Freeville/Homer Avenue UMC's - Fifth Sunday after Pentecost - 06/28/15 Sermon - “Don't be afraid; just keep trusting"

Sunday 06/28/15 Freeville/Homer Ave UMC’s

Sermon Title: “Don’t be afraid; just keep trusting”                      

Old Testament Lesson: Psalm 130

                                            

New Testament Scripture: 2 Corinthians 8:7-15

Gospel Lesson: Mark 5:21-43

          Brothers and sisters, friends, welcome on this Fifth Sunday after Pentecost. Pentecost, that day almost two-thousand years ago, that the disciples and the early Christians had a powerful experience with God. For on the day of Pentecost, the Holy Spirit of God moved like a mighty wind, like mighty fire, and filled the hearts, the souls, and the minds of the disciples and the early followers of Jesus Christ. On this day, the disciples and early followers of Christ finally had the courage and the conviction to go forth preaching the gospel of life, light, and love everywhere. They feed the poor, they clothed the naked, and they began transforming the world for Jesus Christ.

          Nearly two-thousand years later, we are continuing to do the same thing. Yet how many of us here struggle sometimes to trust God? How many of us here sometimes get frustrated or confused by God? You see, sometimes we go through times of trial, and in these times we struggle to understand where God is present in our struggles. We might say to God, “God, why are we suffering?” For we all sometimes struggle, for we all sometimes we lose heart.

          Today, Jesus Christ addresses this reality when he says in Mark 5:36b, “Don’t be afraid; just keep trusting” (Mark 5:36b, CEB). Now admittedly saying to someone “trust God,” can be much easier than doing it ourselves. Sometimes we struggle to trust God. Sometimes we struggle to understand God’s will. Sometimes we just struggle.

          For some of us, the struggle is medical, physical, or personal. How many people here for example, have had long term health issues? How many of you have had to deal with these health issues for many years? Did or do these health issues cause you to ever question or to challenge your faith? Did or do these medical issues ever test you in general?

          This morning Jesus heals a women, who according to the gospel of Mark, “had been bleeding for twelve years” (Mark 5:25, CEB). So once again, the gospel of Mark from this morning, said that Jesus healed a woman “who had been bleeding for twelve years” (Mark 5:25, CEB). Twelve years! Can you imagine what it would be like to bleed for twelve years?

          Can you imagine what this might do to your faith, your joy, and your sense of God’s loving presence in your life? Twelve years! Not one, not five, not even ten, but twelve years!

          I just can’t imagine what it would be like to bleed for twelve years. To suffer for twelve years, daily, non-stop.

Further this morning, then Jesus heals a twelve year old girl that been sick from a painful disease. So we have two healings this morning. Now some of you, have had this kind of suffering. For those of you that have had this kind of suffering, I hope three things for you all this morning.

                    One, that you are healed, two that this story inspires and grows your faith, and three that this story helps you to grow faith in others.

           Yet we all suffer sometimes. We all wait on God sometimes. In the reading from Psalm 130 from this mornings it says, “Out of the depths I cry to you, O Lord. Lord, hear my voice! Let your ears be attentive to the voice of my supplications!” (Ps. 130:1-2, NRSV).

          You see in this Psalm we see human suffering, and crying out to God for help, for healing, for fullness. For in Psalm 130, it continues in verse 5 to say, “I wait for the Lord, my soul waits, and in his word I hope;” (Ps. 130:5, NRSV).

So imagine twelve years of bleeding and suffering. Imagine your own pain. Imagine being only twelve and dying form a painful disease. Yet the Psalmist says, “I wait for the Lord, my soul waits, and in his word I hope;” (Ps. 130:5, NRSV).

          From the Apostle Paul’s second Epistle or the letter to the church in Corinth, or the Corinthians from this morning, Paul tells us what we should strive to do. That even if we are suffering, even if we are in pain, we should strive to show everyone God’s love and grace. We will fail at times in doing this, but we must do our best, so that through us, people will see the truths and love of Jesus Christ.

          The Apostle Paul says in 8:7-9, “Be the best in this work of grace in the same way that you are the best in everything, such as faith, speech, knowledge, total commitment, and the love we inspired in you. I’m not giving an order, but by mentioning the commitment of others, I’m trying to prove the authenticity of your love also.  You know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. Although he was rich, he became poor for our sakes, so that you could become rich through his poverty” (2 Cor. 8:7-9, CEB). It is a challenge to have grace, strong faith, good speech, and love, when are suffering. It can be a challenge to make sure that we loving and caring for all people.

          Yet in this church, we should continue to strive to help each other, and make each other’s sufferings and joys personal to us. That we suffer together, that we rejoice together. That we live our faith together. We are family.

          Imagine then, if we had a women or a man that had been suffering and bleeding for twelve years? Or a twelve year old child who was in pain and dying? How would we tackle these things? How would we help these persons?

          This is exactly what Jesus Christ is presented with in the Gospel of Mark reading from this morning. In looking more closely at the gospel of Mark reading from this morning, it says, “Jesus crossed the lake again, and on the other side a large crowd gathered around him at the shore” (Mark 5:21, CEB). So Jesus gets to the other side of the lake, and finds a large crowd flocking to him.

          Then the gospel says, “Jarius, one of the synagogue leaders, came forward. When he saw Jesus, he fell at his feet and please with him, “My daughter is about die” (Mark 5:21-23a, CEB). Jairus then says, “Please come and place your hands on her so that she can be healed and live” (Mark 5:23b, CEB). Jesus then, went with Jairus.

