Sermon for Peace Pole Dedication : Following the Prince of Peace
Scripture: Mark 1:14-20
Let Peace prevail on Earth! This is a great and wonderful day, a day to celebrate the presence of our Bishop, who is worshiping with us. It is a day to celebrate the planting of our peace pole: an outward symbol of our inner prayer to live in peace with our brother and sisters around the world. It is a day to celebrate with our neighbors, who work with us for peace. It is a day to celebrate our work together as peacemakers, as we follow the Prince of Peace.
Is it not extraordinary that we are all here? We have come from all kinds of places, Pakistan, the Philippines, England, Columbia, and Korea. Some of us come from others States: other cities yet right now and right here we are gathered together.
Of course we celebrate the journey of this past week, of the remembrance of the life and work of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., of the inauguration of a new president, the confirmation of new members of President Obama’s cabinet. Here in Walnut the city celebrated its 50th birthday, and at the beginning of this year we begin the 45th year of this churches journey to follow the Prince of Peace.
Who could of dreamed of this moment? Who could of imagined that you and I would be here together?
Colin Powell said this week at a speech in Minnesota at a breakfast honoring Dr. King, that he is often asked if he ever dreamed of being attorney general, and then he said, Yes I remember being on the corner when I was 10 making an oath to myself that I would someday be Attorney General, Then he laughed and said of course not, I could never imagine this possibility given the racial barriers in place at the time.
As a young boy growing up in rural New England, I never imagined that someday, I would take the journey that has led me to this time and place. I imagine most of us would say the same.
Dr. King had a dream, not so much for his life but for those he ministered to, those who suffered, those who were mistreated, hated, abused and stigmatized. But because of his faith in God to work on behalf of the oppressed, on behalf of the poor, on behalf of the disenfranchised, that although he did not know exactly what would happen, but he trusted in God to bring justice, to bring redemption, to bring peace. And he had the audacity to believe in using words, not weapons, marching, preaching, praying, and using non-violence resistance to make this dream a reality.
As we worship today, I wonder: what does God have in mind for us? In the scripture, Jesus calls his disciples by simply saying: “Follow Me”. Now we could consider on how the disciples responded, and perhaps we can discover how we can act when God calls us but
Barbara Brown Taylor suggests that we're missing the point if we linger on such questions. This is a story about God, not the disciples or us. To focus on what the disciples gave up (and whether we could do the same), is "to put the accent on the wrong syllable." This "miracle story," as she calls it, is really about "the power of God--to walk right up to a quartet of fishermen and work a miracle, creating faith where there was no faith, creating disciples where there were none just a moment before."
What is amazing is that Jesus does call ordinary people, those who have little power, little wealth, and little impact on the communities they struggled to make a living in. Jesus chooses those not in the city but those in the country. Of course, here we are in Walnut, not the center of LA, not in the center of our Conference hub of activity, but on the outskirts. My colleague, Rev. Wayne Walters reminded us at the Pasadena District Christmas party, he isn’t sure where Walnut is, but he has heard we are a bit nutty. Well it was another place called Walnut Hill, where my father grew up in Orange Massachusetts, that I saw through the lives of my grandparents what it means to follow Jesus. On the week I was born my grandfather, a lay preacher under Bishop John Wesley Lord, was preaching as often did for the pastor who was away on vacation. It was my grandfather who preached about peace, which for him was an important issue.
My grandfather was a high school graduate, a wallpaper and house painter by trade, who had a passion to serve God. He said, in his sermon on July 6, 1958, one week before I was born: “If we are to find peace and freedom, it will come through faith in something that is above and beyond and within all life”. And my grandmother Marshall who I quoted above was a source of strength and comfort as I wrestled with my call to ministry, in March of 1985 she told me something that I will hold in my heart forever, “If I wake up in the night as I lay there it is all quiet and still and I turn to God in prayer asking His blessing on all those I love and asking guidance in all I do”
Here are we are in this place, far away from the terror of war, yet only a prayer away. Jesus does call us even here, in this far away nutty place!
Jesus calls us to be peacemakers, as my grandfather said: “As Christians we are committed to seek peace, work for, pray for it and if necessary die for it”.
