http://www.frankfortyotb.blogspot.com/
Check out the church site too!
http://www.frankfortpresbychurch.com/
Sunday Sermon: "Be Part of the Solution"
PRAYER OF ILLUMINATION: Please pray with me: Holy Spirit, as the Scripture is read, open our hearts and minds to hear the truth; shine your light into our dark places; convict us where our hearts have been hardened; and call us to respond with joy to your Word to us. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
SCRIPTURE READING: Amos 4:1-12 (The Message)
Our Scripture reading this morning comes from Amos, which is one of those little books toward the end of the Old Testament. Amos was a prophet—a messenger from God—in the 8th century BC. His job in particular was to bring the Word of God to the kingdom of Samaria, and this Word was a Word of judgment and a call for REPENTANCE.
Amos paints amazing pictures with his words. This particular passage I’m about to read sounds like he’s crashing the set of the TV show “Desperate Housewives” or “The Real Housewives of Orange County” and reading them the riot act about the way they are living. Even if you don’t watch these shows, I’m sure you can guess what they’re all about. So, as I read these words from three thousand years ago, try to picture the scene unfolding on Wisteria Lane:
1 "Listen to this, you cows of Bashan grazing on the slopes of Samaria. You women! Mean to the poor, cruel to the down-and-out! Indolent and pampered, you demand of your husbands, 'Bring us a tall, cool drink!'
2-3"This is serious—I, God, have sworn by my holiness! Be well warned: Judgment Day is coming! They're going to rope you up and haul you off, keep the stragglers in line with cattle prods. They'll drag you through the ruined city walls, forcing you out single file, And kick you to kingdom come." God's Decree.
4-5"Come along to Bethel-- the sanctuary of God-- and sin! And then to Gilgal—the house of the Lord-- and sin some more! Bring your sacrifices for morning worship. Every third day bring your tithe. Burn pure sacrifices—thank offerings. Speak up—announce freewill offerings! That's the sort of religious show you Israelites just love." God's Decree.
6"You know, don't you, that I'm the One who emptied your pantries and cleaned out your cupboards,
Who left you hungry and standing in bread lines? But you never got hungry for me. You continued to ignore me." God's Decree.
7-8"Yes, and I'm the One who stopped the rains three months short of harvest. I'd make it rain on one village but not on another. I'd make it rain on one field but not on another—and that one would dry up.
People would stagger from village to village crazed for water and never quenching their thirst. But you never got thirsty for me. You ignored me." God's Decree.
9"I hit your crops with disease and withered your orchards and gardens. Locusts devoured your olive and fig trees, but you continued to ignore me." God's Decree.
10"I revisited you with the old Egyptian plagues, killed your choice young men and prize horses. The stink of rot in your camps was so strong that you held your noses—But you didn't notice me. You continued to ignore me." God's Decree.
11"I hit you with earthquake and fire, left you devastated like Sodom and Gomorrah. You were like a burning stick snatched from the flames. But you never looked my way. You continued to ignore me." God's Decree.
12"All this I have done to you, Israel, and this is why I have done it. Time's up, O Israel! Prepare to meet your God!"
The grass withers and the flower fades but the Word of the Lord endures forever.
Can you see it? Can you see the picture Amos paints with his words? He watches the wealthy women, the elite of society going about their daily lives . . . eating, drinking, and making merry, all the while crushing the needy and oppressing the poor.
These “cows of Bashan” lead frivolous lives, urging on their husbands to break the backs of their slaves and servants so that they can make more money . . . so that their husbands can bring them anther “tall, cool drink.”
What a picture! What an indictment Amos gives on the wealthy of any society, the privileged upper-class who waste their days on parties and buying things, who profit from the hard work from other people’s backs. Amos really lets them have it, doesn’t he?
And we love it, don’t we? We might pretend we don’t, but I think secretly we do. We like to say, “Oh, how the mighty have fallen.” We like it when those who have lived life without rules or boundaries or limitations begin to stumble. The longer and harder the fall, the more pleasure we get out of it.
Tell the truth now: Who wasn’t just a little bit satisfied when Martha Stewart was sentenced to jail? Who didn’t smile just a little bit when Bernie Madoff’s empire began to crumble around him? And who wasn’t glad when Jon and Kate finally ended their reality show?
And between you, me, and this pulpit, I am a teeny, tiny bit glad to see the smug expression suddenly gone from Tiger Woods’ face. Deep down in the most sinful part of me, I have thought "oh, how the mighty have fallen" indeed.
#1
In our minds, these are the people we see as the “cows of Bashan”—the elite of our society, making a mint off of other people’s hard work and exploiting the people who are around them.
Samaria was a very prosperous part of Israel. Bashan, in particular, was known for its excellent timber and pastureland, and their excellent herds of fine cattle. So it is no surprise Amos calls the women “cows of Bashan.”
So prosperous had Bashan and its well to do inhabitants become that they no longer took notice of God. When they went to worship at Bethel and Gilgal, they did it to be the center of attention; they wanted to be noticed for their generosity. Amos tells us they did these things because it’s the kind of religious show they loved.
They had become so self-centered that they did not realize that the famines and the droughts and the fires were sent from God as a way to urge them toward REPENTANCE. Their hearts were so hardened that they didn’t notice that people were starving and staggering from town to town looking for water to drink.
The “cows of Bashan” didn’t notice the disasters falling on the land around them because they never went without. They always had food on the table, expensive clothes to wear, and warm beds to sleep in because they took from those who had and kept it greedily for themselves. They were oblivious to the needs of the people around them and how their actions at the top of the pile trickled down and ruined the lives of everyone below them.
#2
This seems like a pretty straightforward story, but usually that means there’s more to it than meets the eye. There’s a 2nd layer to this story.
Have you noticed how odd it is that Amos is addressing particularly the women in this situation? I mean, how many other times do you remember reading parts of the Bible directly addressed to women? Probably not many—a few snippets about Sarah, Debra, and some Marys, but the attention women get in the Bible is relatively small.
