Sermon -

Devotions - Wednesday, Sept 10

I love the stories about Jesus and Lazarus. In John 11, when Jesus speaks of Lazarus, he refers to him as "Our friend." In one of the other accounts, when Jesus learns that Lazarus has died, we get the shortest verse in the bible - "Jesus wept." The stories of Jesus and Lazarus remind me of the humanness of Jesus. He not only had disciples, he had friends.

We read of Jesus' compassion. We know that he cared for the crowds. He sought to shepherd them. It is a good additive to see that he allowed that care to be more than charity. He was doing more than dispensing his excess good will - he was forming relationships.

Jesus must always remain Christ - I am not advocating a reduction of his importance. Rather, I am taking comfort from the story's insight that Jesus not only cared for us, Jesus cares about us. We are more than followers or disciples - we are his friends.

There is that line, in our Sunday liturgy (when we use the Now the Feast and Celebration liturgy) in which we refer to Jesus our Saviour and our friend. That line will remind me of the positive experience associated with this morning's refection.

Jesus saves me.
Jesus befriends me.

Devotions - Tuesday, Sept 9

I enjoy our Monday night Bible Study. I enjoy it most of all when the participants make that "I am not sure I accept what you are saying" face. It encourages me, to realize that we are each prepared to stand by our convictions of what the Word is saying to us.

Last night, we were studying Matthew 8 & 9. A question was asked about one of the verses. I suggested that while it was attached to the preceding story, it was really a summary statement of where the writer was taking us, in the whole section. "There are several of these," I added. I got that face.

I thought, again this morning, about one of those summary statements. It is Matthew 9:8, in which we read, "When the crowds saw it, they were filled with awe, and they glorified God, who had given such authority to human beings." It was Jesus who had performed the preceding miracle (he forgave a man's sin, and the man's illness was also removed.) Why does the writer speak of authority being given to humans? Well, I suggested that the reference was to the Church and to the Church's role in continuing to forgive sins.

One of the things which is difficult for all of us to wrap our minds around is the thought that God - GOD - would entrust mere mortals with so much. God risked everything in taking on the form of a human, of becoming one of us. The resurrected Jesus leaves his newly established Church in the hands of the apostles, then he ascends.

They do a good job. This morning I was reading from Acts 14. Paul and Barnabus are doing such a good job that the people think they are gods, and come prepared to make a sacrifice to them. Paul tears his garments and begs them not to do such a thing. God is the one to be praised. God is the one who is to be honored. He and Barnabus are but willing servants - mere human beings to whom God entrusted the story which they had come to share.

God accomplishes wonderful things. Much of this, God accomplishes through mere mortals - persons like you and me. Persons to whom the good news has come, and found a home, and given a voice. This says a lot about God's confidence in us. It says a lot about God.

Devotions - Monday, Sept 8

The Book of Job is a series of futile attempts at self-justification. Job, and the friends who come to be with him, all make attempts at explaining what has happened and why. None of their answers satisfy. All are lacking - in one way or another. Near the end of the book Elihu speaks.

Elihu has been present during the earlier discourses, but he has held his tongue. He says, "I am young in years, and you are aged; therefore I was timid and afraid to declare my opinion to you." Out of respect for his elders, he has not spoken.

As one who is gaining a few years, I appreciate that attitude. There must be some benefit to living long enough to see the coming and going of many differing upheavals and crisis.

But it is not the passage of time which brings wisdom, as Elihu points out. "It is the spirit in a person. the breath of the Almighty, that makes a person understand."

Those WWJD bracelets have gone out of style. I never really wore one, but I remember thinking that if I had one I might be reminded, each time I prepared to act, to take time to think as God would think, hopefully encouraging me to act as Christ would act.

Before I speak, I should work my way through the same sort of reminder questions. What would be God's word, in this situation. Are the words I am about to speak words which make God more present? Or, are they satisfying my selfish desires or wishes?

God's spirit is within us. That spirit guide us into all understanding. Allowing that spirit to flow forth, guiding the words of our mouths, will go a long way in making our words words of wisdom and understanding.

Pastor Chris

Devotions - Thurs, Sept 4

Why do people believe in Jesus as the Christ?

This morning I read Acts 13:1-12. The Apostles are summoned to the home of an influential man. Standing in their way is a magician, a "false prophet." Paul speaks God's Word and this false prophet loses his sight. The man who had invited the Apostles "believed, when he saw all that had occurred, for he was astonished at the teaching of the Lord."

It might be argued that he came to believe after he saw the miracle, the power, of Christ's followers. It could be argued that faith is a result of becoming convinced (by seeing a display of might) that God is truly God.

It could also be concluded that the miracle cleared the way so that the Word could make its way to the man. That it is the Word which brought about faith.

Why do you believe?

I should share my answer to my own question - I find myself caught up in a web of believers. I grew up in a Christian home. I benefited from a social circle in which church was very important. Along the way, I carefully examined what it was about that network which made it the caring, supporting place I experienced it to be.

Along the way, there were deaths and hardships - so I came to understand that it wasn't all that fancy stunting which keep the community together. An occasional miracle (if that is what you wanted to call it) only made the absence of miracles in another situation more painful. That community was not established on divine manipulation of events.

This community of folks believed, just as I came to believe, that God's Word is the sound which makes one's heart beat. God's Word astonishes us with its clarity, and insight, and truth. God's Word calls into being all that exists. It gives me hope and confidence.

There remain those who stand in opposition. They oppose with their actions; they oppose with their alternate interpretations of God's Word. Again, I turn to that network (to the community which bears Christ's name) for help in overcoming opposition. The community affirms for me that I am on the right path. The community helps me to understand the nuances of what God is saying to me.

Why do people believe? Why do you believe?

Devotions- Wednesday, Sept 3

The stakes are high. Life (lives) is on the line. My reading this morning brought this message to me.

First, from Acts 12, I read of Herod's encounter with the people of Tyre and Sidon. They come to ask his aid. He puts on his royal robes, sits on his throne. When he is asserted as a god, not a man, "an angel of the Lord smote him." He is eaten by worms and dies.

Second, in John 8, Jesus is in another argument with the leaders of the religious council. He speaks of his relationship with God, of his identity as the Messiah. To them, this is heresy. They take up stones to throw at him. Jesus hides himself and goes out of the temple.

People are dying over this stuff.

There are places in this world where one might still be in danger of physical death, as a result of their faith. We should acknowledge that speaking God's Word in our own culture places you at risk of rejection and scorn. It is possible for life to be taken away as a result of one's devotion to God. What sticks with me is the thought that life evades those who have not heard God's invitation.

I am thinking of the lonely, the outcast, those dejected. I am thinking of those who are left to worry that no one (no one including no God) loves them or cares about them. Life can be taken away; life can also never be fully realized. Many are dying, because they have never heard the good news of Christ's salvation.

The stakes are high.

We should never allow ourselves to forget that we have been given a precious gift. We have been entrusted with the Words of Life. Let us give thanks for this gift. And on the ready to share this gift with those around us. Without our intervention, many of them will continue to die.

Devotions - Tuesday, Sept 2

I had commented earlier that my lectionary has me reading through Job. It is a long book, so there will be readings from it for a while longer. That is okay, there is much to be learned, from this book.

This morning I was reading from the 13th chapter. Here, Job is speaking, and he says, "Will you speak falsely for God, and speak deceitfully for him? Will you show partiality toward him, and will you plead the case for God?"

Job is growing frustrated with those who are trying to convince him that he (Job) in some way deserves his suffering. Job is angry that those sitting with him are making assumptions, and not honestly looking at the situation.

The professor in my preaching class had these catchy little sentences to keep in mind when we write our sermons. One of them was, "Don't take God's side too quickly." Sometimes the faithful do have a leg to stand on when they lift their voices to God. The Psalmist cries out, "How long, O Lord, will you abandon us?"

