Today we recognize people like Joe Martindale. Joe is not a PATH volunteer but he very well could be. Joe grew up in Brooklyn, NY, one of nine children in a Catholic working class family. His father was a longshoreman and although they weren’t poor, they didn’t have anything extra. Joe benefitted from a good education, attended college, and then got a law degree. Joe was a lawyer on Wall Street, an executive with JC Penny, and ended up spending most of his life as a health care consultant.
Today we are going to begin a series on First, Second, and Third John. Now I have been told but I do not know if it is true but in one of our Presbyterian seminaries there is a bathroom with three toilets. On the door to the first toilet is written First John, on the door to the second is written 2nd John, and on the door of the third is written, you guessed it, 3rd John. Again, I was told this so I do not know if this is true. Such is the humor of Presbyterian seminary students.
Before there was the Chick Fil A Football Bowl game in the Georgia Dome, there was the Peach Bowl in Atlanta’s Fulton County Stadium. The Chick Fil A Bowl has become this fairly nice bowl game played in the modern and comfortable Georgia Dome. The Peach Bowl at Atlanta’s Fulton County Stadium? Not so much. But when I was 13 my family decided to attend the Peach Bowl as our Clemson Tigers played the Baylor Bears. On a cold and wet December day, we sat in the end zone seats and had a good view of the mascots of the two universities. Clemson’s mascot then is the same as it is now. A Clemson student dressed in a Tiger costume. But the Baylor mascot at the time was a real bear on a leash.
This past week I had the opportunity to meet Jonathan Reckford. Jonathan Reckford is the CEO of Habitat for Humanity. When Jonathan Reckford came on board at Habitat about 6 years ago, the ministry was in crisis. And this crisis was followed by another crisis.
Through Lent we have been reading through the passion narrative, the events leading up to and including the death of Christ. Today is when we move into the real tragedy of the story. The pain and torment. I will be honest and say that I want to avoid this part of the story. Who wants to read about a group of people wanting to crucify someone. But because it is Jesus’ story it is our story. This story is a real tragedy. But tragedies serve a purpose in our lives. Tragedies lead us into self-reflection.
Today we continue our study during Lent to read through the passion narrative from the gospel of Mark. These are the stories leading up to and including the death of Jesus. We had encountered Judas who would betray Jesus and how Jesus served him communion even though he knew he was a betrayer. We read of the woman who dumped expensive perfume on the head of Jesus and how Jesus affirmed her faith in him. Last week we read of Jesus praying in the Garden of Gethsemane and his prayer to ask God to not lead him down the difficult road that God was leading him down.
Jesus is stressed and prays for God to not make him do what God is calling him to do. Jesus is stressed and prays for God to make things easier for him. This Jesus asking for an easier route to obedience is not the image which we share very often to ourselves and the wider world. But maybe we Christians need to start telling the messier stories of our faith that challenge our perfectly created world of what Jesus is like, what God is like, and what we Christians are supposed to be like.
Before reading our Scripture this morning, I want to tell a story. This story comes from the famous storyteller Leo Tolstoy.
Leo Tolstoy tells the story of how there lived in olden times a good and kindly man. He had this world's goods in abundance, and many slaves to serve him. And the slaves prided themselves on their master, saying:
“There is no better lord than ours under the sun. He feeds and clothes us well, and gives us work suited to our strength. He bears no malice, and never speaks a harsh word to anyone. He is not like other masters, who treat their slaves worse than cattle: punishing them whether they deserve it or not, and never giving them a friendly word. He wishes us well, does good, and speaks kindly to us. We do not wish for a better life.”
Professor Richard Ward tells the story of when he was a teenager. It was late one evening. Since he was the oldest of five children, his parents would often ask him to take care of his younger siblings while they attended some meeting at the church. His father was the pastor of the church. On this night, he had made his own deal. Yes, he would keep the others if, his girlfriend Janet could come over to, uh, help him.
This past week was Valentine’s Day. But I want to share one Valentine’s Day story that should make all of us feel much better about ourselves if we were disappointed in Valentine’s Day in any way this year. Cause hey, I am the first to admit that romance for me means a 50 cent card from Dollar Tree and a $1 rose added to it. Oh wait, I mean a very expensive card from an upscale store and a freshly cut and expensive rose that was ordered weeks ago. That, of course, is what I did for Valentine’s Day.
Healing Leprosy Some of us may know that people who had leprosy in the Bible were people that were considered unclean. We may know that people who had leprosy were forbidden from taking part in ritual services because they were considered sinful because they had leprosy. It was assumed that they had leprosy because of something which they had done.
Jan Koczera is a retired Army chaplain who writes about an experience he encountered in the so-called Green zone in Baghdad, Iraq. The Green Zone, of course, was the area inside Iraq where the US military set up as their central command. It was heavily fortified but they were under constant threat.
