Freeville/Homer Avenue UMC's - Transfiguration Sunday/Last Sunday after the Epiphany - 02/15/15 Sermon - “Jesus the Transfigured One” [The "Natures of Christ" series: Part 3 of 3]

Sunday 02/15/15 Freeville/Homer Ave UMC’s

Sermon Title: “Jesus the Transfigured One”

                        [The “Natures of Christ” series: Part 3 of 3]           

Old Testament Lesson: Psalm 50:1-6

                                            

New Testament Scripture: 2 Corinthians 4:3-6

Gospel Lesson: Mark 9:2-9                   

          My friends, my brothers and sisters, welcome again on this “Transfiguration Sunday.” This Sunday that we celebrate the story of when Jesus Christ took Peter, James, and John and went up a very high mountain. When they all arrived on top of this mountain, the gospel says, that Jesus was changed or “Transfigured” right in front of these three disciples.

          We are also this Sunday, still in the season after the Epiphany, of when the wise men or magi saw that Bethlehem star in the sky, and went to adore and pay homage to the Christ Child, with gifts of Gold, Frankincense, and Myrrh.

          In three days, this Wednesday February 18^th, we will end the season after the Epiphany, and move into the season of Lent. Lent beings on Ash Wednesday every year, and we will begin our Ash Wednesday this year, with a pot-luck dinner this Wednesday at 6:00 pm, followed by an Ash Wednesday Service at 7:00 pm. Today though, as I said, is “Transfiguration Sunday.”

          Now I remember as a young child a few “Transfiguration Sundays,” but all I remembered was that Jesus took three of his disciples up a high mountain, that he was suddenly adorned in shining white, and that he was with the prophet Elijah and Moses. Yet, I still didn’t know what the word “Transfiguration” meant. I mean, when I was a child I understood this story well enough, but why call it the “Transfiguration,” or “Transfiguration Sunday,” I thought? As a result, I looked up a definition of “Transfiguration” for us all this morning.

          In looking at the Merriam-Webster online dictionary, I found these three definitions for “Transfiguration.” Here is what I found, 1. “Transfiguration” is “A change in form or appearance:  metamorphosis,” 2. “Transfiguration” is an “An exalting, glorifying, or spiritual change,” 3. “Transfiguration” is “A Christian feast that commemorates the transfiguration of Christ on a mountaintop in the presence of three disciples and that is observed on August 6 in the Roman Catholic and some Eastern churches and on the Sunday before Lent in most Protestant churches.” So this is a few of the definitions of the word “Transfiguration.”

          In continuing and in concluding my sermon series on the natures of Christ this morning then, I want to talk about the nature of “Jesus the Transfigured One.”

          You might remember that in the first week of this sermon series, I talked about “Jesus the Teacher,” as Jesus taught us so much about how to live and love one another. During Jesus’s three years of his public ministry on earth, he was often referred to as teacher, or “Rabbi,” which means teacher in Hebrew. While Jesus was and is the Messiah, the savior, he was also a great teacher. A teacher who taught us a radical new way to live and love each other.

          Last week, we heard just some of the great and miraculous healings that “Jesus the Healer” performed, as he cured Simon-Peter’s sick mother in law, as he gave sight to blind, as he healed lepers, as he made the lame walk, as he brought the dead back to life, as he drove out demons, and etc. and etc. While Jesus was and is the Messiah, the savior, he was also a great healer. Jesus healed many, with all sorts of problems, diseases, and afflictions, and he calls us all in own ways to be healers to.

          Yet today, the nature, or characteristic, or quality of Jesus that I am talking about, is “Jesus the Transfigured One.” It is important to realize that a pastor could do a Nature’s of Christ sermon series for an entire year or more, and still not cover all of the natures of Christ. The fact that Christ is “the Lamb of God,” “Mighty Counselor,” “Prince of Peace,” “Emmanuel,” “Son of God,” “Hope of the nations,” and etc. and etc., means that while Christ’s primary role was “Jesus the Messiah,” that Christ wore and wears still, many hats, as it were. While Jesus was and is the Messiah, he is also countless other things as well.

          Jesus for example, was also a son, the son of Mary and Joseph in fact, and he was also a decedent of the great King David. You might remember that God promised King David that his family line would rule forever, and that one day a Messiah of his lineage would come forth, and would save his people.

          So clearly then, there are endless natures, characteristics, or qualities of Jesus Christ, as we all ourselves, also have many different sides or parts of who we are. What is unique about this morning though, is that we have a story in the gospel narrative that in many ways stands on its own. A story that is set apart in many ways, from all other miracles recorded in the gospels. Now I don’t mean set apart as in better than, but that this is the only story where Jesus is physically changed and altered, in this case, in front of Peter, James, and John. There are no other stories where Jesus is changed or “Transfigured” like this, unless we count his appearances of Jesus at the empty tomb, and the other appearances after his resurrection.

          You see in the “Transfiguration” story from this morning, Jesus didn’t heal a sick person or persons, he didn’t calm a storm, and he didn’t feed the 5,000, as most of what Jesus did was for others. In this case, Jesus himself was altered and changed.

          The story of the “Transfiguration” itself is found in all three of the synoptic gospels, in Matthew 17:1–9, Mark 9:2-8, Luke 9:28-36, and it is mentioned 2 Peter 1:16–18. These are the places then, where you can read the story of the “Transfiguration,” or the mentioning of the “Transfiguration.”

          The actual location of this miraculous story has been speculated to be Mount Tabor, Mount Hermon, or it is sometimes just called “the Mount of Transfiguration.”

          It is interesting to know that in both the Old and the New Testaments of the Bible, that sometimes miraculous things occurred on mountains. For example, Moses went up Mount Sinai to receive the 10-commandments, and some of the Old law from God. Mountains being high in elevation, were often seen in the times of the Old and New Testaments, as places close to the heavens, close to God.

          The Psalm reading from this morning says is 50:1, “From the rising of the sun to where it sets, God, the Lord God, speaks, calling out to the earth.” Sometimes in the scriptures of the Bible, these times of hearing and speaking to God occurred on mountains. The Psalm reading from this morning ends with Psalm 50:6 that says, “The skies proclaim his righteousness because God himself is the judge. [Selah]” Sometimes people speak to and pray to God on mountains, up in the skies.

           In the reading from the Apostle Paul’s second letter to the church in Corinth, or the Corinthians from this morning, he tells us that if the gospel of Jesus Christ is “veiled,” that “it is veiled to those who are on the road to destruction.” The Apostle Paul, then tells us that, “The god of this age has blinded the minds of those who don’t have faith so they couldn’t see the light of the gospel that reveals Christ’s glory. Christ is the image of God.”

