Jesus - Rabbi

January 18, 2015  I Samuel 3.1-10, *John 1.43-51 Jesus The Rabbi J Hines

A mother told her 3 year old son Brian that they were expecting a new baby. Brian began to cry and insist that he did not want a new baby. [ slide #1 screaming baby]This was a surprise to the parents because he had adjusted so well when his little brother Damien was born.

They spent nearly an hour trying to convince him that a new baby in the family was a good thing, but he only dug in his heel.  Puzzled, his mother finally confronted him with a straight-forward question, “Why do you not want a new baby?”

With wide and teary eyes, Brian looked straight at her and said, “Because I like Damian, and I want to keep him.” * I don’t want a NEW baby.

Jesus was a rabbi, he was a teacher, and so well beloved that none could stand the thought of anything new.

When we grow spiritually, we begin to understand that there is plenty of room for more family and plenty of room for more of the words of life as we sit at the feet of Jesus the Rabbi. If you know Jesus as Rabbi, you are in a learning mode. You are learning the four lessons of meditation, invitation, consolation, and confrontation.

We can imagine Jesus sitting under a fig tree while speaking to eager listeners. There was Philip, Andrew, Peter, and Nathanael listening attentively. Fig trees made nice classrooms [ slide #2 fig tree  ].  +“A fig tree is about fifteen feet tall and its branches spread out about 25 feet in width like an umbrella, creating a space that is almost like a private room. If someone wanted to get away from the chaos of a one-room house, he or she would sit under the fig tree. They would sit there to read scripture or to reflect or to pray.” Sitting under a fig tree was a sign of seeking God, praying for understanding, and getting wisdom and guidance for daily living. 

Sitting under the tree with a rabbi, was a rich treat for eager learners. Nathaniel honored Jesus by calling him Rabbi – pronounced in the Hebrew - “Ra – bee,” meaning teacher. He was not just calling him teacher, but honoring him as a teacher with remarkable insights and effective ideas.

We know of other honored rabbi’s. The apostle Paul was trained under the famous Rabbi Gamaliel mentioned in the bible. [# 3 Gamaliel] The contemporary world has shown gratitude for the teaching of Rabbi Harold Samuel Kushner [# 4 Kushner] who wrote the book, Why Bad Things Happen to Good People. 

When Jesus, a rabbi,  [ #5 Rabbi Jesus reading] says he saw disciple Nathaniel under the fig tree in verse 48, he was pointing to Nathaniel’s’ willingness to be in a mode of meditation, listening, and learning because the fig tree was a place where students and rabbi’s gathered to focus for serious study.

Doing what it takes to nurture our relationship with the Good Shepherd, the Healer, the Creating God, is a good thing, whether it be in these pews, [ #6 pews   ] in a park, [ #7 park ]or under a fig tree [ #8 fig tree ] .  As Henri Nouwen writes, [ #9 Henri Nouwen ]  "Only when your roots are deep can your fruits be abundant." We need a strong spiritual relationship. We need deep roots. Deep roots require time and dedication.

A certain Rabbi named **Akiva was shepherding his flocks. He noticed a tiny stream trickling down a hillside, dripping over a ledge on its way toward the river below. Below was a massive boulder. Surprisingly, the rock had a very deep groove in it. [ #10 rock with a groove] The drip, drip, drip of water over the centuries had hollowed away the stone. …Akiva realized that if the water had flowed over the rock all at once, the rock would have been unchanged. It was the slow but steady impact of each small droplet, year after year, that completely reformed the stone.

When we meditate, sit in God’s presence, listen, soak in the precious words of life, allowing them to penetrate our souls, even the hardest places of our hearts and lives are greatly impacted and we grow deeper spiritual roots. Meditation is a first lesson with Rabbi Jesus under the fig tree.

St. Francis of Assisi [#11 St. Francis ] was known for his love of nature and animals in particular.  He had many followers who also appreciated his dedication to the poor. One day he invited a young monk to join him on a trip in town to preach. The young monk was so honored to get such an invitation from St. Francis that he quickly accepted. All day long he and St. Francis walked through the streets and byways, alleys and suburbs, and they rubbed shoulders with hundreds of people, but he never addressed a crowd.

