Readings; Zephaniah 3:14-20, Isaiah 12:2-6, Philippians 4:4-7, Luke 3:7-18
Preached at First Presbyterian Church, Baldwin, NY, December 16th, 2012
A printable PDF file can be found here
According to the Mayan calendar the world will end in a few days time. For the people of Newtown, Connecticut, it already feels like it has. The actions of a disturbed, gun toting, young adult has taken the innocent lives of a community now deep in grief. Words like 'horrific', 'unthinkable' and 'heartbreaking' don't really capture how we feel about these events. That it's all taking place so near to Christmas and, for us, in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy, seems to increase the feelings of despair and sadness.
We may be tempted to try and make sense of such tragic events, but really, we just tie ourselves in knots if we start playing the blame game or come up with over simplistic solutions. So what do we do? We pray. We contemplate. We take what actions we feel are necessary.
When Jesus was arrested in the garden, a group of armed soldiers came to take Him. At that moment, one of the disciples, traditionally Peter, took a sword and tried to protect Him. But Jesus tells Peter to put the sword away, because, He says... 'Those who live by the sword will die by the sword'. The story pictures a culture of violence and fear in opposition to the kingdom which Jesus proclaimed, one characterized by peace and hope. If the story had played out in our current day, the soldiers would have come armed not with swords but guns. It may have ended up as a shoot out, with Jesus declaring, “Those who live by the gun, shall die by the gun”.
If you grew up, as I did, in a culture where gun ownership was seen as something rather strange and disturbing, you have a different perspective than somebody who has grown up in the United States. I never saw anybody carrying a gun in public, until we moved to the USA. In Great Britain it used to be that even law enforcement were not armed. I honestly knew of only a few people, and they were farmers, who even owned a firearm.
It was a shock to myself to move to West Virginia where people with political intentions would often declare their position as being 'Pro-Life and Pro-Gun' (without recognizing any contradiction in those terms). It was a jolt when I realized that there were people in church, albeit those in law enforcement, who came to worship carrying a weapon. In Middle School my son was in a class who were asked 'How many of you have guns in your homes?” He was the only one who didn't raise his hand.
So when it comes to guns, and the freedom to carry weapons, and the 'second amendment' (an article of freedom which I don't think is recognized by any other nation on the planet) … when it comes to that whole debate... you should know my head is coming from a different place than most of you who were born and raised in this culture.
That being said, and realizing that I am speaking from within my own cultural framework, I still recall those words spoken by Jesus, 'That those who live by the sword will die by the sword” and feel that somehow we need to move from believing that only violence can defeat violence and that the only way to prevent ourselves from harm is having the ability and fire power to cause greater harm.
None of the above takes away the numbing pain of the current events. So many innocent lives, it's just so mind numbingly sad. Something has got to change. In our bible reading this morning John the baptist comes to challenge the people to change their way of thinking. To step down into the waters, wash away the past, and start over again. He chastises the religious leaders (who were also the political leaders) for going though the motions, yet not really being ready to make a radical change.
He lifts up values of generosity; those who had more than they needed should share with those who just didn't have enough, of integrity; tax collectors didn't need to change their jobs, they just needed to do their jobs honestly, soldiers … are urged not to abuse their positions of power, or to use their status for personal promotion, but to uphold the peace.
Then he says 'This is only the start'. Something greater then him, somebody who had a more pressing message and a more dynamic agenda, was about to step onto the stage. 'Get Ready' he declares, to take on board the message Jesus has to offer.
As you hear news from the region where John preached; as we hear of the violence and warfare and struggle over land, ideology and belief, we see that even John's message has yet to be truly heard, let alone his message about welcoming the way of Jesus Christ!
But... the way of Jesus is still there... it hasn't gone away. Christmas is all about the light shining in the darkness. The tiniest candle has a flame that dispels the deepest darkness. The true Christmas story is surrounded by deep darkness. Refugees, unplanned pregnancies, homelessness, even (in the account of the Wise Men) the slaughter of innocent children by Herod, who fears the arrival of a new order.
These are parts of the story we usually bury and put aside. We need to hear them this year. We need to know that in Jesus, God really does know what we are going through and walks with us through these difficult days.
The Presbyterian Church (USA), on their website have resources related to the issue of gun violence. The Presbytery of Long Island has recommended resources to help us talk about the issues with our children. Links can be found below.
Gun violence
Talking with Children about Tragedy
Talking with Children - Resource List
For now though, I'd encourage you to keep the community of Newtown, Connecticut in your prayers and reflect on the message of Jesus; that there is a better way to live than relying on fear and violence and our own ability to arm ourselves. Ponder exactly what Jesus meant when He said 'Those who live by the sword will die by the sword'. Remember that trust in God and pursuing peace are also options to be explored and embraced.
I also pray that you will not allow 24 hour media coverage to sap away your Christmas joy. For goodness sake, turn the TV off! Once we read newspapers. We looked at a story. We felt it's horror. Then walked away and did something. We didn't sit glued to the newsprint for hours on end till it was all we could think about!
Go and buy a grocery bag of goodies for the homeless or the hurricane victims and bring it to church next week. Spend some time to play a game with your kids. Spoil the grand-kids. Kids, hug your parents and remind them you are still here. Better still...come caroling with us this afternoon to the Nursing Home and to some of our shut-ins.
Do what John said! Give out of your blessings. Don't quit your job, do it with integrity. Be humble if you have power and use your position of privilege for peaceful ends, not self promotion. Yes, something terrible has happened. But Christmas reminds us that the darkness does not have the last word.
The actions of a lone gunman cannot destroy the Good news that God walks with us, is with us and shall be with us. It is for us to 'Seek first the kingdom of God' and to put flesh on the words we pray every Sunday, 'Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven' .
May God help us to do the right thing. Amen.
Rev. Adrian J. Pratt B.D.
Monday, December 17, 2012
Monday, December 10, 2012
Living in the Light
Readings; Malachi 3:1-4, Luke 1:68-79, Luke 3:1-6, Philippians 1:3-11
Preached at First Presbyterian Church, Baldwin, NY, December 9th, 2012
A printable PDF file can be found here
John the Baptist went into all the country around the Jordan inviting the people to get their lives straightened out for the light of the Lord was coming. 'The crooked roads shall become straight, the rough ways smooth and all the people will see God's salvation”.
We are in the season of Advent. Advent is the season when we declare “People get ready, the Savior is coming!” How do we prepare ourselves to truly celebrate the coming of Jesus into our world? How do we set about living in the light of His love?
We can find some pointers in Paul's letter to the Philippians. In the section we read this morning, Chapter 1, verses 3-11, we are invited to;
Let us consider the advice Paul gives us.
Energize our Minds
Verse 10 invites us 'to discern what is best' that we may be found 'pure and blameless for the Day of Christ'. John the Baptist offered the people a baptism of repentance. He offered them an opportunity to turn their lives around and symbolically wash away the past by going through the waters of baptism. He holds up the idea of starting over again, with the slate washed clean.
Seasons in the Christian year, such as Advent and Lent, offer us the chance to re-evaluate our spiritual lives. We have the opportunity to reclaim our own baptisms, to remind ourselves that we are baptized children of the One True God, brothers and sisters in Christ's service, empowered by the same Holy Spirit that descended as a dove upon Jesus when He was baptized by John.
As we travel through this season we see the best and worse of what we are capable of. Christmas can be marked by both excess and by generosity. We are encouraged to spend, spend, spend, yet also to give, give, give. If we become consumed by consumerism we lose our souls. But if we become consumed by endless giving we end up tired, cynical and bitter.
Hurricane Sandy brought out the best and worst in people. There have been reports of looting and of scams and price gouging, people taking advantage of others in their time of deepest need. We saw tempers flare when gas was rationed and as folk felt LIPA was not living up to their expectations. That's been the negative side.
On the positive side there have been many angels headed in our direction. The will to rebuild, the sense of community, people who have gone beyond what is expected of them to help others through, many heroic acts and untold stories of generosity.
Paul invites us to 'discern what is best'. To energize our minds so that we make the right decisions. He also invites us to...
Express what's in our hearts
In verse 9 he writes “This is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight.” We sometimes think of love as something fluffy and evasive, as something people fall into, uncontrollably and seal with a ring from the jewelry store. But love isn't something that just happens. It's hard work. True love requires depth and insight.
A Sunday School teacher in Oregon asked the class, “Does going to church make it easier for you to love all people?” One of them answered, “Not particularly. You want us to love everybody in the world. There are only five in our family and I have a real hard time even loving that many!” You have to admire that answer. Telling it like it is! Loving everybody in some vague 'Peace on earth and goodwill to all humankind' is not what Paul is praying will happen in our church communities. He wants us to work at love.
I sense in our post Sandy state of mind many are finding it hard to think about celebrating Christmas. Their hearts not in it. They've had the stuffing knocked out of them. Before the hurricane we took it for granted that when we turned on the light switch the light came on. We didn't really think much about the wiring, or the poles or the sub-stations or the infrastructure, or the work crews. Now we know better. We understand that we are vulnerable.
That sense of vulnerability lies at the heart of the true message of Christmas. Jesus does not arrive as a warrior King, riding on a great white horse, blasting His enemies into oblivion but comes to the womb of a young, yet to be married girl. He is born in poverty, displaced from home, in the most desperate of circumstances. His family become refugees in Egypt, fleeing from the acts of a murderous tyrant, before they ever establish themselves in a place they can call home again.
At His birth there is a tremendous amount of uncertainty and vulnerability, part of the Christmas story that we bury under layers of sentimentality and commercialism. If we are finding it hard to get in the spirit of things, maybe we can focus on the parts of the story we often pass by and discover that, even when everything is bleak, and the road ahead is uncertain, the light still shines. It's not easy. True love never is. It has to be a heart thing. We need God's help. So Paul also invites us to...
Empower our souls.
In verse 11 he writes 'Be filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ'. Being together in worship can really make a difference when we go through difficult days. It takes us out of ourselves for a while and points us to a larger framework surrounding our lives. I know we are busy. I know there's a thousand things to do. But that's exactly why we need to recharge our spiritual batteries.
Through our music and hymns and readings and prayers we can reconnect with God. Through seeking to do that as a community we reconnect with each other. Through seeking to serve those around us, we find ourselves lifted up. So pay attention to the words of scripture and the songs that we sing and hear. There's a lot of hope in them! People have traveled down dark roads before us. That's part of the Christmas story. Jesus is born and they give Him the name “Emmanuel” meaning “God is with us”.
