Friday, February 21, 2020

February 23 2020 Transfiguration Sunday "Love Changes You"


February 23 2020 *Matthew 17.1-9, Exodus 24.12-18 “Love Changes You” Pastor Jacqueline Hines
It was one of those extraordinary days. It wasn’t necessarily a holiday. It was the day we now call the Day of Transfiguration, a day of SPIRITUAL GROWTH, TRANSFORMATION. It was a good day that changed the church forever. What kind of day changes the church forever? [slide #  1 change ahead ]
When we look back in church history we see that any day a miracle happens, changes the church: the feeding of the five thousand with a few loaves and a couple of fish, a lame man who walked and a woman cured of her issues, the blind now able to see, and of course, the resurrection of Jesus. There is no doubt that someone in this room today has experienced what they would call a miracle. Miracles change the church forever.
The day a courageous act is performed changes the church forever. The day Pastor Dietrich Bonhoeffer decided to stand up against Hitler he knew he was risking his life. The Nazis executed him by hanging, but not before he wrote his classic book entitled The Cost of Discipleship which reminds us of our call to follow Jesus no matter what it costs us, for his lovingkindness is even better than life. Bonhoeffer was part of a daring movement that overcame evil with good. Courage changes the church forever. [slide #   2  courage in clouds]
Besides the church being changed forever on a day a miracle or act of courage happens, the church changes forever when someone uses their gifts and talents. [slide #   3  your spiritual gifts…grow]
As a pastor I work constantly to stir up our spiritual gifts and make room for us to use our unique gifts – our specialties. Each of us is known for the particular ways we show a certain kindness and affection or decorate or cook or bake or build or fix or wash or teach or paint or organize….and we do so in special or unique ways, in the name of Jesus. That not only changes the church forever, it maintains the church forever. As Al Carmines’ song declares: Many gifts, one Spirit, one love known in many ways. In our difference is blessing, from diversity we praise one Giver, one Lord, one Spirit, one Word, known in many ways, hallowing our days. For the Giver, for the gifts, praise, praise, praise!
Rev. Al Carmines was born in Hampton, Virginia attended Swarthmore College and Union Theological seminary.  [slide #  4   Rev. Carmines]  He was commissioned by United Methodist Women to write Hymn 114 of our hymnbook called Many Gifts for their 1973 Assembly in Ohio. Carmines wrote many off Broadway musicals about many topics including Joan of Arc, Gertrude Stein, homosexuality, Abraham Lincoln, and W.C. Fields.
If we dig deep enough we find that all human stories include a diversity of gifts and races and genders and classes. Depending on who’s telling the story, certain names and races and classes can be left out. The story is told of a popular preacher named Lemuel Haynes born in Connecticut in 1753 and a veteran of the Revolutionary War. [slide #  5   Rev. Lemuel Hanes] His father was an African slave and his mother a Scottish indentured servant. He was the first black to be credentialed in the U.S. as a minister. For 30 years, he served a congregation of mostly whites and a few Africans in Vermont. The human story is always a story of diverse gifts and races, and genders, and classes. [slide #   6  diversity brings…]
So, if miracles, courage, and our gifts historically change the church, what does that have to do with this day we call the Transfiguration Day? What were the qualities of the day that stood out so much that they are still remembered 2000 years later? First, the disciples were not alone. Jesus was with them. Peter was there. Peter was an important person who used his unique gifts. Peter was known as the rock. He was a solid Christian. He had a reputation for being a strong, dynamic Christian who was not at all wishy washy. He was a Christian on the outside as well as on the inside. Peter was like one of those reversible jackets we have. You can wear it outside in or inside out it will still look good.
Jesus was there. Peter was there and James and John were there. James and John were brothers. Lots of churches are family churches and that often gives the church strength and continuity. Family churches help us see the blessings and beauty of what God has done from one generation to the next generation. When I went to Lancaster, one of the first words of advice I received from an elders was, “Pastor, be very careful what you say because almost everybody is related to someone else in the church.
James and John were brothers with a reputation for being very fiery. That is putting it nicely. The scriptures call them the “sons of thunder.” It brings to mind that these brothers were outspoken, rambunctious, and perhaps a bit rowdy. Since James’ name always appears first in the bible, I imagine that James brought the thunder and John flashed the lightening… When the other disciples experienced their thunder, they also saw their lightening and they prepared for a storm. The brothers were no doubt like two peas in a pod, peanut butter and jelly, or peas and carrots, like love and marriage, they go together like a horse and carriage; everyone knows you can't have one without the other…
So Jesus the son of God was there, Peter the rock was there, James and John were there. Where were they? They were on a mountain, and not just any mountain. The text describes it as a “high mountain” Verse 1 of Matthews’s text says “Six days later, [ that is six days after he told the disciples he was about to die and leave them ] Jesus took with him Peter and James and his brother John and led them up a high mountain, by themselves. It was like a retreat, a very special time away in the mountains.
