Biblical Characers - The Gerasene, Healed from a Crazy Place

June 23  - June 23 I Kings 19.1-9, *Luke 8.26-39  “Biblical Characters – The Gerasene, Healed from a Crazy Place” [ God is a healer, even in our crazy place] Pastor Jacqueline Hines

Today’s gospel lesson is so important that it is repeated in the gospels of Matthew and Mark. Put your seatbelts on. You are about to witness the healing of a crazy man, and if the Lord wills, some of us just might be blessed this morning to be healed as well!

 We are on the Sea of Galilee. The boat is about to land on the shores of a people known as the Gerasenes.  Jesus is in the boat with us. At least one person here might be thinking, “What are we doing here? This is not a holy place. These people do not have a reputation for living right. There is no beautiful place of prayer in THIS area, not the likes to which we are accustomed.”

As soon as Jesus steps out of the boat, a man rushes toward him. The man has demons, and lots of them.  There is something terribly wrong in his life. For a long time, according to the record, he has worn no clothes. He does not live in a house but in the tombs. 28When he saw Jesus, he fell down before him and started screaming.

A few of us may have met someone of this man’s description. We’ve had a glimpse or heard of persons with his kinds of troubles. Usually, they are quickly detained by authorities, assured of their legal rights, protected behind closed doors and offered treatment.

There are others whose troubles are not so obvious. We know of serial killers like the oh so handsomeTed Bundy who wined and dined the ladies, medical doctor Michael Swango who harmed his patients, swindler Bernie Maddoff who stole billions from his friends and family, and Elizaphan Ntakirutimana a Seventh Day Adventist who participated in the Rwandan massacre. There is more than enough evidence of destructive, deceptive, devastating, demonic powers at work on this earth. At the same time there is no denying that spiritual disciplines develop divine demonstrations of the power of the love of God to defeat even demons. Not necessarily without a fight. There may even be some pain involved.

A wild-eyed, maniacal man approaches the boat; immediately, Jesus takes control and commands the unclean spirit to come out him. Some situations require an immediate response? Some situations require a love that has urgency. Jesus IMMEDIATELY commanded the unclean spirit to come out of the man.

That is what we need to do, too. When we have a situation that is in our face, out of control, exasperating, assaulting, harassing, or deadly, we may need to position ourselves, though our words or in our heart for an immediate command – “Come out!”  

Then what happened to Jesus may happen to us. Verse 28 and 29 says, the unclean spirit spoke back, saying “Do not torment me….for Jesus had commanded the unclean spirit to come out of the man. The citizens of Gerasa had tied the man down in chains over and over again, but the demons were strong enough to break every chain. Someone we know is tied down, shackled by one heavy burden or another. We all have our moments. Certainly, when we are within listening range to our pain and that of others who are with Jesus, we can hear the voice of Jesus say, “Come out of him, Come out of her.”  Come out, come out wherever you are! Come out, come out, whoever you are. Then we can expect the demons to speak on their own behalf, to beg, to plead, to negotiate a way to keep things as they are for as long as possible.

‘What is your name?’ Jesus asked. ‘Legion’ he responds; for many demons had entered him. A Roman legion could be as many as 6,000 armed soldiers. It’s amazing that Jesus is having this conversation with demons and with so many at one time. Perhaps there is a conversation we need to have to address something or someone that is evil or out of control. We may be frightened, and need courage. Jesus will give us exactly what we need and guide us step by step in the way we need to go.

Verse 32 says Now there on the hillside a large herd of swine was feeding; and the demons begged Jesus to let them enter these. So he gave them permission. 33Then the demons came out of the man and entered the swine, [We have to go to the gospel of Mark to discover that there were about 2,000 pigs. That could be 2 demons per pig, but Luke, being a physician, is more concerned with the details of this man’s mental health.] The herd rushed down the steep bank into the lake and was drowned.

Pigs are scavengers. They eat from garbage that could very likely be contaminated. For that reason, pigs were considered unclean, a health hazard. With today’s FDA regulations, we can eat a nice pork chop without the risk that those in ancient Galilee faced. One thing for sure, these swine herders were not Jewish.  This was pagan country where no God was claimed, no standards adhered to. The pigs were allowed to eat anything and everything. One could not count on them being fit for human consumption.

