RWJ/Pottersville UMC - Trinity Sunday - 05/26/13 Sermon - “God, One and Three"

Trinity Sunday - 05/26/13 RWJ/Pottersville UMC

Sermon: “God, One and Three”

Scripture Lesson: Romans 5:1-5

                                             

Gospel Lesson: John 16:12-15

          Good morning brothers and sisters! What a joy and a pleasure it is to be here with you all on this our “Trinity Sunday.” This is the Sunday in our Christian calendar where we celebrate “God, One and Three,” or as we call it the “Blessed” or “Holy Trinity.”

          The actual word “Trinity” comes from the Latin word “Trinitas,” which means simply three and is the term used to describe the three persons of our one God. Specifically, this word describes our church doctrine of believing that God the father, the creator, that Jesus Christ the son and the savior, and that the Holy Spirit or the advocate and intercessor, are all separate, yet unified persons of the one true God. Of all of the doctrines that we have in our church, I would say that is one of the most complex, and one that I personally have had the hardest time grasping. In fact, I don’t think any of us will truly ever understand this doctrine fully, until we are in glory with the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

          Yet if you were to ask the majority of Christians the question, “Do you believe in the God the father?” They would likely say, “Well yes of course I do!” If were to then ask them, “Do you believe in Jesus Christ, the son of God and our redeemer?” They would then assuredly say, “Well of course I do, Jesus is my savior.” If you we were to then go ever further and say, “Well do you believe in the Holy Spirit?” Most Christians would then say, “Well of course, the spirit of God is what sustains us.”

          Among all of you here today then, who here believes in God the Father? Who here believes in God’s son and our savior Jesus Christ? Who here believes in the Holy Spirit? I have rarely met a Christian that will tell me that they do not believe in all three of these persons. The real struggle for many Christians though, is how do we package these three persons? That is to say, how do we connect God the Father, his son Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit?

 To explain some of the history behind all of this Trinity talk though, let me start by saying that the actual word itself “Trinity” does not exist anywhere in the Bible. Yet, the term "Trinity" can be found in the writings of early church leaders like Origen, who lived from 185AD-254AD, and Tertullian who lived from160AD-220AD. Further, the general mention of a "divine three," in some sense, was expressed in the second century writings of Polycarp, Ignatius, and Justin Martyr.

To present just a small handful of scriptural references of how the early church leaders developed the doctrine of the Trinity over time then, let’s first look at the gospel according to Mathew. In Mathew 28:19, Jesus Christ tells his apostles, "Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit." For the early Church leaders, or the Founding Fathers and the Founding Mothers, they were trying to unlock the secrets and the truths of God, as many of us still are today. When these early church leaders read scriptures like this then, they probably contemplated things like, “What did Christ mean when he said, “baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and the Holy Spirit?” They might have said, “Did Christ mean three different gods?” “Did Christ mean one God, in three persons, or “God, one and three?” “Or did Christ mean something else altogether?”

Let us next look at 2 Corinthians. In 2 Corinthians 13:14 it says, “The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.” Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. In John 1:1 it says, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” Jesus is the Word, so Jesus is God. In Ephesians 4:4-6 it says “There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call— one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.” A final example is the gospel of John. In John 8:58 Jesus said, “Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I am.” God existed before Abraham, and therefore, Jesus was God on earth. With these few scripture references considered, and with the several other scriptures references that I did not use, the doctrine of the Trinity it is still debated in Christendom today.

Of the many examples of the Trinity that we have in our faith today, one of the biggest examples is that of the Nicene Creed. The Nicene Creed is a creed that we sometimes recite in church, and it is the product of the Council of Nicaea that occurred all the way back in 325AD. Among the many things being debated in this council was, “who was and is Jesus Christ?”

Present at this ecumenical church council, was a young, smart, and bright pastor named Arius. Arius claimed at this council that Jesus was only a human and was not God. Arius said therefore, that Jesus was less than God. Specifically, Arius argued that Christ was the ultimate human, but that he was not divine. Other Church leaders at the council though, like Athanasius believed in the Trinity. This almost two-month conference ended with the creed that we have on page 880 in your pew hymnal. The final decision of this council was that Jesus was not only divine, but that Jesus was God on earth, fully God and fully human. Specifically, as the creed says, that Jesus was not created by God, but was “begotten by God,” meaning “God from God,” “Light from Light,” “true God from true God.”

There was only one little problem with the Nicene Creed though, as you can see it on page 880. Here is the problem, if you notice the last chunk of text from this creed it says, “We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord the giver of life.” Well after the Council of Nicaea ended in 325AD this creed ended with just the words “We believe in the Holy Spirit,” or as they said the “Holy Ghost.” Due to the then on-going debate over who or what the Holy Spirit was and is, the church then reconvened 76- years later at another council in 381AD. This council was called the First Council of Constantinople. It was at this council that we got the last bit on our Nicene Creed at the bottom of 880 where it says after, “We believe in the Holy Spirit,” “the Lord, the giver of life, who proceeds from the Father and the Son, who with the father and the Son, is worshipped and glorified,” and etc.

This updated ecumenical creed is officially called the The Nicene-Constantinopolitan Creed of 381AD, but that’s a long name isn’t it? So most Christian denominations like the United Methodist Church, just said, “Well just call it the Nicene Creed, that’s easier to remember,” and I agree.

So excuse the brief history lesson, but this is where we get our historical doctrine and belief of the Holy Trinity. Further, if this doctrine was formalized in 381 AD, this means it has been the official teaching of the church then for over 1,600 years! Yet the Blessed or Holy Trinity is still tough stuff to comprehend isn’t it? I remember when I attended my first seminary, the Northeastern Seminary. At the seminary I had a good friend named Stergios. Stergios was from Greece, and surprise surprise he was Greek Orthodox. He was also excited about just about everything Greek. In fact, I used to joke with Stergios about the film “300” that portrays 300 Greek Spartan Soldiers fighting the massive Persian Army that was led by its king, King Xerxes. I don’t know if anyone has ever seen this movie, but it portrays the Spartans in quite a high light. Whenever I would mention this movie, Stergios would just say, “This is a good movie.” One day when we were in a seminary class I was struggling with the doctrine of the Holy Trinity. I said to Stergios, “how can Jesus be God, and how can God be Jesus.” Stergios just looked at me and said, “Paul, I will give the answer of the Greek Orthodox Church.” I then said, “ok and that is,” and he said, “Simple, it is a mystery.” I then said, “that’s it Stergios?” Then he said, “Yes Paul, that it is it, it is a mystery.”

When looking at this morning’s scripture reading from Romans, it said, “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.” The Apostle Paul is saying in this scripture, that our faith “with God, through Jesus Christ” saves us. I know that many churches for centuries have fought over right doctrine and belief, but this scripture says to believe in God and to believe in Christ. How do we package all of this though? The Scripture goes on to say, “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.” The scripture then concludes by saying, “God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us.” So according this scripture from Romans, it says that we as Christians are justified before almighty God by our faith. Yet this faith is in Jesus Christ the savior, through God, and by being filled with the Holy Spirit. “God, One and Three.”

When looking at the gospel of John scripture from this morning, Jesus said, to his disciples “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.” Well when reading this scripture from the gospel of John then, it seems pretty clear that Jesus is saying you cannot have the fullness of God, and the fullness of faith without the Holy Spirit. Until it “comes,” he said, you won’t be spiritually complete. So, as Christians, we believe that God created, Jesus came to save, and that we must have faith in Christ to be saved, yet Jesus said we cannot be complete without the spirit. So once again, how do we theologically package all of this? The Church says, we have “God, One and Three,” One God in three separate persons, three separate representations, yet all fully and truly God. Jesus ended today’s gospel reading by saying, speaking of the spirit, “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.” So Jesus said, “All that Father has is mine,” and says speaking of the Holy Spirit, “He will take what is mine and declare it you.” “God, One and Three.”

