Luke 15:1-32, A Lost Sheep, A Lost Coin, And A Lost Son - March 31, 2019

This past Sunday the Lectionary brought us to the Parable of the Prodigal Son.  For quite a long time now this has been my favorite Parable, in probably my favorite Chapter, in my favorite Gospel.  I have come to believe that it is impossible to really grasp the enormity of God's grace and desire for reconciliation apart from the Parable of the Prodigal Son.

Please take a listen to the sermon and feel free to comment below.

Be a blessing to someone today!

In His Grace,
Roy

Luke 15:1-32 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.’”

Unfair Wages - sermon given on Sept 24th, 2017

St. Stephen's Episcopal Church, Newton, IA

In my "Children's Conversation" Sunday, I presented the scenario of hiring two of the children to do work for me.  One I wanted to hire to fold a single towel, and the other I wanted to mow the Church grounds (a total of a block and a half of ground).  When I told them that I want to pay the same amount for both jobs I was emphatically told, "That's crazy"!  And yes, that is CRAZY, but, that's just the kind of crazy that God is to us his children.

The parable of the "Workers in the Vineyard" is perhaps the second most important parable in understanding the nature of God that there is in the Bible. (First and foremost in my humble opinion would be the parable of 'The Prodigal Son') This isn't a story about justice, though some might confuse it as such, rather this is a story of grace.  The type and degree of grace that God extends to us does, in fact, seem 'crazy' in our human experience.

Ultimately, God's grace, God's capacity to forgive, God's desire for reconciliation, makes us exclaim "That's Crazy", but that's the radical nature of our all loving and all forgiving God.  The hour is not important to our God, what is important is that we arrive, that we accept the invitation to join the workers in the vineyard.  Praise be to God!

Please remember today and every day to...

Be a blessing to someone today!

In My Father's Grace,
Roy

St. Stephen's Episcopal Church, Newton, IA

Matthew 20:1-16  New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)
The Laborers in the Vineyard
20 “For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire laborers for his vineyard. 2 After agreeing with the laborers for the usual daily wage,[a] he sent them into his vineyard. 3 When he went out about nine o’clock, he saw others standing idle in the marketplace; 4 and he said to them, ‘You also go into the vineyard, and I will pay you whatever is right.’ So they went. 5 When he went out again about noon and about three o’clock, he did the same. 6 And about five o’clock he went out and found others standing around; and he said to them, ‘Why are you standing here idle all day?’ 7 They said to him, ‘Because no one has hired us.’ He said to them, ‘You also go into the vineyard.’ 8 When evening came, the owner of the vineyard said to his manager, ‘Call the laborers and give them their pay, beginning with the last and then going to the first.’ 9 When those hired about five o’clock came, each of them received the usual daily wage.[b] 10 Now when the first came, they thought they would receive more; but each of them also received the usual daily wage.[c] 11 And when they received it, they grumbled against the landowner, 12 saying, ‘These last worked only one hour, and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden of the day and the scorching heat.’ 13 But he replied to one of them, ‘Friend, I am doing you no wrong; did you not agree with me for the usual daily wage?[d] 14 Take what belongs to you and go; I choose to give to this last the same as I give to you. 15 Am I not allowed to do what I choose with what belongs to me? Or are you envious because I am generous?’[e] 16 So the last will be first, and the first will be last.”[f]

Footnotes:
a) Matthew 20:2 Gk a denarius
b) Matthew 20:9 Gk a denarius
c) Matthew 20:10 Gk a denarius
d) Matthew 20:13 Gk a denarius
e) Matthew 20:15 Gk is your eye evil because I am good?
f) Matthew 20:16 Other ancient authorities add for many are called but few are chosen

St. Stephen's Episcopal Church, Newton, IA

Who Do You Say That I Am, Matthew 16:13-20

This past Sunday's sermon covered the verses found in the Gospel of Matthew 16:13-20.  Here we find a story that is found in all three Synoptic Gospels, (though Mark and Luke exclude the perceived establishment of Peter as the 'rock' upon which Christ built His Church, in Greek the Ekklesia) this is the story where Christ first asks who do the people say He is and then He asks the Disciples "But who do you say that I am".

It's a rich text but, I chose at the end of the sermon to turn it around and ask the congregation, "but who do we say that we are".  The answer to that question should be of course, that we are the followers of Christ.  But as the followers of Christ, we need to remember our calling.  We are not called to battle over overly simplified concepts, nor are we called to over complicate the words of Christ, we are called to love one another.  I personally, don't see either the left or the right in this Country doing a particularly good job of 'loving' these days.  Too often we are lumping others into generalized categories rather than seeing them as individuals and recognizing that their concerns (both those on the left AND those on the right) do in fact have merit.

