Sidney UMC - Fourth Sunday after Pentecost - 07/07/19 - Sermon - “Bear one another's burdens”

Sunday 07/07/19 - Sidney UMC

Sermon Title: “Bear one another’s burdens”

Old Testament Scripture: Psalm 30

                                            

New Testament Scripture: Galatians 6:1-16

                                                   

Gospel Lesson: Luke 10:1-11, 16-20

          Welcome again dear friends, brothers and sister in Christ, on this the Fourth Sunday after Pentecost. Four Sundays after the Holy Spirit moved and the Christian Church was born nearly two-thousand years ago.

          Melissa and I really enjoyed our week off together. We were together every day for the whole week, and after the whole week, she still wants to be around me, which is good news!

          Our time away was very restorative and refreshing, but of course we missed all of you, our church family. I had a really opportunity this past week to reflect upon our church, our church community, Sidney, and many aspects of my own ministry. Today marks the first Sunday in this the eighth year of my ministry as a United Methodist Church pastor. In the seven years that I have pastored, I have been blessed to see God do some amazing things in the churches that I have served, in the communities that I have served, and in general.

          All the churches that I have served have been special in different ways, and of course Sidney UMC is no different. I hear often from people who have visited or have joined this church just how friendly it is. People tell me, “Pastor Paul, your church is so friendly, and the people are so loving and caring”. I truly believe that this community of faith is a treasure in Sidney and in the world.

          This morning in our reading from the Apostle Paul’s letter or epistle to the Galatians, he tells us in 6:2-3 once again:

“Bear one another’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ. For if those who are nothing think they are something, they deceive themselves” (Gal. 6:2-3, NRSV).

          The Apostle Paul is telling the church in Galatia, and us, to shoulder, and to carry the struggles and sufferings of others. Sometimes when I visit folks, or when I call to visit folks, they say, “But Pastor Paul, you are too busy to visit me”. Yet God says that we are to “Bear one another’s burdens”.

          It is sad to me as a pastor to hear about churches that are declining and some that are even closing. I truly believe that in these times that we are living in now that how we act and live as a church has massive implications for our future as a church.

          Whether people have faith or not, most people in this world have and will continue to desire community and loving relationships. Healthy churches not only offer the lifesaving gospel of Jesus Christ, but they also offer love, community, caring, and they are churches that “Bear one another’s burdens”.

          I want to share a story with you about living for others and sharing one another’s burdens. This story comes from www.godvine.com, and it says:

“The story of Pastor Jeremiah Steepek has been shared on the internet before; you may have even read it. But, we think you need to read it again... because it's more inspirational than you realize: Pastor Jeremiah Steepek transformed himself into a homeless person and went to the 10,000 member church that he was to be introduced as the head pastor at that morning. He walked around his soon to be church for 30 minutes while it was filling with people for service….only 3 people out of the 7-10,000 people said hello to him. He asked people for change to buy food….NO ONE in the church gave him change. He went into the sanctuary to sit down in the front of the church and was asked by the ushers if he would please sit in the back. He greeted people to be greeted back with stares and dirty looks, with people looking down on him and judging him”.

          “As he sat in the back of the church, he listened to the church announcements and such. When all that was done, the elders went up and were excited to introduce the new pastor of the church to the congregation……..” We would like to introduce to you Pastor Jeremiah Steepek”….The congregation looked around clapping with joy and anticipation…..The homeless man sitting in the back stood up…..and started walking down the aisle…..the clapping stopped with ALL eyes on him….he walked up the altar and took the microphone from the elders (who were in on this) and paused for a moment….then he recited”.

“Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’ “Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’ “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me’ (https://www.godvine.com/read/pastor-jeremiah-280.html).

Why is our church here in Sidney growing? Why is faith deepening? Why are we adding new members? The reason, I believe brothers and sisters, is that we are doing everything that we can to live our Christian faith out. Do I believe in the Bible? I do. Do I think Jesus Christ is the way of salvation and eternal life? I do. Those beliefs though for me are much more than just head knowledge, or things that I just believe. They are things that I live out. I pray for this church daily. I deeply love all the people of this church and your families. When you are suffering, I am suffering. When you are rejoicing, I am rejoicing.

I believe that the churches of the future will do 5-things well. These things are:

1. They will be extremely loving, inviting, and caring of one another.

2. They will show great love, concern, and caring for the community and the world.

3. They will have strong and visionary leadership.

4. They will have passionate and Holy Spirit filled worship.

5. They will preach the gospel of Jesus Christ with fire, love, and hope.

          In 2019, an era when many churches are shrinking and even closing, some churches are not only growing, but in fact they are thriving. How can this be? How can we connect this to what the Apostle Paul said this morning about “Bearing one another’s burdens”? The historic church, and I believe churches of the future, if they want to be strong, growing, and filled with the Holy Spirit, then they will be church that are:

1. Extremely loving, inviting, and caring of one another.

2. They will show great love, concern, and caring for the community and the world.

3. They will have strong and visionary leadership.

4. They will have passionate and Holy Spirit filled worship.

5. They will preach the gospel of Jesus Christ with fire, love, and hope.

          Many people that are no longer part of a church, or that don’t claim to have faith anymore, might have had hurtful and harmful experiences in the church. Most people I know though are desirous of loving and caring community. Imagine churches like this. Imagine the love, the caring, the “Bearing of one another’s burdens,” and the donuts. Brothers and sisters, I believe that this is the type of church that Jesus taught the disciples to build here on earth. I believe that we are continuing to live into being a church like that.

