Faith Through the Decades: The 1960's

(preached on Sunday, September 13)

I remember being elementary school and sitting in the bank drive through with my mom. It was 1983 and the voice on the radio was sharing a this day a history moment. It happened to be the 20th anniversary of the assassination of President John F. Kennedy. My mother just started to gaze off into the distance. The DJ went on to say that in honor of the day, the song, Abraham, John and Martin would be played. As the music started, my mother’s distant gaze became soft tears. Abraham, John and Martin, written in 1968 and performed a variety of artists is a tribute to the memories of icons of social change. But in particular, the icons of social change in the 1960’s, Martin Luther King, Jr., John F. Kennedy and Robert F. Kennedy. It was written as a response to the assassinations of King and the younger Kennedy in April and June 1968.

As we drove away and the song came to an end, my mother started giving me a history lesson on the assassination events and the powerful memory of knowing where you were when you heard about the assassination of JFK. Along with the other assassinations in that decade, the turbulent times around the civil rights movement, the red scare and cold war, and the entry into the Vietnam war not only proved to be an eventful decade, but for baby boomers like my mother … the 1960’s was the most influential decade on her in shaping her outlook, her politics, and even her faith.

Now if you were to look at what decade was most influential on you as you developed as a person, what decade would that be? Now I know that some of you have many decades to choose from and others of you the choice is rather easy thus far. But given the historical events you have live through, the tragedies and the politics, the societal movements and the wars, what decade has most shaped your outlook, politics, and faith? That’s the question I would like you to consider as you share with your neighbor this morning. I will give you about 30 seconds.

We starting a new theme in here this weekend known as the Decades of Faith, starting today with the 1960’s. This is something we have been wanting to do for a number of years here, not only from a music standpoint, (has the band been great, or what?) but also from the perspective of how the events of a decade and our own American mindset has influenced the movement of the church and our own faith. But the reason for the timing of this theme as we head into fall is due to the 50th anniversary of Faith UMC. This weekend marks the fiftieth anniversary of the first worship service at Faith, the sixth birthday of fusion, and the third anniversary of being here in the Worship and Life Center and Education wing. With a whole calendar of events this year celebrating 50 years as a community of faith, we will kind of culminate everything on November 22 when our Bishop, Bishop Palmer will be joining us and leading us in worship.

But the 1960’s is where we start as we consider the very formative time for the Faith community during this time. Up until the 1960, Christianity was successful in its growth across America. After World War 2, after troops returned home and started to build their families, church membership and involvement became a central aspect of the American life. Champaign is no different. Many young families were settling on the west and southwest side of town and First Methodist Church downtown saw that need and wanted to expand out this way and a vision was cast for a congregation on S. Prospect Ave. Faith Methodist Church is what it would be named.

But as the 1960’s unfolded, the religious climate in America started to change. Prayer and Bible reading were removed from the public schools; nuns and priests started leaving their orders for secular lives, While these issues aroused much emotion, other, deeper social currents concerning race, gender and sexuality, war, and the role of churches in society changed the religious landscape of the United States. The apparent religious revival of the postwar period ground to a halt in the course of the decade. According to one historian, people stopped talking of a new revival and began to discuss decline. Look at America’s perspective on Faith; in 1957, 14 percent of the Americans polled said religion was in decline in the United States. In 1970 that figure had increased to 75 percent believed Religion was in decline and the numbers from church reports support that data.

The 1960’s was a turning point in history and in religion. The 1960’s was the first decade the history of the United States in which church membership in the U.S. did not increase. What was going on politically and socially had an impact on the church, no question. Fear of communism, the civil rights movement, and the fall of the icons of social change (MLK, JFK, RFK) led to a disillusionment with faith matters and churches really struggled with their identity. Do we or don’t we, as Christians, raise questions about the Vietnam War? Do we get involved in the civil rights movement and work to end segregation? Do we march with Martin Luther King, Jr, or is that too social justiceish for the church? As Christians can we question the government? These were radical questions for an institution that had seen freedom and growth since America was settled by the European Christians. (Pause) In many ways these questions persist for us today as well.

While church historians look to the 60’s trials and tribulations and the influence of music and the freedom of speech against the war and independence of a Woodstock and the Born to be Wild persona of the 1960’s, while church historians point to the 1960’s as the death of God … perhaps the 1960’s was enough to raise questions that helped define the meaning of Jesus Christ in the church more than what historians will ever care to admit. (Pause)

Last Sunday when we gathered in here … we heard Jesus in the midst of dealing with defilement and how the religious leaders became obsessed with the laws of cleanliness. His message last week was one drawn from the Old Testament … Remember that you too were a foreigner in a foreign land and God redeemed you. What that means is that everyone one of us have faced our own struggles, temptations, sins to the point where everyone of us has been on the outside … everyone one of us and if it weren’t for grace … everyone one of us would still be foreigners in God’s kingdom.

From there in Mark 7, we follow Jesus to where he is no longer distinguishing between the children on Israel and the outsiders … but his ministry has expanded to include everyone. It wasn’t just about his disciples but in dealing with the religious leaders and those on the outside of the Jewish faith and outside of the church. Mark 8 is a turning point, in many ways, as we start to see Jesus feeding the “crowds”, responding to challenges by the church as they questioned him and he questioned the church. Mark 8:22, he heals a blind man using his spit to make mud … again shaking the cultural and religious foundations by using something unclean to bring cleanliness and inclusion.

So we pick up right after that. Mark 8:27-38. I invite you to follow along on the screen this morning.
27 Jesus and his disciples went on to the villages around Caesarea Philippi. On the way he asked them, "Who do people say I am?" 28 They replied, "Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, one of the prophets." 29 "But what about you?" he asked. "Who do you say I am?" Peter answered, "You are the Messiah." 30 Jesus warned them not to tell anyone about him. 31 He then began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests and the teachers of the law, and that he must be killed and after three days rise again. 32 He spoke plainly about this, and Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. 33 But when Jesus turned and looked at his disciples, he rebuked Peter. "Get behind me, Satan!" he said. "You do not have in mind the concerns of God, but merely human concerns." 34 Then he called the crowd to him along with his disciples and said: "Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. 35 For whoever wants to save their life [b] will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me and for the gospel will save it. 36 What good is it for you to gain the whole world, yet forfeit your soul? 37 Or what can you give in exchange for your soul? 38 If any of you are ashamed of me and my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will be ashamed of you when he comes in his Father's glory with the holy angels."

Jesus is on the road with his disciples to the villages of Caesarea Philippi, and on the way he asks his followers, “Who do people say that I am?” What’s the word on the street? What are people Twittering about me?

The disciples answer, “John the Baptist; and others, Elijah; and still others, one of the prophets” (v. 28). Then Jesus makes it personal, and asks, “But who do you say that I am?” Peter answers him, “You are the Messiah,” a term which means “anointed one,” the divinely chosen leader of the people.” This answer is perfect, but Jesus is keenly aware that many people are looking for a military Messiah — God’s Commander in Chief — to drive the Romans out of Jerusalem and restore the kingdom to Israel. Jesus starts to again counter those perceptions with a teaching that makes it less about the church and more about the world. And that’s why Jesus begins to teach them that the Son of Man “must undergo great suffering, and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again” (v. 31). To be the true Messiah, Jesus has to undergo suffering, death and resurrection — there’s just no way around it. So the role of Jesus requires a cross before a crown.

And he expands his teaching after that to say, if you want to be a part of this … you too will have to choose a cross. You too will have to not only decide what I mean to you, but you too will have to choose whether you are willing to give up your life for the sake of the Gospel. When you discover who I am, when you accept you I am … when your testimony is on your lips, will that translate to your life and are you willing to live it?

This constant growth in the church up until the 1960’s brought some complacency … and instead of people choosing Jesus Christ it became a matter of being Christian because you were born into it. Jose Luis, our missionary contact in Juarez talk about his frustration of being a protestant in Mexico while Catholicism is not only the predominant faith, but it is the only faith recognized politically and socially. He will tell you that people are Catholic in Mexico by tradition, not choice. So the independence and freedom of the 1960’s led many people to question the establishment of institutions such as the government and even their own faith. And there was this sudden sense of choice found in a new found freedom in the Baby Boomers.

But this is no different than what we find in the Gospel. Jesus comes forth and says you know … there is a line now … if you want to follow me … you have to make a choice and live it. We have heard Jesus tell us over and over to take up your cross …what that perhaps means for us today is that deeper discipleship is found when we choose the cross for ourselves to carry. Which is fantastic for the sake of the church. So membership declines? What we learned from the 1960’s was that the church needed to be in the mode of making disciples rather than members and that the church was to be about doing the Gospel in the world as opposed to being the Gospel and expecting the world to come to us. Some look to the 60’s as the death of God .. I see it as a rebirth of discipleship that allowed those born to be wild to discover who Jesus Christ was for them.