So brothers and sisters this doctrine of the Trinity is how for centuries we have connected God the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. To re-cap then, we believe in the Trinity because is taught indirectly in various scriptures in the Bible, and we believe that the Trinity fully explains and justifies the divinity of Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit, while affirming the one true God. We also believe that part of the reality of the Trinity is as my friend Stergious said, “it’s a mystery,” beyond our human comprehensions. Lastly, we believe in the Trinity, because the early ecumenical church councils found it to be true.

I had a professor in my first seminary that was in his 70’s say something one day about the Holy Trinity that blew me away. He said, “If Saint Augustine believed it, if Saint Francis of Assisi believed it, if Tertullian believed it, if John Paul II believed it, if Billy Graham believes it still, if Mother Theresa believed it, if John Wesley believed it, if Martin Luther believed it, if the majority of the Christian Churches and the majority of Christians believe it, and have believed for centuries, then it is probably true.” In fact, the Roman Catholic Church, The Eastern Orthodox Church, the Anglican Church (Church of England), and virtually all Protestant Churches believe in the doctrine of Trinity.

I would like to close this morning with a very short story on the Holy Trinity. “This story is told of St. Augustine of Hippo, a great philosopher and theologian who wanted so much to understand the doctrine of the Trinity and to be able to explain it logically.” So here goes, “One day as he was walking along the sea shore and reflecting on this, he suddenly saw a little child all alone on the shore. The child made a hole in the sand, and then ran to the sea with a little cup. She then filled her cup up, and then quickly came back and poured it into the hole she had made in the sand. Back and forth she went to the sea, filled her cup up and came and poured it into the hole. St. Augustine went up to her and said, "Little child, what are doing?" and she replied, "I am trying to empty the sea into this hole." "How do you think," St. Augustine asked her, "that you can empty this immense sea into this tiny hole and with this tiny cup?" To which she replied, "And you, how do you suppose that with this your small head you can comprehend the immensity of God?" With that the child disappeared.”

Brothers and sister, as the opening hymn from this morning said, “God in three persons, blessed Trinity.” It is hard to comprehend, and it can be challenging to wrap our minds around. So this week I would encourage you, as the Apostle Paul says in Philippians 2:12 to “figure out your own faith through fear and trembling,” to really grow in this doctrine of the Blessed or Holy Trinity. I bring this message to you in names of “God, One and Three,” The Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.

RWJ/Pottersville UMC - Pentecost Sunday - 05/19/13 Sermon - “Encountering the Holy Spirit"

Pentecost Sunday - 05/19/13 RWJ/Pottersville UMC

Sermon: “Encountering the Holy Spirit”

Scripture Lesson: Acts 2:1-21

                                             

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

          Good morning brothers and sisters! What a joy it is to be here with you on this Pentecost Sunday! This is also our annual Heritage Sunday, where many churches look at their heritage, they remember it, and they celebrate it together. For if we forget about our past and our heritage, than what do we have? We have nothing.

          With this said, the Christian holiday of Pentecost is an ancient holiday, with plenty of heritage indeed. In fact, Pentecost means the “Fiftieth Day” and it is also the name for the “Feast of Weeks.” It means “Fiftieth Day,” because this feast was always 50-days after the Jewish holiday of the Passover. Given this, the “Feast of Weeks” was a prominent feast in the calendar of ancient Israel. At this festival, Jewish people would celebrate God giving Moses the Law on Mount Sinai. This “Law of Moses” as it became known as, is the 10-Commandments, and much of what we read in the Jewish Torah. The Jewish Torah includes the first five book of Old Testament, of Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy. These books contain much of what God gave to Moses, in the giving him the Law. Further, this “Feast of Weeks,” is still celebrated by many Jews today.

On this day in the Christian Calendar though, almost two-thousand years ago, this also became a Christian holiday. For within days before the Pentecost festival or the “Festival of Weeks” had occurred, Jesus had already ascended to heaven, as it states in the first chapter of the Book of the Acts of the Apostles. Yet before Jesus ascended, he promised his apostles, that he would send the Holy Spirit to fill them. That they would in fact, be baptized with “Holy Fire.” I can imagine that in no time after the Lord’s ascension, that some of the Apostles said, “Lord you promised to send us your spirit, but when will it come?” “When will you come and fill us with this “Holy Fire,” so that we may have the passion, the faith, and the courage, to preach your gospel without fear?”

          On this Pentecost Sunday brothers and sisters, the spirit has finally come! The spirit of God has ascended in a powerful and a new way, and the Apostles and all of the other followers of Jesus Christ are now forever changed. For they had all “Encountered the Holy Spirit.” For they had encountered the spirit of the living God, the third part of the Holy Trinity, that which makes our faiths ignite, and that which is the Holy Spirit of the Living and eternal God.

          Some of you on this morning might say, “well pastor that sort of thing with the Holy Spirit, has never happened to me before.” If this is true, I would argue that you have not experienced the fullness of almighty God. For until the spirit of the Living God moves in you, you have not fully encountered God and his spirit fully.

          In looking at the scripture from the Book of the Acts of Apostles from this morning, we find ourselves in chapter 2. In this chapter, the scripture begins by explaining that the followers of Christ had gathered that they were praying, and that were likely enjoying the Pentecost feast. Yet where was the spirit that Christ promised? Would it come?

          Then in verse two of the second chapter it reads, “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 before them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other languages, as the Spirit gave them ability.” When I read this scripture, I think “wow!” Chills go up and down my spine, as I think of the outpouring of the Holy Spirit that occurred on this day, on this Pentecost.

          You know, where my wife Melissa and I live during the week in Cayuga County, just about every town has a United Methodist Church. Upon entering most of these towns you will see a metal sign advertising the United Methodist Church of that town. These signs often say, “Catch the Spirit.” “Catch the Spirit.” That in our United Methodist Churches that you are supposed to “Catch the Spirit” of the Living God. Yet I have to admit brothers and sisters, some of the United Methodist Churches I have visited, felt like they had no spirit. Sure they preached on God and Jesus, but where was the spirit? For if we do not have the spirit of God, than we do not have the fullness of God. We then have a shallow lukewarm faith that is weak.

          Some of you might have noticed when we sing in church, or when we pray, that sometimes I lift one or two arms towards heaven, like this. Some of you might say, “Does pastor have arm cramps?” Some others might say, “Is pastor waving to me?” The answer to all of these questions is that God calls us to surrender all that we have to him. Like the hymn we sing “I surrender all,” we surrender to risen Christ and ask him to fill us with his holy and abiding spirit.

          For some of my friends that were in fraternities at SUNY Potsdam, were my wife Melissa and I attended college, they sometimes would lift their arms in the air like I do in church. This could have been because they were in church “Encountering the Holy Spirit,” or because the Potsdam Police Department had raided there fraternity keg party. You see, they might have had their hands in the air because the police said, “Hands in the air!” Well why on earth then, if we think about it, do the police make people put there “Hands in the air?”

          The answer is, putting your hands in the air, is seen by many as an international sign of surrender. Your hands are up, and if you don’t have weapons in your hands, this can better be seen. Further, your body is more vulnerable and unguarded when your hands are in the air. For this reason, when a Christian is worshipping and puts their hands in the air, they are surrendering to almighty God. They are calling upon the Holy Spirit to come and fill them.