The young monk was greatly disappointed, and he said to St. Francis, "I thought we were going into town to preach?" St. Francis responded, "My son, we have preached. We were preaching while we were walking. We were seen by many and our behavior was closely watched. It is of no use to walk anywhere to preach unless we preach everywhere as we walk!"  [ #12 walking in the Spirit]

Our lifestyle, that is where and how we walk, is our invitation to Christ for the entire world to see. A holy lifestyle always matters. Goodness matters in this world. Our lifestyle is a light that others are watching, and some may need it desperately. A few weeks ago there was a story in the news about a 7 year old girl who was the sole survivor of a plane that crashed in the woods. She found the help she needed when she walked through the dark, rough woods toward the light of a nearby home. YOUR lifestyle shines a light that someone may desperately need. [ #13 light house]

Under the fig tree with Jesus, we learn that meditation matters, that the light of our lifestyle is an invitation, thirdly, we learn that great consolation [ #14 Jesus hugging] is found in the presence of God.  No matter how dark it gets, when we look toward the Lord we have the consolation of light in the darkness. No matter how hard the path we travel, we are comforted by those God sends to accompany us. No matter how bitter the cup we drink, we will always have the joy of the Lord to strengthen us and keep us sweet. No matter how the world goes topsy and turvy, we have the consolation of being needed to build something good, for God always has a purpose and a plan. God always needs us. The body of Christ always needs us. It’s a joy to be needed. It makes us feel secure and boosts our confidence. Just as a green plant bends and turns in the direction of the shining sun, we are consoled when we turn to our heavenly father. [#15 leaning plants]

Under the fig tree, [ #16 fig tree ] at the feet of Jesus, we learn what we need to know about meditation, invitation, and consolation. Finally, Jesus teaches us about confrontations. This week we saw how the French confronted terrorists. They found the courage to take a stand in spite of what one spokeswoman called, “…those stupid guys who will kill over a cartoon.” 

Where do you need courage and strength to confront? [ #17 man pushng a bolder] What is it that God is gently calling you to resist, to speak up about,  [#18 speaking up]  to draw a line, to declare a boundary? If you’re under the fig tree with Jesus, you will learn there are places where a gentle confrontation is in order. Scripture tells us that resisting the devil will make him flee, that drawing a line and declaring a boundary can defeat a terrorist in your home or in your heart.

Under the fig tree, at the feet of Rabbi Jesus, we learn how to confront ourselves and we learn to speak to one another. We learn how to speak the Truth, and to speak it in love. Words matter. Truthful words matter because they are the light that disperses the darkness. We want to learn to disperse the darkness because in the darkness there is someone getting the raw end of the deal, the short end of the stick, neglected, abused, tyrannized, and dominated. Rabbi Jesus teaches us step by step how to confront, how to be courageous, how to deal with tough situations that are living in the dark.

When I went to Israel, I heard the adhan. Five times a day, the Muslims are called to prayer “Allahu Akbar”  simply meaning “God is great.” Duke University [ #19 Duke University]– one of our United Methodist Universities decided that they wanted to have the Muslim call to prayer “Allahu Akbar” out loud on campus as a way to bridge the cultural gap between Muslim and Christian students. They wanted to promote unity and diversity, but instead it caused chaos and confusion. It did not work as they hoped, but at least they spoke up courageously. They confronted the issue head on. They exercised their faith. Seeds of goodness were planted and important lessons were learned.

My colleague Gilbert Caldwell [ # 20 Gil Caldwell] is speaking in New Jersey today. His theme will be “Martin Luther King transformed racial nightmares into racial dreams, and so must we.”

By the power of the Holy Spirit, the chaos we know now is transformed into the beloved community. It won’t necessarily happen overnight, but if we are willing to sit under the fig tree with Jesus [ #21 fig tree] we will see the fruit of our labor. If we learn what Jesus has to say about meditation, invitation, consolation and confrontation we will live the dream. Amen. [#22 dream cloud]

* In the Shadow of His Brother by King Duncan

+sermons.com

**Preaching.today

January 11, 2015 Jesus - Batptized

January 11 2015 Genesis 1.1-5, *Mark 1.4-11 Jesus Baptized Pastor J Hines

John the baptizer was a minister that everyone new about. He was extraordinary.   He was a miracle baby. His mother Elizabeth was told she could never have children.

John’s family worshipped God. Their ears were tuned to hear God’s voice. Listening to God was not only how they decided to name their son “John” but how they came to understand that their son would be a deeply spiritual guy who would do ministry outside the box. John did his ministry on the sidelines of other ministries. In fact, the gospel of Mark tells us that if you wanted to see Minister John, you had to go to the wilderness because that’s where he appeared. [ slide #1 -  4John the baptizer appeared in the wilderness ].

The wilderness is the same today as it was then. It is lonely, desolate, uninhabited, uncultivated, unprotected, deserted by others, a place void of friends, acquaintances, and family. Figuratively, the word “wilderness” in scriptures was also used to describe a flock deserted by its shepherd  [ Slide #2 wandering sheep] and a woman neglected by her man  [slide #3 despondent woman].