          Yet, as He went with Jairus, the gospel says that, “A swarm of people were following Jesus, crowding in on him” (Mark 5:24b, CEB). This crowd included a woman, “who had been bleeding for twelve years. She had suffered a lot under the care of many doctors, and had spent everything she had without getting any better. In fact, she had gotten worse” (Mark 5:25b-26, CEB).

          This woman had heard of Jesus, and his teachings, and his healings. Due to this, the gospel says that “she came up behind him in the crowd and touched his clothes. She was thinking, If I can just touch his clothes, I’ll be healed” (Mark 5:27b-28, CEB). When she did touch Jesus’s clothes, the gospel says that, “Her bleeding stopped immediately, and she sensed in her body that her illness had been healed” (Mark 5:29, CEB).

          Yet Jesus Christ in being fully God and also fully human got tired, like we all do. He felt tired after this women touch him, and felt some of his power and energy leave him as he said, “Who touched my clothes?” (Mark 5:30c, CEB).

          The disciples then said, Jesus there are people all around you, and you are seriously asking us, “Who touched me?” (Mark 5:31c, CEB). Yet Jesus knew what he meant, even if the disciples didn’t. Then the woman “full of fear and trembling, came forward” (Mark 5:33a, CEB). The gospel then says that says, “Knowing what happened to her, she fell down in front of Jesus and told him the whole truth” (Mark 5:33b, CEB). Jesus then responds to her, “Daughter, you faith has healed you, go in peace, healed from your disease” (Mark 5:34, CEB).

          Now the story for today doesn’t end here. I mean remember Jairus’ daughter? Yes her. Well Jesus hasn’t even gotten to her yet. Remember she was the one who was twelve year old, and was very sick.

          Well as Jesus was speaking with the woman who touched his clothes and was healed, “messengers came from the synagogue leader’s house, saying to Jairus, “Your daughter is dead. Why bother the teacher any more” (Mark 5:35b, CEB). Why bother Jesus anymore?

          Jesus overheard this conversation and said to Jairus, “Don’t be afraid; just keep trusting” (Mark 5:36b, CEB). Jesus then went to Jairus’s house, but only allowed, “Peter, James, John, and James’s brother” to come with Him (Mark 5:37b, CEB). My guess is Jesus was trying to grow the faith of these particular disciples.

          When they arrived at Jairus’ house, they “saw a commotion, with people crying and wailing loudly” (Mark 5:38b, CEB). Jesus then asked everyone why they were so upset and crying. Jesus then tells them that Jairus’ daughter, “Isn’t dead. She’s only sleeping” (Mark 5:39b, CEB).

          The people laughed at Jesus when he said this, and then, “he threw them all out” of the house (Mark 5:40b, CEB). Jesus then went to the room where the child was, with her parents and the four chosen disciples, and said to her, “Talitha koum,” “which means, “Young woman, get up” (Mark 5:41b, CEB).

          The young woman then got up, and began to walk around her room. Jesus then “gave them strict orders that no one should know what had happened,” as he was not ready to be given up yet for the sins of humanity (Mark 5:43, CEB). Lastly, Jesus, “told them to give her something to eat” (Mark 5:43b, CEB). For this twelve year old girl had been healed and had been restored.

I would like to share a story with you this morning, called “Picture of Peace,” by author unknown. Here is how it goes: “An artist was commissioned by a wealthy man to paint something that would depict peace. After a great deal of thought, the artist painted a beautiful country scene. There were green fields with cows standing in them, birds were flying in the blue sky and a lovely little village lay in a distant valley. The artist gave the picture to the man, but there was a look of disappointment on his face. The man said to the artist, "This isn't a picture of true peace. It isn't right. Go back and try again.”

“The artist went back to his studio, thought for several hours about peace, then went to his canvas and began to paint. When he was finished, there on the canvas was a beautiful picture of a mother, holding a sleeping baby in her arms, smiling lovingly at the child. He thought, surely, this is true peace, and hurried to give the picture to the wealthy man. But again, the wealthy man refused the painting and asked the painter to try again.”

“The artist returned again to his studio. He was discouraged, he was tired and he was disappointed. Anger swelled inside him, he felt the rejection of this wealthy man. Again, he thought, he even prayed for inspiration to paint a picture of true peace. Then, all of a sudden an idea came, he rushed to the canvas and began to paint as he had never painted before. When he finished, he hurried to the wealthy man.”

“He gave the painting to the man. He studied it carefully for several minutes. The artist held his breath. Then the wealthy man said, "Now this is a picture of true peace." He accepted the painting, paid the artist and everyone was happy.”

“And what was this picture of true peace?? The picture showed a stormy sea pounding against a cliff. The artist had captured the furry of the wind as it whipped black rain clouds which were laced with streaks of lightening. The sea was roaring in turmoil, waves churning, the dark sky filled with the power of the furious thunderstorm.”

“And in the middle of the picture, under a cliff, the artist had painted a small bird, safe and dry in her nest snuggled safely in the rocks. The bird was at peace midst the storm that raged about her.”