It’s no wonder that Faith UMC, here found success in it’s first decade because of the openness of the church and the willingness to allow people to be guided to discover Jesus Christ for themselves. And that is in our DNA today as a congregation because the social and theological and political scale is so diverse here that it is something to be celebrated today. Who do you say I am? Not by tradition, or by what others tell, but how have you chosen to follow Jesus Christ?
So when we hear about social change and after the assassination of a social change icon like Martin Luther King, Jr …then there is a touch upon our hearts.

For my mother, these people questioned an establishment that she felt took her own independence. My mother’s parents, especially her father represented an establishment that my mother truly struggled with. On matters of racism and sexism, my very white grandfather ruled the roost. Every Sunday morning, when she was in grade school, a white bus pulled up to the front of the house and my mother and her siblings filed onto the bus and were in the Pentecostal church a good part of the day until the bus brought them home. There wasn’t any independence for her and when she graduated … her dad got married and found their own place in life.

But it wasn’t until much later in life when her faith started to mean something to her. My father was the same way …put on a bus to attend church .. but he had no siblings to go with him and it wasn’t until shortly before his death that he chose Jesus Christ.

Who do you say I am? We have to answer that question for ourselves … and there is a freedom around that which is found in our experiences as spouses and children and parents and employees and in servanthood. Who do you say I am? That Jesus calls us all to different passions and places of servanthood and discovery in our faith. Who do you say I am? Is a question that tradition can only partially answer, but our profession found in experience raises our faith to a new level. Who do you say I am? The lives we live in our geographical locations and the history of events that surround us lead us to not only question who God is …but also leads us to live a life that is dedicated to Gospel living and doing.

May God grant us … a grace and dedication and profession this day as we discover for ourselves … who do we say Jesus is.

In Jesus Name, Amen.

Anti-Clergy (How is that for a title? Wait, it gets better...)

I can remember sitting at the McDonalds at the Bone Student Center at Illinois State University. It was the summer before my freshman year, and I was there for summer registration. During a break we stopped for lunch and the conversation unfolded as my mother questioned as to why I was going to major in History and not History Education. It was suggested that I add the Education endorsement, "because the ministry may not work out."

For the two years prior, I had pursued the ministry for my future. It was my focus, my desire, my passion as I had visioned it. But while I had to reach an obstacle (and I don't consider this an obstacle), from that conversation forward the ministry became less a divine calling as events and conversations revealed that ministry was not as glorified in the minds of others. I met pastors who felt that I should not go into ministry because I was too young. I heard the criticism of the church and clergy by those in my dorm. I heard a campus minister talk about retiring as soon as possible. I heard of scandalous pastors and their zipper problems, money problems, control problems, and struggles with their uncertainty of their sexuality that left churches upset. I heard the stories of clergy from other denominations who had "issues" with children well before the media outcry earlier this decade and the abuse that ensued in other traditions. I served as a youth minister in two different churches with pastors who would not accept responsibility for their own actions.

I can remember lonely rides down the puke filled elevators at Watterson Towers on Sunday mornings and wondering what people were going to think of me as a pastor and whether I should even pursue ministry. As time unfolded, the perceptions of others and anti-clergy feelings became my perceptions and feelings as well. Until I reached a point of breaking down and I found myself kneeling at a cross at East Bay Camp seeking answers and direction as I was only a few months away from graduating from ISU and preparing for seminary.

I was reminded of those anti-clergy feelings again recently as I sat and listened to another clergy who spoke ill of me several years ago go on his verbal tirade about how if one pastor was speaking poorly of another pastor then there was reason to press charges (not legal, but in our church law). I wanted to stand up and confront. I wanted to unleash my own verbal tirade and start a discussion on hypocrisy. I left the meeting and stewed for several days, made comments on my Facebook about biting my tongue. And my anger brought me back into that place of feeling anti-clergy. "What is wrong with you people," I kept asking.

But as the weekend came, I looked in the mirror. I always thought that being ordained never meant being "set apart" as I was told several years ago, but my understanding was to be "set within." To walk alongside, to be one of the people in my congregation and not some glorified punk on a pedestal. Just as I am one of the people, I will get angry and jealous, and be hypocritical. While I pointed my fingers, so there were others pointed at me for my mistakes. If I were to consider such humility in 1997 to kneel at a cross seeking direction, then perhaps 12 1/2 years later, I need to return to that place as well. To be reminded that we all kneel at the cross and ask not only for our sin to be taken from us ... but to also place some of that emotion upon the cross asking God to release me from these feelings that hold me. My confrontation, or desire for revenge, takes God's providence away from God ... is that what I want?

I am glad I am here today ... proud to be in my 13th year of ministry and living among the people of Faith UMC.

Hands

A friend of mine recently had pictures taken with family and there was a whole segment of pictures were taken in black and white of just the hands. Some of the hands had written messages on them, some were formed into images to reveal another message. But I was taken by how each hand told another story. Though the pictures were in black and white the signs of age, work, relationship, pain, joy, past and future were all evident.

When I was a kid, I can remember how my mom used to rub my dad's hands in the evenings after a long work day. I remember on a few occasions when mom was at work and I was in the other room doing homework, my dad would call to me in the other room and ask me to come rub his hands. They were fairly course from his hard labor, his wedding ring was on his finger and it was not coming off given the size of his labored fingers. I can't imagine how many times my dad shook hands with others or his hands were full with grocery product stocking shelves or how his hands were graciously offering peace and a free product to an unhappy customer.

As I sat down to dinner this week, my six year old was observing my scars from my wrist surgery and my 8th grade window incident and asked if they still hurt. I quickly said "no" and went back to my conversation with my friend. Soon after, I felt his little hand pressing into my scars, feeling the texture of my skin and the scars. Then he asked me to tell him about the scar from 8th grade, a story he apparently had not heard. Once again, I disregarded his concern for the sake of being in conversation with my friend. Yet I wonder ... were my hands too busy and full to tell a story from my past.

Yet as the fall is approaching, I can without a doubt tell you that my hands are full and yet I find myself grasping for more suggesting I can accept more responsibility at work or in volunteer organizations or in my pursuing my doctorate ... yet without room to cling to love for family and friends or to be able to witness on behalf of my faith and how my past impacted my faith that night. My hands are not "labored" in love ... but seem busy right now grasping for things within my own agenda of personal achievement.

And yet it is in these times I find myself looking to Mary in response to God asking her to bring God in the world. The Theotokos (God-bearer) in innocence proclaimed, "Here am I, the servant of the Lord, let it be with me according to your word," (Luke 1:38). Most of us would be feeling like we have to carry the weight of the world or we would be consumed by the perceptions of others of being a pregnant thirteen year old in a religious community. But with empty hands, she says ... here am I ... let it be with me. God, you fill me ... you guide me ... you direct me .... may I follow your will. Is there room in our busy hands to receive God's agenda for us?

Journey into the Heart and Soul

This is the first part of a two week sermon series on David and his quest as a "man after God's own heart."

It was my first year of seminary as I was making my way home late one Thursday night, making that familiar trek from Evanston, Illinois, to Walnut Grove, Illinois. Every week from September through May, I would leave Walnut Grove on Tuesday morning at 4:00AM in order to arrive in Evanston on time for my 9:00AM class, then Thursday night at 9:00PM after my last class, I would turn around and head back. The ride was long, but with a combination of music, talk radio, and my father’s radar detector the four hours would go quickly. Too bad, I didn’t have a cell phone in the 90’s to keep my attention.

Anyway, it was about midnight as I was making my way down I-74 between Moline and Galesburg. As I was passing a rest area I looked in my rearview mirror to see flashing lights speeding up behind me. Without any other cars in front of me or behind me and the speedometer registering over 80MPH (ummm yeah), I knew he was after me … so much for the radar detector, Dad! I pulled over. The state police officer pulled over behind me. My stomach turned as even though I was only 22, my 6 year ticket free record was on the line.

As the officer approached the car he shined his light into my back window, as I assume he was looking for anything suspicious. Yet, the strangest thing happened when he spoke.
“Sir, he said, I know you are very busy and important person and I am sorry for pulling you over. But let me do a quick license check and you will be on your way. I hate to keep you from your important business, sir.”

I sat there stunned. He had to be twice my age, yet he called me sir. I drove a little two door Pontiac Sunfire. And he said I was important. It’s midnight, how can I be so busy? I don’t look like a celebrity.

As he came back to the car, he says, “here you go pastor, everything checked out ok.” How did he know that? Oh yeah, I had this little decal in the back window with a cross and flame on it and it read: pastor. No ticket, no warning, just how privileged am I?