But the book of Amos dedicates a whole chapter to women. And he’s not just telling a story involving women characters—this is a Word of the Lord spoken directly to the “cows of Bashan,” the elite of society.
Usually, when God speaks it’s directed toward the leaders at the time and, back in Amos’ day, those leaders are usually men. But here, he turns his attention to an unlikely crowd.
I imagine these women were caught off guard—like I said, it’s like Amos crashing on to the set of “Desperate Housewives” and going off into a rant about they are crushing the needy and the poor. A crowd that is unsuspecting and probably pretty surprised by the, shall we say, enthusiasm he uses in his address to them.
Can’t you just see them getting defensive and saying, “Hey, we don’t crush the needy. We have nothing to do with the business in our family—that’s our husbands’ job. Our hands are clean.”
But Amos indicts them because they are part of the problem, because they encourage the oppressive business practices of their husbands in order have another long, cool drink brought to them. They are not a part of the solution, so that means they are part of the problem.
#3
And that leads us to a third layer in this story. Amos pronounces an indictment against not just the “cows of Bashan” but I think against ALL those who are a part of the problem and not the solution; he says if you’re not helping the poor and needy, you’re part of the problem.
And I think that is a Word from the Lord that still speaks to us today. If we’re not part of the solution of poverty and injustice, then we’re part of the problem.
One of the fundamental truths in the Old Testament is that the health of any society can be measured by looking at how the poor and needy are treated within society. If you want to know how healthy a society is, don’t go looking at all the big houses and big cars and big churches. Look at the state of poor, rundown neighborhoods with hungry people desperately trying to survive. Is there anyone one there helping them?
If you want to know how healthy a state is or how healthy a community is or even how healthy a church is, look at the poor among them and see how they are treated.
Amos tells us that it is the responsibility of everyone in a society who is in a position to give to be part of the SOLUTION, not a part of the problem.
This is a message we need to hear all year long but it doesn’t hurt to hear it repeated during this season of season of spending—I mean GIVING. Maybe this year we can be part of the solution by using the money we intended on spending on just one gift and instead give it to a non-profit organization that helps the poor and needy. With just one gift, we can be part of the solution, not part of the problem.
CONCLUSION
That Amos guy . . . he’s pretty sneaky. When we read the beginning of Amos 4, he gets us all whipped up, thinking that he’s putting the smack down on all those rich, smug people we resent because they have the world handed to them on a silver platters. They are part of the problem of poverty and injustice, NOT part of the solution.
And we want to cheer to see how the mighty have fallen, until we suddenly realize that we are part of the problem too. If we are not helping the poor and needy among us, then we are the “cows of Frankfort Springs.”
And Amos’ words to the people of Bashan three thousand years ago still ring true in our ears because if we are not part of the solution, we are a part of the problem.
In this season of giving, take the money from just one gift and donate it to the poor and needy instead. If your Christmas shopping is all done, take something back and donate that money instead.
Listen, we all buy junk for someone who is hard to shop for—this year, take the money you’d spend on them and donate it in their name to a non-profit that they like or some place that has meaning for them. I promise this is the best kind of Christmas gift you can give.
If we’re not part of the solution, we’re a part of the problem. And Amos has a word of judgment for us. Listen to Amos as he calls for repentance. Israel’s fate is sealed by the time Amos begins to prophesy. It was too late for them but it’s not too late for us. Repent, and be a part of the solution for poverty and injustice, not a part of the problem.
In the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, Amen.
Monday, December 14, 2009
Monday, December 7, 2009
Sunday Sermon: "Lukewarm Laodicea"
http://www.frankfortyotb.blogspot.com/
Check out the church site too!
http://www.frankfortpresbychurch.com/
PRAYER OF ILLUMINATION: Please pray with me: Holy Spirit, as the Scripture is read, open our hearts and minds to hear the truth; shine your light into our dark places; convict us where our hearts have been hardened; and call us to respond with joy to your Word to us. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
SERMON-INTRO
As we near the end of the “Year of the Bible,” you’ve gotten a taste of almost every book of the Bible. So, drawing upon all that vast knowledge you now have, were I to ask you which book in the Bible is the strangest, scariest, and most confusing, what would you say? (Revelation)
That’s what I thought you’d say! Revelation is the most mysterious book of the Bible. No one is quite sure what to make of it: is it symbolic? Literal? Should we try to figure out what it means? Should we just ignore it all together? What do we do with the book of Revelation?
Now, if my family were here, they would affirm what I am about to say to you. I, Allison Bauer, like to do things the hard way. This means I often make things a bit more complicated than they need to be, which usually results in me creating more work for myself than really is necessary.
BUT it ALSO means that everything is an adventure with me. I tend to throw myself into things, heart and soul. So of course, as I began to consider what to preach on this Sunday, I thought immediately about, what else, Revelation because I like to do things the hard way.
So my goal this morning is to take just a little piece of Revelation and make it not so scary. This morning I want to show you that Revelation is really just a book about what God’s EXPECTATIONS for us.
The first three chapters of Revelation are relatively not scary, and that’s where we’re going to start. These chapters represent the 7 letters the apostle John wrote to the 7 major churches of his day, while he was exiled on the Island of Patmos. And in these letters, it kinda seems like God is showing the churches what his EXPECTATIONS of them are and grading the churches on how good—or bad—of a job each church is doing to meet those EXPECTATIONS. So we’re going to look at just one of those letters this morning—because I’m trying to make this not so scary. We can handle one little letter, right? Good.
So, our Scripture reading this morning comes from Revelation 3:14-22:
14 "To the angel of the church in Laodicea write: These are the words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the ruler of God's creation. 15 I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! 16 So, because you are lukewarm-- neither hot nor cold-- I am about to spit you out of my mouth.
17 You say, 'I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.' But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked. 18 I counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the fire, so you can become rich; and white clothes to wear, so you can cover your shameful nakedness; and salve to put on your eyes, so you can see.