We are not justified in demanding of God that every desire be granted. But, it is appropriate that we lift our voices to God, expressing the anguish of our hearts and the confusion of our minds. As we consider the plight of those for whom we pray, we should not "speak falsely for God, and speak deceitfully for him." We should never add contempt to suffering by insisting that it is God's will that hardship has come their way.

I don't want to spoil the ending, but Job's fortune will be restored. Job is right. He goes toe-to-toe with God and exposes the erroneous thinking of those who looked for easy answers to why all this was happening to him. From Job we can learn the importance of standing on the side of those who suffer, never assuming that it is some Godly punishment for some unrepented sin.

Devotion - Monday, Sept 1

It is Labor Day. I needed to affirm that for all of my Clemson readers. On campus, this Monday is business as usual.

I don't mean that to be a cheap shot at the Administration. It is very difficult to cancel a day of classes when some classes only meet one day a week (Monday night) and to figure out a way for those in labs to make up their work and remain in sync with the other sections.

Of what concern is this to me, or to a "devotional" offering? You might ask. Isn't Labor Day a secular holiday, anyway?

One of heroes, who has retired from Clemson, is Bill Steirer. For years, Bill would show up for work wearing a big button on his lapel. It read, "On Assignment from God." He has obtained it through his work with the Ministry In Daily Life emphasis in the Synod. It was his way of reminding himself that his teaching was his calling, it was his contribution to the building up of the Kingdom.

In looking for contributions made to the Church through the Reformation, we should not overlook the changed attitude about daily work. It isn't only the priests and religious who serve God. Luther pointed out that God is equally honored by the milkmaid's work.

God has called His children to a variety of tasks, equipped them with differing abilities. Each serves, as their abilities dictate, the common good. Be that as secretary, janitor, engineer, teacher, or bus driver; God's will and God's work happens through our labors.

For many of you, your labor is your studies. Your task is to learn as much as you can, preparing yourself for the tasks you will later assume. I am sorry that you don't have a day to rest from your labors. I hope, at least, that you might realize the importance of your work and re-dedicate yourself to it.

Devotions - Thursday, Aug 28

I was reading this morning from the middle verses of John 7. The people of Jerusalem are marveling at Jesus' teachings. John combines their interest in Jesus with the continual threats to Jesus' life. The people wonder why those in authority would want to kill Jesus.

And why would they?

In Dostoevsky's book, The Brothers Karamazov, one brother tells the pious brother a tell in which the priest finds Satan beaten and dying. Realizing that he has the chance to finish Satan off, he is warned by Satan what that would mean. He reminds the priest that so much of his own life is built upon waging war with Satan. Where would his life be - where would the life of the Church be - if Satan were no more. The priest takes Satan and nurses him back to health.

Why would he do that?

Sometimes it is easier to NOT be something that to BE something. Sometimes it is easier to speak of what we are to avoid, rather than focus on what we are to do. Rather than concentrate on the life to which God is calling us, we shout loudly against a life we are to avoid.

Those who called for Jesus' death were those who had devoted their lives to the prohibitions of the law. They weren't sure how to handle someone who focused on the prescriptions of God. It is easier to fight against the Devil than it is to to fight for the good.

Devotions - Wednesday, August 27

Within the community of the Christian Church, it is somewhat of a rarity for us to encounter someone whose ethic roots are Jewish. So much so, that we might be inclined to refer to them as a "Jewish Christian." Yet, the witness of Christian scripture is of a long and difficult admission process for those who were not Jewish.

This morning I read from Acts 10. This is the account of Peter's vision in which he is told by God, "What God has cleansed, you must not call common." You would think that such a vision and visit from God would be enough for anyone. But we are told that the vision came to Peter three times - three times - before he was ready to accept it, or embrace it.

We, non-Jewish followers of Jesus, are grafted onto the tree. We are additions.

I am not trying to create a feeling of instability, rather one of gratefulness. We assume that we are "entitled" to belong. We forget that our inclusion came at a great price.

In Luther's Small Catechism, second article to the Creed, Luther reminds us, "At great cost (Jesus the Christ) has saved and redeemed me, a lost and condemned person. He has freed me from sin, death, and the power of the devil - not with silver or gold, but with his holy and precious blood and his innocent suffering and death."

We should not take our salvation for granted. It is right and proper that we would express our gratitude and appreciation to God for admitting us to the community which bears his name.

Pastor Chris

Devotions - Tuesday, August 26

I read this morning from John 6:60-71. Jesus has laid out for his followers what life is like for those who follow him. Referring to his words as a "hard saying," many begin to fall away.

There is a harshness to Jesus' words.

His words put us out of step with the world around us.

Not that being out of step is a bad thing. John Douglas Hall has a book titled The Stewardship of Life in the Kingdom of Death. In it he speaks of the things valued and sought after in our culture. The things for which way too many give their lives (huge house, fancy car, prestige) may look attractive, but they are not that which will give life.

The prayers of our second and third decade (that God might bring us success) are replaced by our prayers in the follow decades that God would bless us with a few good friends.

As the crowd begins to thin, Jesus turns to the twelve and asks them if they also would like to go away. We can't be sure of the tone, but their words reveal that they have given it some consideration. "Lord, to whom shall we go?" they reply. They might consider going elsewhere, but there is no other place where they can be satisfied. "You have the words of eternal life," they go on to say.

Being a follower of Jesus won't make you the most popular person. As a follower, you find it necessary to name the evil you see. As a follower, you won't be comfortable stepping on other's fingers as you climb the ladder of success. You can't be the really witty person who tells all the memorable jokes at a party. But you will know that your life is connected to the life which is eternal. You will understand that while others are serving themselves and their own ends you are working to bring about the conclusion which serves God's purpose.

Jesus' words can be harsh. But no other words have the ability to bring us life.

Devotions - Monday, August 25

The lectionary I follow has turned to the book of Job. This is a difficult book to read in daily, short segments. By reading only a few verses, one might develop an erroneous impression as to what the book is saying.

You know the basic plot - Job is identified by God as a mortal who is upright and blameless, one who fears God and turns away from evil. The question raised in the first chapter is whether Job would turn to God where he not so wealthy and fortunate. So, all that he has is taken from him.

There are these friends who come to be with Job. They start out doing the right thing - they sit with Job and observe his grief. But then, they begin to speak. One by one they try to convince Job that he has surely done something to deserve his fate.

Their speeches are very poetic and convincing. I read one of them this morning, from the fifth chapter. Were I not acquainted with the whole of the Book of Job, I might be convinced that the circumstances of our lives are a direct result of the way we live our lives. The piece I read this morning is beautiful, but it is really a counter argument to the book's message.

Understanding context is very important. Knowing something about the whole is essential to evaluate the part.

When you take up your Bible to read, affirm for yourself what it is that you already know about the story. Think on the things you have been taught and believe. Be aware of the assumptions and convictions already in place in your heart and in your mind. This is not a preventative to allowing the scriptures to speak to you, it is preparation which will allow the verses to sustain the faith already within you.

The whole is essential to evaluating each individual part. There is an end result toward which all this is moving. We are more likely to remain on track when we have spent some time considering the rails upon which we are moving.

Sermon - Pent 15 - Aug 24, 2008

Pentecost 15 - Year A (previously Pent14.A) Rev. Chris S. Heavner

August 24, 2008 University, Clemson

Matthew 16:13-20

Built upon the Faith of Peter

It wasn't the reason I decided to marry Laura, but part of what helped me to realize I could spend the rest of my life with this woman was the way she and her parents sat around the dinner table and talked theology. Yes, theology. Remember, I was in my final year of seminary - Laura was in her first. Getting married would mean a two-clergy couple. So, when I met her parents for the first time, I was delighted that we sat around the table and talked about the stuff which I knew would consume every hour of my work-week.