          The Apostle Paul continues on in Galatian 6:7-10 saying:

“Do not be deceived; God is not mocked, for you reap whatever you sow. If you sow to your own flesh, you will reap corruption from the flesh; but if you sow to the Spirit, you will reap eternal life from the Spirit. So let us not grow weary in doing what is right, for we will reap at harvest time, if we do not give up. So then, whenever we have an opportunity, let us work for the good of all, and especially for those of the family of faith” (Gal. 6:7-10, NRSV).

          We have that famous line from the scriptures here, “for whatever you reap you sow”. To me it is so easy. We love each other like Jesus loves us, we invite them into the community of faith, and we share the good news of the gospel of Jesus Christ with them. Then we live this out in a variety of ways together. Friends the problem throughout the years has not been Jesus, it has been the church. Jesus hasn’t let us down, but sometimes the church has. If we truly “Bear one another’s burdens,” and truly love each other, then I am convinced that this church and others churches will and can have bright futures.

          The Apostle Paul finishes this reading from the Book of Galatians encouraging us to stay focused on Jesus and his cross, and live it out.

          Friends I still lament about when interviewed to be the pastor of this church last January, 2018. In this interview, I was asked among many other questions if I would visit the sick and the homebound. I have to admit that I was troubled by this question. You see true and authentic Christian Community where churches are growing and thriving, are churches that “Bear one another’s burdens.” It seems that some churches for years have “skated-bye” by playing church, by not truly living out our faith in our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. People came on Sunday, and that was about it. Churches of the future will live out their faith in radical ways, and they will “Bear one another’s burdens”.

          So my challenge to all of us for this week, to myself, is share our faith with others, to invite someone to this church, to invite someone to a church event. When that visitor gets here, let’s talk with them, love them, and include them. Then watch how this church continues to grow. Hopefully the visitor that you bring, will say, “Wow the people of this church really love each other!” This church really, “Bears one another’s burdens!” “I want to be part of a church like this!”

          In looking briefly at the gospel of Luke reading for this morning, this is how it begins, once again in 10:1-11:

“After this the Lord appointed seventy others and sent them on ahead of him in pairs to every town and place where he himself intended to go. He said to them, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore ask the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest. Go on your way. See, I am sending you out like lambs into the midst of wolves. Carry no purse, no bag, no sandals; and greet no one on the road. Whatever house you enter, first say, ‘Peace to this house!’ And if anyone is there who shares in peace, your peace will rest on that person; but if not, it will return to you. Remain in the same house, eating and drinking whatever they provide, for the laborer deserves to be paid. Do not move about from house to house. Whenever you enter a town and its people welcome you, eat what is set before you; cure the sick who are there, and say to them, ‘The kingdom of God has come near to you.’ But whenever you enter a town and they do not welcome you, go out into its streets and say, ‘Even the dust of your town that clings to our feet, we wipe off in protest against you. Yet know this: the kingdom of God has come near.’ (Lk. 10:1-11, NRSV).

          In this gospel lesson, Jesus has appointed 70 people to go forth in pairs with virtually nothing. These people are to share the good news of Jesus Christ and rely on the hospitality of other. In the process, I am sure that they will “Bear one another’s burdens”. If they are not welcomed though, Jesus says dust off your sandals and move on.

          I don’t necessarily think that in our culture today that the problem is that most people don’t have faith, but instead many have felt hurt or “unwelcomed” as Jesus says in this gospel reading. As a result, these people have dusted off their sandals and have moved on from the church. When I hear some of their stories, I can’t say that I blame them. I believe that we have many people in our society though who have faith, but who have in fact dusted of their sandals and moved on from being part of the church. Well what if the church was different then the last time it hurt you, and you left? What if the church actually tried to love and care the way they claimed to, but sometimes failed to actually do? Churches of the future will love like that.

          The gospel of Luke reading for this morning once again ends by saying of the seventy people that Jesus sent out to spread the good news:

“The seventy returned with joy, saying, “Lord, in your name even the demons submit to us!” He said to them, “I watched Satan fall from heaven like a flash of lightning. See, I have given you authority to tread on snakes and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy; and nothing will hurt you. Nevertheless, do not rejoice at this, that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven” (Lk. 17-20, NRSV).

          When we love like that, when we truly “Bear one another’s burdens,” Sidney and the world will truly be transformed! Friends, the Holy Spirit does the work, Jesus does the saving, God creates, and we just follow and love. This is the gospel that transforms lives, saves souls, rebuilds families, and changes the world.

