Jesus is The Prince of Peace

Luke 2:1-20

In ancient tradition the day ends with the setting of the sun, and when it is fully set the next day has begun. So this is Christmas! Merry Christmas!

Many have traveled to be with family on this very holy day. Those of you who have traveled to be here with family in this place, welcome! I am so honored to worship God with you. I am honored that on this night we share the same path on this life changing journey called Christian discipleship. Aside from the nasty storm we had on Friday, the weather has been fairly agreeable for travel this season and I am glad you have made it safely here.

On Christmas eve 25 years ago I was in San Diego, which was, by the way the only Christmas I have ever spent outside of Michigan. I flew out with my sister and my grandmother and we had a connection to make in either Columbus or Cincinnati, I can't remember which now, but we came in through a terrible thunderstorm in a tiny aircraft. We were shaken like I had never been shaken before. I don't know if it was my heart cheering or if there was actually applause when the plane finally came to rest on the tarmac, but I know that it was a terrifying experience and we were all glad it was over. We made it safely to My Aunt and Uncle's in San tee which is a suburb of San Diego California. We had a nice holiday with them. We got to see all the great tourist attractions in the area. That year Michigan State University was in the Rose Bowl and we saw several of the marching band members when we visited Disney Land. We went up in the mountains, we went to Hollywood. It was a fun trip. It was a strange trip. I was allergic to something in my Aunts house and I woke every morning with my eyes matted shut. Also, while we were there it snowed. At the low elevation that we were at, it was a rare thing to see snow and it had been several years since it had last happened, and yet there it was cold and snow just like back in Michigan. Then there was the traffic. You think Chicago traffic is bad? You should experience the highway system between San Diego and Anaheim. There are few times I feared for my life as much as that. But with all the ups, downs, twists and turns of that experience. I absolutely treasure the memory of it.

All the difficulties we experienced on that trip were sort of normal. All the challenges were manageable. Now think of the difficulties Joe and Mary had on their Christmas trip. They had a nice place up north. They had a rough time the past few months with Mary's pregnancy. Joe knew that baby wasn't his and he suspected others knew it as well. They were told by the government that they had to go and get registered there was a census being taken. The thing is, they had to go back to their hometowns. That meant a week on the road, at least. They had no choice. It was the Law. So they headed out.

On any great life changing journey (which this was) not only do we face physical challenges but also spiritual and emotional ones as well. As a husband with a pregnant wife being forced to make a long difficult journey. The word resentment comes to mind.

We don't know the details of the journey except that when they got to the place they were heading there was no welcome for them. No family to house them. No friends to greet them. They couldn't even buy a place to stay. The Hotels were booked solid. The word stress comes to mind.

Stress around Christmas time? Unheard of. Right?

People that are stressed can be Grumpy, Angry, Irritated.

So the long journey was complete and now there was no place to stay. What could possibly happen next? Well that's when it was time for the baby to come. They needed a place. The only thing available was barn, probably just a cave for animals. It was all they had available. Mary was probably concentrating on the birth pangs while Joesph was thinking “This isn't the right place.” But the baby was coming, there was no stopping it. The baby that the Angel told her she would have 9 months before was here.

Mary lay her baby in a manger not because that was her desire but that is what was available.

Alone, no friends or family near. In a barn with a new baby. Completely vulnerable. The word fear comes to mind.

Meanwhile in a field some distance a way the heavens opened up and there is an army of God's angels singing praises to God over the birth that had just taken place. And one of those angels told to shepherd there to go and see the baby who is to be a savior. The baby who is the Messiah.

And so the young couple Joe and Mary in their resentment, stress and fear feeling very vulnerable with their new baby see a group of men approaching. Shepherds. Shepherds were not the most desirable characters in society. They stayed out with their sheep 24/7. What did these guys want?

These dirty, scary shepherds told Mary and Joe all they had experience and heard and just as quickly left them all the while praising God.

There they were, the Holy Family with their new born baby. Through all they experienced scripture says that Mary treasured up all that was said and pondered what it all might mean. The chaos, the frustration, the anger the fear surrounding the birth of Jesus now settles into peaceful contemplation.

In the birth event of Jesus Christ we see the heavenly and the earthly realms in accord. The army of angels praising God along with the lowliest of humanity. The baby Jesus surrounded by farm animals. There is no distinction of class. There are no laws given. There is only the perfect gift of love by a loving God. God gave himself to us that Christmas morning.

As you travel the path of this life. You will be met with resentment, stress and fear. This night, let the peace of God fill you as you ponder the wonder of the Eternal One born as a baby in Bethlehem and remains a connection between the Heavenly and the Earthly.

  

Confident Living in an Uncertain Life

Luke 1:26-45

We are called blessed when we accept the perplexing offer of God. Respond not react.

It is so good to see you all today! The Mayan Apocalypse didn't happen! I suppose you will all have to reinvest in your retirement plans and apologize to your relatives for finally telling them “how it is.” I had joked several times but it really wasn't a joke, that it didn't matter to me a bit if the world was to end on the 21^st of December because my heart was right with God. I am far from perfection. I have a long way to go to even get close to that, but I am confident of who I am and who's I am. I have made many mistakes, I have failed at many things. As many of you know, Diane and I owned a restaurant for several years before I went into the ministry. I have to say that that venture was doomed to failure from the very beginning. I am not a business man. I'm not good at it and I never really wanted to be. But those years were a necessary part of my journey.

And now, all these years later, I am here today in this place with you, in this place, worshiping a God that loves us. What could be better? The world didn't end. We still have to deal with the difficulties of this life. Don't get me wrong I welcome the chance to continue the road to perfection. I look forward to the next chapter of life. I can't wait to see what God has for me next because there is always something that is 'next'. But we have to ask the question, how do we face a future that is unsure? How do we live with confidence when we don't know when the end of our life will come?

Looking back over the events of your life, can you imagine how overwhelmed you would be if you knew before hand every challenge that you have faced and have come through? If you knew at the beginning, every loss, every sickness, every hurt it would be near impossible to face a life with all that in store. We can kind of guess what kind of pain we will suffer in the future but we can put that out of our minds because the future isn't really real. If we knew exactly what was going to happen, I believe it would be too much to bear.

About 10-15 years ago I had a realization about the impermanent nature of life. Back then my youngest two siblings were transitioning out of high school. I was living within an hours drive of my parents house and I would frequently go there and we would sit around the fire pit and talk and enjoy each others company. We did this several times during the summer months and it was great. I loved it. My kids loved it. Life was good. The realization came one night as I was driving away with my wife and two kids back to our home in Gowen. I was hit by a wave of sadness over the fact that these weekend get-togethers would not go on forever. I could see where my life was heading, I could see changes happening in my siblings lives. I knew that we were at a high point in our life. I could see that things were going to change and I didn't know what that change was going to look like. I started to mourn the loss even before it was gone. I voiced my feelings to my wife. I remember exactly were I was I was on the corner of Jordan Rd. and Vandecar Rd. I remember this because I always remember when God speaks to me. You see, often times he uses my wife's voice to speak to me. I don't remember her words but I remember the message. “There is nothing to fear. I have even more blessings in store for you.”