I was excited, as were they (I think,) until we began to run aground on the issues of theology where my ideas and theirs weren't quite in sync. Case in point – today's Gospel lesson. I think it was six years ago, when I preached on this text, that the dinner conversation got a bit testy. Bottom line – upon what is it that Jesus says he will "build his Church"? Is it Peter, the disciple? Or is it the confession made by Peter?

I am slow to back down from a firmly held position. But, as I prepared for this morning's proclamation of the gospel, I realized that when taken in context, Jesus pronouncement in Matthew 16:18 has more to do with what Peter says than with who he is. It is the confession of Peter, his ability to recognize Jesus as the Christ; it is his willingness to stake his life on such a proposition; this is the "rock" upon which Christ's church is to be built.

The issue here is faith. Peter finds the courage to model it. The rock, for which Jesus has been looking, is the firm foundation established in the lives of those who see and hear and believe.

I don't know how many of you have your bibles with you this morning. If you do, a quick scan of the material leading up to this morning's selected Gospel text would reveal the path Matthew has been lying down to get here. It is a path which traverses insightful preaching, great miracles, and an ability to see into the hearts and minds of others. The suggestions made by the disciples, when asked, "Who do people say that I am?" retrace the events of the previous three chapters. Jesus isn't satisfied with the names they mention; and neither are we satisfied by the acts of ministry capable by anyone less than the Messiah.

The disciples start with John the Baptist. A good start. John was very popular and effective. While the official records of the Roman government never mention Jesus, there are records which speak of John. He caused quite a stir with his preaching and his message. His life was cut short – latterly. His head was cut off. To think that Jesus might be another John the Baptist was a tribute to him.

Jesus had shown some of John's skill. While there are no stories of Jesus preaching the riverside and inviting hearers to be baptized, Matthew's 13^th chapter is chocked full of things Jesus taught. The crowds who come out to hear him are impressed. They are moved by his words. But skill as an orator isn't enough. Jesus goes back to his childhood home and the people there won't accept him. An indication, perhaps, that no preacher can have the desired effect on everyone.

The disciples also suggest that Jesus might be Elijah. Elijah spoke God's word when it needed to be spoken. Elijah was also at the center of several of the Old Testament's greatest displays of God's power and strength. Remember the encounter at Mt. Carmel when the prophets of Baal and Elijah have their show-down. It is Elijah's prayers which result in the fire coming down from the heavens, consuming his sacrifice – and the prophets of Baal in the process.

An amazing miracle to behold. But not completely satisfying. Might the mention of Elijah here be an explanation of the material contained in the middle verses of Matthew 14. Here, Jesus feeds the 5,000 with the five loaves and two fish. A great show of power and might – but not completely satisfying. No miracle will ever be able to effect the permanent change desired. Only a Messiah can save us.

Great preaching; the working of miracles – how often do we find ourselves speaking of such things when we talk theology? And yet, neither of these are enough. They help, but they aren't going to keep Peter from sinking.

And, remember, that he does sink, at the end of Chapter 14.

That is the story of Jesus walking on the water. The disciples, who are comfortable in a boat, think they are seeing a ghost. When Jesus tells them not to be afraid, it is he, Peter says, , "Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water." Jesus tells Peter to come. He does fine for a few moments, then he begins to sink. Jesus reaches out his hand and saves him. In explaining why Peter was not able to walk on the water with Jesus, Jesus says to him, "You of little faith, why did you doubt?" The story is not about Jesus' ability to walk on water. It is about the "little faith" of those who surrounded him. Matthew's story line builds and builds in such a way as to make faith the outcome of the wonderful teachings Jesus offers as well as the amazing miracles he performs.

When Peter is finally able to blurt out, "You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God," the story has reached its intended climax. It is the confession of Peter upon which the Church is built. It is our ability to confess with him which adds further stones to the foundation of the Church.

The Church is built up, not with eloquent sermons nor with the working of tremendous miracles. The Church is built up when sinking souls like Peter finally have the ability to set aside their fears and confess Christ as Lord.

If you are finding it difficult to imagine yourself deciding to make a similar confession, make sure that you read the second half of verse seventeen. It is from verses like this that Martin Luther gleaned his insistence that we do not "come to faith" but are given faith. Jesus tells Peter, "Flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father in heaven." Faith, itself, is a gift, given to us by God. It is God's act, God's revelation, which makes possible our confession. We can't arrive at the critical juncture by mustering up our courage and conviction. We are able to share in the confession of Peter when the work of God is completed within us.

If you come back next week, you will be allowed to see that making the confession once doesn't mean that the deal is sealed. In Matthew 16:21 we begin the story in which Peter, the one who confess Jesus as Messiah, will refuse to accept Jesus' warnings as to what this will mean. It isn't an easy road – placing our confidence in this Jesus and then following him to the end.

But we are encouraged to begin, with an acknowledgement of our tongue, of our confidence in Jesus as the one for whom the world has been longing. Allowing the faith planted within us to break forth into the light of the day; confessing with Peter that in Jesus we have found the one who is for us that embodiment of the living God. Make the confession. Hold to the conviction. Then sort of going along for the ride, waiting to see where God will take us.

Amen.

Devotions - Thursday, Aug 21

"He makes me to lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside still waters."

I can't imagine how many times I have read, or listened as someone else read, this verse from Psalm 23. But this morning a reading from Studdert Kennedy gave me a new insight to very familiar words.

We read of the green pastures and the still waters, and our first thoughts may be of a beautiful and peaceful place. The image which develops in our mind is of a place of luxury, a place where the sun and the rain have combined to create a visually stunning scene.

But this is not the shepherd's motivation for leading his sheep to such a place. This place is ideal because the green pastures means there is plenty to eat. The still waters means there is something to drink, without the dangers of a rushing violent river. This place is not a luxury, it is a necessity.

God does "add on" to our lives many wonderful things. God blesses us with beautiful sights and unspeakable joy. But our turn to God is not to make life better; it is to find life itself.

"God makes the rain to fall on the just and the unjust." Whether we turn to God or not, God comes to us and provides for us. However, in turning, in acknowledging the one who creates the green pastures and the still waters, we become aware of the One who gives us these gifts. The add-on which is beyond comparison is the ability to eat our fill and knowing who to thank. It is realizing that our drink from the still waters is not taking something which belongs to someone else, it is receiving that which was created for this very purpose.

Pastor Chris

Devotions - Wednesday, Aug 20

This is the day that I have been looking forward to for months. It is really tough to be a campus pastor during the summer, when everyone is away. This past summer was particularly tough. We had hardly any of our kids in town. A few of the grad students remained faithful in attending worship, but even they tended to be out and about (and who could blame them?) I have been looking forward to the beginning of the school year and all the excitement that it brings.

I didn't know, last June when I started looking forward to this day, that it would also be the day that my oldest child would board a plane for New Mexico. She will be volunteering for the next year, with a Lutheran ministry called Border Servant Corp. Her specific area of responsibility will be volunteer coordination with the Las Cruces Habitat for Humanity Affiliate.

There are mixed emotions, for me, on this day. I am reminded that practically every strong emotion has two faces.

Some of you already know that my most often referred to story in the Bible is the story of Jacob and the night visitor. The man comes and wrestles with Jacob all night, but does not prevail. Finally, he strikes Jacob on the hip and puts it out of joint. Jacob still won't release him until he gives Jacob a blessing. Jacob receives the name "Israel," but is left with a permanent limp. Blessing and wounds - two faces of the same encounter.

I went to the Ron Rash lecture for First Year Reading Project. He talked about the characters in his book, One Foot in Eden. They were dedicated, hard working people. They also showed the signs of flawed humanity. No matter how hard we work at it, things seldom follow a simple and straight path.

Thank you for allow me to share my emotions with you. I do so for a purpose: To encourage you to acknowledge the multifaceted aspects of this day in your own life. Some of you are beginning your college career. Others are beginning their final year of study. Some of you are transitioning into the courses which define your career choice. Be excited; be nervous; be honest with all that is going on inside you.

