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Weekly Reflection for Sunday September 4, 2011

August 29, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Lectionary (Year A): Exodus 12:1-14 or Ezekiel 33:7-11; Psalm 149 or Psalm 119:33-40; Romans 13:8-14; Matthew 18:15-20

Theme: “What’s It All About, Alfie?”

Message: “It All Comes Down to This!”

  1. Priority of Love
  2. What is Love?
  3. Who Loves Like This?
  4. Practicing Love

Quote(s):

“Time is…

Too slow for those who wait,

Too swift for those who fear,

Too long for those who grieve,

Too short for those who rejoice,

But for those who love, Time is not.”

Henry VanDyke

Film, other visual aids:

Thornton Wilder,Our Town

Emily dies giving birth to her child.  Fictitiously, in life after death she elects to return to relive any moment of her life and she chooses her 12th birthday, discovering that everyone is too busy to look at her, to love her:

“O Mama, just look at me one minutes as though you really saw me.  Mama, fourteen years have gone by.  I’m dead.  You’re a grandmother Mama…But just for a moment now we’re all together…just for a moment we’re all happy…look!”  All to no avail.  “I can’t go on; it goes so fast.  We don’t have time to look at one another…Do any human beings ever realize life while they live it?—every, every minute?”

 

Drew Pearson, columnist, wrote his grandson a letter that endures today through the decades: “Some years ago Charles Evers’ brother, Medgar, was shot and killed from ambush while putting his car in the garage…Charles had every reason to be bitter about his brother’s death.  Most people would have resorted to revenge and violence.  But Evers applied the doctrine of love…he was elected mayor of the little town of Fayette, the first negro mayor elected in Mississippi since the carpetbaggers…announcing as his motto: ‘Let’s replace hate with love.’”

Music: “Love Divine, All Loves Excelling,” “Blest Be the Tie That Binds,” “They’ll Know We Are Christians By Our Love”

Opening Prayer

“Ever –loving God, who having loved us loves us still, help us to hear again your word, ‘By this shall they know you are my disciples; that you love one another.’  Turn our hostility into hospitality and our callousness into care.  Through Christ, we pray.  Amen.”  (A Guide to Prayer For All God’s People, Upper Room Books, Reuben P. Job, Norman Shawchuck, 1990, p. 175)

Intercessory:

“Grant me, Lord, to spread true love in the world.  Grant that by me and by your children it may penetrate a little into all circles, all societies, all economic and political systems, all laws, all contracts, all rulings; Grant that it may penetrate into offices, factories, apartment buildings, movie houses, dance halls; Grant that it may penetrate the hearts of men and that I may never forget that the battle for a better world is a battle of love, in the service of love.”  Michel  Quoist, Sheed and Ward, 1963

Benediction:

“In this hour, loving God, you have touched me with love.  Send me now to be your touch-of-love for another.  May the love of Jesus flow through me, a current of healing and life.  Amen”

(A guide to Prayer for All God’s People, 1990, p. 175)

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Weekly Reflection Sunday August 21st, 2011

August 16, 2011 By Leave a Comment
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Elemental Life

By Felix Carrion, United Church of Christ

Excerpt from Romans 11:13-29

“But if some of the branches were broken off, and you, a wild olive shoot, were grafted in their place to share the rich root of the olive tree, do not vaunt yourselves over the branches. If you do vaunt yourselves, remember that it is not you that support the root, but the root that supports you.”

What Paul was trying to do after his conversion is bring together the Gentiles and Jews of his day. Paul has embraced a new understanding of who belongs in the graces of God, and his mission is to graft them onto each other.

Life is the grafting of basic elements that creates new forms. Nothing remains on its own. For example, the culinary creations of the people and cultures of the world are products of how foods and spices were brought together to make something richer. Musical notes “do” this, too. They graft onto each other and make music. Solitary notes that remain solitary cannot produce a symphony. Had hydrogen and oxygen “walked” in opposite directions after meeting, you and I would not be here. In essence, the things that come together in elemental ways are the things that have the power to create grace and faith, wonder and gratitude, beauty and art.

So, today graft onto your life a different theological outlook, a different musical piece, a food you’ve never tried, engage in a new conversation with another — and begin to experience the power and wonder of elemental life fusing and creating what did not exist before.

Prayer

O God, may we open ourselves to the new creations you are grafting and fusing in us. Amen.

About the Author
Felix Carrion is Coordinator of The Stillspeaking Ministry, United Church of Christ.