Photo by Steve Begnoche of the Ludington  Daily News. 

Yes God. Thank you God. The question remains: How do we face a future that is unsure? We read in God's word this morning the account of Mary's reaction to the Angel Gabriel. The angel, the messenger of God came to Mary and said, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God! Listen: You will become pregnant and give birth to a son, and you will name him Jesus. He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give him the throne of his father David. He will reign over the house of Jacob forever and his kingdom will never end.” Notice the angel doesn't mention anything about having to live as a refugee in Egypt. Notice the Angel doesn't mention that her son will be rejected, beaten and executed. The angel does day that he will be holy; he will be called the Son of God.

Mary wasn't afraid even though the angel said not to be. The only emotion was perplexed.

She pondered. She pondered the words of the angel. She went to stay with her cousin Elizabeth who was also pregnant. I presume that the time spent with her cousin Elizabeth was filled with much pondering. Pondering what god had done, what god is asking, what God is growing inside of her. Mary started with perplexity, responded with openness and grew in her acceptance and obedience by pondering. How do we face a future that is unsure? Well like Mary we accept the circumstance that is before us and we ponder God's will for us in this very moment. God's will isn't for us to suffer but it may be God's will that we learn to lean on him in our suffering. It's not God's will that family relationships get strained but it may be God's will that when they are strained we appreciate the value of the relationships we have and we redouble our efforts to cultivate them. God may be asking you to accept a challenge, to face something new, to make a change. God may not be telling you all the negative stuff that will happen, you may only be hearing about the positive things. When I realized that the closeness of my family around the fire pit was only for a season the sadness over what was going to be lost was all that occupied my mind. But when I look back, my life has been a beautiful journey with God that has been full of blessings that I could not possibly have anticipated. I was released from the prison/blessing of business ownership and brought into life proclaiming his word in this way.

When Mary went to stay with Elizabeth, her cousin knew right away that Mary was pregnant with a very special baby. Likewise when we move obediently into Gods will, when we turn and orient our lives toward God, it won't go unnoticed. If you are following God's direction it will be affirmed by Godly people. There will be people who will recognize it as such and it affirm it. So how we we live a confident life in a world that is unsure? We seek the will and word of God in every circumstance and ask, “How will God be birthed into this world through the things He has called us to do? How is God strengthening us and preparing us through the challenges we face?” And we stay in constant communion with our God and with each other through every difficulty.

So How is it with you today? Is your future unsure? Are you afraid? Perplexed? Don't be. God is there. God loves you. And we are all on the journey with you.  

Cry Out!

Luke 3:1-6

 Here we are in the second of four Sundays of Advent. This week I want to encourage you to cry out! Make your voice be heard! Lift your voice. don't be shy. Say what you gotta say! When we have something on our heart that is important, it should be said. The good, the bad, the ugly. Whatever it is that you feel compelled to say, cry it out!

Let me tell you about Nathan. Nathan was a man in his early thirties. He lived at home with his parents, worked at Little Caesars, volunteered in his community and was loved by many, many people. Nathan, in all the time I knew him had significant health problems. Since the time he was a baby his whole life was one medical crisis after another. They cried out! They prayed to God for healing. They cried out! They praised God for healing. When things were going well with is health, it got to the point that they would all prepare for the unknown next thing that would happen because experience had taught them that there would always be a next thing. It the four years that I knew him he almost died twice from inexplicable internal bleeding. In May of 2010, right around the time that we got the call that Eli had been born, I also got a call that Nathan was sick. I went with his family to a hospital in Lansing. Tests were ran, then a biopsy was done. Then the diagnosis came. Liver cancer.

In November of that year I helped carry Nathan's dad carry him into the family home so that he could spend his last days on this earth in a familiar place. He was gone by the weekend. .

I officiated his funeral and the place was packed. Nathan touched many lives. His parents were obviously devastated. But his mom told me that if the same thing had happened 10 years before, both she and her husband would not have been able to cope at all. It was in the past 10 years that their faith life really started to blossom. They weren't new Christians. They were Christians that at some point decided that their faith life was something worth deepening and developing. When I think about the things that get me down and frustrate me, I think of my friends and the strength that God gave them. And I find strength. I tell you the story of Nathan and his family because it is a time in this world when God acted. When they came to the end of their own strength, God held them up. When they grew tired, God helped them along. It happened in a year that Barack Obama was president, Rick Snyder was elected governor of the state of Michigan and I was the Pastor of the Greenbush United Methodist Church.

The eternal God was active at a particular time and a particular place. Yes, Nathans life ended earlier than most. But the miracle is that he has eternal life through Jesus Christ. Another miracle is that his parents and all who love him have the hope of reunion in the life to come. Still another miracle is that we can live in hope and confidence in this life because of what Jesus has done to assure us of the life to come. Its a miracle that his mother and father can think back on those days and smile knowing that God was there.

As it is written in Scripture:

So submit to God. But resist the devil and he will flee from you. Draw near to God and he will draw near to you.

Holy Scripture is a record of people crying out to God. It is a record of God's action in this world. It is the story of how God was active in history and I the lives of individuals. Our faith also tells that story. It tells the story of redemption, of regeneration, of forgiveness, of starting over, of being holy, of being pure. Its a story of grand ideas and of our eternal purpose that the stories of scripture tell. But it's more than that! In our Gospel lesson from the book of Luke it says that it was in a particular time and in a particular place. It was when Herod was ruler and it was when Pontius Pilate was governor, God did something. God was active through John who would later be called the baptist.

It was John. It was a particular man. It was Zachariah's boy! He went out to a particular place, to the region around the Jordan and he was telling people to turn from their way of living and turn toward God and to receive the forgiveness of God. All this was to fulfill what God had said through the prophet Isaiah. And then the writer of the Gospel quotes Isaiah.

He was saying, 'we were waiting for it. We were expecting it. We were taught it by our religious leaders. And now that I saw it, I am going to tell people about it; I'm going to write it down; I'm going to cry it out because I want you to know about it.

So yes. We are going to witness. We are going to tell people about what Jesus said in the Bible. We are going to tell people about what Jesus did in the Bible. But that won't mean a thing to most people unless they know that all that makes a difference in your life. Yes we cry out to Jesus. We cry out to Jesus with our hurts, our joys, our worries and our victories. Cry out to Jesus with all those things! But don't forget to cry out FOR Jesus. Don't forget to tell people about what Jesus has done for you. Don't forget to tell about what Jesus means to you; what the difference Jesus has made in your life.