The community which bears the name of Christ is a safe place to expose our mixed emotions. It is the perfect place to expose our fears and seek a salve for that which hurts us. Together we will make our way through the months and years ahead. Together, we will discover and then pursue the path God would have in store for us.

Devotions - Tuesday, August 19

I want to continue to reflect on verses from John, Chapter 5. Today I read 30 to 47. In these, Jesus is trying to convince his hearers that if they were to have properly understood their scriptures, they would know who he is.

He says, "You search the scriptures, because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is they that bear witness to me; yet you refuse to come to me that you may have life."

Jesus is speaking more about their hardness of heart than their ability to comprehend. But his words challenged me this morning, as I prayed for insight to what the scriptures are saying to me now; to the Church as it currently exists.

Without prayerful meditation; without intentional study; it is easy to allow the scriptures to reinforce what it is that we already think. It is rather easy (and way too tempting) to pull out those verses of scripture which endorse my life and the way that I have chosen to live it.

It is a horrifying thought, that I might be in the same boat as those to whom Jesus first spoke these words. I search the scriptures, because I do believe that they are my guide to eternal life. I pray that my search brings me to the place where I encounter the heart of the scriptures - Jesus the Christ.

It can be tough to know what the scriptures mean. It is tempting to read into them what we want to believe. Our life is found when we allow the scriptures to place us in a relationship with the living Christ. It is not this or that verse which will bring us joy. Our peace is found in the One to whom those lines bear witness.

Pastor Chris

Devotions - Monday, August 18

Jesus knew his own limits. In John 5:19 he says, "Truly, truly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of his own accord."

Knowing one's limits is a good thing to remember. It prevents us from venturing too far into uncharted territories; it prevents us from promising more than we can ever hope to deliver; it means that our talk will be matched by our walk. Even Jesus admitted that of which he was capable and that which was not within his grasp.

I need to acknowledge the tone of the preceding paragraph. I don't mean to imply that Christ, the second person of the Trinity, is limited. Rather, I am using this verse of scripture in order to highlight Jesus (the man)'s understanding of where his ability to accomplish anything at all comes from.

The verse continues.... "the Son can do nothing of his own accord, but only what he sees the Father doing." This completes the thought. Jesus may be unable to do anything of his own accord, but in mimicking the Father, he is able to accomplish amazing things.

We should also be humble enough to realize that the great things of which we are capable are possible because of the gifts that God has given us. Our minds, our insights, our work - all of this is possible as a result of what our Father has done. We are able to do, because of what our Father has first done.

There are times when we might feel discouraged. Those emotions come over us when we become too detached from the One who is able to accomplish all things. We become frustrated with our limits when we compare ourselves to those around us, looking at them rather than to the Father who gave the ability to accomplish our own tasks.

On our own, we can accomplish nothing. But when we keep our eyes focused on God, we are able to do that which is needed in the kingdom which bears His name.

Pastor Chris

Devotion - Thursday, August 14

We have a lot of stuff hanging on the walls at our house. Much of it is represents significant places or people in our lives. There are photos of ancestors, some of whom are only known to us in the stories told by our parents. There are pieces of artwork given to us by former congregations or crafted by members of those congregations. In the bathroom, on the mirror, there is a magnet given to me by an insurance salesman.

The salesperson was representing Lutheran Brotherhood (predecessor to Thrivent Financial.) And the magnet is in fact a quote from Martin Luther. It reads: "When you wash your face, remember your baptism."

Luther remembered his own baptism, every morning. In remembering he gained confidence that the sins of the past day had been forgiven; that the new day was a new opportunity for him to be a child of God; that his choices were as fresh as the sun which would soon brighten the world around him.

By the time you read this, you may have already washed your face. But you can still remember your baptism. And, you can be reminded of the opportunity to begin anew.

Many of you are packing for the move back to Clemson. Integrate the opportunity presented to you by your baptism with the beginning of a new school year. Be affirmed in your relationship with Christ; make choices which reflect the faith which lies within you.

I look forward to seeing you next week, and discovering together the ministry to which God is calling us.

Pastor Chris

Devotion - Wednesday, August 13

John 4 contains the encounter of Jesus with the Samaritan woman at the well. Jesus asks her for a drink of water. She asks him why he, a Jew, would even speak to her, a Samaritan, and there ensues the conversation in which Jesus speaks of himself as the living water. There are a few additional exchanges in the conversation, but eventually Jesus says to the woman something he seldom says plainly to anyone - he tells her that he is Messiah.

This woman's life is changed by what Jesus says to her. She goes to the village and tells others and they go out to the well so that they might encounter Jesus.

This change comes as she is going about her daily activity. She is not on a spiritual quest when she encounters Jesus. She is not searching or seeking or looking to fill the void in her life. She is doing her chores and there she meets Christ.

I highly encourage attendance at Sunday worship. I have even been known to suggest that persons get involved in a Bible Study Group. And you don't have to be around me long before I start pushing you to attend a retreat or mission trip. It is a good think to make attempts to be in the places where God's Word and God's will are being set before us. But we must avoid the temptation to think that God will only be found on the mountain top. Christ is most likely to make his way into our lives during the day to day activity of our lives.

We can read about love and sing songs extolling the virtue of loving one another. But it is in loving the hard to love person down the hall that experience Christ. We can discuss what it means to make Christ first in our lives, but it is when we speak Christ's word to an abusive or demeaning situation that we appreciate the God who makes His home among us.

When we allow ourselves to be changed as a result of our living in the world we are more likely to understand and appreciate the Messiah who did not consider equality with God a thing to be exploited, but emptied himself, taking on the form of a servant.

Pastor Chris

Devotions - Tuesday, August 12

In Acts 5, we encounter a member of the ruling Jewish Council by the name of Gamaliel. He is described as a "teacher of the law." We are told elsewhere that he was one of Paul's teachers.

In Acts 5, the Apostles are before the Council. They had already been forbidden to teach in Jesus' name - a directive they had ignored. The Council is trying to decide what to do with them. Gamaliel stands before the Council and tells them, "keep away from these men and leave them alone; for if this plan or this undertaking is of human design, it will fail, but if it is of God, you will not be able to overthrow them."

Gamaliel's wisdom has been noted throughout all of Christian history. His advise serves the purpose of assuring believers that the Apostles' plan and undertaking were from God. His caution is good advise to those who would rush in and assert the truth of one conviction over another. "Be patient. Allow time, and God's hand, to reveal that which is Truth."

Patience is a trait hard to come by. We rush to conclusions; we act on our hunches; we have an opinion about everything. Convinced that we know God's intentions, we make declarations and pronounce judgments. Those inclined to such behaviors may think they are defending God's honor, or being strong in service to God. I sometimes find myself catching glimpses of self-affirmation in their actions. It may not be God whom they are supporting, but a belief system weighed down with fear or weak reasoning. It takes a strong and confident faith to be patient. It is only when we are firmly rooted in God that we can trust God's will to be done, regardless of how insistent we are that will be done as we would will it.

It is God's plan and undertaking which we long to see unfold. Sometimes, like Gamaliel, the best thing we can do is be patient. Our greatest contribution is to wait and see what God has in store. We need not be quick to judge, in a rush to act. The in-breaking of God's Kingdom is not dependent upon us. It is a gift which comes to us, and to all of creation.

Pastor Chris

Devotions - Monday, August 11, 2008

The opening prayer in my devotional guide has a line appropriate for where we are in the flow of time. As we begin another school year, as I begin another season of writing these offerings, this prayer encourages us as well as challenges us.

The line reads: "Give your people the joy of hearing your word in every sound."

The discipline of rising early in the morning to read my bible, reflect on sacred writings, and offer my prayers sets a tone for my day and establishes a pattern for my life. By turning to the ancient sources of inspiration, where I expect to hear God's word, I tune my ears to listen for that message of joy in all that is spoken around me. By reflecting on what God might be saying to me through those texts, I develop the habit of discernment. The rest of the day, wherever my activities might take me, has a pattern with increased awareness of God's presence.

