Lent Begins, 2/15/15

Sermon 2-15-15 Lent Begins 1 John 1:5-2:2

1:5 This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all. 6 If we claim to have fellowship with him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live out the truth. 7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all[b] sin. 8 If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. 10 If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word is not in us. 2:1My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have an advocate with the Father—Jesus Christ, the Righteous One. 2 He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world

Every morning I sit on a wooden stool and put on my socks.  [dave neimeyer-mercer] Every day.  I make a cup of coffee and drink it.  I drive to work…. The same route every day.  I do what I do.  I go home.  I eat.  I sleep.  And I do it all over again.  There are things that mark a life.  Monuments along the way, reminding us of what is mundane and what matters.

A river runs through it 1992 – blackfoot river

For me, ash Wednesday is such a day.  It comes once a year and reminds me that I need our Father.  It reminds me in no uncertain terms that I must repent and renew my walk with him.  It is an annual passage from death to life, from struggle to grace.  I wouldn’t miss it for the world.

Lent is a time to consider the suffering of Jesus
He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world -1

Lent is about the journey of self discovery
Lent asks the question
Where is god-Where are we-Where do we meet
Lent calls for self examination
Lent calls us to look at our selves

Lent is the annual reminder to remember that it is not about us
Often we think we have arrived - we can get kind of smug
When in fact we haven’t even got on board for the process yet

Lent calls us to leave the areas of superficial spirituality & give ourselves to God
Lent includes struggle, moving along the road, hard choices needed for meaning
Lent asks the hard question - Are you willing to repent of your sin
12 step program = fearless moral inventory

this is a prelent sermon

new sermon  series transformation – change - conversion
consider the stories of great men and women of the bible

transformation.  Change. Am I satisfied with myself?

Those who think they are a finished product scare me.

The nature of repentance.  Facing change.  Being honest with ones self

Real change is possible

The need for us to change.

Not top down, but heart up

What do I want to change into?

My list:

I aspire to

Not waste time

See the good

See people as god sees them.  No more value judgements

Be thankful

Q: What is Lent? Some of you grew up in churches that did not celebrate lent

if we had 20 questions regarding lent…..

1Q: What is Lent?
A:Historically, Lent is the forty day period before Easter, excluding Sundays, it began on Ash Wednesday and ended on Holy Saturday (the day before Easter Sunday).

2Q: Why are Sundays excluded from the reckoning of the forty days?
A: Because Sunday is the day on which Christ arose, its inappropriate day to fast and mourn our sins. On Sunday we must celebrate Christ’s resurrection

3Q: Q. Why are the forty days called Lent?
A: They are called Lent because that is the Old English word for spring, the season of the year during which they fall.  In most other cultures, lent is called Quadragesima, from the latin for “the forty days.”

4Q: Why is Lent forty days long?
A: Because forty days is a traditional number of discipline, devotion, and preparation in the Bible.
Moses stayed on the Mountain of God forty days (Exodus 24:18 and 34:28),
the spies were in the land for forty days (Numbers 13:25),
Elijah traveled forty days before he reached the cave where he had his vision
Nineveh was given forty days to repent (Jonah 3:4),
Jesus spent forty days in wilderness praying and fasting (Matthew 4:2).

5Q: how long has this been going on?
Since 400 ad- Constantine’s conversion 312

6Q: When does Lent begin? Why do we put on ashes
Ash Wednesday is this week
why, do we put on ashes on ash Wednesday?
ashes are a sign of remembrance.

Palms are burned from palm Sunday – joy changes to sorrow.
The Bible tells us that we came from the dust and to the dust we shall return. ...
These ashes are also a sign of repentance.
Ashes are a symbol of repentance & signs that we seek to follow in God's path.

What do we experience on ash Wednesday?
quiet entrance

Opportunity to give to emergency relief

Card with instructions…….on instructions on the wall

Pray.  Ashes.  communion
a chance for repentance – are you willing to repent of your sin and follow

Q: What are appropriate activities for ordinary days during Lent?
A: Prayer, Repentance, Mercy, [I reject this – should do all the time ]

Giving something up

A conversation between a father and his 10-year-old son, illustrates the problem in our attitude toward Lent. The father was attempting to explain to his young son the necessity for giving up something for Lent. Dad suggested that the lad give up candy.
Quizzed by the boy about this kind of religiosity and what it would bring, the father replied that It will improve your character. You'll be a better person on Easter Sunday if you give up candy. After all, your mother and I have given up liquor for Lent.
The boy then said: That's funny Dad. I saw you and mother having a drink before dinner last night. The father replied, That was wine. We gave up hard liquor.
The lad countered, Oh, that's good. I'll give up hard candy.

