God is God, all the time.

October 2, 2011

Isaiah 5:1-7

Psalm 80:7-15

Philippians 3:4b-14

Matthew 21:33-46

Please pray with me,

May the words of my mouth and the meditations of all our hearts be acceptable in your sight, O God, our rock and our redeemer, amen. 

Alleluia! Christ is risen! 

He is risen, indeed, Alleluia!

Don’t worry, your pastor hasn’t completely lost it….by beginning her sermon with an Easter greeting in the middle of the Sundays following Pentecost.  And most likely I won’t be wishing you all a Merry Christmas next week.  I know it’s not Easter.  But as we talked through this text at our clergy Bible study this week, one of my colleagues said, in essence, this is an Easter text. 

It’s a challenging text for us to read and hear.  I don’t know about you, but I love a happy ending.  I like it when all the loose ends are tied up…in the movie world, the villain gets caught, the love interests are resolved and the goofy friend continues to make everyone laugh. 

Yet in today’s parable, it seems to be anything but a happy ending.  NT Wright says, “There is no happy ending to this story.  It is pure tragedy.” 

The parable begins with a situation that was business as usual in Roman-occupied Palestine. A landowner established a vineyard complete with a fence, a winepress, and even a watchtower.

He then became an absentee landowner, returning to his own country as often happened in the far-flung territories of the Roman Empire. Tenants were in charge of overseeing the productivity of the vineyard and paying their rent to the owner at harvest time, in the form of a share of the produce.

In this case, though, when the owner's slaves arrived to collect his share of the produce, the tenants attacked them, even beating one and killing another. The owner of the vineyard then simply sent another delegation of slaves to collect the rent.

Those slaves were treated even worse than the first. Surely by now the owner would send in troops or some form of armed enforcement of his rights!

I mean, think about it, you’re the landowner…you’ve sent some of your slaves to collect what is due and the tenants have beaten some and killed others…who would you send now?  Certainly, not your son.  After seeing how the others were treated and killed, would you be willing to send your son into that?  No way! 

But the tenant does, perhaps hoping and praying that the tenants will respect him.  Which we know does not happen, they kill the son somehow thinking that they will get his inheritance. 

In sharing this parable, Jesus seems to be addressing those who are tending to the vineyard, and people of Jesus time would have thought of Israel as the vineyard. 

We are reminded of that connection in our reading from Isaiah this day.  In Isaiah, however, it is Israel itself that is blamed for not producing fruit.  Yet, as Jesus tells this parable it is not the vineyard that is the problem, but those who are tending it, those in charge. 

So if we follow this parable to the end, we hear that those who are tending the vineyard, will kill the son of the heir.  Jesus is telling the story of his own life….and death….he is predicting his own death: such an unhappy ending. 

So where is the good news in this passage?  Where is the promise of God’s love in our lives?  Where is the good news of promise and hope?  Where is the happy ending? 

Alleluia, Christ is risen!

He is risen indeed, alleluia!

Why the Easter refrain?  Because in this passage, as Jesus predicts his own death, God’s love is revealed to us.  Through the life, the death and the resurrection of Jesus Christ, God’s love is revealed to us and to the whole world.  That, my friends, is good news.  Jesus knows what is going to happen and Jesus knows that his death and resurrection is part of that plan.  Through his own death and resurrection, the world will be saved. 

How heart wrenching to hear Jesus predict the saving event for all peoples. 

Last month, my childhood friend, Liesl was diagnosed with IBC, Inflammatory Breast Cancer.  The diagnosis was a complete surprise, but the love and support from friends and family was not.  This weekend, the Lutherans for Liesl team will be walking to raise money for IBC research.  They have already surpassed their goal of $20,000.  As the testing and treatments continue, friends and family are holding Liesl, her husband and their two little girls in prayer. 

We are praying and hoping for a happy ending. 

But the reality is that we don’t know what the future will bring. 

We don’t know how things will pan out and we’re not the only ones facing situations like this. 

There are other families facing futures unknown because of cancer or other life threatening diseases.  There are other families facing futures unknown because of financial problems.  There are other families facing unknown futures because of wounded or broken relationships. 