In continuing on with the scripture from the Book of the Acts of the Apostles from this morning though it said, that the crowd was “bewildered” as they heard voices speak in all different languages. The onlookers and the crowd did not understand how this could have happened. Some even said, “They are filled with new wine,” and then the Apostle Peter said regarding the apostles, “Indeed, these are not drunk, as you suppose, for it is only nine o-clock in the morning.” To me this is really funny! On the day of Pentecost, the Holy Spirit pours out on the Apostles, they speak in tongues, and then they are accused of being drunk. Then the Apostle Peter basically says, “Hey everyone it’s way too early in the morning for us to be drunk.”

          Yet the spirit of the Living God does amazing things! It makes people prophesy, it makes people dream dreams, and yes even speak in tongues. Speaking in tongues is a practice that we have never embraced in the United Methodist Church, but according to this mornings’ scripture, it happens. In fact, our brothers and sisters who belong to many “Pentecostal” denominations of Christianity, such as the Assemblies of God, the Church of God in Christ, and the various other Pentecostal Churches, are among some of the fastest types of growing Christianity in the world. Further, some of the seminary books I have read recently predict that in the next 30-50 years that almost all Christian worship will look very “Pentecostal.”

          That in worship people will continually call upon the Holy Spirit to fill them, to guide them, and to speak through them, whether that is a tongue or a word for the Lord. For until we have “Encountered the Holy Spirit” brothers and sisters, we have not truly experienced and encountered the fullness of our Triune God.

          So given all of this, some of you might be asking yourself here this morning, “Well how do I know if I have received the Holy Spirit?” Well for me, it is a feeling that comes upon me, that feels warm, peaceful, and makes my spirit soar. It’s sort of like that feeling of taking a sip of hot chocolate when you are really cold. It’s the power and energy that God puts into you.

          Given this, do you all here this morning believe in the power of the Holy Spirit? Do you know that the power of God can fill you and can sustain you like never before? As your pastor, I want to lead a church that seeks the Holy Spirit, that calls upon the Spirit, and that is filled with the Holy Spirit. For this is how we become, a people of “Signs, wonders, and miracles.” For without the spirit, we are dry, we are lukewarm, and our church cannot truly move forward, until the power of the spirit of the Living God flows through us, and is in us abundantly!

          About 4-years ago, I had a Friday night, where I was watching television on my couch in Moravia, and on that particular night, my wife Melissa was out for a while. Suddenly, as I lay there on the couch though, I felt a strong feeling course through me! I felt energy, power, peace, and warmth. After a few minutes of this, I felt the spirit of the Lord saying, “Paul when are going to get over your fear, follow my spirit, and preach my word in my church.” Within a few minutes, I had called Melissa, my mother Susan, and a friend, to explain this experience. I told everyone that I talked to, that I thought that I was being called to go to the seminary. In not wanting to rationalize and dismiss this experience though, within a couple of days, I had reluctantly and fearfully made an appointment to visit the Northeastern Seminary in Rochester, NY. Upon walking through the doors of the seminary, I felt the presence of God, I felt peace, and I knew right away, that this was where I was supposed to be. I then studied there for two years, and have just finished my third year of study at my new seminary, the United Theological Seminary, in Dayton, Ohio. The Holy Spirit has shown up in my life, and has moved in me, to bring me to where I am today.

          I would like to close with a story this morning. This story is actually about the founder the Methodist movement, John Wesley. This is a story about how John Wesley first “encountered the Holy Spirit.” Let me start this story, like this: How many of you here today, have ever heard of the United Methodist Camp, Camp Aldersgate?  It is one the great camps in our Upper New York United Methodist Conference. With this said, I have always been interested in how we name our various camps, like Skye Farm. Well one day in my seminary studies a couple of years ago I learned how our church arrived at the name Camp Aldersgate.

As it turns out, this camp was actually named after an experience that the founder of the Methodist movement John Wesley had. In fact, in having returned to England after a failed mission trip experience in Georgia, John Wesley was feeling depressed and defeated. For early on his ministry, John Wesley was largely a failure. Yet one night while back in London, England, the defeated and demoralized John Wesley unwillingly was dragged to prayer meeting on “Aldersgate Street.” Perhaps a fellow Church of England priest took him, or perhaps it was someone else, as I really don’t know. On this night though, is where John Wesley had his famous “Aldersgate experience.” Out of a funny coincidence, Wesley entered a prayer meeting on Aldersgate Street with a group of Christians called Moravians. Melissa and I live in the town of Moravia. In this meeting, the Moravians were reading Martin Luther’s preface of the Apostle Paul’s Letter to the Romans. In this preface, Luther laid out his interpretation of the letter and his strong faith in God. While it was only a preface to the Letter to the Romans, Wesley wrote in his journal as he heard those words spoke that, “I felt my heart strangely warmed.” You see at this moment John Wesley for the first had a true and real encounter with the Holy Spirit. He might have had other encounters before, but never anything like this. This was an encounter that changed his life.

Remember as well, that John Wesley was an ordained priest in the Church of England, and this was first time that he really and deeply encountered the Holy Spirit! After this, John Wesley began accomplishing great things in the Methodist movement, and is the person we remember him as today.

          So in closing this morning brothers and sisters, I ask, do you know him? Do you really know him? Have you felt his spirit? Have you met the “Advocate” or the Holy Spirit, as Jesus called the spirit in our Gospel reading from this morning? Jesus said in the Gospel of John reading from this morning, “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.” So if you answered no to any of these questions that I just asked, then I hope and pray that on this day, you further surrender to almighty God, and call upon the spirit of the Lord, the spirit of Living God, to fill you! For when this happens we become more whole, the church becomes more powerful, and the spirit of God works through us. It works through so that we may prophesize, dream dreams, speak in tongues of fire, and perform all manner of “Signs, wonder, and miracles.” Brothers and sisters, this is Pentecost, the day where tongues of fire descended upon the apostles, and the Christian Church was officially born. So, I say to you all this morning “Catch the Spirit.” Amen.

RWJ/Pottersville UMC - 05/12/13 Sermon - “The Founding Mothers" The Early Church Series, Part 6 of 6

Sunday - 05/12/13 RWJ/Pottersville UMC

Sermon: “The Founding Mothers” The Early Church Series, Part 6 of 6                                                                                      

Scripture Lesson: Revelation 22:12-14, 16-17, 20-21

                                             

Gospel Lesson: John 17:20-26

          Good morning brothers and sisters! What a joy it is to be with you on this the Seventh Sunday in this Easter Season. This is also a special Sunday in that it is also Mother’s Day! Mother’s Day is a special day in that we celebrate motherhood, our mothers, and all mothers. We know how much women and mothers do every day, and we know how much that our own mothers have and maybe even continue to do for us. Given this, while we should strive to love and appreciate our mothers every day, today is that special day of the year, where we specifically honor the mothers. So today, moms, grandmas, great grandmas, and all women, we honor you. Today, you are the focus of our love, our attention, and our appreciation.  

          In continuing through the early Christian Church series that I have been preaching on the past 5-weeks, I have talked about how the early Christian Church was persecuted for preaching and believing in Jesus Christ. I have talked about how the church back then and even now is resilient. How we are tough and committed to our faith even when it is not easy. I talked about how the early Christian Church was a church of “Signs, Wonders, and Miracles,” and how this is and still can the reality of our church today. I then talked about how the early church were Kingdom Builders, building the Kingdom of God wherever they went. We today, are still called to be Kingdom builders. Last week, I talked about how we must be “Sacrificers” like the early Christian Church was. The Apostles and early Christians went far and wide preaching, enduring hardship, and doing what it took to spread the gospel. Amidst all of this however, we must remember that our primary ministry must always be to our own families, as that is our own personal “Jerusalem,” given to us by almighty God.