As I say in the sermon; "Do our actions identify us as followers of Christ.... As we read these words today, "You are the Messiah, the Son of the Living God", let us remember who it is that we follow... let us remember who it is that we advocate for... who it is that we represent in this world, let us be His hands and His feet for a hurting and wanting world."

Matthew 16:13-20 New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)

13 Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” 14 And they said, “Some say John the Baptist, but others Elijah, and still others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” 15 He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” 16 Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah,[a] the Son of the living God.” 17 And Jesus answered him, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father in heaven. 18 And I tell you, you are Peter,[b] and on this rock[c] I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not prevail against it. 19 I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.” 20 Then he sternly ordered the disciples not to tell anyone that he was[d] the Messiah.[e]

Footnotes:

a) Matthew 16:16 Or the Christ
b) Matthew 16:18 Gk Petros
c) Matthew 16:18 Gk petra
d) Matthew 16:20 Other ancient authorities add Jesus
e) Matthew 16:20 Or the Christ

The warning at the end of the Scripture was a warning for the Disciples in their time, not ours... we need to daily proclaim the reign of the risen Messiah.  Let us proclaim it loudly through our actions, by loving each other and by being in dialogue with those with whom we disagree.  Let us seek to caution and to calm those who attack and demean those with whom they disagree, whether it be on either side of the ever widening divide.  Once you call someone Satan, or evil, a fascist, or a communist, or pronounce that your opponent is sick or condemned to Hell... well then all hope for reasoned conversation is gone.  Let us, the followers of Christ throw off those blinders, these gross misrepresentations of those with whom we disagree... and seek to find the love and grace that resides in Christ.

Matthew 5:43-48 New International Version (NIV)
Love for Enemies

43 “You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ 44 But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45 that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. 46 If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? 47 And if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? 48 Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

Let us simply love one another...

Be a blessing to someone today!

In His Unending and Unlimited Love,
Roy

Sermon on the "Wheat Among the Weeds", Matthew 13:24-43

This past Sunday, July 30th, the sermon was over the Parable of the "Wheat and the Tares" also called the "Wheat Among the Weeds".  It was a fitting bit of scripture to follow the sermon which I gave on the 23rd, as it drove home the message of remaining in association with those who disagree or even are in contention with you.

The bottom line is that we are all called to live our lives here on this side of the veil in fellowship and cohabitation with the 'weeds'.  We are not to try and carve out a nice comfortable space where everyone is in perfect accord and thinks and believes as we do.

If I were to chastise the church today, especially mainline denominations, it would be concerning the trend towards ostracizing those voices that are in disagreement.  But, this trend is all too present in the more Fundamentalist denominations as well, it seems that whether it be the right or it be the left, we have lost the ability to have calm and reasoned conversations and disagreements. 

The parable of the 'Wheat and the Tares' is a story of being 'non-judgemental'.  It is not up to us to judge the weeds of this world, in fact, who among us has not been... and still is at times a weed in God's garden?  In ripping up those perceived as 'weeds', we will all too often rip up those that are, or will eventually be 'wheat'.  God has the capacity to change hearts, minds, and souls.  God can and will turn the weeds into wheat.  Besides, far too many of us regard ourselves as 'wheat' and any that disagree with us as 'weeds', and those we disagree with believe themselves to be 'wheat' and we to be 'weeds'... who judges rightly?  Let's just live and learn together and not pass judgment upon our neighbor, for judgment is reserved for God and not for any mortal man.

Be a blessing to someone today!

In His Love,
Roy

Matthew 13:24-43  New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)
The Parable of Weeds among the Wheat
24 He put before them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven may be compared to someone who sowed good seed in his field; 25 but while everybody was asleep, an enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and then went away. 26 So when the plants came up and bore grain, then the weeds appeared as well. 27 And the slaves of the householder came and said to him, ‘Master, did you not sow good seed in your field? Where, then, did these weeds come from?’ 28 He answered, ‘An enemy has done this.’ The slaves said to him, ‘Then do you want us to go and gather them?’ 29 But he replied, ‘No; for in gathering the weeds you would uproot the wheat along with them. 30 Let both of them grow together until the harvest; and at harvest time I will tell the reapers, Collect the weeds first and bind them in bundles to be burned, but gather the wheat into my barn.’”