The reality is that we live in a world where things are not perfect and we, as humanity, cannot make things perfect. 

Yet in the midst of an imperfect world, God sent Jesus to live with us, to teach us, and to die for us.  Jesus rose from the dead to save us from all these imperfections, all these struggles and all the strife we face in this world. 

God didn’t send Jesus into the world to take all of this away….but so that we may know God’s love and grace in our lives here and now. 

We are invited into the kingdom here and now.  We are saved and loved by God….and therefore we are a changed people. 

Alleluia, Christ is risen!

He is risen indeed, Alleluia!

We are free to love and serve one another. 

We are free to see outside of ourselves.

Through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, we know of God’s abundant love and grace in our lives….that changes us. 

So as you go from this place, let that message of love and hope and good news change you. 

May it be seen in your words, deeds and actions.  May the freedom from sin and death show forth in all that you do and say. 

You are loved.

You are saved.

Let that be seen in all that you do and say. 

And now may the peace, which passes all understanding, keep our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus and let all God’s people say, amen.

PS.  At the Crossfire (Trinity's Contemporary Worship Service) last night, I added in a different call and response:  God is God, all the time.  and All the time, God is God.  You see, the one I orginally heard was God is Good, all the time and all the time God is Good.  In light of today's gospel reading, God did not send Jesus into the world to make it all sunshine and roses...not to take away all the struggles and tribulations, but so that we may know God's presence with us amidst life as it happens.  Because when a loved one is diagnosed with cancer, how can you say, God is good?  When your home is foreclosed upon and your family must relocate, how can you say, God is good?  But in the midst of that...you can say, God is God.  You can say God is in the midst of this and cannot be moved.  You can be certain of God's love and grace in your life in the midst of the hardships, illness and distress....and that, my friends, is good news.   

Reflections on forgiveness



Sermon from Saturday evening.

 

September 10, 2011

Genesis 50:15-21

Psalm 103:[1-7] 8-13

Romans 14:1-12

Matthew 18:21-35

Please pray with me,

May the words of my mouth and the meditations of all our hearts be acceptable in your sight O God, our rock and our redeemer.  Amen. 

There’s something unique about this service, isn’t there…okay maybe it’s not just one thing…and maybe the service isn’t too unique, but because of a few simple differences this service allows us to deeply connect with today’s Gospel lesson. 

The basic order of service is the same as Sunday, and it can be simplified to 4 parts. 

Gathering: we gather together in confession and song

Word: we hear God’s word

Meal: we come forward for the Lord’s Supper

Sending:  we are sent from this place…back into the world.

But the gathering is where this service is just a little different. 

Immediately following the confession and forgiveness, we pass the peace. 

Now that’s a bit different.  And truth be told, it’s tripped me up a few times….but today, when our lessons revolved around forgiveness….how many times should we forgive? 

Here’s a comic to illustrate today’s lesson, from Agnus Dei…

(Above is the weekly lectionary based comic from Agnus Day.)

We’re left with the sheep to ponder…really, how many times are we to forgive…and is it really as easy as the click of a mouse?  Probably not…

And like last week…this whole forgiveness thing isn’t about making life easier for you or me individually…it’s not about forgiving so you can forget what happened, it’s for the sake of the larger community. 

This is a tricky parable we come upon this weekend…and it’s a weekend that calls us to think about the past, about actions we have taken not only as individuals but also as a community and as a nation.  How are we to forgive those who have purposely hurt us? 

How are we to forgive those who have taken lives who have hurt families who have instilled in us a sense of fear? 

I don’t have a clear answer for you.  That’s the truth.

Maybe the other truth is the reality that maybe we cannot forgive. 

Every time we speak the words of the Lord’s Prayer we speak forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. 

We continually pray for forgiveness…for new starts, for fresh beginnings, for the opportunity to have a clean slate.  And time and time again….God reaches in with a hand and a promise that we are forgiven.   We are freed to see outside of our own hearts and lives to see each other and the impacts we have in all our relationships. 

So here we are…forgiven.  A new people.  A new creation. 

Pretty amazing, huh? 

So how do we live in a world full of hate and revenge as people walking in the light of Christ…as a people united by the cross…washed in the waters of baptism…and forgiven and freed to love one another? 