          While I could easily preach about the early Christian Church for weeks and weeks, and talk about how they met in secret, how they worship sometimes in catacombs or cemeteries, how they were martyred, or how they struggled, today I want to conclude this series on this Mother’s Day, by talking about the women of God. In the context of the early Christian Church, I call these women, “The Founding Mothers.” “The Founding Mothers” are those women of the Bible and the early Christian Church that were vital and significant in building the Christian Church. Much like we have Founding Fathers, we also have “The Founding Mothers.” In like fashion, the women of the present day Christian Church, like you women sitting here this morning are likewise vital and significant to the building and growth of this church, and the kingdom of God. Given this, I want to be clear women of God, God needs you, the church needs you, we need you, and we thank you on this day for all that you do.

          For example consider these questions: when you were young, if you were raised in the church, who most often took you to church? Who most likely taught you the Bible? Who most likely taught you to pray? Now don’t get me wrong, for some of us the answer to all of these questions will be “My father” or “My Grandfather,” but for most of us, we would say it was “my mother” and “my grandmother.” Maybe it was an aunt, maybe some other women in your family, but for many of us, our faith was and still is transmitted largely through the women, the mothers. It was my mom who showed me the Bible and explained to me the significance of the Church. My step-father also aided with this, but in us being guys, he was often more subtle with his ministering. Perhaps he would say something like, “You know Paul, Jesus is sort of like this table saw.” Or he might say, “God is sort of like this 12-gauge Remington Paul. He is powerful, and can make peace really quick if he needs to.”

          For good measure on this mother day, I am going to briefly talk about just some of the women of the Bible. I will start with the obvious of Jesus Christ’s mother Mary. Who was Mary you might ask? Mary was a Jewish peasant girl who became the mother of Jesus of Nazareth. She watched as her son taught and preached in the Galilean countryside, and then anguished as he took a path into danger. Her emotions as she stood at the foot of the cross are unimaginable. She nurtured him, fed him, and she taught him. The Lord of life was raised by Joseph to, but also largely by Mary.

          When looking at the bible Characters of Mary of Bethany and Martha, we can learn that Martha and Mary of Bethany were leading members of a family who sponsored the travelling preacher and healer, Jesus of Nazareth. They seem to have been close friends with Jesus. Their house was near Jerusalem, and Jesus often stayed there. So Martha and Mary of Bethany supported Christ in his ministry.

          Next let us next consider Dorcas or Tabitha. When the power of Jesus of Nazareth passed into his disciples, to restore people to life as Jesus did in the Book of Acts, Tabitha was raised from the dead by the Apostle Peter. Women in the Christian community, like Dorcas or Tabitha, were models of the virtues advocated by Roman leaders: traditional family values like good sense, courage, contentment, and fortitude. 

Lastly, let us consider Mary Magdalene. Mary Magdalene led a group of women who were prominent followers of Jesus of Nazareth. They were present at all the key events in Jesus' life. For example, Mary Magdalene was there during his ministry in Galilee and Judea, she heard him teach, and may have been his financial backer, dealing with the practical details of sustaining a group of men and women for several years. This sort of reminds of my mother in her being a financial person. Mary Magdalene was there during the crucifixion and death of Jesus - all four gospels mention her presence, and she was faithful to the end. Most importantly, she was there at the resurrection, was the first witness of this world-changing event, and was then even commissioned by the angel to 'go and tell', as an apostle to the apostles.

It is interesting to know that only Jesus’ “Beloved Apostle,” who we think was John was at the foot of the cross. None of the other Apostles were there, as they were in hiding out of fear. So who then told them about the crucifixion? I could have very likely been the women? Who discovered the empty tomb? The women did. How did the Apostles hear of the empty tomb then? Well from the women of course. The Apostles were still hiding out of fear.

When viewing the scripture lesson from the Book of Revelation from the morning, it spoke of Jesus’s triumphant second return. That he is coming soon, that he is “the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end.” The scripture then went on to say, “Come.” “And let everyone who hears say, “Come.” This anyone of course, includes the women. When we consider the great saints of the Church, will we not see Mary Magadalene, Martha, Ruth, and Tabitha in that great could of witnesses in glory? Will they not be amongst the throngs of saints in heaven?

The scripture from the Book of Revelation concluded with Jesus the Christ saying, “Surely I am coming soon,” and believe me brothers and sisters he is coming for us all! I believe that when we see the Lord, that we will see that great cloud of witnesses, many of them will be the women. Our grandmothers and other women in our family will be there to greet us.

In the gospel of John reading from this morning, Jesus said, “I ask not only on behalf of these, but also on behalf of those who will believe in me through their word, that they may all be one.” Jesus the Christ said one brothers and sisters, and in being one that includes not just all of the men of God, but the women of God to. Jesus concluded the gospel reading by speaking of the Father, and he said, “I made your name known to them, and I will make it known, so that the love with which you have loved me may be in then, and I in them.”

So given all of this brothers and sisters, where would be without the “Founding Mothers?” Where would we be without our own mothers? Where would be without the Mother Theresa’s and all of the Christian women who have and continue to make our faith what it is today? I know for me that I would not be here today, if were not for my mother, my wife, and all of the other women in my life. If wife weren’t here, my clothes would also likely not match. I have a bad streak of matching shirts with ties!

You know about 4-years ago I went through a tough few months in my life. It was time or transition for me, a time that I struggled to figure out who I was, and what God wanted me to do. This period included for me some depression, some anxiety, and the exposure of my soul to almighty God. Within a year of this trying time, I was in seminary, and now stand before you all hear today. During that trying time my mom was there for me, as was my wife. When I really had a hard day during these few months, my mom would say to me, “Paul, you’re a son of the king, and ever since you were a little boy I have prayed for almighty God to use you in a mighty way.”

So I stand before you on this morning, anything but being “pulled up from my own bootstraps,” but as man who was formed and nurtured by many loving women, and many solid men. In growing up for much of my childhood with a single mother, and having my biological father living out in Northern Illinois, the church became my family. The men and women of churches like this, formed me, loved, made what I am today, and made me into your pastor. In fact, a woman in the last church that my wife and I used to attend said in one of meetings I was at shortly before I started my appointment up here that, “One day were going to take credit for you Paul. We’re going to able to say that we produced from our little church, Paul Winkelman.”  

So I stand before on this morning grateful and thankful for our “Founding Mothers” and for the women of the church, both past a present. For the Betty Griffins, for the Jean Reeds, and for the Mildred Proutys. So on this day, let us take time to honor and love our mothers and all of the women of God.

I would like to close this morning with a story. This story is called “A Mother’s Occupation.” Here is how it goes: A woman named Emily renewing her driver's license at the Transport office was asked by the clerk to state her occupation. She hesitated, uncertain how to classify herself. "What I mean is," explained the clerk, "do you have a job, or are you just a ......? "Of course I have a job," snapped Emily. "I'm a Mum." "We don't list 'Mum' as an occupation...... 'housewife' covers it," said the clerk emphatically.

I forgot all about Emily’s story until one day I found myself in the same situation, this time at our local police station. The Clerk was obviously a career woman, poised, efficient, and possessed of a high sounding title like, "Official Interrogator" or "Town Registrar." "What is your occupation?" she probed. What made me say it, I do not know...

The words simply popped out. "I'm a Research Associate in the field of Child Development and Human Relations." The clerk paused, pen frozen in midair, and looked up as though she had not heard right. I repeated the title slowly, emphasizing the most significant words. Then I stared with wonder as my pronouncement was written in bold, black ink on the official questionnaire!