I gave up diet coke.  During lent im only going to drink coke zero

What might you give up if you were serious?
Sports? Tv? Children’s activities

We should not give up things that we should give up anyway
We should give things up because it helps us think about god [like fasting]
its not about no diet coke. We shouldn’t think about no diet coke
It is about this loss makes me think about God

and so here are some - suggestions for your lent

give something up
1“Cut back on work.” Whatever is taking the most time in your life, pare back on it so that you can find the quiet time [lack of quiet #1 issue in american life]

2.take better care of yourself – that is a spiritual exercise to take care - sleep more

3. if you are not engaged in acts of mercy, this is the time to start

4. “Have a heart-to-heart with God.” Go for a walk. Spend some time in quiet

5.  find a radical lent question….to ask yourself

        How can I think of you more God?

        How can I live for you more God?

        who can I care about for you God?

yet isn’t this what we should be doing all the time…

and so

Lent…….take time to consider the suffering of Jesus and your condition
You cannot apologize or even understand your shortcomings unless you spend some time to consider them and repent of them.

There is no Easter without lent
No resurrection without death
If there were no darkness, there would be no need for light
There is no understanding without contemplation

And being lost can lead to the wonderful experience of being found

As we begin lent, lets make time to consider the suffering of - lord Jesus Christ.
He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world

Opening the Door to Hope: Palm Sunday, Luke 19:28-41, 04/13/14

xSermon 4-13-14      palm Sunday     Lk 19:28-41

²⁸ After Jesus had said this, he went on ahead, going up to Jerusalem. ²⁹ As he approached Bethphage and Bethany at the hill called the Mount of Olives, he sent two of his disciples, saying to them, ³⁰ “Go to the village ahead of you, and as you enter it, you will find a colt tied there, which no one has ever ridden. Untie it and bring it here. ³¹ If anyone asks you, ‘Why are you untying it?’ say, ‘The Lord needs it.’”

³² Those who were sent ahead went and found it just as he had told them. ³³ As they were untying the colt, its owners asked them, “Why are you untying the colt?”

³⁴ They replied, “The Lord needs it.”

³⁵ They brought it to Jesus, threw their cloaks on the colt and put Jesus on it. ³⁶ As he went along, people spread their cloaks on the road.

³⁷ When he came near the place where the road goes down the Mount of Olives, the whole crowd of disciples began joyfully to praise God in loud voices for all the miracles they had seen:

³⁸ “Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord!”

“Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!”

³⁹ Some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to Jesus, “Teacher, rebuke your disciples!”

⁴⁰ “I tell you,” he replied, “if they keep quiet, the stones will cry out.”

⁴¹ As he approached Jerusalem and saw the city, he wept over it…

Its palm Sunday. 

Later this week, Maundy Thursday/good Friday invite

Next sunday easter.  Ride the shuttle.  Skip 1010

Its palm Sunday - Lets tell the story.

Parade

Donkey

Palm branches

Welcome

Disciples

Pharisees

Jesus

This is a story of two teams.

The team that is against jesus and the team that is for him

The team that is threatened by him and the team that is exalting him

The team that sees what is wrong and the team that sees what is right

Shawn is quoting yoda today:  Yoda to Luke: “Beware of the dark side. Anger, fear, aggression; the dark side of the Force are they. Easily they flow, quick to join you in a fight.”

How do you see the world?

This is more than a glass half full half empty question

I know a theologian who believes that the entire notion of sin, the entire sense of our relation ship with God revolves around this question.

Let me explain

Imagine the world prior to the fall.  Prior to the apple.

Adam & eve, men & women, simply loved life and enjoyed being with God.

They were alive in their natural state.

Trusting,  praising, enjoying, seeing the good.

Living the life for which we were created.

We were not created to be dominated  by fear and worry. God wants more than that for us…

The first humans had a clean heart with God.  All was well.

Then sin entered.

