God Loves You; But It's Not About You!

 Easter IV 2024 (April 14)

Good Shepherd Sunday

The image of Jesus as the Good Shepherd powerfully communicates the fundamental truth  “God loves you.”  When push comes to shove, this is the fundamental truth we live by and we want to pass on to the next generation of faith.

However, there is another vital truth – even embedded in Psalm 23 – that we want to pass along too:  It is not about you!  Our lives have an importance to God for the sake of our neighbor and God’s purposes in this world.

A reflection on Baptism, Psalm 23 and how God teaches us these two truths again and again in our lives.

The Glory of the Heavens and the Muddiness of Earth

Easter III (April 14, 2023)

This past week our nation was fascinated and delighted by the eclipse.  It was a reminder of the glory of the heavens, the place where the beauty and complexity of the creation bears witness to the creator.

This past week our nation was heartbroken and afraid of violence and further escalation around the world, particularly in the Middle East.  It was a reminder of the muddiness of life of earth, the place where the tragedy and complexity of human interactions bears witness to the power of sin.

Given this tension, it is easy to see why many develop a theology in which Jesus comes to lead an escape mission, to get us out of earth.  But as the story of the risen Jesus shows (Luke 24:36-48), Jesus isn’t interested in giving up on earth; he offers his disciples no packing list for their trip to heaven.  Jesus is not intending to an escape mission, but a reclamation one, as he wins back earth for God’s purposes.  For you see, the fundamental constant of the universe isn’t the speed of light or the gravitation constant, but the faithfulness of God’s love.

This is true in our lives: God is faithful not just to creation, but to you as well. Therefore, we are to expect to see repentance and forgiveness into our lives.  And…therefore…our job then is to share — much like we shared photos of the pictures of the eclipse — the stories of God’s faithfulness in our lives and in this world.

For more photos of the eclipse from space, you can check out NASA’s website.

An Alternative to Cynicism

 

Easter Sunday 2024 (March 31)

We live in an age of pessimism, in which it is easy to be cynical about present and gloomy about the future.

The women who go to the tomb of Jesus had every reason to be pessimistic, cynical and gloomy (Mark 16).  Yet they do not succumb to this attitude, but choose instead to do an act of love, courage and hope.

From where does their home come from?  Where does our hope come from?  What can move us to act in love, courage and hope in an age of cynicism?

Pastor Rob offers that the antidote to fatalism and cynicism is the forgiveness of sins and resurrection of Jesus.  For God's forgiveness means that the story goes on -- that Jesus, not our sins, is the author of our salvation.  In that hope, we can keep doing the loving, courageous and hopeful thing.   We do this, not confident that it will all turn out as we want, but trusting that Christ's death and resurrection means God will keep the story going, arcing it toward life, thanksgiving and love.

The artwork is from the Catechesis Presentation of an Episcopalian church.

The Ordinary Becomes the Extraordinary

 Palm Sunday 2024 (March 24)

Throughout his ministry, Jesus transforms the ordinary into the extraordinary:  donkeys, jugs of water and scraps of food.  Again and again, through faith, the ordinary becomes an extraordinary vessel of God’s love.

He further sends out his disciples to unbind things, animals and people so that which is unbound, the ordinary, can fulfill its extraordinary purpose, to become a vessel of God’s love.

Sometimes this unbinding is easy and straight-forward, like untying a donkey.  Other times the unbinding is more complex and requires undoing lies that we’ve internalized.

A reflection on the work of Jesus, in his ministry, in our lives and on the cross, to transform the ordinary into the extraordinary.

These ordinary Legos were transformed for an extraordinary purpose by Deep Water Baptist church in a YouTube video.

The tragic Superpower of Empathy

 Lent 5 (March 17, 2024)

Jesus was the most empathetic human who has ever lived.

But for Jesus, like for all humans, empathy exposes him to the pain and suffering of others.  In the cross, this empathy is taken to another level, a wholly divine level, whereby Jesus fully empathizes and fully takes on our suffering, shame and sin.  This brings him to cry out “My God, My God, Why Have you Forsaken Me!”  (Mark 15:34)

The good news of the Empty Tomb is that one day, we will get to proclaim to our sin, suffering and shame: “It — namely you — are finished.”   But for seasons of our lives, we live bearing a cross that prevents us from such confident and joyful proclamation.  In those days, we know that Jesus prays with us, even our deepest laments…slowly tilling the soil in our suffering to raise up a harvest of empathy in our own hearts, enabling us to carry the cross for another.

The art of Simon carrying Jesus cross comes from a Roman Catholic devotional website.

Letting Go and Letting God: Into your hands I commend my Spirit

 Lent 4 (March 10, 2024)

“Into your hands, I commend my Spirit”, Jesus from the cross, praying Psalm 31:5

In life, we will hear the phrase “Let go and Let God!”  What does this look like?  Jesus here seems to be embodying this letting Go and letting God, resigning himself, surrendering control and putting his life in God’s hands.  This certainly is Letting Go and Letting God.

But does it always look like this?  A deeper dive in Luke 23 suggests that Letting Go and Letting God – Commending ourselves – also means letting go of our things (generosity ) and letting go of our fears (courage).

This is quite a summons then.  What empowers this?  The answer lies in the second half of the Psalm: “For you have redeemed me, O faithful God!”

The Congregation of the Cross: Woman, behold your son; Behold your mother

 

Lent 3 (March 3, 2023)

“Woman, behold your son; behold your mother.”