Another perhaps more well known preacher, Harry Emerson Fosdick of the famous Riverside Church in New York, wrestled with this commitment as he addressed his congregation many who were in the armed forces. He was very familiar with the efforts to bring an end to the rule of Hitler yet still found himself against war, and his hope was not in war to bring peace,
“ Yet when I for one go back to Christ and his basic teachings never more profoundly did I believe in him than now. After this war and any other wars are over with heir ruin and disillusionment, Christ will be here-a lighthouse looking down on ships that have wrecked themselves upon the reefs, but shining still upon the channel where deep water is. He goes on to say the most decisive battles of history are always fought on the inner battlefield. He says of this inner battlefield in which we struggle to practice peacemaking in face of the temptation of war, Peace is not a mere logical deduction from new world interdependencies, but the most difficult task mankind ever undertook, the way to it is blocked by huge obstacles both in outer circumstance and in the deep –seated prejudice and greed of human hearts.
It is God’s dream it is Jesus’ dream, it was my grandparents dream, it is my dream and I hope it is your dream that we can overcome all the obstacles that keep us from peace. And I believe in God who alone is my rock and my salvation, my fortress, I will never be shaken. For alone my soul waits in silence, for my hope is from him.
So on this day, in this place let us renew our dedication to trust in the Lord, and the Lord alone. Let us renew our commitment to follow the Prince of Peace whenever and wherever he calls us; Let us renew our prayer to call others to this work for peace, in Walnut, in California, and beyond.
I believe this is the work that God calls us to right now, to carry on in Jesus’ name to pray for peace, work for peace, to worship and live in peace.
We are never alone in this walk, we have our Bishop who walks with us, we have our District Superintendent and conference staff, we have our United Methodist Brothers and sisters across the world, those who practice a peace in other faith and cultural traditions, all of whom have been called by God, who are about to be called by God to be peacemakers. I also know that the saints that have brought us this far still pray for us from the heavenly realm, God is with us as we follow the path of peace. Amen
Monday, February 23, 2009
Saturday, February 21, 2009
Sermon: 2-15-09 Following the Prince of Peace: Blessings to Butteflies
Following the Prince of Peace: Blessings to Butterflies!
Scripture lessons: Psalm 30, Luke 10:1-11
Butterflies have always fascinated me! Growing up in Massachusetts as a boy, I was always fascinated with the transition that a caterpillar made, from crawling to cocoon, to emerging as a new creation, able to fly. As a Christian, I am aware of how the butterfly is symbol of resurrection, a visual reminder of the inner transformation we make from this life to the next. I can remember sitting at the graveside service of a friend, and as we paused to pray, just in that moment a butterfly flew right up to the flowers on the casket and lighted there just for a moment, and we said afterwards it was for us a greeting from our friend from the eternal realm.
This week I participated in the Citrus Valley Hospice program and fundraiser called from "Blessings to Butterflies". There were several hundred people who gathered at the Covina Woman’s club, to hear the story of how hospice helps patients and families by providing care full attention to their needs as the patients make the transition from this life to the next. Two of our members Rev. Whaley and Agnes are two who have been blessed by this hospice in particular, Janet is being blessed because her mother is on Hospice care in Long Beach and we may all know someone who has had the benefit of a hospice team caring for them during the transition from this life to the next.
Because I had the opportunity to work as a hospice chaplain I know firsthand the blessings of the hospice program and staff help bring healing, healing to the patient who may be searching for peace in the midst of the dying process, healing for the family who is grieving and trying to support their loved one, and for the friends who experience a variety of emotions.
In today’s scripture Jesus heals a leper who has approached him for care. The leper begs him to make him clean to heal him. We can understand how desperate this leper must have been, to have leprosy, meant to have an incurable disease, it mean dying a terrible death, it meant losing support and being isolated from the support and love you would need. This leper was crying for help.
We might not have leprosy, but there are diseases that do cause people to feel that same sort of desperation for love and care full attention. Sometimes it is a cancer diagnosis, sometimes it is a HIV positive test result, and sometimes it is mental illness that can cause others to judge you as unworthy or unlovable. Unfortunatly we still tend to stigmatize others and keep our love in check. Instead of opening our hearts and minds and doors to them, we close down, we stay away, we do the opposite of what Jesus does, which is to bring healing to a desperate man.