          So in closing, may we as people and as church continue to strive to:

1. Continue to be extremely loving, inviting, and caring of one another.

2. Continue to show great love, concern, and caring for the community and the world.

3. Continue to have strong and visionary leadership.

4. Continue to have passionate and Holy Spirit filled worship.

5. Continue to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ with fire, love, and hope.

          If we continue to do these things, and if we take them seriously, watch what God can and will continue to do in this church, in this community, and the world. It doesn’t matter what the world says, for Jesus tell us that he has overcome the world. May we today and always “Bear one another’s burdens” Amen.

Sidney UMC - Second Sunday after Pentecost - 06/23/19 - Sermon - “All that Bacon!”

Sunday 06/23/19 - Sidney UMC

Sermon Title: “All that Bacon!”

Old Testament Scripture: Psalm 42

                                            

New Testament Scripture: Galatians 3:23-29

                                                   

Gospel Lesson: Luke 8:26-39

          Welcome again my brothers and sisters, my friends, on this the Second Sunday after Pentecost. Two Sundays after the Holy Spirit moved, and the Christian Church was born on that day of Pentecost, nearly 2,000 years ago.

          With this said, I have a question for us all this morning. This is the question: Have you ever met someone that was strange? I mean someone that was just downright weird and even a little bit scary? This is the case for Jesus in our Gospel of Luke reading for this morning.

          Now some people have said to me, “Pastor Paul, the Bible is boring, and has nothing exciting in it at all”. Well hold on to that thought for just a second, as I begin to read to us all once again this morning’s gospel reading! Once again from Luke 8:26 it says once again:

“Then they arrived at the country of the Gerasenes, which is opposite Galilee” (Lk. 8:26, NRSV).

          So this gospel reading picks up with Jesus and his disciples arriving at the country of the Garasenes, which many scholars think was near the shores of the Sea of Galilee. Further, this story happens just after Jesus had calmed the storm on the Sea of Galilee. Nothing to scary so far in the gospel reading right? Well let’s look once again at what happens next. It says of Jesus:

“As he stepped out on land, a man of the city who had demons met him. For a long time he had worn no clothes, and he did not live in a house but in the tombs” (Lk. 8:27, NRSV).

          Remember just a second ago when I asked you if you: Have you ever met someone that was strange? I mean someone that was just downright weird and even a little bit scary? Well, I was talking about this guy, that we have come to know as the “Gerasene demoniac” (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Exorcism_of_the_Gerasene_demoniac).

          So essentially then, Jesus has he stepped out on the land from the Sea of Galilee, and is met by a demon possessed man. Not just this, the man is naked and lives in the cemetery. Awesome! I don’t suppose that he could have tried the “no shirt, no shoes, no pants” line on him could he?

In having been a pastor for about seven years now, I have meet all sorts of people. I have spent time with just about every walk of life there is, but I have never been greeted at church by a naked, demon possessed man, who lives in cemetery. I also hope that I never will!

I wonder what that was like for Jesus to step on the shore and immediately see that? Further, how did he incorporate our United Methodist Church Safe Sanctuaries policies into this situation? I would certainly help this man to. I might offer him a bathrobe first, but I would certainly help him. Jesus went to all people though.

Continuing on, the gospel reading for this morning then says once again of the demon possessed man, who forgot his clothes:

“When he saw Jesus, he fell down before him and shouted at the top of his voice, “What have you to do with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I beg you, do not torment me”— for Jesus had commanded the unclean spirit to come out of the man. (For many times it had seized him; he was kept under guard and bound with chains and shackles, but he would break the bonds and be driven by the demon into the wilds.) Jesus then asked him, “What is your name?” (Lk. 8:28-30a, NRSV).

        This story of Jesus healing and performing an exorcism on the “Gerasene demoniac,” as he came to be called, is also in the gospels of Mark, Matthew, and of course this morning, in the gospel of Luke. It’s a powerful story, and a story that must have been interesting to witness. I mean how would we react if a naked and demon possessed man who lived in a cemetery approach us suddenly and erratically?

        Further, the evil, the demons that were in this man, acknowledged Jesus and his power, and were afraid. So overcome with evil and grief, the “Gerasene demoniac” was sometimes even able to break the shackles and chains that bound him in the cemetery.

          Jesus, wanting to know the name of this evil, this affliction, these demons that possessed this man, once again asked the “Gerasene demoniac” who was possessing him. The scripture then says once again:

“He said, “Legion”; for many demons had entered him. They begged him not to order them to go back into the abyss” (Lk. 8:30b, NRSV).

          The demon says, his name is “Legion,” and that he is many demons. And these demons, don’t want to return the “abyss,” as they say. The word “abyss” from the Greek translates to the bottomless pit, or the deep. This seems to be a metaphor for hell, the realm separate from the living. God.

          Jesus then agrees to the demon’s request, and once again the gospel then says:

^“Now there on the hillside a large herd of swine was feeding; and the demons begged Jesus to let them enter these. So he gave them permission. Then the demons came out of the man and entered the swine, and the herd rushed down the steep bank into the lake and was drowned” (Lk. 8:32-33, NRSV).

          This is where I get the title of my sermon for this morning, “All that Bacon!” From the little bit of research that I did to prepare for this sermon, I learned that a “herd” of swine or pigs can be a lot of pigs. Sometimes hundreds or even more. The gospel in fact, once again says a “large herd of swine.”

