Invite

Our mission statement here at Messiah is a couple of sentences long, and I can't remember it all the time. But it boils down to four words--which I always remember: Invite, Care, Grow, Share. Today I'd like to focus in on invite.

Everyone longs to be included--it's a basic human need. As a church, we invite people to join us in learning about God, worship, and fellowship. That's the broad stroke. There are many, many ways to include people in Messiah. I can them entry points, assuming they would be used primarily by those who are new to Messiah. But sometimes members who have been around a while become disconnected and need our love and assistance in getting back into life together.

What are some entry points--to which you can invite newcomers and old friends alike?

Dinners and picnics: either church meals, or at your home. Going to brunch after worship--invite some people to come along!

Adult Forum: this group is smaller so it's better for getting to know each other

Service projects: highway pick up can be fun, or take someone along with you as you serve at Ash Street, etc.

Special programs: like Ryan's concert, Captive free, Lutheran Disaster Relief, World Hunger, Christmas Pageant, VBS, etc.

If you look and think hard enough, many more ways to invite will present themselves. It's up to you though, to make the effort to include someone. But that's part of the mission, isn't it?

Hand Writing (sermon 5/25)

This past Thursday was our 26^th wedding anniversary. And they said it wouldn’t last! Actually, according to those laws of the universe that we talked about last week, Lisa and I are destined to remain together. For it is universal law that states “opposites attract.” And Lisa and I—we couldn’t be more opposite!

She likes her Chinese food hot and spicy. Me, I stick to sweet and sour pork

I’m quiet and reserved. She’s boisterous and full of life.

She’s an adventurer and a traveler. My idea of an adventure is ordering something other than sweet and sour pork, and for me, a trip to the mall is traveling far enough.

I watch the Discovery and History Channels. She watches the food network and comedy central.

Lisa wears crocs. I prefer real shoes.

And finally, Lisa is the eternal optimist. While, as she will readily tell you, I am the world’s biggest pessimist. A pessimist is one who sees all too clearly the worrisome details of an event gone wrong. The word comes from the Latin meaning, worst. A pessimist sees, and anticipates, and expects, the worst that can happen. They worry constantly. So, Lisa sees the glass as half-full. I see the glass as too close to the edge of the table!

Now, as a real, bona fide, card carrying pessimist, I gotta tell you I am worried. Worried! Worried! Worried! About what? Lots of things. Big things: like the rising price of gasoline, the declining stock market, global warming, the war, and what is going to happen to all those people in China and Myanmar who are now threatened with dangerous diseases and exposure. I don’t know—maybe I watch too much news—but it seems like the world is in this tremendous death spiral, picking up speed and sucking the innocent and guilty alike into its terminal vortex. I worry about such things!

But I also worry about the mundane. Like, did I pack enough socks—what if a pair gets wet? Or what if we get in traffic and it makes us late? What if the lesson plan for confirmation comes up short and I’m facing 20 minutes with six bored confirmands, and nothing to do? What if, what if, what if? I worry about what if?

I’ll tell you what I don’t worry about. The things Jesus mentions in today’s gospel. What I will eat and what I will drink. Other than worrying whether some one remembered to take a steak out of the freezer for tonight’s dinner, or if there’s a gallon of milk in the fridge—I don’t worry about where my next meal is coming from. And clothes—I don’t worry about whether I’ll have clothes to wear. I may worry about choosing blue socks instead of black in the darkness of my predawn bedroom. I may fret because my favorite shirt is in the wash. But never do I worry about having a shirt—I’ve got a closet full of them—some I rarely even wear!

So, I’m in the clear, right? Me and Jesus—we’re okay? Not quite. It would seem so, based on a cursory reading and interpretation. But that’s where the principles of how Lutherans interpret the bible come into play. Now, if you’ve been attending Adult Forum you are familiar with how. But if you haven’t, first of all, please come, you learn things. And not to worry…I will explain the principles that apply here.

The most important principle to remember is that the bible contains what God wants us to know about God. Sometimes that’s right out front and easy to spot. And sometimes you have to work at it—it’s called bible study. In this gospel passage, Jesus wants us to know something about God. But it goes deeper than a simple message like “don’t worry, be happy!” If that is the truth to be gleaned from this gospel, then as a pessimist, I will most certainly end up begging cool glasses of water from my counterpart, Lisa.

Ah, but that’s where another principle of how Lutherans interpret the bible kicks in. Bible passages should be studied in context. Simply put, that means we need to know about the first listeners (both to Jesus’ words and to the printed gospel). We need to listen with their ears. Understand it as they did—before applying it to our lives.

So, who is Jesus addressing this to? Who gathered around him on the mount as he gave this sermon? Poor Jewish farmers and fishermen and laborers and crafts people, for the most part. Some more well-to-do folks. But, mostly, the population in that place and time was made up of people who definitely worried where their next meal was coming from, and how they might keep clothes on the backs of their children. These were not rich people who needed spiritual advice on the right use of money, the root of all evil. These were people who lived on the edge—just one failed crop, or lost net away from beggardom.

