Looking Toward Sunday

October 14, 2012 - Twentieth Sunday in Pentecost 

"Monkey Traps"

Our scripture reading for Sunday comes from the Gospel of Mark. (You can read the lesson here.) Jesus and his disciples are about to leave on a journey when a wealthy man runs up and kneels before Jesus, asking, "Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?"  This man has kept all the commandments faithfully, yet he knows there's something missing.  Jesus knows it too. And what he instructs the rich man to do shocks both the man and Jesus' disciples.  Sell everything you have, give the money to the poor, and then follow me. The man walks away filled with sorrow because he's unable to do as Jesus asks.

Jesus could see that the man was gripping his wealth so tightly that he couldn't open his hands to receive the fullness of God's kingdom.  The man was held captive by his own unwillingness to let go of the obstacle that kept him from God.

Perhaps you've heard of the technique that African bushmen use to trap monkeys.  Here's a video that shows how it's done.  (Don't worry - the monkey isn't harmed!) 

The tighter we grasp the things that keep us stuck spiritually, the more like that monkey we become. Until we let go, we're trapped right where we are.

What are the "melon seeds" that you're grasping so tightly?  What is it that you need to let go of in order to be set free for authentic discipleship - for kingdom living - for abundant, joyful, eternal life in Christ?  Join us as we consider our "monkey traps".

See you on Sunday!

Looking Toward Sunday

September 2, 2012 - Fourteenth Sunday in Pentecost 

"Inside Out"

Our scripture reading for Sunday comes from the Gospel of Mark. Jesus is confronted by some Pharisees and scribes about his disciples' failure to perform the expected ritual hand-washing before meals.  (You can read the lesson here.)  Jesus' strong reaction includes a criticism of his own about the Pharisees' religous practices.

Jesus accuses the Pharisees of being hypokrites (the Greek from which we get our word "hypocrites") - meaning "actors".  According to Jesus, they believe they are pure are righteous and faithful because they act pure and righteous and faithful.  But, Jesus says, in reality their hearts are far from God.  Jesus then tells his listeners that purity is something that’s found on the inside, not something that’s created by outward rituals - that clean hearts matter more than clean hands.

Jesus reminds us that we’re to be faithful from the inside out rather than attempting to be faithful from the outside in - that we can't truly "honor God with our lips" unless our "hearts are near to God".  If this week's reading is any indication, Jesus is much less concerned about what we do or avoid doing or pretend to do than what’s genuinely in our hearts - it's less about the motions than the motivation.  

So, what might your Christianity look like if you genuinely practiced it from the inside out?   

See you on Sunday!

Looking Toward Sunday

August 12, 2012 - "Cleaning House" Sermon Series

Week 4 - Cleaning Out Our Calendar

"Breathing Space"

This Sunday is the final installment in our "Cleaning House" sermon series.  This week we're going to be thinking about our calendar (or day planner or Blackberry or whatever it is you use to keep your daily agenda) and pondering whether there are a few things that need to be cleaned out.  

Our scripture readings for the day are Genesis 2:1-3 (the Creation story, where God finishes the job and takes a day off) and Deuteronomy 5:13-15 (that pesky fourth commandment that says we need to take the day off too). You can read the Genesis passage here and you can read the Deuteronomy passage here. We'll be thinking about how well we've made room for sabbath - time that's set aside for rest, reflection, restoration, and recreation as modeled by none other than God's own self.

Chances are your calendar is a bit fuller than you'd like it to be - possibly a lot fuller.  What would it be like to obey the commandment to observe sabbath?  What if you could open up that kind of breathing space in your life?  What would it mean to your mental, physical, and spiritual well-being?  How would your relationship with God be different?  With friends and family?  With yourself?  Join us as we imagine what it might be like to obey all ten of those Ten Commandments.

See you on Sunday!

Looking Toward Sunday

August 5, 2012 - "Cleaning House" Sermon Series

Week 3 - Cleaning Out Our Material House

"The Simple Life"

Our summer sermon series entitled "Cleaning House" continues this week. The last two Sundays we reflected on the emotional and spiritual "stuff" in our lives that may need to be sorted through, boxed up, and swept out. This week we'll take a look at all the literal, material "stuff" we accumulate and consider whether it makes our lives more satisfying - or less so.