Jesus drowning 2000 pigs was an economic disaster for the swine herders. They had to be looking at hundreds of thousands of dollars in losses. There was a church where several members worked for a tobacco company. They were well paid, but their spiritual conflict caused them to stay on the edge of economic disaster, when their conscience was bothering them.

While the swine herders were spreading the word, trying to recoup their losses, the wild man was clinging to Jesus, becoming whole. A crew gathered and came back, angry and looking for trouble. What they found was a miracle. The demon possessed man was clothed and in his right mind, sitting at the feet of Jesus.

That’s a good starting point for all of us – at the feet of Jesus. We can ward of things in this world that get in our face, that harass us, assault us, and render us out of control. The swine herders were not celebrating. Instead they were afraid. We have to remember where we are. This was not a holy place. Goodness and healing were foreign to the Gerasenes.  Instead of asking Jesus to stick around and bless them, too, they asked Jesus to get out of town.

As we invite Jesus into every area of our lives, as we take time to sit at his feet, holiness surrounds us, demons avoid us. The man wanted to get in the boat and go with Jesus, but the Lord directed him to go home and tell his story so that God could get the glory, so that others could see the light in him and be healed and helped.

In those seasons when we understand more than anything that the word can be a crazy place, we want to rush into the arms of Jesus, lest we find ourselves on the shores of unholy places. We want to stay at the feet of Jesus and go wherever he tells us to go, telling our story, so God can get the glory and those who need it most will be helped and healed. Amen.

Biblical Characters - The Widow of Zarephath

June 9 * I Kings 17.8-16, Luke 7.11-17 “Biblical Characters – The Widow of Zarephath for whom God dramatically provided” [God directs us to sources of provision] Rev. Jacqueline Hines

The story is one you’ve heard many times before. Maybe it has happened to you. Have you had big plans and no idea how you will get the resources to fulfill the plans? Have you had an urgent need and no sense of how God would keep the promise to take care of you? If you have lived long enough, you may know a couple things about financial crisis or emotional turmoil. This was the case for a certain widow who lived in Zarephath.

Not too many cities begin with the letter “Z.” There’s Zachary Louisiana, Zieglersville, Pa. or Zephyrhills, Florida where an 84 year old woman won the Powerball. None of you good Methodists even know what a power ball is of course. The widow of Zarephath was from the same area that the wicked and rich Jezebel was from. Scriptures reminds us that all people are not the same even if they come from the same neighborhood. Some may be good as gold, others as wrong as two left shoes.

The widow was not from any of the tries of Israel. She was a foreigner. She was a widow woman who had few economic opportunities. At one time the widow of Zarephath may have been like the widow of Nain who was doing ok until her son died. She may have been like the wise and beautiful widow Abigail who caught the eye of King David after her cruel husband died. We can see that the widow of Zarephath had something in common with Naomi, who became depressed when a famine left her destitute.

She may have been like other widows in the bible who stood in line for food or Anna who spent who spent countless hours in prayer and fasting, or the widows of Mark 12 who made headlines because they were being scammed, or the widow who gave her last mite that showed extraordinary trust in the God who provides. The widow of Zarepheth was about to learn what God could do to take care of her.

There are three persons closer to God’s heart than all others: the stranger, the orphan, and the widow. God’s people made a strong effort to be welcoming, hospitable, kind and generous, especially for these three. It was deeply embedded in the culture. So, when Elijah understood God wanted him to go to a widow’s house, Elijah could not have been surprised.

The ONE real surprise in the story is one that we don’t want to miss. This is it - the widow did not have to ask for help. God sent Elijah to help her. Elijah was told to go to her house because God had put it in her heart to feed him.  God sent Elijah to help the widow. God also sent the widow to help Elijah.

When he came to the widow’s door, she was not expecting company. He was a stranger, interrupting her life. Little did she know that this interruption would turn out to be her greatest blessing. We have all experienced holy interruptions from time to time.