When Jesus tells this crowd to not worry about the basic necessities of life, that God takes care of the birds and flowers, so why not you—he’s asking them to literally put their lives in God’s hands. Now, for a guy who can change water into wine and feed a legion with a couple of loaves of peasant bread and a few dried fish that’s pretty easy to say. For the poor it’s hard to do. Imagine the impact of this statement!

What can Jesus possibly say to these people to convince them that what he suggests will indeed be a worry-free existence, rather than, as reason might dictate, one fraught with worries? Here’s what he can say. “For it is the Gentiles who strive for all these things…but you, you strive for the kingdom of God and God’s righteousness.” Now for the people gathered there that day, who is it that Jesus compares the Gentiles to? Who is the implied “you” in this verse? Gentiles were those who were not Jews. Subsequently, the “you” is God’s people, Israel.

There is a difference for them, Jesus implies—they are God’s chosen nation. They are in relationship with a god who has proven trustworthy time and time again. One whose promises are sure and certain. One who will never forget them. What did it say in that first reading from Isaiah? “Can a woman forget her nursing child, or show no compassion for the child of her womb? Even these may forget, yet I, the Lord, will not forget you. See I have inscribed you on the palms of my hands.”

I love that image. I have written your name on the palms of my hands. Back in grade school, some of the kids—not me of course—used to write the answers to test questions on the palms of their hands. So that, during the test, they’d be able to “remember.” That’s what I thought of when I first heard this reading. That God wrote Israel on the palms of his hands to remind him, in those difficult moments in their relationship that, yes Israel—my people. Not that God needs a cheat sheet. Maybe it’s better to think of it as a tattoo. They say the one thing you shouldn’t get as a tat is your girlfriend’s or boyfriend’s name—cause they come and go. “Mother” is much safer. God has no such qualms, though. God is forever willing to call Israel his people.

So willing, writes scholar Terry Fretheim, that God actually can’t forget! This is God limiting God. And in so doing, Israel actually becomes part of God’s identity. God is forever known as the God of Israel. And so, when Jesus says, “You strive instead for the kingdom of God,” he’s reminding the crowd that the God of Israel, the God of Moses, the God of Abraham and Sarah, of David and Solomon, of Ruth and Deborah—the God of the covenant is the only one in whom they can place their trust. Because God will not forget them. Don’t spend your energy striving after something that does not satisfy, that can be here today and gone tomorrow. Strive for what is forever—the kingdom of the God who has your name on his palms!

Back to how Lutherans interpret the bible. We now know that for the people who first heard Jesus, the call to not worry about food and clothing was a call to set aside their concern for their lives. For myself, and for all of you I presume, the words don’t carry the same weight. We live in relative abundance. We have health and disability insurance. We have savings accounts and IRAs and (401)Ks, and mutual funds. We have too much food, too much to drink, and too many clothes.

Our worries go in different directions. We worry that when it all comes down to it, our life will have no meaning. We worry that everything that defines who we are—home, job, family, cars, possessions—that everything might be lost in an instant, the way it has been for the victims of tornadoes this past week. We worry that our children might not be able to play outside anymore, or that our adult children may be the first generation to not surpass their parents’ living. We worry that our aged parents will one day die—leaving us orphans. These are some of our daily worries—optimists and pessimists alike.

And what is Jesus’ message for us then? Well, for one who seeks meaning in his life—he should strive for a good relationship with God, not fame or fortune or power. For the love of God is what brings meaning to life. For those who fear losing everything—they should strive to make God their everything, for God will not abandon them. For those who worry that the world is no longer a place of security and economic opportunity—they place their trust in the God who demonstrates power through weakness, for whom gain is loss and loss gain. For the kingdom of God is not Kansas, Toto. And for those who dread the passing of their parents—they would be better off helping them review their lives and prepare for life in the kingdom, for their place there is certain.

What’s your worry? How do you deal with it? I make lists, and over plan, and over compensate, and double and triple check everything. And for some things, maybe that’s not such a bad idea. Being a pessimist is not a sin. Being an optimist is not a virtue. It’s just the way you are. It’s how we handle worry that I telling—especially the big worries.

What is your biggest worry? Whatever it is, I encourage you to put aside your vain attempts at addressing it—stop striving for certainty where it cannot be found. And instead spend that energy trusting and hoping and loving God. The god known as the God of Israel, of Ryan, of Dean, of Michael, of …., of you all. God will not forget you. AMEN

Be Still, part two

Yesterday we talked about stilling the soul, and what does that for you. It was based on Psalm 131 that says in part, "I still my soul and make it quiet...my soul is quieted within me."

Okay, so you're at your "quiet place," you're listening to music, reading devotional material, enjoying nature--and your soul is still. Everything chaotic in your life drops away.