So this morning brothers and sisters, friends, Jesus tells us, “Don’t be afraid; just keep trusting” (Mark 5:36b, CEB). You see sometimes we will experience the healing that we ask God for, but no matter what, we can have healing in our souls. At the very core of our Christian faith then, is the idea of spiritual healing, of spiritual awakening, of God’s grace, of peace and healing. Sometimes this healing is physical, but we can always have spiritual healing. Sometimes God heals our bodies, but God can always heal our souls. If spiritual healing is available for all then, then we need to do as Jesus Christ says, “Don’t be afraid; just keep trusting” (Mark 5:36b, CEB). For we will all be healed. How though, where though, and when though, those are sometimes unknown. Yet Jesus Christ says to us all this morning, “Don’t be afraid; just keep trusting” (Mark 5:36b, CEB). Amen.

Freeville/Homer Avenue UMC's - Fourth Sunday after Pentecost/Father's Day - 06/21/15 Sermon - “Silence! Be Still!"

Sunday 06/21/15 Freeville/Homer Ave UMC’s

Sermon Title: “Silence! Be Still!”                      

Old Testament Lesson: Psalm 9:9-20

                                            

New Testament Scripture: 2 Corinthians 6:1-13

Gospel Lesson: Mark 4:35-41

          Brothers and sisters, friends, welcome on this Fourth Sunday after Pentecost. Pentecost, that day so long ago that the Holy Spirit moved like a mighty fire, like a mighty wind, and filled the disciples and the early Christians. On this day, the disciples had the power and the courage, to go forth preaching the gospel, and building the kingdom of God.

          Today is also Father’s Day, as this day we honor all of those men who have taken up the arduous task of being a father. Whether you have raised, are raising, or have helped raise others children, many men take on the role of a father. Some fathers might not have their own children, but many men are the father to someone or something. Today is a day that we honor the hard work, the dedication, and the love of fathers, and of men that take on fatherly roles.

          With that said, today I want to talk about learning from good fathers. Now some of us can say that we have or had good fathers. Some of us can unfortunately also say that we have or had fathers that haven’t been the best fathers. Some of us can say that an uncle, the man who lived next door, and etc., might have been good male role models, or father figures.

          It is true that we all don’t or didn’t have good earthly fathers. I am fortunate and blessed to not only have a good father, but also to have a good step-father. I have also had many other male role models in my life that have served as fatherly figures.

          So if you had or have a good father, then great. Today we honor these men. If you don’t or didn’t have a good father, I would encourage you to think of the men that are or were in your life that acted like a father should. I want you to think about these men on this day, and if they are still alive on this earth, I am going to ask that you try to let them know this day, how much you love them. That you are thankful that they were and are there for you. That they loved you, or still do. That they cared for you, or still do.

You see, it takes a guy to make a child, but it takes a man to be a father, a grand-father, and etc. Today, we honor those fathers, grand-fathers, great grandfathers, uncles, next store neighbors, and etc. that took on the mantle of fathering us.

          Yet as great as many of the fathers and the other men in our lives were, or still are, did we not sometimes argue with them at least a little? Did we not sometimes disagree with them, at least a little?

          While Jesus Christ tells his disciples, his early followers, and us today, that He is the Son of God, He also says, that He is our friend and our brother. Yet the interesting thing to me is this, while Jesus Christ came from God, and was God in the flesh, what do we know about the fathers of the twelve disciples that Jesus chose? What do we know about the fathers of the other early Christians? Do we know if the Apostle Peter had a great father? Do we know if Philip, or Matthew had great fathers?

          Sure we might know the names of some of the disciple’s fathers, and the names of some of the early Christians fathers, but do we know if they were good fathers? I wonder, that even though Jesus was the Son of God, that even though he was not the person of God the Father, I wonder if any of his followers ever looked at him as having fatherly wisdom? For if Jesus was from God, and was the second person of God in the flesh, then he was of God the Father. If he was and is of God the Father, then Jesus could have been seen in a fatherly way by some of his followers.

          Now Melissa and I don’t have any children of our own yet, but this I still know, sometimes kids just don’t listen. I know that you have never yourself experienced this with your children or other kids though. I am sure every child you have ever been a father or mother figure to, has always listened to everything you said. I am sure that these children never got stressed out and or questioned what you were saying. I am sure they never got worried if they could really trust you. Except, probably all of these things have happened to, in some way or another.

          Today in the gospel, I think of Jesus as being a father figure of sorts, to apostles that seemed to not trust their friend and their brother. I mean after all, had Jesus up to this point, ever forsaken them? Had He up to this point, ever done anything that would lead his disciples to think he was lying, a fake, or not authentic?

          I mean, if Jesus Christ came in the fullness of grace and truth, and if the disciples and the early Christians saw this grace and truth, then why did they not fully trust and follow Christ until they received the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost? Why did the Apostle Peter deny Him three times? Why did the Apostle Thomas doubt His resurrection? Why do we have doubts and frustrations?

The answer is, because we are human. We are sinners and are broken vessels. To be human is to be flawed and broken, and desperately in need of saving and restorative grace.

          Sometimes though, it would seem that as much as fathers and father figures love their own or other people’s children, that there children sometimes make poor choices. That sometimes, no matter what fathers say, the children just don’t listen. It seems that Jesus’ experience with his disciples and early followers, was not all that dissimilar.

          For today, the apostles, not one of them, not two of them, but all them, question Jesus’ loyalty, love, and desire to protect them. How many fathers or father figures here this morning have ever had your children claim that you don’t love them? How many fathers or father figures here this morning have ever had their children lose loyalty to you? Or think that you didn’t have their best interests in mind? I can imagine that this hurts, when this happens.