Much of what is spoken in the classroom (all of what is spoken in the classroom) is said with an intention other than inspiring devotion to God. The calling, issued to University professors, is to expand useful knowledge. In faithfulness to that calling, they leave it to those who learn to draw the connections between the subject at hand and the One whose hand is at work. The word is there, in every sound. It is those who have been given the joy of hearing who can recognize it and give thanks for it.

Sometimes the spoken word lacks eloquence. Sometimes the speaker uses improper English (or misspells words.) The hearer also has the opportunity to look beyond the shortcomings of the speaker, discerning the joyful message contained in the humble offering.

I invite you to join me, this day and in the days to come, in listening for the word of God, spoken in every sound. I encourage you to train your ears to hear and your hearts to perceive the message of our loving and gracious God.

Pastor Chris

Pentecost 13 - Year A

Pentecost 13 - Year A Rev. Chris S. Heavner

August 10, 2008

I Kings 19:9-18 & Matthew 14:22-33


Showy God – God of the Still, Small Voice



I spent two days with my mom this week. She is doing about the same. She is relatively alert and tracks conversations pretty well. I don’t think we will ever get her back to where she can walk, but she has regained enough strength to stand, which makes it easier to transition her from her bed to the wheelchair to her recliner. My prayer life is always affected, when I see my mother. I find myself sitting by her side and wondering, “Where is the God who restores weak limbs, and takes away illnesses?” “Where is the miracle-worker God, whose stories I study and preach on week after week after week?” Sometimes we talk about it – Mom and I. And each time she affirms for me that the God in whom she trusts – the God whom she expects to hear me proclaim – isn’t the God who comes in dazzling events. The God with whom we have come to build a comfortable and comforting life is the God who comes to us in ways which are much less showy, but terribly more satisfying.



I am convinced that Jesus is Messiah because of all the wonderful things told about him in the Gospels. His walking on water is one of those powerful stories which allows me to realize that he is who he says he is. My faith is strengthened by such stories. But the God of I Kings 19, the one who comes to Elijah in the still, small voice – that God is the God who walks with me and talks with me and tells me I am His own. The showy God, the God who walks on water, is essential to my belief system. But the God who quietly remains by my side is the God who receives my prayers.



Appointed Sunday lessons are a bit like real estate. In order to understand a passage you must consider three things – Location, location, location. The passage I read this morning is located in the 14th Chapter of Matthew. The 13th Chapter of Matthew is the one which contained all those parables. In those verses, Jesus spoke of unsurprising worth of the Kingdom. He was instructing us on this pearl to be valued above all others. He provided stories of seeds sown and taken root as a way of illustrating that not all will hear and gladly receive this message of invitation. From there we moved to the beheading of St. John (our appointed lessons skipped over this part.) Then, we get to last week’s Gospel, the story of the feeding of the 5,000. Immediately following the feeding, we come to today’s recounting of Jesus walking on water. I don’t want to get too far ahead, into what comes next, but let me tell you that there are going to be two encounters dealing with faith. You get a hint of that in the exchange between Jesus and Peter, when he tries to walk out on the water. In these exchanges to come, Jesus will compliment the faith of one and condemn the disbelief of another. From there Matthew throws in a few more miracles and then includes the confession of Peter – you know, the one where Peter finally blurts out, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.”



Now, if you will accept that this is where we are in the story, then you might be willing to agree with me that the particular passage for today figures heavily into the whole process of coming to faith. That what Matthew is doing is telling his story, using an order which leads us through demonstrations of the power of Jesus and finally encouraging us to find it possible to have confidence in him as our Messiah, the Son of the living God.”



It is no small thing – to come to such a confession. And Matthew realizes that it would take a lot to convince his readers of the power and presence of Jesus. And so he gives them what it takes. He speaks of Jesus’ superiority to the elements of the earth. Remember Matthew’s story of the calming of the storm (Chapter 8.) Chapter 9 has the story of the little girl who had died, Jesus insists she is only sleeping. They laugh at him, but he wakes her from her “sleep.” These stories help Matthew lead his readers from a state of unbelief to a place where they can at least contemplate joining Peter’s confession, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.”



As I said before, these stories and images are very important to me and my faithful response to God’s call. I would not find it possible to believe in Jesus were it not for the stories Matthew tells.



But I would be lying to you if I insisted that this is the way God comes to me in my day-to-day encounters. My personal relationship with Christ aligns more closely with the experiences of Elijah.



Elijah has been about as faithful as one can be. He has followed God’s directives; he has done God’s bidding. He has spoken a word which God has given him. (Now, it is always tricky for a prophet to claim to speak a word which God has given, because God does not send those words in written format. They come in a dream or a vision and we all know how chancy it is to begin sharing with someone else some “feeling” we have had upon waking or coming down from some experience of euphoria.) Chancy, yet Elijah has tried to do his best.



He goes to King Ahab. Ahab tries his best to make Elijah go away. Finally there is that big competition on Mt Carmel in which Elijah defeats then destroys the prophets of Baal. It is after this humiliation that Ahab goes home crying to Jezebel and Jezebel swears that she will kill Elijah.



Elijah is about as faithful as one can be. But good things don’t follow him all the days of his life. It is in following God that he has gotten himself in a whole lot of trouble. Part of that following has included some showy actions on the part of God. But now Elijah is alone and frighten and hiding out on Mount Horeb.



The word of the Lord comes to Elijah and it tells him, “Go out and stand on the mountain … for the Lord is about to pass by.”



The story has us all set up. We are expecting something big and powerful; something at least as moving as the tongues of fire which destroyed the altar on Mt. Carmel. God owes Elijah that much, doesn’t he? Sure enough, a great wind comes. A wind so strong it splits the mountains and breaks the rocks. “Ah, surely here is God passing by?” But no.



Next there is an earthquake. And after the earthquake a fire. Yet in these horrible and terrible and wonderful and powerful things God is no where to be found. God was not there, in these showy things. God comes as a voice in the midst of a sheer silence. Earlier translations of the passage referred to it as a still, small voice.



This quite voice. This barely perceivable word. This is the way God comes to Elijah and assures him. Elijah wraps his face in his mantle. He strains to hear what God will tell him. There is no show; nor is there any manipulating of his surroundings. God speaks to him and tells him that what he is doing is the right thing to do. God whispers in his ear and encourages him to continue on the path he has taken.



The wonderful stories Matthew tells, about Jesus feeding the 5,000 and walking on the water figure heavily into my ability to have faith in Christ. But in my day-to-day journey of faith, it is the whispers, the still, small voice which assures me God is with me. It is the word I strain to hear which convinces me I am on the right pathway.



I feel woefully unprepared every time I am summoned to a hospital room or called upon in a crisis situation. In such situations I strain and struggle as I try to wrest from God a miracle. I want so desperately to be able to repeat stories in which a similar situation has had a wonderful and triumphant ending. I so desperately want God to provide a show equal to the task.



I wish I were one of those pastors who found it easy to say that every thing has a meaning and purpose and that God is working through what might seem to us to be a tragic set of circumstances in order to accomplish some greater good. I wish that I were able to provide such assurances.



But God has not come to me that way. God has most often left me and those with whom I pray right smack dab in the middle of whatever mess it is that we were in the first place. The student sexually assaulted by his supervisor did not receive an apology – rather a perpetrator who wondered out loud if God might be using this molestation as a way to get the young man back in church. No amount of prayer has kept the alcoholic son from returning to the bottle. The man who raped Jodi also stabbed her and she bled to death. No one, in such circumstances, ought to be forced to believe that this present darkness is God’s way of leading them to some later, bright shining glory.



There is a God whose presence is made known in great and showy acts. But the God who most often comes into my life is a God who whispers, a God who encourages, a God who does not change the outcome but remains faithfully by my side and shares tears with me.