The truth is that any of us can find ourselves in a time of desperation. Especially right now more than ever there are more people who are vulnerable than ever to being desperate to keep a roof over our heads, food on the table, being able to find affordable health care.
Today we remember those who have run the good race, fought the good fight, those who for us are an inspiration, who are saints for us. It is good to remember them, because for us they are our angels who guard over us, who offer us help as
Psalm 30, states: “O Lord my God, I cried to you for help, and you have healed me. O Lord you brought up my soul from Sheol, restored me to life from among those gone down to the pit. “Our healing has an eternal source. Yes we can receive physical healing by good medicines and proper treatments. But when it comes to our spiritual healing, there is only one source, the God who heals the God who restores, the God who helps us transition from hopelessness to hopefulness.
Butterflies are a symbol of that transition that we make in the most desperate moments of life; butterflies symbolize every day resurrection, of new possibilities yet undiscovered in this life. In Hospice work, the butterfly is a symbol of the work that is done by patients, caregivers, volunteers and staff, the work of transformation in the face of the scariest, anxious moments of dying. The blessings of Hospice come through the care full attention of the staff who attends to the spiritual, physical, and emotion needs of patients, families and friends. Those who work in hospice have a special call to bless the world with their love. In the task of changing linens, taking temperatures, and blood pressure, of creating plans of care, providing equipment they partner with families and their support persons, of providing care for those who wish to stay in their homes. These and so many more tasks are the ways the staff blesses the lives of those going through the transition from this life to the next. And they are not done once the patient dies, the blessing continues as the bereavement staff and volunteers help to heal and transform grief into healing, so that souls might take flight again.
Today we remember those who have blessed us by their care and love. We remember their presence then and now for even though they have made the transition to the eternal realm their love is alive in our hearts and minds and souls. And it may not be butterflies that remind us our presence with us. Three of my neighbors in the condo complex our family lives I have gotten to know because they had family members in the hospice program when I worked there, about 10 years ago. Each of these families tell me a story of how they just knew it was their loved one sending them messages. I believe it is true what Jesus says; we all will be resurrected into new life, given wings, and be healed of all our earthly wounds. And I believe we have some sense of connection of those loved ones we have left behind. And one day we all shall be reunited in heaven. And I hope I will have bright Orange and Black wings just like a Monarch, because I am from Orange Massachusetts after all. And my Union college colors were orange and black!
We live in uncertain times, the future is clouded, and many say the worse is yet to come. It is time decide whether we are going to stay in the cocoon, or if we are going to fly, are we going to try to hide, or let our love show.
Consider what Jesus chooses. He had the decision to make whether he would follow his Father’s plan, or ignore his call to bring healing, bring hope, and bring the good news to the world. It was his choice to suffer on a cross to experience betrayal, to feel abandoned by his most trusted inner circle of disciples. It was his choice to feel the judgment of the very people he came to save. As we follow the prince of peace, we need to remember the whole story, Jesus experienced the full force of hate and prejudice and sickness this world had to give. But because he believed in another world, His Father’s world, he made the decision to emerge from the cocoon that could of kept him safe, to leave his mother’s side, his home, and strived to bring hope to a troubled world.
How about you, does the memory of those who we honor today inspire us to new heights of service? Does the promise of answered prayer give us confidence to spread our wings and offer to the world the best we can give so that others might experience healing and love?
We are called to use our every day tasks to bring healing, through our cooking, through our cards and letters, through our smiles and hugs, through our singing and praying, through our working and playing we are called to be followers of the Prince of Peace. Let us pray…
Lord, Bless me with the ability of a butterfly to endure the changes that will happen to me in my lifetime. Help me to accept these changes with a positive and loving attitude.
Bless me with the beauty of a butterfly to allow me to reflect the colors of my soul, being and individuality, and to look for these things in others.
Bless me with the ability of a butterfly to create and instill the feeling of wonder, passion, and excitement towards all of your living creatures.
Bless me with the butterflies' ability to pollinate your flowers, so that I may cultivate your human garden with love and compassion.