When Paul wrote these words to the church in Phillipi he was in prison. He'd been arrested for preaching the gospel. Such was his faith that he could interpret his circumstances as being an opportunity rather than a setback. A few verses after our reading finished he writes; “As a result, it has become clear throughout the whole palace guard and to everyone else that I am in chains for Christ.” (verse 13).
As people of faith we are invited to interpret our lives in the light of the God who is always with us, revealed in Christ, and present through the work of His Holy Spirit, within us and around us. John the Baptist challenged the people of his day to repent and get ready for the Savior to come. During Advent we have a fresh opportunity to reflect on the implications of Christ's birth all those years ago and consider how we can live in the light of His love today.
Paul, in his letter to Phillipi, gives us his perspective on living in the light.
Looking at the decorations in our sanctuary, hearing the Christmas music around us, seeing the children's smiling faces, anticipating the events of fellowship we will enjoy with family and friends... these are tangible ways that we can enter into the celebrations.
These are difficult days for many around us. But there are aspects of the Christmas message that remind us... love never guarantees an easy ride. The good news of Christmas is not that 'Everything's going to be all-right'. The good and great news of Christmas is that, no matter what, God is with us!
And that, I believe, is something worth celebrating. Amen.
Rev. Adrian J. Pratt B.D.
Preached at First Presbyterian Church, Baldwin, NY, December 9th, 2012
A printable PDF file can be found here
John the Baptist went into all the country around the Jordan inviting the people to get their lives straightened out for the light of the Lord was coming. 'The crooked roads shall become straight, the rough ways smooth and all the people will see God's salvation”.
We are in the season of Advent. Advent is the season when we declare “People get ready, the Savior is coming!” How do we prepare ourselves to truly celebrate the coming of Jesus into our world? How do we set about living in the light of His love?
We can find some pointers in Paul's letter to the Philippians. In the section we read this morning, Chapter 1, verses 3-11, we are invited to;
- Energize our minds. In verse 10 Paul suggests we discern what is pure and blameless.
- Express what's in our hearts. In verse 9 we are told to commit to loving more and more,with knowledge and deep insight.
- Empower our souls. In verse 11 Paul implores us to be filled with the Spirit of Jesus.
Let us consider the advice Paul gives us.
Energize our Minds
Verse 10 invites us 'to discern what is best' that we may be found 'pure and blameless for the Day of Christ'. John the Baptist offered the people a baptism of repentance. He offered them an opportunity to turn their lives around and symbolically wash away the past by going through the waters of baptism. He holds up the idea of starting over again, with the slate washed clean.
Seasons in the Christian year, such as Advent and Lent, offer us the chance to re-evaluate our spiritual lives. We have the opportunity to reclaim our own baptisms, to remind ourselves that we are baptized children of the One True God, brothers and sisters in Christ's service, empowered by the same Holy Spirit that descended as a dove upon Jesus when He was baptized by John.
As we travel through this season we see the best and worse of what we are capable of. Christmas can be marked by both excess and by generosity. We are encouraged to spend, spend, spend, yet also to give, give, give. If we become consumed by consumerism we lose our souls. But if we become consumed by endless giving we end up tired, cynical and bitter.
Hurricane Sandy brought out the best and worst in people. There have been reports of looting and of scams and price gouging, people taking advantage of others in their time of deepest need. We saw tempers flare when gas was rationed and as folk felt LIPA was not living up to their expectations. That's been the negative side.
On the positive side there have been many angels headed in our direction. The will to rebuild, the sense of community, people who have gone beyond what is expected of them to help others through, many heroic acts and untold stories of generosity.
Paul invites us to 'discern what is best'. To energize our minds so that we make the right decisions. He also invites us to...
Express what's in our hearts
In verse 9 he writes “This is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight.” We sometimes think of love as something fluffy and evasive, as something people fall into, uncontrollably and seal with a ring from the jewelry store. But love isn't something that just happens. It's hard work. True love requires depth and insight.
A Sunday School teacher in Oregon asked the class, “Does going to church make it easier for you to love all people?” One of them answered, “Not particularly. You want us to love everybody in the world. There are only five in our family and I have a real hard time even loving that many!” You have to admire that answer. Telling it like it is! Loving everybody in some vague 'Peace on earth and goodwill to all humankind' is not what Paul is praying will happen in our church communities. He wants us to work at love.
I sense in our post Sandy state of mind many are finding it hard to think about celebrating Christmas. Their hearts not in it. They've had the stuffing knocked out of them. Before the hurricane we took it for granted that when we turned on the light switch the light came on. We didn't really think much about the wiring, or the poles or the sub-stations or the infrastructure, or the work crews. Now we know better. We understand that we are vulnerable.
That sense of vulnerability lies at the heart of the true message of Christmas. Jesus does not arrive as a warrior King, riding on a great white horse, blasting His enemies into oblivion but comes to the womb of a young, yet to be married girl. He is born in poverty, displaced from home, in the most desperate of circumstances. His family become refugees in Egypt, fleeing from the acts of a murderous tyrant, before they ever establish themselves in a place they can call home again.
At His birth there is a tremendous amount of uncertainty and vulnerability, part of the Christmas story that we bury under layers of sentimentality and commercialism. If we are finding it hard to get in the spirit of things, maybe we can focus on the parts of the story we often pass by and discover that, even when everything is bleak, and the road ahead is uncertain, the light still shines. It's not easy. True love never is. It has to be a heart thing. We need God's help. So Paul also invites us to...
Empower our souls.
In verse 11 he writes 'Be filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ'. Being together in worship can really make a difference when we go through difficult days. It takes us out of ourselves for a while and points us to a larger framework surrounding our lives. I know we are busy. I know there's a thousand things to do. But that's exactly why we need to recharge our spiritual batteries.
Through our music and hymns and readings and prayers we can reconnect with God. Through seeking to do that as a community we reconnect with each other. Through seeking to serve those around us, we find ourselves lifted up. So pay attention to the words of scripture and the songs that we sing and hear. There's a lot of hope in them! People have traveled down dark roads before us. That's part of the Christmas story. Jesus is born and they give Him the name “Emmanuel” meaning “God is with us”.
When Paul wrote these words to the church in Phillipi he was in prison. He'd been arrested for preaching the gospel. Such was his faith that he could interpret his circumstances as being an opportunity rather than a setback. A few verses after our reading finished he writes; “As a result, it has become clear throughout the whole palace guard and to everyone else that I am in chains for Christ.” (verse 13).
As people of faith we are invited to interpret our lives in the light of the God who is always with us, revealed in Christ, and present through the work of His Holy Spirit, within us and around us. John the Baptist challenged the people of his day to repent and get ready for the Savior to come. During Advent we have a fresh opportunity to reflect on the implications of Christ's birth all those years ago and consider how we can live in the light of His love today.
Paul, in his letter to Phillipi, gives us his perspective on living in the light.
- We energize our minds. We seek to discern the good and bad in the world around us. We make informed decisions as to how we are going to live.
- We express what's in our hearts. Paul tells us it's OK to say how we really feel. If we are going through a hard time, be it in our practical circumstances or our faith journey, then acknowledging that's how it is, can be the way forward. True love has room for vulnerability and hurt. It's a process, not a destination.
- We empower our souls. We seek Christ in all things and all places. In worship. In service. In community. It is as we listen for the still small voice and as we open ourselves to God's influence, that we discover ourselves empowered by God's Spirit for whatever lies ahead of us.
Looking at the decorations in our sanctuary, hearing the Christmas music around us, seeing the children's smiling faces, anticipating the events of fellowship we will enjoy with family and friends... these are tangible ways that we can enter into the celebrations.
These are difficult days for many around us. But there are aspects of the Christmas message that remind us... love never guarantees an easy ride. The good news of Christmas is not that 'Everything's going to be all-right'. The good and great news of Christmas is that, no matter what, God is with us!
And that, I believe, is something worth celebrating. Amen.
Rev. Adrian J. Pratt B.D.
Monday, November 19, 2012
HANNAH'S HYMN
HANNAH'S HYMN
Readings:1 Samuel 1:4-20, Mark 13:1-8, Acts 3:19-26, 1 Samuel 2:1-10
Preached at First Presbyterian Church, Baldwin, NY, November 18th 2012
A printable PDF file can be found here
The Hymn of Hannah is one of the lesser known passages of the Old Testament. Who is Hannah? Why is she writing a hymn?
Hannah lived at a time in history before Israel had a King and was ruled by Judges and Priests. The priest at the time was a man called Eli, who was having problems controlling his sons, who were not the godly sort and embraced the spirit of the age. In Scriptures words it was a time when 'everybody did what was right in their own eyes' without considering what God may require of them.
Hannah and Peninnah are the two wives of a man called Elkanah. Peninnah has given Elkanah children, but Hannah has not. Penninah takes every opportunity she can to torment Hannah and remind her that it is she, and her children, who were the blessed ones of God. Hannah's heart is often broken.
Every year the family makes a pilgrimage to Eli's place of worship called Shiloh. It's always tough for Hannah as Peninnah continues to treat her unkindly and remind her of her barren state. One particular year is exceptionally hard and the priest Eli finds Hannah crying in the temple. She comes to God with a heart rending prayer. That if God will grant her a son, she will dedicate the life of that child to God. Eli assures her that God has heard her prayer and she will have a child.
Hannah does indeed have a child. She calls him Samuel. True to her word Hannah brings Samuel to Eli and Eli takes Samuel under his wing, bringing him up in the temple as a priest. Hannah's hymn, our scripture reading, was her thanksgiving to God for answering her prayer and giving her a son.
Although she doesn't know it when she sings her hymn, when he grows up, Samuel becomes one of Israel's most celebrated priests under whose ministry the time of Judges comes to an end and the time of Kings begins. There are two books in the Old Testament named 'Samuel' such is his influence.
As we enter a time of Thanksgiving it seems timely to take a look at one of Scriptures great thanksgiving prayers. As we continue to be a community that rebuilds from the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy, it is good to remind ourselves that God is not against us, but In Christ, seeks to renew our lives.
Hannah's prayer offers thanksgiving for the past, the present and the future.
1. Thanksgiving for the things God has done.
The Message Bible begins the hymn with Hannnah praying; “I'm bursting with God-news! I'm walking on air. I'm laughing at my rivals. I'm dancing my salvation.” She is in a better place than she had been for a long long time. There had been times when she despaired of ever getting through. She had for years had to put up with the bullying and taunting of Elkinah's other wife, Peninnah, but with the benefit of hindsight, could see that even those difficult days had not been without purpose.