"Might I ask," said the clerk with new interest, "just what you do in your field?" Coolly, without any trace of fluster in my voice, I heard myself reply, "I have a continuing program of research, (what mother doesn't), in the laboratory and in the field, (normally I would have said indoors and out). I'm working for my Masters, (the whole family), and already have four credits, (all daughters). Of course, the job is one of the most demanding in the humanities, (any mother care to disagree.?) and I often work 14 hours a day, (24 is more like it). But the job is more challenging than most run-of-the-mill careers and the rewards are more of a satisfaction rather than just money." There was an increasing note of respect in the girl's voice as she completed the form, stood up, and personally ushered me to the door.

When I got home, buoyed up by my glamorous new career, I was greeted by my lab assistants -ages 10, 7, and 3. Upstairs, I could hear our new experimental model, (a 6 month old baby), in the child-development program, testing out a new vocal pattern. I felt I had triumphed over bureaucracy! And I had gone on the official records as someone more distinguished and indispensable to mankind than "just another Mum." Motherhood.....What a glorious career! Especially when there's a title on the door!

For those mothers who have a career and still do all of that, today we honor you. Brothers and sisters as we are all, as John Wesley said, “Moving on towards perfection” let us honor and remember our “Founding Mothers.” Let us also on this day cherish, love, and honor our current mothers, the matriarchs of our church who build the kingdom of God here on earth. In the name of the father, the son, and the Holy Spirit I bring this message to you here this morning. Amen and Amen!

RWJ/Pottersville UMC - 05/05/13 Sermon - “Sacrificers" The Early Church Series, Part 5 of 6

Sunday - 05/05/13 RWJ/Pottersville UMC

Sermon: “Sacrificers” The Early Church Series, Part 5 of 6                                                                                      

Scripture Lesson: Revelation 21:10, 22-22:5

                                             

Gospel Lesson: John 14:23-29

          Good morning brothers and sisters! What a joy it is to be with you on this the Sixth Sunday in this Easter Season. While I very much enjoyed learning and fellowshipping with my classmates in Ohio last week, it is great to be back in New York with you all here this morning! While I was in Ohio last week, I had friends there from Texas, from California, from Alabama, from Missouri, from Michigan, and etc. and etc. I learned and fellowshipped with brothers and sisters from all over these great United States.

          As I learned and spoke with my brothers and sisters, I heard there stories of how God was doing great things in their ministries. I heard about churches growing and the great sacrifices that there all were making for the sake of Jesus Christ and his kingdom. I then heard some of my colleagues feeling remorse that they aren’t seeing their families as much as they would like to. That they have been constantly trying to make time for their spouses and their children, but they always seem to be working. That they feel like that they are so busy with work, with ministry, and with seminary, that they have no time for anything else. For they all are indeed great “sacrificers” for the kingdom.

          In one of the first worship services that we as student had at the seminary’s chapel last week, a seminary faculty member that said, “I commend you all for sacrificing for the Kingdom”. Then he said, “How are things going in Jerusalem”. He said, “Your home is Jerusalem”. “Your spouse and your children live in Jerusalem, and if things aren’t good in Jerusalem, than how can you expect things to be good elsewhere?” In hearing this I was convicted in my heart and in my soul. I was convicted because as a young pastor, I want to do great things for the Lord, yet sometimes lately I feel like that I have been neglecting my own Jerusalem. In fact in our actual class, one of my pastor friends said that his father was and still is a pastor. He said that his father was and also still is “a committed pastor”. He then said something that shocked me. He said that on the day of his college graduation that his father could not make it, because he had to go and visit a sick parishioner. That the day he left for basic training, that his father was on the phone with a church trustee, and that he covered the receiver of the phone quick and told his son, “good luck”. His father then immediately turned away, and went right back to talking to the church trustee.

          After we chatted about this in class for a few minutes, I said to our teacher Dr. Stevenson, “Wasn’t our Methodist founder John Wesley a bad role model for being a family man?” Dr. Stevenson said, “yes in many ways he was”. You see our founder John Wesley, while a tremendous pastor, leader, organizer, evangelist, and man of God, was often never home. He was always out serving others, and he often neglected his own “Jerusalem”.

          So while the early church experienced persecution, while they were resilient, while they were a people of “signs, wonders, and miracles,” and while they were “Kingdom Builders,” they were also “Sacrificers”. Given this, before my trip to Ohio I was ready to come in and preach this morning that we need to serve the kingdom at all costs. Yet the Lord calls us to be fathers, mothers, husbands, and wives. If all we do is sacrifice for others, then when do we take the time to sacrifice for our own families? Further, when do we take the time to feed our own souls, and to take our own Sabbath to rest and to restore ourselves?

          During one of the other worship services, Dr. Luther O’Conner stopped his riveting sermon that we preaching all of the sudden, and his mood and his affect then changed all of the sudden. Then after being silent for a few seconds, he just said, “I need to make a confession”. He said, “I am so tired, so overwhelmed, and do not know how I am going to do all the things I need to do”. He shed tears as he said these things. He talked about how he invests so much time in his students, how he invests so much time building the kingdom, and how sometimes in the process he neglects his wife and kids because of his passion to serve. It was quite an experience, as several students came up to hug Dr. O’Conner, as they said I have also neglected my own “Jerusalem”. The next day, Dr. O’Conner was doing scripture reflections, and when he finished, he brought his whole family in and introduced them, and then he said, “I am going to take care of my family, my Jerusalem”. Then he left the seminary for a little while to spend time with his family.

          The point of all of this is that God wants us to sacrifice for him, and sacrifice for him boldly to build the kingdom. The Lord blesses me each week when I drive 4-hours each way to serve up here, but he doesn’t want us to give up that which he has given us to tend to. He does not want us to give up our own “Jerusalem’s”. I have come realize more and more this week that I could become a John Wesley, a famous and well love preacher, like many of the other famous preachers that we adore, but that often do not know their families very well? These men provided for their wives and children well, but are also often the ones who don’t attend their son’ college graduation because “they had to visit a parishioner”.

So folks after I do my visits after church today, I am taking the rest of the night off to take my beautiful wife out to a nice dinner, and to remember that if I cannot grow faith in my “Jerusalem” then I have no business preaching to people here about their Jerusalem’s.

          A good friend of my Jeff who is originally from Brazil and is a United Methodist pastor like me, got emotional in one of our class sessions this past week, as he said that he has two little boys, and so often he is not home for them. He said that “this will change this week when I return home”. Then before I left the seminary to head to airport on Friday; well ok after I went to the Waffle House first, and then headed the airport, Jeff gave me an enormous hug goodbye. Then as I went to walk away, he grabbed my arm firmly and said Paul, “You’re a great pastor, and the Methodist Church is darn lucky to have you, but make me a promise”. I said ok Jeff what is it. Jeff than said, “Promise me that you will spend more time with your wife and your family”. Then with tears rolling down his face as he was convicted about his own family, he said, “your family needs you Paul. Your family needs you”.

          “Sacrificers” brothers and sisters. Like the early church we need to sacrifice for the Kingdom, but the Kingdom includes your own castle, your own “Jerusalem”. While I am committed to making sacrifices so that people are changed by Jesus Christ, I need to do a better job of sacrificing in my own kingdom, in my own “Jerusalem”.

When I first read the scripture from this morning from the Book of Revelation before my trip, I thought about that “great getting up morning” when Jesus come backs. Yet I had always thought about it as me bowing alone before the Lord and receiving his love and his grace. If the Lord comes back in my lifetime though, I don’t just want to bow before him alone I want to bow before him while I am holding the hand of my beautiful bride.

          When looking at the Gospel reading from the Gospel of John from this morning Jesus said, “Those who love me will keep my word, and my Father will love them, and will come to them and make our home with them. Whoever does not love me does not keep my words; and the word that you hear is not mine, but is from the Father who sent me”.