It could be that we don’t think we deserve this unconditional love from God that we are only human, and we don’t deserve this love and grace. 

Yet we begin worship each week with this gracious reminder…

And at this service it is immediately followed by the passing of the peace…

Not a time to catch up with each other on the week’s gossip,

Not a time to find someone to volunteer for a new committee or project…

But the passing of the peace of the Lord…

It’s a time in the service where we make amends with one another…

It’s a time for us to forgive others…

It’s a time that helps us prepare to come forward to the Lord’s table…not focused on one another. 

Not worried about our own issues or someone else’s problems…or gossip or hurtful words, coming up to this table is that second reminder of God’s amazing grace and forgiveness…that we are welcome here no matter what. 

Think about that…

No matter who you are, you are loved.

No matter who you are, you are forgiven.

No matter who you are, you are free….to share that love and forgiveness. 

So what does that mean for us…here and now? 

Within the walls of Trinity, within the community of Robesonia…and as a nation? 

How does who we are as a chosen, loved and forgiven people impact the world around us? 

How does that change how we respond to war, pain, suffering, attacks, world hunger, broken families, sickness and death? 

I’ve heard it said that the heart of God is cross shaped. 

Pretty cool, huh?

The heart of God is cross shaped….because that’s where God’s unconditional love was and is shown for us as Jesus died on the cross.  That’s how much love god has foe us…so as a new people, as a chosen, loved and forgiven people, how do we point out God at work in the world…even in the suffering and the pain, in the remembering and the reconciling….

There’s this well-known tag line, or call and response that says, God is good…all the time. 

All the time….God is good. 

I’m not sure if I can agree with that…God is good in the midst of war?  In the midst of famine?  In the hurricanes, storms, floods?  In the political arguments?  In the economic struggles?  God is good? 

What I can stand behind I that God is God.  All the time….

And all the time God is God. 

God is with us in the midst of all that happens…loving and saving us and watching us mess up and continuing to love and save us…throughout history…this cycle seems to repeat itself. 

That won’t make life any smoother…

That won’t take away the pain and suffering in the world…

That isn’t a go directly to go and collect $200….it means we are still a vital part of this world, this church and this community. 

But knowing God is active in our lives each and every day changes who we are in the world. 

So as you leave from this place, this day…hear and know this:

God is with you. 

God loves you. 

God forgives you. 

And may those words of forgiveness remind us of the new creation we are in Christ.  . 

May God’s amazing grace in our lives change us, move us and free us to love and serve and forgive….

And now may the peace, which passes all understanding, keep our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus, and let all God’s people say amen. 

It's the cross that unites us.

(Just a note: the illustration for this sermon is the short story by Dr. Suess, The Zax.  It is found in the book The Sneetches and other stories.  If you haven't read it, please, check it out, I have a copy you can borrow.)

September 4, 2011

12^th Sunday after Pentecost

Ezekiel 33:7-11

Psalm 119:33-40

Romans 13:8-14

Matthew 18:15-20

Please pray with me,

May the words of my mouth and the meditations of all our hearts be acceptable in your sight, O God, our rock and our redeemer.  Amen.

The North-going Zax and the South-going Zax…both set in their ways. 

Both certain that they are doing exactly what they are supposed to do be doing.

Both unwilling to budge, even in the least. 

You don’t know anyone like that do you?  

I love this story because it takes a common occurrence, a disagreement between two individuals and takes it to the ridiculous!  I mean really, have any of us not budged from one spot for 59 years….or more? 

Maybe we need to think outside of the box on this one…not just about two people going in conflicting directions physically, but what about the differences that spring up between us on our everyday lives.  Think for just a moment about a time when you have disagreed with someone…when you’ve not seen eye to eye, perhaps it was something at home, or something at work…or perhaps something here at church. 

It’s so easy to get stuck in our own ways…that’s human nature…that is sin…to turn in on ourselves, to turn away from God and others and in on ourselves. 

We live in a society that promotes me, myself and I. 

We live in a society that glorifies the isolated individual and marginalizes God. 

It’s a tough world out there…and it’s a world that will keep going on…so how are we to break out of ourselves, to see each other…to see God in our midst and to be open to the bigger community? 