19 Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest, and repent. 20 Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me. 21 To him who overcomes, I will give the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I overcame and sat down with my Father on his throne. 22 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches."
The grass withers, the flower fades, but the Word of the Lord endures forever.
#1
Ouch. The church at Laodicea doesn’t fair very well, does it? On behalf of God, John is delivering this church’s grade on how well they are living up to God’s EXPECTATIONS. And that grade is an F.
But it’s not just an F; it’s an F -, an F - -, if those are possible. It’s probably the worst grade a church can get. God says, “I know your deeds” . . . and “I am about to spit you out of my mouth.”
There are several ways to spit something out of your mouth. There’s the little spit, like spitting out a watermelon seed. There’s the medium spit, like when you’re brushing your teeth in the sink. And there’s the big spit, like when you a mouthful of sour milk or juice.
The kind of spitting that Revelation is talking about is that last kind of spitting—when you’ve got something that tastes totally nasty sitting in your mouth. It’s a big gesture; it gets the attention of all the other people gathered around nearby; it can be more than a little gross too.
So God says to the church at Laodicea, “I know your deeds” . . . and “I am about to spit you out of my mouth.” That’s how bad Laodicea is.
I told you I think Revelation is a book about God’s EXPECTATIONS. And of all the 7 churches that get a letter from John, Laodicea has done the WORST job living up to God’s EXPECTATIONS. In fact, this spitting out God is threatening to do is actually closer in meaning to actually vomiting them out, not just spitting. It is as though God is saying to them, “I know your deeds and your deeds make me sick.” Literally.
So that leaves us with one question: what in the world could Laodicea have done to fall so short of God’s EXPECTATIONS?
#2
Let me read it for you again: “I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! 16 So, because you are lukewarm-- neither hot nor cold-- I am about to spit you out of my mouth.”
God’s EXPECTATIONS are that the church would be either hot or cold. But Laodicea is neither hot nor cold; their deeds are neither hot nor cold. But what does that mean exactly?
On the one hand, it means they are not on fire for God, living passionate lives of service to God and neighbor. On the other hand, it also means that they are not anti-God, telling friends and neighbors that there IS no God. They’re just somewhere in the middle; they are lukewarm . . . “lukewarm Laodicea.”
It sounds like they could care less about God; they are indifferent to God because Laodicea is one of the most prosperous cities at this time and they are rich and independent. And they have become independent of God. They have decided they can do for themselves and don’t need God’s help.
They are wishy-washy when it comes to God. God is there in the background, but he isn’t really a defining part of their lives. God may not even be something they think about much during their week.
This is God’s EXPECTATION for them: “Be hot or be cold, but don’t be lukewarm.” God says, “I would rather that you not believe in me AT ALL than to be lukewarm.” Imagine that. It would be better to not believe at all then to be lukewarm toward God.
But all is not lost for “lukewarm Laodicea.”
#3
All is not lost for “lukewarm Laodicea” because, as Revelation tells us, “Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline.” The church at Laodicea hasn’t been spit out or vomited up yet—there’s still hope. They still have a chance to change their ways and live up to God’s EXPECTATIONS. There’s hope because God wants to rebuke and discipline them. There’s still time to choose whether they want to be hot or cold, rather than to be lukewarm.
God has not given up on the church at Laodicea. Though they are lukewarm, he is not ready to give up on them yet. “Here I am!” he said. “I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me.”
God invites the church at Laodicea to get off the fence. God invites the church to make a decision: are you gonna be hot or are you gonna be cold? Pick one or the other, but don’t mess around in the middle.
And God makes a promise to “lukewarm Laodicea,” and you can always take God’s promises to the bank. He promises them, “To him who overcomes, I will give the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I overcame and sat down with my Father on his throne.” To those who repent of being lukewarm, he says, you will sit with me in heaven.
This is what God EXPECTED of the 7 churches in Revelation: be hot or cold, but don’t be lukewarm. God wants them to make up their minds once and for all—be hot or be cold, but don’t be lukewarm.
CONCLUSION
Advent isn’t really a “lukewarm” time of year, is it? People are either hot or cold—they love everything about Christmas or they hate it. Fights abound about whether you can put a nativity scene on public property or not. The debate rages about whether you should say “Merry Christmas” or “Happy Holidays” to people you meet in the street.
There’s something about Advent that makes us run hot or cold. It’s hard to be lukewarm about Advent. And I’m beginning to think that maybe that’s by God’s design—maybe God knew that we all tend to slide into “lukewarmness” like the church at Laodicea. And so part of what Advent and Christmas are all about is a time make a decision about living up to God’s EXPECTATIONS. Maybe part of the reason we celebrate Advent and Christmas is because it is God’s way of saying to us “be hot or be cold—but don’t be lukewarm.”
So, for the next couple of weeks, let’s think about whether we are living up to God’s EXPECTATIONS or not. Are we hot, cold, or lukewarm?
If you love God . . . if you serve God . . . if you live to please God, you are living up to God’s EXPECTATIONS. Even if you struggle with God . . . if you question God . . . if you have your moments of doubt about God, you are still living up to God’s EXPECTATIONS.
Be hot or be cold, but don’t be lukewarm.
May the One and Holy God give us the grace to live up to His great expectations for us, in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, Amen.
Check out the church site too!
http://www.frankfortpresbychurch.com/
PRAYER OF ILLUMINATION: Please pray with me: Holy Spirit, as the Scripture is read, open our hearts and minds to hear the truth; shine your light into our dark places; convict us where our hearts have been hardened; and call us to respond with joy to your Word to us. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
SERMON-INTRO
As we near the end of the “Year of the Bible,” you’ve gotten a taste of almost every book of the Bible. So, drawing upon all that vast knowledge you now have, were I to ask you which book in the Bible is the strangest, scariest, and most confusing, what would you say? (Revelation)
That’s what I thought you’d say! Revelation is the most mysterious book of the Bible. No one is quite sure what to make of it: is it symbolic? Literal? Should we try to figure out what it means? Should we just ignore it all together? What do we do with the book of Revelation?