What's next?

The psalm says, "wait upon the Lord." But what does that mean for us today?

Two possibilities, I think. First, be patient, and let that patience fill the quietness of your soul, so that when you return to that which troubles you, you might know that the Lord triumphs ultimately and definitively.

Second, I believe to wait upon the Lord in the quietness of your soul means to listen, really listen for God. And listening is hard work. It involves emptying oneself and letting God in--without worrying about what to say, defenses to make, excuses to render. Just listen Don't worry that you don't "hear" anything. Don't prepare your answer ahead of time. Just listen quietly.

You may think that I'm going to say, "If you do this, you'll hear God in some way." I make no such claim. But the quieting of the soul, the listening--the openness to God--that is enough. It is time well spent.

Be Still

Psalm 131 says, "...I still my soul and make it quiet, like a child upon its mother's breast; my soul is quieted within me." The psalmist is acknowledging that the world is a tough place to understand sometimes--even to the point of not being able to "see" God at work in them. Things rush at us so quickly, we don't have the time or energy to get a handle on life--instead letting life handle us.

The psalmist has a remedy for this, however. It's stiling the soul. That is, he sets aside all the things flying at him-his doubts, misunderstandings, and ignorance, and just quiets himself. Like a baby at her mother's breast--calm and peaceful.

How does he do it? That isn't told us. But we have experience in stilling the soul. Whether it's listening to the prelude before worship, or hiking through the forest, or reading a devotional book, or playing a musical instrument--we all have developed ways of stepping off the carousel of life and letting God wash over us.

For me, watching water move does the trick. Sometimes I watch the water flow by in a brook, and what I really love is standing on the dock at our house on the big lake and watching the water ripple and wave, and blow around in the breeze. This both clears my mind, and stills my soul.

What does it for you? Is it an activity? A place? A person? Tell me--I'd love to know!


Tomorrow - Listening in the stillness

Good Things (sermon draft 5/18)

Have you ever heard of “universal law?” Universal law is a collection of axioms that govern the way things are. Gravity. Gravity is a universal law. Likewise, the law of attraction, the force that holds molecules together, is a universal law.

Then there are the lesser known universal laws. These are the ones that seem to govern human existence. For instance—Murphy’s Law. Murphy’s Law states that if something can go wrong—it probably will. I think it especially pertains to power point presentations here at worship. Never a smooth undertaking! Thanks to Murphy’s Law.

There’s a whole bunch more, according to my reliable reference, Uncle John’s Bathroom Reader. But the universal law I really want to call to your attention today is this one—have you ever heard of it? Goes like this: “Bad news (or bad things) come in threes.” E.g.: You wake up one morning and find that the alarm didn’t go off—making you late for work. (That’s one.) So, you run outside to your car, and it’s got a flat tire—making you even later for work. (Two.) You finally get on the road and things are looking pretty good—no traffic! You begin to think that your luck is turning and that other shoe won’t drop. Then you get to the office and it’s empty! Because it’s Saturday. (Three.) Bad things come in threes.

People believe that bad news comes in threes as well. Someone you know falls ill, another loses her job, and then—bam—a third splits up with his wife. Or you get an F on a test, your iPod gets confiscated (again!), and then—boom—you find out your sister already got the car for Friday night! Bad news comes in threes—makes you especially wary if you’ve already received two pieces of bad news. Then you dread the ring of the telephone, or opening the newspaper, or turning on the television.

And yet, the flip side of the bad news/bad things coin is that people also say “good news comes in threes,” and “good things come in threes.” For example, this good news scenario: you find a dollar on the street (one), with which you buy a winning lottery ticket (two), the proceeds of which you donate to your church (three). Or consider these great things that come in threes: a three ring circus, the Three Stooges, or the Cordts triplets.

Makes me wonder though. What the deal with “three?” Why is it bad news, or good news for that matter, comes in threes? Why not pairs, or fours, or sixes?

Well, three has always been one of those “special” numbers. It’s a prime number—divisible only by one and itself. In geometry, three points define a triangle—the only “perfect” geometric figure—one that if all endpoints were to become hinged, would always keep its shape. And in the most ancient art of storytelling, things always happen in threes. It serves to heighten the drama in the story. (This porridge is too hot, this porridge is too cold, this porridge is just right.) Jesus even used this device in his parables, best example being the Good Samaritan.

Three is the number representing simple symmetry-a center point with two equidistant endpoints. It’s also the lowest number of voters needed to achieve a majority in a bi-party political system (not counting super delegates). There are three dimensions to space—length, width, and depth. And three parts to human beings—mind, body, and spirit.

The use of the number three in folk adages might be reflective of any of these. But personally, though, I believe the phenomena is caused by something much more profound—something that was first described for me by one of my seminary professors, Dr. Larsen, who Lisa, his secretary, always accused of making up theological words. He said that the world—the whole universe—is ingrained with the imprint of its creator. The mark of God is left upon all creation, much as our fingerprints adorn things we make and do, much as a painter signs her masterpiece.