          So to see Christ then, to see him fully, is to see God, as the Apostle Paul says, that “Christ is the image of God.” In fact, the Apostle Paul ended this reading from this morning by saying, “He is the same one who shone in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of God’s glory in the face of Jesus Christ.”

          This morning, Jesus Christ is “transfigured” up on the mountain, and as the Apostle Paul said, “the light of the knowledge of God’s glory,” shown, “in the face of Jesus Christ.”

          In the gospel reading from this morning, we have as I said, the story of Jesus bringing Peter, James, and John, “to the top of a very high mountain, where they were alone.” The gospel then says, “He was transformed in front of them, and his clothes were amazingly bright, brighter than if they have been bleached white.”

          In addition to this, the gospel says, that suddenly the prophet Elijah and Moses appeared by Jesus, and Jesus was talking with them. Peter then reacted to all of this by saying, “Rabbi,” or “teacher,” “it’s good we’re here. Let’s make three shrines—one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.” Peter said this, because the gospel says, that he didn’t know what else to say, as he, James, and John were terrified.

          At this point, a great cloud overshadowed the three disciples present, and God spoke, saying, “This is my Son, whom I dearly love. Listen to him!” Then suddenly, the cloud was gone, the prophet Elijah was gone, Moses was gone, and the three disciples and Jesus remained.

          As Jesus and Peter, James, and John were coming down from the mountain, Jesus told the three disciples to not speak of what had just happened on the mountain, until after he “had risen from the dead.”

          Quite a powerful story from Mark’s gospel this morning, but what might the story mean for us today? I mean someone might say, “well, Jesus took a few of his disciples up a mountain, and was amazingly transformed in front of them, but so, what?” Well, if Jesus is the fulfillment of the prophets of Old, and if Jesus is the fulfillment of the Law of Moses, then Jesus talking with Elijah and Moses, in a position of power and splendor, places him in the position of Messiah. In the position of fulfilling all of the promises of all of the prophets like Elijah, and fulfilling the Old Law of Moses.

          Also, this story gives us a glimpse of heaven. Many of us might have experienced own glimpse of the hereafter, in our own ways. Whether for us it was through prayer, through a miraculous event in our lives, and etc. and etc., maybe we have had some experiences that seemed like glimpses of heaven. The experience that Peter, James, and John had in the gospel reading from this morning was truly then a glimpse of heaven, that was so powerful, Jesus told them not to tell anyone until he was resurrected from the dead. I mean after all, if some leaders already wanted to kill Jesus, certainly the story of the “transfiguration” would propel this to happen even sooner.

I would like to tell story about beauty and “Transfiguration,” called “Scarab Beetles.” The source of this story is taken from “Scientific information from the National Geographic, Feb 2001.” Here is how it goes:

“Many people find beetles and bugs somewhat creepy, but if there’s one beetle in the world that could turn you into a beetle lover – it would be the jewel scarab. Jewel scarab’s live in the jungles of Honduras and have the shape of your regular Christmas beetle. But their colours are so dazzling and beautiful that they can sell for up to $500 a beetle. Beautiful flaming reds, bright golds, silvers that resemble bright, shiny chrome. Even the beetle hater finds jewel scarabs dazzling and beautiful!”

“But the jewel scarab’s beauty doesn’t come automatically. Every scarab has modest, even ugly beginnings. The scarab starts life as a soft, mushy, grey-white grub growing inside a rotting tree stump. They spend their life like this for around a year, until finally, when the rainy season arrives, the adult scarabs emerge soft bodied and pale. Then within hours, their bodies harden and their splendid colours show. They only live for another three months, but what a glorious existence it is.”

“People are just like scarabs. We may not feel terribly beautiful and attractive. In fact there may be parts of you that feel distinctly ugly – and I’m not talking just about your body, but about your spirit, your mind, your thought life, your character. But it’s the work of the Spirit of God to make us beautiful. It may seem to take a lifetime, but as the Spirit works on us, we will emerge as beautiful, dazzling, shining creatures gloriously bearing the image of our Creator.”

Brothers and sisters, this morning “Jesus the Transfigured One” comes to us. He shows Peter, James, and John a glimpse of the fullness of his heavenly glory. He shows these three disciples a glimpse of God, a glimpse of heaven.

In our own way then, God’s wants us to be transfigured. God wants us to be spiritually transformed by him, through Jesus Christ, so that we can be made into something glorious. You see, “Jesus the Transfigured One,” wishes all of us to become spiritually transfigured, so that we may all see a glimpse of heaven, so that we all may show a hurting and a broken world the power, the hope, and the transformation found in Jesus Christ.

This week and always then, through prayer, through the reading of scripture, through seeking Jesus Christ in a variety of ways, may you all be transformed, and may you all through God, work to transform many others. In this way, the world will be transformed or “transfigured,” and many will come to know “Jesus Christ the Transfigured One.” Amen.

Freeville/Homer Avenue UMC's - Fifth Sunday after the Epiphany of the Lord/Boy Scout Sunday - 02/08/15 Sermon - “Jesus the Healer” [The "Natures of Christ" series: Part 2 of 3]

Sunday 02/08/15 Freeville/Homer Ave UMC’s

Sermon Title: “Jesus the Healer”

                        [The “Natures of Christ” series: Part 2 of 3]           

Old Testament Lesson: Psalm 147:1-11, 20c

                                            

New Testament Scripture: 1 Corinthians 9:16-23

Gospel Lesson: Mark 1:29-39                   

          Welcome again my friends, my brothers and sisters, on this the Fifth Sunday after the Epiphany, of when the Wise Men followed that Bethlehem Star in the sky, to the Christ Child. This Sunday is also Boy Scout Sunday in the United Methodist Church, and on this Sunday, the church honors and upholds the work done by our Cub Scouts, and by our Boy Scouts, both past and present.

          Next Sunday we will have Transfiguration Sunday, which is the Sunday that Christ went up a very high mountain and was changed, or transfigured in front of three of his disciples.

          Three days after next Sunday, we will begin the season of Lent on Wednesday February 18^th. On this Wednesday, which is Ash Wednesday, we will have a dish to pass dinner at 6:00 pm that night, followed by an Ash Wednesday worship serving at 7:00 pm.

          This morning though, I am continuing my sermon series on the natures, or the characteristics, or the qualities of Jesus Christ. When looking at Jesus Christ, we could find countless natures, or characteristics, or qualities. These could include things such as Jesus as a leader, Jesus as the Messiah, Jesus as an agent of justice, Jesus as a prophet, Jesus as a revolutionary, Jesus as a teacher, Jesus as a healer, and etc., and etc.