 God is not closed off. God is not dormant. God is active! God is dynamic! God is the Eternal One! God created the heavens and the earth with action of a spoken word. God is still creating. The potter of this earthen clay is still molding and forming, kneading and working.

How is God acting in your life right now? How is God speaking to you today? The words from the prophet Isaiah come through the experience of John the baptist and are before us today. “every valley shall be filled.” What are the low parts of your life? Where does the undesirable stuff settle? How can those places be filled? “Every mountain and hill shall be made low.” What are the obstacles that stand in your way today? What holds you back from living the way God created you to live? How can those obstacles be leveled? “And the crooked shall be made straight.” What is diverting you? What is distracting you? How can you be more intentional about getting to where you need to be? “and the rough ways made smooth.” The rough road is often the only rout available. Cry out to Jesus. He will be with you.  

On Kinney Down

As we are preparing for Christmas at our house, Jaylen has rekindled his love for the Christmas tree.  Jay Loves, LOVES the Christmas tree.  Last year he spread out his arms and made motions like he was hugging the prickly bows of this centerpiece of our living room.  This year we often find him lying on the arm of the chair next to the tree singing to it, touching it, rearranging the ornaments on it.  Sometimes things get knocked off the tree as he tries to squeeze in behind it.  I don't worry about any of that.  It's not that he is being careless, he is enjoying a decoration and a symbol of our faith like I have never witnessed before.  God is blessing him through visual, tactile and olfactory senses in a way that I wouldn't have anticipated.  

In God's Presence

I was stopped in my proverbial tracks the other day by a post on Twitter.  It said, "You can't be in prayer at all times unless you are in prayer at particular times."

Hold on!  That is the great cop out; the universal excuse; the ultimate free pass.

Being spiritually disciplined is an important part of our growth as human beings into what God intends for us to be.  I have spent seasons of my life where I diligently engage in regular prayer, searching the Holy Scriptures, holy conferencing, collective worship and fasting (though this is the toughest one for me). But as is the nature of seasons, they pass.  My fervor for the spiritual disciplines begins to wane and pretty soon I am making excuses like "I am always in an attitude of prayer," and other nonsense excuses like that.  Since the only one we need to account to for our actions is God and God already knows the lies we are telling ourselves we might as well just stop the excuse making and get to focusing on our relationship to the God that loves us and wants the best for us.  

We need to establish for ourselves a Rule of Life. This is something that we can and will commit to on a regular basis, be it daily or weekly to nurture our relationship with our God.  Let's start with time spent with God in prayer, intentional, regular time devoted to being in God's presence.  I propose three times a day.  When you wake in the morning, just before you lie down at night are good times to start because there is little modification to your schedule necessary.  I have created a tool for my self.  It is a string of wooden discs divided in three sections by knots. I start with the Lord's Prayer then  I pray the "Jesus Prayer" for each disc as a way of occupying the part of my mind that likes to distract me from resting peacefully in God's presence.  At each of the knots I praise God a recitation of the "Glory Be." When I complete the circuit of discs I again pray the Lord's prayer all the while keeping my heart, mind and spirit open to God's Leading.

A prayer tool of my own making. 

I mentioned a schedule of three times per day.  I suggest that the third time of prayer be just before or after the mid-day meal and that it would be in a fellowship people praying alongside of you.  I will be praying everyday at the church between 11:30 am and 11:45 am.  Join me.

It's when we find a rhythm of regular prayer that it eventually will become possible to also pray at all times and always know the presence of The Shepherd.   

Endurance

The Nativity Scenes in our homes are more than holiday decorations.
They are reminders of the zeal of God for humanity.
We, in turn, respond with love for God and neighbor. 

Luke 21:25-37

We are called to endure. We are not called to suffer, though there is plenty of suffering in this world and is near impossible to avoid.

We are called to endure. Endurance, for a runner, its the ability to finish the race with strength. Endurance for the Christian is to finish this earthly life with spiritual strength, both take intentional training.

What gives you spiritual strength and endurance?

What do you do in your home to develop your spirit?

What do you do the rest of the time?

This is the first Sunday in Advent. This is the season we prepare our hearts, minds and spirits for the Christmas celebration on December 25^th. This is a time rich in tradition. We can largely expect things to go much the same as they always have because, as I have heard some of you say, “what did we do last year?” Or “How did we do this last year?” We begin this season of preparation walking the line between a historical remembrance of actual events and entering into the mystery of God where those events point to something for us know and experience.

As Christians we are not called to go with the flow. As Christians we are not called affirm the world as it is. We are not called to retreat from this world, we are not called to reject this world. Jesus came and He called us to proclaim the kingdom of God. We believe that God will redeem the brokenness of this world. We believe that God will use those who are faithful in the work of redemption. The redemption of the earth and of creation has been happening from the very beginning of time but it began in a special way in Bethlehem 2000 and some years ago. This is a historic event as well but more importantly this was spiritual event and a spiritual reality.

We remember and prepare for the event of the birth of Jesus, but we also prepare for the birth of Christ in our lives in a new or renewed way. But that's not all! As disciples of Jesus we read the words he said as recorded in the scriptures and one of the things that he made clear was that the he, the son of Man, was going to come back. There would be a second coming and we are to live in such a way that it will be a blessing and a benefit to us. This is a spiritual reality that Christians believe. But is it one that will be an eventual historic reality. You see this is a challenge for a lot of believing Christians. It's been 2000 years after all! Jesus followers of his day believed that the Jesus' second coming would be coming any day. Then as I have said before, there have been over the course of time many calculations and predictions of dates that have come and gone when these event were to take place. And still we remain!

It can cause one to doubt or to question whether these things will happen. But Jesus is clear. You will see signs.

There will be sings in the sun and moon and stars, (I'm not sure what that will be) and on earth nations will be in distress, anxious over the roaring of the sea and the surging waves (any nations in distress? Any anxiety over the roaring of the sea and the surging waves? Yes of course, but what's new?) “People will be fainting from fear and from the expectation of what is coming on the world, for the powers of heaven will be shaken. Then they will see the Son of Man arriving in a cloud with power and great glory.” Shaken heavens and seeing the Son of man coming in the indescribable Glory of God? That's new.

You see, we wont miss it. It will happen for everybody on the face of the earth. The question is, will we be aware or will we be distracted?

Will we lift our heads or will we hang them low?

Will that day come like a trap or will it be the welcome culmination of the faithfully lived life?

Jesus say when these thing begin to happen, stand up and raise your heads, because your redemption is drawing near! The day of your rescue from the life of illusion and confusion you have created for yourself will arrive! That day will be obvious. What about preparing for that day?

When we come to the day of our redemption things will be different. The things that are of no value to God will go away. The things we do and say that do not glorify God...will go away. Our possessions that distract us will go away. The work we do that does not lead to the Kingdom of God will come to an end.

What if, on that day, you have grown accustomed, attached even fond of all your unprofitable attachments? Then suddenly they are taken away.