Well, I think that’s where Matthew’s passage speaks to us today. 

I’d like to read the first part of that passage again, but this time from the New Revised Version, it’s just a little different than what’s printed in our bulletins so give it a listen,

"If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault, between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained your brother. But if he does not listen, take one or two others along with you, that every word may be confirmed by the evidence of two or three witnesses.

If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church; and if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector.”  

Jesus is speaking to his disciples, and almost warning them about the disagreements that can and will come up in the midst of their community.  He gives them these guidelines as a reminder that their identity is communal.  And while disagreements and sins arise within our midst there are ways to address them for the sake of the community. 

So if something comes up, Jesus recommends face to face conversation about with the person who you feel wronged you.  Don’t go to three other people first, talk with that person about it.  If, at that point you don’t see eye to eye, then bring a few people with you.  

I don’t think that you are purposely headed out with a posse behind you to drive your side home, but they are there to see the interaction, to see with new eyes both sides of the story, to hear with fresh ears how both people feel.  Again, it is for the sake of the greater community.  

If there is still a struggle, then bring into account the whole church, the whole body who is being affected by this disagreement….and if that doesn’t work…Jesus tells them to treat that person as a Gentile or tax collector: two of the types of people that Jesus continually reached out to and repeatedly welcomed in.

Because, again, that’s what it’s all about…continually inviting and welcoming all to hear the good news in Christ Jesus and to share God’s love and grace with everyone. 

Who we are in this place, in the context of Trinity Lutheran, is because of our unity through baptism, through the cross on our forehead and together we are brought to the cross of Christ. 

Maybe you have come to this congregation because of the fellowship, or because of the Bible Studies or because of the activities that connect us to the greater community.  You may have been drawn in by this space…by the liturgy and the hymns or because this is where your friends go to church. 

While these are all things that bring us together or that open the door to welcome in others…it is the waters of baptism that truly draw us in…and it is the cross of Christ that binds us together.  Truly it is the remembrance that God in Christ Jesus died for each and every one of us…that unites us, that defines us and is the reason we are here. 

So, in that same vein there may be things that you don’t like in this place. 

You may not like some of the hymns we sing…(all a million verses of them) you may not like all of the community activities Trinity is involved with, you may not like how an event is planned and implemented, you may not like how a project is developed and seen through…but that’s not what the deciding factor should be…there may be things that bother you in this place, attitudes and even people… 

But while there are peripheral things that bring us together…there are also those peripheral things that cause division….and you can live in that division if you want…just like those two Zax did…until the end of time…they held onto that grudge. 

But here Jesus reminds us that whatever we bind here on earth will be bound in heaven and what we loose on earth will be loosed in heaven. 

You can hold on to whatever grudge you want, but what will that do? 

Because here’s the thing, today’s gospel passage, all our readings today, actually guide us to and remind us of life in community. 

We are called to live with one another, the body of Christ is a life in community.  And our call, is to remember that bigger picture….

Our identity is communal. 

Our life is a life together and our life together surrounds and is surrounded by God. 

Coming together in this space affirms that our life is life together.

In this space, the word of God is proclaimed, Jesus is present in the wine and the bread….the waters of baptism wash over us, unite us and bring us ever humbled to the Cross of Christ where forgiveness and love and grace abound. 

Let us pray,

We give you thanks O God, for each other and for your presence with us.  We celebrate the experience of community that build us and others up. 

We especially seek your guiding hand and wise spirit when we find ourselves at cross purposes with one another.  Help us to be grateful, and not fearful, of honest encounters that enlarge our lives. 

May we not fail to listen for your Spirit’s stirring in our lives for the good through the voice of others. 

May we not fail to speak, when it is through us that you would speak truth, and seek justice and build up one another. 

We give thanks for each other’s prayers that accompany our days.  We give thanks for shared laughter and tears signs of true community in you.

And may the peace which passes all understanding keep our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus and let all God’s people say, amen. 

* The closing prayer is adapted from a preaching resource The Minister’s Annual Manual. 

moments of grace

In the midst of Hurricane Irene this past weekend, God moments continued to creep in...in the most surprising places.  Well, maybe not the most surprising, but I felt God's embrace during two particular moments in worship. 