          Last week, I talked about Jesus as a teacher, as a “Rabbi.” For while Christ came to earth to be wiped, and to be nailed to a cross, so that we would know what true love is, so that we may be forgiven, the same Jesus, also laid out a road map or a blue print in the gospels about how we are supposed to live and treat one another. Jesus taught us to love God, and to love our neighbor, regardless of who or what our neighbor is. Jesus taught us to feed the poor, to clothe the naked, to regard the aged, to visit those who are imprisoned, and etc., and etc. The gospel of the Risen Christ then at its core, is his death and resurrection of for the redemption of humanity, but our day to day lives here on earth, should resemble what Jesus taught and said in the gospels. For if we truly do our best to live the gospel of Jesus Christ every day, our communities, and the world will be better.

          This morning however, in the second part of this three part series, I want to talk about “Jesus the healer.” You see, while Jesus came to earth to die for us all, while he came to teach us a new way of living and being, he was also, among so many other things, a great healer. You see there are countless stories in the gospels, of Jesus’ miraculous healings.

          To begin this idea of “Jesus the healer,” let me give you just a couple examples of the miraculous healings that I am talking about. In Luke 5:12-13 it says:

“Once, when he was in one of the cities, there was a man covered with leprosy. When he saw Jesus, he bowed with his face to the ground and begged him, “Lord, if you choose, you can make me clean.” Then Jesus stretched out his hand, touched him, and said, “I do choose. Be made clean.” Immediately the leprosy left him.”

          A second example of Jesus performing a miraculous healing is found in Mark 10:46-52, which says:

^“They came to Jericho. As he and his disciples and a large crowd were leaving Jericho, Bartimaeus son of Timaeus, a blind beggar, was sitting by the roadside. When he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to shout out and say, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” Many sternly ordered him to be quiet, but he cried out even more loudly, “Son of David, have mercy on me!” Jesus stood still and said, “Call him here.” And they called the blind man, saying to him, “Take heart; get up, he is calling you.” So throwing off his cloak, he sprang up and came to Jesus.  Then Jesus said to him, “What do you want me to do for you?” The blind man said to him, “My teacher, let me see again.” Jesus said to him, “Go; your faith has made you well.” Immediately he regained his sight and followed him on the way.”

So, once again, these are just two examples out of many, of Jesus’s miraculous healings. I am sure that we can all think of many more examples in our heads, such as when Jesus healed the 10-lepers, or when Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead, or when Jesus healed the man with the withered hand, or when Jesus drove demons out of people, and etc., and etc.

Clearly then, in the gospels, among many other things, Jesus was a great healer. For he healed many, with all sorts of afflictions, illnesses, and diseases. For some there healing was physical, for some is was emotional, and for some it was spiritual. Yet through Jesus, many were and are still healed.

This morning in our gospel of Mark reading, Jesus heals Simon Peter’s mother-in-law, who is in bed sick, and then after this he heals many others. So, yes Peter was married as the gospel says, and Jesus saves his mother-in-law, who is in bed sick with what seemed to be a terrible flu, fever, or illness.

While I don’t normally plan such things, I want to show a video clip as part of this message. This movie clip is from the movie “The Apostle Peter and the Last Supper.” Here it is:

In our reading from Psalm 147 from this morning, it tells us to “Praise the Lord! Because it is good to sing praise to our God!”

In the reading from this morning, from the Apostle Paul’s first epistle or letter to the Corinthians, Paul tells us to preach the gospel, and to preach the “Good News” of Jesus Christ abundantly.

In our gospel reading from this morning, Jesus and his disciples have just left the Synagogue in Capernaum, and upon doing so, “Jesus, James, and John went home with Simon and Andrew.” The gospel then says, “Simon’s mother-in-law was in bed, sick with a fever, and they told Jesus about her at once.”

At this point, “Jesus the healer,” “went to her, took her by the hand, and raised her up. The fever left her, and she served them.” After this, when the evening came that night, “people brought to Jesus those who were sick or demon-possessed. The whole town gathered near the door. He healed many who were sick with all kinds of diseases, and he threw out many demons.”

The next morning, before the Sun even rose, the gospel says, “Jesus rose and went to a deserted place where he could be alone in prayer.” Then Simon Peter and the rest of disciples “tracked” Jesus down. “When they found him, they told him, “Everyone’s looking for you!”

Jesus replied to Simon Peter and his other followers, “Let’s head in the other direction, to the nearby villages, so that I can preach there too. That’s why I’ve come.”

The gospel reading for this morning then ends speaking of Jesus, and says, “He traveled throughout Galilee, preaching in their synagogues and throwing out demons.” “Jesus the healer,” the one who makes all things new.

Instead of bringing this message to a close this morning with a story that I gleaned from some other source, I want to share part of my own personal story, about my some of my own healing. I don’t know if any of you have ever heard this story or not, but here is part of my story of healing:

I have had nine surgeries in my life. In fact, I was born with something called “Nail–patella syndrome.” According to one source I found, it defines “Nail-patella syndrome” as “a genetic disorder that results in small, poorly developed nails and kneecaps, but can also affect many other areas of the body, such as the elbows, chest, and hips. The name "nail–patella" can be very misleading because the syndrome often affects many other areas of the body, including even the production of certain proteins.”

This syndrome I was told, comes from a specific part of what is today Germany, as part of my ethnic heritage is German. This syndrome as I just stated, can also manifest differently in each person.

For me, I had to get three surgeries as a little baby, on both of my largest toes, in an effort to save my biggest toe nails. You see I had pieces of toe nails growing under my toe nails on my big toes, causing my biggest toes on each foot to start to lose their toe nails. After three surgeries, the toe nails on my biggest toes were just removed by the surgeon. They in effect, killed the root of the toe nail. While that might sound gross, to me, my big toes look fairly normal, but I still do have pieces of toe nail that grow up where the big toe nails should be.

I was also born with what was called an inverted or a concave chest. As such, I will always walk with a little bit of a hunch, unless I try really hard to stand up straight. Since my chest was inverted or concave when I was born, my doctors determined when I was a little boy at the age of 5-years old that if I didn’t get surgery, that one day one of ribs would likely puncture my heart and kill me.

So at 5-years old, my surgeon took one of my spare ribs from rib cage, and made that rib into a new sternum in my chest. For one year, I then had a metal bar in my chest, holding my newly reconstructed rib cage together.

