to keep him warm rather it's a sign of his station, the shoes are important for only slaves are barefoot.  But let's look at the second item, for this is the crucial and all important item that the father calls for immediately upon embracing his son.  Let's pause and recall that often in scripture and ancient writing it is what's at the center that is what is most important.  The second item is the 'ring'... now this isn't just a ring, this would be a signet ring.  A signet ring shows that the boy is a part of the family, it shows that this boy is the father's son... just as he was when he left his family behind.  The father has restored his son to his place in the family.  Once he was dead to them, but now he lives again.

The father has restored his son, he has reconciled the son to those whom he has injured through his careless behavior... through his 'sins'.  Above all else, in my opinion, this parable is a story of reconciliation, of complete restoration of that which has been broken and distanced by sin.  The father (representing, of course, our Holy Father in Heaven) through his station as the father and because of his unlimited love and grace has forgiven the boy so completely, that it is as if none of the transgressions had ever occurred.

Such is the amazing depth and breadth of our Holy Father's love for each of us.  This love goes far, far beyond forgiveness and grace.  One can forgive, and love without wanting to be reconciled; without wanting to be restored to those that they love.  Our Heavenly Father's deepest longing and greatest attribute is this unfailing desire to be restored, restored and reconciled with each and every single one of His children... no matter how lost, or how sinful, or how 'unclean' we might be.  He will run to us and embrace us and place upon our finger the ring that identifies to all who see... that we are His and His alone.

Let's now turn to the elder son and to his angry reaction when he learns that the father has restored his wayward younger brother, and to make things worse the father is throwing a party of celebration concerning the son's return.  The father on learning of the elder sons distancing himself from the remainder of the family comes looking for him and finds him outside.  The father confronts the boy and implores him to join in the celebration.  The elder son shows his anger towards his brother by calling him to the father "your son", thus denying any relationship to him, but the father corrects him and states that "your brother" has returned to us from the dead.

The father has pursued the elder brother in order to restore him in relationship to the remainder of the family.  In this parable, we find that both brothers are 'lost' in one fashion or another.  One brother has let his lust and selfish behavior break his fellowship with his father.  The second brother has stumbled due to his anger and self-righteousness leaving himself distanced from his family.  There are differences here to be certain, but both sons have failed in their relationship with the father.  The father though has not given up on either son and readily greets one home with open arms, and goes in pursuit of the other.

Here it's helpful to go back and look at those first two parables that come just before the story of the Prodigal Son.  The parables of the 'lost sheep' and the 'lost coin'.  In the first we have a shepherd that goes looking for his 'lost' sheep, and upon finding the lost sheep calls all his friends to join him in celebration.  It's worth noting that in Matthew's Gospel the sheep are identified as having 'gone astray'; it's not that the sheep have just wandered off innocently, they have gone astray in their path through life much as we all do from time to time. But the shepherd has gone looking for them none-the-less. In the parable of the lost coin we see the same behavior, she has lost one of her coins and she looks diligently for it until it is found and then she tells her friends they must celebrate her reunion with the lost valuable.

These three parables taken together as they are here in the Gospel of Luke paint a wonderful story about a God that loves each of us so deeply.  A God who never gives up on us and who pursues us no matter why or how far we've wandered off from His prescence.  

Praise God, for His overly abundant love and devotion to each of us.

Praise God, that we serve such an awesome and loving God!

Please remember to be a blessing to someone today!

In His Unfailing Reconciliation,
Roy

(the video of the sermon is attached below, blessings!)

The 3rd Sunday of Lent, 2016 - Woodlawn Christian Church, Lake City, IA

Last Sunday the Scripture that I selected to preach over from the Lectionary was Isaiah Chapter 55.  The 55th Chapter of Isaiah is believed to have been written during the last years of the Exile Period in Babylon. The Persians have come in and conquered Babylon and Cyrus the Great has told the Israelites that they are free to return to Israel.  Here in Chapter 55 we find God using the Prophet to call His people back home.

The Israelites didn't return immediately and they didn't all in fact return at all.  Many (perhaps even most) of them remained behind in Babylon.  We have to wonder why in the world they would have decided to remain in exile when they were free to go back home.  Well, we need to realize that they had been in Babylon for nearly sixty years at this point.  By far the majority of the Israeli people living in exile at the time Cryus gave permission for them to return to Jerusalem had been born in Babylon and had never seen Israel. Most likely, a great many of them were even the second generation born in exile.  The people had adopted a culture while in exile and their religion had been vastly influenced by the Zoroastrian religion, the Judaism that came home from Babylon wasn't the same Judaism that went into exile.

