The Richmond United Presbyterian Church Celebration Service - Sunday, August 16, 2020

Here's a copy of the bulletin and the podcast of the worship service I led in the Richmond United Presbyterian Church, Richmond, Ohio on Sunday, August 16, 2020.

Sunday's Message - It’s Not Just For Breakfast Anymore

Here's the message I offered during the celebration service in the Richmond United Presbyterian Church, Richmond, Ohio on Sunday, August 16.

Matthew 15:21-28           

Jesus left and went to the territory near the cities of Tyre and Sidon. Suddenly a Canaanite woman from there came out shouting, “Lord and Son of David, have pity on me! My daughter is full of demons.” Jesus did not say a word. But the woman kept following along and shouting, so his disciples came up and asked him to send her away.

Jesus said, “I was sent only to the people of Israel! They are like a flock of lost sheep.”

The woman came closer. Then she knelt down and begged, “Please help me, Lord!”

Jesus replied, “It isn’t right to take food away from children and feed it to dogs.”

“Lord, that’s true,” the woman said, “but even dogs get the crumbs that fall from their owner’s table.”

Jesus answered, “Dear woman, you really do have a lot of faith, and you will be given what you want.” At that moment her daughter was healed.

It’s Not Just For Breakfast Anymore

Now, when you saw the title of the sermon, did it bring back any memories? Well, if it didn’t, that’s fine; it’s been a long time since it had meaning. You see, way back in the very early ‘70s, the Florida Orange Juice Growers created this slogan to expand the orange juice market, you know, moving it beyond morning meal consumers and screwdriver drinkers. And so, they came up with the phrase, “It’s Not Just For Breakfast Anymore.”

And the reason I mention this is because I believe something very similar is happening in the passage we just read. You see, in this story about Jesus and the Canaanite woman, I think Matthew is showing that scope of Christianity is broader than just one chosen group. Now I believe this is a major shift in the gospel and one that will impact everything that followed. And I’ll tell you, when we accept it, in other words, when we accept that the love of Christ and the Christian faith extends beyond what we may think or assume, that perspective is going to effect how we see both ourselves and others. And that’s going to be our focus for the next ten minutes or so.

And to see how this works itself out, we’re going to start by looking at the story itself and how it relates to what happened before and after. I mean, right before we even get to that woman with the demon-possessed daughter, we’ve got two pretty important and powerful stories, both of which occur in Jewish territory and have a particular meaning to God’s chosen people. For example, we’ve got the feeding of the 5,000, a pretty impressive miracle in its own right, but do you remember how many baskets were collected after the meal? Matthew wrote, “After everyone had eaten all they wanted, Jesus’ disciples picked up twelve large baskets of leftovers.” [Matthew 14:20, CEV] Now think about the significance of what Jesus did and the number twelve, and remember that there were twelve tribes of Israel. You see what I mean? And you know, for the Jewish reader, this is powerful stuff. I mean, what Jesus offered not only satisfied everyone there, there were twelve baskets of leftovers, one for each tribe. This miracle was for them. That’s one story.

And then there’s that business of Jesus walking on the water, something that happened right after he fed the 5,000. And again, as a miracle, this is pretty spectacular. But for the Jews, man, it meant more. You see, for them, water was an image for chaos. In fact, it was there at the very beginning and it was within this watery confusion that God started creating. Just listen to the beginning of Genesis: “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was barren, with no form of life; it was under a roaring ocean covered with darkness. But the Spirit of God was moving over the water.” [Genesis 1:1-2, CEV] And again, that’s important to what happened in Matthew. You see, when Jesus walked on the water and then stilled the storm, every Jewish schoolboy understood that Jesus was showing the same kind of divine authority that God had when he brought order out of chaos. Now, those were two of the stories that led up to our passage, and each one related in some way to the Jews.

And I’ll tell you, I believe this really helps us understand the importance of what’s going on right here. For example, while all this other stuff is happening in Jewish territory, where are we now? Matthew wrote, “Jesus left and went to the territory near the cities of Tyre and Sidon.” [Matthew 15:21, CEV] In other words, Jesus and his disciples were on foreign soil, outside the Jewish homeland. And instead of Jews, with whom was Jesus dealing? “Suddenly a Canaanite woman from there came out shouting, ‘Lord and Son of David, have pity on me! My daughter is full of demons.’” [Matthew 15:22, CEV] Now, I’ve got to tell you, you couldn’t be more a Non-Jewish outsider than this person. I mean, first, she was a woman, not a position of power in first century Palestine. And second, not only was she a foreigner, she was a Canaanite for crying out loud, you know, the people God told the Israelites to wipe out when they took the promised land. And third, as the cherry on top of the sundae, she had a demonic child which had “bad parenting” written all over it, at least it did back then. And if all that wasn’t bad enough, Jesus sort of dissed her when she asked him for help, didn’t he? I mean, after ignoring her, “Jesus said, ‘I was sent only to the people of Israel! They are like a flock of lost sheep.’” [Matthew 15:24, CEV] Well, isn’t that special. But did that stop her? Matthew wrote, “The woman came closer. Then she knelt down and begged, ‘Please help me, Lord!’” [Matthew 15:25, CEV] Good night nurse, this Canaanite women just can’t take a hint. And so the time for subtly was over. “Jesus replied, ‘It isn’t right to take food away from children and feed it to dogs.’” [Matthew 15:26, CEV] Now that’s what he said, and I’ll tell you, as Matthew shaped his story, I’m not sure he could have drawn a sharper line between the insiders and outsiders. The message, the work of Jesus was for the Jews. And I’ve got to tell you, this woman in no way looked Jewish.