Contrast that with a story that was on CNN this week. Pastor Jose Moran was arrested this week in Texas after he tried to interfere with a routine traffic stop taking place in his church’s parking lot. According to one account, Pastor Moran was trying to intercede on behalf of the driver but took his authority as a pastor to a new level. After shoving an officer, the police used a taser on the pastor and then arrested him. Just how privileged was he?

While we can draw our own conclusions that include a discussion of geography, ethnicity, circumstance or even separate these as non-related experiences, it still begs the question as to whether our titles or positions carry weight, give leverage, or provide a level respect even when the respect has not been earned.

Pastor and author Bill Hybels suggests that one of his main concerns with the future of the

church, are the newer, younger pastors. He is concerned that a few may be going into ministry for the wrong reasons. Sure they may say they are called to serve, but that there is a hierarchal mentality, that seems to be associated with being a pastor. Having to be “known” for what they do, instead of serving just to be serving. A colleague of mine had a difficult adjustment to ministry in the local church as he left a position of leadership at the conference level for the local church and could not understand why people did not respect him for his position. He left the ministry, not surviving the transition.

Perhaps you see this applying to your profession or in any of your social circles, not just with clergy, that we expect to be respected for what we are as opposed to who we are. We all struggle with the need to be important, and humility is not easily come by. But today’s message is not necessarily about humility, but more so a message of entitlement … a struggle that living in today’s world is heightened by reasons that are hard to pinpoint. This is not just a struggle in youth ministry or in the younger generations emerging in the workforce, but on a societal level, in the church, in the school. Yet God’s way of handling that is to turn our kingdom upset side down time and time again. God takes our thoughts, perceptions, entitlements, values in this world and he turns them upside down and puts them right back onto us and forces us to deal with them.

The people in Israel wanted a king. This idea of an invisible God was not enough for them and like the countries that surrounded them they wanted a human king to govern them. This story in 1 Samuel tells how Saul is selected to serve as Israel’s first king. What we come to understand about those selected as king in that era, is that they are portrayed as vicars of God, representatives of God, that was how the kings were viewed in the other countries … representatives of their gods. But there are two things that stand out in this story about Saul being chosen is that Saul comes to Samuel, seeking out Samuel for something. The other piece about Saul’s selection is that he was chosen because of his stature. I Samuel 9 tells us that Saul came from a wealthy family and was a man in the prime of his life, handsome and one who stood head and shoulders above everyone else. Saul’s name in Hebrew means asked … he is the asked one.

Now contrast that with the emergence of David. Flipping ahead six chapters, we hear that Saul is out of favor with God. Saul no longer makes alters for God, but he makes up alters for himself and rather than make sacrifices to God, the best of the captured flocks were kept for him and his people … he is entitled as King, right? God says in 1 Samuel 15, “I regret that I made Saul king, for he has not carried out my commands.”

Samuel is sent for a new king. We turn to I Samuel 16:1-13. Samuel is grieving Saul’s fall and God’s regret. I Samuel 16, I invite you to follow along on the screen.

1 The LORD said to Samuel, "How long will you mourn for Saul, since I have rejected him as king over Israel? Fill your horn with oil and be on your way; I am sending you to Jesse of Bethlehem. I have chosen one of his sons to be king." 2 But Samuel said, "How can I go? If Saul hears about it, he will kill me." The LORD said, "Take a heifer with you and say, 'I have come to sacrifice to the LORD.' 3 Invite Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will show you what to do. You are to anoint for me the one I indicate." 4 Samuel did what the LORD said. When he arrived at Bethlehem, the elders of the town trembled when they met him. They asked, "Do you come in peace?" 5 Samuel replied, "Yes, in peace; I have come to sacrifice to the LORD. Consecrate yourselves and come to the sacrifice with me." Then he consecrated Jesse and his sons and invited them to the sacrifice. 6 When they arrived, Samuel saw Eliab and thought, "Surely the LORD's anointed stands here before the LORD." 7 But the LORD said to Samuel, "Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The LORD does not look at the things human beings look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart." 8 Then Jesse called Abinadab and had him pass in front of Samuel. But Samuel said, "The LORD has not chosen this one either." 9 Jesse then had Shammah pass by, but Samuel said, "Nor has the LORD chosen this one." 10 Jesse had seven of his sons pass before Samuel, but Samuel said to him, "The LORD has not chosen these." 11 So he asked Jesse, "Are these all the sons you have?" "There is still the youngest," Jesse answered. "He is tending the sheep." Samuel said, "Send for him; we will not sit down until he arrives." 12 So he sent and had him brought in. He was glowing with health and had a fine appearance and handsome features. Then the LORD said, "Rise and anoint him; this is the one." 13 So Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the presence of his brothers, and from that day on the Spirit of the LORD came on David in power. Samuel then went to Ramah.

David’s name in Hebrew means, the beloved. This time Samuel is sent to the house of Jesse to seek out the next king. He goes to Jesse’s family in Bethlehem with the voice of God ringing in his ears: “I will show you what you shall do; and you shall anoint for me the one whom I name to you” (v. 3). This is exactly the kind of thing we’re always wanting to hear from God, isn’t it? “God, just show me your will and I’ll do it!” For most of us that’s a plea and a longing, but for Samuel it was standard operating procedure. Throughout his life, he regularly heard from God and knew exactly what the people needed to do to follow God. So when it came time to view Jesse’s sons and anoint God’s next king, you’d think Samuel would be the guy who could pick God’s man out of the royal lineup. He’d be the expert whose spiritual intuition you would trust.

When Jesse’s seven sons walk into the room, Samuel spots his man. Eliab was tall. He was good looking. He was the oldest son in the family, and accordingly, would have held an elevated leadership role in their culture. In other words, this guy was CEO-grade king material. But God has something different in mind. It will not be by appearance or height or status … but only in terms of matters of the heart shall the king be selected.

Interesting here because while the first born carried a certain status in that culture, God’s story continually takes our expectations or entitlements, flips them around and shoves them right back at us. Consider other Old Testament stories, the theme of the younger brother or son surpassing his siblings in distinction and divine favor is widespread throughout world literature and the Hebrew Bible. Abel’s offering was acceptable to the Lord, while that of his older brother, Cain, was not (Genesis 4:1-7). Abraham’s firstborn son, Ishmael, was passed over as the vehicle for the transmission of the divine blessing in favor of Isaac, Abraham’s second son (Genesis 17:18-19). Jacob swindled his older brother, Esau, out of their father’s blessings (Genesis 27:18-29).

So these brothers pass by. Another key thing I want to point out is the meaning of their names. First Eliab passes by his name means God is father, he is not chosen. Then comes Abinidab, his name means God is generous, he is not chosen. Then comes Shammah, his name means fame … but he is not chosen. After all brothers parade before Samuel, God’s point was made. The king was still not in the room. Everyone who really mattered was in attendance, except the one who mattered most to God. He had chosen David. The shepherd boy. The one whose first impression on people apparently kept him out of his father’s lineup of potential royalty. For his name means beloved. He was the last born. The one out tending sheep. The one who is out at work. The shortest, the youngest … and God says that is who will serve as king. He didn’t seek out the prophet, wasn’t even an option in the eyes of his own family. But there was something that God saw.

This is totally counterintuitive. God is demonstrating that God’s chosenness … God’s decision trumps the impressions of convention. It was essence over appearance. Character over charisma. Potential for service over potential for power. God’s giftedness over our feelings of entitlement. For you did not call me. I called you. The least of these who shall lead them … who shall lead us.

The story read earlier in this service is the story of the prodigal son, perhaps you know that story. But hear the plea of the older son in that story who comes back from the field and hears the party going on. “But father …I have never failed you. I am the older son. I am the hard worker. I am the faithful one. He is angry, refuses to go into the party. For all these years I have done all this for you, but you have never thrown me a party, killed an animal in my honor or given me the finest robe. I am entitled to this and even more. But this son who considered you dead, this son who devoured us gets all of this.”

There is a privilege here, father that I am entitled to. Who’s heart in the story of the prodigal son was on a quest for God’s heart? The younger son or the older? Indeed there is a privilege that we are asked to live up to, but that privilege is not found in what country we live in or what church we go to, or how much we make our what we look like, or our position. The privilege is found in being sought out by God, chosen by God, forgiven by God, and loved by God.

Later on, David will fail to live up that privilege … David will struggle with entitlement, but we have to understand that David also would be considered the one who was after God’s own heart … and as a people have credited many Psalms and acts of worship to him, he continued to pay for and yet repent for the mistake he would make with Bathsheba. David’s quest for God’s own heart began with God telling Samuel to look at the heart … not the wealth, not the stature, not the position, not the birth order, not even at one’s accomplishments. And David’s quest for God’s heart would continue on in the way David would bring people together around God’s promise.
David’s quest is our quest. Scripture will keep reminding us of the upside down kingdom that belongs to the mourners, the meek and the persecuted. That kingdom where the unlikely are awakened to God’s spirit while religious leaders are more concerned about their privilege as opposed to the outcasts.