Scriptures say there were many who went to the wilderness to be baptized by John. They had to be aware of the ministry in which John specialized. We know that minister Billy Graham specializes in salvation. When you listen to Minister Joyce Meyer you expect to hear about God’s power to deliver us as she was healed from the wounds left by her abusive parent. Those who were attracted to John were looking to be baptized. They sought an immersion through John’s three-fold ministry of repentance, forgiveness, and confession.

Those in the wilderness were not seeking the comfort of the crowd. They wanted to be alone with their thoughts to work through some serious emotions. They were looking for an intense spiritual workout, a mental makeover, a relief from certain burdens and cares. So, they came to the wilderness to meet John and be baptized.

John the Baptist was like the twelve disciples who stood out to the point of sainthood, especially St. Peter, a real man of God, tough as nails. Yet, Peter cried real tears when he realized he had denied Jesus three times.

John was like Polycarp (A.D. 70-155) bishop of Smyrna (in Turkey) 30 years after Jesus’ resurrection. His boldness in the early church was offensive to the Roman government that at the age of 86, he was murdered for his beliefs.

John the baptizer led the way for the likes of Augustine, [ slide #4 Augustine] the most popular man of faith from his time in the fourth century to the seventh century. Those having a wilderness experience were attracted to Augustine because he had led a deeply depraved life on the wild side. When he became a Christian, everyone came to see the marvelous work God had done.

John Hus from the church in 1400’s in what was once known as Czechoslovakia  knew about John the Baptist, and he too isolated himself and resisted evil so fervently that the priests took him to court and had him executed at the age of 42. [ slide #5 John Hus ] Even today, the Vatican – ruled by the Pope is its own government; it even has a jail system.

A colleague recently reminded me that John Hus was martyred by the church for speaking out and speaking up against weaknesses in the church, but by the time Martin Luther [slide #6 Martin Luther ] came on the scene 100 years later, the same ideas found more support and that led not to his death, but to the founding of the Lutheran church.

Most of us have never known and may never know such prolonged, harsh fighting, and disputes in the church or in our communities as those have experienced through the ages and as so many experience today in Middle Eastern cultures or city streets where blood is drawn and lives are snuffed out.

John the Baptist ministered in the wilderness [slide #7 wilderness] and behind him is a long list of those who took great risks. They too were alone and isolated, following in John’s footsteps as he followed Christ. Make no mistake about it, though, there are treasures and delights in the wilderness that can be found ONLY in the wilderness. [slide #8 water flowing]

All of us, from time to time, will have a wilderness experience. If you want to find the treasures John found in the wilderness, your first stop would be to be baptized in repentance. [slide #9   -  verse 4 … proclaiming a baptism of repentance]. You would take time to think about your life and make some necessary and immediate changes. Just as you might take off your shoes before entering a home, the first step toward the blessing of repentance is to take off any dirty thing that does not please God. What a treasure it is to unload the distasteful grime of sin.

After repentance, the second stop with John in the wilderness is forgiveness.          [ slide #10 verse 4 repentance for the forgiveness of sins.] When we let go and let God, we are sure to forgive, to put our offenders in God’s hands for justice and to let go of the need for revenge or give them a piece of our mind, not that we have a piece of our mind to spare. Forgiveness moves us to a better place.

Thank you Bethel for being the forgiving church you are. In small and great ways, I have personally experienced and witnessed with others your forgiveness of slights and offenses and misunderstandings and frustrations. Know that this pleases God. Know that it is no small thing to forgive. It helps us grow to the place God is leading us. Our big hearts and wiling forgiveness enables us to be who we say we want to be. God bless you for your willingness to exercise forgiveness.

The third stop with John in the wilderness is confession of sins.  [slide #11 …and all the people of Jerusalem were going out to him, and were baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins.  ] …and all the people of Jerusalem were going out to John, and were baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins.

Confessing our sins is to understand that we have limits, that we need God’s help with a character flaw, bad habit, or some debilitating problem. Confessing our sins, even to ourselves, can be like swimming against an ocean tide. [ slide #12 ocean tide  ] It is not easy to accept our limits, much less to confess them out loud.

I once participated in a prayer group. Three of us prayed and worshipped together for about 7 years. We prayed like angels and felt great love for one another. But, during the week, each of us would talk to one of the others about each other’s most annoying habits. One of us was always late and rushing to leave early as if their life were more important than the rest. Another was so cheap and stingy while the rest paid the tab at lunch more often than not, another never shared feelings and emotions to the point of coming off very cold-hearted and aloof.

While it was nearly impossible to identify our own limits, we were naturally very clear about the others. One day, as we were beginning prayer, the most annoying one of all confessed that she knew how annoying and divisive a certain attitude she had was for us and she intended to stop acting that way. I remember feeling like such a heavy burden had been lifted from my heart. When we put our attitudes and behaviors on the altar, burdens are lifted. Confession to ourselves, to God and to others lightens our load.

