Sidney UMC - First Sunday of Advent - 12/02/18 - Sermon - “He came, and He will come again!" The "Hope is Coming" Series - Part 1 of 5)

Sunday 12/02/18 - Sidney UMC

Sermon Title: “He came, and He will come again!”

     (“Hope is Coming” Series – Part 1 of 5)

Old Testament Scripture: Jeremiah 33:14-16

                                            

New Testament Scripture: 1 Thessalonians 3:9-13

                                                   

Gospel Lesson: Luke 21:25-36

          Welcome again this morning my friends, my brothers and sisters in Christ, on this our First Sunday of this the Season of Advent. Advent of course is the season that leads us up to the short 12-day Season of Christmas. We all know the song “The 12-days of Christmas”.

          So what is Advent though, and why do we celebrate it? Well one source I researched says:

“Advent is a season observed in many Christian churches as a time of expectant waiting and preparation for the celebration of the Nativity of Jesus at Christmas as well as the return of Jesus at the second coming. The term is a version of the Latin word meaning "coming". The term "Advent" is also used in Eastern Orthodoxy for the 40-day Nativity Fast, which has practices different from those in the West”.

“Latin adventus is the translation of the Greek word parousia, commonly used to refer to the Second Coming of Christ. For Christians, the season of Advent anticipates the coming of Christ from three different perspectives. "Since the time of Bernard of Clairvaux (d.1153) Christians have spoken of the three comings of Christ: in the flesh in Bethlehem, in our hearts daily, and in glory at the end of time."

“Advent is the beginning of the Western liturgical year and commences on the fourth Sunday before Christmas (sometimes known as Advent Sunday),” (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Advent).

So Advent is the beginning of the church year or calendar, and it is a season that developed out of the worshiping tradition of the church. In this season we are called to prepare for the memory of Christ’s birth, to receive Him in our hearts daily, and to be prepared for his triumphant return to earth.

I remember the very first Advent that I was a pastor. To be honest before that first Sunday of Advent as a pastor, I never noticed that the scriptures that many of our churches read every Sunday where scriptures that the church picked out ahead of time. This is why I was really confused on my first Sunday of Advent as a pastor in 2012.

I was reading and studying, and preparing for my first ever Advent sermon. I was reading the gospel lesson for that first Sunday in Advent in 2012, and found myself really confused. You see I always thought that the season of Advent was purely about preparing our hearts and our minds for the birth of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. I mean when the Season of Advent ends, we are in the Season of Christmas. You know the baby, our savior being born!

Yet on that first Sunday of Advent as a pastor, I noticed that the gospel lesson for that day discussed not Jesus’ coming birth, but rather his second triumphant return to earth. As our communion liturgy says:

“Christ has died, Christ is risen, Christ will come again”

(UMC Hymnal, pg. 10).

So I was confused, is Advent about preparing for Christ’s birth? Is Advent about inviting Christ in our hearts? Is Advent about being prepared for Christ triumphant second coming to earth? Well as I soon learned in preparing for that first Sunday of Advent in 2012, the answer was yes to all three.

Advent is about preparing for the memory of Christ’s birth, as he was already born nearly 2,000 years ago. As we celebrate this season, we prepare for the memory of Christ’s birth, and hopefully we will recapture faith in Christ anew. In this season we can invite Christ to born again in our hearts, as we invite him into our lives every day. We also await the triumphant return of Christ to earth. As the Nicene Creed we are reading this ends with:

“We look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come. Amen” (UMC Hymnal, pg. 880).

         

This “resurrection of dead” is of course in conjunction with the second coming of Jesus Christ to earth.

So in this season, we are invited to prepare for the memory of Christ’s birth that is coming. We are invited to ask him into our hearts daily, as we await his triumphant return. Did anyone honestly not know any of this before this morning? That the Season of Advent was about three things? I know that I didn’t fully understand it until 2012.

With all of this said, I am starting a new sermon series this morning that will run today through Christmas Eve. This sermon series is called the “Hope is Coming” series. My sermon this morning is called, “He came, and will come again!” This sermon title is of course saying that we are preparing for the memory of Jesus’ birth, that we can invite him into our hearts daily, and that he will return one day in glory. So Jesus came, and Jesus will come again! As Christians our hope is in Jesus, his life saving gospel, his death and resurrection, and yes in his triumphant return.

Through Jesus’ gospel, found in Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, we have a blue print from Jesus on how to live, how to love, how to be reconciled to God, and what is to come. In this season of Advent we are invited to prepare for the coming of Christ. The coming of Christ in a manger in Bethlehem, the coming of Christ into our hearts and lives, and the return of Christ to earth. Jesus is coming, Hope is coming. We are in season of love, joy, peace, and of course hope.