And what is that mark of God? Trinity. Three, yet one. One, but also three. Everything in the universe bears the mark of the Trinity deep within its being. Imagine little triangles on a microcosmic level, winding and twisting like divine DNA, identifying each plant, animal, and landscape as the Triune God’s. Even you carry the mark of the maker—or, should I say, especially you? For not only do you bear God’s triune mark, you also were created in the image of the Trinity. Father, Son, Spirit—one God. Body, mind, spirit—one human being. An imperfect image, but an image none the less. Marked by three. The Trinity.

Good things come in threes. Really great things come in threes. Here’s an example that you hear each and every Sunday morning in worship, that maybe you haven’t paid much attention to, or just never appreciated the depth and breadth of what it implies. It comes from our second reading this morning, 2 Corinthians 13:13, and in our liturgy, it’s called the “Apostolic Greeting”.

“The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with all of you.” To which you reply—“And also with you.”

This verbiage is perhaps so commonplace and so routine for you, that you may do what a certain congregation did when its pastor was having trouble with the sound system one morning. Coming to the front of the sanctuary for the greeting, and fumbling with the transmitter in his pocket, he blurted out, “There’s something wrong with this microphone.” To which the congregation dutifully replied, “And also with you!”

But seriously—have you ever thought about what this greeting conveys to us all? It’s nothing short of fantastic! Three things offered by the three persons of the Trinity. Each related to that person, each building upon what was offered prior, and each reflecting the unity of the Trinity.

First there is grace—undeserved favor, unworthy forgiveness, unearned merit—grace. A free gift given to you based solely on the goodness and obedience and sacrifice of Jesus Christ, God’s son and our “Lord,” or one with power over us. How strange and wonderful it is that Jesus’ death on the cross at the hands of a rebellious humanity was in and of itself the event that rescued us all from sin and death!

For us that grace means freedom. Freedom from the specter of an angry, vengeful God, who exacts punishment upon people trying desperately to do enough to appease him. Freedom from our vain attempts to save ourselves, or justify our existence bfore God Almighty. Freedom to instead love one another and serve God just because that grace was first given to us.

“The love of God…” Science tells us that “to love and to be loved” are two, basic, human needs. Scripture tells us that God is love. To be loved by God is therefore a very primal human need, one needed to be met—even if we can’t put a finger on exactly what’s missing. Unfortunately, or sin turns us away from God’s love and turns us in on ourselves in selfish self love. Our relationship with God becomes skewed by our feelings of guilt, so that we run from him, instead of into his loving arms.

Jesus’ gracious trade of our sins for his merit—achieved on the cross, called by Luther “the happy exchange,” transforms our relationship with God from dysfunctional to right again. We are able once again to feel and respond to God’s love, and then to join with God in his mission to have everyone experience that love.

Which we do through the church—the communion of the Holy Spirit. We are linked by the gift of the Spirit given to each of us at baptism. “Communion” of the Holy Spirit brings to mind a gathering around the table of the Lord—which, in our Eucharistic theology includes Christians of every time and place.

But the word ‘communion,’ while expressive of the inclusiveness of the gathering, perhaps doesn’t convey all the meaning of the Greek word used here which is koinenia. Often times the words “fellowship,” or “community” are used to translate it. But even these fall short of Paul’s meaning and the Spirit’s intentions.

A koinenia is more like a gathering of shareholders in a common endeavor. We might call them “partners,” or “associates.” Everyone has a stake in the success of the organization’s mission. That is what “the communion of the Holy Spirit” really implies. We are given a stake in God’s mission of spreading the good news of his love in the grace of Jesus Christ. We participate not as lackeys, not as hired hands, but as partners in mission. And being a partner in mission, I think you’ll agree, is a far cry from being a member of the church. The latter involves privilege and rights. The former, service and commitment. The gift of the Spirit is an active role in the gathering of God’s people.

So, there’s one example of good things coming in threes on this day of the Trinity. Surely you can think of three more blessings from God which you could celebrate this morning. In the time between “amen” and the singing of the hymn of the day, turn to someone seated next to you and let them know what three pieces of good news or three good things you see marked by the Trinity today!

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. AMEN

Sew What?

"Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all their multitude." Genesis 2:1

Our church has been transformed into a maze of colors and shapes. The local quilters' guild is having their annual quilt show here at Messiah. So the sanctuary is bedecked with quilts, the hallways are hung with quilts, and the narthex is...well, you get the picture. Plus our parish house has been transmogrified into a tea room, decorated with--you guessed it--quilts! Long story short, there are about a hundred quilts hanging in various spots at Messiah this weekend. I am reminded of the Shakers who are still in existence here in New Hampshire--whose quilts are legendary. They say, "hands to work, hearts to God!' I am boggled by the number of hours hands must have worked to produce these creations!