          This happens this morning in a story about Jesus and his disciples from the Gospel of Mark chapter 4:35-41. When this gospel reading begins, it talks about how it had just become evening, and Jesus and his disciples were near the Sea of Galilee. At this time, “Jesus said to them, “Let’s cross over to the other side of the lake.” They left the crowd and took him in the boat just as he was. Other boats follow along” (Mark 4:35b-36, CEB).

          Well so far you might be thinking, “Well so what, I have taken kids out on a boat ride before.” Anybody here ever get stuck in a storm when on boat ride though?

          Well, in Mark 4:37, it says that “Gale-force winds arose, and waves crashed against the boat so that the boat was swamped” (Mark 4:37, CEB). Now I want you to listen carefully to this next verse. It says, “But Jesus was in the rear of the boat, sleeping on a pillow. They woke him up and said, “Teacher, don’t you care that we’re drowning?” (Mark 4:38, CEB).

          Now how many fathers or father figures here this morning, have ever, like Jesus, been “sleeping on a pillow,” and your children woke you up as if the earth itself was coming to end (Mark 4:38b, CEB). Not only this, the fact that they woke you up, could have indicated that there trust in you was not so great.

          So let me get this straight then, the disciples and Jesus Christ are sailing across the Sea of Galilee, and the winds are crashing all around them, and the boat is filling with water. Yet Jesus, is “sleeping on a pillow” (Mark 4:38b, CEB). Now I am not an expert, but if Jesus was that concerned about the “Gale-forced winds” hitting the boat and filling it, would he likely, I don’t know, not be “sleeping on a pillow” (Mark 4:37a, 38b, CEB)?

          How many fathers or father figures here this morning, were woke up like this by your children, and then after, you said, “That was it?” “That is why you woke me up?”

          The Gospel of Mark then says, that Jesus stood up from his pillow, “and gave orders to the wind, and he said to the lake, “Silence! Be still!” (Mark 4:39b, CEB). The gospel says, “The wind settled down and there was a great calm. Jesus asked them, “Why are you frightened? Don’t you have faith yet?” (Mark 4:40, CEB).

          How many times have we not had faith in our fathers or father figures? How many times have we doubted there love. How many times have they had to say to us, “Silence! Be still!” (Mark 4:39b, CEB)? How many of us didn’t always listen to our fathers or father figures?

          Further, we know that our fathers or father figures weren’t or aren’t perfect, but for many us, we know or knew that they loved us. Many of us can say that their own fathers did their best. That they tried there hardest.

          From the Psalm 9 reading from this morning, it says, “The LORD is a stronghold for the oppressed, a stronghold in time of trouble” (Psalm 9:9, NRSV). How many of us at one point in our own lives, thought that our fathers, father figures, or grand fathers were super heroes? That they were strongholds and invincible?

          In the Apostle Paul’s second Epistle or letter to the church in Corinth, or 2 Corinthians, he said, “Since we work together with him, we are also begging you to not received the grace of God in vain” (2 Cor. 6:1, CEB). How many of us have taken our fathers, grandfathers, or father figures for granted? How many of us at time have received there grace and love in vain?

          The Apostle Paul then talks about what the early Christians endured in the way of persecution for their faith. He writes, “We did this with our great endurance through problems, disasters, and stressful situations. We went through beatings, imprisonments, and riots. We experienced hard work, sleepless nights, and hunger. We displayed purity, knowledge, patience, and generosity” (2 Cor. 6:4b-6a, CEB). How many of fathers, grandfathers, or father figures went through or showed us this kind of love and devotion? What did they or still do endure for us? What did they give or still give for us?

          When they needed to be stern with us and say, “Silence! Be still!,” did we listen, or did we just do what we wanted to do (Mark 4:39b, CEB)?

          Today then isn’t just about honoring good fathers, grandfathers, great grandfathers, and good father figures. Even more than this, it is about us saying thank you. Thank you for your efforts, for your patience, and for all you have and continue to do for us, even when we don’t listen. Even when you say “Silence! Be still!,”  and we say, “whatever” (Mark 4:39b, CEB).

          I want to share a story with you about fathers, and father figures. This story is called, “Derek Redmond Finished at the Olympics,” and I don’t have a direct source for this story. Here is how it goes: “It was the summer Olympics of 1992. It was the quarter finals of the 400 meter sprint. British athlete Derek Redmond was one of the favorites for the gold medal. A lifetime of training had brought him to this moment. The starter’s gun fired and the athletes burst out of the blocks.”

“Halfway through the race Derek Redmond was leading. Then disaster struck. His hamstring went and he collapsed on the track. The agony on his tear streaked face was both physical and mental. It was a crushing blow.”

“Medical attendants ran to assist him. Derek waved them away. He came to race and he was going to finish. He got to his feet and started hobbling down the track.”

“The crowd was mesmerized. Officials didn’t know what to do. And then an older man ran onto the track. He brushed off officials who tried to stop him. He ran up beside Derek and placed his arms around him. The man was Derek Redmond’s father, Jim. “You don’t have to do this son” Jim said. “Yes I do” Derek replied. “Then we’ll finish this race together” came the response from Derek’s father. Arm in arm, with agony on Derek’s face, tears on his father’s, Derek and Jim continued down the track. Derek buried his face in his father’s shoulder. His father’s strong shoulders carried his son physically and emotionally. Jim waved away officials who tried to stop them.                                             

“Finally, accompanied by a now roaring crowd, standing on their feet and applauding, Derek Redmond crossed the line. It became the defining moment of the Barcelona Olympics.”