A young woman left her church because church leaders forced her to come to the altar, confess that she was a smoker, and get prayers for deliverance. God can put a lot of pressure on us, but that scenario did not seem very holy or helpful.

Confession that is real and solid is a reunion with God and with one another. It is to agree with God, to surrender to God again and promise to be accountable, responsive and responsible to the Body of Christ. Confessions that matter may happen in a matter of moments or they may happen in years. They may happen as a matter of conscience or as a matter of being caught. It may be private or public. Either way, confession is cause for celebration.

Jesus came to the Jordan like so many others for the celebration of baptism. Jesus came to agree with God that a holy walk was to be immersed, surrounded, dunked, and inundated in repentance, forgiveness, and confession.

 All that was wonderful, but as John said, Jesus brought something even more wonderful than the blessings of repentance, forgiveness, and confession. Jesus brought a baptism of the Holy Spirit!

What a wonderful experience to be immersed in a HOLY spirit. [ slide # 13 baptism immersion] We know this as we gather with family and friends and acquaintances. We experience the ties that bind us in warm and cozy places. [ slide #14 socks fireplace  ] Only God can do that for us. We know that God is good when we participate in Christian rituals such as baptism, the communion table for a family feast or a wedding feast, or confirmation, or funerals, or ordination.

Our Christian rituals whether they are traditional, modern or spanking brand new  are our invitations for God to surround us, immerse us, inundate us with the power of the Holy Spirit that lifts us to a good place, a place that remains in our hearts and lives through good times and wilderness times [ slide #15 Jesus lifting].

Not everyone appreciates the blessings of rituals, though. One man sued a church because he said the ritual of the passing of the peace in every service was an intrusion on his privacy. He did not realize that when you surrender your life to the rule of Christ, he just may intrude with something more urgent than our agenda. [ slide #16 Jesus hugging ]

There are those days when the rituals become more important to us than the blessing God intends them to be. *James Kelley, an enthusiastic Episcopalian says he loves “the incense, the stained-glass windows, the organ music, the vestments and all of that. It's drama. It's aesthetics. It's the ritual. That's neat stuff. I don't want to give all that up just because I don't believe in God."

We are baptized as Jesus was baptized as a way to celebrate, to be immersed in the presence of God, even in a wilderness. If you can handle the wilderness you can handle repentance, forgiveness, and confession, and if you can handle repentance, forgiveness, and confession, you can handle the baptism of the Holy Spirit. You can put yourself in God’s hands who alone can lift us together to a higher place.  [slide #17 team member being lifted ] Amen.

 *Sources: Derek Helt, "Go With the Flow," SermonNotes.com, https://www.tcpc.org/resources/reviews/skeptic_in_2.htm

January 4 Isaiah 60.1-6, *Matthew 2.1-12 Jesus – A Secret Revealed (Jesus is revealed as the Messiah) Pastor Jacqueline Hines

The wise men coming from the East must have been a very impressive group of travelers from afar. [ # 1 blue manger  ]  One has to wonder if they drove camels as lofty as limousines.  Did they dress like dignitaries in pressed suits and designer dresses who were accustomed to being wined and dined? What was it about these people that caused King Herod and all of Jerusalem with him to be afraid? Why did anyone in Jerusalem even care about some strangers asking the simple question:  “Where is the child who has been born king of the Jews?”

We know that even babies can be significant in the world of politics. [ #2 Kate Middleton]. Babies matter when they are in the ruling class. Rulers of every age and station matter to someone somewhere [ #3 Pope Francis] [ # 4 Hitler]           [#5  Obama] And someone somewhere is likely to be afraid, threatened, willing to fight, even to kill in order to avoid being ruled by a certain ruler.

In spite of all the political carrying ons in this world, let the wise men, whoever they were and whatever they looked like, remind us that if God is not the ruler of our hearts and homes, it is not we who are the ones in control. If we don’t surrender to the holy, we surrender to the unholy. What else is there?

The travelers came from the East. The East is always to the right, and biblically, it is the faith symbol of the presence of God. God comes from the East, from the right, not the wrong. Regardless of circumstances, we always know where God is coming from.

The wise men said they had observed a star that led them to Jesus. [#6  North Star] The idea of following a star is inconceivable to most of us. If you are going somewhere these days, following a star is the hard way to go. Following a star is what you may do when you are lost or running for your life. Following a star is what you do in the dark, when your path is yet to be revealed, when the way we should go seems to be a secret known only to God.