Last, but not least, Lord,
Bless me with the grace of ascension, so that I may ascend into your glorious heaven like a rising butterfly, when my journey here on earth, is complete. Amen - J. Dilts, 3-18-99
Scripture lessons: Psalm 30, Luke 10:1-11
Butterflies have always fascinated me! Growing up in Massachusetts as a boy, I was always fascinated with the transition that a caterpillar made, from crawling to cocoon, to emerging as a new creation, able to fly. As a Christian, I am aware of how the butterfly is symbol of resurrection, a visual reminder of the inner transformation we make from this life to the next. I can remember sitting at the graveside service of a friend, and as we paused to pray, just in that moment a butterfly flew right up to the flowers on the casket and lighted there just for a moment, and we said afterwards it was for us a greeting from our friend from the eternal realm.
This week I participated in the Citrus Valley Hospice program and fundraiser called from "Blessings to Butterflies". There were several hundred people who gathered at the Covina Woman’s club, to hear the story of how hospice helps patients and families by providing care full attention to their needs as the patients make the transition from this life to the next. Two of our members Rev. Whaley and Agnes are two who have been blessed by this hospice in particular, Janet is being blessed because her mother is on Hospice care in Long Beach and we may all know someone who has had the benefit of a hospice team caring for them during the transition from this life to the next.
Because I had the opportunity to work as a hospice chaplain I know firsthand the blessings of the hospice program and staff help bring healing, healing to the patient who may be searching for peace in the midst of the dying process, healing for the family who is grieving and trying to support their loved one, and for the friends who experience a variety of emotions.
In today’s scripture Jesus heals a leper who has approached him for care. The leper begs him to make him clean to heal him. We can understand how desperate this leper must have been, to have leprosy, meant to have an incurable disease, it mean dying a terrible death, it meant losing support and being isolated from the support and love you would need. This leper was crying for help.
We might not have leprosy, but there are diseases that do cause people to feel that same sort of desperation for love and care full attention. Sometimes it is a cancer diagnosis, sometimes it is a HIV positive test result, and sometimes it is mental illness that can cause others to judge you as unworthy or unlovable. Unfortunatly we still tend to stigmatize others and keep our love in check. Instead of opening our hearts and minds and doors to them, we close down, we stay away, we do the opposite of what Jesus does, which is to bring healing to a desperate man.
The truth is that any of us can find ourselves in a time of desperation. Especially right now more than ever there are more people who are vulnerable than ever to being desperate to keep a roof over our heads, food on the table, being able to find affordable health care.
Today we remember those who have run the good race, fought the good fight, those who for us are an inspiration, who are saints for us. It is good to remember them, because for us they are our angels who guard over us, who offer us help as
Psalm 30, states: “O Lord my God, I cried to you for help, and you have healed me. O Lord you brought up my soul from Sheol, restored me to life from among those gone down to the pit. “Our healing has an eternal source. Yes we can receive physical healing by good medicines and proper treatments. But when it comes to our spiritual healing, there is only one source, the God who heals the God who restores, the God who helps us transition from hopelessness to hopefulness.
Butterflies are a symbol of that transition that we make in the most desperate moments of life; butterflies symbolize every day resurrection, of new possibilities yet undiscovered in this life. In Hospice work, the butterfly is a symbol of the work that is done by patients, caregivers, volunteers and staff, the work of transformation in the face of the scariest, anxious moments of dying. The blessings of Hospice come through the care full attention of the staff who attends to the spiritual, physical, and emotion needs of patients, families and friends. Those who work in hospice have a special call to bless the world with their love. In the task of changing linens, taking temperatures, and blood pressure, of creating plans of care, providing equipment they partner with families and their support persons, of providing care for those who wish to stay in their homes. These and so many more tasks are the ways the staff blesses the lives of those going through the transition from this life to the next. And they are not done once the patient dies, the blessing continues as the bereavement staff and volunteers help to heal and transform grief into healing, so that souls might take flight again.
Today we remember those who have blessed us by their care and love. We remember their presence then and now for even though they have made the transition to the eternal realm their love is alive in our hearts and minds and souls. And it may not be butterflies that remind us our presence with us. Three of my neighbors in the condo complex our family lives I have gotten to know because they had family members in the hospice program when I worked there, about 10 years ago. Each of these families tell me a story of how they just knew it was their loved one sending them messages. I believe it is true what Jesus says; we all will be resurrected into new life, given wings, and be healed of all our earthly wounds. And I believe we have some sense of connection of those loved ones we have left behind. And one day we all shall be reunited in heaven. And I hope I will have bright Orange and Black wings just like a Monarch, because I am from Orange Massachusetts after all. And my Union college colors were orange and black!