How many times in your life have you gone through the Advent and Christmas season and on December 26^th or so you say something like, “It just doesn't fell like we had Christmas,” Or “I cant believe its over already”? That's because sometimes we expect the season to just happen to us. We enter into all the distractions of the Holiday and ride them like a merry-go-'round and we end up going no where.

This is a dangerous and difficult world. The distractions that we choose to become addicted to, seemingly make this wold easier to tolerate. But in reality, they sap our strength. They disconnect us from the true source of peace and power. Our distractions move us further and further away from our devotion to Almighty God.

Jesus says “Be alert praying that you may ave the strength to escape all these things that will take place.”

Distractions of this world,drunkenness worries of this life are things that Jesus warns against not because they make God so angry but because they will distract us from the blessings and the promise of his presence and his coming.

The point of preparing for Christmas is preparing our hearts, minds and souls for an indwelling Jesus Christ in our lives. If we are truly prepared for Christ to enter our lives, we will live as though the kingdom has already come. We need to look inside and remove those things that we are attached to that are not glorifying to God.

If you have built a life full of distractions and suddenly those distractions are taken away it may well seem like your life has been taken away. It can be very uncomfortable and even painful. Just look at the pain and difficulty of the process of overcoming addiction to alcohol or other substances. But if we commit our lives, now, to loving God, when that day comes it will be a beautiful culmination of a faith fulled life.

Jesus is coming in a way that you cannot possibly expect. Be prepared. Be watchful.

So how is it with you today? We all have distractions that are not profitable to our spirits. As we enter into a time of communion with our God lets us begin with a time of confession, lifting to God those things we know that we need to let go. Lift to God, silently in your heart and mind, those things and ask God for forgiveness, and ask God for the freedom to love him more freely.   

Changing Season

A day after Thanksgiving, the temperature dropped. Things just feel different. Monday the church was decorated for Advent and Christmas, this just added to the sense of transition into something new.

Advent marks the beginning of the Christian year. This is the season we prepare for The Christ to be birthed into our lives. Have a blessed Advent.

Born For This

Today is Christ the King Sunday.

Jesus taught his followers, and still teaches us today that to lead you have to serve. He taught that Loving God meant loving each other. But Jesus wasn't just a life coach. Jesus wasn't just a philosopher or a teacher. Jesus wasn't just a rabbi. Jesus made absolute claim that he was the word of God made flesh. He claimed to be God's anointed one. Jesus is the Messiah. Jesus is the Christ.

If Christ is King, if Jesus is Lord that means we don't have to be or even pretend to be. That takes a lot of pressure off!

If Christ is king, I will bow before him no matter what the minimum requirement.

If Christ is king and he was rejected, then its alright if I get rejected because I am his disciple.

If Christ is king, then we have to see all of our aspirations, failures and successes in the light of his rule.

If Christ is King then hope and comfort will reign instead of despair and grief.

If Christ is King then violence and hatred are overcome by mercy and forgiveness.

If Christ is king we know someone is in charge.

If Christ is king, then I know that I am not.

If Christ is king then no one else is.

Jesus Christ is a king like no other. Christ the king doesn't call us to rule over others. Our king doesn't call us to violence. Our king doesn't promise riches or material security.

Our king asks us to follow him.

Our king invites us to rest in him.

Our king says to learn from him.

Our king tells us to Love God with all that we are.

Our king says that he and the father are one.

Our king says to love your neighbor as your self.

Our king tells us to go and make more learners and teach them all that he taught us.

Our king spoke often of the Kingdom of Heaven..the Kingdom of God.

The kingdom of God is like a farmer who sows seeds

The kingdom is like a mustard seed

The kingdom is like a field of wheat and weeds.

The kingdom is like treasure in a field

The kingdom is like yeast

The kingdom is like pearls of great value

The kingdom is like a fishing net.

Humanity has largely rejected the idea of earthly kings as a political reality. Our country had its birth when it fought a war to cast off monarchical rule. Now every four years we elect someone that half the country will criticize relentlessly until the next election. We don't trust our fellow humans with power over us. We don't trust those who claim to have the right to rule us. There is a good reason for this. It was never God's plan.

When the Hebrews wanted a ruler, a king like other nations had, the judge Samuel went to God with the request and it was King Saul was made ruler over them. If you have read your bible you know that arrangement didn't work out so well for the people or for Saul. Then David was king. Then a cycle of Bad kings and not-so-bad kings ruled and continued to make a mess of things all the while, the prophets of God continued to call the people back to God. Then God intervened.

Jesus was born. Royalty born in a barn. The King of kings for all eternity born to a young couple in an occupied land making the difficult journey to Bethlehem. He grew up and only a few recognized him for who he was but even they abandoned him in the end. He was crucified. He died. He defeated death. He ascended into heaven and reigns as King.

This is where we find ourselves in the story. What happens next we do not know. Scripture says he is coming back. We cannot predict when that will be or what that will look like. Jesus says don't even try to guess.

Christ is king and he his a king like no other. He didn't come and conquer. He didn't subjugate. Jesus came as a servant. Jesus came and sacrificed himself. As we find ourselves today, in this chapter of God's story, we have a king who has called us to follow him. How will we respond? Where does our allegiance to Jesus fall in our list of loyalties? How does Jesus fair on your list of important things? Spouse, children, parents, siblings, country, culture, politics, where does submission to Christ the king fall in your list?

In the Gospel lesson today Jesus is on trial before the Roman governor Pontius Pilate. Pilate clearly wants little to do with this situation. He doesn't want Jesus to be his problem. The question of kingship comes up. Jesus said, “My kingdom is not from this world. If my kingdom were from this world, my f0ollowers would be fighting to keep me from being handed over to the Jews. But as it is ,my kingdom is not from here.” Pilate asked him, “So you are a king?”Jesus answered, “You say that I am a king. For this I was born and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone who belongs to the truth listens to my voice.”

Born to testify to the truth. Jesus said that is what is was born to do. What were you born to do? Can you put your finger on one thing? What were you born for? If you can name something, how often do you do what you were born to do? How well do you do what you were born to do?

Jesus said he was born to testify to to the truth. Pilate asked him “what is truth?” Good question!

A lie is a lie even if everyone believes it and the truth is the truth even if no one believes it. If Jesus said, “Everyone who belongs to the truth listens to my voice,” then why are there so many well meaning, intelligent people not listening to his voice? Perhaps its because some of the people who claim to be his followers have forgotten to listen for his voice and have presented a distorted what it means to be a disciple of Christ. If Jesus is not at the top of your priority list, if Christ is not your king then what is? The kingdom of God will be made manifest in those who listen and obey. The kingdom of God will be realized when we let the Holy Spirit inhabit us and transform us. The kingdom of God will be on earth as it is in heaven when those who claim the name of Jesus as lord. How can Christ be king of the world if he is not even king of his believers? How can this world heal, if we don't abide Jesus' rule?