Today when we want to go somewhere we are more likely to use a map, get directions from someone who has been there, or use a GPS.  The wise men followed a star because they were on a secret mission. They had to keep their eyes on things above and not below. They were on a faith journey and trusted the star when it shone brightly and when it was out of sight. That is exactly what we are doing as we journey into this New Year, seeking all the good God has prepared for us. They believed that Jesus was about to be revealed as the anointed one, the chosen one, the one to save God’s people from their sins. We too are expecting what is now unknown, a revelation of salvation that is to be cherished as precious, that needs to be respectfully guarded and protected.

Jesus was the secret yet to be revealed. He was the secret that had to be protected. After all, what society really wants to be saved from their sins? It takes divine intervention and power for the saved to really help the lost, for the living to really want to help the 8000 children dying every day of hunger or lack of clean water, for those who are safe to enter into conversation with those who choose violence, for those who boldly face reality to pray for pornographers to give up their crude fantasies. Jesus was a secret to be protected from a hostile world.

When the wise men found Jesus, they worshipped him. They knew he was the one, the light of the whole world – the light that would reveal great good as well as evil being done under cover of darkness. They gave the gifts they had prepared by faith.

On their trip home, God spoke to them in the secret place of their dreams.             [ # 7 verse 12…And having been warned…] Verse 12 says they were warned in a dream not to return to Herod. So, they left for their own country by another road.

Just as they followed the star at night, the wise men followed God’s direction tucked away under the cover of a dream, hidden - all to protect the precious secret revealed to all who had the faith to follow.

The journey of the wise men teaches us three ways to get to the Messiah, the one chosen to save us from our sins. First, we must look up in the darkness.  [ #8 man looking in a grey sky  ]   In those situations where there seems to be no light, God is always there showing us the way.

Second, we must accept God’s direction without argument. [#9  man bowing before Jesus ]  God gave the wise men directions in their sleep, when they could not move a muscle to protest.

Third, if we are going to find the only one who can save us from our sins and the sins of others, we must worship him. The Greek word for worship points to the culture of the day that showed their reverence by falling on their knees and letting their foreheads touch the ground. [ #10 man bowing on ground ]  We share that ancient culture with the kneeling benches at our altars.

The Greek word for worship points to the culture of the day [ #11 kissing pope’s hand] that showed reverence by [  #12 kissing woman’s hand ]  kissing the hand of the revered one in the same humble manner as a dog who licks the master’s hand       [ #13 dog licking hand  ]  or kisses the face [ #14 dog licking face ].

The wise ones worshipped the Messiah and then gave gifts. [ #15 wise men with gifts ]  Mother Theresa   [ #16 Mother Theresa ]  says it’s not our gift that counts so much as it is how much love is in the gifts we give. There is a whole lot of love in the lick of a master’s hand.  

May all our gifts be full of such love.  [#17 Jesus and lamb] Amen.

December 28 2014 “Comfort – Give Gladly”

December 28 “Comfort – Give Gladly” *Luke 2.22-40 Pastor Jacqueline Hines

Award winning musician Stevie Wonder wrote ‘Music is a world within itself with a language we all understand. We can feel it all over. We can feel it all over.‘

The sound of music is God’s source of healing and empowerment, so today as we weave music through this sermon, in this the final sermon of the “Comfort my people” series, you will be able to hear God speaking.

When I visited Israel and walked where Jesus walked, a group of elementary school children were passing by all dressed in their school uniforms.  They were traveling with armed guards and they were singing a song in unison as we walked side by side in the hills of Galilee. It was not only a beautiful sound but a sound that sprinkled peace and happiness into the atmosphere.

Put yourself in the hills of first century Palestine when Jesus was born. In the distance you can hear the sounds perhaps of workers chanting energetically to make routine work more pleasant. [#1 Hebrew worker song]

Pioneers all work as one,

Work as one all pioneers.

Hechalutz lema'an avodah

avodah lema'an hechalutz

The second verse shared the hope of peace. [#2 Peace….]

Peace shall be for all the world,

All the world shall be for peace.

Hashalom lema'an ha'amin

Ha'amin lema'an hashalom

And the chorus was just for the fun of it. [ #3 zum gali…]

Zum, gali-gali-gali, Zum gali-gali,

Zum, gali-gali-gali, Zum gali-gali,

Mary and Joseph had prepared all their lives for having a child. For 42 generations their families brought their babies to Temple and presented them to God. Now we in the church are about the 100^th generation still bring our children to the holy place to be presented to God – to be blessed and to be a blessing to others. For, God has a purpose and plan that righteousness might prevail.

According to the law, the rules, the guidance of elders, and the wisdom of God, Mary and Joseph also gave an offering when they presented their firstborn. The brought a sacrifice. One of the most memorable baptisms we have had at Bethel was when a couple gathered a dozen box loads of food for the Spring City food pantry as a part of their baptism celebration. We all gave gladly that day in ways that brought comfort and cheer to our hearts. Every family has its own way of celebrating and sacrificing on behalf of our children. We see it at Bethel every day.