Sadly, the widow was planning her last meal and preparing to sit back and let starvation takes its course. God sent Elijah to offer her a better plan. This was the better plan: Make God’s business your top priority, and watch God work in your life to provide. You will never be without.

That plan is for us, too. Whether we are in a season of prosperity or a moment of crises, God has a purpose and a plan. We can always expect God to bless, because God is in the blessing business.

100 years ago a Church in Swan Quarter, North Carolina was a mission church with very few members. They put a few dollars together to build a little church with a steeple. They prayed to build the church on land that was owned by a wealthy man, but he refused to sell to Methodists so the church was built on Oyster Creek Road instead. Some time later, a bad storm brought flooding and the little church was uprooted from its foundation and seen floating down the street. They tried to bring it back but the little church kept floating until it reached the lot for which the people had originally prayed. The owner just handed over the deed. This week, I talked to Pastor Gerald Craddock in North Carolina who confirmed the story.

The widow did not have to ask for help. The spirit moved in her life and brought the blessing to her. All she had to do was to receive it. Elijah, the servant of God needed a blessing because the whole region was in a drought. It affected him also. God knows where to find water and food in a time of drought. All we have to do is receive it. Is your heart open to the love of God today? Are you ready to receive the good that God has for you? Are you ready to give up the ways that do not lead to life?

As we sing this next song, may our hearts turn to God for the blessings that only come from heaven, knowing that God is in the blessing business. Amen

June 2 2013 Biblical Characters - Baal, Lord of the Flies

June 2 2013  *I Kings 18.20-39, Luke 7.1-10  “Biblical Characters – Baal - Lord of the Flies”  Rev. Jacqueline Hines

Ahab was one of the worst kings that Israel ever had. He was slimy and grimy in every sense of the word. You all know his wife Jezebel. She was even worse. Their politics were soaked through and through with every manner of greed, murder, and lust that could be imagined. Together they made false charges against a man and killed him so that they could have one of his fields which he refused to sell them. Ahab was supposed to be serving and representing God as he ruled. Instead he went along with Jezebel. He had married her for political reasons. She was of the Canaanite persuasion; the Holy ways of God were foreign to her culture and in her heart she despised the God of Israel. She married only for money and power.

When the prophets of God – the Billy Grahams of the day - agitated her with their preaching, she had many of them killed. Jezebel was a name synonymous with the devil himself. In the Canaanite language her name sounded like the Canaanite god Baal also known as Beelzebub which means lord of the flies or lord of the sewage dump.

How tough it must have been to serve God while politicians like Ahab and Jezebel were in office. The world is just as topsy turvy today as it was back then in the 9^th century.  In every area of life we can identify something that leaves us gasping for air, whether it be political oppression, natural disaster, family difficulties, health crisis, or employment issues – the world can be a really crazy place. Our only sanity and centeredness is found in our faith in God. Malachi 3.16 tells us “I am the Lord your God. I change not.”

Isn’t it true though that the crazier life is, the more we are inclined to go to our Creator for help. Trusting in God makes all the difference in this world, no matter what we have on our hands. As the Gaither song goes, “Something beautiful, something good, all of my confusion, he understood. All I had to offer him was brokenness and pain, but he made something beautiful out of my life.” 

Elijah was a very bold prophet, preacher, and teacher. He was bold enough to say to King Ahab and his Queen Jezebel. You know you are wrong. You should be serving the true God and putting away these slimy ideas and tokens that you worship. We all worship the things that are worth something to us.

Lee Stroebel was an atheist who learned grew to worship God. (Hear his story –video clip)

Elijah was so confident in the power of God that he invited the 450 minsters of Baal to a contest in hopes that for once and for all they would get off the fence and decide to worship a loving and holy God instead and nothing less. The ministers were highly competitive and they agreed to a contest. Elijah said let’s build an altar and prepare a bull for sacrifice. You call your God and I will call my God to light the fire on this altar. The God who brings the fire will be God indeed.

Fire symbolizes power, the power of Pentecost that unites us in spite of being worlds apart, the power of praising God from whom all blessings flow, the power of love to lift us higher than we’ve ever been lifted before.