Some of us did not have the luxury of growing up with good fathers, but I hope that we all had some men in our lives back then, and even now, that are worthy in our eyes of being seen as a good father figure. This pure love, the love that flows from God, is the love that a great father, grandfather, great grandfather, or a father figure gives. This is why we have Father’s Day. This is why we say thank you for giving to the Lord, even though sometimes when you say, “Silence! Be still!,” we just don’t listen (Mark 4:39b, CEB).

~ “Thank You” By, Ray Botlz ~

Oh, and by the way, the ending of today’s Gospel of Mark lesson. Once Jesus calmed the storm, the gospel says, “Overcome with awe, they said to each other, “Who then is this? Even the wind and the sea obey him!” (Mark 4:41, CEB). They remembered who Christ was, they trusted Him, at least for a little while. Let us all then, take time on this day, and always, to thank and remember those great men, those super heroes from our own lives. Let us say “Thank you for giving to the Lord. I am so glad that you gave.” Amen.

         

           

Freeville/Homer Avenue UMC's - Third Sunday after Pentecost - 06/14/15 Sermon - “We live by faith and not by sight"

Sunday 06/14/15 Freeville/Homer Ave UMC’s

Sermon Title: “We live by faith and not by sight”                      

Old Testament Lesson: Psalm 20

                                            

New Testament Scripture: 2 Corinthians 5:6-10 (11-13), 14-17

Gospel Lesson: Mark 4:26-34

          My friends, my brothers and sisters, welcome once again on this our Third Sunday after Pentecost. Pentecost that day so long ago that the Holy Spirit moved like a might wind, like a mighty fire, filling the disciples and the early followers of Jesus Christ. This movement of the Holy Spirit gave the early disciples and the early followers of Jesus Christ the courage and the conviction to go forth preaching the gospel of life. On this day, the Christian Church was officially born, as the disciples and the early Christians got work building God’s kingdom, as they awaited the kingdom yet to come.

          This kingdom yet to come, heaven, eternity, all things that we have not seen with our own eyes. Sure, some have had near death experiences and have claimed to have crossed over to this heavenly realm, to then return in the span of only a few minutes. Yet have any of us ever really seen heaven, eternity, God, or Jesus Christ in the flesh?

When Jesus Christ was being questioned, or better yet, interrogated by Pontius Pilate before his crucifixion, Pilate was trying to determine who Jesus was. Pilate questioned if Jesus was a king, and Jesus Christ responded by saying, “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” (John 18:36, NRSV).

Pontius Pilate of course does not pursue what the meaning of Jesus’ statement is here, but I am sure that some of us have thought or talked about this statement. Jesus says, “My kingdom is not from this world” (John 18:36a, NRSV).

You see if I were Pontius Pilate, I would say, “Good enough Jesus, but where is this kingdom exactly?” I mean, we know it is not of this world, meaning it is beyond this world, but where is it? Is it beyond our galaxy? Is it in the farthest reaches of the universe? Is it beyond our universe altogether?

You see if the universe and everything in it began with God, which I believe it did, and if our faith in Christ brings us to God, then when we die our earthly deaths, we then return to God, to the source of life itself. One of the big questions to ask though, is where exactly is this place?

By this I mean, we have never seen heaven through the Hubble Telescope, nor might we ever. Yet, we believe in the afterlife. We believe for those who have been reconciled to God through Jesus Christ that they will return to the source, to God, to heaven. Yet none of us have ever seen heaven, well other than being unconscious in a bed in the hospital ER for a few minutes.

So heaven, eternity, I believe is out there, somewhere. In this way, I decided to focus this morning on statement that the Apostle Paul spoke in his second Epistle or letter to the Corinthians. This statement is in 2 Corinthians 5:7 were the Apostle Paul says, “We live by faith and not by sight” (2 Cor. 5:7, CEB).

In this scripture, the Apostle Paul is admitting to his friends in the city of Corinth, that there is much in our Christian faith that we will probably never be able to physically see or prove, yet we have faith. Just because cannot see and touch everything that our faith teaches, does not mean we have no faith. It does not mean that we don’t believe. As the Apostle Paul says this morning, “We live by faith and not by sight” (2 Cor. 5:7, CEB).

 We now live in a post-modern world, where science and technology have unlocked doors that were not possible just a handful of years ago. Yet we find that we cannot definitively disprove or prove God’s existence. Some atheistic scholars would simply dismiss God due to a lack of scientific evidence, yet they cannot disprove God. We who believe, have felt God abiding in our hearts, our bodies, our souls, and in our very being. We know, we believe, we have faith. Yet there is a struggle within us all I believe. A struggle for truth, a struggle that causes us to search and seek out. I think that we are doing this to fill that inner void. This void that keeps us up at night sometimes. This void that makes us want to buy more clothes, a new television set, more stuff, and etc., to be happy. This void that makes us feel incomplete. This God shaped void that I believe, can only be filled with God. Can only be filled with Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit.

While we like stuff sometimes, while we like money sometimes, our true happiness, our true joy, and our true completeness, comes from the Triune God. Yet we do have times of doubt, sorrow and confusion, don’t we?

