Preparing for the second Sunday after Epiphany - Psalm 40:1-11

Psalm 40:1-11 For the director of music. Of David. A psalm. I waited patiently for the LORD; he turned to me and heard my cry. ² He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; he set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand. ³ He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see and fear and put their trust in the LORD. ⁴ Blessed is the man who makes the LORD his trust, who does not look to the proud, to those who turn aside to false gods. ⁵ Many, O LORD my God, are the wonders you have done. The things you planned for us no one can recount to you; were I to speak and tell of them, they would be too many to declare. ⁶ Sacrifice and offering you did not desire, but my ears you have pierced; burnt offerings and sin offerings you did not require. ⁷ Then I said, "Here I am, I have come-- it is written about me in the scroll. ⁸ I desire to do your will, O my God; your law is within my heart." ⁹ I proclaim righteousness in the great assembly; I do not seal my lips, as you know, O LORD. ¹⁰ I do not hide your righteousness in my heart; I speak of your faithfulness and salvation. I do not conceal your love and your truth from the great assembly. ¹¹ Do not withhold your mercy from me, O LORD; may your love and your truth always protect me.

David speaks; God hears.  God acts; David sings.  David testifies; David asks for more mercy.  And so the story goes.  The children of God speak, God listens and acts.  The children of God sing songs and praise God.  They bear witness to the mighty acts that God has done in their midst and in telling their stories, they see a little more clearly what it is that God desires for them.  Then, as if they were afraid that there would never be enough or that their portion has run out, they cry for God's mercy, love and protection once again.  A familiar pattern that we have seen throughout the ages.

Take, for instance, the Hebrews - their stories of oppression, golden calves, angst about meat and water - every one of their teaching moments could quite possibly be defined by the above pattern.  Yay, we are free from Egypt!  God give us meat, for at least in Egypt we ate meat!  God thank you for your deliverance and the parting of the Red Sea.  God, we can't wait on Moses to come down with rules so we will just make a few of our own...how do you like our cow?

Luke A. Powery and Willie Jennings says it this way:

"The sounds of praise reveal God our creator.  They are never inconsequential words.  They expose the character of God as faithful and caring, always suitable for anthropomorphic gesture: God leans over with a hand cupping the ear, listening to his creatures.  And then God speaks yet again, and then the hearer is compelled to speak.  The hearer-turned-speaker is a vital part of an epiphany, the revealing (Abingdon Theological Companion to the Lectionary - Year A, pg 48)."

So I'm just wondering this morning, what is being revealed to you about God and God's faithfulness as we participate thousands of years later in this hearer-turned-speaker type of revealing that occurs when we praise God and testify to his acts in our midst?

I would love it if you would share your stories and comments in the appropriate section below.

Preparing for the Second Sunday after the Epiphany - Isaiah 49:1-7

Isaiah 49:1-7 Listen to me, you islands; hear this, you distant nations: Before I was born the LORD called me; from my birth he has made mention of my name. ² He made my mouth like a sharpened sword, in the shadow of his hand he hid me; he made me into a polished arrow and concealed me in his quiver. ³ He said to me, "You are my servant, Israel, in whom I will display my splendor." ⁴ But I said, "I have labored to no purpose; I have spent my strength in vain and for nothing. Yet what is due me is in the LORD's hand, and my reward is with my God." ⁵ And now the LORD says-- he who formed me in the womb to be his servant to bring Jacob back to him and gather Israel to himself, for I am honored in the eyes of the LORD and my God has been my strength-- ⁶ he says: "It is too small a thing for you to be my servant to restore the tribes of Jacob and bring back those of Israel I have kept. I will also make you a light for the Gentiles, that you may bring my salvation to the ends of the earth." ⁷ This is what the LORD says-- the Redeemer and Holy One of Israel-- to him who was despised and abhorred by the nation, to the servant of rulers: "Kings will see you and rise up, princes will see and bow down, because of the LORD, who is faithful, the Holy One of Israel, who has chosen you."

I want you to remember this this week:  We are not forgotten!  From the servant Isaiah to the church in Corinth to the world around us today, we are not forgotten!

We are going to be discussing The Good News of Faithfulness next Sunday...so I want us to reflect for a moment first on God's desire.  In the text before us today, God speaks of how he has called his servant even before he was born.  God will make his glory and splendor to shine through Isaiah.  The call goes so far back, that it may well have been conceived in the immersion of the calling of God to humanity.  Before birth, God's desire to speak to us, to gather us, and to redeem us was all bound up in this servant's life.  It is a beautiful picture not only for Israel, but for teh gentiles as well (that's many of you and I).

There is a significant beauty about God's ongoing divine self-revelation that is note worthy.  God's desires are so strong to be in relationship with us, that every outpouring of this self-revelatory content always issues a form of deliverance by inviting us, the hearers, to a place of deep intimacy with God.