          Now when I read this portion of this gospel lesson, did my mind go to holy things, to imaging the loving face of Jesus? Unfortunately no, as the first thing that I thought about was the potentially hundreds of demon possessed pigs that have just rushed down a steep bank, and then ran into the lake and drowned. I lamented and said, “All that Bacon!” “All that Ham!”, and all those “Pork Chops”, gone! That’s right I would have been the disciple that said to Jesus, “did you have to let all of the pigs drown?” Plus once a pig drowns, you don’t really want to eat the pig, and if it’s a demon-possessed pig, well that not good! So I was sad over the loss of “All that bacon!”

          I was talking with our church organist Sarah Pressler about this, and I told her what a tragedy that the loss of all of this bacon was. She then said, “But Pastor Paul, Jews then and even now saw pigs and unclean animals, so that is probably while Jesus allowed the demons to enter the pigs”. I then said, “But I am a Christian and I can eat pigs!” Sarah was not convinced.

          We might remember in the story of “The Prodigal Son” that after the one of the two sons of the rich man squandered his share of his inheritance, he could only find work feeding pigs. Pig are unclean to Jews, and even feeding them was seen as not good. I don’t know exactly how raising the pigs in this story worked here, as we think this was gentile or non-Jewish territory, although, I would believe that the pigs were likely sold off to non-Jews who ate the pigs. But “All that Bacon!”

          The gospel reading for this morning then ends once again by saying this:

“When the swineherds saw what had happened, they ran off and told it in the city and in the country. Then people came out to see what had happened, and when they came to Jesus, they found the man from whom the demons had gone sitting at the feet of Jesus, clothed and in his right mind. And they were afraid. Those who had seen it told them how the one who had been possessed by demons had been healed. Then all the people of the surrounding country of the Gerasenes asked Jesus to leave them; for they were seized with great fear. So he got into the boat and returned. The man from whom the demons had gone begged that he might be with him; but Jesus sent him away, saying, “Return to your home, and declare how much God has done for you.” So he went away, proclaiming throughout the city how much Jesus had done for him” (Lk. 8:34-39, NRSV).

          So the pig version of sheep shepherds, the swineherds, ran to the city and the countryside to tell all the people what had just happened. When they returned, the man who was once erratic, naked, and demon-possessed, was now clothed and his right mind. So maybe he did take that bathrobe after all!

          All the people at this point have fear over what Jesus just did in healing this man. They actually asked Jesus to leave, and so Jesus got into his boat and returned.

Then lastly, the healed and formally demon-possessed man then begged Jesus to take him with him. Jesus said, instead go and tell all you see and meet about me, and what I have done for you. Instead of traveling with Jesus, Jesus tells the formally demon-possessed man to share the good news of Jesus.

Friends, if the love of Jesus Christ has filled you, if it is has changed you, then go forth and share that love with the world and with each other. We never know who might cross our paths unexpectedly, but be prepared and be ready to see if Jesus just might not do something amazing when we least expect it. Oh, and “All that Bacon!” Amen.

Sidney UMC - Father's Day/Peace with Justice Sunday/Trinity Sunday - 06/16/19 - Sermon - “Justified by Faith”

Sunday 06/16/19 - Sidney UMC

Sermon Title: “Justified by Faith”

Old Testament Scripture: Psalm 8

                                            

New Testament Scripture: Romans 5:1-5

                                                   

Gospel Lesson: John 16:12-15

          Welcome again, brothers and sisters, friends! Today is a big day! In fact, we celebrate three different things on this day. On this day, we celebrate Father’s Day. We celebrate biological fathers, step-fathers, grand-parents, adoptive and foster fathers, and all the men that have been in our lives that have fathered us in some way, shape, or form. Today we honor all men, as all men have fathered someone or something. Some of us have our own children, and some of us are father-like figures to many. Maybe you had a coach, a teacher, a neighbor, a pastor, or an uncle. Perhaps we have had people in our lives that in addition to our biological fathers were very much like fathers to us. Perhaps also, some of you here didn’t or don’t have good biological fathers, but hopefully there have been men in your life that have loved you like a father would. We also have the unchanging love of God our Father, our creator, in heaven.

          So, it’s Father’s Day, and it is also secondly, a special giving Sunday in the life of the United Methodist Church, called “Peace with Justice Sunday”. The entire global United Methodist Connection/Church celebrates all six of the special giving Sundays that we have, as these were created at our ever 4-year worldwide gathering, called General Conference. These special giving Sundays are designed to take donated money, along with a lot of prayer, and the church then balls all that money together. In doing this, we are able as a United Methodist Church to raise decent sums of money for the various ministries that these special giving Sundays support. In addition to these special giving Sundays, some of the apportionments or ministries shares that our church pays, goes to fund various ministries both in the United States, and around the world.

So what is “Peace with Justice Sunday”? Well let me read a little bit about this special giving Sunday to you, taken from http://www.umcgiving.org. This is what it says:

“When you give on Peace with Justice Sunday, your gift makes possible our critical kingdom work in the world. Because you give” For example:

• Methodists spearhead a peace ministry uniting Arizona border communities
• United Methodists in Liberia are being equipped to implement the denomination’s Social Principles to address social-justice issues
• Pennsylvania students are educating their community about sex-trafficking at home and abroad

These initiatives, and hundreds of other ones, are possible because you give?” (http://www.umcgiving.org/ministry-articles/peace-with-justice-sunday).