But right here, things changed, didn’t it? I mean, right after he called her a dog, Matthew wrote: “‘Lord, that’s true,’ the woman said, ‘but even dogs get the crumbs that fall from their owner’s table.’” [Matthew 15:27, CEV] Now, given the fact that we, the reader, know that Jesus had just fed 5,000 people with five loaves and two fish, that’s a pretty good come-back. And Jesus must have thought so too. “Jesus answered, ‘Dear woman, you really do have a lot of faith, and you will be given what you want.’ At that moment her daughter was healed.” [Matthew 15:28, CEV]

Now that’s what happen, and I’ll tell you, right here everything changed. You see, not only did he heal her daughter, Jesus said the woman had great faith, something very different than what he said to Peter in the last chapter. Remember, after Jesus came to the disciples, walking on the water, “Peter replied, ‘Lord, if it is really you, tell me to come to you on the water. ‘Come on!’ Jesus said. Peter then got out of the boat and started walking on the water toward him. But when Peter saw how strong the wind was, he was afraid and started sinking. ‘Save me, Lord!’ he shouted. Right away, Jesus reached out his hand. He helped Peter up and said, ‘You surely don’t have much faith. Why do you doubt?’” [Matthew 14:28-31, CEV] I’m telling you, in the faith department, this woman had Peter beat on two counts. I mean, first, unlike Peter, she didn’t challenge Jesus to heal her daughter; she simply asked him. She didn’t say, “If it is really you, heal my child.” Instead, “...she knelt down and begged, ‘Please help me, Lord!’” [Matthew 15:25b, CEV] That’s one. And second, even when it appeared that it wouldn’t happen, she was persistent. She wasn’t distracted. And she stayed focused, even calling Jesus “son of David” and “Lord,” titles that, according to Matthew, reflect genuine faith. I’m telling you, right here, the ministry of Jesus was broadened to include even Canaanite women with demonic children. And to emphasize that point, in another story a little bit later in this same chapter, Jesus would feed another huge crowd, this time 4,000. But rather than having twelve baskets of left-overs, this was what Matthew wrote: “Everyone ate all they wanted, and the leftovers filled seven large baskets.” [Matthew 15:37, CEV] Now that’s really important, because seven was a considered a perfect number. And so while twelve baskets would have been meaningful to the twelve tribes of Israel, seven baskets would show that when looking at what Jesus offers, man, there’s enough for everybody. In other words, based on what Matthew wrote, the message of Jesus and the scope of Christianity wasn’t just for the Jews, the insiders any more.

And you know, I think that’s important for us to remember, and I say that for two reasons. You see, first, I believe it challenges us to be more humble as we consider ourselves. But I’ll tell you, I think this kind of humility sort of goes against human nature and maybe that’s why it’s one those virtues that’s not particularly popular in our world. I mean, although we’re probably not going to admit it, I believe a lot of folks, even Christians, would agree with what the Mordren said when he was singing about the “Seven Deadly Virtues” in the musical Camelot: “It's not the earth the meek inherit, it’s the dirt.” No, humility will probably never be popular. But it should be, because a lack of humility leads to arrogance and arrogance leads to ignorance and ignorance leads to destruction. And if you don’t believe me, just think about how we’ve dealing with COVID-19. Maybe if we’d been more humble six months ago, we might not have over 160,000 Americans dead. If that doesn’t speak to what happens when there’s a lack of humility, I don’t know what will. And deep down, I think we know this. But a story in which a person who could be the poster girl for an outsider is praised for demonstrating a faith greater than the guy who’ll be getting the keys to the kingdom in the very next chapter, that’s a humbling experience. As a matter of fact, it could mean that life-long church members who sing all the right hymns and who follow the correct order of worship and who’s family has been one of the frozen chosen for generations, well, maybe we’re not as special as we think we are. I’m telling you, when we’re able to see that the love of the Father and the grace of the Son and the inspiration of the Spirit also includes folks who are very different from us, well, that may challenge us to be a little more humble. And that’s the first reason I think the story is important.

And second, I believe it also challenges us to be more open as we consider others. Now, let me be clear, I’m not one of those guys who says that everything we do is wrong. I’ll tell you, in my book, that’s just as arrogant as saying everything we do is right. Still, I believe there’s more than one way to worship and to serve God. And there’s more than one way to follow and to share Jesus Christ. And there’s more than one way to claim and to use the gifts of the Holy Spirit. And doesn’t it make sense to find out what those different ways are, especially given the fact that a Canaanite woman showed a greater faith than the big twelve, and I’m not talking about the conference? Of course, if we’re not open, that’s not going to happen. In fact, we can pretty much guarantee that we won’t learn a thing. And as a result, we’ll become more separated from the world around us, more isolated from trends and ideas, and more detached from what the folks are thinking on the other side of the stained glass are thinking and how they’re communicating and what they value and fear. And even though that might make us feel all safe and secure, how will that help us accomplish the very thing Jesus called us to do: “Go to the people of all nations and make them my disciples. Baptize them in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, and teach them to do everything I have told you. I will be with you always, even until the end of the world.” [Matthew 28:19-20, CEV] That’s going to be pretty tough to do, if we’d made the conscience decision not to leave our pews, but not if we don’t respond to the challenge in this story and become more open.

Now remember how we started the sermon with that slogan from the Florida Orange Juice Growers, “It’s Not Just For Breakfast Anymore.” Well, I’m not sure how well the campaign worked, but the slogan sure survived. But even if it didn’t sell more orange juice, it sure can help us if we apply it to the Christian faith. You see, when we consider this story about a Canaanite woman with a demon-possessed daughter, we can see how it broadens the focus of Jesus’ ministry from just the Jews to the whole world. And then, with that in mind, we can claim this truth and use it to become more humble and more open. In other words, we can leave here this morning understanding that, as it relates to the Good News, it’s just not for us anymore.

Sunday's Message - Good News, Bad News

Here's the message I offered during the celebration service in the First Presbyterian Church of Mingo Junction, Ohio on Sunday, June 21.