I was recently in a conversation with someone and this person told me about the comments of a pastor in our local area. The conversation concerned some local efforts in our area to reach out and offer assistance to people who are financially poor. This local pastor, whom I have been told by some others is a great pastor, was overheard to say, “Well, you know you have to be careful around poor people. In fact, I would rather not have them in my presence.”
Delmer Chilton tells the story about when he was a child living next door to his grandparents.He said that he would eat breakfast with them about 3 or 4 times a week.His story is one I can relate to because I, too, lived next door to my grandparents and I looked forward to the times when I could eat a meal with them.
Baseball Game Blessings Today we are about to read a story about a blessing.But as I read this story, my question for you to ponder is this:“Who is being blessed in this story?Who is being blessed in this story?”
This morning I want to invite you into a story.It is a story about a little Jewish girl.But this little Jewish girl needed a Christian name to survive.She could not be Natalie Leya Weinstein, not in Warsaw, Poland under Nazi control in the 1940s. So her father gave her a new name.Natalie Yazinska.
John and Repentance Fred Craddock is a well known preacher who tells the following story about his Dad.Craddock says that when he was a boy, his mom would take him to church but that his Dad would never go with them.His Dad would complain about Sunday dinner being late because they were at church.Sometimes the minister would call and Craddock?s father would say, ?I know what he wants.The church doesn?t care about me.Church wants another name.Another pledge.That?s right.Another name.Another pledge.Isn?t that the name of it??Craddock says that is what his father always said.
Time is Now Today is the first Sunday of Advent, the four Sundays when we prepare for the celebration of Christmas. And I hate to burst some bubbles but Black Friday is not the first day of Christmas.The first day of Christmas is December 25th. This is Advent.The time of preparation.
A pastor friend of mine told me about what happened at his church a couple of weeks ago on Commitment Sunday.Commitment Sunday is what we celebrate today when you have the opportunity to share your financial pledge to Allison Creek Church for 2012.We will be doing this as we collect the morning offering.My friend told me that a few months earlier the second biggest financial giver to their church had stopped attending services at their church.He was mad at someone on the church staff so he and his wife no longer attended services or made any financial offerings.That was a couple of months ago.
Penn State Idolatry I originally planned for this to be the last Sunday in our series on the Exodus but we are going to spend one more week on this Old Testament event next week.That’s because the reading today is not the end of the story and as I looked at the remaining chapters I realized that we should not leave them off.
Over the past few weeks we have been reading through the journey that God’s people encountered in Egypt.We have read in the book of Exodus about how they were slaves under the king of Egypt.We read the stories of how God called a reluctant Moses to lead these people out of slavery and toward a new land.We read how Pharaoh resisted letting the Israelites go and how God sent 10 plagues to convince Pharaoh.Pharaoh finally allowed the Israelites to leave but then sent his army after them.Last week we read of how the Israelites crossed safely through the sea while the Egyptian army met their destruction.We also heard how the people grumbled out in the desert and how God provided for them ingredients that they could make into food to eat and sustain them.This week we come to a part of the story which is very familiar.We come to the story of Moses receiving some commandments for the people to live by.
My family went to Atlanta, GA and Nashville, Tennessee last weekend to start the process of checking out colleges.The trip back to York County from Nashville is not a short trip.7 long hours in the car not including stops.When you are a family of 5 and you have to stop, you want to make the most of your stops.That’s why I love those 3 in one travel centers that you find along most interstates today.
Passover Memories In Winston-Salem, NC, the deacons at Highland Presbyterian Church are responsible for putting out traffic cones every Sunday morning before worship.They put out these cones on the street between their church parking lot and the sanctuary.To attend worship at Highland, you have to park in the parking lot and cross the street to enter the sanctuary.
Plagues and Questions Today we continue our series on Exodus and we come to a long series of passages which raise lots of questions that I am not sure we have very good and satisfying answers for.I started this series on Exodus because Exodus is included in the common lectionary.The common lectionary includes passages of Scripture which are chosen and assigned to each Sunday of the year.The hope for pastors and congregations is that the lectionary challenges us to explore a wide range of passages and not always settle on favorites.
9-11 Heroes In the Oscar-winning movie Crash, Sandra Bulluck plays the character Jean, the wife of the Los Angeles District Attorney. If anyone should be safe from attack, she should. And yet, when she and her husband are carjacked, she is startled to discover that her wealth and privilege do not protect her from even the most basic assault.
Hallowed Ground Ten years ago, she was just Monica Iken, newlywed.On Sept. 11, 2001, she and Michael Patrick Iken had been married less than 11 months. That particular Tuesday morning began as had dozens of others: a good morning kiss for Michael in that half-awake state in which many a spouse sends off their other half to work.