The Parable of the Mustard Seed
31 He put before them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed that someone took and sowed in his field; 32 it is the smallest of all the seeds, but when it has grown it is the greatest of shrubs and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and make nests in its branches.”

The Parable of the Yeast
33 He told them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like yeast that a woman took and mixed in with[a] three measures of flour until all of it was leavened.”

The Use of Parables
34 Jesus told the crowds all these things in parables; without a parable he told them nothing. 35 This was to fulfill what had been spoken through the prophet:[b]
“I will open my mouth to speak in parables;
 I will proclaim what has been hidden from the foundation of the world.”[c]

Jesus Explains the Parable of the Weeds
36 Then he left the crowds and went into the house. And his disciples approached him, saying, “Explain to us the parable of the weeds of the field.” 37 He answered, “The one who sows the good seed is the Son of Man; 38 the field is the world, and the good seed are the children of the kingdom; the weeds are the children of the evil one, 39 and the enemy who sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the end of the age, and the reapers are angels. 40 Just as the weeds are collected and burned up with fire, so will it be at the end of the age. 41 The Son of Man will send his angels, and they will collect out of his kingdom all causes of sin and all evildoers, 42 and they will throw them into the furnace of fire, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. 43 Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Let anyone with ears[d] listen!
Footnotes:
a) Matthew 13:33 Gk hid in
b) Matthew 13:35 Other ancient authorities read the prophet Isaiah
c) Matthew 13:35 Other ancient authorities lack of the world
d) Matthew 13:43 Other ancient authorities add to hear

Dry Bones, Ezekiel 37:1-14 - A Sermon on Change in Rural America

Below please find the manuscript and the video of the sermon I gave yesterday in the Lake City Town Square.  It was our Annual Lake City Ministerial Association Community Worship and this year I was asked to deliver the message.  

The audio is difficult in a couple of places due to the wind, it was fairly windy in the Square, and pretty chilly as well.  The sermon was well received and I was asked to publish it in our July Newsletter as well.

It wasn't a terribly long sermon, but, it was at first a poignant but ultimately (hopefully) an inspiring message.

Be a blessing to someone today!

In His Mercy,
Roy

“Dry Bones” 
A Sermon given by Pastor Roy Karlen, 6/25/17

Ezekiel 37:1-14 (NRSV) The Valley of Dry Bones
1 The hand of the Lord came upon me, and he brought me out by the spirit of the Lord and set me down in the middle of a valley; it was full of bones. 2 He led me all around them; there were very many lying in the valley, and they were very dry. 3 He said to me, “Mortal, can these bones live?” I answered, “O Lord God, you know.” 4 Then he said to me, “Prophesy to these bones, and say to them: O dry bones, hear the word of the Lord. 5 Thus says the Lord God to these bones: I will cause breath to enter you, and you shall live. 6 I will lay sinews on you, and will cause flesh to come upon you, and cover you with skin, and put breath in you, and you shall live; and you shall know that I am the Lord.”
7 So I prophesied as I had been commanded; and as I prophesied, suddenly there was a noise, a rattling, and the bones came together, bone to its bone. 8 I looked, and there were sinews on them, and flesh had come upon them, and skin had covered them; but there was no breath in them. 9 Then he said to me, “Prophesy to the breath, prophesy, mortal, and say to the breath: Thus says the Lord God: Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe upon these slain, that they may live.” 10 I prophesied as he commanded me, and the breath came into them, and they lived, and stood on their feet, a vast multitude.
11 Then he said to me, “Mortal, these bones are the whole house of Israel. They say, ‘Our bones are dried up, and our hope is lost; we are cut off completely.’ 12 Therefore prophesy, and say to them, Thus says the Lord God: I am going to open your graves, and bring you up from your graves, O my people; and I will bring you back to the land of Israel. 13 And you shall know that I am the Lord, when I open your graves, and bring you up from your graves, O my people. 14 I will put my spirit within you, and you shall live, and I will place you on your own soil; then you shall know that I, the Lord, have spoken and will act, says the Lord.”

Ezekiel is a prophet speaking to the Jewish people during the Babylonian Exile.  Truly, the chosen people of God are wondering if God has forsaken them... has God forgotten Israel.  Here in Ezekiel, we hear what is at first a terrifying and frankly depressing tale. 

The hand of the Lord came upon me, and he brought me out by the spirit of the Lord and set me down in the middle of a valley; it was full of bones.