I do not want to disrupt anyone’s confidence in God. I do not want to challenge or insist on change in the faith experience of someone who sees God’s hand continually manipulating events and outcomes. What really needs to be said is a word of affirmation for all those whose lives don’t fall into place in neat and perfect boxes. What needs to be heard are the stories in the Bible in which God doesn’t do the showy thing, but comes in a still, small voice. Those of us who do not receive the great miracle are not left out. We may not be invited to walk on the water. We are more like Elijah – given a word through a vision or a dream. A word which instills in us the confidence to come down from the mountain and do what it is that has to be done.



Amen.

Sermon - Pentecost 11 - 7/27/08

11^th Sunday after Pentecost - Year A

July 24, 2005

Matthew 13:31-33, 44-52

Like Nothing We Have Known

The kingdom of heaven is like so many things, yet it is like nothing we have ever known. The kingdom is so different that the best Jesus can do is to give us images, images which might allow us a peek. Glimpses of that which can be illuminated through so many things - yet is unlike anything we have ever known. The kingdom of heaven is like so many things, yet it is unlike anything else.

Even so, Jesus realized the importance of giving his disciples a glimpse. Jesus felt the need to share with those who would follow him an insight to this mysterious thing called the kingdom. He under­stood how important this would be to them as they continued the ministry of proclaiming the kingdom's arrival. It was important for them; it remains important for us.

In Mark, Luke and John, the reference is to the Kingdom of God. Matthew, the Jewish writer of a gospel, finds it difficult to freely use the proper name. Thus he prefers to substitute "kingdom of heaven." A concordance check reveals how often Jesus spoke of this "kingdom" as opposed to speaking of heaven itself. The kingdom of heaven is an image wider and more inclusive than the notion possessed by so many of an exclusive country club in the sky, reserved for those we perceive as righteous. The kingdom may be like some of our mental images, but it cannot be fully captured in those images either.

Our first parable makes precisely this point. The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, it may appear very small in its begin­nings, but it quickly grows into something larger than would have been believed possi­ble. The kingdom of heaven appears to be an simple reference to a place where God reigns - but it rapidly expands to include so much more.

Remember the story of Jesus as he approaches the city of Jerusa­lem? He laments over the city's inability to receive her prophets. He acknowledges that Jerusalem stones those who are sent to her; the inhabitants of the city murder those whom God sends. Jesus knows this, Jesus acknowledges this, and yet he cries for the city. He will not feel bitterness against them.

Contrast this with how quickly we write off those whom we consider to be uncoopera­tive with God and God's plan. We are very fast to cry out against the sinners. Thomas Aquinas wrote that it would bring the Christians in heaven an added joy to watch the evil-doers burn in hell. The kingdom of heaven does not include such past-times. The inhabitants of the kingdom lament the fate of non-believers.

Seemingly small - the kingdom which Jesus describes is large enough to encompass more than we realize. It grows and provides shelter to all those in need of rest. The kingdom of heaven is not exclusive - it is inclusive. It welcomes all to come and live within its shade.

The kingdom of heaven is like yeast. It does not exist for itself; rather its purpose is to have an impact on that with which it comes into contact.

Heaven, and talk of heaven, so often centers on MY getting to that blessed and promised place. All too often, talk of heaven becomes some sort of a pep-rally, encouraging us to strive for the prize. The kingdom of heaven is different. In the kingdom, one looses oneself in the process of impacting the lives of others. The yeast interacts until the whole loaf rises.

Understanding the Christian life as an invitation to positively impact the lives of others is my preferred measure of faithfulness. When I hear others talking religious talk, I listen for references to what the individual thinks they will get from all of this, contrasted with references to the good which will come for others. In the kingdom, we are the leaven which makes the loaf rise.

It is important to consider the impact the followers of Jesus have upon the world, especially as we consider the next two parables. In these, Jesus addresses the insurmountable worth of this kingdom. It is like a treasure found in a field or a pearl of great value. In these, Jesus is stating what he will repeat time and again; Seek ye first the kingdom of God. There is nothing which is to be a higher priori­ty.

But I can only imagine myself making the kingdom my first priori­ty - I can only believe that it is the pearl of great worth - when I am allowed to see the kingdom as a reunion of all that God has made. It can only be the precious treasure, hidden in a field, if it in­cludes more than the pious few.

Don’t you just hate it when you hear someone expounding their “I got mine, too bad about you” theology? It is so disappointing to encounter that mindset which seems to rejoice in the leaving behind of others. How terribly self-centered, to allow ourselves to fixate on our eternal fate while ignoring those whom Christ came to save.

We Protestants are quick to criticize the Roman Catholic Church's practice of veneration of the saints. But in our criticism, we may have lost the very important lesson contained in this veneration. The Saints remind us that there is no greater act of faith than to pray for others. When we call upon the saints, we are asking those who have proven their faithfulness to include us in their prayers. Calling upon a saint is a reminder that God's most faithful children are those who devote their lives to intercession on behalf of sinners. In asking the saints to pray for us, we are reminded that salvation will only come when all are saved.

A wide net is cast into the sea. It catches fish of every kind. Our fifth parable acknowledges that contained within the net are the bad and the good. The kingdom of heaven is like such a net - it reaches out to gather everyone. It pulls them in, and does not concern itself with differentiating between the good and the bad.

Heaven may be the exclusive country club for the pious. But the kingdom of heaven welcomes us all, leaving the final division to God and God's angels.

The kingdom of heaven is like so many things, yet it is unlike anything we have ever known. Jesus asks his disciples if they have understood this. He tells them that to understand means they will pull out of their resources much which is old, much which is new. It is this blending together which makes them priests of the kingdom.

We can hold on to our tried and true notions of what heaven is like. We can bring those old images out and share them with others around us. But as scribes for the kingdom, we must also set before others a new vision – a vision of a kingdom where God's reign is secure, where all of creation is welcome.

The kingdom is like so many things, yet it is unlike anything we have ever experienced. May these glimpses move us ever closer to this marvelous gift of God.

Amen.

Devotions - Thursday, May 1

Today is the Feast Day of The Ascension of our Lord. There will be worship services and various observances of the ascending of the Resurrected Jesus into heaven.

The period of time between Easter and Ascension is 50 days. It is a time for Jesus to be seen by those who were devastated by his death. Those 50 days are dedicated to realizing that he has indeed risen from the grave. Now, the next phase must begin.

What comes next is his seating at the right hand of the Father. What comes next is the transition from beloved teacher and rabbi to Messiah.

If he were to remain teacher/rabbi/even resurrected Jesus the fullness of what he came to do will not be accomplished. It is when we begin to have a Messiah, a Saviour, a Christ, that our lives achieve the fullness God hopes for us.

It was difficult for his followers to see Jesus breathe his last breath from the cross. It was difficult for them to be left behind as Christ is lifted up and removed from their midst. It was difficult, but it was necessary.

In John 16:7 Jesus says, "It is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Advocate will not come to you." Jesus leaves; the Holy Spirit comes to guide us; we are positioned for the life and hope God has for us.

The magnitude of Jesus' departure cannot and should not be compared to anything else. It is truly a singular event. However, having seen the after effects of his departure (it is after he leaves that the Church begins and grows into the world-wide community it now is) we have courage for the smaller departures which we face.

This is the final devotional offering for the year. Some of you will be reading this from home, having already left campus. Others are still here, but packing and preparing to leave Clemson with a degree in hand. It is difficult to say goodbye. But it is also Okay. It is, in so many ways, necessary.

Only in leaving does Jesus experience the Church he has in mind. Only when his time among us ends does the time begin when the Church can come to life and flourish. Only by enduring the pain of separation can the fullness of God's gift be received.

God go with you - for the summer, as you begin careers. God has blessed us with this time together. May it sustain us for the days which lie ahead.