A year later, I got surgery again, to remove this metal bar from my reconstructed rib-cage.

My other surgeries were getting my tonsils and adenoids out, and three oral surgeries, as my “Nail–patella syndrome” caused teeth to grow under the teeth in my mouth, where there were not supposed to grow. Oh, and like many of you, I got my wisdom teeth out to. Which was awful, but I got to eat a lot of ice cream, so that was good. Other than this, I haven’t had and other issues with the “Nail–patella syndrome,” but it is possible that our future children could have it.

My mother Susan always told me that ever since I was little boy, that I wanted to help and serve others. That my surgeon who was worried about the potential fatal risks of my chest surgery, told my mom after the surgery was over, “Susan, your boy is a fighter.” My mom also remembered being in tears as the nurses present when I got my chest surgeries, said, “It is so nice to have a healthy child on this floor,” as the floor had many terminal children.

I was also told that 100-years ago, or even 50-60 years ago, I might have died one day, as this procedure couldn’t have been done yet. So, I speak of healing this morning. So, I speak of the power of the power of the living God this morning. So, I speak of the power of Jesus Christ this morning. Brothers and sisters, my doctors told me I was a walking miracle. So I have decided to live for Christ, so he may use me to change hearts and minds, and through him maybe even perform some miracles in others. Since I have life, and since I have been forgiven by the lord of life, I now serve him, I now serve others, for I have been healed.

I am now in my third year of pastoral ministry, and I know this where God has called me, and I know the healing power of the Risen Christ. For I have been healed, as I likely wouldn’t be here years ago. I am alive, I have breath, God loves me, and God loves you. Jesus came to teach, to heal, and to save us all. Brothers and sisters let the Risen Christ come into your heart today.

Oh and by the way, other than church, a place that I learned great values, discipline, and focus, was in the Boy Scouts of America. Whose Scout Law is written as” “A Scout is ... trustworthy, loyal, helpful, friendly, courteous, kind, obedient, cheerful, thrifty, brave, clean, and reverent.” So for those scouts, both past and present, hold your heads high, as you are the future of this nation and of this world. God has called you all greatness, and who knows, perhaps the living God has called some of you to be great like healers, following after the Risen One, “Jesus the healer.” Praise be to God, and Amen.

Freeville/Homer Avenue UMC's - Fourth Sunday after the Epiphany of the Lord - 02/01/15 Sermon - “Jesus the Teacher” [The "Natures of Christ" series: Part 1 of 3]

Sunday 02/01/15 Freeville/Homer Ave UMC’s

Sermon Title: “Jesus the Teacher”

                        [The “Natures of Christ” series: Part 1 of 3]           

Old Testament Lesson: Deuteronomy 18:15-20

                                            

New Testament Scripture Lesson: 1 Corinthians 8:1-13

Gospel Lesson: Mark 1:21-28                   

          Friends, brothers and sisters, welcome once again on this the Fourth Sunday after the Epiphany. The Epiphany being that surprise that the wise men had so long ago, seeing that Bethlehem Star in the sky, and going to behold the baby Jesus.

          We will remain in this season after the Epiphany, until Sunday February 15^th, when we will have Transfiguration Sunday. Transfiguration Sunday, that day when Christ went up a mountain, and was physically transfigured or changed in front of some of his disciples. Then three days after this Transfiguration Sunday, we will begin the season of Lent, on Ash Wednesday, which is Wednesday February 18^th. In the season of Lent, we prepare our hearts and our minds for the crucifixion of Christ. Soon after the crucifixion though, we will have an empty tomb on Easter morning, for the grave could not hold the king.

          On this day though, I am beginning a three-week series on the natures, or the qualities, or the categories that we can place Christ into. This morning, I want to look at Christ’s nature as a teacher. While Christ was and is many things, like the savior, a healer, a leader, God in the flesh, and etc., Jesus was and is also a teacher. A great teacher at that.

          You see for so many in the world today, many have faith in Christ so that they obtain eternal life. That through our faith in Christ, we are re-born from the inside to the outside, and we are then written in the Lamb’s Book of Life. For when we accept the living Christ as our Lord and savior, we gain the free gift of eternal life.

          Yet for most of us, when we accept Christ and his free gift of eternal life, our earthly deaths are often years away. While some folks accept Christ on their death beds, many accept Christ and go on to live for years and years, after this.

          Given this, what should our lives look like after accepting Christ’s free gift of eternal salvation? Should we simply remain as we were before we accepted Christ, and do nothing different, knowing heaven is waiting for us? Or should we live differently? Should we live for God, and for others?

          In this way, in accepting Christ as our savior, and in accepting his free gift of salvation, we gain eternal life, but the process of living and becoming like Christ is called sanctification. Our salvation is a free gift from Christ, but after we receive the free gift of eternal life, Christ teaches us that we must pursue sanctification. To be sanctified, is to be like God, is to be pure, is to be holy, and is to be righteous.

          In this way then, if we believe in Christ for eternal life only, but do nothing good for others here on earth, what good is our time here on earth?

          The reality is, when we read all four of the gospels in the New Testament of our Bible, we see that Jesus taught us a tremendous amount about how to live and how treat others. I mean after Jesus got baptized in the Jordan River by his relative John the Baptist, he could have just gone right to Jerusalem to die on a cross for the sins of the world, but this is not what Christ did.

          Instead, Christ taught, healed, forgave, and transformed the world around him for three years, and was then crucified. During the three years of Christ’s public ministry, Christ taught us a radical new way of living, a radical new way of loving, and a radical new way of being. While Christ is the savior then, he also taught us many things.

          This morning I want to talk about just some of things that Christ taught as, a teacher, or in Hebrew, a “Rabbi.” So when people addressed Jesus as “Rabbi,” they were calling him teacher in Hebrew

          These teachings of Jesus Christ, which some of are repeated from the Old Testament of Bible, are things like the “Beatitudes.” In the Gospel of Matthew in his “Sermon on the Mount,” or the “Beatitudes,” Jesus tells us in Matthew 5:3, “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” Jesus tells us, “Blessed are those who mourn,” “Blessed are the meek,” Blessed are the merciful,” “Blessed are the peacemakers,” and etc. These teachings are timeless in the Christian faith.

          In Matthew 5:21-26, Jesus teaches us, that if we are angry with a brother or sister, we must be reconciled to them. That we must make peace and be loving to each other. Fighting and harming one another is not the way Christ taught us.

          This is the same Jesus who teaches us to love God and our neighbors as ourselves. This is the same Jesus who tells us to pray for our enemies, to take care of the poor, to take care of the weak, to cloth the naked, to regard and love all of the lesser-thans in the world. To love the outcaste and the rejected.