At least the ones that are finished, that is. For I'm told that for every quilt a quilter finishes, there are at least half a dozen that remain only partly done. UFO's they're called--unfinished objects! I believe it, because I've seen my wife's collection of UFO's!!

Genesis 2 begins with all the heavens and the earth finished--which marks a static point in prehistory, the occasion for a rest, a balance achieved, rather than an ending point to creation. For we know that God is continually creating and that we play a part in this, not only through the children we bring into the world, but by the things we create, be they works of fabric art, or cucumber sandwiches, or an "A" on a spelling test, or the perfect engineering drawing.

In a way we are God's UFO"s and God isn't finished with us yet. We are beautiful, but the best is yet to come!

Thanks be to God!

Happy Birthday Lisa

Today is my wife, Lisa's, birthday.

Shopping for a present for her this year has again been fruitless--I never know what to get her, and she never can think of anything she wants. Oh, I suppose I could just pick something (anything) up and wrap it up and give it to her--thus fulfilling my husbandly duty. But I have the fatal flaw that I want to get her something she'll absolutely love, something extraordinarily meaningful--and that's difficult for me to find. So I run out of time and end up with nothing. Being able to select great gifts for people is, in itself, a gift!

Don't worry--I'll find something. It won't ever be able to match up with what I'd give her if I could. And it will never say "I love you" as much as she deserves. But in some small way it will let her know that she's important in my life--that her coming into this world is a moment I thank God for! Because, truth be told, I get the best present on Lisa's birthday. It's a gift from God.

And her name is Lisa.

Creation I

"And God saw that it was good..."

Funny how the lectionary works. The very Sunday after I talk about God's creation sequel--Pentecost (see Sunday's sermon 5/11)--the creation story pops up. It's there for the same reason about that I used it as an illustration last week--because it shows the three persons of the Godhead active in creation (including the Spirit "wind of God").

But I don't want to get into the Trinity yet--there's time for that later as we speed towrds Holy Trinity Sunday. What I want to talk about is a fairly provocative idea that surfaced in a lecture I went to while in Gettysburg.

The lecture was on the Old testament law and the Christian, and it covered a lot of ground. One part of it talked about the fall of Adam and Eve and the creation. And what the speaker said that I still recall (and pardon me if it's out of context) was that the scripture says God made the universe and it was good--not perfect.

It makes sense--if the creation was perfect then there'd be no sin and decay and death. Being "good" denotes God's pleasure and satisfaction at what he'd done--but leaves room for what eventually happens. A perfect world needs no God.

This way of looking at things is different from the way I'm used to. To me "good" meant it was not bad--not shoddy worksmanship--worthy of God's love and concern. This rating of good negates the position of those who say this world is evil and to be escaped from--a husk we should shed, including our mortal bodies. The creation is a-okay in God's eyes.

But.. not perfect. Perfection is God's alone. Not to say that, redeemed and reconciled in Christ, we aren't moving in that direction. That's the work of continuing creation through the Holy Spirit. We'll only reach it in the new Jerusalem, however.

Well, I'm not done rolling this one around in my head. I'll have to do some reading and think some more on it. In the meantime, enjoy the creation story this week in church!

Creation II (sermon 5-11-08)

Summer’s almost here! Really! Don’t believe it? Check the marquee at your local movie theater. The summer blockbusters are already showing up there. Iron Man, Speed Racer, The Incredible Hulk. Each one hoping to break the box office—to become the next Star Wars. Each one dreading becoming the next Ishtar.

Sequels are always among the big summer blockbusters. They’re hit or miss as to quality and success. For instance, Superman 2 was far better than Superman 1. But Rocky (what is it?) 15 or something, may have been better off left in the can!

There are several big sequels scheduled for release this summer. The fourth installment of the Indiana Jones series. The second part of The Chronicles of Narnia. Harold and Kumar’s second adventure. But no summer blockbuster sequel could ever have the effect that God’s sequel has had. God’s sequel? Surely you’ve heard of it. It’s called Creation 2: The Spirit Returns. Otherwise known as Pentecost.

Well. Perhaps, for you, that’s making about as much sense as the end of Lost in Translation. (Go rent the movie. Then you’ll get it.) Well f so, just hang in there—I’m going to explain what I mean. First of all, why am I calling Pentecost a second creation event? Creation took millions of years to accomplish, or at the very least six days. Pentecost is only one day. How could it be the new creation? Easy. I don’t mean it literally, I don’t mean it metaphorically either. I mean it theologically. Theologically speaking, Pentecost is the moment of new creation. Why do I think that? What scripture do I have to offer in support of this claim?

“In the beginning, when God created the heavens and the earth, the earth was a formless void, and darkness covered the face of the deep, while a wind from God swept over the face of the waters. And God said, ‘Let there be light. And there was light.’” (Genesis 1:1-2) The wind of God blows across the vast, dark, chaotic nothingness of pre-creation and is present as God’s word brings light. This “wind of God” has been identified by scholars as the Spirit. So, the Spirit is present at the moment of transition from chaos to creation, from darkness to light, the moment of creation.