Generosity Have you ever said to someone, “well who made you judge over me?”Ever had that said to you?Do you know where that phrase comes from?This phrase comes from a part of the story which we are about to read.Today we continue to read from the book of Exodus.The book of Exodus is the second book of the Bible and is the story of God’s people in transition.Last week we read about how a group of diverse women came together to protect the life of Moses.Today we read stories about Moses that I think give us a clue as to why God felt that Moses was the one to lead the Israelite people through this time of tremendous transition.
Today we are going to read from the first couple of chapters from the book of Exodus.Over the next few weeks we are going to read through this Old Testament book.Exodus is a story of a people in transition.And our culture and many of our families are in times of transition.I don’t have to tell you that.
Family Secrets and Water Does your family have any little secrets?Secrets that are in your family that your family has chosen to try to hide from the world around you?The reality is that all of our families have secrets.And especially here in the South we who are native Southerners have been trained how to keep family secrets, family secrets.
Parable of Sower We are about to read one of the parables that Jesus told. Parables are stories told by Jesus in order to make a point.But parables do not have just one point.They are told in such a way that they are like an onion.There is a surface level meaning but just like you can peel away the outer layers of an onion to discover what is beneath, parables should be read in such a way that one can constantly peel away the outer meaning to discover hidden meanings underneath.
Prayers for July 4th Holocaust survivor Elie Wiesel shares a story of what happened to a young man in a concentration camp. When Wiesel arrived there, he was about to give up. He then saw an older man run toward the fence but before he reached the fence he was shot dead by a Nazi guard.Wiesel thought to himself that he would do the same thing.If he tried to run away and got shot then his misery would end at that moment.But as Wiesel pondered this action, another man grabbed him by the shoulders and said to him, "Wait a minute! Don't do that."
Humility on Father's Day Today is the last Sunday of our series reading through 1st Peter.We have learned that First Peter was a letter written to a group of people who had become Christians and who struggled with what that meant within the larger culture around them.Today we are going to read the last chapter of 1st Peter which are words written to the church leaders.
Pentecost Of the major Christian days, Pentecost is the one that always gets shortchanged.There’s no bunny dropping candy for the kids or Santa sharing presents.I challenge you to find a Pentecost sale anywhere today other than maybe a Christian book store.People will show up for church on Easter and Christmas but Pentecost will not be a day that people will show up for church that don’t come any other time during the year.It’s 90 degrees outside so most folks are more focused on how to stay cool rather than being overcome by the flames of the Spirit from Pentecost.
Submissive Wives and Husbands Today continues our reading through 1st Peter.1st Peter is a letter written to a group of Christians who felt like they were on the outside of their community.Since becoming Christian, they were treated differently by their non-Christian friends and neighbors.So this letter of 1st Peter is written to them to give them instruction concerning what it means for them to be a Christian.
Memorial Day 2011 Ever wondered how people of faith can read the same Bible but come to different conclusions?Well today we have placed 2 scriptures beside one another that appear to contradict one another.
First Peter 1 Many of us may know that a man named Harold Camping predicted that the rapture would occur yesterday.If he was right, guess what, bad news.We’ve been left behind.The Baptists were all taken and the Presbyterians have all been left.According to Camping, we have about 6 months of really bad tribulation before the world comes to an end.
Divorce and Sticking Together A colleague of mine tells of the time that Ann came into his office.Ann was visibly upset.She had tears in her eyes and said, “There’s something I have to tell you, pastor.”Ann and her husband were members of the church.She began attending a mid-morning Bible study at the church.
Proposed Amendment Last Sunday was Easter Sunday.Easter is a time when worship focuses on the Resurrection of Jesus and lots of folks make their way to church services to hear that message reaffirmed for them.In the midst of the world around us, we heard the message that Jesus was crucified and on the third day he rose again.Good news prevails.And lots of people who don’t show up at any other time during the year find themselves in a worship service on Easter Sunday.
Easter Sunday I recently was told of a conversation that happened last year between a mother and her four year old child Elena.The conversation went something like this:
"Mommy, will the Easter bunny bring me purple jelly beans?"
I am sure he will bring you jelly beans, Elena. But, remember, Easter isn't about the bunny. It's about Jesus.
"Mommy, Will they be purple?"
Yes, honey, I am sure there will be some purple ones in there. Honey, the important thing about Easter isn't the bunny. Easter is about how much Jesus loves you and me and the whole world.
"Mommy, HOW MANY purple jelly beans will the Easter Bunny bring me?"
Elena, I think he will probably bring plenty of purple jellybeans. Do you know how much Jesus loves you?