First was during both services when we paused to pray just before our final hymn.  Attendance was low, due to the weather, but those gathered stopped and prayed.  We knelt and prayed for those impacted by the storm, for those providing help to those in need, for those still awaiting the impact from the storm and for those who were not worshipping with us.  We are community, the Body of Christ, we are united in the waters of baptism, we are strengthened and supported by the relationship we have with God through Christ and through the relationships we have with one another.  Our small group gathered yesterday took time to pray for our brothers and sisters who could not be with us.  We missed their presence.  We were not complete without them.  We prayed for their safety.  It was a blessing to stop and pray about those who were not with us, because we were reminded that our community, the Body of Christ, the church in the world is bigger than just me.  That prayer time humbled me yesterday...I was able to let go of my little issues and worries...and see the bigger picture and the people who are part of that bigger picture in my life and in the world. 

Okay, the next awesome God moment was during the 9:30 service as the congregation and I chanted the Great Thanksgiving....at the beginning of Communion.  Maybe I was moved by the prayer at the early service, but I took my eyes off the book and looked into the eyes of those who surrounded me.  I could feel God's presence among us as we gathered, as we sang and as we gave thanks for the meal of bread and wine we were about to share with one another.  I've only been here 7 months, but this is where I'm called to be.  The feelings of welcome, support and nurture continue day after day...but there are some wonderful moments, where I can feel the love of God emanating from the congregation as we worship together.  I continue to pray that worship in this place provides others those moments as well. 

Okay, so maybe there were more than just two...
As we finish communion, we pray a post communion prayer, giving thanks to God for this meal that strengthens us and sends us out in humble service to others.  In the midst of that prayer at the later service, a beeper went off, and a local firefighter was called out on a storm related emergency.  That to me is what worship is all about...being fed and nourished through the Word and through the Lord's Supper that we are sent from this place to love and serve others. So I am thankful for that moment...and for all who have provided rescue assistance in the past and who continue to do so in the future. 

One more great moment...
An impromptu lunch.  Fun conversation, great food, many laughs.  That is all :) 

But I could keep going...enjoying a meal last evening with the folks at Trinity who give of their time to serve as pilots (small group leaders) for Fundocy...the ministry they provide for our youth is amazing.  They rock!

+paz

Stay-cation reflection.

So, truth be told, I was a bit worried about attempting a 'stay-cation' living right next to the church and all...but it worked out really well. 
I am happy to report that I only spent a minor fraction of it cleaning the house.  It needed it though, after I had been busy with VBS, away at camp and then to the beach.  Things at Trinity slow down, when?  (Just kidding.)  Ministry, just like life, keeps on happening.  God is continually at work in the world. 
I received glimpses of that this past week. 
It was great to be able to catch up on sleep AND have time during the day for good workouts.  I have officially begun training to run the Hartford 1/2 Marathon with my mom in October.  I had time to map out my training schedule and get that started this week without having to get up too early!  The true test will be getting the workouts in before a day in the life of Trinity.  It is possible to do that....I know this, it will just be different post-staycation.  Keeping active through exercising helps to keep my heart, mind, body and soul refreshed for being present for others.  It was a pleasant surprise to run into some Trinity folk on the trail this past week and share some time and conversation as we ran. 

I also had time this week just to sit on my porch and read and pray. 
When I was in the call process here, it was Advent and I was honoring the tradition of praying the hours.  I would take breaks in my day for Matins (morning prayer), noon time prayer, vespers (evening prayer) and Compline (prayer at the close of the day).  It was very helpful for me, throughout Advent to take time to pray each day as the future of my life and call was uncertain.  I also took time each day to pray for specific individuals or groups to remind me of the connection we all have in through baptism.  I've taken time this past week to enter into the practice of praying the hours this past week.  While I feel much more certain about my sense of call and my future than I did back in Advent, I still feel that it is important to take that time for daily prayer, to think, reflect and thank God for where I am at, and help for the future.  I use the book The Divine Hours as my guide.  I also add the upcoming Sunday's scripture readings as I pray.

I was also thankful for the opportunity to explore some of the attractions that Berks County and beyond have to offer. 