          So this special giving Sunday is certainly more focused on social, political, and economic issues. The General Conference of the United Methodist Church has asked that all United Methodist Churches participate in all of our special giving Sundays, so we are participating this Sunday in “Peace with Justice Sunday”.

          If you would like to donate towards “Peace with Justice” Sunday, please put the funds in the envelope in your bulletin, or indicate your funds on the memo line of your check, or mark the envelope that you put your money in. We will then make sure that this money gets to our conference office, and from there to these ministries.

Now with this all said, this is also thirdly, “Trinity Sunday” in the life of the church. This is the Sunday that we celebrate our great God that is three in one, or one in three, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. The Father, the creator, who has created the heavens and the earth, his son Jesus Christ, who took on flesh and was God on earth. Lastly, but not least, the Holy Spirit of God, the third person of the Holy Trinity that is the person of God that moves in and through us.  

As the first verse of our first hymn from this morning “Holy, Holy, Holy! Lord God Almighty” says, once again:

“God in three persons, blessed Trinity” (UMH, pg. 64).

On this Trinity Sunday, and every Sunday, we celebrate our God who is of infinite grace, power, love, majesty, light, and life. We celebrate the person of God who creates, the person of God who took on flesh and walked among us, and the person of God who blows through us like a rushing wind.  

“God in three persons, blessed Trinity” (UMH, pg. 64).

          I also think that it is funny that “Trinity Sunday” falls on a Sunday that the church celebrates three different things. Normally we would say, “In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.” We could jokingly this morning say, but not seriously, “In the name of the Father’s Day, the Peace with Justice Sunday, and the Trinity Sunday”! Funny that on the Sunday that we take special time to focus on the Triune God, that we have a Triune Sunday of celebrations.

          The sermon title that picked for this morning, as you might have already read in your worship bulletin, is called “Justified by Faith”. On this Father’s Day, I truly hope that we had or have great fathers, step-fathers, grand-fathers, or men in our lives that loved us, cared for us, and guided us.

          With this said, for some of us, whoever it was, we were mistreated. Some of us have been told and treated in ways that were not loving. Maybe some of us here were told things like, “you will never amount to anything!” Maybe were told, “You’re no good, and not loved!” I certainly could go on and on with examples like this. For some us, we have felt in our lives that we were not good enough, or maybe still are not good enough. Some of us might have had a father, parents, relatives, or other people in our lives that told us how not good we were.

          The effects of telling a child with great frequency or mistreating a child in such ways, can create a sense of inadequacy in a child. Sometimes, when children like this grow up, they never feel good enough. So much so, that some of these people cannot believe in an all loving, merciful, just, and righteous God. Why can’t they? Well in part, because such things were never even close to being modeled in their lives. How can this Triune God of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, truly love us in a way that the rest of the world at times has not? Faith can be a struggle, because we are called to believe in the infinite grace, mercy, and love of God.

          When I was a chaplain intern at SUNY Upstate University Hospital a few years ago, I was assigned the hematology and oncology units at the hospital. So, the cancer wards. On these wards there were some that had mild cancer, but some were literally dying from stage-4 cancer.

          In ministering to these various folks, sometimes those who were dying of cancer would convey doubt, worry, fear, and regret. Sometimes hospital patients that told me that they were practicing Christian’s told me that they feared death, around getting into heaven. I would sometimes ask the patients that said to me that they were Christian, and who were dying, “well how do you get into heaven?” Often they would tell me by repenting of our sins to God, accepting Christ as our Lord and Savior, knowing Christ, and following Christ. Of course, I got various other answers sometimes to.

          When a person then told me how they get to heaven, and they also told me they believe in Jesus, I would then ask them, “Well why are worried about going to heaven then?” I would get answers such as, “Well Chaplain Paul, it just seems too good to be true,” or “I know that Jesus died for me, but can I really be forgiven?,” or “I hope that I was a good enough person to go to heaven”.

          As Christians, for the last two-thousand years, we almost unanimously agree that Jesus Christ, in some form or fashion, died for the sins of all of humanity on the cross. In the Methodist Tradition, along with many other Christian Traditions, we believe that we are “Justified” by faith in Christ, and faith in Christ alone. This means, that we believe that Jesus Christ on the cross died for the sins of humanity, past, present, and future. We are born into sin, and born with original sin, but Christ, and his saving work on the cross is what saves us.

          I remember when I was a Chaplain Intern at the hospital in Syracuse helping a Roman Catholic Priest named Father Innocent with “Stations of the Cross” during Holy Week. This was done in the hospital chapel, and was also live on camera to the whole hospital. What struck me was at the beginning of each of the “Stations of the Cross”, we said the following:

“We adore you, O Christ, and we bless you. Because, by your holy cross, you have redeemed the world” (https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/resources/prayers/devotions/to-our-lord-jesus-christ/stations-of-the-cross).