So let’s look again at our gospel reading from this morning again to better understand once again why the church gives us a scripture in the first Sunday of Advent about Christ’s return to earth. Once again it says in Luke 21:25-36, shortly before the Last Supper:

“There will be signs in the sun, the moon, and the stars, and on the earth distress among nations confused by the roaring of the sea and the waves. People will faint from fear and foreboding of what is coming upon the world, for the powers of the heavens will be shaken. Then they will see ‘the Son of Man coming in a cloud’ with power and great glory. Now when these things begin to take place, stand up and raise your heads, because your redemption is drawing near” (Lk. 21:25-28, NRSV).

          So the gospel of Luke lesson for this morning, which is sub-titled by the way, “The Coming of the Son of Man,” is a narrative about the return of Christ to earth. Jesus himself is speaking these words.

As I said, I remember my first Advent as pastor thinking about this gospel reading, “Well that isn’t about the coming birth of Christ”. Advent again, is about the birth, the faith, and the return. When you are thinking of the birth of a baby you likely rarely think about the end of the world and apocalypse. These sorts of things really put a damper on a baby shower!

          In one of my bible commentaries called the “Africa Bible Commentary,” it says of the scripture that I just read:

“Signs of the times are all around us. We read of floods, earth-quakes and hurricanes, of wars and terrorism. There are signs of the earth’s upheaval and nations in chaos. Jesus discussed these signs in Jerusalem twenty-one centuries ago when he spoke of the end of Jerusalem and the end of the world” (Africa Bible Commentary, 1271).

          Jesus, then after saying these words about his second coming, tells us the parable of the fig tree in this morning’s gospel reading.

^“Then he told them a parable: “Look at the fig tree and all the trees; as soon as they sprout leaves you can see for yourselves and know that summer is already near. So also, when you see these things taking place, you know that the kingdom of God is near. Truly I tell you, this generation will not pass away until all things have taken place. Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away” (Lk. 21:25-28, NRSV).

          In this parable, Jesus is telling us like a fig tree that sprouts leaves in the spring; you know that summer is coming because of the leaf sprouts. Jesus is saying that similar to the sprouting leaves on a fig tree, be looking for the signs of his return to earth. Be prepared for when Christ returns in victory to the earth.

          One verse that has thrown many people over the years in the parable of the fig tree is when Jesus says:

          “Truly I tell you, this generation will not pass away until all things have taken place” (Lk. 21:32, NRSV).

          I have been asked, “But pastor the generation that was alive when Jesus was alive passed away a long time ago. Shouldn’t Christ have returned way back then?”

          The answer to this question is this, Jesus was telling us that at some point in time, a future that a generation will live through many of things that Jesus say will occur before He returns. Further this same generation will still be alive when Christ returns. This means that this final generation on earth will live through some hard times, culminating in the return of Jesus Christ. So at some point then a generation will be born that will witness what Christ said will come prior to his return to earth.

          Jesus then again said:

“Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away”

(Lk. 21:32, NRSV).

          Jesus is saying that everything on this earth is temporary, but he is eternal. The responsive hymn “There’s Something About That Name” in our United Methodist Church hymnal ends with the words:

“Kings and kingdoms will all pass away, but there’s something about that name!” (UMC Hymnal, pg. 171).

          Jesus then ends our gospel lesson for this morning once again by saying this:

“Be on guard so that your hearts are not weighed down with dissipation and drunkenness and the worries of this life, and that day does not catch you unexpectedly, like a trap. For it will come upon all who live on the face of the whole earth. Be alert at all times, praying that you may have the strength to escape all these things that will take place, and to stand before the Son of Man” (Lk. 21:34-36, NRSV).

          So Jesus, our Lord, says be ready, be prepared. He says I will be coming back soon!

          So in this our First Sunday of Advent, we prepare for a season where we are awaiting the memory of the birth of Jesus Christ our savior, we are invited to bring Christ into our hearts anew every day, and we await Christ’s triumphant return. May we have hope in the birth of Christ, the life of Christ, the saving grace through Christ, and hope in triumphant return one day.

          I therefore end this message with a statement said by Christians for centuries, Come Lord Jesus. Amen.

         

Sidney UMC - Christ the King Sunday/United Methodist Student Sunday - 11/25/18 - Sermon - “My Kingdom is not from this world"

Sunday 11/25/18 - Sidney UMC

Sermon Title: “My kingdom is not from this world”                         

Old Testament Scripture: Psalm 132:1-12

                                            

New Testament Scripture: Revelation 1:4b-8

                                                   

Gospel Lesson: John 18:33-37

          Friends, brothers and sisters in Christ, welcome again on this our Christ the King Sunday, and on this our United Methodist Student Sunday. Today we celebrate Christ our King, and we also have a special giving opportunity this Sunday. This special giving opportunities goes to help Methodist students get college education and training. Financial gifts made on this Sunday will help enable people of faith to serve in many fields and capacities. You have giving envelopes in your bulletins, and feel free to put those in the collection plate during our collection this morning.