Now, if my family were here, they would affirm what I am about to say to you. I, Allison Bauer, like to do things the hard way. This means I often make things a bit more complicated than they need to be, which usually results in me creating more work for myself than really is necessary.
BUT it ALSO means that everything is an adventure with me. I tend to throw myself into things, heart and soul. So of course, as I began to consider what to preach on this Sunday, I thought immediately about, what else, Revelation because I like to do things the hard way.
So my goal this morning is to take just a little piece of Revelation and make it not so scary. This morning I want to show you that Revelation is really just a book about what God’s EXPECTATIONS for us.
The first three chapters of Revelation are relatively not scary, and that’s where we’re going to start. These chapters represent the 7 letters the apostle John wrote to the 7 major churches of his day, while he was exiled on the Island of Patmos. And in these letters, it kinda seems like God is showing the churches what his EXPECTATIONS of them are and grading the churches on how good—or bad—of a job each church is doing to meet those EXPECTATIONS. So we’re going to look at just one of those letters this morning—because I’m trying to make this not so scary. We can handle one little letter, right? Good.
So, our Scripture reading this morning comes from Revelation 3:14-22:
14 "To the angel of the church in Laodicea write: These are the words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the ruler of God's creation. 15 I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! 16 So, because you are lukewarm-- neither hot nor cold-- I am about to spit you out of my mouth.
17 You say, 'I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.' But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked. 18 I counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the fire, so you can become rich; and white clothes to wear, so you can cover your shameful nakedness; and salve to put on your eyes, so you can see.
19 Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest, and repent. 20 Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me. 21 To him who overcomes, I will give the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I overcame and sat down with my Father on his throne. 22 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches."
The grass withers, the flower fades, but the Word of the Lord endures forever.
#1
Ouch. The church at Laodicea doesn’t fair very well, does it? On behalf of God, John is delivering this church’s grade on how well they are living up to God’s EXPECTATIONS. And that grade is an F.
But it’s not just an F; it’s an F -, an F - -, if those are possible. It’s probably the worst grade a church can get. God says, “I know your deeds” . . . and “I am about to spit you out of my mouth.”
There are several ways to spit something out of your mouth. There’s the little spit, like spitting out a watermelon seed. There’s the medium spit, like when you’re brushing your teeth in the sink. And there’s the big spit, like when you a mouthful of sour milk or juice.
The kind of spitting that Revelation is talking about is that last kind of spitting—when you’ve got something that tastes totally nasty sitting in your mouth. It’s a big gesture; it gets the attention of all the other people gathered around nearby; it can be more than a little gross too.
So God says to the church at Laodicea, “I know your deeds” . . . and “I am about to spit you out of my mouth.” That’s how bad Laodicea is.
I told you I think Revelation is a book about God’s EXPECTATIONS. And of all the 7 churches that get a letter from John, Laodicea has done the WORST job living up to God’s EXPECTATIONS. In fact, this spitting out God is threatening to do is actually closer in meaning to actually vomiting them out, not just spitting. It is as though God is saying to them, “I know your deeds and your deeds make me sick.” Literally.
So that leaves us with one question: what in the world could Laodicea have done to fall so short of God’s EXPECTATIONS?
#2
Let me read it for you again: “I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! 16 So, because you are lukewarm-- neither hot nor cold-- I am about to spit you out of my mouth.”
God’s EXPECTATIONS are that the church would be either hot or cold. But Laodicea is neither hot nor cold; their deeds are neither hot nor cold. But what does that mean exactly?
On the one hand, it means they are not on fire for God, living passionate lives of service to God and neighbor. On the other hand, it also means that they are not anti-God, telling friends and neighbors that there IS no God. They’re just somewhere in the middle; they are lukewarm . . . “lukewarm Laodicea.”
It sounds like they could care less about God; they are indifferent to God because Laodicea is one of the most prosperous cities at this time and they are rich and independent. And they have become independent of God. They have decided they can do for themselves and don’t need God’s help.
They are wishy-washy when it comes to God. God is there in the background, but he isn’t really a defining part of their lives. God may not even be something they think about much during their week.
This is God’s EXPECTATION for them: “Be hot or be cold, but don’t be lukewarm.” God says, “I would rather that you not believe in me AT ALL than to be lukewarm.” Imagine that. It would be better to not believe at all then to be lukewarm toward God.
But all is not lost for “lukewarm Laodicea.”
#3
All is not lost for “lukewarm Laodicea” because, as Revelation tells us, “Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline.” The church at Laodicea hasn’t been spit out or vomited up yet—there’s still hope. They still have a chance to change their ways and live up to God’s EXPECTATIONS. There’s hope because God wants to rebuke and discipline them. There’s still time to choose whether they want to be hot or cold, rather than to be lukewarm.
God has not given up on the church at Laodicea. Though they are lukewarm, he is not ready to give up on them yet. “Here I am!” he said. “I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me.”
God invites the church at Laodicea to get off the fence. God invites the church to make a decision: are you gonna be hot or are you gonna be cold? Pick one or the other, but don’t mess around in the middle.
And God makes a promise to “lukewarm Laodicea,” and you can always take God’s promises to the bank. He promises them, “To him who overcomes, I will give the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I overcame and sat down with my Father on his throne.” To those who repent of being lukewarm, he says, you will sit with me in heaven.
This is what God EXPECTED of the 7 churches in Revelation: be hot or cold, but don’t be lukewarm. God wants them to make up their minds once and for all—be hot or be cold, but don’t be lukewarm.
CONCLUSION
Advent isn’t really a “lukewarm” time of year, is it? People are either hot or cold—they love everything about Christmas or they hate it. Fights abound about whether you can put a nativity scene on public property or not. The debate rages about whether you should say “Merry Christmas” or “Happy Holidays” to people you meet in the street.