            So for two-thousand years, the universal church, which spans the globe has largely believed that Jesus Christ on his cross died for our sins. So how do we get heaven? How are we good enough?

Hopefully our fathers and father figures told us that we were good enough. If they didn’t though, then how do we know that we are good enough for our Heavenly Father? I was blessed growing up to have men in my life there were encouraging and who told that I was good enough, but not everyone was.

          This takes me to our scripture from Romans 5:1-5 for this morning. The Apostle Paul tell us in very clear language in this scripture, how to be “Justified,” how to be “good enough” for God. Let’s look once again at what Romans 5:1-15 says. Once again it says:

“Therefore, since we are justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have obtained access to this grace in which we stand; and we boast in our hope of sharing the glory of God”    (Rom. 5:1-2, NRSV).

          According this scripture, and many others in the New Testament, our faith in Jesus Christ is enough! We are “Justified” before God and even have peace with God, because of Jesus Christ, and what he accomplished on the cross. Further, we can stand and even boast in knowing that we do and will share the glory of God for all of eternity. We are good enough, as faith is enough. If we repent of our sins, if we believe in Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior, and if we live for him, then that is enough!

          The Apostle Paul continues on in this scripture from Romans saying once again:

“And not only that, but we also boast in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not disappoint us, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us” (Rom. 5:3-5, NRSV).

          The Apostle Paul is saying here, now that you know that you have salvation, now that you know that your faith in Christ has “Justified” you to go to heaven, know that we will at times suffer. Remember through the suffering though, that God is with us, and we are redeemed through the life giving blood of Jesus Christ our Lord, and his blood alone.

          So emphatic about this is the Apostle Paul that he says in Roman 8:38-39:

“For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Rom. 8:38-39, NRSV).

          If we love Christ, we are “Justified,” whether the men in our lives told us that we were good enough or not. God says that through his son we are redeemed, saved, loved, chosen, and restored. Hopefully many of us have had fathers in our lives that reaffirmed these truths, and reinforced them with their love for us.

          Now as I said, these sorts of scripture are all throughout the New Testament. The most famous of which comes from the mouth of Jesus Christ himself. In John 3:16 Jesus says that famous verse of scripture:

“For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life” (Jn. 3:16, NRSV).

          Often in the gospels when someone was sick or needed Jesus’ healing, Jesus would be moved by that person’s faith. Often Jesus would say, “Go, your faith has made you well”.

          I have met some people that have told me, that some other people, or pastors, or priests, have told them that because of something that they did that they were “going to hell”. Friends, only God can judge our souls, and Jesus says “have faith in me”. Jesus says, faith is enough. Jesus said believe in the Father that sent me, believe in me, and believe in the power of the Holy Spirit. It is by faith that we are “Justified” before God, and faith alone!

          In our gospel of John reading for this morning once again, Jesus tells again about the promise that Holy Spirit of God would show up and move in and through us. Jesus says once again:

“I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth; for he will not speak on his own, but will speak whatever he hears, and he will declare to you the things that are to come. He will glorify me, because he will take what is mine and declare it to you. All that the Father has is mine. For this reason I said that he will take what is mine and declare it to you” (Jn. 16:12-15, NRSV).

          Jesus is saying, that if you know the Father in heaven, then you know him. Jesus is also saying on this “Trinity Sunday” that you must also know the Holy Spirit. The person of God who creates, the person of God who saves, and the Holy Spirit that fills and sanctified us.

          People have also asked me, “Pastor Paul, if all we need is faith, then why do we go to church, why do we do good works, and why do we help others, if faith is enough, as you say?” The answer to this, is that faith saves us, but living like Christ and growing more into Christ’s image sanctifies or purifies us. We are saved through faith, but perfected in God’s love through prayer, scripture, fasting, good works, and etc.

          So do I believe that works get us to heaven? No. Do I believe in the importance of good works? Absolutely, if we are redeemed by Christ, then daily we must live and love others like Christ loves us. In doing this, God sanctifies and purifies us, so that we might spread social and scriptural holiness across the world.

          When it comes to works, I really two quotes from great reformer Martin Luther. Luther said of good works among other things, these two things:

1. “God does not need your good works, but your neighbor does.”

2. “Good works do not make a good man, but a good man does good works.” (https://www.azquotes.com/author/9142-Martin_Luther/tag/good-work).

          Friends, brothers and sisters, faith is Christ enough, and on this Father’s Day, I hope and I pray that you have or had fathers or men in your that loved you and treated in ways that reinforced this. If not, on this “Trinity Sunday,” know that Triune God loves you, and that the work of his Son Jesus Christ on the cross, is enough. Faith is enough, as we are “Justified by Faith.” Amen.

Sidney UMC - Pentecost Sunday/Confirmation and New Members Sunday - 06/09/19 - Sermon - “Look at Peter now!”

Sunday 06/09/19 - Sidney UMC

Sermon Title: “Look at Peter now!”