Maundy Thursday We are going to be reading I Corinthians 11:17-34.This text is familiar to folks in Allison Creek Church because every time we serve communion we quote a portion of these words.These words are written by Paul because he is disgusted with the way that the Christians in the town of Corinth were observing the Lord’s Supper.
Palm Sunday Over the last few months, the world stage has been dominated by news from the Middle East.We have seen everyday people using social media to band together in places like Egypt and demand changes in leadership.“Perhaps the most disturbing of these uprisings has been in Libya where an armed, but untrained, group of protesters has been attacked by the highly trained and equipped army of Muammar Gaddafi, Libyan dictator for 40 years.”The United States has joined forces with other countries to seek to thwart Gaddafi’s advances.
John 10 Over the past four weeks of Lent we have been looking at various scriptures where we have been invited to Follow Jesus.As we have “Followed” Jesus we have encountered different symbols to remind us of the journey that we have been on. Throughout our sanctuary we have placed reminders of these scriptural symbols.
Rejection I’ve told some of you this story before.So stick with me if you’ve heard it.But I went on this date one time in college with this woman that I met.She had a car and I didn’t so I would get an occasional ride to my parent’s home with her.Somehow she trusted me enough to do that.Well anyway, we lived in the same town and I invited her out over Christmas of our freshman year.This may shock many of you but I wasn’t real experienced when it came to the dating scene.But I invited her out and she agreed.We planned to go out to eat and then to a movie, Beverly Hills Cop, I believe.I picked her up and we went to a Chinese buffet in Columbia next to the old Richland Mall.I come to find out later that while I was at the buffet, she ran into her old boyfriend.While I was innocently filling my plate with hot and spicy chicken and egg rolls, she was setting up a future date with the former boyfriend.We ate our meal together and had some pleasant conversation.We finished up and had some extra time to kill before the movie.We ended up in Belk’s Department Store.Back before it was modern, southern, style.Well anyway, I thought it would be fun to try to make her laugh.That’s what you do on a date right?It backfired.My antics of trying to juggle plates in the fine china area backfired when she ran into a friend from school.Instead of impressing her, I mortified her.After the movie, I took her back to her home hoping that she would invite me in to watch some TV or just hang out and talk.Instead, she quickly closed the screen door in front of me, thanked me for the date, and the door was closed.She then found her younger sister and told her that she would never go out with that guy again.He was too weird.Man, nothing hurts as much as rejection.
Woman at the Well This morning I want to invite you into reading this passage of Scripture in a way that, I hope, helps all of us better understand how to interpret Scripture.For this is a passage of Scripture which, in my opinion, has been misinterpreted by lots of preachers.This misinterpretation has led to a myth that has been passed down from generation to generation.I hope that you leave worship this morning having been challenged to read this text with some new eyes.
I have an embarrassing confession to make this morning.Not something a guy should ever admit.Certainly not a manly man like myself.But I have been reading a book written by the same author who wrote the bestseller “Eat, Pray, Love.”If you don’t know, “Eat, Pray, Love” was a chick flick starring Julia Roberts of a woman who gets divorced and travels around the world to discover herself.It was based on a book written by Elizabeth Gilbert.
Temptation The water is still wet on his body from his baptism when Jesus is led out into the wilderness by God’s Holy Spirit.Jesus has just come up from the waters of his baptism and heard the voice of God pronounce that “this is my Son, the Beloved, in him I am well pleased.”Jesus has just experienced this life affirming event when he is led out into the wilderness.Let us read what happens when Jesus is led out into the wilderness.
Marriage I want to read to you some snippets of articles that I found.These articles report that nearly half of unmarried young American women are engaged in sex outside of marriage.This rate is twice as much as the generation before.Young people are engaged in drug experimentation with cocaine becoming a real problem.One article I read complains of how the young people are going wild which is the fault of their parents.
Young women have lost a sense of modest dress, they are using profanity, they are overcome by the disease of materialism and they are disregarding their marriage vows.Modern parents are criminally negligent with the excess of freedom that they permit.
These articles that I read were from Good Housekeeping and Ladies Home Journal and were written in …… 1917.
Marriage and Singleness Over the past 7 weeks we have been studying Paul’s letters to the Christian church in Corinth.We have learned that this was a church in conflict over several issues and they wrote to Paul asking for his advice to the issues that they were facing.Paul had founded the church but had moved on to other places.The Corinthian Christians trusted his advice to the issues before them so that is why they wrote to him.First and Second Corinthians in the Bible are Paul’s letters in response to specific questions they ask.
Lonliness and Sexual Immorality When Christians get to these types of passages in the Bible that deal with inappropriate behavior, it is easy to get all preachy.It is easy for Christians to stand within the safe confines of the church walls and shout out judgment against the world.It is easy for pastors to stand in tall pulpits and shout out judgments against those who sit in the pews and beyond.