Its about me.  I want what I want.  Its not going my way.  Were kicked out of the garden.  We want to go back.  We cant.  Life becomes a series of difficulties.  Genesis 3:19

By the sweat of your brow  you will eat your food
until you return to the ground    since from it you were taken;
for dust you are and to dust you will return.”

Threatened by every moment of pain, we build cocoons of self worth around a heart that is out of kilter

We can continue to live this way.

Its about me.  Spend your entire life fighting to get it your way.

We can even employ god on this self centered journey

God I want this.  God I want that.

God I am mad at you because you wont give me this or that thing

This is where the Pharisees lived.   Team one

A system that looked good on the outside but inside their hearts were dark

Jesus told them they were whited seplechurs clean on the outside, nasty on the inside

They were threatened by Jesus

We react from our insecurities

We live out of fear, not out of love.

They were not open to any message other than their own

They resisted change.  They felt insulted by Jesus

Even if it came from God, they were not listening

They knew how the world worked and nothing was going to change that

No wonder they were annoyed when the disciples praised a shaggy rabbi from Nazareth that drank wine and ran with sinners.

They were self centered, fearful, insecure and angry.

They wanted him dead.

Then there is the life of the disciple.

Team two

They have tried their own way, and it did not work.

They are tired of exalting themselves

Something inside of them tells them that there is another way.

There is a better way.

The gospel is like this…..it comes to us and hits us in a good spot.

We know its real

They hear the message of Jesus.  God loves you.  You are forgiven.  The kingdom is here.

Get on board.  Become a person of love

They see it.  They want it.  They go for it.

They receive jesus.  They become his follower.

They find the life for which they were created.

No wonder they line the road when he comes into Jerusalem

On palm Sunday there are two teams.

In our world today there are the praisers, and the groussers

Which of these two teams do you want to be on?

Some Christians choose to believe in jesus, but then spend the rest of their life filled with doubt and fear

Last week we talked about the suffering of Jesus. Difficult sermon

He did not go thru all of that so that we could live in fear.

He promises those who believe in him the abundant life.

That is a life that is based in joy, not despair.  Hope not fear. Trust not worry.

By the way, worry leaves when trust arrives.

What do people do that see the good.

Well first of all, they see the good.  They are awake to life.

They see the sky, not the clouds.

They don’t walk by flowers without taking notice

That translates to people.  They become those who look at people, even broken people and see the good

Consequently they become brokers of praise

In the midst of a world that some think is going to pot, they become those who are telling everyone that all is well.

Lynn shiffreen, everything will be alright in the end.  If everything is not all right, then its not the end.

People that see the good tell others that every thing is ok.

They are calm in the midst of a storm.  Or they lose it for ten minutes, then right their own ship and get back on message.

They may feel the negative messages in the world, but they refuse to be dominated by them

Their prayer lives are usually not about things that they want, but focus on turning their lives over to god

Not my will, thine be done.

People that see the good are leaders.  They get it, but that’s not enough for them.  They want to help others get it.  So they speak what they see into every chance that they get.  Their life isn’t just a fairytale existence, blindly seeing the good, they are also engaged in ending negativity.  They take the time to encourage everyone that they possibly can to join them in this outlook on life.

Such people may not be counselors, but they r instrumental in healing marriages

They may not be certified teachers, but they teach.

They may not be pastors, but they are speaking the words of God.

And into a world where so many are done with God and done with the church, the speak praise.

Its palm Sunday.  Which team do you want to be on?

My friend Sherri Swanson is facing a difficult issue in her life.  She is in Princeton today talking about it.  And talking about how one must choose to see the good, even in difficult times.  She shared this poem sent by a friend

In Happy Moments-Praise God     In Difficult Moments-Seek God

In Quiet Moments-Worship God   In Painful Moments-Trust God

In Every Moment-Thank God

 

There are two teams in this life.  Lets choose to be among the praisers.

Lets pray

 

Opening the Door to Hope: Crucifixion, Isaiah 53:1-6, 04/06/14

Sermon 4-6-14   Crucifixion - consider the suffering  Isaiah 53:1-6

The old testament prophet Isaiah told of a suffering servant

He was well known by Jews, but they did not expect their messiah to be the suffering servant.

They wanted a political deliverer

After the suffering and death of Jesus, believers looked to these verses to see and verify that Jesus is the suffering servant and his suffering and death leads not to political victory but to a spiritual one for all who call upon his name.