When Jesus was about to leave this world he commissioned his followers to do the work he was doing. He once said that his followers would do greater things than he did. It is only by submission to his will that this is possible.

We all are on this journey of life together. The question for our spiritual lives and our life together is always, “what's next?” The answer to that questions is always to seek a deeper connection to God. We are never done. We can always go further up and further in. We can surrender more and more of our life to our King. On our journey we will discover things that will impede our efforts to get closer to God. These are the things that we will remove. The things that are ineffective in drawing us to the truth, we will leave behind.

So, how is it with you today? Have you accepted Christ as your king? Is Jesus the Lord of your life? I am praying for you my brothers and sisters. May Gods kingdom come on earth as it is in heaven.

On Kinney Down

I went to my hometown for Thanksgiving.  Eli with his cousin.  

My family's heraldry includes farming symbols.

This is the chimney that goes through the room that
was my bedroom as a child.  My chalk art that
I made to make it more attractive has survived
for a quarter-century.  

Hold On!

I wish is had a blood pressure cuff this past week. I was at home with the family. We had the television on. And a political ad came on. I couldn't believe it. The election was over. Aside from being a wast of money because they aired the commercial at the wrong time it was a waste of my time because, like most people I got pretty sick and tired of those ads and I didn't want to hear one more word about it. I started going into a tirade and wasn't a couple of sentences into it when I noticed the commercial started moving in fast motion. I hadn't realized until that moment that the program we were watching was recorded from the week before and now my loving wife was kindly fast forwarding it to spare me the pain of watching one more moment of it.

A moment of pause would have done me well. A moment of reflection and patience before speaking would have saved me some grief. Fortunately, only my family was around to see this embarrassing display. With out saying a word; with out a gesture or a glance' with the quick action of the remote control my wife said “hold on!”

That's a multipurpose phrase, “Hold on”

“Hold on” can mean to pause as my wife's actions suggested. Its what you say when you are wanting to catch up to someone, getting them to wait. Its what you say when you are challenging someone on an idea. You ever done that? It seems to happen more around election season. Someone is passionate about a subject and they are going on and on and at some point they cross a line that you cannot agree with so you stop them with a “hold on.” I wonder what the criteria is, for some people when forming their political opinions. It ought to be be based on the great commandments of God but I am convinced that's not always the case. What is the line that some one crosses that causes you to say, “Now hold on!”? It's interesting to look inside and investigate where our biases come from.

Jesus gave the disciples a “hold on” in the scripture today.

Jesus and his disciples were walking out of the temple and they were awestruck by the immensity of the place. And Jesus told them not to be so impressed because all this is temporary. Well scripture has Jesus saying, “ Do you see these great buildings? Not one stone will be left on another. All well be torn down.”

These guys were small town fishermen and they were with Jesus in Jerusalem, in the temple which was at that time one of the wonders of the world. And Jesus was saying that this marvel was temporary. Ti must have seemed unbelievable.

This week in history 25 years ago, in 1987 I was a small town boy getting ready to play in the state championship football game in the Pontiac Silver-dome. We came out of that tunnel for a short practice onto that field that two nearly years before Barry Sanders ever did. My coach, taking a cue from the movie The Hoosiers, pulled out a tape measure and measured a yard and, yep, it was a regular ole yard, 36 inches. And now The Silver-dome goes unused.

This is a temporary world with temporary things and temporary problems. Jesus disciples wanted to know when the destruction of the temple would happen. They wanted dates. They wanted a time line. They wanted a heads up or a warning. But Jesus gave them a “hold on.” There will be people who will try to use events to try to claim to be the Christ but don't you listen to them. Jesus in his loving care didn't address their question directly but warned them about the dangers of their way of thinking. We ought not be looking for signs of the end but instead we should be staying true to what God commands us.

Hold on and also mean brace yourself. There is rough road ahead. Its like when I get last second directions in the car to make a turn. I tell the kids, “Hold on!”

Do you other parents instinctively put your hand in front of your child in the passenger seat to protect them? We do that I a lot of ways not just in the car. We try to keep those we love safe in a world that is dangerous and full of things we cannot control.

When we face difficulties, sometimes the only thing we can do is hold on, to minimize the loss or the damage. That feeling of being out of control is not one that we desire. This is a dangerous world. We can marvel at a sunset over Lake Michigan and say that God is good but then we also have to look at the devastation that Hurricane Sandy has wrought and hold on to the same understanding of God. God is still good. There are some who say that this storm or that storm is a judgment by God about this or that action of a people. That doesn't make much sense to me. Does that mean that we northern Michiganders get punished with dangerous blizzards every January and February for our sins? Only to be rewarded with heaven on earth every summer and fall? No its just a dangerous world we live in. Bad things happen. During the good times we rest in God and During the rough times we hold on and rest in God. Jesus said that there wold be wars and rumors of wars. Jesus said that there would be earth quakes and famines. Hasn't this happened many many times in the past 2000 years? Hasn't there been many predictions of the end of time that have come and gone? Has that been spiritually profitable to anyone? The current one that is getting attention is the end of the Mayan calendar. I know its frustrating when you get to the end of the calendar you are using and have to buy a new one, especially when it's been carved out of stone and is centuries old but time marches on and we have something eternal to hold on to.

That's another way to use the phrase “Hold on”. Keep secure what is true and valuable. Hold on to my grandmothers frog that was her door stop for all the years of my life. But even as solid and as permanent as it seems it is temporary so I don't hold to tightly. Hold on to what is eternal. Hold on to what is true: God loves you unconditionally; God took the initiative in saving you the tangle of hell you have created for yourself; Jesus is God in human form and came to give you life; Life in Jesus means life in eternity.

So, how is it with you today? Hold on! Pause and asses your situation. Hold on! It could get rough, but God is there. Hold on! Hold on to what is true and eternal.

On Kinney Down

Jay getting his glasses adjusted AGAIN. The staff at the optometrist know us well. 

Some notes from the Kindergarten Sunday School class for me.  What a delight!

This is the entrance where I get my hair cut.  I now have a barber.  Thought I have
been gong her for over a year now, I finally can call her "my barber" because there is now
that familiarity means little needs to be said.  Its a Zen-like understanding. 

  

Blessing of a Home

This is not a home altar. These items are in my study in the church.
The painting is of the lighthouse in Ludington painted by my wife.
This is to acknowledge that the true holy land is where you are
not some particular piece of geography. the egg is wooden and hand-
painted from Ukraine.  Its gift from my brother and a nod to Christian
tradition.  The paper is a "love letter" from a former church wishing me well.
The cup reminds me of the cup of blessing. The photo is of my siblings. the
Shell is a symbol of baptism and a souvenir from my kids' mission trip.
The Nativity scene is hand carved olive wood purchased from Palestinian
Christians. 