Do you recall how God has worked this divine self-revelation before?  Through covenant with Abraham, through a renewing of that covenant with Noah, and through Moses by rescuing the Hebrews from Egypt; every single time gathering his people and inviting them into a deep place of intimacy.

I/we/you have not been forgotten.  Take some time this week to reflect upon the deep calling God has placed upon your life: the calling that invites you into a deeper and more intimate relationship with God, the calling that is so filled with God's desire that it serves to gather others to God, the calling that God has already begun to work in you and through you.  Meditate on that calling.  If you can't locate that calling in your life, pray for discernment that God might reveal to you God's desire for you life.

For those that have identified that "before you were even born" kind of calling in your life, I would invite you to share in the comments below so that others may see the good news of God's faithfulness as God continues to work through God's people.

Preparing for the Baptism of our Lord Sunday - Matthew 3:13-17

13 Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to be baptized by John.  14 But John tried to deter him, saying, "I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?"  15 Jesus replied, "Let it be so now; it is proper for us to do this to fulfill all righteousness." Then John consented.  16 As soon as Jesus was baptized, he went up out of the water. At that moment heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and lighting on him.  17 And a voice from heaven said, "This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased."

I want to share with you a couple of snippets of thought taken from Luke A. Powery and Willie Jennings.  First they state that, "Jesus is baptized.  His baptism occasions his anointing by the Spirit, which establishes the baptism of Jesus Christ as the source of our baptism.  His baptism draws our lives into the great journey of his life, the purpose of his work, and the power of its effects on the cosmos."  A little further they comment that, "God's servants are marked through anointing."  Finally, I would point out that they state,"Anointing is bound to the purpose of transformation (Abingdon Theological Companion to the Lectionary - Preaching Year A, pg. 43)."

At some point I want to discuss the water rituals of Judaism as I am sure there are some significant pieces of information for us to process with regards to why John was even baptizing in the first place...but that is not a question that this particular Sunday will focus on.  It might also be interesting to do a comparison of how Jesus participated in a cleansing ritual and from it was birthed our varied understandings of baptism today versus the way that he participated in the Passover meal and instituted Holy Communion.  I think that delving deeply into the roots of what many hold to be sacramental would bear worthwhile fruit.  Instead, I want to simply ask you as you prepare for Sunday worship, focus the rest of the week on this text out of the Gospel of Matthew and through the lens of the Powery and Jennings' statements above, remember your baptism!

How was your baptism the occasion for your anointing?

How do you feel the mark of a servant in your life and ministry?

How has that anointing changed you?

I would love to see responses in the comment section below how you might answer these questions...you don't have to answer them now; perhaps answering them after the sermon on Sunday would be best.  Maybe you could answer them now, and go back and review your answers on Sunday after service to see if they've changed.  Either way, blessings to you as we continue this journey together!

Preparing for the Baptism of our Lord Sunday - Acts 10:34-43

Acts 10:34-43  Then Peter began to speak: "I now realize how true it is that God does not show favoritism  35 but accepts men from every nation who fear him and do what is right.  36 You know the message God sent to the people of Israel, telling the good news of peace through Jesus Christ, who is Lord of all.  37 You know what has happened throughout Judea, beginning in Galilee after the baptism that John preached--  38 how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and power, and how he went around doing good and healing all who were under the power of the devil, because God was with him.  39 "We are witnesses of everything he did in the country of the Jews and in Jerusalem. They killed him by hanging him on a tree,  40 but God raised him from the dead on the third day and caused him to be seen.  41 He was not seen by all the people, but by witnesses whom God had already chosen-- by us who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead.  42 He commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that he is the one whom God appointed as judge of the living and the dead.  43 All the prophets testify about him that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name."

In our prophetic text earlier this week from Isaiah, we witnessed a connection being made between the anointing of the spirit and acts of service - specifically service that involves justice.  In our text for today, we witness Peter linking the anointing of Jesus by the Holy Spirit with powerful acts of healing and doing good.  And while I believe that there is something to be said about the consistency of God's anointing (in purpose and praxis), I think there is another message we often skim over in this text.

Simply put, praying through this text as it is written in the NIV, I keep seeing and hearing the words 'men from every nation' and 'everyone.'  There is something about our human nature - something in the dark nights of our souls - something worldly and not of God - that sometimes calls us to question or say, "yeah, but what about me?"  We see murderers, adulterers, thieves and worse all saved by the grace of God in Jesus Christ, but if we are honest about it, we sometimes question if that salvation is for us as well.  I find great assurance in Peter's words that God accepts men from all nations who fear him and that he doesn't show favoritism among his children.  From the time of the prophets, to the time of Peter, to the current day with my own preaching and teaching ministries, I am comforted by the words, 'everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name.'  For some one like me, that is really good news indeed.