Cut to a house in first century Jerusalem. The disciples are cooped up there—partly in fear of the authorities, partly due to the paralyzing effects of not knowing what to do next. Jesus had been raised, but then had ascended into heaven—leaving them confused, afraid, and alone. All was chaos.

But then something happens. Even though the windows are shuttered and the door closed and locked, the sound of wind is heard—faintly at first, then louder and louder—until it fills the whole house with its rushing noise. The Spirit of God is sweeping over a chaotic humanity in preparation for a new creation!

Now consider the Genesis 2 creation account. It says that, “the LORD God formed man from the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being.” (Genesis 2:7) Ruah, the Hebrew word for wind, can also be translated breath. So the figure of speech “breath of God” can also be taken to imply the presence of the Holy Spirit.

Now the gospel of John has no Pentecost account per se. But it does have the passage we read this morning, which is definitely analogous to the story in Acts 1. In both, the disciples are all in one place. In both, Jesus is no longer with them (in Acts he has ascended, in John he’s presumed dead - this is a resurrection appearance) In both, the Spirit is imparted to the disciples. So, while John 20:19-23 isn’t the story of Pentecost, it is a story of the gift of the Spirit at the end of Jesus’ earthly mission. The same as Acts 2.

And a highlight of our John passage is that Jesus imparts the Holy Spirit by breathing on the disciples. Which is close enough in my book to the Genesis 2:7 verse we heard just moments ago. Now, for those of you who are detail oriented (picky) and who remind me that the LORD God breathed life into Adam, not Spirit, I would say to you—first off, “Chill out.” And then I’d let you know that the Greek word pneuma, which is translated and used for the word Spirit, also translates as “life force, or that which animates.” So there! As God created humanity with a breath, so too, Jesus re-creates the disciples by breathing on them.

This notion of mine isn’t without further support. Indeed the motif of the new creation winds its way first though all the gospels, and then shows up in Paul’s writings, as well as the Revelation to John. Not all scholars would place the moment of re-creation at Pentecost, most I’d say would mark that transition from chaos to order with the Paschal event. But when pushed to say if it’s the one or the other, I’d vote for both—which isn’t a cop out—but rather an acknowledgement that what we’re talking here is theology, not history. We’re not looking to establish when God re-creates the world. We’re just saying that through Christ and the Spirit, God re-creates the world! That’s what God is saying to us through the various scriptures hauled out to support either option.

In other words, think of these various biblical passages as Tootsie Roll Lollipops. Now, you can see that each one has a different color and flavor. But whether you lick it or bite it—when it comes right down to it, it’s still the same chocolaty goodness at the center. Theology is the chewy center of scripture – it’s what we can confidently say about God after sampling all scripture has to offer.

And, like I said several pages ago, what Pentecost boils down to is this: it is God’s re-creation of the world, through Christ and the Spirit. Not just Happy Birthday Church. Not just a miracle of communication. Definitely not a margarita party that got out of hand. The disciples weren’t drunk. They were infused with the power of the Holy Spirit, which swept over the dark waters before time began, which, at God’s behest, filled the lungs and then blood and then cells and then organs and then limbs of human beings and gave them life. That same power of the Spirit now re-created and re-animated their bodies, minds and spirits—opening the door and blowing them out to a world also made new by the presence of the Spirit in its midst. It’s a second chance at paradise. A recapitulation of all things. A do-over. The cross made it possible. The resurrection prefigured it. And the Spirit arrived to usher it in. “Creation II: The Spirit Returns! Now playing in a life situation near you.” [said in that movie trailer guy voice]

Now playing in a life situation near you. That was a joke, but not really. And I don’t mean because it bombed. I mean, it was meant to be humorous, but it reflects reality. The Spirit is now playing in a life situation near you. That’s a big part of what Pentecost is all about. It’s part of why we wear red and decorate the sanctuary and use the symbols of flame, wind, and dove. We’re celebrating the presence of the Holy Spirit in our world and in our lives. And why is that so important?

Because, sometimes—despite the forgiveness that was won for us on Jesus’ cross, and despite the future promised us by his resurrection—despite all that, we can still feel lost and abandoned by God in the face of horrendous life events beyond our control.

Events such as we’ve seen this past week in Burma—with thousands upon thousands of people dead, and thousands more homeless, without medical aide, food or safe water—all of which have all been blocked by the repressionist government there. It’s difficult to feel the love of God in this life situation.

Or in an event like the unspeakable evil of a father keeping his daughter captive in the basement for years, along with the children he conceived with her by force. Where’s God in that?

And where’s God in a diagnosis of cancer? Or the foreclosure of a home? Or the descent into addictive behavior or depression? Where’s God in the ravaged refugee camps in northern Africa. Or for that matter, in the poverty riddled neighborhoods of the United States of America—the wealthiest country in the world – in which children still die from lack of medical care every day?