 In my last post I brought up the idea of consecrating our homes, of perhaps, even having a home altar. The home is the place where we can truly practice God's unconditional love. In our homes we are free from pretense. In our home our true nature is most revealed. In our home life is at its most raw. How blessed would it be to come before God, as a family, in our shared weakness to ask for God's strength? If you have children or grand children they will learn from you how to relate to God. If you only relate to God one day a week, then that is how they will likely relate to God. If you make your spiritual life indivisible from the rest of your life, well then our children will be all the stronger for it.

In our home we have weekly family meetings. In these meetings each person has an opportunity to bring up a topic of discussion to which every person has a an opportunity to respond to. This act of intentional communication with each other has strengthened us and has brought greater peace and harmony to our home. Wouldn't it stand to reason that if we included God in our daily lives that the blessings would multiply? Yes, most families have a prayer before meal time but what about a more intentional way of living our life together?

In our United Methodist Book of Worship there is a SERVICE FOR THE BLESSING OF A HOME on page 610. In this service, several scriptures are suggested (I will list them below). What if, at the beginning of Advent or the beginning of the calendar year we rededicate not only ourselves and our families but our homes as well, to God? The liturgy for this service will take less than ten minutes. What a great way to start the year and what a great way to get to know each other better! You could make it as simple or elaborate as you want. I could breeze in and breeze out or you could make it a party!

I would enjoy comments, suggestions and even Guinea pigs for this.

Blessings. 

Suggested lessons for the blessing of a home:

Joshua 24:14-25

1 John 4:11-21

Acts of the Apostles 2:43-47

Ephesians 3:14-21

Matthew 7:24-27

Matthew 6:25-33

John 14:1-3

Ship Building

Mark 12:38-44

A Staircase, for many, is an impassabile barrier.
How many of these barriers do we have in our
chruch?

Are we looking for attention, or are we drawing attention to Jesus?

Based on this text, this could easily be a message about money and tithing and stewardship.   Those are all good things to talk about in church.  Yes the widow offered to what she had to live on, while the rich folk put in a little of the extra they had.  They were offering out of their abundance while she abandoned any sense of sense of attachment to material things and honored God by offering what she had.  This is a powerful lesson on trusting God. But this incident that is recorded in Holy Scriptures also reveals a lesson about intention and attention.

We are made to give attention to God and we are made to need God’s attention.  However we are also given the ability to reject God and to isolate ourselves.  The greatest commandment is to Love God with everything that you are.  I would say that means paying attention to God.  The second is to love your neighbors as yourself.  If we love our neighbors the way we should, then not one of us will go without the love and attention we need.  We, as a community of God’s people are the body of Christ on earth.  The Love and nurture we show is God’s love for those who need it. 

But the fact of the matter is that some…many fall through the cracks.  There are many who do not have the love and attention they need.  So they seek it out in different ways. 

I remember once when I was a boy.  I was probably nine or ten years old. I was riding my bicycle and I got into some loose sand at the turn of our driveway.  I crashed pretty hard and skinned my arm and had gravel everywhere.  I didn’t get up.  There wasn’t anything broken.  I wasn’t hurt so badly that I couldn’t get up but I wanted someone to notice that I had fallen.  I was looking for a little attention.  I lay there in the driveway in the Hot July sun for a few minutes before I realized that no one was coming and even if they had the pain had mostly gone and I wouldn’t really have much to complain about, so I got up and when about my business.

We all get attention for various things.  The difficult part is when we get used to it and then lose it.  Perhaps we can’t do the things we used to do.  Perhaps we don’t feel as useful as we once were.  Perhaps our gestures of generosity go unnoticed by those who benefit from them. 

The widow who put her two coins in the box at the temple didn’t expect to be noticed that day.  No one notices her.  Every one notices the teachers of the law with their long robes and such.  Everyone pays attention to the big donors because their contributions can do so much.  The widow with her two coins came, made her offering, and went, nearly unnoticed.  But God noticed.  Jesus drew his disciples’ attention to her actions.  He set her up as the example.   She has God’s attention and the attention of Christian disciples for two millennia as we read her story in scripture.  With that said it is likely that, in life, she never knew that anyone saw what she did.  We don’t know what happened to her after this.  We don’t know how she got her next meal.  We don’t know how much longer she lived.  But one thing we do know: She honored God and God noticed.  God was paying attention.   

God is paying attention and God can see our intention.  This event is presented in scripture along with Jesus warning to his disciples, “Watch out for the experts in the law. They like walking around in long robes and elaborate greetings in the market places and chief seats in the synagogues, and chief places at feasts:  Those who devour widows’ houses, and for a pretense make long prayers. These will receive greater condemnation.”  It seems that the intention of the experts in the law is to get attention from people, and Jesus says they will receive greater condemnation.  The widow’s intention was to Honor God and she is honored for it. 

In a few weeks we will see some plans for a proposed renovation of the church building.  A few of us have seen the early version of it and it looks wonderful.  It will make the whole building easier to use for those with trouble getting around.  The whole building will be accessible by wheel chair if follow through with it.  If we do go forward with it no one will pat us on the back and say good job; no one will give us a medals or awards; it will be inconvenient and expensive.  But then we aren’t looking for attention are we! Our intention is to fulfill the mission of making disciple of all nations, teaching them all that we have been taught.  Our intention is to Love God with everything that we have and everything that we are.  Our intention is to love our neighbors as ourselves. 

If we go ahead with this project, in a couple of years when a visitor comes to St. Paul UMC they may not know or even notice that this church had done a renovation but they will notice that they feel welcomed and loved as they are able to participate fully in the vital ministries of this church because there will be no barriers; there will be no part of the building that they cannot get to because stairs go in their way.  We want noting to stand in the way of God’s love for people.  If we can make this building easier for people to be in then we ought to do it.  If we can remove physical barriers then we can build a larger and stronger community of believers to love and care for each other in Jesus name, bearing each other’s burdens.

So how is it with you today?  Do you know that God loves you and sees the good you have done?  God knows the obstacles you face and the ones you have already overcome.  God knows what wonderful things are in store for you and God asks us only to have faith. 

On Kinney Down

This week Savannah was away to a leadership camp.  For a 13-year-old she seems to be gone a lot.  She left on Wednesday and will get home this afternoon.  I miss her.  I knew I would miss her before she left.  I hear of parents with teen aged children complaining about how difficult they are to raise, and, granted they do present very different challenges from previous years, but I think they are great.  I fear that when the day comes that they leave for college I will be a mess.  I am addicted to my kids. I can’t help it.  I got a little taste of this when I officiated my sister Abby’s wedding this fall.  When she came down the aisle I was overcome with emotion.  Now, mind you, I don’t cry; I don’t get emotional and I certainly don’t get “overwhelmed” but it was Abby, my baby sister; my little princess.  I held back. I soldiered on.  We got through.  I don’t think I’ll be as successful when it’s my daughters turn.