We live in uncertain times, the future is clouded, and many say the worse is yet to come. It is time decide whether we are going to stay in the cocoon, or if we are going to fly, are we going to try to hide, or let our love show.
Consider what Jesus chooses. He had the decision to make whether he would follow his Father’s plan, or ignore his call to bring healing, bring hope, and bring the good news to the world. It was his choice to suffer on a cross to experience betrayal, to feel abandoned by his most trusted inner circle of disciples. It was his choice to feel the judgment of the very people he came to save. As we follow the prince of peace, we need to remember the whole story, Jesus experienced the full force of hate and prejudice and sickness this world had to give. But because he believed in another world, His Father’s world, he made the decision to emerge from the cocoon that could of kept him safe, to leave his mother’s side, his home, and strived to bring hope to a troubled world.
How about you, does the memory of those who we honor today inspire us to new heights of service? Does the promise of answered prayer give us confidence to spread our wings and offer to the world the best we can give so that others might experience healing and love?
We are called to use our every day tasks to bring healing, through our cooking, through our cards and letters, through our smiles and hugs, through our singing and praying, through our working and playing we are called to be followers of the Prince of Peace. Let us pray…
Lord, Bless me with the ability of a butterfly to endure the changes that will happen to me in my lifetime. Help me to accept these changes with a positive and loving attitude.
Bless me with the beauty of a butterfly to allow me to reflect the colors of my soul, being and individuality, and to look for these things in others.
Bless me with the ability of a butterfly to create and instill the feeling of wonder, passion, and excitement towards all of your living creatures.
Bless me with the butterflies' ability to pollinate your flowers, so that I may cultivate your human garden with love and compassion.
Last, but not least, Lord,
Bless me with the grace of ascension, so that I may ascend into your glorious heaven like a rising butterfly, when my journey here on earth, is complete. Amen - J. Dilts, 3-18-99
Thursday, February 19, 2009
Sermon for 2-1-09
2-1-09
Deut. 18:15-20
Mark 1:21-28
Last week after our worship service we went into our fellowship hall for a pot-luck luncheon. I was tending to the various tasks I had to complete and then took my place in line to see what had been prepared. What a feast it was, so many choices of good things to eat, salads and veggies, pototoes, beans, homemade meatballs and chili, so many good tastes and textures to delight the taste buds. And then if that was not enough, there was dessert! Cake and pie and cookies, oh my! When I sat down with my first plate full, the Bishop’s husband commented on how good everything was, the rest of the table chimed in, yes, what a marvelous pot-luck!
We all gave thanks for those who had prepared such a good feast, and how much the food added to the celebration of the day.
As we come together this day around the table, to celebrate this holy meal, we bring not food, but ourselves. We bring a potluck of skills gifts talents and life experiences. We bring our prayers, our hopes and our dreams, our joys and concerns. We bring the experiences of all our life long, we have taken different paths to this place and time. And as we bring this diversity we are grounded by the one Lord, the One God who unites us all in common mission and ministry to the world. Because we are diverse, in cultural background, in the languages we speak, the experiences in life , what we offer to one another and the world is a banquet of blessing. We give in different ways, but we are united in this service by the Holy Spirit which directs us to feed the world with spiritual and physical food.
This week I went to dinner with a group of clergy, and we were talking about how to reach out to college aged young adults and Karen who served in a church a block away from Ohio State told the story of how her church began a new ministry. She said the congregation was really wrestling with how to be a churh home for the thousand of college students who attended Ohio State. Then one Friday night as she was trying to go to sleep, she was awakened by shouts. She got up and looked out and saw college students walking down the street in groups of 20-30. They were walking from the frat houses and the dorms down past the church and the parsonage, to the bars in town. This gave her an idea, if they are all walking right past us what could we do to bring them in to the church, cause if we could get them in the door, then perhaps they would see how much we have to offer. So she did some research, and found that the students would often go out to breakfast after the bars closed. So she talked to the church, and they started to offer breakfast at 1-3 in the morning on Saturday. The church volunteers found the money for food, and it started with only 8, two cooking, two cleaning, two sitting with the students and talking with them. About 40 showed up that first night, but soon the numbers swelled to 120, and there was a buzz started on campus, have you been to the church breakfast? It is great, a safe place. And then the students began to see the church with new eyes, and so did the church members. Soon Christian music, live became a part of the outreach. Soon a bible study for college kids was started and soon a whole worship service was started. Recently Karen heard from one of the young men who had worked as a volunteer cooking eggs and pancakes. He is in seminary, and hoping to serve in the ministry.
