November 14, 2021 - "Labor Pains” - Pastor Hines

 November 14, 2021 - "Labor Pains” - Pastor Hines

Bethel members remind us that the foundation of this sanctuary was laid by hand in stone. There is something beautiful and awe-inspiring about stones. When the disciples came out of the temple after worship, they marveled at the stones that made the temple. They were huge.  They were gorgeous. It took a lot of love, muscle, and determination to put them in their proper place. The results were breathtaking.  Humanity always recognizes the beauty that results when people work together, creating something wonderful. The disciples noticed, saying “Look, Teacher, what large stones and what large buildings!” We hear the same type comments when people visit Bethel. Most everyone who visits for the first time remarks about the beauty of the renovations, the ark, the pavilion, the open space and the towering trees. Many worked together to make all of it happen.

At the same time, Jesus reminds us that working together to create something beautiful is great, but it is not permanent, nor is it the end- all. God is always working in us to build and to rebuild. Like a river flowing, the kin-dom of God is not stagnant. God’s people and God’s plan are always changing, always creating and recreating.

Change is good because change is growth for the better. Change keeps us healthy. If the fetus in the womb does not change from hour to hour, it cannot live. If a seed in the ground does not change, growth can’t happen. We’d all starve. Change is a necessary part of life.

People smile when I tell them that I have participated in several Christian denominations and I think of myself as Metho-costal-penta-holy. I’ve been strengthened by my experiences in a Christian college, two different seminaries, Quaker Friends meetings, Catholic gatherings, and more. Some of these experiences have left me scratching my head. There are things that go on in some mega meetings that could curl your hair. A police officer retired when he was losing his eyesight to diabetes. He went into a healing line but it was not a good thing. He witnessed those praying for people with crutches. Their crutches were snatched and people fell helplessly to the ground. In one store front church a man was slain in the spirit nearly every Sunday. People were assigned to “catch” him, but all too often he would fall and crack his head. In another meeting, a woman in charge, snapped her fingers and directed another person to start speaking in tongues. Nothing seemed to happen except awkward silence, befuddlement and embarrassment. Certainly, the Holy Spirit would want growth to happen for the better in those situations.

The church is always in need of growth and change in order to stay alive. We know it is necessary, still we are not always ready, we are not always willing. Can you imagine what the disciples thought as they came out of the temple and Jesus told them, “Not one stone will be left here upon another; all will be thrown down.”

The first temple was built 957 years before Jesus was born. It was looted and destroyed by King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon who conquered Jerusalem in the year 586 BC. It took 70 years to rebuild the second Temple in Jerusalem in 516 BC. The second Temple, stood for 585 years before the Romans destroyed it in AD 70 as retaliation for constant protests by the Jews.

Since both Temples were destroyed, the only thing left is the Western Wall, also called the Wailing Wall. You may have visited it at one time. People go to the wall from all over the world to pray. The Wailing Wall has been standing since 516 BC, well over 2000 years. As things go these days, it may not be there tomorrow. For, all around us we see God building, rebuilding, creating, and recreating. Something new is being birthed in us and around us constantly. We have the labor pains to prove it. We have seen the shifting of so many building blocks in our life and the lives of those we care about. We’ve seen in our lives what Jesus said would happen to the Temple. Not one stone is left on top of another. All will be thrown down.

New life can be quite painful. When the disciples heard about this major change, of course, they wanted to know when the stones would be thrown down, when things would change. Perhaps they wanted a heads up so they could prepare in one way or another.

But, Jesus did not give them the when. Jesus gave them the what. He told them to beware of what leaders do when they are trying to lead you astray. Jesus told them what not to do when they heard about wars and rumors of wars. They were told NOT to get alarmed. Don’t even get alarmed when there are earthquakes and famines. Jesus compares these catastrophes as birth pangs.

The disciples may have thought, “What does Jesus know about birth pangs?” They may have soon realized that being calm during a catastrophe requires supernatural help. Labor pains indicate that something new is about to be delivered. Labor pains indicate that deliverance is about to take place. It may take minutes, hours, or days, but deliverance is on its way.

When humanity is pregnant with possibilities, growth is occurring in stages. When the labor pains begin, it signals a need to prepare for the delivery of something new and deliverance from certain pain and sorrow. The pain becomes intense. Deliverance often happens when our pain is intense. How intense is intense? If the labor pains are four minutes apart and they last at least one minute long and they happen over and over again for a whole hour, it’s time to prepare for deliverance. It is time to go through the four stages of labor.

The first stage of labor is dilation which makes room for a new creation.  The second stage is the actual delivery and new life arrives. The third stage of labor is pushing out the placenta – this afterbirth organ has provided nutrition, oxygen, and waste management for that which is being delivered. It’s pushed out because it is no longer needed. There may be something resourceful in our lives that is no longer needed and needs to go. The fourth stage is recovery. Labor is hard work. Giving birth to God’s new creation is traumatic. Time is needed to recover. It can take 6-8 weeks.

It seems Jesus did not tell the disciples when the urgent need for deliverance would come, when they would have to go through something tough, unpleasant and at times seemingly unbearable. They asked when this would happen. Jesus may have thought what a silly question. Catastrophe is happening anywhere and everywhere and all the time. Deliverance is needed by us or someone everywhere all the time. Likewise, we can experience the joy of new beginnings anywhere, everywhere and all the time.

So, what is Jesus expecting from us when trouble comes. He says, “Do not be alarmed. This is the beginning of labor pains.” Something wonderful is on its way. God the father, son, and Holy Spirit always, always call us to not be alarmed and to look far enough past our troubles until we can see what God wants us to do and where God wants us to go. May today be the day we look to God for the good and the new that we so urgently need. Amen.