Alex had his first quiz bowl this week.  He loves it! he said, "I have found my people."  It was an awesome nerd fest, and I mean that with the greatest amount of love, coming from a self-avowed, practicing nerd.  Alex made the same observation and I said in response, “Yes, but these are the people who will be ruling the world in a couple of decades.”

The Contemplative House

Here is a blogger that has explored the idea of a home altar a little further than I.

http://oblatespring.blogspot.com/2010/06/contemplative-house-benedictine-oblate.html?m=1

Your Child's Spiritual Guide

     On election day I set out early with my son Eli to go to the Riverton Township hall to vote.  I was number 60. That seems to be the thing to say nowadays.  The little electronic counter on the machine you feed your ballot into counts you and then you compare with your friends which number you were and what time you where there.  I was a long ballot this time.  lost of bubbles to fill in.  Eli played at my feet, demanded to be held a couple of different times.  We got through it.  Actually I enjoy it.  Voting that is.  I like the illusion that my vote matters.  That somehow by taking the time to do this that my only earthly power is exercised.  Of course we all exercise greater influence through our day to day interactions. We are immersed in our own culture. We are shaped by it.  It defines who we are.  Most of us don't think we have a "culture" it is just normal life. But try living in a different culture for a little while, even if it is just a little different. 
     On election day buried a friend and church member.  She and her husband moved away a few months ago to be closer to family Grand Rapids.  While her graveside service was here in Ludington. The cemetery was right behind the hall where I voted three hours before.  the funeral was the day before in Grand Rapids.  I attended that service as a friend, a mourner, and an observer.  I observed that her family has great faith in God.  I don't say this lightly.  I have officiated many, many funerals where the families "believed" or were "church go-ers" but few had such trust in the promises of the Christian faith as this family does.  It seems to be part of their DNA to trust that she is living eternally in the presence of God.  Other families I have met seem lost, confused, disoriented at the loss of a family member.  This family, though hurting and sad had a calm assurance about them that I admire.
      I was number 60 on the voter tally.  I don't know what my number is when it comes to leaving this world (if you believe in that sort of thing). I do know this: leading my family into a life of faith is a gift that has no equal.  To be able to grieve loss without being destroyed spiritually and emotionally is necessary for survival. 
     A new friend of mine gave me a great idea.  In his home he has his own altar where he centers himself and devotes himself to God.  He has made his home a sanctuary.  I am going to suggest that we all do this.  That we view our homes not just as a place where we sleep and keep our stuff but as a place, a safe place,  where we rest in God's presence continually.  Parents, you are your child's primary spiritual leader and guide.  As a pastor I see kids once a week and it is from a distance.  You are there through it all.  You can gift your child with a framework of understanding that gives some meaning to this life and the life to come. 
     I look forward to exploring this idea of sanctifying the home in the weeks to come. 

Great Hope and Great Trust ("Keep On Askin'")

Mark 10:46-52

Hurricane Sandy is gong to make landfall this evening. We can and should pray for those who will be affected. Will our prayers avert the storm? No they wont. There will be people out of power, there will be damage to property and there may even be loss of life. Does that mean that we give up on prayer? Do we give up on asking God for protection? Do we quit praying for healing? Do we stop praying for restoration?

No! You keep on askin'!

There is one who is in chronic pain. Pain that just wont go away. Pain that is nagging, torturing all consuming in one moment then annoying background noise the next. Always there. Doctors cannot make it go away. There is no therapy that has been able to cure it. So prayers are lifted. Requests are made to God in Jesus name...the pain persists. More prayer. Daily prayer. Dedication to Jesus way of self-sacrifice and service. Study of Holy scripture. Obedience to medical advise. Exploration of alternative healing. Prayer and more prayer. Still the pain lingers.

“What do I do Pastor?” was the question.

Keep on askin'!

You can question your own faith when it is put to the test. You start to ask questions. “Why aren't my prayers being answered?” “Am I being punished?” “Is this a test?”

...Keep on askin'!

Then there are those blessed moments when you fell the presence of God. Through the pain, through the doubt, you know that you are being held in the palm of God's loving hand. I cannot describe to you the feeling I have when I sense the presence of God. I can tell you that its a safe, warm, inviting, peaceful feeling. But that is like describing Lake Michigan as a very large pool of water to someone who has never seen a lake. It just doesn't cover it.

Jesus hears the faithful. Remember the story of the persistent widow and the just Judge? She wanted justice and the judge wouldn't hear her. Kept on askin! She wore that judge out until he gave her justice. Jesus said if even that judge will give justice wont the God give justice to his chosen ones, who cry out to him day and night?” but then he adds “never the less, when the son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?”

Justice, God's justice, whatever that looks like will be granted. Our task is to have faith. When we rely on our own strength and power there can never be true justice or true healing. Its when we boast in our weakness and lean on God's strength, the presence of God is made known in the world.

How do we do that?

We keep on askin'!

We keep on askin' for God's healing and guidance. We ask for God's wisdom and strength. We praise God for being God and we thank God for all things at all times. In our weakness and in our reliance on God, God transforms us. God begins to mold us into God's image. God begins to use us. God begins to put us in positions where we can be responsive to his will.

When we are responsive to God's will we become part of an interconnected part of God's community where we all find healing, justice and restoration.

When we keep on askin', I find that we start asking on behalf of others more than for ourselves. When that happens the right people come into our lives. The right resources become available. Life on earth gets better.

Bartimaeus, the blind beggar. Was on the side of the road in Jericho. Jesus was heading to Jerusalem. The crowds were gathered. Bartimaeus the social outcast forced to make a living by asking people for money or food.

Can you just hear the people around him? “Oh, that's Timeaus' son” I gave him some food once but he just keeps on asking for it. Some people even give him money but you never can tell what he will spend it on.” That's how we talk isn't it? We are reluctant to give ongoing assistance to people. We don't want people to be dependent on the government, yet we don't want to provide for them either. Bartimaeus kept on asking and yet he remained a beggar until one day he had the opportunity to ask the right person.

Jesus was in town. Bartimaeus said “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” Now we know that Jesus was not the son of David but the Son of God. Even if we are talking about Jesus earthly fatherly figure it was Joseph not Mary. The term Son of David was a term used to describe the Messiah, the anointed one of God who would save God's people. God had promised that one of the descendants of David would be on the throne forever. Jesus was indeed a descendant of David through Mary's lineage and by adoption through Josephs lineage. So Bartimaeus recognized Jesus as the Messiah, the conquering king of Israel. And he cried out to him. This social outcast. This blind beggar. Dared to cry out to the one he believe do be his king. A very bold move. Others in the crowd thought so too. They told him to be quiet. But shouted all the more. He wasn't getting justice from his neighbors so he had no choice to appeal to a higher power.

He kept on askin'!

Jesus, on his way to Jerusalem, on his way to his own death, stopped and said, “call him.”

so they called him. “Oh, man this your lucky day. He is calling you.”