          This is also Christ the King Sunday, which is always the Sunday right before the beginning of Advent. That’s right, next Sunday is the beginning of Advent, and it is also the start of the calendar for the church’s year, as the church’s calendar begins each year with Advent. This is why I would love it if any of you could help us decorate the church this Saturday December 1^st at 10:00 am. Feel free to bring a snack to share!

          So Christ the King Sunday, what is it, and why do we celebrate it today? Well according to one source that I have studied this is what it says about Christ the King Sunday:

“The Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe, commonly referred to as the Feast of Christ the King, is a relatively recent addition to the Western liturgical calendar, having been instituted in 1925 by Pope Pius XI for the Roman Catholic Church. In 1970 its Roman Catholic observance was moved to the final Sunday of Ordinary Time. Therefore, the earliest date on which it can occur is 20 November and the latest is 26 November. Traditional Catholics observe it on its original date, the last Sunday of October. The Anglican, Lutheran, and many other Protestant churches adopted it along with the Revised Common Lectionary, occasionally referring to it as Christ the King Sunday. It is also observed on the same computed date as the final Sunday of the ecclesiastical year, the Sunday before the First Sunday of Advent, by Western rite parishes of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia. Roman Catholics adhering to the Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite as permitted under the motu proprio Summorum Pontificum use the General Roman Calendar of 1960, and as such continue to observe the Solemnity on its original date of the final Sunday of October. In 2018, it is celebrated on 25 November” (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Feast_of_Christ_the_King).

          So today, along with celebrating United Methodist Student Sunday, we have, as I said, Christ the King Sunday. So what does it mean to be a king? We have heard the term “being the king of the castle,” but what is a king? Some would say a king is ruler, someone who is in charge, or maybe the leader of a country. Some countries today still have kings and queens. Some of these kings and queens have significant power, and some do not. For example, Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom or England, is the head of state, not the head of the government in that country. Queen Elizabeth II is more of a figure head and does have complete power over the country. She is also the head of the Church of England or Anglican Church to, by the way.

          Many of us can think of different kings and queens throughout history, and how their reigns were good or bad. We also have other kings like the Burger King. I would assume that the Burger King’s kingdom includes all Burger King Restaurants. We have never been told, to my knowledge, the name of the Burger King, such as Edward or John. We just know the Burger King is in fact the Burger King. The Burger King therefore rules over all Burger Kings. McDonalds on the other hand has Ronald McDonald. So is it better to have a King or a McDonald?

          In general though, kings and queens are kings and queens of something. The bible tells us that Jesus is the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords. In fact, as we all know, today is Christ the King Sunday. So what exactly is Jesus the king of? Some might say, “Well Pastor Paul, Jesus is the king of my heart”. I would agree with that statement, as Jesus is also the king of my heart. Above Jesus’ cross when he was crucified in fact, it referred to Jesus with the letters in Latin “INRI” or “Jesus, King of the Jews” (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jesus,_King_of_the_Jews). Putting this on the cross was of course ordered by the Roman Governor of Judea Pontius Pilate.

          Now once again the source that I cited for this our Christ the King Sunday says of Jesus that this Sunday is in honor of:

“The Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe” (https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+18%3A33-37&version=NRSV).

         

          So Jesus is our Lord, and according this source is the “King of the Universe,” along with being the King of the Jews. Well I don’t work for NASA, but I do know that universe is massive, and that our earth is but a dot in the midst of the whole universe. So Jesus is the king of all of that then? I thought that God the Father our creator created the Universe and everything in it? If this is true, then how can Jesus Christ be “King of the Universe”? Well in John’s gospel, John speaks of the “Word” or Jesus as the one who “took on flesh and dwelt among us”. Specifically, is says in John 1:14:

“And the Word became flesh and lived among us, and we have seen his glory, the glory as of a father’s only son, full of grace and truth” (Jn 1:14, NRSV).

So Jesus Christ our King of Kings and our Lord of Lords was God in the flesh on earth, as I just read from the gospel of John. Or as Rev. Max Lucado titled in the first week of our Advent Study “Because of Bethlehem,” “God has a face”.

          I give you all of this information to get you think about what a king is, what a queen is. Jesus is called a king, and above his head on his cross it once again says “Jesus, King of the Jews”. So where is Jesus’ kingdom? I mean when Jesus was alive, King Herod was king of Israel or Judea, and Israel of Judea lived under the occupation of the Roman Empire. As a colony of the Roman Empire, the Roman Emperor appointed Governor Pontius Pilate to oversee Israel or Judea. So if King Herod is king of Israel of Judea, and if Governor Pontius Pilate oversees King Herod and Israel or Judea for the Roman Empire, then were is Jesus’ Kingdom? Throughout the gospels Jesus tells many people about his kingdom. Jesus tells many of people that his kingdom has come near. Well, we have a king and Roman governor where Jesus lived, so where is his kingdom?