For this reason, I connect with Psalm 20 from this morning that begins by saying, “I pray that the Lord answers you whenever you are in trouble” (Psalm 20:1a, CEB). That we all ask questions, and that we all struggle. That we all “live by faith and not by sight” (2 Cor. 5:7, CEB). The Psalm goes on to say in verse 7 that, “Some people trust in chariots, others in horses; but we praise the Lord’s name” (Psalm 20:7, CEB). Is our faith then in possessions, in stuff, or is our faith in the Lord?

In looking more closely at the reading from 2 Corinthians from this morning, the Apostle Paul begins by saying, “So we are always confident, because we know that while we are living in the body, we are away from our home with the Lord” (2 Cor. 5:6, CEB). The Apostle Paul then says, “We live by faith and not by sight” (2 Cor. 5:7, CEB).

The Apostle Paul also talks about how we are here on earth, and while we are here, we can call upon God. Yet when we die our earthly deaths, we will be with God in His fullness. In fact, the Apostle Paul says in verse 8, “We are confident, and we would prefer to leave the body and to be at home with the Lord” (2 Cor. 5:8, CEB). Yet the Apostle Paul also says that while we are here in the flesh, in our bodies, we must be faithful to God, faithful to Jesus Christ.

The Apostle Paul then says in verse 13-14, “If we are crazy, it’s for God’s sake. If we are rational, it’s for your sake. The love of Christ controls us, because we have concluded this: one died for the sake of all: therefore all died. He died for the sake of all so that those who are alive should live not for themselves but for the one who dies for them and was raised” (2 Cor. 5:13-15, CEB).

So when Apostle Paul says this morning that, “We live by faith and not by sight,” we believe in Jesus Christ, and we live to serve Him (2 Cor. 5:7, CEB).

The Apostle Paul then says to conclude this reading from 2 Corinthians, “So then, if anyone is in Christ, that person is part of the new creation. The old things have gone away, and look, new things have arrived” (2 Cor. 5:16-17, CEB).

So have I seen Jesus Christ in the flesh? No, I haven’t. Have I seen heaven? Other than the bakery section at Walmart, no I haven’t? Have I seen God’s very presence? No I haven’t. Yet just like the Apostle Paul says this morning, I say, “We live by faith and not by sight” (2 Cor. 5:7, CEB).

Meaning, I am a life, I am person, I am man that has been changed by God. I have been changed, redeemed, and restored by the blood of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Not only this, there are millions, billions of others like me, who can tell the same story. The story that “We live by faith and not by sight” (2 Cor. 5:7, CEB).

In not wanting to neglect the gospel reading for this morning, Jesus tells two parables about “what God’s kingdom is like” (Mark 4:26b, CEB). These parables are about scattering seeds and reaping a harvest, and the parable of having faith the size of mustard seed. Both of these parables speak about how a little faith can yield mighty results for the kingdom of God.

With that said, I want to share a story with you this morning. Now it’s not my usual story that I got off the internet. No, it’s a story about my father Ken. Since my father Ken and my stepmother Jan are here with us this morning, I get the honor and the privilege of welcoming them and embarrassing them a little.

So here is the story: About 13-14 years ago, a young kid named Paul Winkelman was a student at the State University of New York at Potsdam, or SUNY Potsdam. Being a natural Type-A personality, I decided that it would be a good idea to work about 3-5 jobs at any given time, join multiple clubs, and take a ton of classes.

I remember sometimes I would call my father Ken up and tell him about all I was doing. Admittedly, sometimes when I called him up, I was noticeably stressed out. My father Ken however, was often not noticeably stressed out when I talked to him. Now this fact stressed me out! I mean who was he to be so calm on the phone, when I was “fit to be tied,” as my Grandpa Winkelman would say.

My father Ken would tell me in these phone calls to “walk not run” in life, and “to take life one day at time.” I would then say, “Dad, I can’t take life one day at time! I have far too much stuff to do!” Plus what did he know! It wasn’t like he was my dad or something!

During my time at SUNY Potsdam, I in many ways became consumed with myself. Consumed with success, and consumed with worldly achievements. This occurred to such an extent that I largely walked away from the church for about 2-3 years, as I just thought that I knew better than everyone else.

So what did I learn? I learned this, that an education is a good thing. That achieving accomplishments on earth can be a good thing. However, why are we doing what we are doing? Why are we not “taking one day at a time?” Why are running and not walking?

My answer looking back is an easy answer. My answer was this, I was looking for the approval of the world. I thought that if I earned a bunch of college degrees, and believe me I have handful of them, that this would make the world approve of me, and make me whole. That this world would give me the love, the appreciation, and the respect that I had always wanted and yearned.

Yet the Apostle Paul says to us this morning, “We live by faith and not by sight” (2 Cor. 5:7, CEB). For 2-3 years when I was at SUNY Potsdam, I wasn’t living by faith, I was living by sight. Further, I was selling my birth right from almighty God, for the approval of the world. To learn that the approval of this world was worth little more, than a bowl of porridge.

The Christian faith then, is alive and well, as we believe that Jesus Christ is alive and well. That in Him and through Him all things are possible. That he is our approval. That He is our fullness. That He is live itself. So brothers and sisters, friends, while we struggle some days with our faiths. While we wrestle over what is true and what is not, let us remember that on this day that the Apostle Paul said, “We live by faith and not by sight” (2 Cor. 5:7, CEB). Amen.