Old Testament Scripture: Psalm 104:24-34, 35b

                                            

New Testament Scripture: Acts 2:1-21

                                                   

Gospel Lesson: John 14:8-17 (25-27)

          Welcome once again, my brothers and sisters, my friends, on this our Pentecost Sunday. On this day, nearly two-thousand years ago, Jesus’ disciples were gathered in that Upper Room in Jerusalem during the Jewish holiday of the Passover. Jesus had promised his disciples that “The Advocate,” the Holy Spirit of God would come and teach them everything that they needed to know. The disciples still didn’t fully “get it,” but today, on the day of Pentecost they will!

          On this day nearly two-thousand years ago, as our Book of Acts scripture for this morning says in 2:1-4:

“When the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place. And suddenly from heaven there came a sound like the rush of a violent wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. Divided tongues, as of fire, appeared among them, and a tongue rested on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other languages, as the Spirit gave them ability” (Acts 2:1-4, NRSV).

          Today, the day of Pentecost is a day of Holy Fire, the day that the disciples “get” what Jesus has taught them. Today is the day that the Holy Spirit of God moves like tongues of fire, the disciples speak in tongues, and the Christian Church is born. That’s right, the day of Pentecost is the first day that the Christian Church actually existed. Were there disciples and others present shortly before this day? Sure they were! Jesus however, told them to wait for “The Advocate,” the Holy Spirit. Today, on the day of Pentecost, the Holy Spirit arrives, the disciples are filled, and the church is born.

          On this day of Holy Fire, of the Holy Spirit, of the birthday of the Christian Church, many churches have made the colors of this day red. Red represents fire, the blood Christ, and the power of the Holy Spirit. Red is the color of this day, as this is the day of Holy Fire.

          For the Christian denominations that celebrate the “Rite of Confirmation,” like we are this morning, Pentecost has become a great and a common day to have confirmations. Like a pastor or a priest may be adorned on this day, Confirmands often receive red stoles around there neck to symbolize the Holy Fire of the day of Pentecost. Confirmands confirm their faith in Jesus Christ, there commitment to his church, and to be his disciples in the world. This happens on Pentecost, the day of Holy Fire.

          Today in the history of the church, can also be a good day for Baptisms and other celebrations in the life of the church. Today is also a day that God can renew and redeem us. For the God we serve, the God of the universe ,doesn’t make any junk. God makes us all special, and in our brokenness, God can redeem us and renew us. This is the power of God through Jesus Christ.

           In our gospel of John lesson for this morning, we once again hear the disciple Philip asking Jesus to show him and the other disciples proof of God the Father (Jn. 14:8, NRSV). Philip is one of the original disciples that we don’t hear about in the New Testament very much, but Philip like some of the other disciples is asking Jesus to prove that he is who he says he is. Jesus tells Philip that:

“Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me”                                      (Jn. 14:11a, NRSV).

          Jesus then says once again 14:15-17:

“If you love me, you will keep my commandments. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate, to be with you forever. This is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, because he abides with you, and he will be in you” (Jn. 14:15-17, NRSV).

          Philip wasn’t the only disciple that doubted who Jesus was, Thomas did, and clearly the others did at times, as well. Jesus tells Philip and the other disciples though that the Spirit of God will come upon them and will reveal to them the full truth of who he is. You see, you can believe in the teachings on Christianity in your head. You can also doubt them. Jesus is saying though that when the Holy Spirit comes upon you, you will feel it, and you will know it. You won’t just believe it in your head, and for some in your heart, you will be so filled with God’s love and grace that you will just know it.

          Jesus then once again says in John 14:25-26, NRSV:

“I have said these things to you while I am still with you.  But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you everything, and remind you of all that I have said to you”                                          (Jn. 14:25-26, NRSV).

          Jesus says to the disciples, you have doubts, you have questions, soon the Spirit of God will move in and through you, and you will understand more fully who I am and I why I have come.

          This promise of the Holy Spirit coming is fulfilled in our reading from the Book of Acts 2:1-21 for this morning. Did the Holy Spirit move in other places in the Bible and even today? Of Course! Yet Pentecost is arguably the most substantial outpouring of the Holy Spirit ever experienced by the Church. So much so, it’s the birthday of the Church.

          My sermon this morning is centered on our reading from Acts 2:1-21. As you might have read in our bulletin for this morning, my sermon for this morning is called “Look at Peter now!”

          Sometimes in life when we are training or learning how to do something we are told that we are ready to do the thing that we are training or preparing to do that we will just know we are ready.

          Sometimes in our lives, we struggle with our faith, we ask questions, or maybe we have even challenged some of our core beliefs. The disciple Peter, whom our Roman Catholic brothers and sisters claim as their first Pope, was not perfect. None of us are perfect, but God is the master of perfecting us. God takes that which is not perfect and he perfects it.

          Of all of the disciples of Jesus, whether I like it or not, I am the most like Peter. Why I am the most like Peter? I don’t mind leading, and I am also very clearly impulsive and outspoken. Yet, when I believe whole-heartedly in what I am doing, God has been able to use me to do things that I never imagined.

          On this day, nearly two-thousand years ago, Peter, who made tons of mistakes, comes down from the Upper Room in Jerusalem and delivers a sermon for the ages (Acts 2:1-21, NRSV). How good was this sermon, about 3,000 people are baptized and come to know Jesus Christ on this day.