          We have one answer this morning from our gospel of John reading. In this reading, we enter the day of Jesus’ trial and crucifixion. We enter the scene where Roman Governor Pontius Pilate invites Jesus into his headquarters to question him. Pontius Pilate is confused, for if Jesus is a king, then where is his kingdom. This is when many are telling Pontius Pilate to crucify Jesus for claiming that he is a king and savior of the world. Once again, the gospel says:

“Then Pilate entered the headquarters again, summoned Jesus, and asked him, “Are you the King of the Jews?” Jesus answered, “Do you ask this on your own, or did others tell you about me?” Pilate replied, “I am not a Jew, am I? Your own nation and the chief priests have handed you over to me. What have you done?” Jesus answered, “My kingdom is not from this world. If my kingdom were from this world, my followers would be fighting to keep me from being handed over to the Jews. But as it is, my kingdom is not from here.” Pilate asked him, “So you are a king?” Jesus answered, “You say that I am a king. For this I was born, and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone who belongs to the truth listens to my voice”

 (Jn. 18:33-37, NRSV).

          It appears that we may have an answer as to where Jesus’ kingdom is. According to what Jesus Christ our King of Kings and Lord of Lords said to Governor Pontius Pilate in this morning’s gospel reading:

“My kingdom is not from this world. If my kingdom were from this world, my followers would be fighting to keep me from being handed over to the Jews. But as it is, my kingdom is not from here.” (Jn. 18:36, NRSV).

          So Jesus’ kingdom is eternal and is not of this world. I would argue that we are building God’s Kingdom here on earth, as we await the fullness of the Kingdom of God. This means that until we die our earthly deaths or until the Lord Jesus returns, we are called to build a world that Jesus taught us to build, until we enter the eternal and the heavenly kingdom.

          Every king, every queen that I ever studied, has had some sort of power on earth, a country to rule, or something. Even the Burger King is in charge of a bunch or restaurants, but Jesus said this morning:

“My kingdom is not from this world. If my kingdom were from this world, my followers would be fighting to keep me from being handed over to the Jews. But as it is, my kingdom is not from here.” (Jn. 18:36, NRSV).

          It would seem that Pontius Pilate might not have understood what Jesus said, or what he meant. Remember Pontius Pilate was Roman Governor under the Roman Emperor. The Roman Emperor ruled over many kings like King Herod of Israel or Judea. So Jesus is greater than all of these? Jesus is greater than the Roman Emperor himself? Yes, this is what the claim is. Well how can this be? Sure Jesus’ kingdom is eternal and is massive, but how can he be greater even than even the Roman Emperor?

          The answer for this is that the scripture tells us, Jesus tells us, that he was the fullness of God on this earth. Jesus said if you have seen me, you have seen the father. Jesus said that everything that he taught was from God the Father and was of divine origin. Jesus according the scriptures was sinless, and died on a cross for the sins of humanity. Jesus then rose from the dead on Easter three days later. Jesus then ascended to God the Father’s right hand in heaven, and he said that he will return to earth one day in glory. So why is Jesus the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords? Why was and is Jesus greater than any ruler, great than us?

          Jesus is greater, because Jesus was the fullness of God and fullness of man who was among us here on earth, who lived a sinless and perfect life. Jesus wept, struggled, and experienced what we experience. Jesus was the only one qualified to be an all-encompassing Lord and Savior. Jesus, the God man, God in the flesh, who walked among us, who knew no sin, died for us, to free us from our sin. Since Jesus was fully God yet fully man, and was sinless, he was the only one who could pay the price for us. Jesus Christ the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords died for you, for me, and all of humanity, so that we might be reconciled with God and live with him in eternity forever.

          You see we cannot free ourselves from sin and from our sinful natures. As a result of this, we needed something done for us so that we could be reconciled to God. Jesus came, lived, taught, loved, healed, forgave, and gave his life on a cross for us, so that we may live. Kings and kingdoms will all pass away, but there is something about that name. Kings and Kingdoms are temporary, but Jesus and his kingdom are eternal.

          Great kingdoms of the earth have risen and have fallen, but the eternal and heavenly kingdom of Jesus Christ is forever. He truly then is the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords. This is what we celebrate on this our Christ the King Sunday, that Jesus is the king of our hearts and also the king of the universe.

          In tough moments in my own life were I have struggled, where I have felt that I wasn’t good enough, I would sometimes call my mom for advice. I remember so many times my mother telling me, “never forget Paul that you are a child of the king, and you will inherit the greatest kingdom of all”. Jesus taught us to pray and said, “Thy kingdom come” and taught us to do God’s will “on earth as it is in heaven”. Friends we are building God’s kingdom here on earth, until Christ returns or we go to be with him.