The scripture lesson for the day is Jesus' parable of The Rich Fool and Jesus' subsequent warnings about materialism. (You can read it here.)  He has some harsh criticism for those who "store up treasures for themselves but are not rich toward God." (Luke 12:21)

Jesus challenges us to ask ourselves where our is wealth invested - in earthly treasures or in God's kingdom? Have we become caught up in our culture's endless cycle of desiring, acquiring, and consuming? Could divesting ourselves of some of our excess stuff and choosing a simpler life bring us more contentment? Join us as we ponder what a good "housecleaning" might mean for our quality of life.

See you on Sunday!

Looking Toward Sunday

July 29, 2012 - "Cleaning House" Sermon Series

Week 2 - Cleaning Out Our Spiritual House

"Making Room"

This Sunday we continue a sermon series called "Cleaning House" that asks us to consider a bit of spiritual, emotional, and material “housecleaning”.  What unwanted, broken, outdated, or harmful stuff have we been accumulating that would best be given a good clean sweep?  

This week we'll focus on cleaning out our spiritual house.  Our scripture reading for the day is Mark 2:18-28.  (You can read it here.)  It's Jesus' response to the religious leaders' criticism that he and his disciples aren't observing religious conventions. Jesus compares the Pharisees' insistence about following prescribed religious practices to putting new wine in old wineskins. Old wineskins lack the elasticity to accommodate the fermentation and expansion of new wine. Likewise, the Pharisees' can't or won't stretch old ways of practicing their faith to accommodate Jesus' new way.

Are there places in our spiritual lives where holding onto old ways, old ideas, or old practices keep us from new awareness, deeper spiritual formation, and a more profound experience of the Divine? Perhaps routine spiritual practices have become stale and ineffective for growth. Perhaps the comfort of familiar hymns, prayers, and ways of worshiping has caused resistance to encountering God in a new way. Perhaps our understanding of God has become too static or rigid to allow for fresh insight and understanding. Join us as we explore what "old wineskins" may need to be discarded in order to make room for the "new wine" of a more dynamic, intimate, and transformative relationship with God. 

See you on Sunday!

Looking Toward Sunday

July 22, 2012 - "Cleaning House" Sermon Series

Week 1 - Cleaning Out Our Emotional House

"Getting Rid of the Junk"

Get out the boxes and the broom!  This Sunday we begin a 4-week sermon series called "Cleaning House" that asks us to consider whether our lives could benefit from a little spiritual, emotional, and material “housecleaning”.  

This week we'll focus on what needs to be cleaned out of our emotional house.  Our scripture reading for the day is Ephesians 4:17-32 - Paul's exhortation to get rid of toxic emotions like bitterness, anger, malice, and unforgiveness.  (You can read it here.)  We'll talk about the damage such feelings can cause, as well as the good that can come from taking a push broom to those negative emotions.

What feelings are you carrying around that you no longer want or need?  What emotions are causing harm to yourself or to those around you?  What’s the junk that’s shoved into the back of your emotional closet that really needs to get packed up and put out to the curb?  Join us as we start making out our "must go" list.

See you on Sunday!

Looking Toward Sunday

July 15, 2012 - Seventh Sunday in Pentecost 

"True Identity"

Our scripture reading for Sunday comes from Paul's letter to the Ephesians (verses 1:3-14). This week we'll be using Eugene Peterson's paraphrased Bible entitled The Message. (You can read the lesson here.)  In the letter's opening lines, Paul reminds the Christians at Ephesus what a blessing it is to be "in Christ" - to have been loved and claimed and adopted by God - to be "made whole and holy by his love".  Paul reminds the Ephesians who and whose they are - the beloved children of God.

We, too are God's beloved – a truth that is affirmed in the waters of baptism.  It is in our baptism that we are reminded of who we are – that we are God’s daughters and sons – that we are God’s beloved – that in us, God is well pleased.  That is our real identity.  

The story is told that in moments of despair, the great 16th century Protestant reformer, Martin Luther, would touch his forehead and say the only words that would help him to grasp hope: "Remember, you are baptized".  What if, like Luther, we could continually claim our baptismal identity instead of developing amnesia about who and whose we really are?  How might our lives be different if we were to define ourselves not by the names and labels that others place on us, but by our truest identity as the beloved of God?   

It's in Christ that you, once you heard the truth and believed it, found yourselves home free – signed, sealed, and delivered by the Holy Spirit.  (Eph. 1:13)

See you on Sunday!