If she had not struggled for so long then she may never have considered dedicating the life of her first born to the Lord. She had discovered, that despite the taunting of Penninah, their husband Elkinah had never disparaged her or rejected her, but even in her barrenness loved her and supported her. She had discovered a sense of 'karma' … 'what goes around, comes around'. Her opponents taunts turned out to be hollow and empty. Their foolishness was exposed. She had discovered that faith in God truly was a rock on which to build, and that those who mocked her faith would be found wanting. As verse 3 tells us; "Do not keep talking so proudly or let your mouth speak such arrogance, for the LORD is a God who knows, and by Him deeds are weighed.”
When we travel through hard times, times of great loss and tragedy, we are forced to re-evaluate what really matters in life. Some of those who have seen their homes destroyed have spoken of how it's not the 'stuff' that they are missing, it's the lost photographs and pictures, things often with little financial value, that they most regret losing. It's hard.
Many are not yet in a position to really evaluate the lessons these days are teaching us. It's still to close and the wounds are to deep. Yet even if our only prayer of thanksgiving today is 'Thank You Lord that I'm still here to tell my story” then we are allowing God to teach us and transform us.
There is a gritty reality to Hannah's hymn when in verses 6 and 7 she declares "The LORD brings death and makes alive; He brings down to the grave and raises up. The LORD sends poverty and wealth; He humbles and He exalts.” Hannah acknowledges that there are times when our worst nightmares become our reality. But she won't leave it there. She insists that even as we travel through those times, God is at work in ways that call us to faith. She never tries to justify or explain the dark times. She thanks God for getting through them. She offers thanksgiving for the things God has done.
2. Thanksgiving for the things God was doing.
She sees around her things happening that cause her to be thankful. She rejoices in the blessings of the present. She senses a change, not only in her personal fortunes, but in the community around her. Verses 4-5. "The bows of the warriors are broken, but those who stumbled are armed with strength. Those who were full hire themselves out for food, but those who were hungry are hungry no more. She who was barren has borne seven children, but she who has had many sons pines away.”
Bear in mind that she is singing this hymn after she has just left her promised son in the hands of the priest Eli. There is no definite hope for the future. She is trusting in the promises of God. Eli, has thanked her for the 'loan' of the child and prays God will bless her. Turns out that's what happens. She conceives three further sons and two daughters. Samuel grows up to be a prophet and anoints Saul as first King of Israel. But she doesn't know that right then. She's simply trusting that God is up to something and senses it is something worth celebrating.
It is hard to read the signs of the times. There's been an election. We have weathered a storm. I personally don't sense a huge movement of change in the nation or even in the church. What I do sense is that we here, are more aware of our own fragility and vulnerability than we have ever been. That is not a bad thing.
If it causes us to examine what we are building our lives upon and to appreciate in a deeper way our need to be a community that cares then that's a positive. If the lines and waits for Gas have revealed that we are far to dependent on fossil fuels, then maybe change will come and we will take with greater seriousness the quest for alternative energy. If the predictions of 100 year storms being every two or three year storms in the future, then I hope we are exploring ways of how we modify our infrastructure so as to live within that new reality.
I sense people are asking questions. Maybe that's what was happening with Hannah. She knew things couldn't carry on as they were but had the faith that God would guide them to better days. This wasn't an easy day for her. She was kissing her son farewell for the foreseeable future. Yet in that moment she felt the embrace of God. In verse 9 she sings “He will guard the feet of his faithful servants, but the wicked will be silenced in the place of darkness.” Which leads us to a third thing.
3. Thanksgiving for the things God will do.
Hannah's prayer has been compared to that of the prayer of Mary, the mother of Jesus, that we know as the Magnificat. Like Mary, Hannah heralds a new age and the coming of a new Kingdom. Like Mary she pictures the nature of this kingdom as one of divine reversals. Verse 8 “He raises the poor from the dust and lifts the needy from the ash heap; He seats them with princes and has them inherit a throne of honor. "For the foundations of the earth are the LORD's; on them he has set the world.”. Like Mary, Hannah's son is destined to be a prophet, set aside by God for a great work.
Over and above everything else, Hannah's hymn is hymn of hope. She speaks of her 'horn being lifted high' (verse 1) and how God will 'exalt the Horn of his anointed” (verse 10). The 'horn' was a representation of salvation. In early Israel if a person felt wrongly accused for a crime they could go to the tabernacle where the altar was kept and take hold of one of the four horns that were at the corners and it would be a place of refuge where they could find a fair trial. The horn was seen as a sign of blessing and strength.
In Luke's gospel, the father of John the Baptist, Zacharias, speaks of how God “Has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David”, seen by most commentators as a reference to the coming of Jesus into our world. It was Samuel, Hannah's firstborn son, who anointed King David, the great ancestor of the first born of Mary, Jesus, the one we call our Lord and Savior. There are some fascinating connections between this ancient song of Hannah and the gospel accounts of the New Testament.
As we approach a time of National Thanksgiving, after passing through a time of local emergency and distress, we would do well to take a lead from Hannah and thank God for what is yet to be. None of us knows what the future may hold, but that does not prevent us from committing our way to the God who holds the future in His hands.
Verse 9 in the Message Bible pictures Hannah declaring 'God protectively cares for God's faithful friends, step by step, but leaves the wicked to stumble in the dark. No one makes it in this life by sheer muscle!' As we discovered when the power went out, none of us enjoys stumbling around in the dark. We have all been humbled by the power of the storm. All our muscle, all our defenses and all our well-wishes could not turn back a Hurricane.
Like Hannah though, we can face the future knowing that God is faithful and simply take things step by step. It's an uncertain world. Through faith in Jesus Christ, and empowered by the love of the Holy Spirit, we can live faithfully as those who know God as a friend, experience God's Holy Spirit as a helper in time of trouble, and know Jesus Christ as a Guide and a Savior.
Hannah’s Hymn. Thanksgiving for the things God has done. Thanksgiving for the things God is doing. Thanksgiving for the things God will do. May we find room in our hearts for giving thanks to our God who is the same yesterday, today and forever. Amen.
Rev. Adrian J. Pratt B.D.
Readings:1 Samuel 1:4-20, Mark 13:1-8, Acts 3:19-26, 1 Samuel 2:1-10
Preached at First Presbyterian Church, Baldwin, NY, November 18th 2012
A printable PDF file can be found here
The Hymn of Hannah is one of the lesser known passages of the Old Testament. Who is Hannah? Why is she writing a hymn?
Hannah lived at a time in history before Israel had a King and was ruled by Judges and Priests. The priest at the time was a man called Eli, who was having problems controlling his sons, who were not the godly sort and embraced the spirit of the age. In Scriptures words it was a time when 'everybody did what was right in their own eyes' without considering what God may require of them.
Hannah and Peninnah are the two wives of a man called Elkanah. Peninnah has given Elkanah children, but Hannah has not. Penninah takes every opportunity she can to torment Hannah and remind her that it is she, and her children, who were the blessed ones of God. Hannah's heart is often broken.
Every year the family makes a pilgrimage to Eli's place of worship called Shiloh. It's always tough for Hannah as Peninnah continues to treat her unkindly and remind her of her barren state. One particular year is exceptionally hard and the priest Eli finds Hannah crying in the temple. She comes to God with a heart rending prayer. That if God will grant her a son, she will dedicate the life of that child to God. Eli assures her that God has heard her prayer and she will have a child.
Hannah does indeed have a child. She calls him Samuel. True to her word Hannah brings Samuel to Eli and Eli takes Samuel under his wing, bringing him up in the temple as a priest. Hannah's hymn, our scripture reading, was her thanksgiving to God for answering her prayer and giving her a son.
Although she doesn't know it when she sings her hymn, when he grows up, Samuel becomes one of Israel's most celebrated priests under whose ministry the time of Judges comes to an end and the time of Kings begins. There are two books in the Old Testament named 'Samuel' such is his influence.
As we enter a time of Thanksgiving it seems timely to take a look at one of Scriptures great thanksgiving prayers. As we continue to be a community that rebuilds from the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy, it is good to remind ourselves that God is not against us, but In Christ, seeks to renew our lives.
Hannah's prayer offers thanksgiving for the past, the present and the future.
1. Thanksgiving for the things God has done.
The Message Bible begins the hymn with Hannnah praying; “I'm bursting with God-news! I'm walking on air. I'm laughing at my rivals. I'm dancing my salvation.” She is in a better place than she had been for a long long time. There had been times when she despaired of ever getting through. She had for years had to put up with the bullying and taunting of Elkinah's other wife, Peninnah, but with the benefit of hindsight, could see that even those difficult days had not been without purpose.
If she had not struggled for so long then she may never have considered dedicating the life of her first born to the Lord. She had discovered, that despite the taunting of Penninah, their husband Elkinah had never disparaged her or rejected her, but even in her barrenness loved her and supported her. She had discovered a sense of 'karma' … 'what goes around, comes around'. Her opponents taunts turned out to be hollow and empty. Their foolishness was exposed. She had discovered that faith in God truly was a rock on which to build, and that those who mocked her faith would be found wanting. As verse 3 tells us; "Do not keep talking so proudly or let your mouth speak such arrogance, for the LORD is a God who knows, and by Him deeds are weighed.”
When we travel through hard times, times of great loss and tragedy, we are forced to re-evaluate what really matters in life. Some of those who have seen their homes destroyed have spoken of how it's not the 'stuff' that they are missing, it's the lost photographs and pictures, things often with little financial value, that they most regret losing. It's hard.
Many are not yet in a position to really evaluate the lessons these days are teaching us. It's still to close and the wounds are to deep. Yet even if our only prayer of thanksgiving today is 'Thank You Lord that I'm still here to tell my story” then we are allowing God to teach us and transform us.
There is a gritty reality to Hannah's hymn when in verses 6 and 7 she declares "The LORD brings death and makes alive; He brings down to the grave and raises up. The LORD sends poverty and wealth; He humbles and He exalts.” Hannah acknowledges that there are times when our worst nightmares become our reality. But she won't leave it there. She insists that even as we travel through those times, God is at work in ways that call us to faith. She never tries to justify or explain the dark times. She thanks God for getting through them. She offers thanksgiving for the things God has done.
2. Thanksgiving for the things God was doing.
She sees around her things happening that cause her to be thankful. She rejoices in the blessings of the present. She senses a change, not only in her personal fortunes, but in the community around her. Verses 4-5. "The bows of the warriors are broken, but those who stumbled are armed with strength. Those who were full hire themselves out for food, but those who were hungry are hungry no more. She who was barren has borne seven children, but she who has had many sons pines away.”