          Beyond Jesus Christ being the Lord of life and the King of the Universe, we are invited by him to have a personal and a spiritual relationship with him. This means that everything that we have ever done, all the shame, all the guilt, and all the regret that we have, can be forgiven by Jesus. If we turn to him, if we invite him into our hearts he will forgive us if we ask him to. We can invite him to not only be the Lord of life, but the Lord of our hearts and our souls. We can invite Jesus to not only be the Lord of the Universe, but the Lord of every part of our lives. Friends, my life has been transformed by my relationship with Jesus, and he invites all of us into deeper relationship with him on this our Christ the King Sunday. Amen.

Sidney UMC - Twenty-Sixth Sunday after Pentecost - 11/18/18 - Sermon - “All will be thrown down"

Sunday 11/18/18 - Sidney UMC

Sermon Title: “All will be thrown down”                         

Old Testament Scripture: 1 Samuel 2:1-10

                                            

New Testament Scripture: Hebrews 10:11-25

                                                   

Gospel Lesson: Mark 13:1-8

          Welcome again my brothers and sisters, my friends, on this our Twenty-Six Sunday after Pentecost. Twenty-Six Sundays after the Holy Spirit moved and the Christian Church was born on the day of Pentecost, nearly two-thousand years ago.

          With this said, and I don’t know about you, but sometimes I have been guilty of trusting in something too much. Maybe it was a baseball bat that I thought would never warp, break, or tarnish, and it did. Maybe it was a winter coat that I was sure would last forever, and it didn’t. Sometimes things that are big or small can be things that we put way too much trust in.

          For example, on April 15, 1912 the RMS Titanic, which was a British passenger liner sank to the bottom of the ocean (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RMS_Titanic). Many of us have seen the movie “Titanic” with Leonardo DiCaprio that was released in 1997. This movie depicted the beautiful almost 883-foot long Titanic in all of its beauty and its splendor. The movie then depicted it sinking to the bottom of the cold ocean, after hitting an iceberg, as many died. From the poorest to the richest, many of them died.

          A quote that has been incorrectly attributed to the Titanic, meaning it was never a published statement, was that “God himself could not sink this ship” (https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/sinking-the-unsinkable/). While this quote was never published or recorded, I am confident that some people might have thought things very similar to this. The Titanic was a grand ship, and many put their confidence in that ship above all else. Yet it sank, and it still sits today where it sank in 1912.

          Well for those of you who haven’t heard yet, a replica of the Titanic is being built presently, and it will sail in the coming years. Here is what one article that I read says:

“A replica of the Titanic could embark on its maiden voyage by 2022 and eventually follow its doomed predecessor's original route from Southampton to New York, the company behind the "Titanic II" project says. Clive Palmer, an Australian businessman and chairman of Blue Star Line, announced the revival of the project in September following years of delays due to financial constraints”.

“The new Titanic, which will cost about $500 million to build, could hold 2,400 passengers and 900 crew members. Palmer told Cruise Arabia and Africa that the launch date for the ship had been pushed back from 2018 to 2022, 110 years after the original hit an iceberg and fell to the ocean floor. If all goes according to plan, Palmer said the ship will travel from Dubai to Southampton before making the journey across the Atlantic”.

"The ship will follow the original journey, carrying passengers from Southampton to New York," Palmer said in a statement last month." But she will also circumnavigate the globe, inspiring and enchanting people while attracting unrivaled attention, intrigue and mystery in every port she visits"

(https://www.cbsnews.com/news/titanic-clive-palmer-blue-star-line-southhampton-new-york/).

Now, as far as I have gathered, the level of confidence and maybe even arrogance around the first Titanic ship does not seem to be as high this time around for Titanic 2. Out of curiosity though, how many of you would want to go on a trip on Titanic 2? Further, how many of you would go on Titanic 2 even if the trip was free?

          The story of the original Titanic has a connection to our gospel of Mark reading from this morning, in that we should not place our trust in a ship, or in the case of the gospel reading for this morning, a building. We love our homes, our buildings, but our trust must be first and foremost be in God, not in a ship, not in a building, but in God.

          Now this scripture that we have for this morning, is found of course in the gospel of Mark, and it also in the gospels of Matthew and Luke. This scripture is often called the “Olivet Discourse,” as we have a glimpse of a minor apocalypse of sorts. This portion of this “Olivet Discourse” reminds us that we will suffer some before the return of Christ, before the fullness of the kingdom of God comes into being (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Olivet_Discourse).

          Now this scripture takes place at the Temple in Jerusalem. Many other Jewish houses of worship are sometimes called synagogues, but the Temple in Jerusalem is called the Temple. It was the holiest, the most central, and the closest place on earth to the living God. It is the place that housed the Ark of Covenant, which held the Ten-Commandments, the place where the high priest was, and the place where the animal sacrifices and special giving occurred.