But I think there is a deeper point that these texts are building toward.  Yes, I can accept Christ.  Yes, I can believe in his sacrifice for me and trust that my sins are forgiven and my future is secure.  BUT...but, am I willing and ready to accept (and receive) the full anointing of God?  Am I prepared to be so abandoned to God that mighty and powerful acts of healing and justice might be done through me?  Am I?  Are you?

I know that us Methodists used to be among the most charismatic Christians in existence.  I know that we have lost that over the last hundred years.  I know that people's experience (both real and perceived) with other spiritual traditions may have scared them away from discussion of the Holy Spirit and/or God's anointing.  I believe that it is time for us to lean in and say come Holy Spirit, come!  I believe that there needs to be a rekindling of that holy fire within us.  And I believe, as we prepare for the baptism of our Lord and we remember our own baptism, we may be called to look more deeply at the Holy Spirit's work within us.

Let me know what you think by leaving a comment below. 

Preparing for the Baptism of our Lord Sunday - Psalm 29

Psalm 29:1-11 A Psalm of David
Ascribe to the LORD, O mighty ones, ascribe to the LORD glory and strength. ² Ascribe to the LORD the glory due his name; worship the LORD in the splendor of his holiness. ³ The voice of the LORD is over the waters; the God of glory thunders, the LORD thunders over the mighty waters. ⁴ The voice of the LORD is powerful; the voice of the LORD is majestic. ⁵ The voice of the LORD breaks the cedars; the LORD breaks in pieces the cedars of Lebanon. ⁶ He makes Lebanon skip like a calf, Sirion like a young wild ox. ⁷ The voice of the LORD strikes with flashes of lightning. ⁸ The voice of the LORD shakes the desert; the LORD shakes the Desert of Kadesh. ⁹ The voice of the LORD twists the oaks and strips the forests bare. And in his temple all cry, "Glory!" ¹⁰ The LORD sits enthroned over the flood; the LORD is enthroned as King forever. ¹¹ The LORD gives strength to his people; the LORD blesses his people with peace.

I had no idea, until now, that this is perhaps among the oldest psalms. I also didn't know that it is quite likely an adaptation of an ancient Canaanite hymn to Baal.

I love how this Psalm moves from an invitation to praise to the recognition that all power and glory are the Lord's.  Not only does the Lord reign, but according to the psalmist, does so forever.  I also like the way the psalmist either reminds the people about the strength and blessing that comes from the Lord or reminds the Lord to fulfill the Lord's royal duty by strengthening and blessing the people in verse 11 (different theologians have taken both sides of this interpretation). 

I would invite you to read the text again...what do you see?  We are told to ascribe something to the Lord 3 times and we see the words, 'the voice of the Lord' 7 times.  I don't want to stray to the point of being heretical and living in a place of numerology, but I am keenly aware that the numbers 3 and 7 have great significance throughout the Scriptures, so to see a command three times back to back and to see an exact reference to the Lord 7 times in such a short work has me scratching my head and wondering if the significance is coincidental or more meaningful than I know at this time.

What stands out more than anything else, however, is the description of the Lord's voice.  The Lord's voice is powerful, destructive, quick, decisive, present, and mighty.  We will see this again and again throughout the Scriptures...the power and might of the Lord's voice.  From calling life into existence, to raising Lazarus from the grave, the Lord's voice is indeed all of the things the psalmist says.  Perhaps the irony of it being a borrowed hymn, is that it serves the purpose of redirecting people away from Baal or the ways of the world and recognizing once again it is the Lord with the all power; even the power over the wind, the storm and all creation.  Prophetically speaking, this is a message that would be true from the time of the golden calf, to the oppression in Egypt under Pharaoh, to the Roman gods of the first century, and even speaking out against the gods that we follow when we stray from our Lord today.

However, here's a rub; if God's voice is so strong that it can break open heaven (I know I'm referring to the Matthew text a little early) or can twist oaks and shake deserts, why is it then, as Luke Powery and Willie Jennings say, that  this powerful voice is most frequently "expressed in small, unintimidating, often unimpressive, anointed voices?"

Perhaps there is a message in here about our recognizing and submitting to God's sovereign power.  Or the message here is really about listening to those God is sharing his voice through.  Perhaps it is about hearing the audibly loud thunderous voice of God over all the other noise in our life.  Maybe there is some divine foreshadowing to the gospel that should be given more credence.  At the very least, there is a profession here that is consistent throughout all of the scriptures: "The Lord reigns!"

How is this text making its mark on you today?  Please share in the comments section below.