So, some of these people no doubt were hesitant to go home, their whole world, their whole understanding of life is there in Babylon.  Certainly, they had been told stories for their entire life about 'back home', but to them it was an idyllic story.  It's one thing to dream of going to ones homeland, it's another to suddenly be able to go, especially when going means tearing up everything you've ever known in your lifetime.

To return to Israel or not, was no doubt for many of these people a traumatic decision, a horribly difficult decision.  In light of this, God calls to his prophet that wrote these words in the second portion of Isaiah, these wonderful words of calling, words of reassurance and comfort.

If you've ever strayed from the church, perhaps then you can understand these peoples hesitation.  It's much easier to stay where we 'know' and where we are 'known'.  We can't completely grasp this entire uprooting of our lives for most of us who come back to belief still live in our same communities and still retain our same friends, but we do have to turn our backs on certain aspects of our lives.  Many of these activities have become routine and comfortable, but if we're going to come home, we have to abandon these involvements.

For us believers, we can see a parallel with the Prophet in that we are called to be God's voice here on earth, His voice calling to his lost children to return home.  There's an old saying that "your life might be the only Bible that some people will ever read", well we have to know that all of us will at sometime or another be called upon to be God's voice calling to one of His lost children.

Let us ever be alert for this calling, when God calls to us to speak on His behalf and invite His lost back home.  In this time of the most holy season of Christianity, this time coming up to Easter, what better time is there for us to invite someone who has never been to church, or who may have wandered away from God, to come to church and worship with us.

Bringing someone home to church is certainly being a blessing to them.

Be a blessing to someone today! (Invite them to church!)

In His Joy, Love & Grace,

Roy 

Isaiah 55 New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)

An Invitation to Abundant Life

55:1 Ho, everyone who thirsts,

    come to the waters;

and you that have no money,

    come, buy and eat!

Come, buy wine and milk

    without money and without price.

2 Why do you spend your money for that which is not bread,

    and your labor for that which does not satisfy?

Listen carefully to me, and eat what is good,

    and delight yourselves in rich food.

3 Incline your ear, and come to me;

    listen, so that you may live.

I will make with you an everlasting covenant,

    my steadfast, sure love for David.

4 See, I made him a witness to the peoples,

    a leader and commander for the peoples.

5 See, you shall call nations that you do not know,

    and nations that do not know you shall run to you,

because of the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel,

    for he has glorified you.

6 Seek the Lord while he may be found,

    call upon him while he is near;

7 let the wicked forsake their way,

    and the unrighteous their thoughts;

let them return to the Lord, that he may have mercy on them,

    and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.

8 For my thoughts are not your thoughts,

    nor are your ways my ways, says the Lord.

9 For as the heavens are higher than the earth,

    so are my ways higher than your ways

    and my thoughts than your thoughts.

10 For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven,

    and do not return there until they have watered the earth,

making it bring forth and sprout,

    giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater,

11 so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth;

    it shall not return to me empty,

but it shall accomplish that which I purpose,

    and succeed in the thing for which I sent it.

12 For you shall go out in joy,

    and be led back in peace;

the mountains and the hills before you

    shall burst into song,

    and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands.

13 Instead of the thorn shall come up the cypress;

    instead of the brier shall come up the myrtle;

and it shall be to the Lord for a memorial,

    for an everlasting sign that shall not be cut off.

Ash Wednesday Service at Woodlawn Christian Church Feb 10, 2016

Well, Wednesday night we had our 'Ash Wednesday' service like so many others all across the globe.  This was I believe the third year that Woodlawn Christian has had an Ash Wednesday service.  With the last two conducted by Interim Ministers, and this one being the first time that a settled Pastor had conducted the service.  Like many other protestant churches, it hasn't long been a part of our history here in Lake City.  I was asked if we were going to have a service and I gave it a great deal of consideration and ultimately, felt guided to have this service.  In hindsight I am very grateful for the direction towards conducting the service.  I felt that it was very meaningful to all that attended and honestly, we had a better turn out than I expected.