When Jesus spoke with the disciples six days earlier, the texts suggest that they were having that conversation in Caesarea Philippi and the closet mountain to the city of Caesarea Philippi is Mt. Hermon. [slide #   7  Mt. Herman] Verse 1 says Jesus took them to a high mountain and Mt. Hermon is about three times higher than the other peaks around Israel. Mt. Hermon is 9230 feet high. At that height, one can see great awe-inspiring beauty as well as remain alert to oncoming threats.
People who are not afraid of heights are often believed to be highly successful, that is, not afraid to soar the heights in life. Oprah Winfrey said she would often dream of flying high.
Jesus took Peter and James and John to a high mountain verse 1 tells us. They followed him like good, obedient disciples. Verse 2 says that Jesus was transfigured before them, and his face shone like the sun, and his clothes became dazzling white. Right away we are beginning to see what makes Transfiguration Day a day that changed the church forever.
What we are seeing is that it was all about a miraculous light. The light was supernatural, unusual, and unnatural. It was extraordinarily intense, inspiring, enveloping, inescapable, even frightening.  [slide #   8  light] Jesus’ face was shining, his clothes were dazzling bright and white. But that was not all.
If a supernatural light was not miraculous enough to change the church forever, suddenly, without warning for us as we ae reading Mathew’s story, Moses appeared on the mountain, suddenly. Most of us appreciate change more, when we are aware that change is coming. Moses appeared suddenly. Moses lived to be 120 years old. He died in 1273 BC, before the birth of Christ.
Moses was a miracle worker who led the Israelites to the edge of the Promised Land. If it weren’t for his anger management issues, he probably would have made it into the Promised Land himself.
Moses made his appearance on this mountain, suddenly. [slide #  9  Moses an Elijah appear] Then there was even more incredible drama. Elijah suddenly appeared, too. Elijah was also a miracle worker. He spoke for God and stunned the world with his predictions. He lived in the 9th century 800 years before Christ. Elijah is such an important figure in our Judeo-Christian heritage that when our brothers and sisters celebrate the Passover they prepare a special cup for Elijah who has a standing invitation. Elijah was so close to God that he did not die a natural death but was swept up into heaven in a chariot of fire.
The two pillars of the faith appeared suddenly and were talking to Jesus.
Transfiguration Day comes with the presence of Jesus, on a high mountain. Peter, James and John are there to witness the light and two giants in the faith, appearing suddenly. And there’s more. Peter started talking and offered his services to build a dwelling for Jesus and Moses and Elijah, but verse 5 says 5While Peter was still speaking, suddenly a bright cloud overshadowed them [slide #  10  open cloud in sky]  and the voice of God said this is my beloved son, in whom I am well pleased. Listen to Him. God turned the conversation back over to Jesus and how pleased God was with him and directed Peter, not to talk, but to LISTEN. [slide #   11  listen to Him]
When we are in a high place with Jesus, God’s voice overshadows our own and helps us to put Jesus in the right perspective and lets us know it is time to LISTEN TO HIM.
I heard a psychologist say the other day that prayer and meditation changes your brain. Persons who meditate and pray are calmer, less depressed, less reactive, not perfect, but definitely better. If we love God, we love each other, we love to pray and meditate in order to be still and know God, to be in the presence of God. Love changes our brain and changes us for the better. [slide #   12  brain]
One source says that brain scans of monks who completed 10,000 hours of meditation were similar to those persons who took LSD. Though meditation heals the brain rather than destroy it like LSD does. Ten thousand hours of meditation led to another dimension of consciousness, a changed reality, and a transformed community.
I can believe that Peter, James, and John had a rich prayer life. I can believe that their love for God kept them praying and meditating on the word of God until they followed Jesus to a high place and were transformed. Prayer and meditating on the word of God gave them a mountaintop experience, leading them to higher ground where they saw the light, where they saw Jesus, where they felt the towering strength of Moses and Elijah, where they began to dream dreams and see visions, where the heard God’s voice above their own.
Transfiguration Day is a day of change for the better, it is a day of transformation whether in small ways or in big ways. Transfiguration Day happens because we follow Jesus, the Lord of Love. The love of Jesus and for Jesus changes the church forever, and love can change us where we need change the most. [slide #   13  cross and bridge]
As we prayerfully follow Jesus, we will no doubt find ourselves on higher ground, surrounded by light and the strength of the faithful, dreaming dreams, seeing visions and hearing God’s voice more clearly. May it be so today and always. [slide #   14  prayer…key] Amen. [slide #  15 can…do it..]