          Further, one of my favorite versus in the Bible, is in this passage from the Book of Acts. When Peter starts preaching with the greatest of fervor, fire, and is full of the Holy Spirit, he is accused of being drunk. He is accused of doing this, because is so passionate, and so filled with excitement. The Book of Acts 2:12-15 speaks of the response the movement of the Holy Spirit in the Upper Room, and also to Peter’s preaching. It says once again:

“All were amazed and perplexed, saying to one another, “What does this mean?” But others sneered and said, “They are filled with new wine.” But Peter, standing with the eleven, raised his voice and addressed them, “Men of Judea and all who live in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and listen to what I say. Indeed, these are not drunk, as you suppose, for it is only nine o’clock in the morning” (Acts. 2:12-15, NRSV).

          So Peter, the one who screwed up, who is now filled with the Holy Spirit, begins preaching like Billy Graham. In fact, he is so filled with excitement that he is accused of being drunk, but he says, “Who gets drunk at 9:00 am”? Peter is basically saying then, “I’m not drunk, it’s too early in the morning for that!”

          Where did Peter come from with his walk with Jesus to get to where he is today on Pentecost Sunday? Let’s look through some if his past mistakes. I found a list of 13 of them, and here is the list:

1. Peter doesn’t understand the Parable of the 4 Soils but is confused. (Just like us) Jesus instructs him in the meaning of the parable without rejection Matt 15:16.

2. Peter and the other disciples mis-interpret Jesus words about “Yeast of Pharisees and Sadducees” and think that Jesus is talking about “bread” (Just like us) Jesus repeats the phrase until they understand. Matt 16:1.

3. Peter & other the other disciple try to keep the children and babies away from Jesus. Jesus corrects them and instructs them with a little child in their midst Mark 10:13.

4. Peter fails to “continue” to walk on water. Jesus catches Peter and instructs him, maybe a little discipline but no rejection Matt 14:22.

5. Peter, filled with selfish ambition (outright sin), argues with the other disciples about “Which one of us is the Greatest!” Jesus instructs them all with a little child. There is no rejection. Jesus instructs them. – Mark 9:33, Mark 10:35, Luke 22:24

6. Peter speaks up in a Holy moment on the Mount of Transfiguration when Moses and Elijah appear to talk to Jesus about His departure (or death). No one is talking to Peter. But he suggests it is good that he, James and John are there. So that they can build 3 shelters or dirt huts for Jesus, Moses and Elijah Matthew. It is absolutely riduculous! There is no rejection, even from the very presence of the Father in the cloud. But there is instruction: “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased. Listen to him!” 17:4 & Mark 9:5

7. Peter speaks for Jesus, without consulting Him, and commits Jesus to pay the 2 Drachma tax. When Jesus finds out… He doesn’t reject or even correct Peter, but He instructs him. Matthew 17:24

8. Peter resists the single greatest reason Jesus became a human: to atone for the sin of the human race. Jesus severely rebukes Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me; you do not have in mind the concerns of God, but merely human concerns.” However, note, Jesus does NOT reject Peter and doesn’t even demote him from leading the church.

9. Peter resists Jesus when He says that He is going to wash Peter’s feet.  “No,” said Peter, “you shall never wash my feet.” John 13:8 Jesus instructs Peter, “Unless I wash you, you have no part with me.”

10. Peter fails to stand by Jesus side and falls asleep in the Garden of Gethsemane right before Jesus is killed. Jesus finds them sleeping and instructs & disciplines them, “The flesh is weak but the spirit is willing. Pray that you may not fall into temptation.” But Jesus does not reject them.

11. Peter denies Jesus with “oaths” and “curses” in a public arena. Matthew 26:74 (sin) (Jesus restores Peter. John 21:15-19)

12. Peter is completely overwhelmed by his sin, self-discovery of his own weakness and quits the Apostolic Team and goes back to the only work he feels he can do… fishing. John 21 (Until Jesus restores him)

13. Peter pulls back from the Gentiles & Paul in fear when some of the circumcision group arrive in Galatia – Galatians 2:11 (http://www.godisjustlikejesus.com/13-failures-peter-jesus-loves-imperfect-people/).

          The one that isn’t listed here, and my favorite, is that Peter cuts off a guard’s ear in the garden of the Gethsemane. Peter screwed up a lot. Peter heard the truth, he saw the truth, he experienced the truth, but today on Pentecost he feels, he receives, he understands, and he knows the truth.

          Jesus is the business of changing us from screw ups into people that change lives and the world. I pray that the movement of the Holy Spirit on Pentecost that happened so many years ago, might happen anew. That we might feel God’s mighty presence move in us and through us, so that we may be convinced that Jesus is Lord, and is who he said he is. This is what happened to Peter, and many probably said, “Look at Peter now!”

I have been changed by Jesus Christ, and on this Confirmation Sunday, I can “confirm” with the greatest of conviction that Jesus Christ is my Lord and Savior, he died for me, he rose again, and that he is coming back in glory. Happy Pentecost, welcome to the fold Confirmands, and welcome new members! Amen,