I heard an interview recently of a reporter that had the opportunity to travel with the president for 6 months to observe and to interview and to get a first hand view of the life of the president of the united states. The reporter said that they were traveling abroad and when they got to their destination, the president went to play basketball at a nearby gym. The reporter said that it didn't even occur to the president that these people had built this gym in anticipation of his arrival. When we have power, and get accustomed to wielding that power, in our human weakness we can lose perspective.

Jesus on the other hand heard the plea of the least of these in the crowd and paid him special attention.

Jesus asked the man, “What do you want me do do for you?” Remember this is the same question he asked James and John from last Sunday's scripture when they approached him about being appointed to Jesus right and left had when he came into his glory. The blind man said, “Rabbi, let me see again.”

Jesus said, “Go, your faith has healed you.” immediately he regained his sight and followed him on the road.

Jesus granted this request but denied the request of his two most trusted Apostles his inner circle. Bartimaeus gained more than his sight. He followed Jesus and became his disciple. James and John did not get what they asked for but they were changed. They were set right. They were corrected. That's what a relationship with Jesus does.

When we pray. When we keep on askin' we will be blessed. We will receive exactly what we need.

So, how is it with you today? We can approach the King with confidence even though we are blind beggars. We can speak our needs and we can have utter confidence that if we keep on askin' we will be blessed. Take heart! This is your lucky day! Jesus is calling you to follow him; to trust in his strength; to follow him in his way.   

Life on Kinney Down

This a new feature that will be a regular part of this blog.  This is where I will add family pics and updates.  I call it Kinney Down because we live on Kinney Road and the word "down" is just a nicer way of saying we live on a hill. 

Eli has attached to every member of the family.
We can scarcely remember what
life was like before he came

Pass the Cup

Mark 10:35-45

Today is a beautiful day to be alive in Christ.  Celebrate!

We are fully into the the Fall season. This is definitely not summer anymore. This is my favorite season of the year. I love the mild temperatures. I love the changing colors. I even prefer wearing long pants. There is one more thing I appreciate about the passing of summer: the reduced likelihood of potato salad. I don't like the stuff. It's cold potatoes and mayonnaise. What's to like? When there is no potato salad there is no question: “What? You don't want any Potato salad?” as I pass the bowl at the dinner table from the person on my right to the person on my left with out taking any. Wouldn't it be nice if we could just pass on other things in life that we find unpleasant? I'll pass on sickness and disease. I'll pass on war and violence. I'll pass on suffering and greed.

We face what is before us. The cup that we are given is the experiences that lie before us. Some of us actively try to shape our lives while others are more passive about what our course of life.

I would really have liked to meet the Apostles James and John. The were bold; they were full of zeal; they weren't afraid of taking a risk; they were willing to try at the risk of being wrong. In this scripture they approached Jesus and asked him to grant them whatever they requested...

Say what now?

These two brothers have it in their minds that they are going to have some sort of high position in Jesus' glory that is to come, so they tell Jesus that he ought to get on board with the idea.

Can you imagine? I mean what would your reaction be? Imagine if you had a small group of people that you loved and cared for, that you were trying to teach, that you were trying to equip. Imagine that you knew that this small group of people was going to face difficulties that they could not yet fathom, then suddenly two of them come and make this demand. “Do for us what ever we ask of you.”

Now, I am glad that the job of savior of the world has been taken by Jesus because if I were in this situation I would have told James and John to go sit down and, “You better watch how you talk to me!” But Jesus isn't like that. Jesus asks the obvious question, “What is it that you want me to do for you?”

“Grant that, in your glory, we may sit at your left and right hand.” Bold! Bold, bold, bold. I love it! -reminds me of the first days when I came to faith as an adult and joined a church. I wrote a letter to the pastor saying that I was willing to serve in whatever way I was needed. Give me the word and I will and I'll do it!

I anticipated the answer. I waited for a reply. Nothing came. Weren't they just pining away to employ everything I had to offer? Weren't they deficient in some way that I could ride in and add my presence and make the church all that it could be?...The answer and the response to the my letter never came. Instead I got a call from Mr. Campbell, a humble man that was a very long-time member of the church. Mr. Campbell invited me to Saturday morning men's bible study that he led. In that group of men the next youngest was 30 years my senior. In that group of men I learned how to pray. In that group I learned how to listen. In that group I learned what it meant to be a disciple of Jesus Christ.

Jesus said to James and John, “You do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I drink and are you able to be baptized with with my baptism?” He is asking them if they realize what he is facing. It is his purpose to reconcile humanity to a right relationship with God. To do that he will suffer and die. The prophet Isaiah said “Wake up! Wake up! Get up, O Jerusalem! You drank from the cup the lord passed to you, which was full of his anger! You drained dry the goblet full of intoxicating wine.” but a little later he writes, “This is what your sovereign master, the Lord your God, says: “Look, I have removed from your and the cup of intoxicating wine, the goblet full of my anger. You will no longer have to drink it.

He will give everything for those he loves. Jesus is asking James and John if they understand that is what it means to be his disciple. They claimed that they understood. Jesus affirmed that they would indeed suffer and sacrifice, but that doesn't mean that Jesus wanted it that way.

Remember Jesus prayerful words in the garden the night before his execution. He was facing his own death and he prayed, “My Father, if this cup cannot be taken away unless I drink it, let your will be done.” Jesus didn't want to suffer and die but that was the path that was before him and he walked it in faith.

The cup that we are given is the set of life experience that lie before us. It is not some script that is predetermined it is a set of choices. When we make the choice to follow Jesus, when we live by faith, when we finally trust in the power of God, what ever our cup is we can drink of it deeply because it will be filled with God's blessings.

I'm not saying everything in the life of a disciple of Christ is easy. There are certainty difficulties that come with being a follower of Christ. God expects us to be good stewards of what we are entrusted with. We are expected to feed the hungry, cloth the naked and visit the sick. We are supposed to trust in God even when the world is crashing down around us. We are supposed to be witness for Christ in a world that is becoming increasingly hostile and increasingly intolerant of people of faith.

God does not make people hungry, but God gives us the ability to feed them.

God does not does not give us cancer but God does give us and intellect, the desire and a wisdom to fight it.

The world may be hostile to the message of Christ but that is nothing new! They crucified the author and originator of this message.

We are not called to let the cup pass from us. We are called to know Christ and to make Christ known. We are called to actively step into a life of discipleship and to drink deeply of the cup that God lies before us.

All those difficulties that impede us. All those “Red Lights” along our faith journey are opportunities to sharpen our faith. They are opportunities to hone our understanding of God's will for us.

So, how is it with you today? You may be facing a very significant challenge. You may not be in the place you want to be. You may not have achieved all the things you wanted to achieve to this point in your life but God is calling you to be present in your life right now, to drink the cup of discipleship. To follow his way. Don't let the cup pass you by.