For this is where our journey begins … ASP team and Faith UMC … in that God chose us first.
In Jesus Name, Amen.

"I am not a role model"

Anybody remember Charles Barkley making that statement on a Nike commercial in the early 90's? Well, if you need to jog your memory: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R8vh2MwXZ6o. Charles was/is an interesting character who could shoot off his mouth at any moment without any apology. Basketball skills aside, he was in the eyes of many children through his career. A member of the 1992 Olympic basketball "Dream Team," I remember being a big fan of his as I grew up in the 1990's because he based his game on rebounding and defense. I wanted to emulate that. And even watching this commercial for the first time as a teen, I remember thinking how profound he was.

Now years later as a parent, maybe he is not as profound as I once thought. My older son has a new fondness for the Cubs rightfielder Milton Bradley. Indeed it is hard to be a fan of a guy hitting just above .200 and who can't count to three in order to keep track of the number of outs. However, Andrew is a fan because Milton Bradley likes to argue with the umpire. In fact, this came to be evident in his eyes three weeks ago when I had to have a friendly "discussion" with the umpire in our little league game. Oddly enough it was on the last play of the game and our discussion brought us a victory. As the game ended, I hear my son proclaim, "my dad is the best coach because he argues with the ump." Is that a normal boy or a strong-willed young man who likes to fight authority. Can that be asked of the Charles Barkleys and Milton Bradleys of this world?

I do want to point out that Charles Barkley and the other athletes are role models for our children in that they make a lot of money off the jersey and shoe sales and those typically are not adults sporting those, but children. Charles, as long as you draw a paycheck from Nike, you are a role model. Indeed as parents and people who are in our childrens' eyes we are thrust into positions as role models whether we choose to accept that or not. But I guess what I want to suggest also is that being a role model is not just about a life of perfection.

When I was a youth minister in Clinton, a good friend used to jokingly tell his kids when I was being immature to not listen to Brad because "he is not a good role model." Well years later I still correspond with him and his adult children because the role model aspect goes beyond the moment of an event but into how a life is lived. I want my son to also see how I had a long and kind conversation with th umpire. I want my children to see when a fallen athlete asks for forgiveness and turns his life around.

I mean really, how often do we withhold judgement in order to give someone the opportunity to do the right thing? That is one of the beautiful things about Jesus in his preaching on forgiveness is that he taught us about offering us and offering others, the opportunity to make the right choice. It is in those moments of redemption that not only do we experience true life, but we are role modeling for our kids that through adversity and failure there is hope.

If we expect a role model to be perfect and our children ,thereafter, to be perfect, then what will happen the first time our kid's fail to meet our expectations?

Disappointment, Prayer, and Grace

Recently in one of the classes I was teaching, we got on the topic of transformation and prayer. And we mulled over in our discussion as to what the point of prayer was: "do we pray to change God or do we pray to change ourselves?" What an interesting point. In many ways, the struggle for humanity is the battle between our will and God's will. When faced with the greatest challenge of his life, Jesus stood in the Garden of Gethsemane and prayed for God to "let this cup pass." Yet ultimately he resolves, "let they will be done." Yet I question, did that leave Jesus disappointed?

We set goals, have desires of pure intentions, strive for things in life and yet when we come face to face with an alternative plan for our lives, are we disappointed? Even if we learn that it is God's plan for us and we are called to trust and walk in faith, does that leave us disappointed? Indeed sometimes our plans are not God's plans, yet there are other times when we believe we have followed God's plan for our lives and we struggle accepting whether a new direction is of God.

Perhaps my questions appear confusing (isn't that the point of a blog?) but I am struggling with that sense and those notions of disappointment. In trying to discern whether God's plan is set before me or if my way is taking precedence. Perhaps for you in a job transition, or if your heart was broken by someone else, or still grieving a loss that has left you wondering what's ahead. Are we being led by our own desire despite being steered in a different direction by events around us? Have we asked God what God wants? Or maybe God wants what we want?

So we all keep walking, praying, discerning, and hoping ...... hoping that there will be grace in the end that illuminates the mistakes and guides in the days ahead, climbing adversity or accepting what is given to us.

Koinonia and Doctors

It's been a month, and man am I embarrassed for not posting anything. After the last post, we celebrated Confirmation, I took some vacation time, and then jumped back into the swing of things with all four services last weekend. I must say that I might have preached one of the only sermons in the country that included both circumcision and pornography. It may not have been one of my best messages, but based upon the comments and jokes I am guessing that people at least remembered it!

One of the things I write about often in my blogs and sermons and seems to dominate my ministry is the concept of community. In church language we used to call it fellowship. But the story of the early church in the book of Acts was more than a practice of fellowship or friendliness but a story of deep community. The Greek word that was used to describe the early church was Koinonia, which emphasized the common life, common sharing. the deep level of community that was lived by early Christians. They weren't the "holy club", they weren't named by a denomination, in fact they didn't even go by the name Christian (or Paulinian). They were known as people of "The Way," and live in a specific way they did. Acts 2, after the moment of Pentecost, their community was described as such:

"They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and miraculous signs were done by the apostles. All the believers were together and had everything in common. Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need. Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved." (Acts 2:42-47 NIV).

I don't want to suggest that we lost that idea of being people of The Way or that we lost something in our tribal divisions (though we did), perhaps even more we have lost this as a way of living in our other defined communities. As neighborhoods do we pull together? As citizens of towns, are we aware of those who are without? This is rather radical thinking as we stand toe to toe everyday with ideas of capitalism that lead many to an economic Darwinism. This is rather radical thinking in light of many of the ideologies we were taught about self-sustenance in our living. But, if I am not mistaken, Jesus was radical as well.

Life is hard. Not just for those who are without, but also for those who have. Thank God that humans were created as a cross between Angels and Animals. The animal instinct in us leans us toward Darwinism and survival of the fittest, but the angel instinct in us denies the physical for what is spiritual or that which is "good." It is almost as if we are in a tough spot for being given guilt and awareness for the many things we act out on. So life is hard for those with as well, because there are still situations that touch our hearts and raise our awareness as we recognize the frailty in humanity.

That being said, I think I am going back to school. I have really been wrestling with this and allowing that application to sit on my desk and haunt me. There is a program at a seminary in Chicago that will allow me to follow my two passions: serving in the local church and building community. I am strongly considering pursuing my Doctor in Ministry in Beloved Community (based on MLK Jr.'s concept) which will allow me to continue to stay in full time ministry and use Champaign Faith as my hands-on experience. Hmmmm. we will have to see.

Unbreakable and Comic Book Heroes

This morning as I was getting ready for the day, I got to watch a part of the movie Unbreakable. Released in 2000, it stars Bruce Willis who discovers that he has been given a gift of physical strength, and amazing sense of survival from tragedy, and intuition of evil lurking. He ends up embracing is role as a "comic book superhero" security guard. There is a lot more to the movie that I would suggest you see.

It kind of hit me this morning as I watched Bruce Willis' character coming to that realization that it was realized with humility. You ask anyone about their favorite comic book hero or what super power they would like to have and such a conversation or question is an invitation to be something beyond what we are. "Super powers" represent a desire for power or to be somebody we are not. Invincibility, strength, power ... what are we going to do with that other than separate ourselves from the rest of the pack?

How many of our comic book heroes embraced that life? I am not a fan of the comic book, but love the movies and in many of those movies, the characters felt burdened by such power, rejected for such ability, or unwillingly separated from community. Batman felt haunted. Superman wanted to lose his power to get married. The X-Men were considered mutant rejects. But beyond even that and those feelings ... they didn't ask for it. Even in the Bible, those we glorify as heroes never asked for it. What I appreciated in Bruce Willis' character was the humility of being the unbreakable man.

My point, or better yet question, is this: do we find our true strength and giftedness in God when we humble ourselves before God and embrace being the person we were created to be? What enables us to love our enemies, forgive those who have betrayed us, or serve those who may not believe in us? Humilty? Perhaps.

St. Bernard, the monk, not the dog, suggests that humility is “the virtue by which a man knowing himself as he truly is, abases himself.” To have the kind of self-confidence in who we are and integrity for what we are called to, humility is that characteristic that helps us temper our emotion and action toward another. but yet it also guides us in a path of living in a way that is even closer to God and the humanity that we live within. What's the possibility of being a hero right here where we are and as who we are?

He Is Not Here...