          As your pastor, as a Christian, I want to sacrifice and give, so that the people who come into this place might be changed and filled, so that they might know Jesus better, but we all need to be ministers first and foremost at home. I didn’t realize it until I was among my classmates in Ohio, but I now realize that the sacrifice that I am going to be making more of is not spending more time away from home, but spending more time in my home. The early Christians were a family, were communal, and loved each other. I am learning to realize that God’s kingdom starts first in my own house, and from there, and only from there can I truly offer a sacrifice that is pleasing to the Lord of life.

          Jesus in the scripture this morning leaves the apostles with peace, and tells that the Holy Spirit will “teach them everything”. While the holiday of Pentecost that is coming up soon was a great encounter with the Holy Spirit, and while the early church experienced “signs, wonders, and miracles,” they want we all want. They want Jesus to be present, in the flesh. Much like we need to be present more in the flesh for our families, and this is something that the Lord is teaching me as young minister to do better. Because as Dr. Stevenson said, “You can preach the horns off of a Billy Goat, but if you don’t have a strong Jerusalem, you have nothing”.

I would like to close this morning with a story. This story is called “Big Rocks,” by author unknown. Here is how it goes: “A while back I was reading about an expert on subject of time management. One day this expert was speaking to a group of business students and, to drive home a point, used an illustration I’m sure those students will never forget. After I share it with you, you’ll never forget it either.”

“As this man stood in front of the group of high-powered overachievers he said, “Okay, time for a quiz.” Then he pulled out a one-gallon, wide-mouthed Mason jar and set it on a table in front of him. Then he produced about a dozen fist-sized rocks and carefully placed them, one at a time, into the jar. When the jar was filled to the top and no more rocks would fit inside, he asked, “Is this jar full?” Everyone in the class said, “Yes.” Then he said, “Really?” He reached under the table and pulled out a bucket of gravel. Then he dumped some gravel in and shook the jar causing pieces of gravel to work themselves down into the spaces between the big rocks.”

“Then he smiled and asked the group once more, “Is the jar full?” By this time the class was onto him. “Probably not,” one of them answered.

“Good!” he replied. And he reached under the table and brought out a bucket of sand. He started dumping the sand in and it went into all the spaces left between the rocks and the gravel. Once more he asked the question, “Is this jar full?” “No!” the class shouted. Once again he said, “Good!” Then he grabbed a pitcher of water and began to pour it in until the jar was filled to the brim. Then he looked up at the class and asked, “What is the point of this illustration?”

“One eager beaver raised his hand and said, “The point is, no matter how full your schedule is, if you try really hard, you can always fit some more things into it!” “No,” the speaker replied, “that’s not the point. The truth this illustration teaches us is: If you don’t put the big rocks in first, you’ll never get them in at all.”

So, brothers and sister, as we think about being sacrificers for God’s kingdom, where are you neglecting being sacrificial? Where do we need to sacrifice, and are neglecting to do so? Or maybe a better question as per the story is “What are the big rocks in your life? Is it “A project that YOU want to accomplish? Time with your loved ones? Your faith, your education, your finances? A cause? Teaching or mentoring others? Remember to put these BIG ROCKS in first or you’ll never get them in at all.”

We need to sacrifice for God and his kingdom, but this week and hopefully forever let us sacrifice in those places that desperately need the time and energy that we have not been giving them. Perhaps its prayers, perhaps it’s reading the Bible, perhaps its spending time with your family. Whatever it is, this week put those large rock in your jar first. I bring you this message in the name our Lord and savior Jesus the risen Christ. Amen.

         

         

RWJ/Pottersville UMC - 04/28/13 Sermon - “Kingdom Builders" The Early Church Series, Part 4 of 6

Sunday - 04/28/13 RWJ/Pottersville UMC

Sermon: “Kingdom Builders” The Early Church Series, Part 4 of 6                                                                                      

Scripture Lesson: Revelation 21:1-6

                                             

Gospel Lesson: John 13:31-35

          Good morning brothers and sisters! What a joy it is to be with you on this the Sixth Sunday in this Easter Season. While Easter might seem like it was a long time ago at this point, every Sunday is a mini-Easter. Every Sunday is a celebration of Jesus overcoming death, and fulfilling the prophecy of being our Lord and savior. The Lord is truly good!

          After the Lord rose from the dead on Easter Sunday and after the Lord ascended to Heaven, he left his Apostles with the Holy Spirit. In fact, we are soon approaching the Christian holiday of Pentecost, were we will be exploring a little more of just what the Holy Spirit is.

          So as I said, after Jesus had ascended to Heaven the early church was left to spread the Good News of Jesus Christ. Jesus, as the Gospel of John reading from this from this morning specifically told the Apostles to “love one another” and to share the Good News with others. This first Christian Church, the early church was charged with spreading the Gospel of Jesus Christ to the ends of the earth. They were charged with building the kingdom. They were “Kingdom Builders”. Jesus told the Apostle Peter to “feed his sheep,” and he told his followers to go and make disciples of all nations. The only problem though, as I spoke about in the first week of this sermon series, was that our early brothers and sisters experienced heavy persecution. Many of our brothers and sisters today still experience persecution for professing the lifesaving message of our Lord Jesus Christ.

          Yet despite all of this, we are the largest faith in the world. Christianity makes up almost one-third of the entire population of the earth. The early Church was resilient, and they spread the Good News of Jesus Christ no matter what the cost. They were resilient. Our missionaries in China, our believers who are sneaking bibles into North Korea daily, are resilient. We will spread the Good News of Jesus, to the whole world.

          Last week, I talked about the power and the majesty of the early Christian Church. How the early Christian Church was full of “Signs, Wonders, and Miracles”. That in the early church the Holy Spirit was flowing, and powerful things were occurring all the time. People were getting baptized constantly, the church grew rapidly, and the kingdom was growing. Given this though, where did all of these new early Christians worship though?

          With this said, this morning I want to talk about how the early Christians, and even today’s Christians are “Kingdom Builders”. For this church that we site in right here for example, was built with the money, the sweat, the tears, and the prayer of those saints who have went before us. When many settlers arrived in towns like Pottersville and Johnsburg, they brought their Bibles, but they had no church. This is because, nothing was here yet. Perhaps soon after they arrived, they built their own homes. Maybe they had religious instruction and worship that occurred in their homes. Maybe neighboring farmers gradually over time gathered together in a barn or farm house to worship. Soon, someone likely stepped forward who was willing to lead the congregation as its pastors. Soon after this, the people of God in towns like Pottersville and Johnsburg said, “Let’s build us a church”. You see when people moved to a town like this, they likely didn’t have a fixed date that a church would be built. They were likely more focused on building their homes, clearing land for farming and building, and the church would come soon, but who would build it? Who would provide the lumber? Who would provide the nails, the tools, and etc.? “Kingdom Builders” brothers and sisters, our predecessors were “Kingdom builders”.

          In the scripture reading this morning from the Book of Revelation, it said, “Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth had passed, and the sea was no more”. It went on to say that he saw the “holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God,” and the scripture went on to speak of the glory of Christ’s second coming. The glorious coming, of when Jesus returns for us all. These promises that we have believed for centuries. The promises that we have and continue to build God’s church on.

          When looking at the first Christians though, they had a very different situation than today. Now don’t get me wrong, there are still places that know almost nothing of the Gospel of Jesus today, but people like the Apostle Paul went amongst the gentiles who had no idea what he was talking about. Today we have the internet, smart phones with instant internet access, mobile phones, and access to almost limitless information. So, while some have maybe never heard of Jesus today, the likelihood that they have at least heard a little bit of something about Jesus is significantly higher than in the early church.