These bones are the bodies of those killed in battle and left to rot and decay in the elements... to have their bones literally picked over by scavengers.  These dismembered bodies have been left behind... forgotten... left to decay. Dislocated and scattered across the landscape. These bones God tells Ezekiel are the 'whole body' of Israel.  What starts out as a dark and depressing passage ends up with the dismembered bodies being “re-membered”, reassembled and reanimated with the breath that God instructs Ezekiel to prophesy.  And then we have the final promise; I will put my spirit within you, and you shall live, and I will place you on your own soil; then you shall know that I, the Lord, have spoken and will act, says the Lord.  The promise that will come true with the return from Exile and the reconstruction of the Temple, God has not forgotten Israel... Israel, now broken and scattered, will be restored... Israel is not forgotten, it is remembered.

More and more we Christians can easily feel like Ezekiel's “dry bones”.   Right here today, as we worship together, unfortunately, Father Lynn is not with us, as today is the last day of worship at St. Mary's Catholic Church in Auburn, and he is there to lead their final service, their closing ceremony, and luncheon.  Far, far too many churches both Catholic and Protestant are closing, and we can't help but feel like “dry bones”.  We like the bones viewed by Ezekiel feel dismembered and scattered... maybe at times... we even feel forgotten by God... just like the Jewish people in the time of the Exile.

Here in rural and small town America perhaps this feeling is greatest of all.  The demographics of rural America have been shifting for decades and continue to do so, as our population continues to age, those fewer and fewer who are younger... are continually less and less likely to be attending Sunday worship.  We struggle to find ways to be relevant in a changing society, ways to reach and enrich the communities in which we live and worship.

As much as we as human beings dislike it we are forced to face the need to change... ironically, the only thing constant in this world is change... yet nearly all humans dislike change, and to be honest... most of us fear it.  Change can be exciting... and some few do constantly crave change, but even those few are beset by fear.  It's likely the fear and the release of endorphins is what they actually crave.

Change is flat out scary...

I have preached a fair amount lately at Woodlawn about change and I apologize to those here from Woodlawn for having to revisit this topic.

A large part of the problem with change is that it's seldom comfortable, it's said that growth resides just outside our comfort zone, that's because growth requires change.

To grow... to improve... one cannot be comfortable... and one must embrace change of some kind.  Off and on for much of my life, I've lifted weights, and I can tell you that if you do not constantly challenge yourself you will not get stronger.  One cannot constantly lift the same amount of weight and expect to gain either strength or muscular size, rather one has to constantly increase the amount of weight or the number of repetitions that one lifts the weight if there is no upward change one will actually start to recede in strength and size.  But change is as I said scary, constantly having to face new and different challenges is daunting.  

The other thing about change is that far too many want things to change, without changing anything that they're doing.  For example, I like many others, would really like to lose some of the girth I've put on in middle age around my waist, the only problem is I'd like to lose that extra chub without changing the amount or kind of food I ingest.  You see, I really like my diet... I like my bagels, I love cheese, and then there are desserts... and giving them up would be PAINFUL...  We all would love change so much more if we didn't have to change anything to get it!

I'm reminded of the cartoon about a search committee looking for a new minister.  They say to the candidate being interviewed “We're looking for a dynamic, creative, and excited leader... who will do everything exactly the same way we've always done it”.

Surely you've heard the saying that the last words of a dying church are “But we've always done it this way”.

Change is nothing new to Christianity, in fact, the amount of change that has occurred within our chosen religion is stunning.  As much as we here in this day and age are apprehensive of what lies ahead... think of the Disciples and the 'change' that they faced.  In what had to seem like a whirlwind... they met a radical thinking Rabbi, traveled from village to village with him spreading his “Gospel”, found themselves in Jerusalem... where things really took a turn and to say things changed would be the understatement of all understatements!

But change didn't stop there, it kept going from then until now.  If we went back in time to the resurrection and then skipped through the centuries until now we'd see changes that we honestly wouldn't believe.  But we don't need to go back in time to live through some of the greatest changes that the church will ever endure.  We are now living through great change... and all of us here will live the rest of our lives in the midst of this change.  

As I mentioned Father Lynn is not here due to commitments to the closing of St. Mary's in Auburn, all across the State there are Catholic Churches being closed and parishes being consolidated.  And it's not just the Catholics that are changing as we all know too well.  In just the last year the Methodist churches in Glidden, Lohrville, and Lanesboro have become yoked and called one minister to lead all three congregations.  It was the limitations on the timing of worship services that caused us to have to delay our worship here today to allow Lorinda to be here and be a part of this service.