For Mary and Joseph in the first century, a pair of young pigeons or a pair of turtle-doves were the only birds permitted to be offered in sacrifice. ( Leviticus 1:14 ; 5:7 ; 14:22 ; Leviticus 15:14 Leviticus 15:29 , etc.).   We can think of the turtle dove as meaningful for Mary and Joseph because these tasty birds had a habit of pairing and mating for life. Faithfulness is a habit and this habit in the animal kingdom represented purity and was considered a very good offering for a sacrificial meal. The turtle dove was also a migratory bird and, no doubt, brought a variety of seeds from a variety of places. So everywhere they went, they brought new seeds and new opportunities for planting and growth. ( Jeremiah 8:7 ; Jeremiah 2:11-12)

The unique cooing sound of the turtle-dove [ # 4 turtle-doves green] has its own quality and ability to keep our attention, to touch the soul and to comfort hearts. In the same way, each of our voices comes with its own sound, rhythm, and blessed purpose.

Mercifully as always, the rules for Mary and Joseph were that if you could not get your hands on a turtle dove, a regular pigeon was considered acceptable,            [#5 blue pigeons ] because they were not as hard to come. This mercy was especially for those in a season of transition, challenge, when resources were low and uncertainty high.

God knows each of our circumstances. Even on a day when we have very little, we still have blessings to count and we do well to enter into God’s courts with at least thanksgiving and into God’s gates with a reason to praise. We will always have something to give, something that straightens something out and builds something up for the good of all. Something that brings comfort as only God can provide.

When we focus on God and less on ourselves and our circumstances, we can even give gladly. Comedian Bob Hope’s thoughts can be appreciated here. He said, “Laughter is an instant vacation. Giving is a two-week cruise with pay.”

[ #6  Barb and Ron Moore  - Thank you, Lord]

From the biblical perspective, giving is a lifestyle. As humans we are wired to give, and under the best of circumstances, we give gladly, for God loves a cheerful giver.

We give gladly when we remember, this life is not about us. It is about living lives that help the world to see Christ in us.

[ #7 El Shaddai  - Lori Corbett]

Every day we see God acting in spectacularly precise ways. The Spirit moves with an exactness and eagerness that you totally appreciate once you have experienced it. The Spirit spoke to Simeon, letting him know he would live long enough to see the promised savior born.  God spoke words of assurance to comfort Simeon. We talk to ourselves all the time; that should make it easy to appreciate the fact that God can speak to us, too. God’s word was good news to a man who scriptures say was a devout and righteous man and the Spirit rested on him  [ #8… Luke 2. 25 Simeon….was righteous and devout, …. and the Holy Spirit rested on him.]

Simeon was a seasoned citizen. He had done all he could to pass the mantle on to the next generation; now that he saw God’s promises fulfilled with the birth of the savior, he could leave the young people in God’s hands, just as the older generation does today.

Anna was another senior citizen who waited for God to bless God’s people, especially the generation coming behind her. She believed God had many ways of saving, and Jesus was the most important of all. Verse 37 tells us that she never left the temple but worshipped there with fasting and prayer night and day.

[ #9 Luke 2. 37 She never left the temple but worshipped there with fasting and prayer night and day. ]  We have people at Bethel who never seem to leave this sacred space. They are always here serving and believing, even fasting and praying.

Throughout the scriptures the Holy Spirit is called the comforter, bringing truth and guidance that enables us to do God’s will. God’s will brings peace where there is no peace. Anna knew that peace and she knew it was a peace that could dwell in every heart that wanted it.

[ #10 Peace on earth – Elaine O’Conner and Jessica Bennett]

As the new year dawns, we can get excited about how and when and where and to whom the Holy Spirit will speak and how the Spirit will move in us and around us. We can get excited about the precious truths that will emerge for our comfort. We can cheer in anticipation of the places God will lead us, the new faces, and fresh ideas about giving and living this life in righteousness.

One of the most common New Year’s songs   [ #11  "auld lang syne" is "times gone by."  ]     is "auld lang syne" translated "times gone by." It prompts us to make the transition into the new year with a melody in our heart.

[#12 Allen Collins selections on the chimes]

The New Year brings thoughts of times gone by so that we will reflect and remember, so that we will be inspired to live our lives well. As the year 2015 ticks away, should old acquaintances be forgotten, may it not be God that we forget. Rather let us together take as the songs says the “cup of kindness, yet.” [#13 cup of kindness]  May we give our all and may we give gladly. May we give until something is straightened out and something wonderful is built up in our life.        [# 14 wise men traveling to the manger. ] Amen.