There’s something about Advent that makes us run hot or cold. It’s hard to be lukewarm about Advent. And I’m beginning to think that maybe that’s by God’s design—maybe God knew that we all tend to slide into “lukewarmness” like the church at Laodicea. And so part of what Advent and Christmas are all about is a time make a decision about living up to God’s EXPECTATIONS. Maybe part of the reason we celebrate Advent and Christmas is because it is God’s way of saying to us “be hot or be cold—but don’t be lukewarm.”
So, for the next couple of weeks, let’s think about whether we are living up to God’s EXPECTATIONS or not. Are we hot, cold, or lukewarm?
If you love God . . . if you serve God . . . if you live to please God, you are living up to God’s EXPECTATIONS. Even if you struggle with God . . . if you question God . . . if you have your moments of doubt about God, you are still living up to God’s EXPECTATIONS.
Be hot or be cold, but don’t be lukewarm.
May the One and Holy God give us the grace to live up to His great expectations for us, in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, Amen.
Thursday, December 3, 2009
Sunday Sermon: "Anticipation"
http://www.frankfortyotb.blogspot.com/
Check out the church site too!
http://www.frankfortpresbychurch.com/
PRAYER OF ILLUMINATION: Please pray with me: Holy Spirit, as the Scripture is read, open our hearts and minds to hear the truth; shine your light into our dark places; convict us where our hearts have been hardened; and call us to respond with joy to your Word to us. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
SCRIPTURE: Daniel 7:9-10, 13-14
9 "As I looked, "thrones were set in place, and the Ancient of Days took his seat. His clothing was as white as snow; the hair of his head was white like wool. His throne was flaming with fire, and its wheels were all ablaze. 10 A river of fire was flowing, coming out from before him. Thousands upon thousands attended him; ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him. The court was seated, and the books were opened.
13 "In my vision at night I looked, and there before me was one like a son of man, coming with the clouds of heaven. He approached the Ancient of Days and was led into his presence. 14 He was given authority, glory and sovereign power; all peoples, nations and men of every language worshiped him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that will not pass away, and his kingdom is one that will never be destroyed.
The grass withers, the flower fades, but the Word of the Lord endures forever.
SERMON-INTRO
Today is the first Sunday of Advent. And our theme of the day is ANTICIPATION. Anticipation . . . waiting. How do you feel about waiting?
What sorts of things do you hate waiting for the most? (wait for answers) (waiting in line in the grocery store, waiting in traffic, etc)
But there are some things you don’t mind waiting for, right? What are the things you don’t mind waiting for? (a baby to be born, a wedding day, etc)
I have to tell you, my family did a lot of anticipating this week, but we probably weren’t anticipating what you’d think we’d be anticipating. While your family may have been anticipating turkey and all the trimmings, WE were anticipating several sporting events, including the “Backyard Brawl” between Pitt and WVU.
And while I don’t particularly want to dwell on the outcome of said football game (and I don’t want to hear from any of you WVU fans as we’re shaking hands on the way out!), I think it does sum up what it means to anticipate something: you look forward to something, you imagine a million different ways how something is going to happen, you hope for something, you expect something. That’s what ANTICIPATION is all about.
#1
If there was one thing the Israelites ANTICIPATED, it was a Savior.
They never had it easy, you know. From the time spent in Egyptian slavery to forty years of wandering in the wilderness only to find the Promised Land already inhabited by other people, God’s chosen people were always in need of a Savior.
You know what that feels like to need to be saved, right? You know what it feels like to be down so low and you think you have nowhere to turn. You think maybe there’s no one else out there who can help you. You know what it feels like to need a Savior, right? Judging from the numbers of heads nodding, I think you do.
The Israelites were always looking forward to the coming of a Savior who would save them . . . a Savior they thought would destroy the kingdoms that put them into slavery. They were always looking forward to the coming of a Savior who would bring them home again, after being exiled from their homeland for so many generations.
Imagine what kind of a person this Savior would have to be. Someone strong, someone wise, someone impressive and authoritative and powerful. Someone like the “son of man” mentioned in our reading from Daniel 7.
Now HERE is a Savior, this “son of man.” Here is someone coming down from the heavens, “coming with the clouds of heaven” it says. Here is someone able to approach the throne of God—whom he calls the “Ancient of Days.” Here is someone to whom God gives “authority, glory, and sovereign power.” Here is someone whose kingdom will have no end and whose kingdom can never be destroyed. HERE is the kind of Savior the Israelites were ANTICIPATING.
#2
So that leaves us with the question: who is this mysterious Savior they were ANTICIPATING? Who is this “son of man” that the people of God were so desperately hoping for? Who is this “son of man” who was so highly ANTICIPATED throughout the Old Testament?
It’s the kind of question that led people for generations to keep their eyes peeled, searching for, watching for, and looking for their Savior. They were constantly alert, looking for hints about who their Savior would be.
People today are still looking for hints of a Savior, aren’t we? We might not always be looking in the right places, but we’re all looking for a Savior.
The name “son of man” can actually be either a general term for a human being—like we are each a “son of man”—OR it can refer to someone who will come to judge the righteous and unrighteous at the end of time.
So the “son of man” could be just an “average Joe” OR the “son of man” could be a wise and powerful judge. The great Savior of the Israelites—the Savior we are looking for—could be just another person like us or could be someone who is completely different from us.
So which is it, then? Are we ANTICIPATING the kind of Savior who is an average Joe or the Supreme judge at the end times?
#3
Would you believe the Savior of the world is both?
The one the Israelites anticipated throughout all the generations, the “son of man” who came “with the clouds of heaven,” the one who has been given “all authority, glory and sovereign power” is the same helpless baby who was dependent on everyone else around him.
There are some things you just can’t ANTICIPATE, don’t you think?
No wonder it took the disciples so long to figure out who they were looking for. They were anticipating a conquering king descending from the clouds . . . but what they got was an average Joe, an average Joe, who is ALSO the “son of man” descending with the “clouds of heaven.”
The disciples did their fair share of waiting and looking and searching and ANTICIPATING as Jesus walked among them and taught them. They had their own hints and clues they discovered along the way about this Savior of the world.