Since it’s Father’s Day, I started the service with a Dad joke. Now just in case you don’t know what that is, let me tell you. It’s a sophisticated, insightful, extremely funny observation that’s loved and appreciated by everyone, except for one small group: those who aren’t fathers. In a nutshell, that’s a Dad Joke, and I’ve got to tell you, I love them. In fact, every morning, at around 6:00, as I’m walking our little dog, I leave A Joke from Dad on Instagram.

And you know, as I’ve explored the genera, I’ve found that some of the best ones focus on a person giving some good news and some bad news. For example, a doctor says to his patient, “I’ve got good news and bad news.” The patient says, “What’s the bad news?” The doctor says, “Because of your condition you’ll have to live on a very strict diet. No chocolate or sweets, no fried stuff, no coffee, no meat, no bread, no fruits, no vegetables, no salt, no spices, no milk and no milk products. In fact, you can eat only unflavored rice cakes. And you’ll have to keep this diet for the rest of your life.” After hearing this, the patient says, “That’s awful! What’s the good news?” And the doctor says, “Because of your condition, you’ll only need to do it for about a month.” Pretty good, right? And how about this, a dad comes up to his son and says, “Son, I’ve got good news and bad news. The good news is that I just found a present I forgot to give you last Christmas. The bad is that it was a puppy.” Now that’s the kind of joke I’m talking about, and I’ll tell you, what makes them funny is that you have news that’s both good and bad. The two kind of go together.

But you know, I think this good and bad going together is something a lot of folks sort of miss when they think about the Christian life and specifically being a disciple. You see, it seems to me that a whole bunch of believers fall into two groups. They either focus on stuff that’s almost all good, or they dwell on stuff that’s almost all bad. Let me explain.

For example, I think you could call a lot of Christians super optimistic about following Jesus. In other words, they seem to assume that once you believe in Christ, your life right now immediately becomes great. Now I think we see this perspective in a lot of Christian-themed movies and hear it in virtually every testimony. See if this rings any bells. A guy says, “Before I became a Christian my life was horrible. I was stuck in a dead-end job. My marriage was on the rocks. And my kids were running amuck. But since I accepted Jesus, I got a promotion, my marriage is great and my kids appreciate all my Dad Jokes.” Do you see what I mean? After coming to Christ, life is all good, right? That is, until all of a sudden it’s not, because as we’ve all learned from COVID-19, the coronavirus doesn’t care if you’re a Christian or not, and let’s get real, neither do disasters and depression and death. As they say, into every life a little rain must fall. And because of that, the reality of living can really blind-side you, if all you expect are rainbows and flowers. You see, life in the world we’ve got and not the world we want can offer a pretty rude awakening for those super optimistic believers. Now that’s one group.

But I’ll tell you, I think there are just as many, if not more Christians on the other end of the spectrum, you know what I mean, folks who seem hyper-pessimistic. For example, they’re the ones who’ll tell you in a heart beat how bad the world is right now and how worse it’s getting each and every day. In fact, it’s gotten so bad, that any day now, Jesus is going to return and God’s going to tear the whole mess down. You see, for them, we are now in the last days. And while we wait for the end, maybe the best thing we can do is sort of hunker down and read the signs and leave our bunkers only to point out another reason why our world is going to Hell in a handbasket. Now that’s what they expect and so that’s what they look for. And as a guy told me years ago, a pessimist is never disappointed. And neither are they. And so there you have it, some disciples of Jesus Christ who expect only the good while others who expect only the bad.

But you know, I don’t think that’s how Jesus saw it at all. As a matter of fact, in the passage we’re going to talk about this morning, I believe he’s very realist about what his followers should expect out there in the world. In fact, in what he said, there was a remarkable balance of the good and the bad. And I’ll tell you, I think this is something we need to remember, as we go about living our lives. And like I said, it’s something we can find right here in the tenth chapter of Matthew.

But before we look at what he actually said, I believe it’s important to understand that, in this part of the gospel, Jesus was talking to the Twelve Apostles right before he sent them out to “...announce that the kingdom of heaven will soon be here” and to “heal the sick, raise the dead to life, heal people who have leprosy, and force out demons.” [Matthew 10:7b-8a, CEV] Now that was going to be their job. And to prepare them for doing it, Jesus was extremely honest and open about what they  should expect, both the bad and the good. And you know, when we listen and accept that this applies to us too, I think it can shape both the assumptions that we carry and the work that we do. Let me show you what I’m talking about.

For example, when he told his disciples what they should expect as they were doing their job, man, Jesus described a pretty harsh world. Just listen to what Jesus said: “I am sending you like lambs into a pack of wolves. So be as wise as snakes and as innocent as doves. Watch out for people who will take you to court and have you beaten in their meeting places. Because of me, you will be dragged before rulers and kings to tell them and the Gentiles about your faith. But when someone arrests you, don’t worry about what you will say or how you will say it. At that time you will be given the words to say. But you will not really be the one speaking. The Spirit from your Father will tell you what to say. Brothers and sisters will betray one another and have each other put to death. Parents will betray their own children, and children will turn against their parents and have them killed. Everyone will hate you because of me. But if you remain faithful until the end, you will be saved. When people mistreat you in one town, hurry to another one. I promise you that before you have gone to all the towns of Israel, the Son of Man will come. Disciples are not better than their teacher, and slaves are not better than their master. It is enough for disciples to be like their teacher and for slaves to be like their master. If people call the head of the family Satan, what will they say about the rest of the family?” [Matthew 10:16-25, CEV] Now that’s what he said.