          This is the same Jesus who told us to love those whose persecute us, to not judge others. That when we judge others, we might see a speck of dirt in their eye, while we have a “log” in our own eye.

          One of my favorite teachings of Jesus Christ, is when he says in Matthew 25:35-36, “for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you gave me clothing, I was sick and you took care of me, I was in prison and you visited me.”

          While I could go on and on for hours about the teachings of Jesus Christ, the reality is that Jesus Christ laid out a clear and a beautiful blue print for us, a way of life, shown through his life and his teachings.

          In accepting Christ as our savior, and in accepting the free gift of salvation, Christ then challenges us every day for the rest of our lives, to live out our faith. To live out our faith in the ways in which he taught us. This is how we become like God, this is how we become sanctified or purified into the full image of Jesus Christ. So living like Christ as a Christian then, should not be an option for a Christian, rather it is required of us every day.

          In our reading this morning from the Book of Deuteronomy, it says, in 18:15, “The LORD your God will raise up a prophet like me from your community.” The Old Testament has many prophets like Isaiah, Ezekiel, and Micah who called the Israelites to holiness. These prophets paved the way for Jesus Christ, who is among some many other things, a teacher, a “Rabbi.”

          In Deuteronomy 18:18-19 from this morning it says, “I’ll raise up a prophet for them from among their fellow Israelites—one just like you. I’ll put my words in his mouth, and he will tell them everything I command him.” This morning Jesus speaks with power and authority, as he teaches.

          In the Apostle Paul’s first Epistle or letter to the Corinthians from this morning, Paul talks about eating meat that has been sacrificed to false idols. The Apostle Paul talks about in 1 Corinthians 8:1 how “Knowledge makes people arrogant, but love builds people up.” Paul talk about how our faith in Christ, must drive us to love, must drive us to faith.

          The Apostle Paul tells us that concerning Jesus Christ in 1 Corinthians 8:5, “All things exist through him, and we live through him.” Following God, believing in and following Christ, is the way to life eternal.

          In our gospel reading for this morning from Mark 1:21-28, Jesus and his twelve-disciples and other followers enter the Jewish Synagogue on Capernaum, on the Sabbath day. The gospel tells us in Mark 1:22 that after Jesus came in the temple and started teaching, that “The people were amazed by his teaching, for he was teaching them with authority, not like the legal experts.”

          As Jesus was doing this, suddenly a man who was possessed with an evil spirit screamed out as Jesus was teaching in Mark 1:24, “What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are. You are the holy one from God.”

          Then suddenly Jesus commanded the evil spirit to exit the afflicted and oppressed man, and it did.

          Then in Mark 1:27 it says, “Everyone was shaken and questioned among themselves, “What’s this? A new teaching with authority! He even commands unclean spirit and they obey him!” The gospel reading for this morning ends in Mark 1:28, with the news of Jesus and his teaching spreading “throughout the entire region of Galilee.”

So clearly then, Jesus when he was doing his three year earthly ministry, had great power and authority. He was clearly a great teacher, and the things he taught were radical, transformative, and more loving than anything that had ever been said before.

Yet, we know that sometimes that some churches fail to be like Jesus. We know that sometimes some pastors fail to be like Jesus, and we know that sometimes we ourselves fail to be like Jesus.

Imagine though, if we all really lived like Christ? Imagine if we took everyone one of his teachings, and imagine if we all lived them out powerfully and abundantly. Imagine what this town and this world would look like. For the gospel, the Good News of Jesus Christ is transformative, and powerful. I tears down walls, it breaks down barriers, and it mends broken hearts. I know, because I watch it happen all the time.

So when we fail to be like Christ, which all of us will at times, we must ask for forgiveness, dust ourselves off, and continue, because the world we live in is filled with oppression, injustice, and so much pain. Imagine how God can use us build His kingdom through the gospel of Jesus Christ.

As example of when the people have failed to be like Jesus Christ, I want to give you a quote from the famous Indian leader who liberated India from British, named Mahatma Gandhi. For when Gandhi was asked about Christianity he said, “I like your Christ, I do not like your Christians. Your Christians are so unlike your Christ.” He was speaking of the British Army.

I believe then, when we do our best to live like Christ, when the church does its best to like Christ, when all Christians do their best to live for Christ, that the world is better. That when we do this, the church grows, because people see Jesus in our love, our actions, and our behaviors. That faith grows, as we are following the risen Christ.

To bring this message to a close, I want to tell you quick story about loving and valuing others, as Jesus taught us to do. This story is called, “The Name of the Cleaner,” and this story was reported in “Heart At Work,” by Editor: Jack Canfield and Jacqueline Miller. Here is how it goes:

“During her second month of nursing school, the professor gave the students a quiz. The last question stumped most people in the class. It read “What is the first name of the woman who cleans the school?”

“All the students had seen the cleaning woman several times. She was tall, dark-haired and in her 50s, but how would any of them know her name? Before class ended, one student asked if the last question would count toward their grade.”

“Absolutely,” said the professor. “In your careers you will meet many people. All are significant. They deserve your attention and care, even if all you do is smile and say hello”.

“The students never forgotten that lesson. They also learned her name was Dorothy.”
          My brothers and sisters, Jesus is alive and well, and he is in us, and amongst us. When we, when the church, when the world truly lives for Him, when we truly follow Him, then watch how things change. Watch how this church will grow, watch how lives will be changed, watch how people will encounter the risen Christ, and watch as the world we live in gets better, more loving, and more like Christ every day. Praise be to the Risen Christ. Amen.

Freeville/Homer Avenue UMC's - Second Sunday after the Epiphany of the Lord - 01/18/15 Sermon - “Can anything from Nazareth be good?”

Sunday 01/18/15 Freeville/Homer Ave UMC’s

Sermon Title: “Can anything from Nazareth be good?”           

Old Testament Lesson: Psalm 139:1-6, 13-18

                                            

New Testament Scripture Lesson: 1 Corinthians 6:12-20

Gospel Lesson: John 1:43-51                   

          Welcome again, my friends, my brothers and sisters, on this Second Sunday after the Epiphany of the Lord. In this season of our church calendar, we find ourselves this morning two weeks after the Sunday that we celebrated the Epiphany of the three-wise men or magi seeing that Bethlehem Star in the sky. In seeing this Bethlehem star, it caused these three-wise men or magi to visit the Christ-Child, and in visiting him, they brought him gifts of Gold, Frankincense, and Myrrh.