 ¹ Who has believed our message    and to whom has the arm of the LORD been revealed? ² He grew up before him like a tender shoot,   and like a root out of dry ground. He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to him,   nothing in his appearance that we should desire him. ³ He was despised and rejected by mankind,  a man of suffering, and familiar with pain. Like one from whom people hide their faces
   he was despised, and we held him in low esteem.

 ⁴ Surely he took up our pain   and bore our suffering, yet we considered him punished by God,  stricken by him, and afflicted. ⁵ But he was pierced for our transgressions,    he was crushed for our iniquities;
the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed. ⁶ We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to our own way; and the LORD has laid on him   the iniquity of us all.

Consider the suffering of Jesus Christ

Today we share the story of Christendom

This story unites us, bringing us together

          No room for Paul and Apollos

There is a mysterious power of this story
it must be retold, lest we forget

Lets talk for a moment about The nature of suffering. 

The role of it in our thinking

We honor the degree of pain and loss that someone goes to for our sake

Heb 12 - let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, 2 fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. 3 Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.

There is a value of sacrifice.

Its not that we are to feel guilty or depressed by this.

God is showing his deep love for us.

Begins not in the garden but when He left heaven
Socioeconomic downturn
Born impoverished, like becoming a bird

Reviled in life as illegitimate
the story of Joseph and mary was scandalous in his day

It stayed with him in life

We know who our father is John 8 “we are not illegitimate”

Anticipation

We think about things that will come

Jesus thinking….

I have seen this happen to others.  It is not good

I wonder what it will feel like

I worry about my friends and family

How long will it take to die

What is it like to die?

In the garden
Bleeding in prayer
Highly emotional state, hemorrhage in sweat glands
Betrayal- left by his friends

Annas- former high priest Caiphas home w political sanhedren Temple w religious sanhedren Pilate Herod Pilate again

Embarrassment of trials Annas
High priest 1am, spit upon, struck in the face Caiaphas home [holes]

w political Sanhedrin
Full Sanhedrin in morn, Pilate 10am Temple w religious Sanhedrin
Rejected for Barabbas Pilate
Herod
Pilate again

Flogging

Cross beam Nails Crown of thorns

Robe, crown of thorns, beaten again

Carrying the cross
mortise and tennon joint

Place of crucifixion
Nails, 5-7 inches

Breathing on the cross

Loss of voluntary exhalation

Push up to exhale

Death occurred from weakened state, dehydration, blood loss, shock asphyxia
Jesus cried out, bowed his head and died
Cataclysmic aneurysm/heart failure

Soldiers break his legs

Centurion- surely this man was the son of God

Spear

Worst pain…excruciating…from the cross
Not method of execution, method of torture

Why did this happen like this?
Why did he have to die for us?

It doesn’t make sense to the human mind…its too simple 1 cor 1:18
The preaching of the cross is to them that are perishing…foolishness, but unto we who are being saved it is the power of God

We know that God was showing his love for us
Romans 5:6-8
For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. For occasionally for a righteous man will one die, yet possibly for a good man some would dare to die, but God has shown his love for us in that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us.

The love or the suffering

Each of you may focus on one aspect or another

Tremendous sacrifice

Tremendous love

Intro to prayer…….
If you have never asked Jesus to be your savior, today can be your day. If your heart has grown cold towards him, you can make a new commitment today. Just pray along with me in your heart.

Dear Jesus, I understand that you suffered for me. Please let your sacrifice cover my sin. Fill me with your holy spirit and lead me day by day. In Jesus name. Amen

Opening the Door to Hope: Love & Devotion, Romans 12:9-21, 3/30/14

Sermon 3-30-14 lent –love and devotion    Romans 12:9-21

Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. ¹⁰ Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves. ¹¹ Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. ¹² Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. ¹³ Share with the Lord’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality. ¹⁴ Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. ¹⁵ Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. ¹⁶ Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position.^[c] Do not be conceited. ¹⁷ Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everyone. ¹⁸ If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. ¹⁹ Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,”^[d] says the Lord. ²⁰ On the contrary:

“If your enemy is hungry, feed him;
    if he is thirsty, give him something to drink.
In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.”^[e]

²¹ Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good

Love and devotion-

Something we all think about.

A spouse.  A child.  A friend.  A pet.  A job.