Bear in mind that she is singing this hymn after she has just left her promised son in the hands of the priest Eli. There is no definite hope for the future. She is trusting in the promises of God. Eli, has thanked her for the 'loan' of the child and prays God will bless her. Turns out that's what happens. She conceives three further sons and two daughters. Samuel grows up to be a prophet and anoints Saul as first King of Israel. But she doesn't know that right then. She's simply trusting that God is up to something and senses it is something worth celebrating.
It is hard to read the signs of the times. There's been an election. We have weathered a storm. I personally don't sense a huge movement of change in the nation or even in the church. What I do sense is that we here, are more aware of our own fragility and vulnerability than we have ever been. That is not a bad thing.
If it causes us to examine what we are building our lives upon and to appreciate in a deeper way our need to be a community that cares then that's a positive. If the lines and waits for Gas have revealed that we are far to dependent on fossil fuels, then maybe change will come and we will take with greater seriousness the quest for alternative energy. If the predictions of 100 year storms being every two or three year storms in the future, then I hope we are exploring ways of how we modify our infrastructure so as to live within that new reality.
I sense people are asking questions. Maybe that's what was happening with Hannah. She knew things couldn't carry on as they were but had the faith that God would guide them to better days. This wasn't an easy day for her. She was kissing her son farewell for the foreseeable future. Yet in that moment she felt the embrace of God. In verse 9 she sings “He will guard the feet of his faithful servants, but the wicked will be silenced in the place of darkness.” Which leads us to a third thing.
3. Thanksgiving for the things God will do.
Hannah's prayer has been compared to that of the prayer of Mary, the mother of Jesus, that we know as the Magnificat. Like Mary, Hannah heralds a new age and the coming of a new Kingdom. Like Mary she pictures the nature of this kingdom as one of divine reversals. Verse 8 “He raises the poor from the dust and lifts the needy from the ash heap; He seats them with princes and has them inherit a throne of honor. "For the foundations of the earth are the LORD's; on them he has set the world.”. Like Mary, Hannah's son is destined to be a prophet, set aside by God for a great work.
Over and above everything else, Hannah's hymn is hymn of hope. She speaks of her 'horn being lifted high' (verse 1) and how God will 'exalt the Horn of his anointed” (verse 10). The 'horn' was a representation of salvation. In early Israel if a person felt wrongly accused for a crime they could go to the tabernacle where the altar was kept and take hold of one of the four horns that were at the corners and it would be a place of refuge where they could find a fair trial. The horn was seen as a sign of blessing and strength.
In Luke's gospel, the father of John the Baptist, Zacharias, speaks of how God “Has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David”, seen by most commentators as a reference to the coming of Jesus into our world. It was Samuel, Hannah's firstborn son, who anointed King David, the great ancestor of the first born of Mary, Jesus, the one we call our Lord and Savior. There are some fascinating connections between this ancient song of Hannah and the gospel accounts of the New Testament.
As we approach a time of National Thanksgiving, after passing through a time of local emergency and distress, we would do well to take a lead from Hannah and thank God for what is yet to be. None of us knows what the future may hold, but that does not prevent us from committing our way to the God who holds the future in His hands.
Verse 9 in the Message Bible pictures Hannah declaring 'God protectively cares for God's faithful friends, step by step, but leaves the wicked to stumble in the dark. No one makes it in this life by sheer muscle!' As we discovered when the power went out, none of us enjoys stumbling around in the dark. We have all been humbled by the power of the storm. All our muscle, all our defenses and all our well-wishes could not turn back a Hurricane.
Like Hannah though, we can face the future knowing that God is faithful and simply take things step by step. It's an uncertain world. Through faith in Jesus Christ, and empowered by the love of the Holy Spirit, we can live faithfully as those who know God as a friend, experience God's Holy Spirit as a helper in time of trouble, and know Jesus Christ as a Guide and a Savior.
Hannah’s Hymn. Thanksgiving for the things God has done. Thanksgiving for the things God is doing. Thanksgiving for the things God will do. May we find room in our hearts for giving thanks to our God who is the same yesterday, today and forever. Amen.
Rev. Adrian J. Pratt B.D.
Thursday, November 15, 2012
Building A Life
Readings; Ruth 3:1-5, Hebrews 9:24-28, Mark 12:38-44, Psalm 127
Preached at First Presbyterian Church, Baldwin, NY, November 11th 2012
A printable PDF file can be found here
When a church constructs a new building there will usually be a dedication service. An often used text at such services is the first verse of Psalm 127 “Unless the LORD builds the house, the builders labor in vain.” Such a text is a reminder that our church buildings should never become monuments to human achievement nor should they prove to be a temptation for ourselves to take credit for what God is doing in our midst.
Psalm 127 is about a lot more than building construction. It challenges us to consider the way we construct our whole life. It questions our personal security systems. It outlines the benefits of trusting in God. When we have faith in the grace and love of Jesus Christ we become inheritors of the promises of God. Psalm 127 reminds us of what some of those healing promises are.
Within these wonderful few verses of Psalm 127 we find;
1. An antidote to futility
In the Book of Ecclesiastes the author declares 'emptiness, emptiness, all of life is emptiness'. What we do we gain from all our toil under the sun? What's the point of it? Why do we even bother? The second verse of our Psalm captures this sense of futility, “In vain you rise early and stay up late, toiling for food to eat”.
We are encouraged from an early age to build a life for ourselves. We are told the world is full of opportunity, that there's nothing we can't do and if that we just work hard enough then the rewards will surely follow. And for some fortunate folks, maybe it turns out that way. But for many it just isn't true. Oh, yes, they are working their fingers to the bone, but the dreams fade as the years go by and oftentimes there is that sad moment of realization and disillusionment that maybe 'this is all there is' and 'this is all I will ever be.'
When a hurricane called Sandy comes calling the futility level notches up a whole lot higher. All that we have built seems frighteningly fragile. Jesus told a number of stories about foolish builders. Those who said to themselves “I will store up for myself great treasures on earth, only to be told “You fool, this very night your life will be taken from you. Now what will you do with all that you have so greedily accumulated?”
The antidote the Psalmist offers us is in this first verse. “Unless the LORD builds the house, the builders labor in vain.” This Psalm reminds that we can construct our lives in one of two ways. We can seek to please ourselves or we can seek to please God. Either we invite God to be in on every aspect of our lives or we face life alone. It cautions us that if we leave God out of the picture, then it will lead us, ultimately, to a place of despair. Unless the Lord builds the house of our lives, then we are building in vain. Psalm 127 offers an antidote to futility. Faith in God. Secondly it offers ...
2. An antidote to anxiety
The first verse continues. “Unless the LORD watches over the city, the guards stand watch in vain.” The job of the watchman was to be on the lookout for danger and take measures to prevent any threat coming upon the city. The psalmist suggests to us that taking human precautions is not enough. That unless we also seek the protection of God over our lives, then no matter how wonderful the barriers we build around our lives may be, they will always prove to be in vain.
We are an anxious society. People worry about everything that it is possible to be worried about and even a lot of things that we really shouldn't be worried about. Why, here I am now sharing my worries about the amount of worrying there is in our worry soaked world! If we could only turn anxiety into a power source then we would never have to worry about losing power ever again!
It's a matter of security. Where do we find our personal security? Again the psalmist offers us the options. We either 1) trust in our personal abilities to supply everything we need to protect us from every danger and disaster that may befall us or b) we trust in God. “Unless the LORD watches over the city, the guards stand watch in vain.”... unless God watches over us then no matter what precautions we surround our lives with, they are all a matter of vanity... and vanity is not security... and where there is no security all we are building is anxiety. Hurricane Sandy has taught us lot about our vulnerability.
Let's remind ourselves of some of the things Jesus has to tell us about worry. “I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; or about your body, what you will wear. For life is more than food, and the body more than clothes.” (Luke 12:22-23)
He challenges us “Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to your life? Since you cannot do this very little thing, why do you worry about the rest? (Luke 12:25-26)
He directs us to the better way, the less anxious way, the secure way “Seek God's kingdom, and these things will be given to you as well. Do not be afraid... for your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom. He encourages us: Give to the poor ... Provide purses for yourselves that will not wear out, a treasure in heaven that will never fail, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. (Luke 12:29-34).
It's all about security, about trusting in God ...deep questions about what we are building our lives upon. Yet this psalm isn't just about questions, it also offers us a promise. The promise that through faith in God our life will find a center that is powerful and creative and life giving. We see also in this Psalm ...
3. A promise of vitality.
The Psalmist promises us vitality in two specific ways. The first is found in verse 2 'He grants sleep to those He loves.' This promise is in the context of finding an antidote to futility and anxiety. What do we gain from our faith and trust in God to be both our builder and our security? Well, putting it simply, we rest easier! But it's a lot more than that.
The Psalmist is implying that if we have faith that God can both guide us and protect us, if we find our security in the love of Jesus Christ, then we discover a sense of perspective to our lives that nothing else in this world can give us. Again Hurricane Sandy has taught us this lesson, whether we wanted to hear it or not. When everything is stripped away, we understand that our 'stuff' isn't the bottom line. It's having communities that care and people we can trust and taking the next breath that matters most.
The Christian message about the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ is no little thing. It is not, “Oh. God sent Jesus to die for us so that when we die we can all go to heaven. How nice!”The Christian message is that we are on this earth for a purpose, that death cannot destroy and despair cannot obliterate. That there is a pulse that reverberates throughout all creation, a pulse of resurrection energy that can be a restoring force in our own lives through the action of God's Holy Spirit.
In the culture at the time this Psalm was written, vitality is compared to having a huge family. Fertility is seen as the sign of blessing. Verses 3 through 5 : “Children are a heritage from the LORD, offspring a reward from him. Like arrows in the hands of a warrior are children born in one's youth. Blessed is the man whose quiver is full of them.”
Now we are in the 21st century, the population explosion is straining our planets resources to breaking point. The option to 'Go forth and Multiply' is morally unjustifiable. We have the responsibility to reinterpret this verse and apply it to our current situation.
We can do so by realizing this promise speaks about community. The primary support community in Old Testament times was your own family. That no longer applies. In the New Covenant community initiated by Jesus, we are encouraged to see all people as sisters and brothers, children of the One Father God. As the old disco hit proclaims “We are family!”