And given this, I think you’d have to delusional to assume that, as the camp song says, a disciple can expect to be “inright, outright, upright, downright, happy all the time.” No, sir, Jesus knew that wasn’t going to happen, not in the world 2,000 years ago, and trust me, it’s not going to happen today either. Some things just don’t change. And so, if we want do the work we’ve been called to do, and I’m talking about announcing through the words we say but more importantly, through the lives we live in this real world, we really need to be realistic about what we face. In other words, we may need to take off the rose colored glasses and recognize that it’s no longer valid to take a “Field of Dreams” kind of approach to doing ministry, “if we build it, they will come.” Instead, we may need to toughen ourselves up, something I think the Apostle Paul was talking about when he wrote this to the Ephesians: “Be ready! Let the truth be like a belt around your waist, and let God’s justice protect you like armor. Your desire to tell the good news about peace should be like shoes on your feet. Let your faith be like a shield, and you will be able to stop all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Let God’s saving power be like a helmet, and for a sword use God’s message that comes from the Spirit.” [Ephesians 6:14-17, CEV] You see, since the world on the other side of the stained glass is a challenging, maybe even a hostile place, we need to be tough. We also need to be clear and intentional about the message we’re sharing, even if that means learning a language which the folks out there can understand and speaking to issues with which they can identify. Man, we can’t assume they’re going to come to us; we need to go to them. And when we do, not everybody is going to accept us or our message. In other words, we’re going to need a thick skin. As Jesus said a little bit later in chapter ten, “Don’t think that I came to bring peace to the earth! I came to bring trouble, not peace. I came to turn sons against their fathers, daughters against their mothers, and daughters-in-law against their mothers-in-law. Your worst enemies will be in your own family. If you love your father or mother or even your sons and daughters more than me, you are not fit to be my disciples. And unless you are willing to take up your cross and come with me, you are not fit to be my disciples. If you try to save your life, you will lose it. But if you give it up for me, you will surely find it.” [Matthew 10:34-39, CEV] I’m telling you, Jesus didn’t hold any punches in describing the harsh reality of our world. And since that’s the only world we’ve got, that’s bad news for anybody expecting painless discipleship. And you know, if that was it, I mean, if that was all Jesus said, I believe we’ve got every reason to become card-carrying pessimists.

But of course, that’s not all there is, not in what Jesus said to his disciples and not in what he promises to us. I mean, right after telling them to be “wise as snakes and as innocent as doves” and right before saying that he “came to bring trouble, not peace,” this was what Jesus said: “Don’t be afraid of anyone! Everything that is hidden will be found out, and every secret will be known. Whatever I say to you in the dark, you must tell in the light. And you must announce from the housetops whatever I have whispered to you. Don’t be afraid of people. They can kill you, but they cannot harm your soul. Instead, you should fear God who can destroy both your body and your soul in hell. Aren’t two sparrows sold for only a penny? But your Father knows when any one of them falls to the ground. Even the hairs on your head are counted. So don’t be afraid! You are worth much more than many sparrows. If you tell others that you belong to me, I will tell my Father in heaven that you are my followers. But if you reject me, I will tell my Father in heaven that you don’t belong to me.” [Matthew 10:26-33, CEV] Now that’s something else he said.

And I’ll tell you why that’s important, at least to me. Just like we need to be realistic about the world we have, we also need to be clear about the nature of the God we serve. You see, regardless of how bad things appear to be, we never need to worry. Why? Because God is always with us and he’s going to empower us to do the work we’ve been called to do. You know, it’s just like Jesus said in his very last words he said to the disciples: “I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth! Go to the people of all nations and make them my disciples. Baptize them in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, and teach them to do everything I have told you. I will be with you always, even until the end of the world.” [Matthew 28:18b-20, CEV] I’m telling you, he came to be Emmanuel, God with us, and that’s exactly who he was and who he is right now. And for that reason, we can step forward with confidence but not because it’s going to be easy, rather because we’re not doing it alone. In fact, it’s like Paul wrote to the Romans, “What can we say about all this? If God is on our side, can anyone be against us? God did not keep back his own Son, but he gave him for us. If God did this, won’t he freely give us everything else? ...In everything we have won more than a victory because of Christ who loves us. I am sure that nothing can separate us from God’s love—not life or death, not angels or spirits, not the present or the future, and not powers above or powers below. Nothing in all creation can separate us from God’s love for us in Christ Jesus our Lord!” [Romans 8:31-32, 37-39, CEV] I’ll tell you, this is the one we follow. And because of that, this isn’t just good news; it’s the Good News.

A little while ago, I started this message with a “good news, bad news” Dad Joke. And remember, we said that one of reasons these jokes are funny is that both the good and the bad are mentioned. And I’ll tell you, I think the same is true of our lives as Christian disciples. You see, even though a lot of believers tend to be either super-optimistic or hyper-pessimistic, neither reflects what Jesus taught his apostles right before he sent them out. And brothers and sisters, it’s not what he says to us either. You see, he warns us about the harsh reality of the only world that we’ve got but he also tells us about the loving nature of the God whom we serve. In other words, in presenting what we can expect as disciples of Christ, Jesus was honest about both the good news and the bad news. And as we go about sharing and living the gospel, that my friends is no joke.

Sunday's Message - The Other Pentecost Story

Here's the message I offered during the celebration service in the Presbyterian Church of Hopedale on Pentecost Sunday, May 31.

John 20:19-23

Now while it was early evening of that first day of the week and the doors were locked where the disciples were because of fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in their midst and said to them, “Peace to you.” And after he spoke, he showed [his] hands and side to them. Now the disciples rejoiced because they saw the Lord. Now he said to them again, “Peace to you. Just as the father sent out me, and I'm also sending you.” And after he said this, he breathed and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you might forgive the sins of any, then the sins have been forgiven them. If you might retain [the sins of any], then [the sins] have been retained.”