Lectio Divina We are in the middle of an 8 week series exploring Paul’s letter to the Christian church in the town called Corinth.We have learned that this church is struggling due to lots of conflict among these early Christians.We have learned that Paul started this church and left and that a letter had been sent to him detailing the problems within the church.First and Second Corinthians are Paul’s letters to the church trying to give them guidance in ways to be church.
In my office now sits this.Some of you know exactly what this is and some of you may have never seen a real one of these.This is a real milk can.I found this can in my Dad’s shop a few weeks ago as I was helping to clean it out while they moved from their home of almost 60 years to a retirement community.
The first two McGregor’s to come from Scotland to the United States were Archibald and Effy McGregor.They migrated from Scotland and settled near the Southern Pines/Pinehurst area of NC in the early 1800s.Archie and Effy adhered to the old Scottish custom of having a big party at about the time of the New Year.Married children all returned home for the event and many neighbors were invited in to participate in the fun of singing and dancing.
Why Have a Church? Why does Allison Creek Presbyterian Church exist?Is it important to be a part of a church?Why gather on a Sunday morning and offer up a worship service?Is this important? Is it?
Precious Lord Do you have times in your life when you feel really connected to God and other times when you feel like God is over here and you are over here?Times when you sense you are very close to God and other times when you feel that God is so far off that you don’t have a clue where God can be found?I know about both of those feelings.
Budget After hearing Mike this morning, it’s easy to focus in on what we don’t have. It’s easy to become anxious about today and about tomorrow.To look at our empty cupboard and wonder where the food is going to come from.But I want to invite you into a story of a family that had very little and what they did about it.
Loretto Chapel I believe it was last year but a couple of folks from this congregation travelled on vacation to New Mexico and visited the Loretto Chapel.Now I have to admit that I did not know anything about the Loretto Chapel when Foster told me about his trip to visit this place.
Patience There was a monk who was very impatient. You may wonder, why would a monk be impatient? Don't they become monks so that they don't have to deal with the world? Yes, that's true. So imagine how impatient this monk was...
Delancey Street “They are nasty, racist, violent, and greedy.They are thieves, prostitutes, robbers, and murderers.They are all gang members.”Doesn’t sound like a group that many of us would want to hang around?Doesn’t sound like a group you would want to do business with?Certainly doesn’t sound like anyone you would want working for you if you operated a business.But in Mimi Silbert’s business model, these are exactly the people that she hires.
Black Friday In the church today we have begun the season of Advent.This is the season when we set aside 4 weeks to prepare for the birth of the Christ child.We decorate the sanctuary.We set up and light candles on the Advent wreath.We try our best to remind ourselves what this season is really all about.The acts we do in the sanctuary are pretty counter cultural to what is out there beyond us.
Maurice Clarett Who here has ever heard the name Maurice Clarett?Maurice Clarett was a freshman at The Ohio State University in 2001 through 2002.But the reason that Maurice Clarett became known to so many was because he was the star running back on the Ohio State team that won the National Championship.Clarett scored the winning touchdown in the 2nd overtime to beat the University of Miami.
Radical Defeat from Jeremiah The story of the Bible is the story of God choosing a certain group of people to be in a committed relationship with God.There is nothing that this group of people did that was special or deserving.It was a group of people that God chose to be in a special relationship to.
I Give Up Do you ever have times when you just feel like quitting?Do you ever have days when you awake at 3 am in the morning and you lie in the bed and you ponder something in your life that you want to give up on?Have you ever had days when you did say, “I give up” and you really meant it this time?
Gracefilled Simplicity Our second text of Scripture comes from Jeremiah.We have been studying Jeremiah the last couple of weeks.We have learned that he was a prophet who lived during a time when God’s people were about to be conquered by an outside force.Jeremiah saw it coming and he pleaded with God’s people that their sinful behavior was the reason that God was allowing the Babylonians to conquer the residents of Jerusalem.We learned last week that one of the sins they were committing was not conducting faithful worship.Today we hear something else that concerned Jeremiah.He did not like the way that people were becoming rich on the backs of the poor.He did not like the way the ones with money were giving poor wages to those who did not have wealth.Let us hear these challenging words from the prophet Jeremiah.
God the Potter Today I have to make a confession to you.I need to confess to you that when I arrive to the church on Fridays there is one thing on my mind.Today is the day I have to write a sermon.And the task of writing a sermon has guided much of what I have written on Fridays, re-worked on Saturdays, and delivered on Sundays.But just focusing on the task of writing a sermon on Fridays was the wrong way to approach this responsibility.Focused on the task of sermon writing meant I was not always focused on listening to what God was saying through the Scriptures.