And the clues led them to Jesus, Savior of the world, who is both the “son of man” AND the “son of God.”
CONCLUSION
He is the one we ANTICIPATE during Advent—not the presents or the cookies or the Christmas parties. What we ANTICIPATE is so much more than that.
What we ANTICIPATE is that he will come again at the end times “to judge the quick and the dead”—the righteous and the unrighteous.
So after all these generations, after all the time that has passed, he is the one we should still have our eyes peeled for . . . the one we should be looking for . . . and the one we should be searching for because he is the Savior of the world.
Advent is more than just ANTICIPATING the baby in the cradle. It’s about ANTICIPATING the “son of man” who will descend from the clouds of heaven and bring us home.
In the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, Amen.
Check out the church site too!
http://www.frankfortpresbychurch.com/
PRAYER OF ILLUMINATION: Please pray with me: Holy Spirit, as the Scripture is read, open our hearts and minds to hear the truth; shine your light into our dark places; convict us where our hearts have been hardened; and call us to respond with joy to your Word to us. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
SCRIPTURE: Daniel 7:9-10, 13-14
9 "As I looked, "thrones were set in place, and the Ancient of Days took his seat. His clothing was as white as snow; the hair of his head was white like wool. His throne was flaming with fire, and its wheels were all ablaze. 10 A river of fire was flowing, coming out from before him. Thousands upon thousands attended him; ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him. The court was seated, and the books were opened.
13 "In my vision at night I looked, and there before me was one like a son of man, coming with the clouds of heaven. He approached the Ancient of Days and was led into his presence. 14 He was given authority, glory and sovereign power; all peoples, nations and men of every language worshiped him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that will not pass away, and his kingdom is one that will never be destroyed.
The grass withers, the flower fades, but the Word of the Lord endures forever.
SERMON-INTRO
Today is the first Sunday of Advent. And our theme of the day is ANTICIPATION. Anticipation . . . waiting. How do you feel about waiting?
What sorts of things do you hate waiting for the most? (wait for answers) (waiting in line in the grocery store, waiting in traffic, etc)
But there are some things you don’t mind waiting for, right? What are the things you don’t mind waiting for? (a baby to be born, a wedding day, etc)
I have to tell you, my family did a lot of anticipating this week, but we probably weren’t anticipating what you’d think we’d be anticipating. While your family may have been anticipating turkey and all the trimmings, WE were anticipating several sporting events, including the “Backyard Brawl” between Pitt and WVU.
And while I don’t particularly want to dwell on the outcome of said football game (and I don’t want to hear from any of you WVU fans as we’re shaking hands on the way out!), I think it does sum up what it means to anticipate something: you look forward to something, you imagine a million different ways how something is going to happen, you hope for something, you expect something. That’s what ANTICIPATION is all about.
#1
If there was one thing the Israelites ANTICIPATED, it was a Savior.
They never had it easy, you know. From the time spent in Egyptian slavery to forty years of wandering in the wilderness only to find the Promised Land already inhabited by other people, God’s chosen people were always in need of a Savior.
You know what that feels like to need to be saved, right? You know what it feels like to be down so low and you think you have nowhere to turn. You think maybe there’s no one else out there who can help you. You know what it feels like to need a Savior, right? Judging from the numbers of heads nodding, I think you do.
The Israelites were always looking forward to the coming of a Savior who would save them . . . a Savior they thought would destroy the kingdoms that put them into slavery. They were always looking forward to the coming of a Savior who would bring them home again, after being exiled from their homeland for so many generations.
Imagine what kind of a person this Savior would have to be. Someone strong, someone wise, someone impressive and authoritative and powerful. Someone like the “son of man” mentioned in our reading from Daniel 7.
Now HERE is a Savior, this “son of man.” Here is someone coming down from the heavens, “coming with the clouds of heaven” it says. Here is someone able to approach the throne of God—whom he calls the “Ancient of Days.” Here is someone to whom God gives “authority, glory, and sovereign power.” Here is someone whose kingdom will have no end and whose kingdom can never be destroyed. HERE is the kind of Savior the Israelites were ANTICIPATING.
#2
So that leaves us with the question: who is this mysterious Savior they were ANTICIPATING? Who is this “son of man” that the people of God were so desperately hoping for? Who is this “son of man” who was so highly ANTICIPATED throughout the Old Testament?
It’s the kind of question that led people for generations to keep their eyes peeled, searching for, watching for, and looking for their Savior. They were constantly alert, looking for hints about who their Savior would be.
People today are still looking for hints of a Savior, aren’t we? We might not always be looking in the right places, but we’re all looking for a Savior.
The name “son of man” can actually be either a general term for a human being—like we are each a “son of man”—OR it can refer to someone who will come to judge the righteous and unrighteous at the end of time.
So the “son of man” could be just an “average Joe” OR the “son of man” could be a wise and powerful judge. The great Savior of the Israelites—the Savior we are looking for—could be just another person like us or could be someone who is completely different from us.
So which is it, then? Are we ANTICIPATING the kind of Savior who is an average Joe or the Supreme judge at the end times?
#3
Would you believe the Savior of the world is both?
The one the Israelites anticipated throughout all the generations, the “son of man” who came “with the clouds of heaven,” the one who has been given “all authority, glory and sovereign power” is the same helpless baby who was dependent on everyone else around him.
There are some things you just can’t ANTICIPATE, don’t you think?
No wonder it took the disciples so long to figure out who they were looking for. They were anticipating a conquering king descending from the clouds . . . but what they got was an average Joe, an average Joe, who is ALSO the “son of man” descending with the “clouds of heaven.”
The disciples did their fair share of waiting and looking and searching and ANTICIPATING as Jesus walked among them and taught them. They had their own hints and clues they discovered along the way about this Savior of the world.
And the clues led them to Jesus, Savior of the world, who is both the “son of man” AND the “son of God.”
CONCLUSION
He is the one we ANTICIPATE during Advent—not the presents or the cookies or the Christmas parties. What we ANTICIPATE is so much more than that.