Jesus today creates a new family – an authentic community out of people who have experienced trauma and heartache. 

As we go through life, we often encounter the need for new relationships and for authentic community.  Today’s reflection is about how we often look for it in various places…but finding it remains allusive.

The authentic community, the community we seek:  One in which the other is a gift to us and we are free to be ourselves, this is the congregation of the cross.  This is the community that Jesus inaugurates with these words and the community into which we are invited.

This beautiful woodcut is found on an online slide show but if you know the piece of art, let us know!

Today you will be with me in Paradise

 Lent 2 (February 25, 2024)

“Today you will be with me in Paradise”; Jesus, Luke 23:43

We long for paradise, a world in which mercy has the last word and God’s peace reigns.  But so much evidence mounts in our lives that the opposite is true: armed violence writes the story of judgement and retribution.

In this story, we hear of Jesus extending beautiful mercy to a man who has been justly condemned.   In this case, mercy has the last word!  What about in our lives?  What gives us the audacity to hope for mercy?  A reflection on the cross, mercy and…heat packs.

The artwork was drawn by a 1st grader who was listening to the sermon.

I Thirst: Truly Human

 First Sunday of Lent (February 18, 2024)

Word of the Cross:  I thirst (John 19:28)

Jesus’s cry of “I thirst” reminds us, even reveals to us, that he is human.  

The ancient church confessed that Jesus is “truly human.”  Pastor Rob explores what it means for Jesus, not just to be human, but to be “truly human”:

• Faith in the face of human death
• Compassion in the face of human boundaries
• Servanthood in the face of human need

A reflection too, on how Jesus death and resurrection make it possible for us, not just to be human, but “truly human.”

Making Sense of Life

Transfiguration Sunday (February 11, 2024)

After the super bowl tonight, reporters will ask the players “How does it feel to win the Super Bowl?”  Chances are, none of them will say anything remotely coherent.  The event is too overwhelming for them.

Today, we remember the Transfiguration of our Lord (Mark 9:2-10), certainly an overwhelming event for the disciples.  They don’t know what to say; they are in awe of the goodness but also terrified of its implications.

In life, how to we make sense of these events in life that we know are good, but also cause us to tremble, because we don’t quite know what they mean for our life?

The picture is from the best Super Bowl ever, in which the Philadelphia Eagles won.

Saying "No" to Say "Yes"

Sunday, February 4 (Epiphany 5)

Often in life we must say “no” to something in order to say “yes” to something else.

In today’s Gospel (Mark 1:29-39), Jesus says “no” to stay in the town where he was.  He says “no” to the expectations of the disciples and he says “no” to healing people there.  He does this so he can say “yes” to God’s purpose in his life.

Pastor Rob challenges you to consider what Jesus is calling you to say “no” to in your life; and what Jesus is calling you to say “yes” to in your life.

It turns out, this wrestling with “no” and “yes” is not an easy thing and must be in prayer.  And in prayer we are promised to meet the one has who already said “no” to sin and death in our lives as well as said “yes” to God’s resurrection and love in our lives.

Needed: A Champion!

When in your life have you encountered something that you considered not just bad or wrong, but evil?

In the Gospel of Mark, we hear a story of Jesus encountering evil (Mark 1:21-28).  While Mark tells the story so briefly that one might be tempted to overlook it, further reflection forces one to recognize the connection between how evil works in the passage and how evil works in our world.  This unsettling reality leads us to hunger for champion, one who is mighty enough to contend against the forces in this world and in our lives.

This story is an epiphany story, a story that reveals who that champion is and what it means to live under his cross.

The photo is from the US Holocaust Museum and was used to transport people to concentration camps.

Resilience and Repentance

 

January 21, 2021 (3rd Sunday after Epiphany)

“After John (the Baptist) was arrested, Jesus went into Galilee began to proclaim the Good News…” (Mark 1:14)

The arrest of John meant Jesus could no longer continue with business as usual.  In our lives, we often encounter situations in which we cannot go back to life as it was.   What have been those situations in your life?  And how did your respond?  Frankly, we all likely have responded well to some adversity; and not so well to other challenges.  Why is this?  What makes people or at least people in certain situations more resilient?  What could make you or me more resilient?

A reflection on Jesus calling his disciples and teaching them resilience.

The image comes from “The Ursuline Sisters” webpage.

Baptism of Jesus & Broken New Year’s Resolutions

 Baptism of Jesus (January 7, 2024)

Have you kept your resolutions?  

Pastor Rob offers a word of encouragement and challenge to refine and revitalize your resolutions in light of Jesus’ Baptism.

(Didn’t make resolutions — not a problem — this sermon is what Jesus baptism and our baptisms mean for the direction and purpose of our lives).

The Magi and Three Questions

 

Christmas II (Dec 31, 2023)

You beat the level Mario — but as it turns out, they moved the real princess to another castle!

It is a metaphor for life, where the goal posts of achievement always seem to be moving.  Questions, based on the story of the Magi and their gifts, which are an invitation to move out of doing life as it is a video game.

• If you get where you are going, will you have found what you are looking for?
• Are your friends…friends for the party or friends for the feast?
• What will you need to leave behind to move ahead?

Note:  Jan 6 is traditionally the date reserved for Matthew 2:1-11, the Magi arriving in Bethlehem to worship Jesus.  However, this year January 6 is on a Saturday and Sunday, January 7 is the Baptism of Jesus; therefore, we moved up reflection on the Magi and their journey.