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Weekly Reflection for August 7, 2011

July 31, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Focus Text:  Romans 10:5-15

Reflection:

Recently my son sent some letters to his younger sister who was attending camp. As he was preparing to send the stack of correspondence (the more letters, the more singing his sister would have to do), we had to go over how to address an envelope, where to place the stamp, and what acceptable weight was covered by a 1st class postage stamp.

At first I was a little taken aback that he didn’t know how to address an envelope, but with a little reflection it makes sense. He’s proficient at email, chat, telephone, and text. How was he to know how to address an envelope? He was never taught.

We’re in a similar situation with the stories of Jesus. While I grew up with them surrounding me in family, church, friendships, and even public school to some extent, these are not the stories that most of our young people are growing up with today. Many of Americans have little familiarity with the Bible, including some who call themselves Christians. We’re familiar with the stories of politics, individualism, science, technology, media, entertainment, and even religion, but the stories of Jesus are less and less familiar.

The simple story of Jesus offered in this week’s text is entirely unknown by much of the world. When these themes and words have been heard, they are, frankly, either unfamiliar or grossly misunderstood. Heart. Justified. Confess. Saved. Believe. Lord. Key words in the story of Jesus, but words that we can’t assume are understood by those around us.

Apparently that was the case with the Romans as well, that those around them weren’t familiar with these stories of Jesus. How were they to believe if they had not heard? How were they to hear if there was no one to tell them? How are they to tell if they are not sent? The answer is in the intentional action to share the stories of Jesus. “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!”

Why couldn’t my son address a letter? Simply because no one had taught him how to do it. How is the world to know the stories of Jesus? By the messengers of the good news, by you and me taking the time to teach simple truths that we take for granted.

Hymns:

Tell me the stories of Jesus

I love to tell the story

Quotations:

All human beings have an innate need to hear and tell stories and to have a story to live by. Religion, whatever else it has done, has provided one of the main ways of meeting this abiding need.   - Harvey Cox

 

There is no greater agony than bearing an untold story inside you. – Maya Angelou

Prayer:

Everliving God, whose will it is that all should come to you
through your Son Jesus Christ: Inspire our witness to him,
that all may know the power of his forgiveness and the hope
of his resurrection; who lives and reigns with you and the
Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.  – Book of Common Prayer

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Weekly Reflection for July 31, 2001

July 25, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Reading: Romans 9:1-5

Theme: The High Cost of Evangelism

Message: Paul’s Anguish Over Israel

 1 I speak the truth in Christ—I am not lying, my conscience confirms it through the Holy Spirit— 2 I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart. 3 For I could wish that I myself were cursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my people, those of my own race, 4 the people of Israel. Theirs is the adoption to sonship; theirs the divine glory, the covenants, the receiving of the law, the temple worship and the promises. 5 Theirs are the patriarchs, and from them is traced the human ancestry of the Messiah, who is God over all, forever praised! Amen.

There is nothing chic or fashionable in the word evangelism. Indeed, in the Mainline the word is virtually anathema and most preachers would expunge it from their vocabulary given half a chance. It often seems there are more reasons to not do evangelism than to engage in the practice. The word itself strikes terror in the hearts of even the most hardy church member. Visions of door knocking, handing out tracts, and being generally obnoxious course through their memories like ice water – it’s no wonder they get cold feet.

In an effort to ameliorate the anti-E sentiments, church leaders have tried to redefine the E-word. Whereas the command that each Christ-follower must share the gospel was paramount in Jesus’ teachings, popular evangelistic dogma teaches that doing “outreach” and “inviting” folks to a worship service or an event is the equivalent. Putting oneself out and risking a relationship with a heathen or a pagan today seems beyond the realm of reasonable.

But then we’re confronted by this week’s epistle reading. Paul’s commitment to his community breaks the bounds of “normalcy” by today’s standards. Sure, we’ve all heard the prayer leader say, “Lord, break our hearts with the things that breaks yours,” but Paul’s heart seems more than broken … a good psychologist might even interpret his sentiments as unhealthy.

Of course, this passage has been constructed, deconstructed, and reconstructed over the years. In its larger context the “salvation” of Israel has wrapped systematic theologians into knots as they leap to one side of the fence or the other. And yet Paul’s words are more than instructively interesting and theologically enigmatic. They model the import of Christ’s Great Commission and the depth of commitment we’re expected to make on behalf of our own communities. “For I could wish that I myself were cursed [anathema] and cut off from Christ for the sake of ___________.” Fill in the blank with the community you’d be willing to face a Christ-less eternity for … or at least begin building relationships with for the sake of the Kingdom.