They saw a young man sitting on the right side, dressed all in white. They were completely taken aback, astonished. He said, "Don't be afraid. I know you're looking for Jesus the Nazarene, the One they nailed on the cross. He's been raised up; he's here no longer. You can see for yourselves that the place is empty. Now--on your way. Tell his disciples and Peter that he is going on ahead of you to Galilee. You'll see him there, exactly as he said." (Mark 16:5-7)

He is in Galilee? Why would this be the first place Jesus went after his resurrection? Why, on the first day of his eternal life, did Jesus go first to Galilee? I am not sure what each of would have expected to hear if we went to the tomb that Easter morning. Though Jesus promised that death could not contain him, the message is he is not here. One might have thought that, upon being raised from the dead, Jesus would stride triumphantly back to Jerusalem. Imagine what a stirring sight that would have been!

"Pilate, you made a very big mistake," the risen Christ might have said as he strode triumphantly into the palace and confronted all of the important, political people. You know, like an Arnold Schwarzenegger movie as the buff Jesus is back. Or, he might have stood on the steps of the temple, addressing the crowd, chiding them for their fickleness and betrayal, showing himself to the multitudes. Jesus did none of that. Rather, he went on ahead of his own disciples, promising to meet them back in Galilee where Jesus’ story began: Galilee.

When we read our Bibles, we have to understand that names of people and names of places are not just titles, they have meaning for us. The very name of Jesus, also known as Joshua, has ties way back in our faith history and the name means “He will save his people.”

And same goes for location names. On the first day of the rest of eternity, on this first day of Easter making our lives, our connection to heaven, our connection to heaven forever real, the messenger says … he is not here … he is where? In Galilee, also known as Galil. Translated simply, “the region of the nations.” It was a place of great ethnic and racial diversity, but it was nothing until Jesus showed up. Jesus story begins there and almost his entire career lay within the bounds of this tiny region of the nations. It was a dusty, out of the way sort of place. Then Jesus came to Galilee, calling disciples. People began leaving their homes, walking off good paying jobs, trying to act like disciples. Jesus shook things up out in Galilee. About four-fifths of Jesus' ministry occurred out in Galilee. His ministry began, and now begins again, in Galilee.

And now he will meet them (his disciples) again in a rather ordinary place, a place where their discipleship began. Jesus had come out to where they lived, out to Galilee. They had met Jesus in Galilee. He had called them first to follow him in Galilee. They had attempted to be disciples mostly in Galilee. In Jerusalem, they had betrayed and deserted him. Now, back in Galilee, they must meet him again. What will he say to them about their betrayal? They won't know until they go back home, back to Galilee, until the risen Christ, who had gone on ahead of them, meets them.

The point of the Galilee name is that it speaks to us ... in our discipleship. Jesus is on the loose in these post Easter days and he is meeting us in the Galilee places ... regardless nationality or background ... in all of our ordinary places that we call home. He meets us, intersecting with our lives, with the opportunity for us to accept who we are (as he accepts us) and to tell others of his Resurrection in our lives.

That's My King

This Video was played yesterday at the fusion Easter service. There were some folks who wanted to see this again, please enjoy.

It's Spring Again!

“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.” (1 Peter 1:3, TNIV)

It is spring! Which means Easter (which we greatly anticipate this weekend), flowers (how beautiful they are this time of year), warmer weather (at least we hope in Illinois), butterflies (which we are raising in the education wing), and baseball! Funny thing is, I write this today on opening day in Major League Baseball yet I look out my window at the snow.

While I anticipate the sound of the cracking of bats and the pounding of gloves in anticipation that “next year is here” for the Chicago Cubs, baseball will consume my family this year. Andrew moves up to Farm League, Jacob continues Peanut League, and I will be coaching one league and volunteering in the other. The anticipation is high for both kids as they have been anticipating their first practices, planning their positions, and using every warm day since January to play out in the yard. I can’t help but have a little pride in them; after all I see my own competitiveness in them. But my hope every year that their own growth into becoming fundamentally sound ball players is victory enough.

Yet, it is spring and whether we are Cub fans or not, the newness of spring brings hope. Please know that when we talk about hope, especially that which comes from our faith in the resurrection, it is not an over-hyped, power-of-positive thinking kind of hope. But it is a hope that moves us to action and growth in our personal faith and witness. It is a hope that not only sustains in our hardest times and offers a new way from shame or regret, but it then leads us through the door of new life and into the lives of others. It is a living hope, I Peter tells us, suggesting that our hope is one that is at work in us daily where rebirth and renewal are moving us new ways of love and righteousness.

We all have flawed assumptions about the future. In a black and white world (win or lose world) there are flawed assumptions we make about relationships, family, careers, and even in our faith. Yet, when they do not work out we are left with regret, shame, or struggling with the notion of failure and begin to abandon a rose-colored vision for our future. But a living hope, picks us up and helps us move forward, seeing a set-back as growth or seeing a loss as a gain. We are never done growing! Though the cross may be seen as a loss or failure, the word “hope” appears 70 times in the New Testament after the resurrection. Did the people lose hope? No, they built a Church… they built a faith.

We will lose a lot of baseball games, we will have relationship struggles, we will make bad investments, but are we allowing hope to help us grow into another day or opportunity tomorrow? After all, I am a Cub fan and next year is here (though we have been saying that for 101 years)!

Love and Fear

We are preparing for yet another trip to Juarez this week. This will be the 11th trip for our congregation and the 12th mission trip for me to Juarez. Yet, more than ever this year, Juarez is in the news and is the focus of much of the violent wave sweeping through Mexico. Those going on the trip and those who are not have expressed their concern over our church going. In understand and hear all of those concerns and believe that our decision to go is an informed decision (though I heard one voice suggest if I was "ignoring" what was going on.

Here are some of my observations regarding this trip:
+There are nearly 7,000 troops now patrolling the city and have been given the authority over the police department (which for years has been linked to the drug cartels.
+Since the troops have arrived the violence has dropped dramatically. The U.S. Consulate recently released information that indicates the violence has been cut nearly 75%. The work of the army has included many raids and arrests and has created a sense of security for the many innocent citizens of Juarez.
+The violence is concentrated on those involved in the drug trade and takes place at night in the Southeast side of town. We are all locked in our house (adorned with the cross and flame) by 5:00PM and our work is on the opposite side of town.
+Our trip in January was in the midst of the peak of violence and not for one moment did we feel threatened.

The bigger picture that I keep thinking about, beyond Juarez and mission work, is this notion of fear. Fear is a real feeling and emotion that we feel in response to danger or threats. I am not talking about my fear of snakes or of heights .... but real fear that shakes our security, threatens our safety and questions our confidence. We experience that fear in failure, in the face of violence and when our future is in doubt. We experience that fear when we have been hurt or when we are uncertain of what we are to be doing.

The words of scripture gave me great comfort in January while in Juarez come in 1 John 4. "God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them. This is how love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment: In this world we are like Jesus. There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment."

It is easy to keep that in mind in Juarez as mission work is no doubt my passion and I have a deep love for the people in Juarez. In many ways, in my mind, there is no question that such love in my passion casts out any fear that would have been there. Perhaps perfect love is encased in passion.

But what about the other fears in our lives? How do we find a love strong enough to alleviate fears? "I am with you," are the strongest words in scripture in these times. It is God's promise over and over to us that as we walk, struggle, discern, plan, and move ... it is not on our own ... but in the presence of the one who is love. Are we confident in that love?

Religion Mall

I remember taking a class in seminary on the future Church. The class was actually called History of Christianity 3 and while it was meant to cover the history of Christianity in the 20th Century it also took a look at where the church was going. My group project ended up being the vision of a "religion mall" as religion in the 21st Century, we envisioned, would consist more of a picking and choosing churches and aspects of faith based upon one's needs. We envisioned that there would be less "brand loyalty," and more of a movement beyond denominations to open communities. We presented the notion the very idea that people would attend worship one place, Bible Study at another, and other aspects at other communities.

Were we prophets? Hardly. But I see this taking place more and more in the spiritual pursuits of people. The odd thing is while I found much benefit from this concept in my first 8 years in ministry at Faith ( I used to have the confidence in telling people that they won't get a better sermon or music ministry anywhere in town that what Faith offers at all services), that trend has shifted. The last six months I have said farewell to some close friends who have chosen to participate in worship in other places or no where at all. They have told me that their kids' friends attend these other places or the other location is closer to their homes or the dynamic of their faith are better suited at another place of worship.

I find myself wrestling with a sense discomfort and shaken confidence. Early in my tenure at Faith, our visioning team sought to be all things to all people. Our core value which focuses on children, includes the component of "inviting all, welcoming all, and educating all," through living the love of God in all our relationships and ministries. We have done that and done that well. But as I seek to understand this morning how these recent months have unfolded, perhaps it truly is what we had envisioned 11 years ago in that seminary course. How do we step back and allow the natural cycle of God's timing be at work? Ecclesiastes 3 suggests there is a time for everything including, "a time to seek and a time to lose."