December 21 2014 “Comfort – Celebrate Constantly”

December 21 “Comfort – Celebrate Constantly” *Luke 1.26-38, II Samuel 7.1-11, 16 Pastor Jacqueline Hines

Have you heard the news? In the last year, and months and even weeks we have gotten the word around Bethel that someone is going to have a baby! The smiles and the tone of the conversations have signaled anticipation, excitement, and celebration.  [ #1 angels instruments]

Celebration is a constant in the kin-dom of God. Just like living rivers flow, [  #2 flowing river  ] celebration flows when God is with us. There is a wide range of ways we are inspired to celebrate, from kind words and pleasant smiles to cozy get togethers or BIG parties. [#3 balloons]

We celebrate constantly because we, like Mary, are expecting something new and wonderful. Gabriel told her  [  #4  verse 35  ]  ‘The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be holy. Don’t WE also expect God is working holiness in us and around us?

We celebrate constantly because we have experienced or we have seen in the lives of others that things happen even though they seem to be impossibilities. The angel tells Mary [ #5 verse 36-37 ] “and this is the sixth month for her who was said to be barren. 37For nothing will be impossible with God.” Maggie Shick tells the story of years ago when the Bethel bank account balance for the general fund was a mere 25 cents.  Some have had to wonder from time to time if OUR ministry would become barren for lack of resources.

Three years ago, a Finance Committee member reminded us that we had $10,000 of unrestricted funds and that at the rate we were spending it would be gone in a year. God is good, for the treasurer tells me now that we have not had to touch that particular reserve for two years and instead of being $10,000, it has grown to about $15,000. [ #6 money]

One Sunday someone noticed that there were 7 in Junior Church and the next Sunday there were two. “Where are all the children?” we wondered. Let us be reminded that another important question, besides where are the children, is how in the world has Mary Tyson been able to do Junior Church during the 8:30 service and the 10:45 am service Sunday after Sunday after Sunday?  The answer is,  by the grace of God. She is not alone; there is a long list of those serving faithfully. That’s something to celebrate.  Another question is, how in the world did we get two new volunteers this month for Junior Church who have never served together before but were determined not to allow even two children to hear it said that there is no Junior Church that Sunday for any reason. That’s something to celebrate. [#7 hurray!]

With God all things are possible, even when we are the ones called to sacrifice or change whether we feel like it or not.  Part of God’s plan is that we celebrate the God who provides. With the plan God has given us to prepare our building so “all can take part,” each person God brings across the threshold is by divine decree. Each person old or young, family or stranger is a precious child of God to be treated with the utmost respect and love and justice and mercy that we have to offer, for the essential foundation of love is justice and mercy [ #8 justice and mercy words ] [ #9 justice scale] .

We constantly celebrate and show our love by building [ #10  Bethel building plan] with all our might a place where the sacred space is accessible and welcoming, and by being God’s  accessible and welcoming people [ #11 kittens hug  ].That is why Bethel children, who cannot even crawl, sit at the feet of Joanne Bachrach, their teacher who has been provided with a solid curriculum by our Sunday School Superintendent, or Mary Lou Keim who has mastered the art of cuddling and cooing  [#12  partner with us ]. That’s why our two Junior Church coordinators flag you down to take a turn every 6 months               [# 13 chasing ]. That’s why we constantly have something to celebrate [ #14 manger scene]

Well, of course, the more we have to celebrate, the more we want. It is natural not only to want good things but a mountain of good things. It is God’s will that we are comforted. Good things will come as they always come because the comfort of Christmas comes as it always comes  - to straighten something out and to build something wonderful up in our lives. [  #15   blue -   wise men on camels ]

So we say as Mary said when she heard Gabriel’s good news that stirred up anticipation, excitement, and celebration of a new beginning and a fresh start  - [ #16 verse 38  ]  she said, ‘Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word.’

Paul McCartney from The Beatles put it this way [ #17 Paul McCartney]

When I find myself in times of trouble

Mother Mary comes to me

Speaking words of wisdom, let it be.

Let it be, let it be.

Whisper words of wisdom

Let it be.

Or as a Christian rap artist La Crae [ #18 La Crae rapper ]who was introduced to me by one of the Bethel youth says –

What’s up….

There ain't nothin' to want,  (Lord) you give me all that I need

All I need is you to keep that fire burnin' for me

All I need is you – huh – yeah.

When we know we need God first above anything and anyone, we can surrender more easily to the will of God. May this be the Christmas we celebrate something being straightened out and built up in us and around us. [#19 children around Jesus’ manger] Amen.