Sunday, February 16, 2020


February 16, 2020 *Matthew 5.21-37, Deuteronomy 30.15-20 “Love Gives You Reason to Care” Pastor Jacqueline Hines
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Our bible is steeped in an ancient Middle Eastern context. Some of the ideas we think of as mostly Middle Eastern are not exclusively Middle Eastern nor are they ancient. There are ancient biblical experiences that are happening today, all around our world. We think of pilgrimages whether to Mecca or Jerusalem. [slide # 1 Coptic pilgrimage ]  People trace their roots to Ireland and Germany and travel to that homeland. [slide #  2 Irish castle]    [ slide #  3 German market]
[slide #  4  Buddhist chanters]  Chanting happens in a Buddhist temple as well as in European monasteries; the sound of the ram’s horn – the Shofar  - can be heard in the synagogue and has showed up in a contemporary worship service here at Bethel; [slide #  5 blowing shofar]  For over 1500 years, many have prayed at the wailing wall, and since 1792 many have prayed on Wall Street, [Slide # 6 Wall Street]  [slide # 7 Wall street – again] Gandhi fasted [slide # 8 Gandhi] for peace and justice in India as did Dick Gregory in Washington and 100 students in Tiananmen Square China. Beheadings happen in Iraq as well as Missouri. Death by stoning, polygamy, yoga, eating from a common dish, fondues, meditation, chimes and singing bowls [slide # 9 singing bowl] that call us to a certain consciousness may be a part of an ancient biblical culture of the Middle East, but they can be found in many places in this world.
Some say the bible is not relevant because Middle Eastern culture is not our context, but the lessons Jesus teaches us in Matthew’s gospel today are really universal lessons.
Scientists acknowledge that humans have many emotions and facial expressions, but there are seven facial expressions that are UNIVERSAL. They are Happiness, Sadness, Fear, Disgust, Anger, Contempt and Surprise. Culture more so impacts the rules of displaying certain emotions, such as when and where it is acceptable to express anger.
Jesus’ lessons about anger, adultery, divorce and oaths are no brainers. In verses 21-26 there is nothing new under the sun about being angry and out of control. We all know there is little good that comes from angry men and angry mobs.
Adultery in verses 27-30 has no redeeming qualities whether we betray God, betray each other, or betray someone or country to whom we have pledged our allegiance. We know better, but like a snowball that keeps rolling down a hill, we accumulate icy coldness until the son causes us to meltdown and start fresh. The Holy Spirit prays through us on a daily basis, prompting us to praise God every hour and repent every day!
Jesus talks about divorce in verses 31-32 because it is very painful. Even when God seems to permit divorce in the bible and demands divorce in the bible under certain circumstances, God weeps because divorce is the death of hope and brings much sorrow to God, to our communities and the families involved.
Concerning oaths [slide # 10  solemn oaths] in verses 33-37, we are urged to keep it simple, for a complicated oath is like a complicated prenuptial agreement. It can be an insult, showing a lack of faith. You either accept it or reject it. There are no guarantees. There is no winning it all, all of the time.
Our United Methodist Protocol for Reconciliation is the name of the document that proposes a peaceful way for the church to split amicably, since it is clear that we cannot live together as one church. In order to bridge our alienation, a diverse group of 16 people have developed an agreement with the help of Attorney Kenneth Feinberg [slide #   11 Kenneth Feinberg] who successfully negotiated parties around the hardships of Agent Orange and 911. The Protocol for Reconciliation is now 36 pages long. That is a simple as it gets right now.
Jesus, being the great teacher he is, reminds us ad nauseam to do the right thing – not because we do not know what to do, but because we if we do not prayerfully nurture our lives with God’s word and wisdom we will wither and die, we will miss the great blessings that God has for each and every one of us. If we do not exercise our spiritual muscles, they don’t work as well to keep us safe and secure. If we do not eat balanced meals, we invite trouble. If we don’t get proper rest, our minds don’t function as well. [slide # 12  we need rest…]
In the last two weeks, as I was sensing the Holy Spirit reminding me to do the right thing and take seriously my need to have a Sabbath rest, I decided some days I would take advantage of the wisdom of my Jewish brothers and sisters. I started finding ways to refresh and rest at 4:00 one day and kept going until 4:00 the next day. It was delightful and I felt very connected to God. It was a meaningful time of listening and being heard by God. Which day does not seem to matter as much as taking quality time to come before God and be restored and revived in ways that only God can do for us. Someone mentioned this week that if we do not choose a day off, our bodies will do it for us.  Some of you know exactly what that means. [slide # 13 Sabbath is a gift…]
Jesus said if we love him, we will keep his commandments. Keeping the commandments is one way that proves that we care about other human beings no matter what their culture and no matter what we feel about them based on uncomfortable and confusing circumstances. Keeping the commandments proves that we care about ourselves and the God who created us. [slide # 14…love Jesus]
Rather than express any hatred to others, we can do what our DS said this week as we have LGBTQ inclusion conversations.  She was quoting a line from the film Wonder  about the life of a fifth grader who had a very different face. [slide #  15 Wonder photo]  Be “Kinder than is necessary. Because it's not enough to be kind. One should be kinder than needed.”