What we ANTICIPATE is that he will come again at the end times “to judge the quick and the dead”—the righteous and the unrighteous.
So after all these generations, after all the time that has passed, he is the one we should still have our eyes peeled for . . . the one we should be looking for . . . and the one we should be searching for because he is the Savior of the world.
Advent is more than just ANTICIPATING the baby in the cradle. It’s about ANTICIPATING the “son of man” who will descend from the clouds of heaven and bring us home.
In the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, Amen.
Sunday Sermon: "Fish Stick Jesus"
http://www.frankfortyotb.blogspot.com/
Check out the church site too!
http://www.frankfortpresbychurch.com/
Sunday Sermon: "Fish Stick Jesus"
PRAYER OF ILLUMINATION: Please pray with me: Holy Spirit, as the Scripture is read, open our hearts and minds to hear the truth; shine your light into our dark places; convict us where our hearts have been hardened; and call us to respond with joy to your Word to us. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
SCRIPTURE: Psalm 100
1 Shout for joy to the LORD, all the earth.
2 Worship the LORD with gladness; come before him with joyful songs.
3 Know that the LORD is God. It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, the sheep of his pasture.
4 Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise;
give thanks to him and praise his name.
5 For the LORD is good and his love endures forever;
his faithfulness continues through all generations.
The grass withers, the flower fades, but the Word of the Lord endures forever.
SERMON-INTRO
People look for God in all kinds of places. And in that looking for God, they seem to find God in some of the strangest places. While some people find God in nature . . . in church . . . in the kindness of a stranger . . . other people find God in fish sticks.
Seriously, in November 2004 a guy named Fred Whan, who lives in Ontario, burnt a fish stick he was having for dinner. As he pulled it out of the oven and looked at it, he found the face of Jesus on his fish stick. He kept it in his freezer for a year, then put it up for auction on www.ebay.com.
In that same year, a woman in Ft. Lauderdale said she found an image of Mary, the mother of Jesus, in her grilled cheese sandwich. Later that year, she sold it for $28,000.
Now, the point of me telling you this isn’t so we get in a debate whether or not we think these faces really did appear in these foods. The point is . . . people are looking for God. People are yearning to find God in the everyday, ordinariness of their lives.
We know we’ll see God in church on Sunday; but we want to see God the other six days a week, in the places we go every day.
But I don’t want a God who lives in fish sticks or grilled cheese sandwiches. I want a God who is so much more than that—I want a God who is wise and strong and loving and just and merciful.
I want the kind of God we read about in Psalm 100.
#1
I want a God who is worthy of praise and thanksgiving, not just random appearances in food.
This God that the psalmist talks about is worthy of our praise and thanksgiving because he made us. God is our maker—the fish sticks, the grilled cheese, all these things were made. But not God; God made us.
The God the psalmist talks about is worthy of our praise and thanksgiving because he loves us. We love our cars and our houses and our toys, but they don’t love us back. But God loved us first, long before we loved him. And God continues to love us, even when we are most unlovable.
Psalm 100 also tells us that God is worthy of our praise and thanksgiving because God owns us. Fish sticks and grilled cheese belong to us, but we belong to God. We are his people, the sheep of his pasture. “For God so loved the world that he gave up his only begotten Son” and now we belong to him.
The God the psalmist talks about is worthy of our praise and thanksgiving because God really is all around us but in more than fish sticks and grilled cheese. God is around us because WE are his people, so when we look at the other people around us, we can see the face of Jesus. We can see Jesus on the face of the people we live with and work with. We can even see Jesus on the face of strangers, those in need and those in prison, those who live in big mansions and those who live in cardboard boxes.
#2
We all want a God who is found somewhere other than fish sticks and grilled cheese. We all want a God who is wise and strong and loving and just and merciful.
THAT God is the God who deserves our praise and thanks.
At this time of year, we often spend too much time thinking about all the gifts we have been given and too little thinking about the Giver of the gifts.
Don’t get me wrong; it’s good to be thankful for the blessings God has given us. But I think we spend too much time focusing on the stuff, instead of focusing on the God who gave us the stuff.
It’s good to be thankful for material blessings, but we have to remember that God surrounds us with all kinds of people who reflect God’s face to us.
So here is how we’re going to give God our praise and thanks. At the end of your pew is a pile of what I hope look like maple leaves. And on some of those leaves it says “People I’m Thankful For” and on the other “Reasons I’m Thankful for God.”
Working with the other people in your pew, or with people in front of or behind you—your choice, try to fill up each of these leaves with either people you are thankful for or reasons you are thankful for God. For example on the “people” leaf, you could write the names of your family members or friends or coworkers or the garbage man who comes to your house each week. And on the “God” leaf, you could write, you’re thankful for God’s forgiveness or love or mercy—some thing God has done for you that you are grateful for.
I’ll give you four minutes to try to fill each leaf up. Anyone have any questions? Alright, go!
#3
Could I have all the kids come forward?
(Have taller kids stay down front to tape up leaves, smaller kids go into congregation to collect all the leaves.)
If you’re finished, hold you leaves up in the air and the kids will come and collect them and add them to our Thanksgiving tree.
CONCLUSION
Judging from the number of leaves on the tree—and how much writing is on them!—we don’t need to look very far to see God. We can see God on the face of those around us, those special people that God has placed in our lives, just for us.
So, don’t go looking for Jesus in your turkey leg on Thanksgiving or in your mashed potatoes the day after Thanksgiving. Instead, look for Jesus in the faces of the people who are gathered around the table with you.
As you look on their faces, give thanks and praise to God because God is constantly revealing himself to you, in the faithful believers around you.
In the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, Amen.
Check out the church site too!
http://www.frankfortpresbychurch.com/
Sunday Sermon: "Fish Stick Jesus"
PRAYER OF ILLUMINATION: Please pray with me: Holy Spirit, as the Scripture is read, open our hearts and minds to hear the truth; shine your light into our dark places; convict us where our hearts have been hardened; and call us to respond with joy to your Word to us. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
SCRIPTURE: Psalm 100
1 Shout for joy to the LORD, all the earth.
2 Worship the LORD with gladness; come before him with joyful songs.
3 Know that the LORD is God. It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, the sheep of his pasture.
4 Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise;
give thanks to him and praise his name.