Marathon Runners Today we are beginning a series on the Old Testament prophet Jeremiah.It was not easy to be Jeremiah.Jeremiah lived and spoke out during a time when the people of God were going through some serious judgment against them.In 721 bc, Israel, the people chosen by Yahweh God to be God’s faithful people, was conquered by the Assyrian Empire.Not all of Israel was conquered, the Southern kingdom, called Judah survived this conquest.
JOSEPH Today concludes our series on the Old Testament character of Joseph.We have learned over the course of these 6 weeks that Joseph was one of 12 sons.We know that he was the favorite of his Dad and that his Dad gave him a special coat.Joseph’s brothers became very jealous of him especially after he told them about a dream he had in which they would bow down to him.
DUST BOWL Last Sunday we entered into the story of Joseph and how he ended up in Egypt. He was in jail when he was summoned by Pharaoh, king of Egypt, to interpret a dream for him.Joseph interpreted this dream to say that there would be 7 prosperous years followed by 7 lean years and that the Egyptians needed to store up grains during good years in order to survive the drought
Stuff Unlimited I have this problem and I was wondering if you could help me out.I went into my closet here in my study and found some things.As you can see, I have never used any of this stuff but I keep it under the assumption that one day it will come in handy.
Joseph 2 Today is the second week in our series exploring the life of Joseph.And this is another one of those texts of Scripture which is difficult to explore.This is one of those stories that prove once again that the Bible tells all of the parts of people’s lives, not just the part that they want us to hear.
Dreamers “Some would describe this as the most anxious of times.The structures that shape the society are starting to break apart or radically be changed.Institutions that we took for granted are disappearing or reforming themselves.Even basic social relationships like marriage that we have depended upon as the foundation of society are being redefined.
Women's Suffrage The leader of the synagogue is upset that Jesus is healing someone on the Sabbath.Is he really all that concerned with protecting a day set aside to worship God?Or is there a hidden agenda in why he acts the way he acts?
The Rabbi's Gift Close your Bibles.Do not look up the page number in the bulletin.Now pick up a Bible.I have a piece of candy here for the first person who can find Philemon in the Bible.Ready, set, go. Philemon is hard to find because it is one of the smallest books in the New Testament.It is actually a letter.It is letter written from Paul to three people including Philemon, the slave master of a slave named Onesimus.In this letter, Paul is writing from prison and informs that Onesimus has been with him in prison but he is now being released.We are not sure why Onesimus is in prison or why he is now being released.But in this letter to Philemon at the release of Onesimus, Paul gives advice to the Christian community about how they should now treat Onesimus on his return to the community.I am reading this letter this morning because it mentions Epaphras who will also be mentioned in our second reading from Colossians this morning.But I think both letters give us clues that can help us in how we are to live our lives today.
Is Facebook a help or is it a hindrance?Is Twitter a good thing or does it dumb us down? Do computers help to connect us or separate us? How can technology be an avenue to advance the will of God?
Some of you may have been surprised to read in the Rock Hill Herald or the Charlotte Observer or through online news on Friday that the Presbyterian Church (USA), our denomination, has sent to the presbyteries a new policy concerning sexual orientation and ordination standards for clergy and elders.This morning I want to make sure everyone understands our polity or our form of church government and what exactly was done and the discussions that will follow.I will then lead us into our morning’s second Scripture and how I think it can guide our conversations.
Galatians 2 I want to share with you a quote to get us thinking about the text we are about to read.This quote is from Eugene Peterson.Peterson translated the version of the Bible called The Message.Peterson writes: “When men and women get their hands on religion, one of the first things they often do is turn it into an instrument for controlling others, either putting them or keeping them in their place.The history of such religious manipulation and coercion is long and tedious.It is little wonder that people who have only known religion on such terms experience release or escape from it as freedom.The problem is that the freedom turns out to be short lived.”
Whitewater Rafting You may find this hard to believe but when I was in college I had a phone interview to be a river guide.One of those summer guides that sits on the back of the raft and yells at the thrill seeking teenagers or out of shape adults to paddle left or paddle right or paddle harder, harder, harder.The guide that makes sure everyone is safe and that the raft stays out of the dangerous water pools or jagged rocks.
Memorial Day 2010 One of the blessings of working at this site during the week is that I allow myself a break every now and then to walk the trail that exists here on the church property.It starts over here beside the playground and winds itself through the woods and ends up at the African-American slave cemetery over here where it circles around the cemetery.This trail exists due to the work of a couple of scouts completing their Eagle projects and the tireless work of George Meyer who has made it his mission to restore the cemetery.