Jezebel’s ministers went first in this contest. They called on Baal from morning to noon, but there was no fire. When it was Elijah’s turn to call on God to send fire to cook the sacrificial bull on the altar, the first thing he did was to ask everyone to come closer and be clear witnesses to what God was getting ready to do. We all need to be as close as can to witness the work of God. That’s how we grow in faith. The altar needed repair so Elijah surrounded it with 12 stones, symbolizing the unity of the 12 tribes, the community of the people of God. The stones in the fireplace in the Bethel grove can remind us of the altar Elijah was preparing. We all need to bring something that unites us as we wait for God to show up.

Elijah poured 4 jars of water around the altar to dramatize God’s ability to bring fire in spite of the circumstances not once but 3 times, so when the fire came, God’s power would be undeniable.  We all need to let go and let God, not worrying about how the odds seem stacked against us or how troubling our circumstances. As we grow spiritually, we are free inch by inch of being overly concerned about life, death, the future, the past or anything else. Charles Stanley put it this way, “God assumes full responsibility for our needs when we obey him.”  

The next thing Elijah did was the most important. Elijah stood before the altar and said these words: ‘O Lord, God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, let it be known this day that you are God in Israel, that I am your servant, and that I have done all these things at your bidding. Elijah was not putting on a show. He was not making up things to do according to his imagination, training, or creative instincts. Elijah was prompted and directed by the Spirit of God!!

Elijah continues praying with these words: 37Answer me, O Lord, answer me, so that this people may know that you, O Lord, are God, and that you have turned their hearts back.’

Verse 38 says - Then the fire of the Lord fell and consumed the burnt-offering, the wood, the stones, and the dust, and even licked up the water that was in the trench. 39When all the people saw it, they fell on their faces and said, ‘The Lord indeed is God; the Lord indeed is God.’

May we too affirm in our hearts that the Lord is God. May we always find it worth it to worship. May we know the power of God in our lives in spite of dire circumstances. As we sing this next song, may the spirit turn our hearts back to the things of God that we may have forgotten along the way. Amen.

Mission Possible - "Pick Me"

May 5 2013  “Mission Possible: Pick Me!”  *Acts 16.9-15 Rev.  Jacqueline Hines

There we go again! Paul is going on with his spiritual adventures. He sees a vision of a man begging him to come to Macedonia which today is a region near Greece and Eastern European places like Bulgaria. Paul trusted that the vision was from God. That’s why he changed his whole direction all based on a vision. What faith!! What readiness to quickly answer God’s call to go wherever he was sent. How many of us are ready to be deployed at a moment’s notice. Paul did not hesitate. He sailed to a major city in Macedonia called Philippi. Philippi was a colony of the Romans in Italy, just as we in Pennsylvania were one of the 13 original colonies under British rule until the Revolutionary War.  Currently some might say the United States of America has two colonies – Puerto Rico and Guam.

History shows that it is the nature of rulers to build powerful armies and attempt to conquer others. We know persons who are products of the French Empire, the British Empire, the Ethiopian Empire or the Spanish Empire. Today our attention is drawn to those working to create empires based on religion.

Paul was Jewish. His encounter with Jesus convinced him he needed a savior. So he converted to Christianity. When Paul got off that boat, he could not be totally certain who was who and what was what from a cultural, political, and religious perspective. Is it not the same in our day?  In a sense Paul was out of his element. He was face to face with people who were very different, but he was convinced that God had sent him there with a purpose and a plan.

One preacher from Louisiana tells a story of how he was in a nightclub when the Lord saved him. God can show up anywhere? Hopefully, we are ready to meet God anywhere.

The Lord met Paul while he was on the way to Damascus to persecute Christians, legally. After that, Paul clearly understood the power of God’s love given through his son. Although he probably had few doubts that his vision to come to this Roman colony in Philippi Macedonia was really from God, he had to wonder at times. After all, there were few if any Jewish families there to teach about Jesus. He could not preach or teach or share his testimony at a church because there was no church yet. My guess is that for the first few days he was there he was getting settled, praying for guidance and getting to know people and sharing the love of God to all who would listen.