I've included the entire script of the service below.  My goal was to script a 30 minute service and we ended up at almost 30 minutes on the nose, running only seconds past the half hour mark.  It marked (a small pun) the first time I've conducted an Ash Wednesday service and I was very well pleased with what I was able to craft.  Hopefully, next year we'll come up with a program that is equally well received.

Be a blessing to someone today!

In His constant and unending Grace & Love,
Roy

Ash Wednesday Service February 10, 2016 at Woodlawn Christian Church

Welcome and announcements:

Call to Worship:
Even now, the Holy One says, return to me with all your heart,
with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning;
rend your hearts and not your clothing.
Return to the Lord, your God, who is gracious and merciful,
slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love,
and relents from punishing.

Hymn:  Lord Who Throughout These Forty Days           No. 180 All

Prayer:
Almighty and everlasting God,
you hate nothing that you have made
and forgive the sins of all those who are penitent.
Create and make in us new and contrite hearts, that,
lamenting our sins and acknowledging our wretchedness,
we may receive from you, the God of all mercy,
perfect forgiveness and peace;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.  Amen.

Statement of Purpose:
Friends in Christ, we begin today a forty-day journey toward Easter.
We enter the Lenten season to prepare ourselves to welcome
the risen Christ with lives renewed by the breath of his spirit.
We assume a discipline of self-examination,
confession, and penitence.
We dedicate ourselves to meditate upon the scriptures
and to converse with God in prayer.
We seek to be more faithful disciples of Christ
whose lives are shaped by the one
whom we confess to be Lord and Savior of the world.
To this end let us worship God.

Hymn:  Gather Us In                 No. 284 All

First Scripture Reading:  Isaiah 58: 1-12
Isaiah 58:1-12  New International Version (NIV)

1 “Shout it aloud, do not hold back.
    Raise your voice like a trumpet.
Declare to my people their rebellion
    and to the descendants of Jacob their sins.
2 For day after day they seek me out;
    they seem eager to know my ways,
as if they were a nation that does what is right
    and has not forsaken the commands of its God.
They ask me for just decisions
    and seem eager for God to come near them.
3 ‘Why have we fasted,’ they say,
    ‘and you have not seen it?
Why have we humbled ourselves,
    and you have not noticed?’
“Yet on the day of your fasting, you do as you please
    and exploit all your workers.
4 Your fasting ends in quarreling and strife,
    and in striking each other with wicked fists.
You cannot fast as you do today
    and expect your voice to be heard on high.
5 Is this the kind of fast I have chosen,
    only a day for people to humble themselves?
Is it only for bowing one’s head like a reed
    and for lying in sackcloth and ashes?
Is that what you call a fast,
    a day acceptable to the Lord?
6 “Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen:
to loose the chains of injustice
    and untie the cords of the yoke,
to set the oppressed free
    and break every yoke?
7 Is it not to share your food with the hungry
    and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter—
when you see the naked, to clothe them,
    and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood?
8 Then your light will break forth like the dawn,
    and your healing will quickly appear;
then your righteousness[a] will go before you,
    and the glory of the Lord will be your rear guard.
9 Then you will call, and the Lord will answer;
    you will cry for help, and he will say: Here am I.
“If you do away with the yoke of oppression,
    with the pointing finger and malicious talk,
10 and if you spend yourselves in behalf of the hungry
    and satisfy the needs of the oppressed,
then your light will rise in the darkness,
    and your night will become like the noonday.
11 The Lord will guide you always;
    he will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land
    and will strengthen your frame.
You will be like a well-watered garden,
    like a spring whose waters never fail.
12 Your people will rebuild the ancient ruins
    and will raise up the age-old foundations;
you will be called Repairer of Broken Walls,
    Restorer of Streets with Dwellings.

Second Scripture Reading: 2 Corinthians 5:20 – 6:10
2 Corinthians 5:20-6:10 New International Version (NIV)

Chapter 5:
20 We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God. 21 God made him who had no sin to be sin[a] for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

Chapter 6;
1 As God’s co-workers we urge you not to receive God’s grace in vain. 2 For he says,

“In the time of my favor I heard you,
    and in the day of salvation I helped you.”
I tell you, now is the time of God’s favor, now is the day of salvation.