Finding a sense of comfort also in Ecclesiastes 3, the writer continues, "God has made everything suitable for its time." There are many issues we face day in and day out that create panic or fear or insecurity. I was telling a friend yesterday that nothing is permanent. Nothing is ever permanent. In this fluid culture, there is flexibility and movement in all things ... but it is God who has prepared us for this very thing.

I better have gotten an "A" in that class ... because I think we had some insight in the way the future would unfold.

Oh the Guilt!

I was talking to a friend today, explaining to him how I was surprised by how many people poured into the Catholic church last night. As a part of the confirmation requirements, I took our class of 8th grace students to observe a Catholic Mass at an area Roman Catholic Church. My surprise was that when the Mass started last evening, there was still 4 minutes remaining in the big Illinois game against the 9th ranked Michigan State. My experiences thus far in Champaign-Urbana suggest that U of I sports take precedent over church activities and services on the list of priorities. My friend, however, then pointed out to me that the Catholic church has something going for them ... Catholic Guilt.

I have been accused of putting guilt on people through the years. If you have been missing church for awhile and if I happen to have your cell phone number, you will receive a friendly text message from me letting you know that I missed you. It really is not my attempt to put guilt on anyone, just purely letting you know that you weren't here and I noticed which meant that I missed you.

Doing a quick search of the word "guilt" in the Bible, that word does not appear in the New Testament at all. In the cases it appears in the Old Testament, it largely refers to "guilt offerings" that are made by people in the time of temple sacrifice. It suggests that there are people seeking forgiveness and release from their guilt. As a human emotion, Wikipedia describes guilt as being closely related to remorse and suggests that it is "a cognitive or an emotional experience that occurs when a person realizes or believes - whether justified or not - that he or she has violated a moral standard, and is responsible for that violation. Does that include attendance at church?

I have always suggested that guilt is no way to approach faith ... but it comes out of a desire to seek out, live greater, and be in wonder at the joy of the life offered in Jesus Christ. But there is something about guilt that seems to capture us. Guilt can not be put on another person. "Don't make me feel guilty!" Only you can do that to yourself, when you feel that something you have done opposes who you truly are.

The mission of the church should be contrary to the idea of putting guilt on others, rather to take that guilt away. Jesus Christ offers a way of grace, a away of love, a way of deliverance ... even from that of guilt. In fact the Aramaic translation to Jesus Lord's Prayer suggests that we are to "release the strands of guilt that others cling to." Not only are we to forgive, but to be in a ministry of deliverance. There is an amazing life that awaits us in faith ... can we be wrapped up in such joy?

The Bible and Science

The following is the transcipt of Sunday's sermon from the theme, The Doubting Sessions.

I remember the day I sat in the Associate Pastor’s office at my church growing up in Galesburg, Illinois, and he talked to me about becoming a pastor. He knew that I was struggling with some career decisions as for some reason the guidance counselors in high school pressed upon the sophomores (yes, I was only a sophomore) to start discerning their future. Perhaps they forgot that 75% of all college students change their majors anyway. But being only a sophomore in high school and being the kid of person I was (and still am today) I stewed for many days over what the future held for me. Lawyer? Doctor? Major League Baseball Umpire?

Pastor? Now that was a new one. I had a good laugh when I told him about our Shumaker family history and even more so our Shumaker family dynamics and habits. But he kept pressing me on this issue, trying to affirm me. But as the conversation took a more serious turn, we started down the path of theology. I remember saying to him “Rev. Kacick, it would be really hard for me to consider being a pastor with my family and all and besides I really have a tough time believing to begin with.”

“Believing what?” He pressed further.

“It’s this whole science thing. Were Adam and Eve cave people? There is no reference to prehistoric creatures in the Bible, and what about the Big Bang Theory (not the show but the scientific theory of the origin of the universe?”

See I used to be smart but I stopped going to school. But our science backgrounds have seemed to stand in conflict with the stories of faith and have proved to be a block for us in our comprehension of the work of God in our lives. In his book, The Reason for God (the basis of our theme of the Doubting Sessions), Timothy Keller draws on some the top authors of our day who suggest that science in general and evolutionary science in particular has made belief in God unnecessary and obsolete. Concludes one author, “you can not be an intelligent scientific thinker and still hold religious beliefs … it has to be one or the other.” Is he right? Has science disproved Christian belief? Must we chose? Have millions of Christians or billions of religious types through the history of the world been so wrong?

A few weeks ago, I asked you to define religion, today I ask you to define the word science. That’s our question for this morning. I invite you to turn to your neighbor this morning and come up with a definition you can both live with. What is science? Please, no electronic devices to use the internet, so put your crackberrys away. I will give you 30 seconds. What is science?

Wikipedia suggests Science (from the Latin scientia, meaning "knowledge" or "knowing") is the effort to discover and increase human understanding of how physical reality works. The “authoritative Merriam Webster’s Dictionary defines science as the state of knowing: knowledge as distinguished from ignorance or misunderstanding. Hmmm. Now if we were to hold religion and science or Christianity and Science in opposition or as either/or, then does that mean faith or matters of faith are of ignorance or formed in misunderstanding? Does it mean that Christians have a lack of understanding of reality? Man alive, no wonder it is so hard to be a pastor, to have to deal with you people. Just kidding.

We have to remember, that this too is a worldview or a religion itself. We asked what religion was a few weeks ago and one of the definitions was that it was our set of answers to the questions of life, Science can be one of those ways to achieve some of those answers.
There are actually two main areas where we see the conflict of the bible and science, or better where the arguments originate, the questions of creation and miracles or the resurrection. Interestingly enough we don’t take issue with the writings of Paul, the words of the Psalms or the prophets or the books of history. Though some discredit the Bible completely and some take it literally word for word, the conflict with science is with the debate of Darwinism and Creationism AND how to interpret the miracles of Jesus and his resurrection and both of these topics have been going for years.

A few months ago, an angry person came across my blog on skepticism and he brought up this topic of creationism vs. Darwinism This other blogger spoke with eloquence in proving his points but he offered them in such a way that he spoke in absolutes. In trying to be done with the conversation, I suggested that this was just an old debate of the 1970’s (how would I know I was born in 75). But this isn’t just a debate of the 1970’s, but even today this very question is given publicity in the schools as to which curriculum should be taught, and also the already discussions on stem cell research, in vitro fertilization, and other areas of medicine.

But as to whether evolution disproves the Bible, I can venture down that road discerning that there will not be a head on collision. We look to Genesis one and say that God created the world in six days, so what about the apes, the dinosaurs, the cavemen. But read on. Genesis 2 tells the story of creation without the specific days. There are high points in the Bible that have two tellings. The passing through the Red Sea appears in Exodus 14 and 15 … they slightly differ. Judges 4 and 5 tell the story of a battle … they slightly differ. There always debates as to why there are two accounts … but the second telling in each of these situations offers the poetic side of the event … a recitation that would be used in ancient Jewish worship services. Sure we can say that to God a day is much longer than our definition of a day. But what we know is this … in the beginning God created. This week read both Genesis 1 and 2 and see how the world unfolds, one as the poetic worship song, the other in seeing the beauty of God’s love poured out. I can go on and on for hours about how we look to Holy Scripture to help us explain, perhaps we can explore that in another setting.

There is no one true Christian position on evolution, but perhaps they to not have to be held in opposition to one another. Perhaps they both work to explain the other. Evolution as an all encompassing theory has it’s flaws. But there are many things that science cannot prove that religion explains and there are things that religion cannot prove that science explains .. they are not meant to be held in opposition to one another.

The question is, can we live with both? In many ways, people push religion off on matters of the heart and suggest that science is a matter of the mind. Can we love, live, and believe with both the heart and mind? Absolutely, it is the nature of who we are. It is possible for our heart felt faith and the scientific questions and challenges in our minds to coexist and when they do, we deepen our relationship to God. When I started to love Jesus with my mind, I could begin to answer some of those questions and see Jesus in a whole new light for what he truly was to a whole population of people who needed to hear the love and connection for them.
The other matter is the miracles of Jesus and his resurrection that are often subject to scientific criticism. So I want us to look at the scripture following Jesus’ resurrection in Matthew 28. Again this is right after our Easter story of the tomb being empty. Matthew 28:11-20.

Like the Da Vinci Code suggested in its movie, there were many theories as to the disappearance of Jesus body. This, taken right out of scripture is one that has been widely spread that indeed it was a plot by the disciples to take the body. But what I want to point out is verse 17, “while they (the disciples) worshiped him, some doubted.” This post resurrection Jesus appears to them. Easter has happened. Yet in the midst of worship, some doubted. The very founders of Christianity still had doubt. We are not the only ones to struggle or be questioned, it is in our Christian DNA as disciples.