Freeville/Homer Avenue UMC's - Second Sunday after Pentecost - 06/07/15 Sermon - “A house torn apart by divisions will collapse"

Sunday 06/07/15 Freeville/Homer Ave UMC’s

Sermon Title: “A house torn apart by divisions will collapse”                   

Old Testament Lesson: 1 Samuel 8:4-20 (11:14-15)

                                            

New Testament Scripture: 2 Corinthians 4:13-5:1

Gospel Lesson: Mark 3:20-35

          My brothers and sisters, my friends, welcome once again on this the Second Sunday after Pentecost. Pentecost, that day so long ago where the Holy Spirit of God moved like a mighty wind, like a Holy Fire. That day where the disciples and the early followers of Jesus Christ were filled with God’s Spirit. On that day, the Christian Church was officially born, and the disciples and the early followers of Jesus Christ went forth preaching the gospel. They formed communities that cared for the poor, the sick, the rejected, the leper, and etc. Almost 2,000 years ago on Pentecost, the early Christians began building the kingdom of God on earth, as they, and we still, await God’s coming kingdom.

            With that said, I have a question for us all here this morning. How many of us have ever had family members or friends say to or of us, “he or she is out of there mind?”

          How many of you have ever had family or friends verbally disown you, as to say, “I am not with him or her, and am separating myself from them?”

          For those of us who have experienced such hard and harsh treatment by friends and family, we can certainly connect with that very real pain.

          In this morning’s gospel reading from Mark 3:20-35, it begins by saying, “Jesus entered a house. A crowd gathered again so that it was impossible for him and his followers to even eat” (Mark 3:20, CEB).

          In the next verse of the gospel of Mark, chapter three, it says, “When his family heard what was happening, they came to take control of him. They were saying, “He’s out of his mind!” (Mark 3:21, CEB).

          Now when the gospel of Mark 3:21 speaks of Jesus’ family, this could have been extended family, it could have been friends, or it could have just people who just knew of Him. Yet this family, these friends, said of him “He’s out of his mind!” (Mark 3:21c, CEB).

          Not only this, then the legal experts and the scribes from Jerusalem show up. In Mark 3:22 it says, “Over and over they charged, “He’s possessed by Beelzebul. He throws out demons with the authority of the ruler of the demons.” (Mark 3:22b, CEB). There were saying then, that Jesus is evil and or was possessed by evil.

          So let’s get this story straight then. Jesus enters a house in Galilee, the place where he called Peter, Andrew, James, and John, to “Follow me, and I will make you fish for people” (Mt. 4:19b, NRSV). In this same place, Jesus’ friends and or family members on this day announce, “He’s out of his mind!” (Mark 3:21c, CEB). Oh and the scribes and lawyers from Jerusalem also show up to say that he is possessed by the devil and is casting spirits out of people with the power of the devil.

          I know that some of us often think of Jesus being meek and mild, but imagine this type of treatment and rejection, that Christ faced on this day? Imagine if you were in his shoes, or his sandals? Imagine what this rejection must have felt like?

          To me then, the gospel of Mark reading for today can be seen as an indictment or an attack on who Jesus claimed to be. On this day, Jesus endures heavy persecution, from those who felt that Jesus was not a person with any Godly power or authority. In fact, anything that Jesus did that even remotely looked good, was only possible because according the scribes, lawyers, and perhaps even the Pharisees, was because, “He’s possessed by Beelzebul. He throws out demons with the authority of the ruler of the demons.” (Mark 3:22b, CEB).

         

          For those who have read the gospels a lot, you know that it was not uncommon at all for Jesus to get challenged by the scribes, the Pharisees, the lawyers, and etc. By this I mean, many envision Jesus healing, teaching, loving, or the cross, or the empty tomb, but what about Jesus getting harassed and heckled constantly? Many of us tend to omit these images of Jesus Christ from our memory banks.

          These hecklings, these harassments, these challenges, were constant for Jesus, and were almost always in response to whom Jesus Christ was claiming to be, or to whom people claimed Jesus Christ to be.

          Perhaps for this reason then, we have the Old Testament scripture reading from this morning, from 1 Samuel, that discussed that King Samuel was getting old, and the fact that his “sons don’t follow in” his “footsteps” (1 Sam. 8:5, CEB). Due to this, it says this morning in 1 Samuel that a new king was needed, and this king ultimately ends up being King Saul.

The Israelites accepted Saul and his authority, although the real problem was that the Israelites struggled to trust God. Yet in 1 Samuel 11:15 it says, “So everyone went to Gilgal, and there at Gilgal they made Saul king in the LORD’s presence. They offered well-being sacrifices in LORD’s presence, and Saul and the Israelites held a great celebration” (1 Sam. 11:15, CEB). People have a way of testing, hazing, and pressing leaders to see if they are who they say they are. This morning, King Saul passed that test.

          This morning, Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the King of Kings, God in the flesh, is continuing to get tried and tested by all. As if the people were saying to him, “How do we know that you will lead us like a Samuel or a Saul?” “How do we know you are who you say you are?”

          We know from the gospels and from other New Testament scriptures that even the apostles and the early followers of Jesus Christ didn’t fully understand who he was until after his resurrection. They didn’t even get it more fully until the day of Pentecost. So what did they have within them then?

          The answer is, they had faith. The Apostle Paul this morning, speaks of such faith in his second letter to the church in Corinth, or the Corinthians. Paul says in 2 Corinthians 4:13, “We have the same faithful spirit, as what is written in scripture: I had faith, and so I spoke. We also have faith, and so we also speak” (1 Cor. 4:13, CEB).