Where is God in all of these situations and more? Where is God in the darkness, the violence, and the emptiness of our lives—the chaos that creeps in and digs its claws into us, debilitating us, even though we share in the power of the cross and the resurrection? Where? I think the great theologian Bob Dylan perhaps said it best. “The answer, my friend, is blowing in the wind. The answer is blowing in the wind.”

The Spirit of God sweeps across the abyss of our brokenness, making itself known in ways that are reflective rather than direct—just like the wind is “seen” in the swaying of the trees, or the dance of fall leaves. The Spirit “moves” people. Look around and you’ll see them. The Spirit is there signaling the transition from darkness to light, from chaos to order, from evil to goodness. Calling people to Jesus, gathering them up in the church, enlightening them with gifts, and sending them out in the word to be Christ’s body in the world.

In the case of Myanmar, the rush of spirit-filled wind could be heard in the world’s growing anxiety over the condition of the survivors, and in their lament of the tremendous loss of life. But the Spirit also brings with it a new creation. A new creation of concern for the people in this country, previously ignored, who suffer now, and who have suffered for many years prior under the military thumb of an isolationist government. Myanmar calls out for God’s justice. What will be our answer? Do you hear it in the wind?

And do you hear the wind of God sweeping over the chaos in your life? Listen for it, for it signals a new beginning for you. A fresh slate with God.

And listen. Do you hear the sound of Spirit wind all around you, catching you up in its power, bidding you to do God’s will. Can you see those around you—brothers and sisters in Christ—who are in need of your involved friendship and concern—who need to be gathered back into the bosom of the church, to be nurtured and made new there? The Spirit moves you to help re-create the love and security these ones once felt within these walls. Do you hear it?

And, listen—do you hear the Spirit’s restless voice filling every nook and cranny of this sanctuary today? And Jesus breathing on you, granting you the Spirit and empowering you each with gifts. Gifts given to be shared with the world. Do you know what gifts the Spirit’s given you? Do you know how best to use them? Are you using them?

Pentecost. A new creation. Listen. Can you hear it?

[sound of rushing wind fills the sanctuary.]

Seeking

Seek and you will find

Lisa and I do geocaching. No that's not some European spa treatment. It's like a treasure hunt using a GPS unit to locate a "cache" which is a waterproof container holding a log book, some trinkets to trade, and sometimes geo-coins (they're way cool). It's a fun hobby and gets us out in the countryside searching for the glory of finding.

The problem is--sometimes (like today) you come up empty. The first cache we tried to locate was off through some heavy brush alongside a lake--a half mile away. No thanks! The second we just could not find! The GPS is only so accurate, and I guess it couldn't get a lock on the satellites needed for a find. Frustrating. 0 for 2 this day.

I have days like that even when I'm not geocaching, though. I seek God's will and can't get a lock on it. I seek the righteous path but it seems too hard to follow. I seek understanding and the knowledge of God and my sensors are all obstructed with the clutter of my life and the distractions the world brings into it. Some days I feel 0 for 2, or worse.

But I take heart and comfort that God walks through the wilderness with me, and even if I can't feel his presence he guides me--constantly pointing me in the right direction through the means of grace. He finds me really--for all my seeking it comes down to just that. It's God who finds me. The seeker is the one sought.

I'm the treasure! And so are you.

Ghost Tours

"All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit..." Acts 2

We were just in Gettysburg this past month, returning to the Seminary for my tenth year class reunion--and to visit our son and our daughter in law, who is a second year student. Living in or visiting Gettysburg are interesting things to do. There's a lot of history there--also a lot of hype and hoopla.

For instance, Ghost Tours. Evidently a local author has documented stories of restless souls roaming the battlefield and town--and even the seminary. He's written several books on the topic--and a Ghost Tour has even sprung up, visiting the haunted sites by lamp light.

I remember back in my time at the sem my friend and his family lived in one of the historic buildings there. Obviously influenced by the ghost industry in town, the children of the family told my friend they had seen a ghost in the basement. His reply was great. "The only ghost here is the Holy Ghost!"

I don't know why or when we got away from using the term Holy Ghost, but I'd like you to consider for a moment where in our lives together as Christians we might bring people on a Holy Ghost tour - a Spirit tour.


Maybe you'd stop in your Sunday School rooms, where the Spirit nurtures with the Word. Perhaps next you'd go to the font, where the Spirit is given in baptism. Then maybe you'd take visitors to the local food pantry, or homeless shelter--the Spirit sending us out into the word to do justice. Finally, you might take people outside to feel the breeze blowing--and tell them about the Spirit blowing where it will, leading in directions unforeseen!

A Holy Spirit tour of your church! I think it would be fun to do sometime. Not scary at all!