But also it is the point of miracles that we are to see here. It isn’t necessarily the point of a miracle to cognitive belief, but to be in awe and wonder and in worship. Jesus’ miracles or the resurrection were not magic tricks, but they were expressions of love to show the sick healing and wholeness, to feed the hungry, to raise us from death, and to bring peace to our stormy lives.

There is a lot to be said about the nature of whether to take scripture literally or not … but as we have discovered here that when we dive deep into the scriptures there are many, many meanings. And so we take our experiences and we look at how they are brought out in scripture and how we measure who we are in light of the mission of Jesus Christ. It is ok to live with these questions of discernment and doubt and to allow others to question us, but the reality is we have to avoid the absolutes and allow our doubt to let us question with our hearts and our minds.
So there I sat in that office that day. A sophomore in high school scared to death at the prospect of being a pastor and filled with doubt … but his answer will always stick with me … “Brad, we know in the beginning God … the first words of the Bible, but how God unfolds the rest is in God’s hands.” We have to trust that scripture is being lived out in us and our story is God’s story in us. That God is creating, redeeming, and sustaining us. That God is giving us proof in our own living and dying.

Are we just a random collection of cells that exist in the midst of the rest of this creation without real purpose or direction? Or is there such a thing as destiny or purpose or relationship to one another or a higher being?

My friend was telling me this week that as they sat around the table at a restaurant celebrating his grandchildren’s birthdays, that he paused during the dinner hour to look around the table. And as he looked at each of his grandchildren around the table, he started to tear up dreaming about their potential. As he looked in each face he wondered what they would become and who they would grow up to be and who they would love and what their purpose would be. Is God any different?

So let me ask you this … can you honestly stand on the beach and look our into the horizon at its vastness and endlessness and suggest that there is no Creator? Or can you stand in the meadow with the breeze sweeping through you and believe that this just so happens? Or can you watch the trees turn their colors in the fall or watch the mountains mirror themselves in the lakes below and believe that we just evolved to that point?

Can you see the love poured out in Mexico or youth bending their knees to the poor of Appalachia and believe that would still happen without Jesus Christ miraculous power on this earth? Can you say there are no miracles when you see the power of reconciliation happen between you and someone you love or when you see friends walk side by side with those in pain or those suffering from terminal illnesses … is that possible without Christ showing us how to do that in his ministry? You tell me …

“When they saw him, they worshiped him, but some doubted.” Then they went into all nations with that truth … I am with you til the very end. There is a relationship that science can not explain … but we know it to be true.
In Jesus Name, Amen.

A New Hope

A New Hope is the title of the Star Wars Episode 4 (or the “original” Star Wars, if you will). Did you know that? Episode 3 closes with Anakin Skywalker taking on his new identity as Darth Vader and the empire emerging into rule and the Jedi headed into hiding and the world of peace coming to a close. Anakin is overcome with anger and bitterness, a desire for power, and a sense of independence that led him away from a defined and disciplined way of life into a very “dark side” of his soul. The New Hope is the beginning of a movement of the rebels to find the life without inhibition, but not to be overlooked is that this is also the beginning of Vader’s journey to his son and the life that was intended for him.

A New Hope. I hope that is what I am feeling as I wrap up the last few days of my vacation time. I think back to other times when I felt a “renewed sense” of hope after a mission trip, retreat, or vacation, but then getting back to the grindstone left no room for hope. My last vacation time I spent grieving over my father’s death and helping my mother adjust her finances and make the transition to life without dad. There are many other times, especially early in my ministry that I spent my vacation time either stewing over things back at the office or building up my anxiety about returning to work and facing adversity (that was in the past).

What I am experiencing now is that I have been able to utilize my mind to think not about regret or what has been done or not done … but to be free to think about who I am in my family roles and in my pastoral role. I have thought and prayed a lot about the future … though many things are unclear (as they always are as a United Methodist Pastor) I am excited about returning to the pulpit on Sunday and reuniting with the community that I serve with. Besides the office, I have not been in contact with many through this last week which has deepened my desire to refine my role as a pastor in relational ministry.

I pray this is not a false hope or a fleeting renewed hope. But a New Hope. One that is unlike the past. One that is refined by God. One that lives forward in faith for where we are going. One that shapes me into the man God planned. One that helps me embrace that my older son refuses to leave my side and my younger son is seeking a little attention when he steps outside his little world.

A New Hope. I wish I would have seen vacation and Sabbath differently when I started ministry.

Baseball King, Domestic Goddess, Sin, & Forgiveness

As I sat in the barber shop this morning, I listened to the other patrons shoot around about the story on Sportscenter regarding A-Rod (Alex Rodriguez). A-Rod tested positively for performance-enhancing drugs in 2003 in a screening of MLB players. Though the test results were to remain confidential, the eventual leaking of these results led A-Rod to go ahead and confess that indeed he did use such drugs from 2001-2003. He also suggests that he came to his senses and since the ban was instituted, he no longer takes such drugs (these performance-enhancing drugs were not banned from MLB during such time). Adding to the story is that he emphatically denied using in an 60 minute interview since 2003.

2003 must have been quite a year as that was also the year of Sammy Sosa's bat corking and the arrest and imprisonment of Martha Stewart. There were other issues in the news in June 2003. Looking back at a sermon I preached that month, I said these words:

We snickered with Stewart, we were shocked with Sosa. Though this is nothing new. This has been a wild few years. Anywhere from Coaches to Politicians gone wild, those in the public eye, those icons of the public arena have had their falls recently. Alabama Football coach Mike Price … he had a stripper problem, Iowa State Basketball coach Larry Eustachy … he has a drinking problem, Former President Bill Clinton and former Speaker of the House Henry Hyde … they had zipper problems, Jesse Jackson … he had a baby problem, Former Senator Trent Lott had a color problem.

A Baseball King, a Domestic Goddess, our nation's leaders, role models, celebrities, and others we have put on a pedestal have had their flaws. To quote a friend from yesterday, "it is easier to love those who are perfect, isn't it Brad?" Indeed it is. Yet what about the examples of in our own personal lives? When we find out that people are less than perfect. The stories of betrayal or mistrust or broken promises, or lies (big or small) lead us to question the future of that relationship, respect, or trust. It's one thing to think about the legacy of A-Rod or Sosa, the future of Martha or the leadership of a politician, but it is another to consider where forgiveness is in the people with whom we not only have regular contact but also with whom were are in an interpersonal relationship or connection.

Does forgiveness erase all that has happened? Perhaps not. But what forgiveness can offer is an opportunity to let go of anger and resentment or the desire for revenge. Anger and resentment or bitterness are negative emotions that cause destruction to people's lives and even their own health. Even in levels of personal hurt, the small doses of anger that sweep through our emotions work to tear us down as well. Ephesians 4 suggests that we "put away a;; bitterness and wrath and anger and wrangling and slander, together with all malice, and be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ has forgiven you," (Ephesians 4:31-32, NRSV).

The reality is, the person who committed the offense has enough guilt to deal with already and we allow God to deal with such offense. How can we become more loving and forgiving? Perhaps that is a way to peace. I want to grow in that life ... I want to be there in that place. For when we are forgiving, we too are free.

Suffering and Evil

Text of this Sunday's sermon is below. It is the third week in our theme The Doubting Sessions. Feel free to contribute your comments, thoughts...

I love this figurine. (figurine from nativity set is explained below) This is from the nativity set that my father gave me a few years ago; a nativity set that was given to him by his uncle shortly before my uncle’s death. Most of the nativity set is in less than stellar condition. The stable has been replaced. One of the wise men has been replaced. The donkeys are missing ears and the angels lack the wings to fly. But this figurine is one of the wise men. The wise men, three in number, all range in size and stature. But this one, the older one who is kneeling down to present his gift is the image that I continue to go to when I think about God. In my prayer life, in my own devotion and in my own child-like faith, I see this king sitting on a cloud looking down at the world. I know, probably not what you expected.

Yet what God is lacks importance when we seek to answer the question who God is. That is your question this morning, how would you describe who God is? Not asking what God is, so avoid any physical attributes or descriptions of what you think God looks like. But in a word or two how would you best describe who God is to you? If you could share that with your neighbor this morning. (Pause)

What are some of the words you chose to describe God? Omnipotent (all-powerful)? Omniscient (all-knowing)? Omnipresent (God is everywhere)? If things are difficult and you are facing challenges, is that the place you go in your mind? Is that where you find comfort or peace? Or does it lead you to question God even more? When trials hit, do our descriptions of who God is jive with our questions of God or our frustrations with God?