Devotions - Wednesday, April 30

Moses leads the people out of Egypt and to the River Jordan. At the banks of the Jordan, he realizes that he will not cross the river himself. He has done all he can, to prepare them. But, he cannot take this last step with them. He gives them final instructions. He shares with them what God has told him. He says, "It is the Lord who goes before you. He will be with you; he will not fail you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed."

I have visited with several of the graduating students. I have heard their anxiety (understandable anxiety) at this next stage in their lives. I do not mean to diminish the challenges they face, but I would offer them the assurance Moses offered the children of Israel. "It is the Lord who goes before you. He will be with you; he will not fail you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed."

Other conversations this week have addresses personal struggles and injuries to psyche. I do what I can, but I also know my limits and know when it is time for my pastoral care visits to be supplemented with work with a counselor or therapist. The promise I offer to those beginning to examine their lives and it darker corners is Moses' words: "It is the Lord who goes before you. He will be with you; he will not fail you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed."

If we only read Joshua, we would think that the Israelites cross the Jordan and everything is perfect. When we read I & II Chronicles, we see that there were setbacks and disappointments. Both depictions are accurate - Chronicles speaks of the events; Joshua witnesses to the power of faith.

The days ahead may have many challenges. They may be filled with trials and disappointments. Looking at them through the eyes of faith we can stand firm and overcome whatever comes. "It is the Lord who goes before you. He will be with you; he will not fail you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed."

Devotions - Tuesday, April 29

The appointed Lectionary has us reading from Deuteronomy and from I Peter. I am not sure that the parallel is intended, but it struck me to read from these two books on the same day.

The section from Deuteronomy is Chapter 5. We find repeats of some laws given in Exodus, here they are expounded upon.

From I Peter, I read Chapter 3:8-12. Understanding the New Testament as the clarification of how it is that God wanted His people to see him and interact with him, I am struck by the way in which the writer starts this section. In lifting up guides for our lives he starts by saying, "Finally, all of you, have unity of spirit, sympathy, love for one another, a tender heart, and a humble mind."

When discussions are had as to what it means to be a Christian, what is required of a Christian, what God expects of Christians, I wish this were the list talked about. I think it is a much better approach at how it is that Christ instructed his followers to live. I think it is a sharper understanding of the new life Christ desires for us. Unity of spirit, sympathy, love for one another, a tender heart, and a humble mind - these are gifts of God which make possible the community which bears the name of Christ.

May God bless you with these attributes; may God bless you with a community in which these traits are the guiding principals; may God help all of us develop these habits in our lives.

Devotions - Monday, April 28

In Genesis 9:8-17 we read of God's covenant with us, after the flood. God promises to never again allow the flood waters to destroy the earth. As a sign of this covenant, God places the rainbow in the sky. God says, "When I bring clouds over the earth and the bow is seen in the clouds, I will remember my covenant that is between me and you and every living creature of all flesh; and the waters shall never again become a flood to destroy all flesh."

God sets up a "reminder" of what he has promised. God establishes a marker which will remind him of what he has said he will do.

As a child, I remember hearing this story. As a result, when I saw a rainbow, it comforted me. It was an indication to me that I was safe from the kind of destruction described in Genesis 7 & 8. I looked upon the rainbow as a thing set there to comfort me. But that isn't what the text says. It says that the rainbow is a reminder for God.

I think we could learn something from God.

We make promises. We make many promises. Some promises are short lived; others are to last for the rest of our lives. Sometimes, we forget our promises. Sometimes we fail to remember, at the critical point in time, what we have said we will do. Might we consider establishing a marker, a reminder, of our promise?

This might take any number of forms. It might be a ribbon we tie on the radio antenna of our car. It might be a ring or pen attached to our clothing. In other instances it might be a note card, kept were we will see it -or- given to the person we have promised.

Promises are very important. Particularly promises made to those most intimately connected to our lives. Remembering the promises we have made may serve as a guide when we find ourselves engaged in difficult encounters. The marker/reminder we establish could help us to remember our guiding intentions, even when the immediate situation at hand might cause us to ignore the promises we have made.

Outside my window, it is raining pretty hard right now. It may be cloudy all day and no rainbow will appear. I will be looking for one, however, and be reminded of the promises I have made. I will use God's method in order to find ways to remind myself of the promises I have made.

Sermon - April 27, 2008

6th Sunday of Easter - Year A

Acts 17:22-31 & John 14:15-21

Speaking of the "unknown god"

Paul stood in front of the Areopagus... The next time someone asks me what campus ministry is all about, I think I will pull out this reading from Acts 17. This chapter's imagery - as well as its content - captures what it means to speak the Word of the Church amid a pluralistic and segmented society.

Paul stood in front of the Areopa­gus... The words them­selves conjure up images of Greek architecture and learned old men; of deep thoughts and meaningful conversation.

Paul stood in front of the Areopa­gus... Here we have a wonderful state­ment of the work of the Church - a perfect lead-in to discuss the contrast between presumed importance and that which really matters; to address the distinction between that which is valued and that which is truly valuable.

Paul is in the city of Athens (that's the ancient Greek city of Athens, not the one with a cute little bulldog and sometimes surpris­ingly good football team.) But ancient Athens, by the time Paul got there, had lost much of its former glory. While it was once the seat of great schools and the home of wonderful philosophers, in the first century of the modern era Athens had no real political significance and commercially it was outshone by Cor­inth. It is living off of its legends. And its legend is substantial. Aristotle, Epicurus, Plato, Socrates - their lives had touched this city leaving behind a legacy of prominence sufficient to sustain the city for many generations to come. Regardless of its current political or economic status, Athens was still a place of importance.

The text informs us that Paul is making his impassioned speech in front of the Areopagus. This would be the Athenian equivalent of a house of lords. This was the gathering of the elder statesmen of this city-state. Here, were the venerated leaders who had completed their elected term as archons (ar-chons.) They spent their days entertaining new thoughts and philosophies. Paul had been invited to speak because some of the Epicurean and Stoic philoso­phers had heard him in the agora (market­place.) They had wanted to know about this teaching of his - these proclamations of foreign divinities, as they referred to them. Verses just before those read for us this morning note that Paul had been telling the good news about Jesus and the resurrection.

It was a favored pastime of the Athenians to tell and hear something new. So they invited Paul to come and tell them more about this new teaching.

I promise not to do a word-by-word analysis of Paul's entire address, but one of the first words he speaks is of tremendous impor­tance. Look at it if you will. Paul begins his address, "Athenians, I see how extremely RELIGIOUS" [this is the critical word] "how ex­tremely RELIGIOUS you are." The Greek word has a double meaning. It can be inter­preted "religious" or "devout," a word of compliment; or it could refer to one who is "supersti­tious," which would be somewhat of an insult. Paul would no doubt look upon Athens as a hotbed of superstition, but would not have wanted to antagonize his hearers at the outset. So he carefully selects a word which allows them to feel good about them­selves while also planting a seed for where he wants this speech to go.

Paul communicates a deep and abiding respect for the knowledge of his hosts. He is well aware of the advances which have been possible as a result of their study and dedication to their disciplines. Paul does not enter their midst and insult them by dismissing the importance of that which they have made their life's work. He stands in their midst and speaks kindly of the work with they have accomplished. He honors their disciplines. But, he calls into question the ability of their philosophies to finally provide the key to understanding life and our role in the cosmos. That wisdom, he says, is to be found somewhere else.

Paul makes use of a sight he has seen in their city. He reports that while walking around Athens he had located an altar with the inscrip­tion, 'To an unknown god.' Paul tells them that this god which is unknown to them is the God who has revealed himself in Jesus.

The Athenians' fascination with new ideas and teachings proves to be fertile soil in which Paul can plant the seeds of fresh discovery. He wants to help them to see this altar to an unknown god as an expres­sion of the desire to know the true God, the God whom they had been unable to capture in their statues of gold, silver or stone; the God whom they had been unable to identify in their elaborate philosophies.

"What therefore you worship as unknown," Paul tells this assembly of venerated elders, "This I proclaim to you."