          Today in Jerusalem, all that remains of this once great temple, is the wall that runs through a small part of Jerusalem. Many call this portion of the outer wall, the “Wailing Wall”. You can go to this portion of the wall to pray, to put notes in the wall, and this place is considered the holiest place on earth to devout Jews. Well like the Titanic, the Temple was destroyed.

          Let’s hear again what the gospel has to say this morning. It says once again speaking of Jesus:

“As he came out of the temple, one of his disciples said to him, “Look, Teacher, what large stones and what large buildings!” Then Jesus asked him, “Do you see these great buildings? Not one stone will be left here upon another; all will be thrown down” (Mk. 13:1-2, NRSV).

Jesus is saying that the mighty and beautiful Jewish Temple in Jerusalem that included many buildings will be destroyed. This temple which was considered to be one of the great wonders of the ancient world. The gospel then continues on and finishes by saying about the destruction of the temple:

^“When he was sitting on the Mount of Olives opposite the temple, Peter, James, John, and Andrew asked him privately, “Tell us, when will this be, and what will be the sign that all these things are about to be accomplished?” Then Jesus began to say to them, “Beware that no one leads you astray. Many will come in my name and say, ‘I am he!’ and they will lead many astray. When you hear of wars and rumors of wars, do not be alarmed; this must take place, but the end is still to come. For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom; there will be earthquakes in various places; there will be famines. This is but the beginning of the birth pangs”

(Mk. 13:3-8, NRSV).

In the rest of this gospel reading, Jesus is speaking both about the destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem, and also how the world will look before he returns in glory. This is to say, Jesus is saying things will get bad before the temple is destroyed, and that things will get rough before he returns in glory, to judge the living and the dead. Jesus sometimes spoke in dualities, or two things in one statement.

So did the temple in Jerusalem get destroyed? Of course it did, because all that remains in the city of Jerusalem today is the “Wailing Wall”. That massive wall of large white stones that people pray at, stick notes in, and feel closer to God at, is all that remains of the great temple that was once in Jerusalem. I wonder if anyone when Jesus was alive ever said, “Even God himself could not destroy this temple”. We know whatever was or wasn’t said about the strength of Titanic, it didn’t end well, as the fate of the temple didn’t end well either.

          Well most of know that the Titanic hit an iceberg and sunk, but what of the Jewish Temple in Jerusalem? Well here is what happened, as the Jews lived under Roman occupation:

“In 66 CE the Jewish population rebelled against the Roman Empire. Four years later, on 30 August 70 CE, Roman legions under Titus took and destroyed much of Jerusalem and the Second Temple. The Arch of Titus, in Rome and built to commemorate Titus's victory in Judea, depicts a Roman victory procession with soldiers carrying spoils from the Temple, including the Menorah” (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Second_Temple).

 So the Romans under Roman Emperor Titus destroyed the temple in Jerusalem. Jesus said that this would happen in this morning’s gospel reading and about 40-years later it was in fact destroyed. In the process the “Ark of the Covenant” that had the Ten-Commandments was lost, as were all of the other treasures. Once again, all that remains today of temple is the outer wall, the “Wailing Wall”. It would be the equivalence of your house burning down, but your metal fence surviving. So temple was destroyed as Jesus said, but some of the fence remained. Jesus said this morning in the gospel of Mark once again of the great temple:

“Do you see these great buildings? Not one stone will be left here upon another; all will be thrown down” (Mk. 13:1-2, NRSV).

Sometimes we put our trust in ships, things, temples, or the economy, but nothing is certain. When our last economic recession hit in 2008 for example, many of our economic leaders in this country had said that our economy was “too big to fail”. They were wrong.

          While we love this church building and while we hope to have it for many years to come, the real gift is Jesus. The real power is Jesus. We come here to worship, but the only thing that is certain is God and His Kingdom.

          I can’t imagine what it was like recently for some folks in California who thought that they had great security in their homes and possessions, when forest fires, in what seemed to be instant, took everything from them. Maybe in 2006, and again in 2011, folks here in Sidney felt secure and safe, and then the floods hit.

          I am not saying any of these things to create fear, but instead, like Jesus was telling us, put your hope, your faith, and your trust in the things of God, not the things of this earth. This is not always easy to do. By the way, once again who wants to go on a trip on the Titanic 2?

          We are also this month, in our season of stewardship. In this season of stewardship I am often asked to give the sermon that I jokingly call the “Sermon the Amount”. You know that sermon where the pastor gets angry and shouts at you, and tells you that God wants you to give 10-percent of your income to the church? Many of us know this sermon all too well, and we don’t like it do we?

          Let me put it this way then, I believe that everything we have and own is God’s. Our talents, our drives, our gifts, and every possession we have is because of God, so everything therefore we have is God’s. Jesus tells us to put our trust in him and not in worldly things. It’s a challenge as a church, because we are called to praise God and to bring people with God’s help to the saving grace of his Son Jesus Christ. Yet it does take resources to do the ministries of this church. Unfortunately we have to pay the utilities and other costs, just like you and many others have to.