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Weekly Lectionary Reflection: July 10th

July 7, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Kwasi KenaLectionary (Year A) Revised Common Lectionary: Genesis 25:19-34, Psalm 119:105-112 or Psalm 25, Romans 8:1-11, Matthew 13:1-9,18-23

Theme: Fourth Sunday After Pentecost

Message:

Matthew 13:1-9; 18-23

The Parable of the Sower is one of many parables recorded by Matthew. In lieu of direct confrontation, which may have been life threatening, Jesus frequently used parables to communicate his message indirectly—a strategy worth considering today. In this parable Jesus notes the various things that can happen to seed ( the Word of God). From some people the evil one steals it. In others the seed fails to take root or has fleeting benefit because they are more concerned about creature comforts. Thankfully, some people hear, heed and allow the seed to bear fruit.

A question for we who are charged to proclaim God’s word is this: where do we choose to sow seed? Do we try to figure out where the best soil is to the neglect of other soil we deem too rocky? Do we step around thorny personalities because we are more concerned with success in our ministry? Or as ministers of reconciliation are we called to sow the Word of God at every opportunity?

Romans 8:1-11

The focus of this passage is life through Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit. The doorway to this new life begins with our choice to follow the way of the Spirit.

Paul reminds us that life in God, which the law could not provide, is now possible through Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ put on human flesh and dealt with sin and death. Now, new life can dwell in the place of death within God’s people.

How is all of this possible? Because God resurrected Jesus Christ from the dead, proving that God is greater than death. That unparalleled power that resurrected Jesus Christ brings new life to God’s people.

Paul sets forth a clear dichotomy between living according to the flesh and living according to the Spirit. Living according to the flesh means living according to the law of human desire. Such a life is controlled by passion or lust or pride or ambition. That person’s life is self-absorbed.

In contrast, living according to the Spirit is a new life, refocused on Christ. It is a life that has relinquished control to the Spirit of God. This life bears spiritual fruit, practices faith and ministry, and subjects itself to Christian discipline.

This passage begs for a clean, clear presentation. Bring out the clear dichotomy between life in the flesh vs. life in the Spirit. Provide a concise remedy for the dilemma posed by living according to human desire — i.e. life-changing trust in Jesus Christ.

(For more sermon helps on Romans see “Book of Romans Sermon Starters: http://www.gbod.org/site/apps/nlnet/content.aspx?c=nhLRJ2PMKsG&b=4956515&ct=10848391&notoc=1)

Quote(s)

“Nobody can go back and start a new beginning, but anyone can start today and make a new ending.” –Maria Robinson

“Don’t ask what the world needs. Ask what makes you come alive, and go do it. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive.” –Howard Thurman

“The doors we open and close each day decide the lives we live.” –Flora Whittemore

“One day your life will flash before your eyes. Make sure its worth watching.” –unknown

Music:

Lead Me, Guide Me

Be Thou My Vision

Light of the World

Hymn of Promise

Just a Closer Walk with Thee

Gathering Meditation: Still God Sows (Based on Matthew 13:1-23)

What can be compared to God’s faithfulness? In spite of ‘thorny’ receptions, God continues to sow good news. Forgiveness, grace, love, and comfort all come from God’s hand with the hope that someone will receive them.

God sows tirelessly knowing that distractions prevent many seeds from sprouting. God sows when Doubt barges in, when Impatience taunts faith saying, “Why not give up because God has not answered yet?”

Still God sows, hoping that we will be the “good soil” that chooses to believe, to endure and to bear good fruit.

Sowing Seed: A Call to Worship (Based on Matthew 13:1-9, 18-23)

Leader: We plunge heart first into the seed-bag

People: Sifting, sorting, searching for the best seed to sow

Leader: While people gather around to sit and watch.

People: We wrap the seed in prayer and deliberation

Leader: Hoping, believing, trusting the seed will take root.

People: But, sometimes limp hands let the seed slip through their fingers.

Leader: We press the seed inside quips and quotes.

People: Some thank us for a “good talk,” but forget what they heard when trouble barges in.

Leader: We spread the best seed on the altar for all to see.

People: Some inspect the seed, but still prefer what the world offers.

Leader: Why do we bother?

People: Why DO we bother?

Leader: Because somewhere…

People: Sometime…

Leader: Someone will hear.

People: Someone will heed.

All: And it will be worth it. And we’ll prepare to sow all over again.

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