          So consider this then, your Saul, the Jewish Pharisee in the Book of Acts, on your way to Damascus, to carry leaders to the Jewish synagogue or temple. He did this to persecute and hopefully destroy Christianity by the way. Yet the Lord spoke to him on that road to Damascus, and he soon after became a Christian. He then came back to Jerusalem, and reluctantly at first, they accepted him into the Christian Church. Then the Apostle Paul following the call of Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit goes out to make disciples of Jesus Christ. The question though, is where does he go? What is the best method tell people the Good News of Jesus Christ? The answer is the Jewish Synagogues or Temples. I mean think about it, when Jesus preached, sometimes it was in the Jewish temple or the Synagogue. Many of the places that the Apostle Paul went in fact, such as Philippi, where we get the Philippians, and Corinth, where we get the Corinthians, were places where the Apostle Paul likely sought out a Jewish place of worship. The Apostle Paul then went other places like Thessalonica, where we get the Thessalonians, and Galatia, where we get the Galatians. When you look through the New Testament, the Apostle Paul, and all of the Apostles though, went out to preach the Good News of Jesus Christ.

          Why would Paul and the other Apostles seek out the Jewish temples first though? Why would the majority of the Apostles seek out Jewish temples first in fact? Here is why, the Jewish people were the people of God. They knew the Lord, and they knew of the scriptures. The scriptures we as Christians today call the Old Testament of the Christian Bible. Paul and the rest of the Apostles knew that in all these foreign places that the Jewish people knew the story about Adam and Eve, Noah and the Ark, and he knew that they also knew about how all of the prophets like Isaiah, Ezekiel, and Jeremiah, spoke of the messiah to come.

          In this way people like the Apostle Paul would seek out these Jewish temples or synagogues, and likely tell them things like, “the prophecies of Ezekiel, Isaiah, and Jeremiah have come true. The Messiah has come, his name is Jesus Christ. Let me tell you of our Lord Jesus”. Often full synagogues or full temples would not convert all at once, but usually some would. These folks would then find a space, like a house, a cemetery, or underground sewers or catacombs to worship. I asked earlier in the service where the early Christians worshipped, and the places I just named were some of the places that they did worship. If the church had members of financial means, sometimes these members would have worship in their home, which is where we get the concept of the “house church”. As time went on, and as Christians were “Persecuted,” they grew through being “Resilient”, and by experiencing “Signs, Wonders, and Miracles”. Within a few centuries we would have beautiful cathedrals adorned with beautiful stained glass windows. While I have never been to Europe or the Middle East, I cannot even imagine standing in a church that could be over 1,000 years old.   

          So like the early church, we as settlers came into an area like this, luckily in our case already with the Christian faith, and we grew the body of Christ. Then we built beautiful churches like this. In other countries like China and Vietnam, these brothers and sisters are growing rapidly and churches are being built in great numbers. In our communities today, we have many people who don’t believe though, or who don’t want to be part of the body of Christ. Part of building the body is bringing these people into a place like this, so that they can be changed by the grace of God, and be made new by the power of the Holy Spirit. Become part of the loving body of Christ.

          So brothers and sisters while we have this beautiful church that the saints before us have built, the kingdom is nowhere near being finished built. We have so much work to do to build the kingdom still, for we need to be “Kingdom Builders”.

I would like to close this morning’s message with a story. This story is called “The Cave People,” and is taken from Max Lucado's “The Woodcutter's Wisdom and Other Favorite Stories”. Here is how the story goes:

“Long ago, or maybe not so long ago, there was a tribe in a dark, cold cavern. The cave dwellers would huddle together and cry against the chill. Loud and long they wailed. It was all they did. It was all they knew to do. The sounds in the cave were mournful, but the people didn't know it, for they had never known joy. The spirit in the cave was death, but the people didn't know it, for they had never known life.

But then, one day, they heard a different voice. "I have heard your cries," it announced. "I have felt your chill and seen your darkness. I have come to help." The cave people grew quiet. They had never heard this voice. Hope sounded strange to their ears. "How can we know you have come to help?" "Trust me," he answered. "I have what you need." The cave people peered through the darkness at the figure of the stranger. He was stacking something, then stooping and stacking more. "What are you doing?" one cried, nervous. The stranger didn't answer. "What are you making?" one shouted even louder. Still no response. "Tell us!" demanded a third. The visitor stood and spoke in the direction of the voices. "I have what you need." With that he turned to the pile at his feet and lit it. Wood ignited, flames erupted, and light filled the cavern.

The cave people turned away in fear. "Put it out!" they cried. "It hurts to see it." "Light always hurts before it helps," he answered. "Step closer. The pain will soon pass." "Not I," declared a voice. "Nor I," agreed a second. "Only a fool would risk exposing his eyes to such light." The stranger stood next to the fire. "Would you prefer the darkness? Would you prefer the cold? Don't consult your fears. Take a step of faith" For a long time no one spoke. The people hovered in groups covering their eyes. The fire builder stood next to the fire. "It's warm here," he invited. "He's right," one from behind him announced. "It's warmer." The stranger turned a saw a figure slowly stepping toward the fire. "I can open my eyes now," she proclaimed. "I can see." "Come closer," invited the fire builder. She did. She stepped into the ring of light. "It's so warm!" she extended her hands and sighed as her chill began to pass. "Come, everyone! Feel the warmth," she invited. "Silence, woman!" cried one of the cave dwellers. "Dare you lead us into your folly? Leave us. Leave us and take your light with you."

She turned to the stranger. "Why won't they come?" "They choose the chill, for though it's cold, it's what they know. They'd rather be cold than change." "And live in the dark?" "And live in the dark." The now-warm woman stood silent, looking first at the dark, then at the man. "Will you leave the fire?" he asked. She paused, then answered, "I cannot. I cannot bear the cold." Then she spoke again. "But nor can I bear the thought of my people in darkness." "You don't have to," he responded, reaching into the fire and removing a stick. "Carry this to your people. Tell them the light is here, and the light is warm. Tell them the light is for all who desire it." And so she took the small flame and stepped into the shadows.

“Kingdom Builders” brothers and sisters. The early Christian Church and even us today are called to be “Kingdom Builders”. We are called to bring light and warmth into places that know it not. To bring Jesus Christ to a world that knows him not. For as long as there darkness and cold, there will be people who reject the light and the warmth of Christ, but we must continue on. For building the Kingdom of Jesus Christ is the mission of the Church, and it is what makes us all “Kingdom Builders”. In name of Jesus Christ I bring this message to you this morning. Amen.

RWJ/Pottersville UMC - 04/21/13 Sermon - “Signs, wonders, and miracles" The Early Church Series, Part 3 of 6

Sunday - 04/21/13 RWJ/Pottersville UMC

Sermon: “Signs, Wonders, and Miracles” The Early Church Series, Part 3 of 6                                                                                      

Scripture Lesson: Acts 9:36-43

                                             

Gospel Lesson: John 10:22-30

          Good morning brothers and sisters! It’s a pleasure to be here worshiping with you this morning, on this the Fourth Sunday of Easter. In this season we celebrate the death and the resurrection of our Lord and savior, Jesus Christ. While Jesus was raised to new life almost 2,000 years ago in the spring, this time of the year for many of us bears signs of new life. Many of us awake at this time of the year to song birds, budding flowers, and newness. We see brown lawns begin to turn green, we see neighbors cleaning whatever the winter has left on their property, as they allow the new life of spring to come forth. In this Easter season then, we celebrate new life.