Pentecost What is Pentecost?Some may answer that question by citing historical data that it was an agricultural festival during the time of the Bible in which the first fruits of the harvest were brought to the Temple 50 days after the Passover.Some may answer that question by saying that it is the birthday of the church.Some may answer that question by saying it is the day that we celebrate the Holy Spirit descending upon the earth.Some may answer that question by saying, “I don’t know” but I am told that I am to wear red to church.
Mother's Day Kate Huey says that even though we call this book "The Acts of the Apostles" we really should name it ‘"The Adventures of the Apostles." Of all the books in the Bible, it has more close calls, prison escapes, shipwrecks, executions, and stonings than any action-adventure movie, and then it throws in a few circumcisions, a lot of healings, and a church fight or two, just for good measure…stuff you don't usually find in action-adventure movies, actually.
Simon Peter Simon Peter is an interesting character in the Bible.As I tried to get to know him though the stories we are told about him in the Bible, I began to realize how much Simon Peter is like many of us.Simon Peter is someone who was an ordinary hard working guy; he was a business owner who had his own fishing business.He was either married or he may have been widowed.
Left Behind When my family was in Charleston a couple of weeks ago, we spent the first few hours in town walking along the battery.The battery is the walkway that hugs the shoreline of the historic city.You walk alongside the 200 year old houses and military cannons.In our walk, we were approached by a woman who handed my family a pamphlet.The pamphlet announced that on October 21, 2011, the world would come to an end.
Different Points of View I once heard the definition of insanity as doing the same thing over and over again and achieving the same result.I thought about that quote after reading this morning’s gospel lesson.Because here we have a story of what happens when followers of God look at a problem in a different way.
In each of the four gospels that tell of this event of women entering into the tomb of Jesus, there are some differences concerning some of the details of the event.For instance, the gospels differ in terms of which women enter and who they encounter inside the tomb.
This story is a parable which is a story that is told which has several layers of meaning.As we read this story this morning, I invite you to be thinking about who you most relate to in this story.After we read you are free to share who you can relate to and it would be great if you could tell us why.
Manager 2 I want to read a selection from the book, “Shame of the Nation.”This book takes a look inside many of the worst public schools in America and why they are that way.But as I read this excerpt, I invite you to think about your own life and to ask if this story is similar to what you feel as though you are being conditioned to be in our society.After reading from the book and reflecting on how I think this morning’s two Scriptures challenge us to be different than this, I am going to ask for your reflections to what this author says and how I interpret his words through the Scriptures.
Confession of My Sins I recently heard someone talking about attending their 50th high school reunion in which someone asked the former classmates an unusual question.They were asked "What fears have you conquered over the years and what new ones have you acquired?" Not eager to make their private fears public, each person present waited for someone else to open up the discourse. One person finally listed some familiar fears, including "mice," "being left out or abandoned" and "the dark." Two confessed to being lifelong phobics, one claustrophobic (afraid of enclosed spaces) and one arachnophobic (afraid of spiders). Their newer fears were more age-specific--"being doped and sitting aimlessly in a stupor in a nursing home," "dying," and "a recurrence of cancer."
Galileo has been called the father of astronomy, the father of modern physics, and even the father of science.Much of what we learn today in our basic science classes comes from his observations.He advanced the use of telescopes and was able to confirm the phases of Venus and the four largest moons around Jupiter.
Wearing Masks I recently heard a man tell about the time he was driving in the car with his daughter when they passed by the house where they lived until she was eight years old.He asked her, "Do you remember living in that house?" She said she did. So naturally her father asked, "What do you remember?" Her reply struck him as odd, yet somehow profound. She said, "I remember my third birthday party in the backyard and you had a clown come and we all cried, because the clown scared us."As they talked further the father realized that what scared his 3 year old daughter was that the kids could not tell who was behind the mask.
Listen Once Again I want to tell a story before I read this morning’s first lesson.Gwen Richards remembers how her mother, Helen Ruth Huggins was the glue for their family.She was very popular among their relatives.But when she was in her early 60s, Huggins was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease.
Abundance Jesus, we do not have enough.These are really the anxious words spoken by Mary when she tells Jesus that the wine has run out.Jesus, we do not have enough.How many times have we also spoken those same words to Jesus?How many times have we said to Jesus, “I do not have enough.”
As a kid growing up in Santa Fe, New Mexico, Larry Hoover, now 62, found himself in the middle of gang territory. He had the Lucianitos on one side and the West Siders on the other. On Friday nights he would fight with the Lucianitos and on Saturday with the West Siders.“It was part of growing up."
HOMELESS DREAM A friend of mine tells the story of a young graduate with a master’s degree who dreamed of opening a retreat center, a place of prayer for a community of faith.He yearned to do graduate study in Europe in preparation for this dream.He was a young man with a promise, a vision.But then he unexpectedly stumbled over a homeless man on the street.