The Other Pentecost Story

Of course, as we’ve been talking about, this morning is Pentecost, the one Sunday a year we remember and celebrate the coming of the Holy Spirit. Now, that’s something we know, right? What most Christians may not know is that there are actually two Pentecost stories, one in the Gospel of John and the other in the book of Acts. Of course, it’s the story from Acts that generally comes to mind when we hear the word Pentecost and think about the coming the Holy Spirit. This was how the Evangelist Luke described it: “On the day of Pentecost all the Lord’s followers were together in one place. Suddenly there was a noise from heaven like the sound of a mighty wind! It filled the house where they were meeting. Then they saw what looked like fiery tongues moving in all directions, and a tongue came and settled on each person there. The Holy Spirit took control of everyone, and they began speaking whatever languages the Spirit let them speak.” [Acts 2:1-4, CEV] Now that’s the story most of us know, and I’ve got to tell you, that includes me. I mean, since 1997, I’ve preached this passage eleven times. Man, that’s a lot of sermons based on the same story.

But that’s not the only story about the coming of the Holy Spirit. You see, the other one is in the passage we read just a little while ago from John. And even though it’s usually not the one we use on Pentecost, I think it can offer us a lot of information about Jesus and the Spirit that we might miss if we focus only on Acts. And so this morning, we’re going to talk about this other Pentecost story and we’re going to see three things we might otherwise miss, in other words, three truths in this account that can really influence how we feel and what we do.

I mean, just think about what the Evangelist John wrote. First, I believe this story is about a promise, and I’m talking about a promise from Jesus to his disciples. For example, the Evangelist was very clear in what he said about the disciples. Man, they were also in a shut-down mode, but not because a virus. Rather, they were behind locked doors, because they were afraid, weren’t they? They were afraid of the Jews. And why wouldn’t they be? They’d pretty much put all their eggs in the Jesus basket, and what happened? According to John, the Jews had him nailed to a Roman cross. Let’s face it, the game was over, and in their minds, the only thing left was to hid out until the heat was off, and they could slink back to their lives. Take it to the bank, they were scared, and I’ll tell you, rumors about Jesus walking around after they put his body in a tomb probably didn’t help. And you know, because of that, I think what Jesus told them was really important. Remember, after he appeared to them, he said, “Peace to you.” And I’ll tell you, I think this was more than just a “hi, how are you.” A few days earlier, Jesus had said this: “I give you peace, the kind of peace that only I can give. It isn’t like the peace that this world can give. So don’t be worried or afraid.” [John 14:27, CEV] And a little later, he said, “I have told you this, so that you might have peace in your hearts because of me. While you are in the world, you will have to suffer. But cheer up! I have defeated the world.”[John 16:33, CEV] Now that’s what he said. But I’ll tell you, Jesus did more than just keep his promise and give his disciples peace. He also showed them his hands and sides, just so they would know it was him. And if that wasn’t good enough, he said “Peace to you” again. You see, according to this story, that’s what Jesus offered his scared disciples. He fulfilled his promise to them. He gave them peace. And you know, it must have worked because John wrote that “...the disciples rejoiced because they saw the Lord. ” [John 20:20b]

And I don’t know about y’all, but there are times when I need to hear that same promise myself, but don’t we all? I mean, aren’t there times when we all feel afraid, afraid of a doctor’s report, afraid for our children and grandchildren, afraid that the world is never going to return to the way it was and that we just might get lost in the shuffle? And doesn’t that fear lead to some confusion (I know it does for me), and we end up feeling like we’re just running around with no real focus and not at all sure where we should go next? I’ll tell you, I think there are times we all feel afraid and confused, in fact, we may be feeling it right now. And that’s the reason we need to hear Jesus say to us, to you and to me, “Peace to you” and to trust that it’s being offered by the one who was lifted up on the cross and who was raised from the dead and who, right now, speaks for us when we speak to him. I’m telling you, when we feel frightened and confused, I believe we need to remember the promise found in this passage. But that’s not all.

Second, I think it’s also important to see the very real presence in this story. And for me, that’s grounded in what Jesus then said and did. Remember, after offering them peace the second time, this happened. Jesus said, “...Just as the father sent out me, and I'm also sending you." And after he said this, he breathed and said to them, ‘Receive the Holy Spirit....’” [John 20:21b-22] Now I think this breathing business is a big deal. I mean, do you remember another story, maybe from the Old Testament, where someone breathed and something happened? Well, let’s see if this jogs any memories: “The Lord God took a handful of soil and made a man. God breathed life into the man, and the man started breathing.” [Genesis 2:7, CEV] And you know, that’s exactly what Jesus did for his disciples. I’m telling you, just like the Lord God breathed life into that lump of clay, Jesus breathed life, new life, eternal life into the disciples. And that breath was the Holy Spirit. Of course, those disciples were no strangers to who that Spirit was and what it would do. I mean, right at the beginning of the gospel, John the Baptist said, “I was there and saw the Spirit come down on him like a dove from heaven. And the Spirit stayed on him. Before this I didn’t know who he was. But the one who sent me to baptize with water had told me, ‘You will see the Spirit come down and stay on someone. Then you will know that he is the one who will baptize with the Holy Spirit.’” [John 1:32-33, CEV] And Jesus had already said, “But the Holy Spirit will come and help you, because the Father will send the Spirit to take my place. The Spirit will teach you everything and will remind you of what I said while I was with you.” [John 14:26, CEV] And so, even though Jesus wasn’t going to be around anymore, at least not physically, the disciples were going to be filled with a presence that would enable them to remember everything he said.

And brothers and sisters, that same presence is alive and well and living within us right now. You see, Jesus has already breathed on us, and we know that because we’re here. He’s already breathed on us, and we’ve been filled with new life. I mean, just think about it. Without our permission or help, Jesus has already said to us, “Receive the Holy Spirit.” And with that Spirit has come everything we need in order to believe, everything we need in order to trust, everything we need in order to understand. In other words, the promise Jesus made to that woman at the well has become a reality for us. “Jesus answered, ‘Everyone who drinks this water will get thirsty again. But no one who drinks the water I give will ever be thirsty again. The water I give is like a flowing fountain that gives eternal life.’” [John 4:13-14, CEV] Believe me, we’ve been given the fountain. We’ve received the Holy Spirit. We’ve felt the breath of God. You see, this story is about a presence that fills us right now, and that’s something else we can take from this story.