It seems there was a tradition that people would go outside the city limits to worship. They would gather down by the river side. Rivers are important in scriptures. They are always a source of life, freedom, healing, and cleansing.

It was down by the riverside that Paul met a wealthy woman named Lydia. Lydia was a business woman. She made and sold clothes dyed with the color purple, the color every king, Queen and royal child wanted to wear. Lydia got the purple from snails and dyed cloth with it. Getting the dye was time consuming and expensive because it took thousands and thousands of snails to get barely an ounce of dye to trim an edge of fabric. Her items were popular because it was known that the color did not easily fade, but seemed brighter with weather and sunlight. Lydia was willing to do the work. As a result she was wealthy.

Though a hard worker, we find her worshipping at the river, alongside Paul and his coworker Silas and a young missionary minister named Timothy whose mother was Jewish and whose father was Greek.  According to the story, Lydia was simply a God-fearer. She saw these strangers, listened to Paul’s sermon and decided to publicly commit her life to Jesus. Her heart was hungry for the things of God. She must have been a tremendous influence and example for her family, because they all got converted too. They were all baptized. That family was a blessing waiting to happen.  

Lydia was no superficial sister. She was deep in her convictions. She even asked  Paul to judge her, to see how she came off, to decide out loud if he thought she was really a Christian now, and if she measured up to the highest standards. She said, ‘If you have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come and stay at my home.’

What a place to be in our spiritual lives to ask someone to judge us, to evaluate our attitude, our aura, or our lifestyle! What a high standard it is to open our heart to the Word of God, to the servants of God, giving them rest and refreshment. That is part of what we hope will happen when we finish the renovations. We hope to achieve God’s highest standards for hospitality, for being welcoming, comforting, supporting. We want our hearts to be as loving and kind and holy as God’s heart. We want to move at the impulse of God’s love which he has for each and every one of us. May it be so. Amen.

March 17 2013 - 5th Sunday in Lent, “Victorious Lifestyles – Go For The Win! “

March 17 2013 - 5th Sunday in Lent, “Victorious Lifestyles – Go For The Win! “ - Isaiah 43.16-21, *Philippians 3.10-14  

Have you won anything lately? Our church has enjoyed winning. We’ve won notoriety for paying 100 per cent of our apportionment to maintain the United Methodist Church.  Allen won a prize that we displayed in this sanctuary. It is an award for spending over ten years racing against poverty, serving as President of the Spring City Outreach Committee. Children and youth at Bethel have competed as teams and as individuals and won local, state, national prizes– in swimming, karate, academics, and countless others. There have been those who’ve earned training certificates and diplomas after competing with high standards; they are the world’s winners.

In the church we also work to win souls, to win the confidence of those we invite to share our faith.  In this Lenten season, we compete against our own willfulness in order to be prepared and equipped to fully participate in the kingdom, or the Kin-dom.

As we celebrate St. Patrick’s Day, we remember that Patrick was a soul winner. He was born to a very loving family in Wales, but when Irish pirates raided his country, they kidnapped him and made him a slave to an Irish chieftain. St. Patrick was imprisoned for 6 years, herding sheep, pigs, and cattle against his will. He learned to pray in those fields; it was during this time that a guardian angel guided him to a ship so he could escape and return to his family. Though he was now safe and content back at home, he heard God’s call to return to Ireland, not as a slave but as a missionary to win hearts for God.

St. Patrick became known for using the shamrock as a visual aid. Shamrocks are a common Irish plant and their three-leaf clovers were perfect to teach the concept of God as the father, son, and Holy Spirit growing on that one stem.  Mary’s nephew Sam interestingly enough collects shamrocks as a hobby. There were so many blessings and miracles surrounding St. Patrick’s ministry that it wasn’t long before the shamrock was thought to bring good fortune or luck. As a result of his work, Ireland’s first century Christian roots were deepened and Ireland is still considered a Christian nation.

We know first-hand a church that is fervent about winning souls. The United States of America has the largest Christian population in the world, followed by Brazil and Mexico. Learning to win is so very important if we are going to keep pace with the will and way of God.