Love gives us reasons to care. This week I heard a story of the Ku Klux Klan purchasing property in the Bonnie Bra Park to use as their headquarters, but their presence faded as the Spring City Community showed more love than hate.
Historian Henry Louis Gates, Jr. tells the story of the West African Kingdom of Dahomey that held 4,000 slaves captive for sale to traders. The kingdom became very wealthy, even though they sold slaves cheaper than one could buy in America. Through the years they have regularly acknowledged the evil source of their wealth and they repent again and again.
The U.S. stopped the legal importing of slaves in 1808, nevertheless, the Meaher brothers were slave traders who made a bet that they could import a ship full of slaves without getting caught and they did. They were the richest family in Mobile and did not need the money. Apparently, they did it all for sport. In 1860 they bought about 129 slaves to Alabama and ordered the ship burned, so as to eliminate evidence of the crime. Five years later, when Union soldiers set the slaves free, they did not have enough money to sail back home so they settled on land owned by Tim Meaher who constructed the slave ship and they developed a town and called it Africa town, near Mobile.
History has as many wonders as it has tragedies. Perhaps the most challenging spiritual discipline is to keep our eyes on Jesus and not on our troubling circumstances, nor on our blessings. We are to keep our eyes on Jesus. As the song says, “…turn your eyes upon Jesus. Look full in His wonderful face, And the things of earth will grow strangely dim, In the light of His glory and grace.”
Just as tragedies come and tragedies go, amazing things come and amazing things go. Anger, adultery, divorce, solemn oaths with fingers crossed can happen to any of us at any time. By God’s mercy, peace also happens, [slide #  16   peace happens] faithful marriages are a reality, [slide # 17  couple making a heart] friendships exist that have never been broken and some promises have been kept without hesitation or interruption. [slide # 18  promises made… kept] God is able. God has a purpose and a plan and is ready to share insights that make our journey joyful, in spite of our circumstances. At any time and in any season we are invited to cast our cares upon him, because he cares for us. [slide # 19 resting in the bible] Amen. [slide # 20 choose joy]
   

Saturday, February 8, 2020

February 9, 2020 Love Lights the Street You Walk On

February 9 2020 Scout Sunday *Matthew 5.13-20, Isaiah 58.1-12 “Love Lights the Street You’re Walking On”  [8 30 service only]
The other day, I was meditating on the biblical concept of light. I often think about how inconvenient it was when during a snow storm a few years ago the electricity went out because the ice and snow was so heavy it caused the electric wires to fall down. [slide #   1  snow – lines down]  Another time a car hit an electric pole and we were without electricity for several hours. [slide #  2  car hit pole] In times like that, we are often fortunate to have some daylight or candles and flashlights. Some even have generators to keep their homes running like normal.
When the lights go out at home, we are ready with a backup plan. But have you ever been in the mall when the lights go out? Have you been at work or on vacation? One of the worst case scenarios that came to mind is being in the dark of night, in the woods.  Clouds overshadow the moonlight.  It is pitch black. You cannot even see your hand in front of your face. There are holes in the ground that you stumble on as you try to walk forward. Branches push us to and fro. We can see animal eyes glowing in the dark. [slide #  3  animal eyes] The sound of bird wings fluttering, owls hooting, and what is certain to be furry animals bustling about at speeds faster than any human, howling for their dinner and you hope they are not looking to take a bite out of you.
There are times that our need for light is not only convenient but a matter of life and death. [slide #   4  life or death] Can you think of a person or a situation that is in a dark place? Is their need for light a matter of convenience or a matter of life and death?