This Sunday is also Human Relations Day, which is a Sunday in our United Methodist Church calendar that we are asked consider those persons who are in are dire poverty, oppression, or are dire straits in general in their lives. In this being one of the six special giving Sundays in our church calendar, if you feel called to give to this Special Sunday, please make your checks out to the Upper New York UMC or mark your funds as such, and then just indicate on your checks or funds that they are for “Human Relations Day.” Once again, these fund will go to aid in purposes, such as that.

          So this Church season of post or after the event of the Epiphany of the Lord, will continue then, until Sunday, February 15^th, which is Transfiguration Sunday. Three days after this, we will start the season of Lent, on Wednesday February 18^th, which is Ash Wednesday.

          This morning though, were are in the season after the Epiphany of the Lord. On this day specifically, in our gospel reading from the gospel of John, Jesus is early enough into his earthly ministry that he is still calling one by one, his hand-picked twelve disciples.

This morning in fact, Jesus’ choses his fifth and sixth disciples, of his chosen twelve apostles, Philip and Nathanael. On this day, Jesus says to Philip, “Follow me.” Philip as it turns out, was from the same town that the two fisherman Peter and Andrew were from. This town is the town of Bethsaida, which is along the Sea of Galilee. 

          As you can imagine, when Philip met Jesus, he was quite excited, overwhelmed, and awestruck in being called to follow him, as Philip knew that Jesus was the Messiah, the savior. In fact, Philip shortly after this, then goes and tells his friend Nathanael, who we think might have been the disciple named Bartholomew, what happened.  

Yet this morning, Nathanael is not too thrilled to hear about the Messiah that Philip tells him about. Nathanael is possibly arrogant, rude, and snobby towards Philip about this man named Jesus of Nazareth. In fact, Nathanael says to Philip, “Can anything from Nazareth be good?”

The question is though, is why would Nathanael respond to his friend Philip so harshly, just for telling him that the Messiah was from Nazareth? The answer is this that Nazareth at this time was often seen as a poor and a bad place to live. Many people from other towns and cities near Nazareth looked down on Nazareth as less than, as beneath them, and as inferior to them. For Nazareth was the slum. It was a place of people of little wealth, and people of little education. These were simple folk, who didn’t put on airs, didn’t have huge houses, and were just basic, simple, “salt of the earth” people.  

So imagine that, the savior of the world has called you to follow him, you, and then you go and tell you friend Nathanael about this. Your friend Nathanael then says, but he’s from Nazareth, and that’s a dumpy and no good town. How could the Messiah come from such an awful place Nathanael says? He says, Philip don’t waste time with this Jesus, because nothing good has ever come out Nazareth.

Imagine this, the savior of the world is at first rejected by Nathanael, because he, the savior of the world, Jesus Christ, wasn’t good enough. Nathanael immediately judged him then, without even knowing him, and before even meeting him, simply because of where he was from. Have we ever judged someone we have never met yet, or have just seen for the first time in this way?

Further what towns around here are the Nazareth’s to us? Do we really think that a city like Ithaca for example, is better than this place? Do we really think that all the people of Ithaca for example, are smarter, are more important, and are greater than us? Or, are people just people?

Imagine if a friend of yours was excited for you to meet one of their new friends, and you said of this new friend that you had never met, “well there from Freeville,” “there from Cortland,” and nothing good comes from there.

I think that so often that when people visit churches like this, they could in their own minds be people from their own Nazareth’s. Maybe they have walked in to visit our church, and when they do, they are wondering if you will treat them the way Nathanael reacted to meeting Jesus of Nazareth this morning. “Can anything from Nazareth be good?”

Sometimes the Nazareth’s of this world, are also much more than just where we are from though, sometimes it is the jobs that we have, or our educational level, or our wealth, or our possessions, or our family names, and or etc. Just what are the Nazareth’s or the “lesser-thans” in our world to you? Who or what kind of people then, do we say in response to meeting them, “Can anything from Nazareth be good?”

Yet instead of Philip getting angry with Nathanael over this statement, Philip just says to him “Come and See.” “Come and see” the Lord of life himself. “Come and see” the living God, and be changed forever by him. Nathanael decided briefly then, that some people are better than other people.

Well what does our Psalm 139 reading from this morning say about some people being better than other people? Well Psalm 139:13-14 says, “For it was you who formed my inward parts; you knit me together in my mother’s womb.  I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; that I know very well (Ps. 139:13-14, NRSV).”

The Apostle Paul tells us in his Epistle or letter to the church in Corinth from this morning, that “God has raised the Lord and will raise us through his power. Don’t you know that your bodies are parts of Christ (1 Cor. 6:14-15a, NRSV)?” I am also aware that our reading from the Apostle Paul to the church in Corinth for this morning, also address sexual immorality, but since there is so much I could cover on that topic, I will discuss these things in another sermon.

So, Psalm 139 says God “knit me together in my mother’s womb.” It says that “I am fearfully and wonderfully made,” and the Apostle Paul in his letter to the church in Corinth for this morning, tells us that through Christ we are all raised to new life, and are a part of him. He does indeed mention sexual immorality, but Nathanael knew nothing of Jesus yet, on this topic, or any topic. Yet Nathanael already judged Jesus though, and said, “Can anything from Nazareth be good?”

So how does the story in the gospel narrative from John from this morning end, after Philip tells Nathanael, “Come and see?”

Well despite Nathanael’s pre-rejection of Jesus, when Jesus sees Nathanael walking towards him, he says, “Here is genuine Israelite in whom there is no deceit.” After Christ says this to Nathanael, Nathanael then says to Jesus, “How do you know me?” Jesus then answered, “Before Philip called you, I saw you under the fig tree.” You see, before Philip even told Nathanael about Christ, Christ saw him sitting under a fig tree, and had great love for him.

After this, Nathaniel, who we think might have been referred to as the Apostle Bartholomew, said, “Rabbi, you are God’s son. You are the king of Israel.” Quite an improvement really I would say, from telling Philip, “Can anything from Nazareth be good?”

Jesus then says to Nathanael, “Do you believe because I told you that I saw you under the fig tree? You will see greater things than these! I assure you that you will see heaven open and God’s angels going up to heaven and down to earth on the Human One.”

So in this New Year, in this season after the Epiphany of the Lord, let us humble ourselves, and let us realize that we are all “fearfully and wonderfully made” by God. Let us realize that no one is better than another. This means in this place, in this sacred building, on this consecrated and holy ground, that all of God’s children are welcome. All of God’s children should be loved, appreciated, and valued. We are all welcomed to repent of our sins, and to come together as the unified body of Jesus Christ.