The Good News Comes in Many Forms

I think it was attributed to St. Francis. He told his followers, "Preach the gospel at all times. If necessary, use words." Meaning that our actions can be just as powerful witness to the love of Christ as our verbal witness.

Here in the Great White North, there's an organization--an offshoot of Lutheran Social Services--that gets donated cars, fixes them up and gives them to people who couldn't afford a vehicle otherwise. It's called Good News Garage, and its founder, Hal Colston (who I know from Synod Council) was interviewed by Tiki Barber on the Today Show yesterday.

It's worth a watch. So copy and paste this into your browser address bar, or go to Delicious Places to Visit (on the left--scroll down). And see for yourself the good that can be done when faith hope and love are activated in service!

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21134540/vp/24482180#24482180

You Gotta Love a God

There go the ships to and fro, and Leviathan, which you made for the sport of it. --Psalm 104

Here's an interesting bible passage. Psalm 104 is a praise song, that wonders and marvels at God's creation and ongoing care of it. Also God's power in those acts. What I find interesting about this verse is that Leviathan (a sea monster-ish, whale-ish creature) is said to be made just for the "sport" of it. In other words, God made some creatures and things just for the sheer fun of doing so.

I get the picture of God chuckling and smiling fondly at newly created Leviathan. No rhyme or reason for such a big fish. Just because.

There's parts of my being that I think God created for the sport of it. Not as a joke, or on a dare--but just because. At least I can't figure out why! Why for example did God make my back itch when I can't reach to scratch it? And why did God give me such a droll sense of humor? No reason--no reason other than God could and did.

You gotta love a God who creates things for the pure joy and creative exercise he gets from it. It sounds like good fun! What can you create in your world "just for the sport of it?"

Me? I'm thinking Oreo Pizza!

LYO--NNEMA Style!

I went to the Northern New England Mission Area Lutheran Youth Organization lock in Saturday night. That's a mouthful--let me break it down.

First "Lutheran Youth Organization." That's a group to which all ELCA (that's our denomination abbreviation) Lutheran high school aged youth belong. It's run differently in various areas, and some places don't have the organization--even though they have the Lutheran Youth. This lock in was the first meeting of this particular area's LYO. A kick off--organizing the organization!

Northern New England. That's part of the ELCA New England "Synod" which is a cluster of churches grouped together for mission together and support of each other. The northern designation includes all of Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont--as well as two churches in upstate New York near the Vt border.

Mission Area. That's a smaller band of churches in a specific context that work together on issues and projects that impact them locally, and work on global issues and projects from a grassroots level. The formation of a Youth Organization that serves such a huge geographical area will be a challenge. but it is exactly the contextual type of issue these groupings were meant to address.

Back to the lock in itself. It was remarkable mainly for its leadership in planning and carrying it off. Several youth did the lion's share of the job. Which means not only are they learning to be leaders in the church, but also that this will be a group that is totally youth-led, with adults serving only in a guidance capacity. This will truly be a gift to the church and her youth!

I left the lock in early to get back to Messiah for worship. But those who stayed had fun, learned about themselves and God, and started a new youth movement up her in the great white north!

God bless their continued work!!

May (scratch that) Ascension Day

Have you ever been to NYC—Manhattan I mean. Ever been? You know how you can tell the first time visitors to Manhattan? They’re the ones doing this (gawk upwards, point upwards, take picture upwards). Now, granted, the New York City skyscrapers are an awesome sight to behold. They’re captivating. But, as any native New Yorker would tell you—real life happens on street level.

There you see your pedestrians, your yellow cabs and buses, your food vendors, your shop windows, your various and sundry festivals and parades, and of course—your homeless people. Everyone and everything in a constant state of motion, surging at the cross walks, piling up around the entrances to the subway. It’s a river of humanity, flowing through the streets, nourishing the city with its life.

So, contrary to their first inclinations, tourists in Manhattan would get a better understanding of the city if they stopped looking up, and instead just looked around.

That’s what the angel says to the slack-jawed disciples as they stand on the mountain and watch Jesus slowly ascend into heaven—getting smaller and smaller, until the couldn’t even see him anymore—but couldn’t drag their eyes from the sight, either. “Men of Galilee, why are you looking up?” Jesus has gone to the Father. And he wants you to pick up where he left off. So look around. Assess the situation. Decide what needs to be done, figure out what needs to be said. And then do them and say them. Because life goes on down there, and you’ve got a job to do.

As do we. We are loved by a gracious God, who gave Jesus to take away our sin—we are free. And the promise of the resurrection has us dreaming of that one fine day, when tears will be no more, and sickness fade away, and strife end. We’re looking up to the great by and by. And that’s okay—for a while. But life happens at street level, and Jesus would want us to be there—not on the 100^th floor. So today, get your head out of the clouds. Look around with a Jesus eye. What can you do to tell that story? What can you do to point the way to Christ? And what can you learn from those whom you encounter—on the streets with Jesus?