Psalm 127 encourages us to be a church community that is living and active and vibrant with fellowship and love. To put our trust in God to bind us together and grow us in our faith together. It is in and through this community of faith we are called to care for another and bear each others burdens, to pray for one another, to be a witness to the world that declares as a song we sometimes sing says; “They will know we are Christians by our love!'
Which brings us around full circle... “Unless the LORD builds the house, the builders labor in vain.” Such applies to our individual lives and to our community. Psalm 127 offers us;
Rev. Adrian J. Pratt B.D.
Preached at First Presbyterian Church, Baldwin, NY, November 11th 2012
A printable PDF file can be found here
When a church constructs a new building there will usually be a dedication service. An often used text at such services is the first verse of Psalm 127 “Unless the LORD builds the house, the builders labor in vain.” Such a text is a reminder that our church buildings should never become monuments to human achievement nor should they prove to be a temptation for ourselves to take credit for what God is doing in our midst.
Psalm 127 is about a lot more than building construction. It challenges us to consider the way we construct our whole life. It questions our personal security systems. It outlines the benefits of trusting in God. When we have faith in the grace and love of Jesus Christ we become inheritors of the promises of God. Psalm 127 reminds us of what some of those healing promises are.
Within these wonderful few verses of Psalm 127 we find;
- An antidote to futility
- An antidote to anxiety
- A promise of vitality.
1. An antidote to futility
In the Book of Ecclesiastes the author declares 'emptiness, emptiness, all of life is emptiness'. What we do we gain from all our toil under the sun? What's the point of it? Why do we even bother? The second verse of our Psalm captures this sense of futility, “In vain you rise early and stay up late, toiling for food to eat”.
We are encouraged from an early age to build a life for ourselves. We are told the world is full of opportunity, that there's nothing we can't do and if that we just work hard enough then the rewards will surely follow. And for some fortunate folks, maybe it turns out that way. But for many it just isn't true. Oh, yes, they are working their fingers to the bone, but the dreams fade as the years go by and oftentimes there is that sad moment of realization and disillusionment that maybe 'this is all there is' and 'this is all I will ever be.'
When a hurricane called Sandy comes calling the futility level notches up a whole lot higher. All that we have built seems frighteningly fragile. Jesus told a number of stories about foolish builders. Those who said to themselves “I will store up for myself great treasures on earth, only to be told “You fool, this very night your life will be taken from you. Now what will you do with all that you have so greedily accumulated?”
The antidote the Psalmist offers us is in this first verse. “Unless the LORD builds the house, the builders labor in vain.” This Psalm reminds that we can construct our lives in one of two ways. We can seek to please ourselves or we can seek to please God. Either we invite God to be in on every aspect of our lives or we face life alone. It cautions us that if we leave God out of the picture, then it will lead us, ultimately, to a place of despair. Unless the Lord builds the house of our lives, then we are building in vain. Psalm 127 offers an antidote to futility. Faith in God. Secondly it offers ...
2. An antidote to anxiety
The first verse continues. “Unless the LORD watches over the city, the guards stand watch in vain.” The job of the watchman was to be on the lookout for danger and take measures to prevent any threat coming upon the city. The psalmist suggests to us that taking human precautions is not enough. That unless we also seek the protection of God over our lives, then no matter how wonderful the barriers we build around our lives may be, they will always prove to be in vain.
We are an anxious society. People worry about everything that it is possible to be worried about and even a lot of things that we really shouldn't be worried about. Why, here I am now sharing my worries about the amount of worrying there is in our worry soaked world! If we could only turn anxiety into a power source then we would never have to worry about losing power ever again!
It's a matter of security. Where do we find our personal security? Again the psalmist offers us the options. We either 1) trust in our personal abilities to supply everything we need to protect us from every danger and disaster that may befall us or b) we trust in God. “Unless the LORD watches over the city, the guards stand watch in vain.”... unless God watches over us then no matter what precautions we surround our lives with, they are all a matter of vanity... and vanity is not security... and where there is no security all we are building is anxiety. Hurricane Sandy has taught us lot about our vulnerability.
Let's remind ourselves of some of the things Jesus has to tell us about worry. “I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; or about your body, what you will wear. For life is more than food, and the body more than clothes.” (Luke 12:22-23)
He challenges us “Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to your life? Since you cannot do this very little thing, why do you worry about the rest? (Luke 12:25-26)
He directs us to the better way, the less anxious way, the secure way “Seek God's kingdom, and these things will be given to you as well. Do not be afraid... for your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom. He encourages us: Give to the poor ... Provide purses for yourselves that will not wear out, a treasure in heaven that will never fail, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. (Luke 12:29-34).
It's all about security, about trusting in God ...deep questions about what we are building our lives upon. Yet this psalm isn't just about questions, it also offers us a promise. The promise that through faith in God our life will find a center that is powerful and creative and life giving. We see also in this Psalm ...
3. A promise of vitality.
The Psalmist promises us vitality in two specific ways. The first is found in verse 2 'He grants sleep to those He loves.' This promise is in the context of finding an antidote to futility and anxiety. What do we gain from our faith and trust in God to be both our builder and our security? Well, putting it simply, we rest easier! But it's a lot more than that.
The Psalmist is implying that if we have faith that God can both guide us and protect us, if we find our security in the love of Jesus Christ, then we discover a sense of perspective to our lives that nothing else in this world can give us. Again Hurricane Sandy has taught us this lesson, whether we wanted to hear it or not. When everything is stripped away, we understand that our 'stuff' isn't the bottom line. It's having communities that care and people we can trust and taking the next breath that matters most.
The Christian message about the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ is no little thing. It is not, “Oh. God sent Jesus to die for us so that when we die we can all go to heaven. How nice!”The Christian message is that we are on this earth for a purpose, that death cannot destroy and despair cannot obliterate. That there is a pulse that reverberates throughout all creation, a pulse of resurrection energy that can be a restoring force in our own lives through the action of God's Holy Spirit.
In the culture at the time this Psalm was written, vitality is compared to having a huge family. Fertility is seen as the sign of blessing. Verses 3 through 5 : “Children are a heritage from the LORD, offspring a reward from him. Like arrows in the hands of a warrior are children born in one's youth. Blessed is the man whose quiver is full of them.”
Now we are in the 21st century, the population explosion is straining our planets resources to breaking point. The option to 'Go forth and Multiply' is morally unjustifiable. We have the responsibility to reinterpret this verse and apply it to our current situation.
We can do so by realizing this promise speaks about community. The primary support community in Old Testament times was your own family. That no longer applies. In the New Covenant community initiated by Jesus, we are encouraged to see all people as sisters and brothers, children of the One Father God. As the old disco hit proclaims “We are family!”
Psalm 127 encourages us to be a church community that is living and active and vibrant with fellowship and love. To put our trust in God to bind us together and grow us in our faith together. It is in and through this community of faith we are called to care for another and bear each others burdens, to pray for one another, to be a witness to the world that declares as a song we sometimes sing says; “They will know we are Christians by our love!'
Which brings us around full circle... “Unless the LORD builds the house, the builders labor in vain.” Such applies to our individual lives and to our community. Psalm 127 offers us;
- An antidote to futility. Allow God to build our lives and life will not be in vain.
- An antidote to anxiety. Find our security in the love of Jesus Christ and we will have a true center.
- A promise of vitality. Trust in God to discover a renewed perspective on life.
Rev. Adrian J. Pratt B.D.
Monday, November 5, 2012
“THE MOST IMPORTANT THING”
Readings; Psalm 146, Deuteronomy 6:1-9, Hebrews 9:11-14, Mark 12: 28-34
Preached at First Presbyterian Church, Baldwin, NY, November 4th 2012
A printable PDF file can be found here.
Last week, Carol Howard Merritt preached about Job and the problem of suffering. Job suffered at the hand of forces that were beyond his control. So this week we have been visited by Hurricane Sandy, and she didn't play nice! She proved well beyond anything we could handle. It's been a tough week for most everybody over a large area of the East coast. Some have lost a great deal. Some didn't make it.
Whilst we are still a little shell shocked by the events we are at the same time very thankful for all those who have come to our aid. People have dug deep into their resources to try and rebuild what has been taken away. The emergency services have been heroic in their efforts. People have pulled together and by and large done what they can they do.
Our reading from the gospel this week had somebody asking Jesus what was the most important thing?
I'm sure if they, like Job, and like many in our area, had just been through a traumatic experience, they may answer differently than they would at a time when all was going well.
In the light of all we are going through right now, what would you say was the most important thing to remember? (Ask congregation for their responses)
After the congregation had responded, expressing thankfulness just to still be alive and sharing storm stories... there wasn't really much less to say and we went to prayer. But if I had preached the rest of the sermon …
When Jesus is asked by a very religious Jewish gentleman, “Which is the most important commandment?” Jesus firstly answers him with something known as the 'shema'. 'Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.'
We know the account of Moses leading the people out of slavery in Egypt to a new land. In the Old Testament the Book of Deuteronomy tells us how, before they reached the promised land, Moses gave the people the laws.
On the doorposts of traditional Jewish homes (and many not-so-traditional homes!) you will often find a small case known as a 'Mezuzah' attached to the doorpost. Sometimes those entering the house will pause to touch it and offer a prayer. Inside the 'Mezuzah' is scroll with the words of the 'Shema' written upon it.
In you attended one of our local synagogues you may notice that when some of the men come to worship they have a leather pouch, known as a 'tefillin' or 'phylactery' strapped to their head or on their arm. In the pouch are the words of the 'shema'. They take quite literally the command of Moses that these laws were to be written on the door frames of their houses and tied on their hands and bound on their foreheads.
This morning is a communion service. Something we do to remind us that loving God is important. We will take bread and wine and invite God to renew our lives so we can be faithful disciples. It is not our practice to write the law on our gateposts or wear pouches with the law on our heads or arms. Yet many of us may have pictures or plaques with bible verses on them. Many of us may wear a cross somewhere near our heart as a reminder of what we believe.
Jesus adds something else. A second command that was equally as important as the first one. 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' Jesus saw how even the most religious people could do one and sometimes forget about the other! They were so busy thinking about God that they forgot to think about other people!
It has been said, “The church is the only institution in the world whose main reason for existing is the benefit of those who are not it's members!” We worship our God in order that we may go out and serve our neighbor. I've been in churches where they say or have printed in their bulletins at the end of the Sunday service something like “The worship is over, now the service begins.” or even, “The service is over, now the worship begins”... because worship is all about doing, not just about saying prayers or singing hymns!