Food is such a part of our lives. Super bowl parties and peace pole plantings, birthday parties and holidays. As a church we offer both physical food , and spiritual food to those who are hungry.
In our Old Testament lesson, God promises a special provider of this spiritual food, a prophet, one who“ I will put my words in the mouth of the prophet, who shall speak to them everything that I command.” The word of God is what our souls are hungry for. Psalm 111 proclaims: God provides food for those who fear him”. God provides us food for our journeys as we walk down the path with Jesus.
However, there are false prophets those who speak in the names of other gods, which is to say those who do not heed to the laws of Moses, those who tempt followers to follow a false god, one who provides junk food for our souls.
The point is that true knowledge and wisdom, that what our souls hunger for in grounded in God.
We are invited to gather around the table and to embrace God’s gift. We gather to eat God’s word, as Eugene Peterson says in his book we recently used as a bible study: “Lectio Divina... is a spiritual reading, reading that enters our souls as food enters our stomachs, spreads through our blood, and becomes holiness and love and wisdom” (p.4 Eat this Book by Eugene Peterson).
When we embrace God we chose to follow a path of peace. And we chose to follow the prince of Peace, Jesus our messiah.
Already we have started the second month of our new year, it seems just a moment ago I was watching the Rose Parade, we were just getting our new Air Conditioning and Heat pumps installed, we were just starting the peace pole garden. But here we are February 1, 2009! Jesus has grown up in one month. We have gone from celebrating his birth, and growing up years to today’s scripture where he is healing a man with unclean spirits.
What struck me about this passage was the movement of Jesus. They traveled to Capernaum, when Sabbath came they entered the synagogue and Jesus taught. They were astounded at his teaching, for he taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes. Jesus travels from the sea of Galilee where he has called his diciples to the Capernaum. He goes from calling to teaching to healing.
It is for us the same movement as we follow Jesus on our journey. We are called, we are fed by the teachings, and then we heal. We are called as a pot luck people to heal a hurting world, to feed those who hunger for the truth, hunger for love, hunger for peace. We are called by Jesus to bless the world with the love we receive from God, we are called to go out into the world, and find those who hurt, find those who are starving. We might think we do not have much to offer, but just as we all bring our gifts of food to form a banquet, God provides us with all we need to offer food to the world. We are not alone, we are a part of the great pot luck of believers who work for the same God as we do, a God that never gives up, and always works for healing.
Last week was a great week for our church, the peace pole planting was a great moment in our history, and as someone said, it is the best service we will have all year. Well, I am not sure what God has in store for us, but we cannot not rest, the world is calling and it will take the best we have to offer which we receive from God around this table to meet the needs of a hurting world. Amen
Deut. 18:15-20
Mark 1:21-28
Last week after our worship service we went into our fellowship hall for a pot-luck luncheon. I was tending to the various tasks I had to complete and then took my place in line to see what had been prepared. What a feast it was, so many choices of good things to eat, salads and veggies, pototoes, beans, homemade meatballs and chili, so many good tastes and textures to delight the taste buds. And then if that was not enough, there was dessert! Cake and pie and cookies, oh my! When I sat down with my first plate full, the Bishop’s husband commented on how good everything was, the rest of the table chimed in, yes, what a marvelous pot-luck!
We all gave thanks for those who had prepared such a good feast, and how much the food added to the celebration of the day.
As we come together this day around the table, to celebrate this holy meal, we bring not food, but ourselves. We bring a potluck of skills gifts talents and life experiences. We bring our prayers, our hopes and our dreams, our joys and concerns. We bring the experiences of all our life long, we have taken different paths to this place and time. And as we bring this diversity we are grounded by the one Lord, the One God who unites us all in common mission and ministry to the world. Because we are diverse, in cultural background, in the languages we speak, the experiences in life , what we offer to one another and the world is a banquet of blessing. We give in different ways, but we are united in this service by the Holy Spirit which directs us to feed the world with spiritual and physical food.