          So if we start with the idea that everything is God’s, then I would tend to think that we choose to give of our time, our talents, and our resources to things that we believe in.

          Something I believe in for example, that I have seen many commercials for lately, is St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital. How many of you think that St. Jude’s is a good thing to give to?

          I have found in this now my seventh-year of ministry that when we believe in something we give to it. While God is the only thing that is eternal, and while everything we have belongs to him, do we believe in what this church is doing in Sidney and in the world? Do we believe in our pastor, our leaders, and all the people of this church? Do we believe that we are a growing and a strong family of believers that boldly loves each other, Sidney, and the world, in the name of Jesus Christ? Do we believe in what this church can continue to be and become? I don’t know about you my brothers and sisters, but I give for those reasons, not because an angry pastor in a $2,000 suit told me to.

          Like the Titanic, the Temple in Jerusalem, and Disco, nothing is guaranteed. Everything we have is God’s, and I find that when we see something or are a part of something that looks like God we give to it and support it. I also find when something looks far from God, we don’t support it.

          Knowing that nothing is this world is certain other than God, may we pray about and consider how we wish to support this church and its ministries in the year to come, knowing that this building, our homes, and our possession are not guaranteed. Amen.

Sidney UMC - Veteran's Day Sunday/Twenty-Fifth Sunday after Pentecost - 11/11/18 - Sermon - “Offered once to bear the sins of many"

Sunday 11/11/18 - Sidney UMC

Sermon Title: “Offered once to bear the sins of many”                         

Old Testament Scripture: Psalm 127

                                            

New Testament Scripture: Hebrews 9:24-28

                                                   

Gospel Lesson: Mark 12:38-44

          Once again, happy Veteran’s Day, and happy Twenty-Fifth Sunday after Pentecost.

          On this Sunday, it is always a joy and a pleasure for me to honor, to remember, and to celebrate the veterans of our armed services, as well as all of the other men and women who suit up and serve.

          Some might ask, how long have we celebrated Veteran’s Day? Where did the Veteran’s Day holiday come from? Well according to one source that I looked up, Veteran’s Day is:

“Is an official United States public holiday, observed annually on November 11, that honors military veterans; that is, persons who served in the United States Armed Forces. It coincides with other holidays, including Armistice Day and Remembrance Day, celebrated in other countries that mark the anniversary of the end of World War I; major hostilities of World War I were formally ended at the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month of 1918, when the Armistice with Germany went into effect. The United States previously observed Armistice Day. The U.S. holiday was renamed Veterans Day in 1954” (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Veterans_Day).

          So today we honor our veterans and their sacrifice, and my hope this morning, is that I will be able to connect their sacrifice to the sacrifice that Jesus Christ made for us all.

          When we look at the history of our country and many countries there are many wars that were fought. For some of us, we might say that a certain war was or was not needed. Yet, whatever our view of certain war happens to be, it is only right that we honor those who have served. So often our brave men and women served without knowing where they would serve, they only knew that they would serve. War is a terrible thing, and I hope and pray that we never have a war ever again. Since we have so many brave men and women who are willing to serve though, today we honor them and their families.

          Of the many that have served over the years, some soldiers have even taken it upon themselves to risk and or lay down their very lives to save and to protect others. I have read and have heard so many stories about soldiers who literally ran into gun fire to pull a wounded soldier off the battle field. As that soldier scooped up that wounded soldier and put him over his shoulders, he then ran that wounded soldier to safety, still under fire.

          In the gospel of John 15:13 Jesus tells us:

“No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends”

(Jn. 15:13, NRSV).

          Living in a family where my step-dad Mike is a retired Air Force Master Sergeant, I have learned through him a little bit about what it means to serve. I still remember after the 9/11 attacks, Mike getting called up to coordinate help with everything there. I thought it was pretty awesome as a kid to see Mike, who was Chaplain Assistant helping and doing church services on the base. The fact that I am standing here today is in part due to him, and yes he is still trying to talk me into being an Air Force Chaplain.

          Now don’t get me wrong, not every soldier wins a medal for pulling someone wounded out of combat, not all soldiers died protecting their fellow soldiers. This morning though, we hear about Jesus’ commitment to us in our reading from the Book of Hebrews. The commitment of Christ laying himself down to save us.

          A really good movie that has come out in the past couple of years is a movie called “Hacksaw Ridge”. This movie, that was directed by Mel Gibson depicts the:

“World War II experiences of Desmond Doss, an American pacifist combat medic who, as a Seventh-day Adventist Christian, refused to carry or use a weapon or firearm of any kind. Doss became the first conscientious objector to be awarded the Medal of Honor, for service above and beyond the call of duty during the Battle of Okinawa” (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hacksaw_Ridge).