Maybe, right now, we are more in touch with the loving neighbor part than we are the loving God part. We have been reminded this week of the importance of loving our neighbor. We have been grateful for good neighbors who have checked on us,and told us what they knew. We have had a chance to reach to others and help where we can.
Getting back to Job, who we were thinking of last week. At the end of the Book of Job everything is restored to him. Some commentators feel that the ending we have was not the original ending of the book. That the first draft of Job ended with Job, having lost everything but having gained something that meant a lot more to him. The knowledge that God was with him in the midst of his unprecedented trials and suffering. That though there were things he would never understand, God would still be there.
When you do read the happy ending in Job it does all seem a little fantastical. He inherits so much and lives so long! Another commentator suggests that we should remember that in some Old Testament stories numbers are used symbolically. That maybe all the things Job had restored to him were not in this life at all, but in eternity.
Well... I'll leave the commentators to sort that out. For today, I think it is safe to say that when a hurricane hits your life, you aren't too worried about what the future may hold, or about a happy ending, you just want to get through each day. Job discovered that by trusting in God he could mange to do just that.... and even more than that his relationship with God was strengthened and deepened.
Here's our chance around the table to ask the Lord of the Storm to help us clear up after the storm. Here's an opportunity to be thankful that we're still here to tell the tale of Hurricane Sandy. Here's an opportunity to recharge our spiritual batteries. Here's a chance to remember that Jesus went through the storm of a crucifixion to let us know that whatever happens, we are loved, that whatever depths of suffering we travel through,God knows how it feels and promises to help us through.
Like Job, we may never understand why bad stuff happens. Like Job, may we also discover the most important thing. God is with us and can help us in the task of rebuilding what has been destroyed. Let us recommit our lives to loving God by loving our neighbors! Amen.
Rev. Adrian J. Pratt B.D.
Preached at First Presbyterian Church, Baldwin, NY, November 4th 2012
A printable PDF file can be found here.
Last week, Carol Howard Merritt preached about Job and the problem of suffering. Job suffered at the hand of forces that were beyond his control. So this week we have been visited by Hurricane Sandy, and she didn't play nice! She proved well beyond anything we could handle. It's been a tough week for most everybody over a large area of the East coast. Some have lost a great deal. Some didn't make it.
Whilst we are still a little shell shocked by the events we are at the same time very thankful for all those who have come to our aid. People have dug deep into their resources to try and rebuild what has been taken away. The emergency services have been heroic in their efforts. People have pulled together and by and large done what they can they do.
Our reading from the gospel this week had somebody asking Jesus what was the most important thing?
I'm sure if they, like Job, and like many in our area, had just been through a traumatic experience, they may answer differently than they would at a time when all was going well.
In the light of all we are going through right now, what would you say was the most important thing to remember? (Ask congregation for their responses)
After the congregation had responded, expressing thankfulness just to still be alive and sharing storm stories... there wasn't really much less to say and we went to prayer. But if I had preached the rest of the sermon …
When Jesus is asked by a very religious Jewish gentleman, “Which is the most important commandment?” Jesus firstly answers him with something known as the 'shema'. 'Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.'
We know the account of Moses leading the people out of slavery in Egypt to a new land. In the Old Testament the Book of Deuteronomy tells us how, before they reached the promised land, Moses gave the people the laws.
On the doorposts of traditional Jewish homes (and many not-so-traditional homes!) you will often find a small case known as a 'Mezuzah' attached to the doorpost. Sometimes those entering the house will pause to touch it and offer a prayer. Inside the 'Mezuzah' is scroll with the words of the 'Shema' written upon it.
In you attended one of our local synagogues you may notice that when some of the men come to worship they have a leather pouch, known as a 'tefillin' or 'phylactery' strapped to their head or on their arm. In the pouch are the words of the 'shema'. They take quite literally the command of Moses that these laws were to be written on the door frames of their houses and tied on their hands and bound on their foreheads.
This morning is a communion service. Something we do to remind us that loving God is important. We will take bread and wine and invite God to renew our lives so we can be faithful disciples. It is not our practice to write the law on our gateposts or wear pouches with the law on our heads or arms. Yet many of us may have pictures or plaques with bible verses on them. Many of us may wear a cross somewhere near our heart as a reminder of what we believe.
Jesus adds something else. A second command that was equally as important as the first one. 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' Jesus saw how even the most religious people could do one and sometimes forget about the other! They were so busy thinking about God that they forgot to think about other people!
It has been said, “The church is the only institution in the world whose main reason for existing is the benefit of those who are not it's members!” We worship our God in order that we may go out and serve our neighbor. I've been in churches where they say or have printed in their bulletins at the end of the Sunday service something like “The worship is over, now the service begins.” or even, “The service is over, now the worship begins”... because worship is all about doing, not just about saying prayers or singing hymns!
Maybe, right now, we are more in touch with the loving neighbor part than we are the loving God part. We have been reminded this week of the importance of loving our neighbor. We have been grateful for good neighbors who have checked on us,and told us what they knew. We have had a chance to reach to others and help where we can.
Getting back to Job, who we were thinking of last week. At the end of the Book of Job everything is restored to him. Some commentators feel that the ending we have was not the original ending of the book. That the first draft of Job ended with Job, having lost everything but having gained something that meant a lot more to him. The knowledge that God was with him in the midst of his unprecedented trials and suffering. That though there were things he would never understand, God would still be there.
When you do read the happy ending in Job it does all seem a little fantastical. He inherits so much and lives so long! Another commentator suggests that we should remember that in some Old Testament stories numbers are used symbolically. That maybe all the things Job had restored to him were not in this life at all, but in eternity.
Well... I'll leave the commentators to sort that out. For today, I think it is safe to say that when a hurricane hits your life, you aren't too worried about what the future may hold, or about a happy ending, you just want to get through each day. Job discovered that by trusting in God he could mange to do just that.... and even more than that his relationship with God was strengthened and deepened.
Here's our chance around the table to ask the Lord of the Storm to help us clear up after the storm. Here's an opportunity to be thankful that we're still here to tell the tale of Hurricane Sandy. Here's an opportunity to recharge our spiritual batteries. Here's a chance to remember that Jesus went through the storm of a crucifixion to let us know that whatever happens, we are loved, that whatever depths of suffering we travel through,God knows how it feels and promises to help us through.
Like Job, we may never understand why bad stuff happens. Like Job, may we also discover the most important thing. God is with us and can help us in the task of rebuilding what has been destroyed. Let us recommit our lives to loving God by loving our neighbors! Amen.
Rev. Adrian J. Pratt B.D.
Tuesday, October 23, 2012
GIMME FIVE
Readings: Psalm 76, Numbers 12:1-7, Matthew 25:14-30, 1 Corinthians 4: 1-5
Preached at First Presbyterian Church, Baldwin, NY, October 21st 2012
A printable PDF file can be found here
My dog Harpo can not do many tricks. But if you say “Gimme 5!” he’ll lift up his paw and give you 5. As we head through Stewardship season, I am not going to be doing any tricks, but I do want to “Give you 5”- Five pointers as to how to be faithful in the matter of stewardship before God.
As I do so I want to hang my thoughts on a text that appears in 1 Corinthians 4:2; "It is required of stewards that they be found trustworthy"
The position of steward in biblical days was an honored position. It was a term used for the house manager, a position of trust and responsibility. Stewardship is a lot more than bringing offerings on a Sunday. It's about putting God first in every area of our lives.
God entrusts us with a great deal. We have to be careful how we handle it. As Christian people, we don’t have a choice as whether or not we are stewards. The choice we have is whether we will be good stewards. Good stewardship is an expression of true thankfulness to God. How best do we faithfully respond to the blessings God has surrounded our lives with?
1. We can be faithful with our time
To begin the day with an attitude of trust and faith is to give God the first hour. By saying the "First Hour', I don't mean the first actual hour we are awake or even a literal hour. I mean that every day we live we should make a conscious choice to spend some of that time exclusively with our God. To make number one in our priorities, number one amongst the things we have to do in a day, time for God.
We do that for each other. If we don't make time for each other, communication breaks down and relationships become strained. Why should our relationship with God function differently? Some people find a first thing in the morning quiet time is the way to give God the best of the day. Others prefer talking things over with God at the end of the day. Some find time on their drive to work or commuting on the train. We can be flexible because no two days ever turn out to be the same. But our faith needs nurturing daily if it is going to be of any use. Otherwise we lose our way.
2. We can be faithful in our worship
To properly worship God on a Sunday people need each other. What's the point of maintaining a church and a minister and a staff and all the rest, if on the one hour in the week we can be together, we decide to be somewhere else? We need to be worshiping and praying and sharing fellowship together.
The fourth Commandment is plain enough. "Remember the Sabbath Day, to keep it Holy". I know that sometimes life's commitments, work and family and all of that make it impossible for every member to be in church every Sunday. The best advice I heard was "Be there when you can, be elsewhere when you must". To be a faithful and grateful steward means taking God up on God's invitation and, whenever we can, give God the first day of the week for worship and for re-creation.
3. We can be faithful in our giving.
God doesn't need our money. All our tithes and offerings can not enrich one iota the God who is King and Lord and Creator of all things. God has all the wealth of all Creation at God's disposal. What can our two penny worth add to that? So why do we have a time in our service of worship to bring to God our tithes and offerings?
Because our gifts are an expression of our thankfulness. The gifts we bring do not add to the glory of God. The service of giving helps us to be more complete as people. "To give" is to remind ourselves that life is not just about us. It reminds us that we can only fully be ourselves when we are in community with others.
We give because Christ gave His life for us. He is the example. He is the pattern. His love is the motivation for giving God the first portion of our paycheck. "Let giving be cheerful" instructs the scriptures. Give graciously. Give generously. Give thankfully. Give because there is a need to be met and you can meet it. Give because that is the pattern of life Christ lays before you and calls you to follow. Give, simply because you are glad to be alive!
When the offering plate comes round, or as you consider making a pledge, do it in such a way as to demonstrate that your relationship with God really means something and truly matters. That you are grateful for your God, your church and your life. If you give your loved one a gift you don't hold back. A willingness to dip into your wallet is an indication of your love for God.
4. We can be faithful in our service.
I was once sitting playing guitar at a youth retreat when one of the participants, a gifted auto mechanic, came up to me and said, “I wish I could play guitar, I envy you". I said, "Boy, if you've ever seen me struggling on a cold morning when my car won't start, looking under the hood and pretending like I knew something about all the stuff in there, I'd tell you which one of us should be envied. "But it's just an engine" he said. "Right," I said, "And this is just a guitar."