Circle the Wagons There is a Far Side cartoon in which the cowboys are fearful of the Indians living around them.So they literally circle the wagons.They put all of their wagons in a circle so that they are on the inside and they can protect themselves from the forces of danger outside of themselves.These cowboys feel safe inside the circle of wagons.However, in this cartoon, several of the cowboys inside the wagons have Indian headdresses sticking out from under their cowboy hats.The danger for these cowboys is not outside the circled wagons where they think the danger lies.Their danger lies within
Birth of John In the text that Dale read from Malachi, the community that Malachi addressed was an insignificant outpost of the Persian Empire.God’s people in Judah had been promised elsewhere in Scripture that God would restore their community to greatness.And it had not happened when the prophet Malachi came onto the scene.They were a defeated and marginal group of exiles who were under the authority of a foreign ruler.Because these promises from God had not come true, the people of God were wondering if God had abandoned them and if God would ever restore them and their community
Thanksgiving This past Thursday was Thanksgiving and for many of us it was a time to gather with family and friends and eat a meal together.It is a day to gather and to give thanks for the bounty which we believe God has blessed us with over the past 12 months.For most of us, this was a year when the bounty was not as great as in other years.This is a time when many of us are facing job losses, salary cuts, maybe some very unfortunate circumstances due to other factors.Many of us may have found this to be a tough Thanksgiving.
Hospitality to Strangers Before I read this morning’s text, I want to share a story which is told by author Michael Lindvall.Michael Lindvall tells about the time a pastor walked down the street past Alvina Johnson’s house one fall evening.Alvina’s house has always been immaculately kept, both inside and out.Her small lawn is weed free.She somehow makes each blade of grass stand up straight.On each side of the front steps, standing at attention in front of the foundation, Alvina plants a row of marigolds, fourteen on each side.
Crashing Down A mom tells about her family’s recent trip to our nation’s capital.Standing in the grass in the national mall, her son looked one direction at the nation’s capital and then the other direction at the Washington monument and commented, “Will this always be here?”If you were the parent at that moment and your child asked you that question, I am sure your first instinct would be to say, “of course they will always be here.They are very impressive structures.”
Copper Coins I apologize to some of you for sharing this information but the Clemson football coach, Dabo Sweeney has a motto.He asks his players and he asks the fans if they are “all in.”Are you “all in?”Meaning, is everyone giving their all to help the team achieve its goals?
Unbind Him In the Scripture which we are about to read, a certain man, named Lazarus has been ill.Lazarus is the brother of Mary and Martha.Mary was the one who anointed the Lord with perfume and wiped his feet with her hair.She devoted her life to following Jesus and did all the right things.The two sisters did what they thought they were supposed to do as followers of Jesus.
Breaking the Rules When is it right to follow the rules and when is it right to break the rules?When is it right to strictly interpret the rules and when is it OK to overlook the rules?I ask this question after hearing a man this week tell about an incident that happened to him when he was in high school. Olly Neal grew up in Arkansas during the 1950s. He didn't care much for high school. One day during his senior year, he cut class — and wandered into the school library.In the library that day he stumbled onto a book written by African-American author Frank Yerby. And the discovery changed the life of a teenage boy who was, in Neal's memory, "a rather troubled high school senior."
How do you define success? What are you trying to achieve in life that when you reach that pinnacle you will say to yourself, “I have succeeded.” For some of us, that sign of success is a home or a certain size home.I will achieve success when I am able to buy my own home.Maybe you have never owned your own home and you are striving for that day when one day you will be able to purchase your own home and you will be successful.Or maybe you own your own home and you have in mind a certain dream home in a certain location and you are driven by the goal of one day building your dream home wherever that dream home is to be built.
Children Come to Me In this story, Jesus is a teacher and he is surrounded by his male students.In the culture, it was here that males were to be focused on the wisdom of the teacher and not be distracted by the sounds of young children.Children were considered non-persons and were to spend their time with their mothers.There was a hierarchy in the society with men on top, women second in line, and children way down at the bottom.
I recently heard fellow Presbyterian pastor and counselor Randy McSpadden tell about a recent experience in his congregation over in Lancaster County.Randy’s name is located on several plaques in our hallway due to his years of service in getting the Dimes for Hunger ministry off the ground.Several folks here know Randy through other pastoral work he has done.Several weeks ago Randy was awakened by the phone; it was about 2:30 early on a Saturday morning.It was a phone call from a detective in Charlotte.The detective told Randy that a member of his church had taken her life and that her mother needed to be told.When Randy got to the home, the mother had learned about the death but knew very little of what had happened.There was a lot of confusion with police reports, making arrangements, and calling family members.