Preparing for the Baptism of our Lord Sunday - Isaiah 42:1-9

Isaiah 42:1-9 is the first of the readings for this upcoming Sunday (January 8th) and goes as follows:
 
"Here is my servant, whom I uphold, my chosen one in whom I delight; I will put my Spirit on him and he will bring justice to the nations. ² He will not shout or cry out, or raise his voice in the streets. ³ A bruised reed he will not break, and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out. In faithfulness he will bring forth justice; ⁴ he will not falter or be discouraged till he establishes justice on earth. In his law the islands will put their hope." ⁵ This is what God the LORD says-- he who created the heavens and stretched them out, who spread out the earth and all that comes out of it, who gives breath to its people, and life to those who walk on it: ⁶ "I, the LORD, have called you in righteousness; I will take hold of your hand. I will keep you and will make you to be a covenant for the people and a light for the Gentiles, ⁷ to open eyes that are blind, to free captives from prison and to release from the dungeon those who sit in darkness. ⁸ "I am the LORD; that is my name! I will not give my glory to another or my praise to idols. ⁹ See, the former things have taken place, and new things I declare; before they spring into being I announce them to you."

Many theologians acknowledge that this portion of text finds itself in the midst of the work(s) of Isaiah referring to God's charges against Israel (trial if you will) and God's divine council in the midst of those charges.  Look how the first 4 verses involve God's presentation of God's servant to Israel.  Notice the authority, support, and anointing that the servant will have under God's direction.  Pay particular attention to how the focus shifts from Israel to the servant in the next five verses.  God establishes/reminds both the servant and the bystander Israel who God is (Creator, Sustainer) and then informs the servant of his task.  Notice how the tasks presented in verses 6 and 7 define what the justice God speaks of earlier is to look like.

I am a little disenfranchised with the Revised Common Lectionary's decision to not include verses 10-13 in the reading for this coming Sunday.  Here is a good rule taught to me by my seminary professors:  always read a little before and a little after whatever text you are given.  Doing this might very well add to the context of the situation at hand and give you new insight.  Even though the verses aren't included in the Lectionary for this reading, I encourage you to go and read them for yourselves.  These last verses round out the previous discourse with a hymn that is enjoined by all creation.  I would invite you to consider if there is any significance between the way that God has called his servant to act (in quietness and gentleness in the early verses of this text) juxtaposed with the explosive call for all of creation to sing out a new song.

At the end of the day, I think one of the most profound nuggets in this text (the first 9 verses) is the connection between the anointing of the Lord and Justice; and consequently the relationship between righteousness and acts of mercy and service.  I believe it was Wesley that said: "there is no holiness without social holiness."  So how is our own anointing, our own righteousness shaped or bound by the covenantal language of this passage out of Isaiah?

Please add to the converstaion by commenting below!

Rebooting

As you can tell from the last entry from January 2015, it has been a while since I have posted anything here on the blog.  It is time to reboot and go at it again.

Recently, the church staff and the leadership here at Tomball United Methodist Church, where I now serve as Senior Pastor, made a decision to have the focus of 2017 rest on discipleship.  Simply put, we want to learn more about Jesus and grow to be better reflections of the One we claim to follow.  To put it in the words of our new episcopal leader, Bishop Scott Jones, "we want to keep the main thing, the main thing."

Our goal is to provide a variety of tools to help maintain this focus.  If you were in service yesterday morning, you noticed that we made some subtle changes to the bulletin that include a space for notes and a weekly challenge.  Additionally, one of the many things that we are doing to fulfill this focus, is that we are returning to a predominately Lectionary driven sermon schedule for our Sunday morning services during the 2017 calendar year (Woven, our 5:30 Sunday evening service will not follow the Lectionary).  The Revised Common Lectionary is a resource that provides multiple scripture passages each week and is used by many as a guide for preaching.  This resource has three years of material organized in a way that you can work through the majority of the Bible (both old and new testaments) during that time if it is followed.  Each week provides you with an Old Testament reading, a psalter reading, a gospel reading and an epistle reading.  So in your bulletin, you will also see that we are printing each of the Lectionary readings for the upcoming Sunday and some questions related to those passages so that you might read ahead and come to worship prepared in a different way to encounter God's word.

Additionally, I've committed to posting something here about each of the readings throughout the week.  I will post about the readings (addressing only one reading per day) on Monday through Thursday and I'll blog prayers, and other tidbits as I feel moved to do.  The Lectionary related articles will be posted (after today) at 6:00 a.m. Monday thru Thursday.  I will post non-related topics at varying times on other days.

As with any blog, you are welcome to join into the conversation through the comments section.  If there is a particular topic or idea you want explored more deeply, leave a comment and perhaps we can look at it in a future post.

I hope and pray that this work we will do together will deepen the conversations we have and will help us all to grow closer in likeness and in deed to our Creator, Redeemer and Sustainer.

Blessings,

Russell