Some of us have talents in one sphere. To others our gifting is in a different area. We all have things we can do that we can offer to God. Simple things and not so simple things. What's most needed is a willing spirit. The ability to never say, "Someone should do something about that" and the spirit that says, "How can I help do something about this".
Use the gifts you've been given, or you lose them. It's how you use your gifting that matters.
The fifth finger of this ‘Gimme 5” of stewardship is the most important. It is the one on which our time and tithes and talents must be focused and from where they should flow.
5. We can be faithful in our loving
The first great commandment is to love God with all our hearts, all our soul and all our mind. The second is to love our neighbor as much as we love ourselves. The way we are called to face challenges, whether they be stewardship challenges in the life of our church, or personal things that affect our lives, is much the same.
We've got to have an active faith. To love God implies that we trust God. Faith and love go together. We should throw hope in there to, as Paul says in that great passage about love in 1 Corinthians 13, "And now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; and the greatest of these is love."
The greatest incentive behind any stewardship campaign has to be the same thing. Love. Love for the things of God. Love for the people of God, particularly those who make up this little piece of God's Kingdom we call First Presbyterian Church, Baldwin.
Love for this building and what it stands for within this community. Love for the many programs that take place here amongst the people, young and old, and beyond these walls in the larger community. Love for the gospel and the one who gave us the Good News, Our Lord Jesus Christ. Love for the action of the Holy Spirit who renews and changes and saves.
So here’s my big 5 of thankful, faithful stewardship!
1. We can be faithful with our time.
2. We can be faithful in our worship.
3. We can be faithful in our giving.
4. We can be faithful in our serving.
5. We can be faithful in our loving.
Be a people who pray.
Exercise faith in your giving and serving.
Decide in what tangible ways you are going to face up to the challenge of being faithful stewards. And do it all with, through and from thanksgiving!
Stewardship, it's not just about money. It's about everything that God has given us and how we relate to God in all areas of our lives. "Seek ye first" said Jesus "The Kingdom of God". Do that and Jesus promises everything else in our lives will fall into place!
Rev Adrian Pratt
Preached at First Presbyterian Church, Baldwin, NY, October 21st 2012
A printable PDF file can be found here
My dog Harpo can not do many tricks. But if you say “Gimme 5!” he’ll lift up his paw and give you 5. As we head through Stewardship season, I am not going to be doing any tricks, but I do want to “Give you 5”- Five pointers as to how to be faithful in the matter of stewardship before God.
As I do so I want to hang my thoughts on a text that appears in 1 Corinthians 4:2; "It is required of stewards that they be found trustworthy"
The position of steward in biblical days was an honored position. It was a term used for the house manager, a position of trust and responsibility. Stewardship is a lot more than bringing offerings on a Sunday. It's about putting God first in every area of our lives.
God entrusts us with a great deal. We have to be careful how we handle it. As Christian people, we don’t have a choice as whether or not we are stewards. The choice we have is whether we will be good stewards. Good stewardship is an expression of true thankfulness to God. How best do we faithfully respond to the blessings God has surrounded our lives with?
1. We can be faithful with our time
To begin the day with an attitude of trust and faith is to give God the first hour. By saying the "First Hour', I don't mean the first actual hour we are awake or even a literal hour. I mean that every day we live we should make a conscious choice to spend some of that time exclusively with our God. To make number one in our priorities, number one amongst the things we have to do in a day, time for God.
We do that for each other. If we don't make time for each other, communication breaks down and relationships become strained. Why should our relationship with God function differently? Some people find a first thing in the morning quiet time is the way to give God the best of the day. Others prefer talking things over with God at the end of the day. Some find time on their drive to work or commuting on the train. We can be flexible because no two days ever turn out to be the same. But our faith needs nurturing daily if it is going to be of any use. Otherwise we lose our way.
2. We can be faithful in our worship
To properly worship God on a Sunday people need each other. What's the point of maintaining a church and a minister and a staff and all the rest, if on the one hour in the week we can be together, we decide to be somewhere else? We need to be worshiping and praying and sharing fellowship together.
The fourth Commandment is plain enough. "Remember the Sabbath Day, to keep it Holy". I know that sometimes life's commitments, work and family and all of that make it impossible for every member to be in church every Sunday. The best advice I heard was "Be there when you can, be elsewhere when you must". To be a faithful and grateful steward means taking God up on God's invitation and, whenever we can, give God the first day of the week for worship and for re-creation.
3. We can be faithful in our giving.
God doesn't need our money. All our tithes and offerings can not enrich one iota the God who is King and Lord and Creator of all things. God has all the wealth of all Creation at God's disposal. What can our two penny worth add to that? So why do we have a time in our service of worship to bring to God our tithes and offerings?
Because our gifts are an expression of our thankfulness. The gifts we bring do not add to the glory of God. The service of giving helps us to be more complete as people. "To give" is to remind ourselves that life is not just about us. It reminds us that we can only fully be ourselves when we are in community with others.
We give because Christ gave His life for us. He is the example. He is the pattern. His love is the motivation for giving God the first portion of our paycheck. "Let giving be cheerful" instructs the scriptures. Give graciously. Give generously. Give thankfully. Give because there is a need to be met and you can meet it. Give because that is the pattern of life Christ lays before you and calls you to follow. Give, simply because you are glad to be alive!
When the offering plate comes round, or as you consider making a pledge, do it in such a way as to demonstrate that your relationship with God really means something and truly matters. That you are grateful for your God, your church and your life. If you give your loved one a gift you don't hold back. A willingness to dip into your wallet is an indication of your love for God.
4. We can be faithful in our service.
I was once sitting playing guitar at a youth retreat when one of the participants, a gifted auto mechanic, came up to me and said, “I wish I could play guitar, I envy you". I said, "Boy, if you've ever seen me struggling on a cold morning when my car won't start, looking under the hood and pretending like I knew something about all the stuff in there, I'd tell you which one of us should be envied. "But it's just an engine" he said. "Right," I said, "And this is just a guitar."
Some of us have talents in one sphere. To others our gifting is in a different area. We all have things we can do that we can offer to God. Simple things and not so simple things. What's most needed is a willing spirit. The ability to never say, "Someone should do something about that" and the spirit that says, "How can I help do something about this".
Use the gifts you've been given, or you lose them. It's how you use your gifting that matters.
The fifth finger of this ‘Gimme 5” of stewardship is the most important. It is the one on which our time and tithes and talents must be focused and from where they should flow.
5. We can be faithful in our loving
The first great commandment is to love God with all our hearts, all our soul and all our mind. The second is to love our neighbor as much as we love ourselves. The way we are called to face challenges, whether they be stewardship challenges in the life of our church, or personal things that affect our lives, is much the same.
We've got to have an active faith. To love God implies that we trust God. Faith and love go together. We should throw hope in there to, as Paul says in that great passage about love in 1 Corinthians 13, "And now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; and the greatest of these is love."
The greatest incentive behind any stewardship campaign has to be the same thing. Love. Love for the things of God. Love for the people of God, particularly those who make up this little piece of God's Kingdom we call First Presbyterian Church, Baldwin.
Love for this building and what it stands for within this community. Love for the many programs that take place here amongst the people, young and old, and beyond these walls in the larger community. Love for the gospel and the one who gave us the Good News, Our Lord Jesus Christ. Love for the action of the Holy Spirit who renews and changes and saves.
So here’s my big 5 of thankful, faithful stewardship!
1. We can be faithful with our time.
2. We can be faithful in our worship.
3. We can be faithful in our giving.
4. We can be faithful in our serving.
5. We can be faithful in our loving.
Be a people who pray.
Exercise faith in your giving and serving.
Decide in what tangible ways you are going to face up to the challenge of being faithful stewards. And do it all with, through and from thanksgiving!
Stewardship, it's not just about money. It's about everything that God has given us and how we relate to God in all areas of our lives. "Seek ye first" said Jesus "The Kingdom of God". Do that and Jesus promises everything else in our lives will fall into place!
Rev Adrian Pratt
Sunday, October 7, 2012
WORLD COMMUNION SUNDAY “Scratching with Job”
Readings; Psalm 26, Hebrews 1:1-4, 2:5-12, Mark 10:2-16, Job 1:1, 2:1-10.
Preached at First Presbyterian Church, Baldwin, NY, October 7th 2012
A downloadable PDF file can be found here
Today is both World Communion Sunday and the Sunday we receive our Peacemaking offering. Our reading this morning was from the Book of Job. As we come to the table I'd like to invite you to do a bit of scratching with Job and share some thoughts around verses 7 and 8 of Job chapter 2; “So Satan went out from the presence of the LORD, and inflicted loathsome sores on Job from the sole of his foot to the crown of his head. Job took a potsherd with which to scrape himself, and sat among the ashes.” (Job 2:7-8).
The Book of Job is arguably the greatest of all the dramatic writings of the Old Testament. It places this one good man, Job, at the center of a cosmic conflict between the forces of evil and the forces of good, and leaves us guessing how things are going to turn out. It wrestles with the question of undeserved suffering and demolishes the traditional arguments as to why and how things happen, till at the end of it all, Job's only comfort is in the fact that although he is none the wiser, at least he has encountered God.
The dilemma of Job is the dilemma of the Cross. As all around the world people receive bread and wine and focus upon the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus, we, like Job, are surrounded by differing views and arguments and dilemmas. Ultimately we may also come to the position that, when all is said and done, when it comes to these huge questions of good and evil and fate and chance and why good sometimes seems to lose out to evil, all we can do is sit in the shadow of the Cross and accept that in the midst of many unanswered questions, at least, here is a meeting place with God.
Job was hurting. He was sore. He needed to scratch for a while. Maybe this morning some of us are feeling that way. Too much going on that we can't make sense of. Why do bad things happen to good people? Why do some people get away with the most atrocious acts whilst others suffer unjustly? Why can't we all just get along? Job was never given an explanation. Neither would I be so presumptuous as to suggest I can explain such dilemmas. But I can invite you to scratch for a while. I can point you to the mystery of our worldwide faith that is represented in bread and wine and symbolized by the Cross that overhangs our communion table.
The Presbyterian Peacemaking Offering this year draws our attention to a number of differing facets of life that truly need the healing touch of God. Bulletin inserts have highlighted a number of concerns. One insert spoke about human trafficking. It would be wonderful to think that slavery ended with the civil war, but according to the US department of State some 12.3 million people, including children, are involved in some form of forced labor. Thankfully there are congregations that campaign and offer support through rescuing people from such desperate circumstances.