Laugh – a job?  Yes devotion to work is very important

Where does one begin such a discussion?

Disclaimer- don’t stay in abusive situations

Don’t hear this sermon and insist on staying where you shouldn’t

Some people are not healthy and they are not going to become healthy

Disclaimer understood?

Disclaimer over

Everyone thinks that they know about love

We have ideas in our head about love

Thoughts about love are good

But as pat starke stays, it doesn’t count if you don’t express it

Loving thoughts and feelings are fine and valuable

But the highest form of love is love that is acted upon

Something must be said or done

“A bell's not a bell 'til you ring it A song's not a song 'til you sing it Love in your heart wasn't put there to stay Love isn't love 'til you give it away!”

Oscar Hammerstein

And so the bible is filled with not just thoughts but action

We like to think of faith as private.

I believe in jesus.  That’s enough

But over and over again we are pointed to act

Paul asks us - - Not just think nice thoughts about your enemy

Love your enemy

Be devoted to one another

Honor one another

Live in harmony

All actions

So love is a decision to care.  To invest.

Brian swanson gave me a book – love does. [author]

Love just does

I am here for you.

It sometimes includes feelings and sometimes it does not

Common misnomer that love is a feeling…… it is so much more

To be devoted to a person place or thing is to keep going back

To reinvest

To habitually be there

Tom cruise in top gun – i'm not leaving my wing man

Keeping the disclaimer in mind

Love recognizes that life has its challenges

Devotion means staying the course………..

Marriage and divorce.

The problem usually is not divorce but marriage for all the wrong reasons

Yet still I believe that too many people throw each other away much too easily

Too many marriages fail because people aren't all in

if you are married your spouse is going to drive you crazy at some point

 

the richard Roberts story

if you are married, your spouse is going to drive you crazy at some point

don't trade the car, don't quit the church, don't get a divorce

as long as you have grace to give, give it with all of your heart

keep working to win the person

Devotion means I am more interesting in loving you than arguing with you

Go home and lose an argument

 Acting and reacting

The rabbi who teaches the angry people to hum taking flight pg 18

 Love is Your ministry for Christ

When we love, its not about us

Those who love play the role of the servant

Love is to give, not to take

Love is something that we can learn about

No excuses

·        I was raised in a dysfunctional home

·        I was poor

·        I was…..whatever

You can choose to change.

I have witnessed big strong men decide to become people of love

The wives are ecstatic

The husbands are pretty happy inside about it too

Its something that we can get better at

When we first begin to do what we call love

Its about beauty

Its about dependence

Love is neither of these

Its an investment, a choice, a commitment

Truly loving people try to improve

Love is like a drug.  When you get the knack of it, you want to do it more and better

Loving people actively work on themselves

I love you, but I am a finished product.  I am what I am

Does that sound like love

Love is a journey toward healthy living

Richard rohr – every decision in life is either based in fear or love

Dysfunction, selfishness, anger, spiteful words = fear based

Caring, forgiving, embracing, seeing the good

Are love based

 Love is the mark of the Christian.  The sign

It trumps doctrine, though healthy teaching is good. Love trumps it.

Love is the core of the best of it

Financial gifts not given in love have a completely different ring to them

Missions work without love are simply good works

Love is the mark of the Christian

 Love is To see into a person’s soul

Someone said- the eyes are a window to the soul

When someone hurts us, it is hard to love

Others are closed, you cant see in

But we are invited to keep trying.  Keep loving.

All of us know of people that we grew to love

People that we were once estranged from, but the relationship healed

Get up close to someone.  Spend some time with them

Let them see that you care

 those who love a thing are willing to suffer for it

viktor frankl.......saw that the Nazis would take Austria. could have left.  his parents had no visas.  he could not leave them.  and so he was sent to auchwitz

the greatest example of love that we have is the love of God who sent jesus

we love him because he first loved us

love the lord your god with all your heart soul mind and strength.  Love your neighbor as yourself

[1 jn 4 7-8]beloved let us love one another

it is the highest form of living

From the movie the notebook

"I am nothing special, of this I am sure. I am a common man with common thoughts and I've led a common life. There are no monuments dedicated to me and my name will soon be forgotten, but I've loved another with all my heart and soul, and to me, this has always been enough."

quotes in the book aspire pg 84-85

stories

closer