And finally, this story is also about purpose, about the reason we’ve been filled. Remember, right after Jesus breathed on the disciples and told them to receive the Holy Spirit, he said, “If you might forgive the sins of any, then the sins have been forgiven them. If you might retain [the sins of any], then [the sins] have been retained.” [John 20:23, CEV] Now that’s what Jesus said, but before we assume that he was telling the disciples that they could arbitrarily forgive and retain the bad stuff that other people had done, it’s important to understand what the word “sin” means in the Gospel of John. You see, sin isn’t about running around, doing naughty things. Instead, it involves what you could called self-imposed blindness, you know, voluntary ignorance, in other words, the unwillingness to recognize that Jesus actually is the revelation of God. That’s sin. And I’ll tell you, we see it in this encounter between Jesus and the Pharisees. “Jesus said, ‘I came into this world for judgment so that those who do not see may see, and those who do see may become blind.’ Some of the Pharisees near him heard this and said to him, ‘Surely we are not blind, are we?’ Jesus said to them, ‘If you were blind, you would not have sin. But now that you say, “We see,” your sin remains.’” [John 9:39-41, NRSV] You see what I mean by blindness? And that understanding of sin also explains why Jesus said, “If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not have sin; but now they have no excuse for their sin. Whoever hates me hates my Father also. If I had not done among them the works that no one else did, they would not have sin. But now they have seen and hated both me and my Father.” [John 15:22-24, NRSV] And so, in the Gospel of John, sin really wasn’t about what a person did; it was about what a person believed. And how might a person believe? How might a person understand that the Son is in the Father and the Father is in the Son? In other words, how can a person move from sin to trust? They’d need to hear the story, right? They’d need to hear the truth, to hear the words of Jesus. And thanks to the presence of the Spirit, who are the only people who can share this message? Those who’ve been inspired and empowered by that same Spirit. But if those folks say nothing, what are they doing to their family and friends? Those silent disciples are ensuring that everybody with whom they could have talked remain ignorant, that they remain blind, that they remain in sin. But what if disciples speak, if they announce, if they share, and people believe and they understand and they trust? Well, their sins are forgiven. Therefore, what is the purpose of spirit-filled disciples? It’s to share, just like the Evangelist John did when he wrote this book. In describing his gospel, he said, “Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book. But these are written so that you may come to believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that through believing you may have life in his name.” [John 20:30-31, NRSV] You see, when he wrote the book, he claimed his purpose.

And brothers and sisters, so can we. I’m telling you, we’ve heard the promise and we’ve received the presence, now it’s up to us to claim our purpose. And even though it probably doesn’t involve writing a new gospel, it may involve inviting a friend or neighbor to church some Sunday and working as hard as we can to make what that person hears in this place as inviting and as clear as it can be. That’s one way. Or it may mean showing what Christian love is all about, that it’s not about what we get but about what we give. And it’s not about what we want but about what others need. In fact, it’s not about us at all, it’s about them. You see, that’s another way to share the good news. And of course, I’ve only mentioned two; there are others. But what’s really most important is that we, and I’m talking about us together, that we do something, because if we do, we’ll be doing what Jesus Christ himself did when he was here. We’re giving folks the chance to experience real forgiveness by pointing them toward the one who came to forgive. You see, that’s our purpose, something else we can take from this story.

Of course, I expect that great winds and tongues of fire, man, I think that’s always going to be the first thing that comes to mind when we think about Pentecost. But having said that, let’s also keep in mind what John wrote, because in it, we can find a promise that comforts and a presence that empowers and a purpose that just might inspire us to do great things as disciples of Jesus Christ. And I’ll tell you, that’s possible when we remember this other Pentecost story.

Sunday's Message - Following a Star

As we pass through this COVID-19 shut-down, I've been posting sermons I preached and service I led during my time as pastor of Cove Presbyterian Church, Weirton, West Virginia. Below is a copy and pod cast of the sermon I preached on Sunday, June 4, 2017. It's based on Acts 2:1-21:

When the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place. And suddenly from heaven there came a sound like the rush of a violent wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. Divided tongues, as of fire, appeared among them, and a tongue rested on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other languages, as the Spirit gave them ability.

Now there were devout Jews from every nation under heaven living in Jerusalem. And at this sound the crowd gathered and was bewildered, because each one heard them speaking in the native language of each. Amazed and astonished, they asked, “Are not all these who are speaking Galileans? And how is it that we hear, each of us, in our own native language? Parthians, Medes, Elamites, and residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya belonging to Cyrene, and visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes, Cretans and Arabs—in our own languages we hear them speaking about God’s deeds of power.” All were amazed and perplexed, saying to one another, “What does this mean?” But others sneered and said, “They are filled with new wine.”

But Peter, standing with the eleven, raised his voice and addressed them, “Men of Judea and all who live in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and listen to what I say. Indeed, these are not drunk, as you suppose, for it is only nine o’clock in the morning. No, this is what was spoken through the prophet Joel: ‘In the last days it will be, God declares, that I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh, and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams. Even upon my slaves, both men and women, in those days I will pour out my Spirit; and they shall prophesy. And I will show portents in the heaven above and signs on the earth below, blood, and fire, and smoky mist. The sun shall be turned to darkness and the moon to blood, before the coming of the Lord’s great and glorious day. Then everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.’

The title of the sermon is “Following a Star.” 