          In doing this sermon series that I am doing on the early Christian Church, we have already talked about how the early Christian Church, and even some of the present day Christian Churches are persecuted. Last Sunday, we talked about how the early church was resilient. How they grew rapidly and how they kept the faith in the toughest of circumstances. How our ancestors made great sacrifices to build these very church buildings that we are sitting here this morning. We talked about men and women who had such a drive to serve Christ that we are the largest faith today, in the entire world. When you attack us, like the recent Boston attacks, we respond, we come together. We are resilient, are we not?

          In continuing with talking about the early Christian Church though, today I want to talk about the power of the early Christian Church. For the early Christian Church was full of “Signs, wonders, and miracles”. Well you might be saying to yourself, just what are “Signs, wonders, and miracles?” These visions from God, these things that we see that are unbelievably incredible, and miracles of healing and power, that we cannot explain. To provide a good example of this, let us look at the scripture that was read from the Book of Acts from this morning. Once again, the Book of Acts, or the Books of the Acts of the Apostles are the many things that the apostles did after Jesus was crucified and resurrected. This includes the 40-days that Jesus appeared to the apostles before his ascension into heaven. In this morning’s scripture from Act 9, it discussed a female disciple name Tabitha, or Dorcas in Greek. There were many founding mothers and female disciples in the early Christian Church, in fact.  In this scripture, it talked about how Tabitha was “devoted to good works and acts of charity”. Yet the scripture tells us that, “At that time she became ill and died”. Tabitha or Dorcas was then washed and “they laid her in a room upstairs”. At this point another believer Lydda had heard that the apostle Peter was near Joppa, where she was, and sent for him.

          Peter then showed up, went to that room upstairs, to find a room of weeping people, and the late Tabitha laying there. The Apostle Peter then did something amazing. He said, regarding all of those mourners in the room, “put all of them outside, and then he knelt down and prayed. He turned to the body of Tabitha and said, “Tabitha, get up”. After he had said this, “she opened her eyes, seeing Peter, she sat up. He gave her his hand and helped her up. Then calling the saints and widows, he showed her to be alive”.

          So as I starting to explain a little while ago, what are “Signs, wonders, and miracles?” The answer is this kind of stuff! The answer is an apostle of Jesus Christ, raising Tabitha from the dead with the power of God. The early Christian Church was full of these types of “Signs, wonders, and miracles.” According to the Book of Acts scripture from this morning, this miracle became well known around the area of Joppa and many came to believe.

          In fact, I am talking about “Signs, wonders, and miracles” occurring that where so big, that sometimes full towns converted. Sometimes when this happened, hundreds or even thousands were baptized into our faith in one day’s time. While many people prefer the old method of baptism “down at the river” or in a lake, in some instances the early Christian Church baptized so many people, that only had the ability to sprinkle water on converts heads, due to the sheer number of people. This method also developed out of the need to baptize people in an “anywhere, anytime fashion,” as not everyone always has a river or a lake down the road.

          One definition of a miracle that I found for this morning, is “an event not ascribable to human power or the laws of nature and consequently attributed to a supernatural, especially divine, agency”. So thing happening that have no scientific explanation, like people living when they are told they will not. People who have stage four cancer and are told they will die soon, yet they fully recover. People who lived in the era of the early church, who witnessed the blind being made to see, the lame walking, the Holy Spirit being powerful, and seeing the majesty of God in abundance!

          The question I have for you then, is do Signs, wonders, and miracles” still occur today? I believe they do. In fact, I remember being on a couple of Christian retreat weekends, where I witnessed some. On one of these weekends, there was a man who a Vietnam veteran. He took all sorts of medications, and told the group of Christian men on that weekend that he has not slept the night through since he left South Vietnam in 1975. This man was a well decorate United States soldier, and his duty required him to see some pretty horrific things. One of the nights on this weekend, this man felt the presence of the Holy Spirit during worship, and during the church service he fell at the alter in the church. When this happened all of the men in the room stopped what there were doing and placed hands upon him and prayed, just as it says the early church did in the Book of Acts. This man had fallen to the ground broken, but like in baptism, he was raised to new life. The next morning when we all gathered in the chapel for morning prayers, this man reported to us that it was the first time in over 30-years that he had slept through the entire night. That he had made his peace with God that night and he finally felt forgiven for what he had done. For the first time over 30-years, he actually had peace. To me this was a miracle! Almighty God, with the power of the Holy Spirit healed this man, and as Jesus said, “come to me and I will give you rest”.

          On another one of these retreat weekends, a friend of mine who is a pastor of three churches in this United Methodist Conference had been suffering for a few months with some pain in his ribs. This made it hard for him to stand up and sit down, hard to sleep, and even hard to walk. One night on this retreat weekend, we laid hands on this pastor, this shepherd, this servant of the Lord, and we prayed for him. We then anointed his head with oil. The next day he came into the room walking fine, and informed us that his ribs no longer hurt, and that he slept fine!

          In the early Christian Church brothers and sister, people saw signs from heaven, amazing wondrous feats, and miracles of healing and power. The question is though do miracles still happen today? Can a Christian Church in America that is seen by some as getting small be revitalized? Can hearts be changed? Can people go from being angry, hateful, jealous, and mean, to being kind, loving, generous, and compassionate? I, Paul Winkelman who believe, say yes, yes they can! I say yes these things can and still do happen! All around the world right now “Signs, wonders, and miracles” are occurring, if we but believe and call upon the Holy Spirit.

          The early church was powerful, and people saw amazing things. I as a pastor want to recapture the power and the majesty of the early church. I want to see the power of God healing, I want to see marriages that are nearly broken to be mended, I want to see broken hearts healed, and I want to see people who doctors say will die, live! Because while doctors treat, Jesus Christ heals! “Signs, wonders, and miracles”. Do you believe this brothers and sisters? Is it possible in the present day to experience “Signs, wonders, and miracles?” Not only do I think it is possible, I have seen it!

I would like to close today’s message with a story, before we move into the Sacrament of Baptism.  This story is a true story, and it comes to us from Chen Guangmei of China. A country where our faith just so happens to be being heavily persecuted and oppressed right now. Here is the story:

I did not hear it coming. Suddenly a large goods vehicle hit me. Now as I fell to the ground the wheels of the 8-tonne truck went right over my body. One wheel after the other went over me as I lay there. But to my surprise, I felt no pain! You see, going home that night it was very dark. So the driver of that truck did not see me before his vehicle hit me. Now as I lay there, I wondered if I could move my body. To my surprise, I found I could move my legs. Then I found I could move my whole body. So slowly I began to move my body from under the truck.

Now as I did this, the driver of the truck appeared. He found it difficult to believe what his eyes saw, when he saw me still alive. Then as I began to stand on my two feet, his mouth dropped open in complete surprise. I said to him, “I am not hurt!” But he pointed to the marks of the truck wheels on my shirt. Yes, he could see the truck wheel marks on my shirt. The marks ran from my lower back to my shoulder there on my shirt.

Now when we reached home, my friends thought they must find I had suffered in some way. But they found I had suffered no harm. As people began to hear what happened, they came from far and near to see if it was true. Whenever they did this I showed them the wheel marks on my shirt. I then told them why I was not killed. I told them, “God wants to continue to use my life.”

So I hung my shirt outside my house for everyone to see what God can do for us. I told everyone, “You can also prove what the power of God can do for you.”

“Signs, wonders, and miracles” brother and sisters.  The belief that God is powerful, and that he can move mountains. What a miracle it is here this morning that we are baptizing 6-children into the faith. What a miracle it is that we are even here worshiping on this morning. So I close this message brothers and sisters by saying this one very simple thing, “believe and be changed!” In Jesus’ name. Amen.