5 For the LORD is good and his love endures forever;
his faithfulness continues through all generations.
The grass withers, the flower fades, but the Word of the Lord endures forever.
SERMON-INTRO
People look for God in all kinds of places. And in that looking for God, they seem to find God in some of the strangest places. While some people find God in nature . . . in church . . . in the kindness of a stranger . . . other people find God in fish sticks.
Seriously, in November 2004 a guy named Fred Whan, who lives in Ontario, burnt a fish stick he was having for dinner. As he pulled it out of the oven and looked at it, he found the face of Jesus on his fish stick. He kept it in his freezer for a year, then put it up for auction on www.ebay.com.
In that same year, a woman in Ft. Lauderdale said she found an image of Mary, the mother of Jesus, in her grilled cheese sandwich. Later that year, she sold it for $28,000.
Now, the point of me telling you this isn’t so we get in a debate whether or not we think these faces really did appear in these foods. The point is . . . people are looking for God. People are yearning to find God in the everyday, ordinariness of their lives.
We know we’ll see God in church on Sunday; but we want to see God the other six days a week, in the places we go every day.
But I don’t want a God who lives in fish sticks or grilled cheese sandwiches. I want a God who is so much more than that—I want a God who is wise and strong and loving and just and merciful.
I want the kind of God we read about in Psalm 100.
#1
I want a God who is worthy of praise and thanksgiving, not just random appearances in food.
This God that the psalmist talks about is worthy of our praise and thanksgiving because he made us. God is our maker—the fish sticks, the grilled cheese, all these things were made. But not God; God made us.
The God the psalmist talks about is worthy of our praise and thanksgiving because he loves us. We love our cars and our houses and our toys, but they don’t love us back. But God loved us first, long before we loved him. And God continues to love us, even when we are most unlovable.
Psalm 100 also tells us that God is worthy of our praise and thanksgiving because God owns us. Fish sticks and grilled cheese belong to us, but we belong to God. We are his people, the sheep of his pasture. “For God so loved the world that he gave up his only begotten Son” and now we belong to him.
The God the psalmist talks about is worthy of our praise and thanksgiving because God really is all around us but in more than fish sticks and grilled cheese. God is around us because WE are his people, so when we look at the other people around us, we can see the face of Jesus. We can see Jesus on the face of the people we live with and work with. We can even see Jesus on the face of strangers, those in need and those in prison, those who live in big mansions and those who live in cardboard boxes.
#2
We all want a God who is found somewhere other than fish sticks and grilled cheese. We all want a God who is wise and strong and loving and just and merciful.
THAT God is the God who deserves our praise and thanks.
At this time of year, we often spend too much time thinking about all the gifts we have been given and too little thinking about the Giver of the gifts.
Don’t get me wrong; it’s good to be thankful for the blessings God has given us. But I think we spend too much time focusing on the stuff, instead of focusing on the God who gave us the stuff.
It’s good to be thankful for material blessings, but we have to remember that God surrounds us with all kinds of people who reflect God’s face to us.
So here is how we’re going to give God our praise and thanks. At the end of your pew is a pile of what I hope look like maple leaves. And on some of those leaves it says “People I’m Thankful For” and on the other “Reasons I’m Thankful for God.”
Working with the other people in your pew, or with people in front of or behind you—your choice, try to fill up each of these leaves with either people you are thankful for or reasons you are thankful for God. For example on the “people” leaf, you could write the names of your family members or friends or coworkers or the garbage man who comes to your house each week. And on the “God” leaf, you could write, you’re thankful for God’s forgiveness or love or mercy—some thing God has done for you that you are grateful for.
I’ll give you four minutes to try to fill each leaf up. Anyone have any questions? Alright, go!
#3
Could I have all the kids come forward?
(Have taller kids stay down front to tape up leaves, smaller kids go into congregation to collect all the leaves.)
If you’re finished, hold you leaves up in the air and the kids will come and collect them and add them to our Thanksgiving tree.
CONCLUSION
Judging from the number of leaves on the tree—and how much writing is on them!—we don’t need to look very far to see God. We can see God on the face of those around us, those special people that God has placed in our lives, just for us.
As you look on their faces, give thanks and praise to God because God is constantly revealing himself to you, in the faithful believers around you.
In the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, Amen.
QandAs for the Week
www.frankfortyotb.blogspot.com
Check out the church site too!
www.frankfortpresbychurch.com
"Year of the Bible" Q&As of the Week
Here are the questions for the week (better late than never, right??)
Monday: According to Jude, godless men “who change the grace of our God” into what?
Tuesday: God desires what instead of sacrifice and what instead of burnt offerings? (Hosea 6)
Wednesday: Though the Lord is on high, he is close to who but far away from who else? (Psalm 138)
Thursday: “Israel a spreading vine” and he bore fruit for who? (Hosea 10)
Friday: To what churches does John write to in Revelation 3?
Saturday: What will he who is wise and discerning understand? (Hosea 14)
Sunday: What can Israel do to endure “the day of the Lord?” (Joel 2)
Check out the church site too!
www.frankfortpresbychurch.com
"Year of the Bible" Q&As of the Week
Here are the questions for the week (better late than never, right??)
Monday: According to Jude, godless men “who change the grace of our God” into what?
Tuesday: God desires what instead of sacrifice and what instead of burnt offerings? (Hosea 6)
Wednesday: Though the Lord is on high, he is close to who but far away from who else? (Psalm 138)
Thursday: “Israel a spreading vine” and he bore fruit for who? (Hosea 10)
Friday: To what churches does John write to in Revelation 3?
Saturday: What will he who is wise and discerning understand? (Hosea 14)
Sunday: What can Israel do to endure “the day of the Lord?” (Joel 2)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