Now I understand that the sermon title could be taken in more than one direction, because what it means to follow a star can refer to different things. And I know that to be a fact, because on Thursday, I googled the title, you know, to find something for the cover, and I found stuff that was totally unrelated to what I had in mind. I mean, I got a whole bunch of pictures of the wise men going to Bethlehem. And then I got some photographs of different stars up in the sky. And then I got a few drawings that must have gone with books about how important it is to follow your dreams; I mean, that’s sort of like following your star. Well, anyway, that’s the kind of stuff I found. And even though it was all nice, none of those had anything to do with the kind of star following I had in mind.

You see, what I was thinking about was how sometimes we’re in the position to follow in the footsteps of someone who did what we need to do really well, you know, a star. Let me give you a few examples. In football, somebody has to follow the star quarterback, you know, like when Steve Young followed Joe Montana or Andrew Luck followed Peyton Manning or Ben Roethlisberger followed Tommy Maddox. And just last week, I was talking to a member of the choir whom I don’t want to embarrass by mentioning her name, we were talking about how she felt really lucky to follow her sister, Dottie Jones, in school. And I can tell you, this kind of thing nearly happened to me, when I interviewed with a church in Mandan, North Dakota back in 1991. The chair of the nominating committee sat under a portrait of Ben Dove, the minister who was retiring after working with the congregation for thirty-five years and the guy in whose shadow I would have been. I’ll tell you, I think most people have been stuck following a star at some point in their lives. 

And even though there are times when it works out really well, you know, like when Debbie Siefert followed her sister in school, often that’s not the case. I mean, give me a break, sometimes it’s down-right difficult to follow someone who’s been really good at something we’re now expected to do. And because of that, I think it’s natural to wonder if we’ll ever measure up much less meet expectations. In other words, when faced with this kind of situation, I believe it’s easy to compare ourselves to them and to start wondering if maybe the job is too big for us to handle or maybe we’re too small to get it done right. Let’s face it, as both Andrew Luck and Big Ben learned from personal experience, following a star ain’t easy.

And yet, in a very real way, that’s what Christians have been expected to do for almost two thousand years. You see, we’ve been asked to follow the brightest star of all, the big kahuna himself, Jesus Christ. And it’s been like that from the very beginning of church. And frankly I think it was as difficult for them as it is for us. I mean, give me a break, it was one thing to follow him around when he was living, you know, soaking in his parables and watching him perform miracles and of course, eating some of the free fish sandwiches he made for the crowds. My gosh, that was easy. And even after the arrest and the crucifixion, remember Jesus was raised. And according to Luke, he was with his followers forty days. They were following, but Elvis was still in the building.

But it was during this time they got a glimpse of the future, because it was during those forty days that Jesus told his disciples, and through them, he tells us, exactly what they were suppose to do when he’d gone. He said, “...you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” [Acts 1:8] You see, they were told to be his witnesses, to be his μάρτυρες, eventually to the ends of the world. In other words, soon they would be expected to represent him everywhere. Now that’s a pretty big job, right? But to make this situation even worst, again according to Luke, the author of Acts, “When he had said this, as they were watching, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight. While he was going and they were gazing up toward heaven, suddenly two men in white robes stood by them. They said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking up toward heaven? This Jesus, who has been taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven.”  [Acts 1:9-11] Now this changes everything; not only were they expected to present Jesus to a world who’d never heard his name, Jesus wasn’t going to be around to help them. Now that’s what they faced. You see, they were going to have to follow a star.

And I’ll tell you, if you’re hearing this all relaxed and not feeling any of the urgency and pressure they felt, let me tell you, right now we are called to do the same job, to be Jesus’s witnesses in our world, and because he hasn’t come back, we’re following the same star they had to follow themselves.

And even though I believe there’s still a lot pressure that goes with this call, let me tell you, God didn’t leave us out there hanging. I mean, even though Jesus hasn’t return, we’re not exactly on our own. You see, we’re able to continue the work of Christ, you know, to be his witnesses to the world, because God has given us three things that will make this job a lot easier. And you know, they’re the exact same things he gave those disciples way back in the day.

You see, first, God has given us a whole bunch of examples we can follow. And I’ll tell you, if you don’t know where to find them, just thumb through your Bible some time. I mean, you tell me that Abraham isn’t an example of faith or Esther isn’t an example of strength or Job isn’t an example of courage. And of course in the New Testament, we’ve got the example of Jesus himself, and even though I wouldn’t suggest trying to walk on water or expecting to feed 5,000 people with five loaves and two fish, we sure can accept the weak and the lowly just like he did. And we can sure stand up to the high and the mighty when they’re wrong just like he did. And we can sure trust that God is always with us, even when things couldn’t be worst, just like he did. Man, we have Jesus. And along with Jesus, we can also follow the examples of his disciples, and I’m talking about those whom we see described in the Book of Acts, people who actually did what Jesus told them to do before he was taken into the clouds. You see, right now, we can decide that we’re going to follow this cloud of witnesses, these wonderful examples of faith and action. It’s like that old hymn:
“Faith of our fathers, living still 
In spite of dungeon, fire and sword, 
O how our hearts beat high with joy
 Whene’er we hear that glorious word! 
Faith of our fathers! holy faith! 
We will be true to thee till death!” 
I’ll tell you, we have some wonderful examples that we can follow, examples that will help us continue to do the work we have to do. And that’s the first thing God’s given to us.