This week I went to dinner with a group of clergy, and we were talking about how to reach out to college aged young adults and Karen who served in a church a block away from Ohio State told the story of how her church began a new ministry. She said the congregation was really wrestling with how to be a churh home for the thousand of college students who attended Ohio State. Then one Friday night as she was trying to go to sleep, she was awakened by shouts. She got up and looked out and saw college students walking down the street in groups of 20-30. They were walking from the frat houses and the dorms down past the church and the parsonage, to the bars in town. This gave her an idea, if they are all walking right past us what could we do to bring them in to the church, cause if we could get them in the door, then perhaps they would see how much we have to offer. So she did some research, and found that the students would often go out to breakfast after the bars closed. So she talked to the church, and they started to offer breakfast at 1-3 in the morning on Saturday. The church volunteers found the money for food, and it started with only 8, two cooking, two cleaning, two sitting with the students and talking with them. About 40 showed up that first night, but soon the numbers swelled to 120, and there was a buzz started on campus, have you been to the church breakfast? It is great, a safe place. And then the students began to see the church with new eyes, and so did the church members. Soon Christian music, live became a part of the outreach. Soon a bible study for college kids was started and soon a whole worship service was started. Recently Karen heard from one of the young men who had worked as a volunteer cooking eggs and pancakes. He is in seminary, and hoping to serve in the ministry.
Food is such a part of our lives. Super bowl parties and peace pole plantings, birthday parties and holidays. As a church we offer both physical food , and spiritual food to those who are hungry.
In our Old Testament lesson, God promises a special provider of this spiritual food, a prophet, one who“ I will put my words in the mouth of the prophet, who shall speak to them everything that I command.” The word of God is what our souls are hungry for. Psalm 111 proclaims: God provides food for those who fear him”. God provides us food for our journeys as we walk down the path with Jesus.
However, there are false prophets those who speak in the names of other gods, which is to say those who do not heed to the laws of Moses, those who tempt followers to follow a false god, one who provides junk food for our souls.
The point is that true knowledge and wisdom, that what our souls hunger for in grounded in God.
We are invited to gather around the table and to embrace God’s gift. We gather to eat God’s word, as Eugene Peterson says in his book we recently used as a bible study: “Lectio Divina... is a spiritual reading, reading that enters our souls as food enters our stomachs, spreads through our blood, and becomes holiness and love and wisdom” (p.4 Eat this Book by Eugene Peterson).
When we embrace God we chose to follow a path of peace. And we chose to follow the prince of Peace, Jesus our messiah.
Already we have started the second month of our new year, it seems just a moment ago I was watching the Rose Parade, we were just getting our new Air Conditioning and Heat pumps installed, we were just starting the peace pole garden. But here we are February 1, 2009! Jesus has grown up in one month. We have gone from celebrating his birth, and growing up years to today’s scripture where he is healing a man with unclean spirits.
What struck me about this passage was the movement of Jesus. They traveled to Capernaum, when Sabbath came they entered the synagogue and Jesus taught. They were astounded at his teaching, for he taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes. Jesus travels from the sea of Galilee where he has called his diciples to the Capernaum. He goes from calling to teaching to healing.
It is for us the same movement as we follow Jesus on our journey. We are called, we are fed by the teachings, and then we heal. We are called as a pot luck people to heal a hurting world, to feed those who hunger for the truth, hunger for love, hunger for peace. We are called by Jesus to bless the world with the love we receive from God, we are called to go out into the world, and find those who hurt, find those who are starving. We might think we do not have much to offer, but just as we all bring our gifts of food to form a banquet, God provides us with all we need to offer food to the world. We are not alone, we are a part of the great pot luck of believers who work for the same God as we do, a God that never gives up, and always works for healing.
Last week was a great week for our church, the peace pole planting was a great moment in our history, and as someone said, it is the best service we will have all year. Well, I am not sure what God has in store for us, but we cannot not rest, the world is calling and it will take the best we have to offer which we receive from God around this table to meet the needs of a hurting world. Amen
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