There are situations that are a matter of life and death. There are people who are on the edge of destruction. Who are they? What is his name? What is her name? Whoever it is, you are not only a prayer away from them. You are their light. Jesus says to you today, “You are the light of the world.” You are the help they need to make it safely in their journey. You are the illumination that reveals the blessings that they desperately need. You make a difference in their life. YOU!! Jesus said, “You!!” [slide #   5  sheep on back]
Can you handle that responsibility? Are you available to be a light? Ae you willing to be a light? [slide #   6  man bowed sadly]
Jesus also says we Christians are the salt of the earth. A little salt goes a long way in making food taste better. Nutritionists do say if we eat over a teaspoon of salt in a day, our health is at risk. It is up to us Salty Christians to pray for God to give us wisdom in order to have just the right amount to keep both the spiritual and physical atmosphere balanced and risk-free. You do know that God is faithful to give you wisdom if you ask.
Pastor Clair Sauer of Tennessee did some research on salt saying, “… 40 million tons are required each year to fill our needs. Homer [writer of the Iliad and the Odyssey] called salt divine. Plato called it a "substance dear to the gods." Shakespeare mentioned salt 17 times in his plays. Perhaps Leonardo da Vinci wanted to send a subtle message about purity lost when he painted "The last Supper." [slide #   7  Last Supper ] In that painting an overturned salt cellar [shaker] is conspicuously placed before Judas. [slide #   8  Judas and spilled salt diagram] In ancient Greece a far-flung trade involving the exchange of salt for slaves gave rise to the expression, "...not worth his salt." Special salt rations were given to Roman soldiers and known as "Solarium Argentums" the forerunner of the English word "salary." Thousands of Napoleon's troops died during his retreat from Moscow because their wounds would not heal--their bodies lacked salt. The human body contains about 4oz. of salt. Without enough of it, muscles won't contract, blood won't circulate, food won't digest and the heart won't beat a beat. Without a doubt, salt is the essence of life. And Jesus said, "You are the salt of the earth."”
As the salt of the earth, we can be the spice of life [slide #  9  spice of life] for those who need to taste and see that the Lord is God, for those who need to see that Christians are good.
In 1963, Pastor Sauer’s grandfather was serving as the Senior Minister of West End United Methodist Church in Nashville. No doubt they said thousands of prayers in that church, but this story tells us that prayer doesn’t make holy unless we want to be holy. She tells this story about an event in the 60’s: West End is situated right across the street from Vanderbilt University, [slide #   10  Vanderbilt University] and has always been a wealthy, predominately white church. One communion Sunday, a black family happened to be worshipping at West End, and like the rest of the congregation, they came forward to receive the meal. Without a sidelong thought, my grandfather served them the bread and juice just as he did the rest of the congregation…And as soon as church dismissed that day, the Administrative Board went into a meeting. A few hours later, they called my grandfather into the room, and though my grandfather was greatly liked by all the people of West End, they asked for his immediate resignation because he served communion to blacks. My grandfather told the gathered group that if that was really the way they felt, then he was not the right minister for them anyway. In stunned silence, the members of the board said nothing more…They knew that he was right. My grandfather stayed at West End for many more years, and in that time, other blacks came to worship there as well. Pastor Sauer’s grandfather spiced the Church up in a very good way.
Another touchy subject these days is the corona virus. There is much fear and panic around our world as people are dying. We seem to be moving from the virus being an epidemic to becoming a pandemic. [slide #   11  coronavirus] This virus, with prongs like those on a crown – thus the name corona – is causing health care workers to stay overtime for 12-14 hours. Cities are being shut down. Can you imagine what it is like to suddenly, suddenly not be able to drive out of town whenever you want to? People are panicking, fighting, resisting and resenting. Hundreds are being detained in airports for days hoping to get back to their jobs, families and vacations. One source says, if the virus is not stopped soon, it will become endemic – that is people will die from the corona virus as commonly as people die every flu season.
In the year 260, the Black Plague ripped through the Roman Empire and according to historian Rodney Starks, Dionysius (Bishop of Alexandria) wrote that the non-Christians pushed those who suffered away and fled for their lives, but Christians stayed to minister to the infected and dying to the point that they the even died themselves. They knew the risks and they were willing to take them. (source Will Willimon)
That is the kind of Christian we want to be! That is, if God calls us to do so. As we pray about everything, we realize we are not called to make every sacrifice that can be made. Neither are we called to live only for luxury and ease. We are called to live for Jesus – to seek him diligently, to serve him faithfully, and to obey him quickly. Then we can be a light for those who need a lamp to see where God is leading them. [slide #   12  lit path in woods] Then we can be the salt that causes others to taste and see that the Lord is good and that we are good, too! [slide #   13  salty Christians] Amen. [slide # 14 …never forget you are loved]    [slide # 15 you are not only loved, you…]