For as Christ himself said in Mark 12:29-31, “Jesus answered, “The first is, ‘Hear, O Israel: the Lord our God, the Lord is one; you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength.’ The second is this, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these (Mk. 12:29-31, NRSV).”

So Jesus says, love God, and love our neighbors. To me, this means loving everyone, all people, anyone who enters this place, or in general, as everything that is good can come from Nazareth. As the Lord of life himself grew up in Nazareth.

I would like to share a story with you this morning in closing. This story is called, “A Party for a Prostitute,” and this is a true story from a great minister called the Rev. Tony Campolo. Here is how it goes:

“It was one of the most extraordinary birthday parties ever held. No it wasn’t in a plush ballroom of a grand hotel. No there weren’t famous celebrities, nor anyone rich or powerful. It was held at 3:00 am in a small seedy cafe in Honolulu, the guest of honor was a prostitute, the fellow guests were prostitutes, and the man who threw it was a Christian minister!”

“The idea came to Christian minister Tony Campolo very early one morning as he sat in the cafe. He was drinking coffee at the counter, when a group of prostitutes walked in and took up the stools around him. One of the girls, Agnes, lamented the fact that not only was it her birthday tomorrow, but that she’d never had a birthday party.”

“Tony thought it would be a great idea to surprise Agnes with a birthday party. Learning from the cafe owner, a guy named Harry, that the girls came in every morning around 3:30 am, Tony agreed with him to set the place up for a party. Word somehow got out on the street, so that by 3:15 am the next morning the place was packed with prostitutes, the cafe owner and his wife, and Tony.”

“When Agnes walked in she saw streamers, balloons, Harry holding a birthday cake, and everyone screaming out “Happy Birthday!” Agnes was overwhelmed. The tears poured down her face as the crowd sang Happy Birthday. When Harry called on her to cut the cake she paused. She’d never had a birthday cake and wondered if she could take it home to show her mother. When Agnes left there was a stunned silence. Tony did what a Christian minister should. He led Harry, Harry’s wife and a roomful of prostitutes in a prayer for Agnes.”

“It was a birthday party rarely seen in Honolulu – thrown by a Christian minister for a 39 year old prostitute who had never had anyone go out of their way to do something like this and who expected nothing in return. Indeed, so surprising was this turn of events that the cafe owner found it hard to believe there were churches that would do this sort of thing, but if there were then that’s the sort of church he’d be prepared to join.”

Who knows my brothers and sisters, maybe Agnes from this story, was from Nazareth? Yet God doesn’t make any junk, and our responses and our treatment of all people, will be reflective in the life, the vitality, and the growth of this congregation.

So let us be of good cheer, for we are all sinners redeemed by God’s grace, and the living Christ beckons us to make more disciples, and to change more lives, so that no one who comes in this place, will ever be made to feel like “Can anything from Nazareth be good?”

Let us this day, this week, and always, love everyone radically, as Christ so loved all and so loves us still. Amen.

Freeville/Homer Avenue UMC's - Epiphany of the Lord Sunday - 01/04/15 Sermon - “What would we give the Christ Child today”

Sunday 01/04/15 Freeville/Homer Ave UMC’s

Sermon Title: “What would we give the Christ Child today?”           

Old Testament Lesson: Isaiah 60:1-6

                                            

New Testament Scripture Lesson: Ephesians 3:1-12

Gospel Lesson: Matthew 2:1-12                   

          Welcome once again my brothers and sisters, friends, and Happy New Year once again! Today we find ourselves in our first Sunday of this new year of 2015. This Sunday, is also the Epiphany of the Lord Sunday. While most churches in Western World celebrate the Epiphany of the Lord this Tuesday January 6^th, we celebrate the Epiphany of the Lord today, as we don’t generally have a worship service on a Tuesday. Given this, the Christmas Season or the “Twelve Days of Christmas” officially ends tomorrow, as the Epiphany of the Lord follows on Tuesday the 6^th.

          While we celebrate the Epiphany of the Lord this Sunday then, some of us might be asking the very basic question of, “What is the Epiphany of the Lord?” Well, in most of the Western Churches, we celebrate this holiday to commemorate the visit of the magi or Wise men to the Christ Child. This famous visit is written in, and only in, the gospel of Matthew. In Matthew’s gospel is where Jesus was presented with gold, frankincense, and myrrh.

The Epiphany itself even more specifically, was when the magi or Wise men saw that Bethlehem Star in the sky, and had an Epiphany or an “Aha” moment. This Epiphany or “Aha” moment propelled them to follow this star, believing it would led them to the Christ Child, the Messiah, the “King of the Jews”.

          Before getting into the meat of this sermon though, I want to talk a little bit more about the events and the dates of the only two gospels that talk about Christ’s birth, the gospel of Matthew and the gospel of Luke.

          As you might remember, our gospel reading from last Sunday was Luke 2:22-40. In this reading, Joseph and Mary enter into Jerusalem with Jesus to have a couple of turtle doves or pigeons sacrificed in the Jewish tradition, and also to present Christ to God at the temple. You might also remember that in the gospel of Mathew, it says that Joseph took Mary and Jesus, after being warned by an angel in dream, to safety in Egypt, as King Herod the Great had all young boys in Bethlehem killed, in an effort to get rid of Jesus.

          So the events of the two gospels are this, Joseph and Mary come to Bethlehem, so that Mary can have baby Jesus, The family flees to Egypt, the family goes to Jerusalem for the Jewish ritual animal sacrifice/cleansing rituals, and to present Christ to God in the temple in the process. In addition to this, we have the event of the census being called by the Roman emperor Augustus to determine the population for the purposes of taxation, and of course, we have the visit of the magi or Wise men.

          In doing extensive research on all of these events in the past couple of weeks, I have found that some biblical experts believe that these events might have happened a little differently, or in a different order than we might have been traditionally taught. For example, King Herod the Great died in 4 B.C., and the historical census that was called by the Roman Caesar Augustus, was called in about 6 A.D. Given this, one theory is that Joseph and Mary went to Bethlehem, had Jesus, then went from Bethlehem to Jerusalem about a month to a month and half later to present Jesus at the temple, then went back to Bethlehem, and likely stayed with Joseph’s family. Some experts think that the Wise men or Magi then might have come when Jesus was about two or older, and after this visit, Joseph took Mary and Jesus to Egypt. Joseph and Mary with Jesus then returned from Egypt, and perhaps then settled in Nazareth, and maybe came back for the census of 6 A.D., enforced by the Roman governor of Syria Quirinius. Or perhaps there was more than one census than the census of 6 A.D. 