          Jesus Christ is getting tested then, in part to see if he is the real deal, but also for some, to undercut Jesus Christ, as leaders could then retain their power and prestige.

          So this morning, Jesus is in Galilee, the place he called the first four fishermen to come and follow him. His family or friends, and the scribes, lawyers, and Pharisees are all challenging him. Not challenging his abilities, but challenging the source of these abilities.

          Since the claim is being made that Jesus is driving demons out of people with other demons, Jesus replies by saying in parable, “How can Satan throw out Satan? A kingdom in civil war will collapse. And a house torn apart by divisions will collapse” (Mark 3:23b-25).

          Jesus then says, “If Satan rebels against himself and is divided, then he can’t endure. He is done for” (Mark 3:26, CEB).

          Jesus continues this parable by saying, “No one gets into the house of a strong person and steals anything without first tying up the strong person. Only then can the house be burglarized” (Mark 3:27, CEB). Jesus then says that all people will be forgiven of all they have done, all their sins, and all there insults, except speaking against the Holy Spirit” (Mark 3:28-29, CEB).

          You see, if Jesus is the second person of God, the second person of the Holy Trinity, and if he calls upon the Holy Spirit to heal, restore, and even resurrect the dead, to reject the Spirit of God, is to reject God. To reject God, is to reject the one who sent Jesus Christ.

          So this morning then, Jesus is rejected by many, called crazy, accused of being demon possessed. Yet Jesus says, do you believe in who I am, and in the one who sent me, or don’t you? We might not got it all yet, but do we believe in him?

          Jesus says too many of us this morning, “A house torn apart by divisions will collapse” (Mark 3:25, CEB). Meaning, do you follow Christ, or you don’t you? For this matter, can we sort of follow Christ, or do we have to fully follow him?

          The centerpiece of the Christian faith, the Turkey on the Thanksgiving table if you will, has always been Jesus Christ. He is the centralizing figure that makes us bear the name Christian. Jesus Christ as teacher, as a source of knowledge, love, inspiration, salvation, and divinity itself, is the centralizing figure of the Christian faith.

          I truly believe then, that the churches of the future will have a strongly united mission and purpose. For example, the mission statement of the United Methodist Church is, “To make disciples of Jesus Christ, for the transformation of the world.” Now the best way to make a disciple of Jesus Christ, is to be a disciple of Jesus Christ, and to be excited about that.

          When we are church that is excited about our faith in Jesus Christ, and about making disciples, well that unity is powerful. If a church isn’t united in that common mission and purpose though, as Jesus Christ said this morning, “A house torn apart by divisions will collapse” (Mark 3:25, CEB).

          How significant is it then for a church to be united in its mission and ministry? Well it is as just as important for a country to be united, as President Abraham Lincoln said in his famous “House Divided Speech” in Springfield, Illinois on June 16, 1858, "A house divided against itself cannot stand" (Mark 3:25, CEB).

So brothers and sisters, a church cannot be divided, we must be followers of Jesus Christ, who wish to make disciples of Jesus Christ, who love each other, who love all people, and do so as a family, as a unit. For if we do not, well Jesus Christ, and President Abraham Lincoln quoting Jesus Christ said, "A house divided against itself cannot stand" (Mark 3:25, CEB).

          To reinforce what Jesus said in the gospel of Mark from this morning about not being divided, I want to tell you a story called, “The Opposite of Unity.” This story was taken from Reuters, from Monday July 29, 2002. Here is how the story goes:

“Tradition claims that Jerusalem’s Church of the Holy Sepulcher is built over the cave in which Christ is said to have been buried.  In July 2002 the church became the scene of ugly fighting between the monks who run it. The conflict began when a Coptic monk sitting on the rooftop decided to move his chair into the shade. This took him into the part of the rooftop courtyard looked after by the Ethiopian monks.”

“It turns out that the Ethiopian and Coptic monks have been arguing over the rooftop of the Church of the Holy Sepulcher for centuries. In 1752 the Ottoman Sultan issued an edict declaring which parts of the Church belong to each of six Christian groups: the Latins, Greek Orthodox, Armenian Orthodox, Syrian Orthodox, Cops, and Ethiopians. Despite the edict conflict over the church remains.”

“The rooftop had been controlled by the Ethiopians, but they lost control to the Copts when hit by a disease epidemic in the 19th century. Then in 1970 the Ethiopians regained control when the Coptic monks were absent for a short period. They have been squatting there ever since, with at least one Ethiopian monk always remaining on the roof to assert their rights. In response a Coptic monk has been living on the roof also, to maintain the claim of the Copts.”

“And so we get to a Monday in July 2002, when the Coptic monk moves his chair into the shade. Harsh words led to pushes, then shoves, until an all our brawl is going, including the throwing of chairs and iron bars. At the end of the fight 11 of the monks were injured, including one monk unconscious in hospital and another with a broken arm.”

“How tragic that a church which serves as a memorial to Christ is the scene for such bitter conflict among his followers. This is a far cry from Christ’s call to love one another, turn the other cheek, and his prayer that his followers might “be one”.
          Brothers and sisters, on this day, Jesus Christ tells us that “A house torn apart by divisions will collapse” (Mark 3:25, CEB). When we work together, when love people and each other, when we express the great love of Jesus Christ, we are united. Together, in Jesus Christ’s name, with the power of God and the Holy Spirit, there is nothing that we cannot accomplish! Today then, Jesus tells us of the power of unity, of the power of love, and of power that he had and still has, through almighty God. Amen.