Another focus of this years offering has been to highlight bullying, particularly amongst young people. Bullying is not confined to school, but spreads throughout everything from social media to the workplace. Sadly we have witnessed how the trauma of being a victim can lead to lifelong problems and even suicide. Thankfully there are congregations that are working to establish mentoring programs within schools and establish youth activities that can be safe places for youth to meet together.
Our denomination has worked for many years producing resources to educate people about gun violence and the need for laws to combat the rising tide of senseless acts by people who seek to do nothing but harm. The tide of violence in our society surely causes us to scratch for a while and ponder that there has to a better way. One of the questions being explored in this years peacemaking theme is “How we discern a nonviolent path in the midst of a violent world?” We can add in there such questions as 'How, in a world where we are so deeply divided, can we engage in respectful dialogue?”, “How, can we not only refrain from doing violence to each other, but also respect the good earth God has entrusted to our care?”
Such are some of the dilemmas that our peacemaking offering invites us to wrestle with. Maybe we are struggling with more personal dilemmas. The loss of loved ones. Times of illness and recovery. Concern for family. Financial concerns. Wondering how we are going to get around a certain situation or deal with a particularly vexing problem or person. All of these rob our personal peace and leave us scratching. We 'sort of know' that we are never going to get an answer as to 'why'... and to be honest that's not our burning concern... right now... we just need the strength to get through!
This is where communion can help us. The word 'communion' is closely related to the word 'community'. Being part of a community of faith can really make a difference to our lives. It's good to not only offer support to others, but to know support when we are going through hard times. It makes a difference.
When we realize that the community of faith isn't just about our community, but, as we express this morning, we are part of a worldwide community, then our horizons are expanded and we catch some little glimmers of hope. There are things, like the Peacemaking Offering, that we can do together, that we could never do all by ourselves.
Communion is designed to draw us in. We do this because Jesus invites us to remember Him in this way. As we remember Him this way we cannot help from considering the life He lived, the things He embodied, and the lessons He taught us. When we take bread and wine in the shadow of His Cross we are drawn to consider how He died and what His death may mean for our lives. We are drawn also to consider that our Cross is an empty Cross. That His death was not an end in itself but a new beginning. The mystery of His Resurrection and Ascension confront us here.
If God was in Christ redeeming the world, then how do we become part of the solution rather than part of the problem? Jesus promised that He would send His Holy Spirit to be the great counselor, enabler and comforter. It is around this table, laid with bread and wine, that we are encouraged to come and nurture our lives on God's living love.
It is around this table that we invited to stop scratching and reflect on the promises of God. 'I will never leave you or forsake you' promised Jesus to His disciples. God is not giving up on us, God is not giving up on our world, God is not through with the business of redemption or the work of healing or the task of peacemaking.
Job was man of integrity. He was nearly overwhelmed by the circumstances that befell his life. Somehow God got him through. And somehow God will get us though just as long as we can keep our focus on what God can do.
Communion. Not just with each other, but with God. Lives nurtured by God. Lives that find their sustenance in doing God's will and their refreshment in soaking up and sharing God's love. That's what we are invited to around this table. And it is an invitation that goes out to all the world.
We began our service today in different languages declaring, “God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whomsoever believeth in Him shall not perish, but have everlasting life”
Here is hope. Here is an opportunity to renew our lives before God as we remember that God wants to be involved in our struggles, in our heartaches, in our dilemmas. Here is God saying, “I've been there before and I will be there for you. No matter what life does to you, remember I transform places of desolation into times of celebration, places of crucifixion into moments of resurrection.”
This is a time for gratitude. This world may well be a place of dilemmas and contradictions, but we are not powerless. Thank God. We have life. We have a voice. We have each other. God has placed at our disposal many wonderful resources and opportunities to change things for the better. The little things we can do are actually the big things in the Kingdom. Mustard seed faith moves mountains.
Let us join with others around the world to recommit our lives to the Prince of peace, our Lord Jesus Christ. As we share these elements of bread and wine, may they nurture us for the journey that lies ahead of us. And to God's name be all glory, honor and praise. Amen.
Rev. Adrian J. Pratt B.D.
Preached at First Presbyterian Church, Baldwin, NY, October 7th 2012
A downloadable PDF file can be found here
Today is both World Communion Sunday and the Sunday we receive our Peacemaking offering. Our reading this morning was from the Book of Job. As we come to the table I'd like to invite you to do a bit of scratching with Job and share some thoughts around verses 7 and 8 of Job chapter 2; “So Satan went out from the presence of the LORD, and inflicted loathsome sores on Job from the sole of his foot to the crown of his head. Job took a potsherd with which to scrape himself, and sat among the ashes.” (Job 2:7-8).
The Book of Job is arguably the greatest of all the dramatic writings of the Old Testament. It places this one good man, Job, at the center of a cosmic conflict between the forces of evil and the forces of good, and leaves us guessing how things are going to turn out. It wrestles with the question of undeserved suffering and demolishes the traditional arguments as to why and how things happen, till at the end of it all, Job's only comfort is in the fact that although he is none the wiser, at least he has encountered God.
The dilemma of Job is the dilemma of the Cross. As all around the world people receive bread and wine and focus upon the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus, we, like Job, are surrounded by differing views and arguments and dilemmas. Ultimately we may also come to the position that, when all is said and done, when it comes to these huge questions of good and evil and fate and chance and why good sometimes seems to lose out to evil, all we can do is sit in the shadow of the Cross and accept that in the midst of many unanswered questions, at least, here is a meeting place with God.
Job was hurting. He was sore. He needed to scratch for a while. Maybe this morning some of us are feeling that way. Too much going on that we can't make sense of. Why do bad things happen to good people? Why do some people get away with the most atrocious acts whilst others suffer unjustly? Why can't we all just get along? Job was never given an explanation. Neither would I be so presumptuous as to suggest I can explain such dilemmas. But I can invite you to scratch for a while. I can point you to the mystery of our worldwide faith that is represented in bread and wine and symbolized by the Cross that overhangs our communion table.
The Presbyterian Peacemaking Offering this year draws our attention to a number of differing facets of life that truly need the healing touch of God. Bulletin inserts have highlighted a number of concerns. One insert spoke about human trafficking. It would be wonderful to think that slavery ended with the civil war, but according to the US department of State some 12.3 million people, including children, are involved in some form of forced labor. Thankfully there are congregations that campaign and offer support through rescuing people from such desperate circumstances.
Another focus of this years offering has been to highlight bullying, particularly amongst young people. Bullying is not confined to school, but spreads throughout everything from social media to the workplace. Sadly we have witnessed how the trauma of being a victim can lead to lifelong problems and even suicide. Thankfully there are congregations that are working to establish mentoring programs within schools and establish youth activities that can be safe places for youth to meet together.
Our denomination has worked for many years producing resources to educate people about gun violence and the need for laws to combat the rising tide of senseless acts by people who seek to do nothing but harm. The tide of violence in our society surely causes us to scratch for a while and ponder that there has to a better way. One of the questions being explored in this years peacemaking theme is “How we discern a nonviolent path in the midst of a violent world?” We can add in there such questions as 'How, in a world where we are so deeply divided, can we engage in respectful dialogue?”, “How, can we not only refrain from doing violence to each other, but also respect the good earth God has entrusted to our care?”
Such are some of the dilemmas that our peacemaking offering invites us to wrestle with. Maybe we are struggling with more personal dilemmas. The loss of loved ones. Times of illness and recovery. Concern for family. Financial concerns. Wondering how we are going to get around a certain situation or deal with a particularly vexing problem or person. All of these rob our personal peace and leave us scratching. We 'sort of know' that we are never going to get an answer as to 'why'... and to be honest that's not our burning concern... right now... we just need the strength to get through!
This is where communion can help us. The word 'communion' is closely related to the word 'community'. Being part of a community of faith can really make a difference to our lives. It's good to not only offer support to others, but to know support when we are going through hard times. It makes a difference.
When we realize that the community of faith isn't just about our community, but, as we express this morning, we are part of a worldwide community, then our horizons are expanded and we catch some little glimmers of hope. There are things, like the Peacemaking Offering, that we can do together, that we could never do all by ourselves.
Communion is designed to draw us in. We do this because Jesus invites us to remember Him in this way. As we remember Him this way we cannot help from considering the life He lived, the things He embodied, and the lessons He taught us. When we take bread and wine in the shadow of His Cross we are drawn to consider how He died and what His death may mean for our lives. We are drawn also to consider that our Cross is an empty Cross. That His death was not an end in itself but a new beginning. The mystery of His Resurrection and Ascension confront us here.
If God was in Christ redeeming the world, then how do we become part of the solution rather than part of the problem? Jesus promised that He would send His Holy Spirit to be the great counselor, enabler and comforter. It is around this table, laid with bread and wine, that we are encouraged to come and nurture our lives on God's living love.
It is around this table that we invited to stop scratching and reflect on the promises of God. 'I will never leave you or forsake you' promised Jesus to His disciples. God is not giving up on us, God is not giving up on our world, God is not through with the business of redemption or the work of healing or the task of peacemaking.
Job was man of integrity. He was nearly overwhelmed by the circumstances that befell his life. Somehow God got him through. And somehow God will get us though just as long as we can keep our focus on what God can do.
Communion. Not just with each other, but with God. Lives nurtured by God. Lives that find their sustenance in doing God's will and their refreshment in soaking up and sharing God's love. That's what we are invited to around this table. And it is an invitation that goes out to all the world.
We began our service today in different languages declaring, “God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whomsoever believeth in Him shall not perish, but have everlasting life”
Here is hope. Here is an opportunity to renew our lives before God as we remember that God wants to be involved in our struggles, in our heartaches, in our dilemmas. Here is God saying, “I've been there before and I will be there for you. No matter what life does to you, remember I transform places of desolation into times of celebration, places of crucifixion into moments of resurrection.”
This is a time for gratitude. This world may well be a place of dilemmas and contradictions, but we are not powerless. Thank God. We have life. We have a voice. We have each other. God has placed at our disposal many wonderful resources and opportunities to change things for the better. The little things we can do are actually the big things in the Kingdom. Mustard seed faith moves mountains.
Let us join with others around the world to recommit our lives to the Prince of peace, our Lord Jesus Christ. As we share these elements of bread and wine, may they nurture us for the journey that lies ahead of us. And to God's name be all glory, honor and praise. Amen.
Rev. Adrian J. Pratt B.D.
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