          My point with saying all of this, is I believe that all of the events of the gospel of Matthew and Luke happened, but maybe in a different order, or maybe differently than we think they did. Perhaps you have another opinion of these written events, but what I am trying to do here, is build up to the central focus this morning of the visit of the Wise men or the magi in our gospel of Matthew reading.

          So with all of this said, our main focus today is the visit of the magi or the Wise men. A good question one might ask though, is why would these magi or Wise men travel such a long distance to meet and worship Jesus? Especially, when Jesus was only a poor peasant child, and not from a family of great fame or material wealth. Another fair question to ask is, were there really people such as Wise men or magi back then? A last good question to ask is, with the Wise men or magi bringing Jesus gold, frankincense, and myrrh, what would we bring Jesus if he were born in 2014 or 2015?

          Well the answer to this first and second question sort of go hand in hand. You see, historically speaking magi were astrologers, magicians, and people of divination. Divination by the way, is the belief that one can predict the future through supernatural means and or other means. Generally speaking, magi often played a very important part in the royal court life of many eastern states. Often these magi acted as advisors for their kings or leaders, and they usually commanded wealth, power, and respect. These magi also often created what we consider to be the modern day equivalency of horoscopes, and in this specific case were likely from what is now present day Iraq or Iran.

          Magi then, or Wise men, would be men of wealth, education, and high social status. You can imagine King Herod Great’s surprise when these magi came to pay respect and to worship the young “King of the Jews,” as this was Herod’s title. Further, this might be part of the reason why the magi were so willing to go Herod’s castle, as they were expecting this “King of the Jews” to be born in the castle, not in cave, animal stall, or a simple outdoor dwelling.

          The lore and the fame of the magi or Wise men then continued for centuries, until we even made names for the Three Wise men. These names, in the Western Churches at least, are Caspar, Balthasar, and Melchior. The reality is though, is that the magi probably showed up in large caravan with many animals and servants. This is probably why it caused such a fuss in Jerusalem, as many were probably thinking, “Why are these people of great wealth and splendor here in Jerusalem”?

           So the last question I asked then, was what would the magi or Wise men would bring Jesus Christ if he were born today? Now the gifts we have listed in the gospel of Matthew are gold, which signifies the kingship of Christ, myrrh which signifies Christ’s virtue and his redemptive suffering, and frankincense or incense that signifies Christ’s divinity.

          It is interesting to know that we think that there were three magi or Wise men, simply based upon the fact that there were three gifts. Otherwise, we don’t know exactly how many magi there were.

So with this history, with this theology, and with all of the details and facts that I laid out, “what we give the Christ Child today?” Would we give Christ gold, frankincense, and myrrh? Certainly in the modern day we have an assortment of things that we could give to Christ.

          Perhaps we should give Christ a Jet Ski? Or perhaps a Mercedes? Or maybe an X-Box One? What would we give the living God today?

          I mean after all in the reading from the prophet of Isaiah from this morning it says, “Arise! Shine! Your light had come; the LORD’s glory has shone upon you.” Now if this is the mentality that the Wise men or magi had, there gifts were then significant, as well as their devotion to Christ. After all, as the reading from Isaiah from this morning continues on to say, “Nations will come to your light and kings to your dawning radiance.” Isaiah goes on to say further, “the nations’ wealth will come to you. Countless camels with cover your land, young camels from Midian and Ephah.” Then this scripture reading from Isaiah ends with “They will all come from Sheba, carrying gold and incense, proclaiming the LORD’s praises.” So “what would we give the Christ Child today?”

          In looking at the gospel of Matthew reading for today, it says “After Jesus was born in Bethlehem,” the magi came in search of Christ. King Herod the Great then intercepts them, and lies to them, so that they can lead Herod’s soldier’s right to Jesus, to kill him. They go to Christ, they bring gold, frankincense, and myrrh, following the Bethlehem Star. Then they come to where Christ is, they fall on their knees, and then they present their gifts. They then leave a different way, so that Herod the Great will not kill Jesus. Then Joseph takes Mary and Jesus and flees to Egypt.

          What if it happened today though? What if we were the magi? What would our gifts be to the Christ Child? Maybe we would give Jesus a bunch of money? Maybe we would give Jesus’s family a beautiful new house to raise the Messiah in? What could we possibly give the Son of God?

I would like to close this morning with a story called “57 Cents That Made History,” Contributed by Kay McCrary. Here is how it goes: “A sobbing little girl stood near a small church from which she had been turned away because it 'was too crowded'. “I can't go to Sunday School," she sobbed to the pastor as he walked by. Seeing her shabby, unkempt appearance, the pastor guessed the reason and, taking her by the hand, took her inside and found a place for her in the Sunday school class. The child was so touched that she went to bed that night thinking of the children who have no place to worship Jesus.”

“Some two years later, this child lay dead in one of the poor tenement buildings and the parents called for the kind-hearted pastor, who had befriended their daughter, to handle the final arrangements. As her poor little body was being moved, a worn and crumpled purse was found which seemed to have been rummaged from some trash dump. Inside was found 57 cents and a note scribble in childish handwriting which read, "This is to help build the little church bigger so more children can go to Sunday school."

“For two years she had saved for this offering of love. When the pastor tearfully read that note, he knew instantly what he would do. Carrying this note and the cracked, red pocketbook to the pulpit, he told the story of her unselfish love and devotion. He challenged his deacons to get busy and raise enough money for the larger building. But the story does not end there!”

“A newspaper learned of the story and published it. It was read by a realtor who offered them a parcel of land worth many thousands. When told that the church could not pay so much, he offered it for a 57 cent payment.”

“Church members made large subscriptions. Checks came from far and wide. Within five years the little girl's gift had increased to $250,000.00 a huge sum for that time (near the turn of the twentieth century). Her unselfish love had paid large dividends.”

“When you are in the city of Philadelphia, look up Temple Baptist Church, with a seating capacity of 3,300, and Temple University, where hundreds of students are trained. Have a look, too, at the Good Samaritan Hospital and at a Sunday School building which houses hundreds of Sunday scholars, so that no child in the area will ever need to be left outside at Sunday school time.”

“In one of the rooms of this building may be seen the picture of the sweet face of the little girl whose 57 cents, so sacrificially saved, made such remarkable history. Alongside of it is a portrait of her kind pastor, Dr. Russel H. Conwell.”

So “what would give the Christ Child today?” I don’t think it matters really, if we gave him gold, frankincense, or myrrh, as I think the real gift that we can give Christ is our lives, our hearts, and our fifty-seven cents. Amen.