3 We put no stumbling block in anyone’s path, so that our ministry will not be discredited. 4 Rather, as servants of God we commend ourselves in every way: in great endurance; in troubles, hardships and distresses; 5 in beatings, imprisonments and riots; in hard work, sleepless nights and hunger; 6 in purity, understanding, patience and kindness; in the Holy Spirit and in sincere love; 7 in truthful speech and in the power of God; with weapons of righteousness in the right hand and in the left; 8 through glory and dishonor, bad report and good report; genuine, yet regarded as impostors; 9 known, yet regarded as unknown; dying, and yet we live on; beaten, and yet not killed; 10 sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; poor, yet making many rich; having nothing, and yet possessing everything.

Sermon:  What is Ash Wednesday
What is Ash Wednesday? For most of my life,  along, with I believe most Protestant Christians in America, I didn’t give Ash Wednesday a second thought.  It was a day when you'd notice the Catholics, the Episcopalians and maybe a few other 'high church' protestants having a smudged cross upon their foreheads.  It wasn't a day that we ever went to Church.

But then, in 2004, something happened and Ash Wednesday gained attention in American Protestant consciousness. Why? Because on that day Mel Gibson released what was to become his epic blockbuster, “The Passion of the Christ”.  Suddenly, “Ash Wednesday” appeared on the radar screen of all types of Christians, not just Catholics and other “high church” Protestants, as all types of Christians awaited the release of “The Passion of the Christ”.  Since 2004, many who never wondered about Ash Wednesday have been asking: What is Ash Wednesday? How do we observe it? Why should we observe it?

Ash Wednesday is a Christian Holy Day, it is not commanded by Scripture but rather is simply a Christian Tradition.  In this regard it is just like Easter and Christmas, neither of which is commanded by Scripture either.  

Nevertheless, it has been honored by Christians for well over a thousand years, falling at the beginning of Lent, a six-week season of preparation for Easter.   Lent totals 46 days in all with 40 days dedicated to fasting as Christ did in the wilderness and 6 Sundays which are not fasting days as they are as always a symbol of the resurrection. Ash Wednesday's origins are tied to its history and the time of year during which it occurs. It follows the season of Epiphany, which culminates with Shrove Tuesday, also known as Mardi Gras or Fat Tuesday. The solemn proceedings that occur on Ash Wednesday bring the focus back to the sacrifice of Christ and the mission of the Church. The observance most likely comes from the biblical Day of Atonement. In Leviticus 16, the Lord establishes an annual day of repentance for the Israelites as a lasting ordinance for all their generations. Since the blood of Jesus represents atonement, the heart of Ash Wednesday is a humbling of oneself often through fasting and prayer.  Though not many Protestants go the route of actual fasting, I have known more and more that give something up for Lent.  Generally, this is something that has perhaps taken on too important of a role in their lives, or something that they particularly enjoy such as chocolate or even coffee.  This 'sacrifice' is meant to serve to focus their attention on the sacrifice committed and the love that our Savior has for each of us.

In the earliest centuries, Christians who had been stuck in persistent sin had ashes sprinkled on their bodies as a sign of repentance, even as Job repented “in dust and ashes” (Job 42:6). Around the tenth century, believers began to signify their need for repentance by having ashes placed on their foreheads in the shape of a cross.

Today, celebrations of Ash Wednesday vary among churches that recognize this holiday. More and more Protestant churches hold some sort of Ash Wednesday services; such as we here at Woodlawn Christian are doing today.  Ashes are placed on the foreheads of worshipers as a reminder of our mortality and sinfulness. The person imposing the ashes often quotes what God said to Adam after he had sinned: “You are dust, and to dust you shall return” (Gen 3:19). This is the bad news of our sinfulness that prepares us to receive the good news of forgiveness in Christ.

As I stated earlier, there is no Biblical commandment that requires us to observe Ash Wednesday.  The theological core of Ash Wednesday is, however, shaped by a biblical theology of creation, sin, mortality, death, grace, and salvation. It also enacts biblical injunctions to “weep with those who weep” and to “confess your sins to one another.”

Ash Wednesday worship services are the chance for us all to openly acknowledge our frailty and sinfulness. In a world that often expects us to be perfect, Ash Wednesday gives us an opportunity to freely confess our imperfections. We can let down our pretenses and be truly honest with each other about who we are.  All here bear the mark of sin, we all stand guilty before our God. We all are mortal and will someday experience bodily death. 

The denial of death . . . it’s all around us. When people die, they are often alone, sequestered in hospitals far away from the sad eyes of friends and family. If someone happens to die at home, the corpse is quickly sent away from the grieving relatives. In polite society, one doesn’t talk much about death. Death and grieving are uncomfortable topics for us today.