These are hard times that we are living right now. A three year old child living in a cardboard shack in the Mexican village of Anapra is killed on New Year’s Eve as a bullet goes through the cardboard roof. A young man of 15 years old is shot in front of his school as he is mistaken for a gang member. A young mother is diagnosed with breast cancer and it spreads to multiple places in her body. A mother has Alzheimer’s and does not even recognize her daughter anymore. A dedicated employee of 20 years is suddenly let go from his company without cause, leaving a family of five without an income. Another faithful employee made a decision that reflected integrity and now is without a job and wondering how to pay bills this month.

A committed wife is blindsided one day as she comes home to find out her husband has moved out. A young man bicycling on a bike path is tragically killed as a young driver loses control because of text messaging. A couple who has tried everything to conceive a child has reached the reality they wont be able to. A middle aged woman is arrested for shoplifting and can’t deal with the guilt, she ends her life. The children of a work-a-holic father grow up never knowing their father … they think that their father loves their job more than them. And nobody can seem to answer the question, “why?” Why?

Suffering and evil, pain and death. So many situations and these are the ones that I have seen in this last year, that you have seen or lived. And this question, “Why does God … a loving God … a powerful God allow so much suffering and evil and pain” … is the most asked question by both believers and skeptics today. This question is what has raised the most doubt among those I walk with every day and it is the question that we can’t seem to answer.

Our descriptions of God are usually all-powerful, all loving, God is everywhere. God loves us all. But then we ask, how does that loving God allow evil? How does that all powerful God intervene and stop that suffering? If that God is all-knowing, then certainly God knows what ails, if God is everywhere, where are you now? But do those questions fall in line with everything we know about God?

The theology of pain and suffering seems to have no end or resolution. Such events that lead to pain and suffering, or those things we define as evil are lost in mystery. Though it is hard to pinpoint or define, it is easier to answer this question this morning by suggesting what isn’t the answer. Why would God allow such suffering and evil? It can’t be that God doesn’t love us. We know and we believe the promises of scripture. It can’t be that God is indifferent or detached from our condition. Remember that we believe in Jesus Christ, the word became flesh and lived among us … the cross is our reminder that God takes our misery and suffering so seriously that God was willing to take it on himself in Jesus Christ.

Medieval theologians called evil "absurd" or in other words, something without meaning. St. Francis of Assisi defined evil as the "absence of God". Yet, we still find ourselves trying to justify and we walk down a path of frustration with the God we have given our devotion to. If we were to step back and look at it from a broader scope in our faith. When we ask "how could God allow" or "why won't God intervene" and similar questions, does that jive with our understanding of God and how we have known God up until this point? My guess is we have known and experienced the love of God in many relationships, events, and high points in our lives. Our experience with God is found in those relationships of love and hope.

In the book that we are basing this theme called The Doubting Sessions on, is a book entitle the Reason for God, by Timothy Keller. He poses this scenario in the book: If we have a God that we feel close enough to that we can be mad at because he hasn’t stopped our suffering or the evil around us; then we disregard the God of love who promises over and over in scripture … I will be with you. The problem with tragedy or suffering is a problem for everyone … those who believe and cling to God and those who do not. Why do bad things happen to good people? Why do bad things happen to bad people? God doesn’t punish and pick and choose who is going to get this or that done to them. We have to remember that there is a thing called human evil in this world that creates tragedy for others. There are decisions we make that hurt others. There are other tragedies that take place that are shrouded in mystery … but it happens to you and to me … the good and the bad.

If you feel that abandoning your belief in God or being mad at God makes our problem easier to handle than we are giving up on hope … that one great thing that we have been given through our faith system. Let me say that again: If you feel that abandoning your belief in God or being mad at God makes our problem easier to handle than we are giving up on hope … that one great thing that we have been given through our faith system

We turn to scripture this morning. Last week we found Jesus before Pilate saying, “My kingdom

is not of this world.” Today we find Jesus later that day. Luke 23: 26-43. I invite you to follow along on the screen.

26 As the soldiers led him away, they seized Simon from Cyrene, who was on his way in from the country, and put the cross on him and made him carry it behind Jesus. 27 A large number of people followed him, including women who mourned and wailed for him. 28 Jesus turned and said to them, "Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me; weep for yourselves and for your children. 29 For the time will come when you will say, 'Blessed are the childless women, the wombs that never bore and the breasts that never nursed!' 30 Then " 'they will say to the mountains, "Fall on us!" and to the hills, "Cover us!" ' [a] 31 For if people do these things when the tree is green, what will happen when it is dry?" 32 Two other men, both criminals, were also led out with him to be executed. 33 When they came to the place called the Skull, they crucified him there, along with the criminals—one on his right, the other on his left. 34 Jesus said, "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing." [b] And they divided up his clothes by casting lots. 35 The people stood watching, and the rulers even sneered at him. They said, "He saved others; let him save himself if he is God's Messiah, the Chosen One." 36 The soldiers also came up and mocked him. They offered him wine vinegar 37 and said, "If you are the king of the Jews, save yourself." 38 There was a written notice above him, which read: THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS. 39 One of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at him: "Aren't you the Messiah? Save yourself and us!" 40 But the other criminal rebuked him. "Don't you fear God," he said, "since you are under the same sentence? 41 We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong." 42 Then he said, "Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom. [c]" 43 Jesus answered him, "Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise."

If you are who you say you are, then save yourself and save us. Deliver us from this pain and suffering. Take this away. Why? Why? Where are you? Reading more in the passion narrative in the Gospel of John we find Jesus cry our, My God My God, why have you forsaken me? It is in those moments that we feel the greatest distance from God and believe that if God was all knowing, all loving then why us? Why now?

It is easy for me in my own pastoral care and counseling that I offer to people in times like these, it is easy for me to remind people that God does not allow this to you, God doesn’t cause this. It is easy for me to explain that God is with you in your suffering and in our difficulties. It is easy for me to say, you know God is not in that cancer. God is not in that divorce. God is not in that bullet. God is not in that hatred or that Alzheimer’s or that text message that led the girl of the road. That is all true. We find God in the suffering. God weeps with me in tragedy. God walks with me through evil. God comforts me when I am broken. God waits for me when I push God away. How do I know this? We feel God in relationship. The Bible never promised that bad things won't happen, But God did promise ... "I will be with you."

But that is not enough for us to just say that God is with us in our suffering … but we have to believe that there is something coming out of this. When we go back to the core of scripture … we have to remember that they all, all of these great characters experienced hardship or suffering. Hebrews 11 gives us the long sermon on all of those who lived a faith-based life even through their own times of suffering. But they are pointed to in scripture because of how they impacted the world around them and the lives around them. If all of us experience the pains of this life, what sets us a part in our faith is the belief that we can make something out of our experiences through the grace of Jesus Christ.

Our faith is founded in the resurrection. The Bible teaches us that the future is not an immaterial “paradise” but a new heaven and a new earth. As we talked in here back in the fall, that the ideals of heaven come crashing into our world and we experience a renewal, a cleansing, a restoration. Our scripture with Jesus on the cross … “today, you will be with me in paradise.” Today, in your suffering or in your death, you will be with me in paradise. Our ultimate view of life as Christians is the concept of resurrection. What that means is not just Jesus being raised from the dead at Easter … but resurrection means a restoration of the life we always wanted.

Too many times we see death as the consolation prize, that heaven is the consolation prize for the losses of this life and the joys that might have been. But resurrection doesn’t mean that we end up with the life we never had … it means that we are restored to the life we always wanted. Today, you will be with me in paradise. This can instill in us a powerful hope that in our lives and in our trials we can transform the world around us. That in trials we find strength and a life that has been promised … whether in this life or the next.

You have all heard my lament about 2008. I couldn’t wait to turn the calendar because it seemed to be one personal tragedy after another. But now as 2009 unfolds, many of these situation I described at the beginning of the sermon have happened to people close to me just since the first of the year or in the last 6 months. But I know that such pain for me in 2008 has helped me become a better pastor and companion for those who walk through such pain now.
The ultimate defeat of evil or suffering is found in how we invest in hope and the restoration and reconciliation of all things and all people and all …. Dreams … whether it be in this world or in the world to come. Today … Today you will be with me in paradise … coming from a man hanging on across to take away our sin and fulfill our hope.

Antwone Fisher is a movie based on the true events of a young man in the navy dealing with repressed anger. His life was one of much suffering. His father was killed before Antwone was born and his mother gave him up after giving birth to him in prison. His journey through foster homes was one of abuse … mentally, physically, and sexually. His abandonment on the streets left him homeless. The movie is about these struggles and how people can be restored to the life they always wanted. His journey into his past led him on a quest to find his mother and the family he never knew. I close you this morning with this clip, a picture of heaven on earth … of when our journey comes to fruition and our own suffering and battle with evil knows its defeat.

(Video Clip)

In Jesus Name, Amen.