  

December 14 2014 "Comfort - Act Compassionately

December 14 2014 “Comfort – Act Compassionately” Isaiah 61.1-4, 8-11 Jacqueline Hines

In this month’s sermon series, the focus is God’s comfort for God’s people. So, today, as every Lord’s Day, is a day of celebration. It is a day to [ #1 rejoice….]  “10 I will greatly rejoice in the Lord, my whole being shall exult in my God; for he has clothed me with the garments of salvation, he has covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decks himself with a garland, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.”

Our God delights in us. Our God smothers us with love and kisses, especially on the Lord’s Day, especially when we gather as a family to celebrate the greatest love in the world. It is here that the Son shines on us and we grow. It is here that we are shaped and inspired to shine to the glory of God wherever there is darkness, to go into this world as God’s servants ready to serve wherever God lead us. It is here that we are spiritually smothered and literally covered with love and kisses.

We are all dressed up for this occasion! In fact, everything around us is dressed up. We have dressed up our homes for Christmas.  Businesses are dressing up. Our sanctuary is dressed up. And, we are all dressed up and ready to light up the world with miles of smiles.

We are especially dressed up in anticipation of the birthday party of our Lord and our savior. [ #2 Happy Bday Jesus ] We are wearing the garments of salvation and robes of righteousness. We are remembering one who was dressed in swaddling clothes. We may be wearing a choir robe, a clerical collar, or the colors of Christmas. You may have played a part in dressing up the altar, the sanctuary. December may be an important month to dress for spiritual battle or for bed to make up for all those sleep-deprived moments Christmas may bring, but the Lord’s Day is the day we are dressed for rejoicing in the presence of God who gave us the Son, the reason for the season.

Because we are dressed for a party, others notice. Truly others need to know that we are celebrating the joy and hope and faith that we experience all through the year. We need all the joy, hope, and faith that we can muster. So do many others around us.

This is a time of year when many gather to acknowledge that their Christmas is a “blue” Christmas. In addition to the many reasons to be grateful for the love that surrounds our life and the hope that God’s will is being done in us and around us, we also acknowledge that there have been some losses along the way and they still bring tears to our eyes. There are wounds that have not yet healed, and there are struggles that are just beginning. Some of us may need Christmas more than ever. It is a good thing that Christmas come as Christmas always comes, [ # 3 Merry Christmas - camels    ] to straighten something out and to build up something wonderful, to comfort with acts of compassion.

If you saw Jeopardy Friday evening, you heard this quote –    “If you want others to be happy, practice compassion. If you want to be happy, practice compassion.” The answer was  - who is the Dali Lama? As the most famous Buddhist monk, [ #4 Dali lama ]the Dali Lama speaks a truth that scientists universally affirm: Connecting to others in peaceful, positive, kind and compassionate ways feeds our brains and strengthens our minds and our bodies. God designed our love connection to bring us life.

This week’s news of a journalist committing suicide after reporting on Ferguson stunned me into remembering how emotionally debilitating some days can be. We can only wonder if those God assigned to light the way for him, agreed with God and chose to let their light shine.

Odds are good that the light within you will shine on the life of someone who is languishing in a deep, desperate, and dark moment. It may prove to be just enough light to bring hope or joy or faith or love, regardless of the twists and turns in their journey.

We need not feel guilty about our light, about how bright it is or is not or in what direction it shines or who does or does not benefit.  We need not worry or wonder about ANYTHING. We can simply BE the light God calls us to be. To be the light, let us remember at least three things.

First, in order to shine our light in the darkness, we need to have lots of hours exposed to the “son” light. Musicians that shine their light know that it takes from 10 to 50, 000 hours of practice to master their ministry. A solar lamp [ #5 solar lamps ] needs up to eight hours of sunlight in order to produce three hours of light in the darkness. If we are going to shine, we must be exposed to the source of light.

Secondly, in order to be the light this world needs to find the way to peace and joy, we must be willing to see with our own eyes and embrace with God’s heart those who are in the shadows, who are experiencing being the least, the last or the lost among us. [ #6 two embracing ] You’ve heard my story of doing a house blessing for a family whose son was plagued by heroin use. When I arrived at the home, I was overwhelmed by the emotion of God’s vast love for this son who was appetizing as road kill in the eyes of the world. Only God can guide us and help us share that level of love. It’s supernatural.

Thirdly, being the light of Christmas in this broken world means understanding that the Truth is the Light. [ #7 truth ]The truth is the light that guides us to great wisdom about what to do and what not to do. The truth is the light that reveals where God is and where God ain’t. [ #8 blue manger scene ] The truth is the light that connects us to a future filled with peace and joy and hope. [  #9 highway ].

May Christmas comes to your heart as it always does, to straighten something out, to build up something wonderful, and to comfort you in all your cares. [ # 10 blue manger scene with angels above ] Amen.