First Baptist Church here in Lake City will be voting as will Woodlawn Christian Church to see if the two congregations will merge.  But to be honest the changes won't stop there... not for Woodlawn Christian and First Baptist, nor for any of the rest of us gathered today.  We all will have to reconsider and learn at least slightly different ways to be church, how we do church, where we are church, who and what is the church, and together we'll have to devise ways to attract the younger generations that have disappeared from Sunday mornings to come and join us in worship.

These ideas and predictions can and do sound frightening.  But, let us not forget that even though we are here in a small community in the middle of the USA, we are not alone.  These changes need to be made... and the same difficulties facing us here are facing churches in small towns and rural communities all across the nation from the east coast to the west.  Today with our interconnected world we can communicate and learn from others what is working and what needs to be replaced.  

But, we can't just wait for others to lead the way, we too need to be leaders and learners... the task is daunting and frankly we all wish it didn't need to be done... but we all know in our hearts it's coming.

As difficult and perhaps impossible as the future may appear... I will confide in you, there is NOONE, and there are NO PEOPLE... who are better inclined, and who have a better mindset... and skill set... to change the church... than the people of the small towns and rural communities of America.  Remember your heritage people... we are all the descendants of brave men, and even braver women who set off from their old ways of life as diverse as they were... and came here to the Midwest to settle and start a new life.  These people didn't back down from pain, trials, difficulties, and inconveniences, they established churches, and towns, and communities where there was once only endless prairie and woodlands.  Theirs was the 'can do' spirit, and problem-solving skills which are etched within our cultural DNA.

I grew up as most of you know in West River South Dakota, I grew up as a cowboy.  Now, a few years back when the media seemed to think calling someone a cowboy was an insult, I never understood that... for you see a real cowboy is somebody who is able to overcome, to do the job that needs to be done... no matter what it is, with the meager tools at hand.  Whether it be whatever they have in the pickup they're driving or if out on horseback and even less well equipped... armed only with a pair of fencing pliers strapped to their saddle and maybe a few other odds and ends in a saddlebag.  Where I grew up... when you wanted a difficult job done... you wanted a cowboy there.  I've pulled calves in the middle of nowhere with nothing more than a rein from a bridle and the strength of my back because the job had to be done and that was all there was available to do it with.  But, that spirit wasn't and isn't just the spirit of the cowboy, as I said, most all of us in the Midwest come from pioneer stock.  Our great-grandparents, or great-great-grandparents, or great-great-great grandparents left the old country and came here to America to make a new life.  Now that's change 

Today we need to recall our ancestors 'can-do' nature, their creativity, their determination, their ability to adapt and overcome.  But, what we need most of all is to remember and reinstate their ability to work together.... to rebuild the Christian faith here in America and beyond.  Together, our creativity, our melded brain power, and our determination to succeed can and will make up for our lack of other resources.  We are tailor made to do the job with the meager tools at hand... all that we are, all that our ancestors taught us, has brought us to this hour, prepared to do the work of, and to work for God.

As I said earlier we can easily feel like dry bones, we can even start to wonder if God has forgotten us.  As many of you know I don't believe that God causes bad things to happen to anyone, so I don't believe that God wants the church to be in decline.  God has not caused this decline, it is a factor as I said earlier of the changing demographics of the Midwest, we can see this all too well in the consolidation of the school systems, the population is changing.  I don't think this is caused by God, but what I do believe... what I do believe about God... and His presence in the midst of all difficulties and tragedy, is that He can and will use these circumstances to further His Kingdom.  What I am starting to wonder and will share with you today, is if God is using this change of demographics to force His often far too divided children to return to dialogue with one another.  To reconsider our differences... most that know me know that I am above all else an advocate that ours is a God of reconciliation... is God using these difficult days to reconcile His children?

Jesus spent his ministry preaching to the small villages, it's where this movement that we love and call Christianity started and flourished.  I have come to believe in my heart that it is out of the small towns, the small communities... these places that might be thought to be the least likely of all, that it's here where Christ will resurrect His Church.  

We know that somehow somewhere the Church will rise again.

Why wouldn't the most unlikely... just as Christ was in His time, the least likely... why wouldn't God use the most unlikely... to be the spark to reignite His people.

He said to me, “Mortal, can these bones live”.

I answered, “O Lord God, you know”.

Then he said to me, “Prophesy to these bones, and say to them; O dry bones, hear the word of the Lord.

I prophesied as he commanded me, and the breath came into them, and they lived, and stood on their feet, a vast multitude.

How and why do I believe that the Church will be resurrected?  Why do I believe that like the dry dismembered bones of Ezekiel, that we will be re-membered and restored?  I believe because my God told me so...

O my people, I will put my spirit within you, and you shall live...