I am also thankful for the opportunity to worship this morning.  I headed into Reading and was nourished by the Word, prayer, song and fellowship at Christ Lutheran Glenside.  I had the opportunity to connect with the pastor and the people there while I was on internship.  It was great to worship, connect with colleagues and be reminded, again, how God is at work in the world.  They just finished 8 weeks as a host site for a summer day camp program.  They have been doing this for 19 years!  
Yet at the same time, they are a group of people who celebrate joys, who share burdens, struggles and worries with one another.  They are just like us at Trinity. The location may be different, but we are all connected through the waters of baptism, reminded of our own humanity and sinfulness and welcomed in...no matter who we are...no matter what we have been through....God continues to reach out and invite in the lost, the sick, the hurting, the tired, the busy...all are welcome at the table.

I'm thankful for the time away, but thankful to be back this week.  To reconnect with the young and the old (and all those in between!) and to hear stories about where God has been active in your life and your community this summer. 

I'm ready for a week with Music Camp, ABO, evening meetings and whatever else God has in store for the people of Trinity and our community this week. 

I pray that as our community at Trinity has had the opportunity to travel this summer, we have all had the opportunity to see God at work in the world, and to bring back those stories and experiences to share them with others and allow them to empower the ministry that we do here.

+paz

This week's sermon.

I had a blast at Family Beach Camp, but was blessed to come home to Robesonia...for worship, fellowship and remembering that God is with us wherever we go.

Here is this week's sermon.

August 6, 2011

1 Kings 19:9-18

Romans 10:5-15

Matthew 14:22-33

Please pray with me,

May the words of my mouth and the meditations of all of our hearts be acceptable in your sight O God, our rock and our redeemer.  Amen. 

The first time I went to camp, I was eight.  I cried almost every night.  I was super homesick.  I wasn’t sure if I’d ever go back. 

Well, I went back, for a total of eight summers as a camper.  I took a summer off after that, and while dropping off my sister for her week at camp, I got to visit camp.  Well, can you believe when I got home, I was camp sick?  True story.  I was pining to go back to camp.  I was jealous that friends of mine got to spend their whole summer there! 

I decided then and there that I would apply for a job as a counselor the next summer.  Well, that was the beginning of 10 summers on staff at Camp Calumet Lutheran.  I laughed there and I cried there…friendships, my confidence and my faith grew summer after summer.  My parents eagerly awaited my return home, because they saw me grow and change year after year.  A huge part of who I am today was nurtured, empowered and developed as I spent time at camp. 

I have to admit, though, even with all those years at camp, I was nervous about spending the week at Camp Nawakwa this summer.  Yup, even in my late 30s, it was a new place, and I only knew one person. 

I wondered if I’d be homesick.  That was not the case in the least!  Even in a new location, surrounded by new faces and songs and a new daily schedule I felt at home.    There’s just something about camp. 

The opportunity to be goofy, energetic and ridiculous sandwiched between moments of prayer, deep thoughts, worries and anxieties. 

The best way to capture that is through an experience I had at one of my Bible studies at Nawakwa the other week. 

It was Tuesday morning so these kids have been together for about 1 ½ - 2 days.  As we talked about the lesson for the day and Jesus’ words, “Peace be still.” We talked about how Jesus calmed the sea, the wind and the storm.  We then talked about storms in our own lives.  The campers were in groups of 3  to talk about the storms in our own lives.  I walked up to three boys (probably 8 or 9 years old) and I said, “What storms did you come up with?” 

One boy spoke up and said, “Hurricanes, tornadoes and thunderstorms.” 

Okay, I said and paused….trying to think of a way to help them shift their way of thinking…I said, what about tough times in your life? 

One boy said, “Things are tough, because my parents are going through a divorce.”

The next boy said, “Yeah, my parent’s are divorced and sometimes it’s still hard.”

The third boy in the group (who was teary the first few nights due to homesickness) said, “It’s hard to come to camp, because I miss my family.” 

These guys know about life’s storms already. 

These young boys, a facing challenging, tough, life-changing experiences already.  And in that fleeting moment of that Bible study, they were reminded that they are not alone and that others have experienced similar things, and that in the midst of life’s storms, Jesus is with them.