In this battle, Desmond Doss, who was a real person by the way, rescued 75-soldiers during the Battle of Okinawa, in World War II, on a place called “Hacksaw Ridge”. Not only did Mr. Doss serve selflessly, but his faith in Jesus Christ guided him. He joined the army to save lives, and he was willing to lay down his own life to save the lives of people he had just met. Sounds like what Jesus would do.

I like to honor our veterans, our police officers, our fire fighters, our EMT’s, our first responders, and etc., because they have served and continue to serve every day. Sure we hear about the couple of bad eggs here or there, but the vast majority of these men and women serve and protect every single day.

Many of us know all too well about the recent Jewish Tree of Life Synagogue shooting in Pittsburg, Pennsylvania. What you might not know though is that four police officers were wounded in apprehending the shooter in that incident. They were wounded in trying to protect the innocent.

“No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends”

(Jn. 15:13, NRSV).

          So how does this connect to our reading from the Book of Hebrews for this morning? Well once again the Apostle says in Hebrews 9:24-28:

“For Christ did not enter a sanctuary made by human hands, a mere copy of the true one, but he entered into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God on our behalf. Nor was it to offer himself again and again, as the high priest enters the Holy Place year after year with blood that is not his own; for then he would have had to suffer again and again since the foundation of the world. But as it is, he has appeared once for all at the end of the age to remove sin by the sacrifice of himself. And just as it is appointed for mortals to die once, and after that the judgment, so Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to deal with sin, but to save those who are eagerly waiting for him”. (Heb. 9:24-28, NRSV)

          So what is the Apostle Paul saying? The Apostle Paul is saying that Jesus was not a sacrifice in a sanctuary or a temple made by human hands, and further that entered into heaven itself. The Apostle Paul says that Jesus appeared in the presence of God on our behalf. He then says that unlike the animal sacrifices that were done over and over again that Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross for us was a one-time shot.

          Specifically that Jesus left the side of his Heavenly Father to come to earth and be born of a virgin named Mary. He would then live a sinless life, loving, healing, forgiving, and teaching his gospel, and he would then die for the sins of the world. As Paul says in this morning’s reading, Jesus sacrificed himself for us.

“No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends”

(Jn. 15:13, NRSV).

          The Apostle then ends this reading in Hebrews 9:28 saying:

“so Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to deal with sin, but to save those who are eagerly waiting for him”. (Heb. 9:28, NRSV)

          The Apostle Paul is telling us that only did Jesus die for us and for all people, but that one day that he will turn to earth in glory.

          Now the way that Apostle Paul talked about Jesus sacrificing himself for us, struck a chord in me about what some of our veterans have done. How some of them defended the weak, charged in to say the wounded, or literally gave their lives to save others.

“No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends”

(Jn. 15:13, NRSV).

          The other thing is that on Veteran’s Day, I don’t honor just the admirals or the generals and neglect the enlisted soldiers. I do my best to honor all men and women who have served. It isn’t about how much we have, it isn’t always about how much we give, it is more that we are willing to serve, that we are willing to give.

          So there is this equality on Veteran’s Day that we honor men and women who have served, and regardless of their rank, standing, or branch of the armed services, we honor them all equally.

          Our gospel of Mark less for this morning connects some with this idea. Once again Mark 12:38-40 says of Jesus:

“As he taught, he said, “Beware of the scribes, who like to walk around in long robes, and to be greeted with respect in the marketplaces, and to have the best seats in the synagogues and places of honor at banquets! They devour widows’ houses and for the sake of appearance say long prayers. They will receive the greater condemnation.”

It’s not about who is the best, it’s about our willingness to serve, to love, and to care. Mark 12:41-44 then ends once again by saying:

^“He sat down opposite the treasury, and watched the crowd putting money into the treasury. Many rich people put in large sums. A poor widow came and put in two small copper coins, which are worth a penny. Then he called his disciples and said to them, “Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put in more than all those who are contributing to the treasury. For all of them have contributed out of their abundance; but she out of her poverty has put in everything she had, all she had to live on.” (Mk. 12:41-44, NRSV).

          It isn’t about how rich we are, how important we are, or what rank we have, it is about our ability to serve, to give, and the love.

          In fact, the Apostle Paul said in Roman 5:8:

“But God proves his love for us in that while we still were sinners Christ died for us”. (Rom. 5:8, NRSV)

          This means that we are all equal at the foot of the cross of Christ. This means that Jesus died for all people. Likewise on Veteran’s Day we honor not just the leaders, but all those who have served whether they give large sums, or two small copper coins. What matters is our willingness to show up, to serve, to give, and to love. When we do that the church is renewed and healthy, and with this same attitude on this day we honor our great veterans. Christ gave his life for us, just like some of our veterans did the same. Amen.