Paul's being invited to speak to the Areopagus probably had something to do with comments he had made while in the agora. Even here he uses a few phrases which are right in line with the philoso­phies of his hosts. Those who invited him may have done so as a way of further their own philosophical argu­ments. He speaks of God as one who is not served by human hands, a point of contact with his Epicure­an listeners who stressed God's self-sufficiency. His next words describing God as the author of life and breath and all things would have met with the approval of the Stoics in the crowd. Paul is allowing them to see the good aspects of their world-view. He is complimenta­ry of their attempts to understand what life is all about. But, he goes on so as to allow them to see that in Jesus the unknown god whom they seek has become knowable.

Paul is sharing he same conviction written by John in our Gospel lesson for today: "You know him, because he abides with you, and he will be in you."

In the end, this is the undoing of the Areopagus' willingness to listen to Paul. Our reading for today ends with verse 31; verse 32 reads: When they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some scoffed; but others said, "We will hear you again about this." At that point Paul left them.

Paul had exposed the limits of where their thoughts and theories could take them. Paul had addressed the opportunities available just beyond the borders of where their reasoning could go. Paul points out the foundations shared by their beliefs and his word about Jesus. And then Paul invites them to embrace the opportunity to know that which till now has been for them an unknown god.

Stoics and Epicureans are rather difficult to come by in our day and time, but there are others systems of belief with have taken their place. Self-sufficien­cy is probably more of an issue for us than for any society which has gone before. There remain many who find their gods in items fashioned out of gold or silver or stone. Maybe now-a-days the material of choice is silicon. I am grateful for all the advances which have been made by dedica­tion to lofty ideals and great aspira­tions. But with Paul we need to affirm that these pseudo gods have their limits. Christ is the God, unknown by far too many, who holds the package together.

Paul stood in front of the Areopagus and said, "...I see how extremely religious you are in every way." What would Paul say to us? Are we religious (as in devout) or merely superstitious? Do we come before God, at this altar to express our thanks and offer our praise for the One in whom we are placing our final confidence? Or, do we come because we fear the consequences of not coming? Is our offering an offering of ourselves to God? Or, is it a tax, paid so as assure us a place in the sweet-by-and-by?

Presumed importance remains on the side of gadgets and devices which make our lives more comfortable. Valuable are those who can organize and structure our interactions so as to result in the greatest good for the greatest number of people. And yet, Paul's words claim there is but one thing which is important. His presentation to the Areopagus states that the Word of God is the thing of greatest value.

Amen.Post Options

Devotions - Thursday, April 24

The appointed readings for this morning included a passage from Genesis 6. This is the beginning of the stories of Noah and the flood. As with yesterday's reading, I was struck with one particular word.

In describing God's frustration with the creation, the description says that "the earth was corrupt in God's sight, and the earth was filled with violence." (verse 11) Again (in verse 13) God says "the earth is filled with violence because of them." God realizes that the violence brought onto the earth because of humanity has soured His hopes for the creation.

Religious types have their favorite topics. There are issues deemed "essential" to the Christian witness. Where, on such lists, is violence found? Do we lift our voice against this?

Part of our reluctance may be the realization that violence is both personal and systemic. There is the personal violence done by one person to another; and there is the systemic violence, done by us as a society. We know, deep in our hearts, that personal violence and systemic violence are linked - that we can't condemn one without looking at the other.

The reason God chooses to act (according to Genesis 6) is the violence that "flesh" has brought upon the earth. It pains me to image how God must feel about the violence He sees when he looks at the earth today.

I don't know how to put an end to all the violence. I believe we start by acknowledging that it grieves God to see all this; we gain a foothold by realizing that the Bible's greatest act of retribution comes on the hills of God's desire that violence be eliminated from the earth. Maybe such awareness will allow strategies for response to emerge.

Devotions - Wednesday, April 23

In John 8:31 Jesus says, "You will know the truth and the truth will make you free."

One must always be careful not to too quickly jump on particular words in an English translation of the Bible. It is best to consult the Greek - and I need to acknowledge that my Greek isn't strong enough to know what word is translated into English as "free." Having said that, I do want to lift up Jesus' choice of a word to express what it is that he does for us. He makes us free.

We might be, in our "heaven is my home" mindset, tempted to say that he means we are "free from our fear of death." We might quickly assume that he is referring to the freedom we have over our graves. He might be.

Or he might be expressing something grander than the events likely to follow the cessation of blood flowing through our veins. He might be telling us that his presence and his Word brings the liberty we need to live life now. His promise to us is that we are not bound, not bound by death or anything else which would hold us captive.

I was in a conversation yesterday with a student. We were discussing how often Christianity and Church become the haven for those seeking to abide by a code of conduct demanding enough to merit eternal rewards. I was encouraging Church participation as a way of making friends and finding mentors. "But that seems selfish to me." was the reply. "They aren't going to like it if I show up and say, 'I'm here because if don't want to be alone.'"

I think this is exactly what Jesus would have us do. I believe that for Jesus eternal relationships are the bonus we discover at the end of a life lived happily among those who have been set free. I believe that Jesus was concerned, not simply with our eternal life but with our life now. I believe Jesus meant it when he said that what he brings us is freedom. He wants us to be free. Free to love and to be loved. Free to do and to say. Free to see ourselves as the lovable children we are - in the eyes of God. The Church of Jesus Christ is the Church which makes it possible for us to live our lives free.

Devotions - Tuesday, April 22

Having read, on Sunday, the story of the stoning of Stephen, the lectionary this week has been recounting the events leading up to that execution. This morning I was reading part of Stephen's sermon, the sermon which enraged the religious leaders. He speaks of all the wonderful things that God has done. He speaks of God's care and God's grace. He speaks of God's love.

This message, as gentle as it sounds, leads to conclusions which many are not willing to embrace. It leads to a Messiah willing to die rather than see anyone left outside. It leads to a way in which power is forsaken and those of low degree become the honored guests. It tears at everything held precious in "the world."

And "the world" cannot tolerate the voice which calls for change.

So much of contemporary Christianity is devoted to maintaining. The Church is erroneously liked to attempts to maintain social institutions. The Church is a bastion for ensuring that things will remain as they have always been. The Church which bears the name of Jesus would be true to its name when it is that collection of persons insisting that the poor be seen and acknowledged. The Church is true to its name when it insists that justice be our prime concern and that equality be the norm.

Stephen spoke to the crowd of God's way of doing things. And he was put to death. Inspired by his martyrdom, others took up the message and proclaimed the Good News. The Way survived because there were not a few isolated persons who understood the heart of Jesus' message. Jesus' Word will survive our day by the same path - when it is known and lived by all those who accept his call and join in the procession of followers.

Pastor Chris

Devotions - Thursday, April 17

My friend and colleague at VA Tech had shared with us that what he worried most about the first anniversary of the outbreak of violence there was the media attention. He remembered that last year some of the strongest expressions of emotion were toward those who were interviewing every student who walked across campus. "It is hard to grieve in the public eye," he said.

I intentionally did not write about the incident yesterday. Today, I thought it might be appropriate.

As people of faith, we must lift our voices to God out of care and concern for all those who lost their lives, for all those whose lives were forever altered because of that day in Blacksburg. What happened there is opposed to what God intends for His creation.

As persons united in a community of faith, we need to pause and understand that community can do much to prevent that kind of an outbreak. It is in community that our horrific fears are set aside. It is in community that we learn to respect each individual as a valued member. It is in community that we consult with others when interactions turn sour or painful. Communities of faith do much more than make choirs sound full, communities of faith provide opportunities for God to instruct us on living together.

Our LSM Group has a lot of fun when we are together. We also spend considerable time in prayer and bible study. But, let us hope, it also provides that place where we can learn life together. It is that opportunity to explore the wonders and mysteries of life on planet earth, arriving at answers and/or solutions to that which reduces us and/or our life together.

Pastor Chris