How often do we forget, that Jesus is with us? 

How often are we caught in rough waters, in the midst of life’s storms and we forget that God is with us?  It probably happens more than we would like to admit. 

I had a bit of that fear as I drove to camp two weeks ago…that I would miss home, that I wouldn’t know anybody, that I was so tired from VBS that a slow week at home would be better than a busy week at camp. 

Yet our gospel lesson speaks to these periods in our life when our faith is wavering and we have feelings of doubt. 

The disciples are on the boat just after the feeding of over 5000 people with just five loaves and two fish.  They are away from the land, as the wind and waves have kept the boat away….they are alone…and when they first see Jesus, they are terrified!  Who or what is coming toward us….walking on the sea? 

Jesus speaks to them, but Peter isn’t truly certain…is his faith lacking?  Is he in a time of doubt?  Whatever the case, he wants Jesus to call him to come to him on the water.  In he midst of his water walk, Peter takes his eyes off of Jesus, and begins to sink…Jesus reaches out to him – you of little faith, why did you doubt? 

Sometimes I feel like I’m in the boat, right next to Peter, wondering if Jesus is truly coming to me in the midst of the storms and trails of my life.  I wonder…why or when will Jesus help me with this burden.  Is that really you Jesus?  Have you come to be with me in the midst of a broken marriage?  Have you come to me to be with me as I struggle with my sense of call and think about a new job?  Have you come to me as I learn my place in a new congregation and a new community? 

Where do these doubts come from? 

We all face them….Jesus are you really coming to me when my loved one is diagnosed with cancer?  Jesus are you really coming to me when money is tight and I worry about having enough for my family?  Jesus are you really coming to me when I start at a new school or new sport and don’t know anyone in my class or on my team? 

We all face the same question, just at different times and places: 

“Jesus, are you really coming to be with me?”

I think the challenge for us, me included, is to be reminded that Jesus is already with us. 

I read this week that “Faith is not being able to walk on the water – only God can do that.  But, faith is daring to believe, in the face of all the evidence, that God is with us in the boat, made real in the community of faith as it makes its way through the storm, battered by waves.”

Let me say that again, “Faith is not being able to walk on the water – only God can do that.  But, faith is daring to believe, in the face of all the evidence, that God is with us in the boat, made real in the community of faith as it makes its way through the storm, battered by waves.”

I won’t ask you to share the storms in your lives today…but I think you know where they are…I think the better question for us all to think about is how does Jesus come to us in the midst of those storms?  Where does Jesus come to you in your life right now? 

In this place alone, Jesus is with us as we hear God’s word, as we sing and pray together and as we come forward for this abundant meal….in this bread and wine, Christ is with us, in abundance, in love, in grace, in comfort and love and support. 

As you come up for this meal today, take a moment to think about God coming to you through this bread and wine.  As you head back to your seats, see the presence of God in the rest of the people gathered here in this place.  These are folks who are with you in the midst of the storms and struggles.  Some may have shared the same experiences while others may offer a listening ear, smile or a hug. 

Let us pray,

Gracious God, in the midst of life’s storms, we look for you.  Help us to see that you are always with us.  We especially pray for the three boys at the Bible study, as they face the storms of loss and change, may they inspire us to share our struggles along the way and be ever reminded that you are with us, in the bread and wine, the Word of God and the community of faith that surrounds us.  And may the peace which passes all understanding, keep our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus and let all God’s people say, amen. 

Kingdom moment.

So, just a quick post...but a very cool ministry moment. 

I was walking home from a meeting at church and there were some kids hanging out at the church.  A few of them were down near the preschool entrance, so I asked if everything was okay.  They said, one of them was upset, so he was walking away.  I said, yeah, that's a good thing.  I said, just making sure everything is okay.  As I walked away I could hear them echoing me saying 'okay'.  Then one of them said, "That's Pastor Jen."

One of the kids comes to Overtime, where relationships are being built, where community is strengthened, where we begin to see others, and we begin to see how our neighbors are a part of our lives and how we are called to care for one another.

I heard the kingdom breaking in as that boy told his friends who I was.  He helped bridge the gap between the community and the church.  God's name be praised.

+paz