Of course our own fears concerning our own demise match our cultural squeamishness about death. We don’t want to think about our own mortality, and we do many things to pretend that its not approaching. We dye our graying hair. We cover our age spots with make up. We get cosmetic surgery to preserve the image of youth. Rarely do we seriously think about our own death.

Ash Wednesday is a day to stare death in the face, to acknowledge our mortality. All of us will die. Christians who observe this holiday get ashes “imposed” on their foreheads, while a minister says, “You are dust, and to dust you shall return” In other words, “You are going to die. And here are some ashes to remind you, just in case you’ve forgotten.”

What gives us such freedom to think about death? Are we Christians morose? Do we have some peculiar fascination with dying? I don’t think so. Rather, what allows us to stare death in the face is the assurance of life, real life, eternal life. When we know our lives are safe in the hands of God, and that this physical life is just the beginning of eternity, then we’re free to be honest about what lies ahead for us. We can face death without fear or pretending, because we know the One who defeated death.

And so it is for Christians on Ash Wednesday. We can face death. We can admit our own mortality. We can talk openly about the limits of this life. Why? Because we know that through Christ we have entered into life eternal, the fullness of life that will not end when our bodies give out.

The emotional result of Ash Wednesday observance isn’t depression or gloom, but gratitude and new energy for living. When we realize how desperately we need God, and how God is faithful far beyond our desperation, we can’t help but offering our lives to him in fresh gratitude. And when we recognize that life doesn’t go on forever, then we find new passion to delight in the gifts of each and every day, and to take none of them for granted.

How grateful I am for the grace of God that allows us to stare death in the face so we can live with greater passion and delight! And how thankful I am for a day that allows me to think about death so I can cherish life even more!

The Sign of the Ashes:
From ancient times Christians have on this day
searched their hearts and sought to be cleansed from sin.
They have sought reconciliation with God and with one another.
They have received ashes marked on their foreheads
as a sign of sin's disfigurement and of their own mortality.

Prayer over the Ashes:
Almighty God, you have created us out of the dust of the earth,
may these ashes be to us a sign of our mortality and penitence,
so that we may remember that only by your gracious gift
are we given everlasting life;
through Jesus Christ our Savior. Amen

Imposition of Ashes:  (congregation will proceed up the center aisle and exit  down the outer aisles)

Act of Penitence and Reconciliation:
In fear, but also in hope, we come together with ashes on our heads.
People turn to each other for food and strength only to be shoved away.  
Each day we sin against God, yet pretend that we are good.  Let us take forty 
days to look hard at our so called goodness and see what it covers up.  
Then, we will join together in taking up the cross of living in the world as it is, working to be Christ's hands and feet in this world.  Join me in prayer by responding to each spoken petition with the words; “Hear our Prayers, O God.”  
Let us pray:

Leader: That as Disciples of Christ we might start using our hands, feet, money, time, and energy for the good of the poor, let us pray to the God of mercy.
People: Hear our prayers, O God.
Leader: That citizens everywhere may realize that care for their neighbor consists of more than the mere giving of money, let us pray to the God of mercy.
People: Hear our prayers, O God.
Leader: For the needy, that they may not have to remain despondent and alone, let us pray to the God of mercy.
People: Hear our prayers, O God.
Leader: For all of us here that we may be honest enough to admit what we are
selfish about, and what we can do to remedy our lack of love, let us pray to the God of mercy.
People: Hear our prayers, O God.
Leader: For those who share Christ's charity towards sinners, let us pray to the God of mercy.
People: Hear our prayers, O God.
Leader: Merciful God, the ashes are our pledge to take up the cross of life.  We came from the earth and we will go back to it.  In the meantime, beginning these forty days, we will try to live here and make it a better home for everybody.  Through Christ our Lord.
All: Amen.

The Declaration of God's Mercy:
Hear the good news of God's reconciling love toward all, and believe;
Through Christ God chose to reconcile the whole universe, making peace
through the shedding of Christ's blood upon the cross – to reconcile all things, whether on earth or in heaven, through Christ alone.

Passing of the Peace:

Hymn:   Amazing Grace   No. 546  All

Benediction:
May the Lord bless you and keep you;
may He let his face shine down upon you, and grant you all His peace.
Amen.

Parting Hymn: God Be With You Til We Meet Again  No. 434  v. 1