And second, he’s also given us some magnificent lessons that we can learn. And right now, I’m thinking about all the stuff Jesus taught his disciples after, according to Luke, “[Jesus] set his face to go to Jerusalem.” [Luke 9:51b] For example, as they traveled to the heart of Judaism and the hinge on which the Gospel of Luke and the Book of Acts turns, Jesus taught his disciples what they could expect, even from their own flesh and blood, you know, that they’d encounter opposition from those who would hate them but also see amazing results in fields that are ready to be harvested. And he taught them what they might say when confronted with difficult questions, like “who is my neighbor”, and how they could be honest with crowds who were looking for a messiah to meet all their needs and even what they might pray when they approached God. My gosh, he even taught them the kind of temptations they’d face, you know, like how they might become distracted by wealth or by fear or by assumptions. And I’ve just mentioned a few things Jesus taught. If we’re serious about learning his lessons, you know, taking Discipleship 101; then at the very least, we’re going to have to open our Bibles and read Luke, chapters 10 through 19. I’m telling you, if we want to know what to expect and what to say and what’s going to get us off track, man, it’s all right here. But of course, reading it is just the start, because how you apply it is where the rubber hits the road. I mean, knowing all the words may be nice, but that’s not worth a bucket of spit if there’s no application. It doesn’t really mean a thing if it doesn’t move us our beyond our little comfortable community into a world that desperately needs the message that he have to share. I’m telling you, it’s just a lot of spiritual sounding stuff but little else, if we’re still unwilling to take it and live it right here and right now. And wouldn’t it be a shame if we made the decision to do nothing constructive and positive with all this, especially since these wonderful lessons from Jesus, man, they’re the second thing God has given us so that we can continue Christ’s work.

And third, right along with the examples God has given us to follow and the lessons he’s given us to learn, our Father has also given us the Spirit, the Holy Spirit both to inspire and to empower us. And I’ll tell y’all, that’s what Pentecost is all about and ultimately that’s how we can be Christ’s witnesses and how we can continue his work. You see, according to Luke, “When the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place. And suddenly from heaven there came a sound like the rush of a violent wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. Divided tongues, as of fire, appeared among them, and a tongue rested on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other languages, as the Spirit gave them ability.” [Acts 2:1-4] You see, when the Spirit came, and I’m talking about the same Holy Spirit that “...descended upon [Jesus] in the bodily form like a dove” at his baptism, the disciples started to share the story. They started to communicate the gospel in ways that the people around them could understand. They started to become “...[Christ’s] witnesses [first] in Jerusalem.” And because of that, we shouldn’t be surprised that, after receiving the Spirit, Peter preached the first sermon offered in Acts. And later, again with the Spirit, he and John would both heal the sick and cast out demons. You see, the Spirit is what inspires and empowers the work. And believe me, brothers and sisters, believe me, that same Spirit is right here this morning. Right now it’s flowing around and through us. Like a great wind, it’s filling this place. Like tongues of fire, it’s resting on us. And just like Paul wrote to the Corinthians, it’s inspiring and empowering us to do the very things we’ve been called to do. He wrote, “Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; and there are varieties of services, but the same Lord; and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who activates all of them in everyone. To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good.” [1 Corinthians 12:4-7] Now that’s happening right here and right now. And all we need to do to is recognize it and claim it. Because it’s the Holy Spirit, this wonderful Pentecostal gift, that will enable us to continue the work of Christ.

And that’s a good thing, because what we’re here to do doesn’t involve learning about the Wise Men or looking in the heavens or pursuing our dreams. In fact, we’ve actually been called to do more than just follow a star. We’re expected to be his witnesses, through both our words and work, to folks who live across the street and those who live on the other side of the world. I think you could say, we’ve been elected by God to proclaim good news to the citizens of both Pittsburgh and Paris. And even though we might feel as though the job is too big or that we’re too small, we really have a lot of help. You see, God has give us examples to follow and he’s given us lessons to learn and he’s given us the Holy Spirit to inspire and empower. All this has been given to us by God. And when we claim these gifts, I’m telling you, that’s how we can follow Jesus Christ, ultimate star. 

A New Devotion - The Power of Faith

Here's a new devotion that I wrote. You can find a recording of this devotion at the bottom of the page.

Matthew 8:18-27

Now when Jesus saw great crowds around him, he gave orders to go over to the other side. A scribe then approached and said, "Teacher, I will follow you wherever you go." And Jesus said to him, "Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests; but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head." Another of his disciples said to him, "Lord, first let me go and bury my father." But Jesus said to him, "Follow me, and let the dead bury their own dead."

And when he got into the boat, his disciples followed him. A windstorm arose on the sea, so great that the boat was being swamped by the waves; but he was asleep. And they went and woke him up, saying, "Lord, save us! We are perishing!" And he said to them, "Why are you afraid, you of little faith?" Then he got up and rebuked the winds and the sea; and there was a dead calm. They were amazed, saying, "What sort of man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey him?"

The Power of Faith

I believe some Christians have made a wrong assumption about faith in Jesus Christ. You see, they assume that when you believe and go through whatever process your particular group demands to join God’s team, your life certainly becomes easier if not easy. For example, where others have to struggle with fear and doubt, you now experience only certainty and confidence. And as the rest of humanity is forced to deal with health and financial issues, you’re teleported through life, enabling you to avoid all the gristle as you eat the steak. And while every other person learns to live with disappointments and unfairness, God puts his finger on the scale of justice in your favor;  therefore, you’re given a divine “get out of jail free” card that can be used anytime, anywhere. I believe this is the perspective that a lot of Christian have about faith, because that’s exactly what they’ve been taught by those who believe that winning converts is a game.

And I’ll tell you, I think that’s a real shame, and not just because it’s not true and those who buy what was sold end up disappointed. You see, when we think that following Jesus is a cake walk, we’re only deluding ourselves. No, being a Christian means sacrifice and self-denial. And it involves putting the needs of others before our own wants. And often it results in people treating us like we’re a bunch of patsies, because rest of the world believes that true strength is shown by arrogance, not humility. Simply put, faith is not the ticket to an easier life. And that’s actually good, because it offers so much more. You see, as our trust in God and Christ and the Spirit grows, so does our ability to see past the fear and doubt we might be feeling. It enables us to feel confident as we plow through life’s problems and hope as face disappointments and injustice. You see, rather lifting us over, our trust gives us the strength to endure the storms. And that’s the true power of faith.