In Paul’s letter to the Philippians he talks about winning the prize of the high calling to which God calls us. Winning is an occasion for joy.  “The early church was known for its joy and gladness. They “gladly received God’s word”. (Acts 2:41) They “ate their food with gladness and simplicity of heart praising God and having favor with all the people”.

(Acts 2:46,47) Even when they were persecuted, beaten, and put in prison

they were “rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for

His name.” (Acts 5:41) There is no question but that these Christian were

happy people who found joy in their new found relationship

with God and their fellow Christians…The Ethiopian, after he was baptized into Christ, “went on his way rejoicing”. (Acts 8:39) The jailor in Philippi, when Paul and Silas preached Christ to him, believed “And immediately he and all his family

were baptized. And when he had brought them into his house, he set food

before them; and he rejoiced, having believed in God with all his household.” (Acts 16:33,34). "  [ The Clifton Church of Christ – sermon by William Hopkins –" he Happy Church" ]

We celebrate when we see others take dramatic steps in their faith. It’s a joyous occasion. Scriptures say that the joy of the Lord is our strength. We need strength to participate in each powerful resurrection planned for the Church. We need joy to be a church that rises above whatever trials that come our way.

A few years ago, I rejoiced with a woman who joined a new church. She was involved and filled with the spirit; she was tithing and testifying often to the goodness of God and the many blessings she had received. This week, though, she mentioned that she had not been to church in several weeks. It was so sad to hear her say that she had no excuse, that she knew she was wrong. She will learn like we all learn that there is mercy as well as a risk of losing so much when we choose to turn away from the light of God’s love.

It is better to suffer to win, even to die to win than to give up the victory altogether. One of the surprises of the election of Pope Francis is that he is a Jesuit, the order of priests most known to put their lives on the line for the sake of justice. There is a Jesuit Center a few miles away in Wernersville. Two Jesuit priests working among the poor of Argentina were told by the political and religious powers that be, to stop their work. Consequently, they were kidnapped by death squads and killed.

The victory in their death comes because there is light shed on those who are willing to help the suffering poor. It sheds light on the suffering of a nine-year old in that same country pregnant with twins by her stepfather. Her mother arranged for an abortion. The little girl, her family, and the physician who performed the abortion were excommunicated from the church, but not the stepfather.

The Lord gives us power that helps us maneuver through every injustice and rise above every difficulty and sorrow. Our ultimate prize, however, is not the joyous rewards and prizes we have on earth. Our ultimate prize is heaven.

Heaven is real even though we have as many questions as we do about many things in this life.  There seems to be no wisdom in guessing or worrying what heaven could be like. Part of the work of the Holy Spirit is to help us to taste and see just enough to keep us running the race toward the prize. Don’t be surprised if you resonate with those who’ve experienced a glimpse of heaven. A four year old boy who almost died when his appendix burst went to heaven and saw a man with red marks on his hands who hugged him and spoke kindly to him. Those listening to his story knew that man was Jesus the crucified one. Another during prayer felt he was momentarily lifted to a heavenly place. He saw Abraham and got a look at his heavenly home with all kinds of special touches reflecting the love the heavenly father has for him. One woman heard glorious music in heaven, saw flowers that she had never seen on earth, and the tears of the heartbroken carefully and lovingly stored in a bottle. Families were picnicking. Praises to God were everywhere and bubbled up in hearts regularly.

The Screwtape Letters written by layman CS Lewis is a novel about strategies the devil uses to tempt Christians and keep them from Heaven. He quickly finds that the best way to make them stumble is to try to convince them that they have all the time they want to run this race, that time will never run out for them to make the choice to put their hand in God’s hand, that there is no urgency to make it to heaven and avoid eternal damnation in hell.

The bible tells us that heaven is for real, that the day will come when those who receive the word will hear his voice and come into the kingdom. And those who stubbornly rebel will find that it is too late, that time is up, that the race is over. May the mercy of God overshadow us, that the souls of all our family friends, and neighbors would be saved and not lost, for before you know it, time will be up! Amen.

The Sayings of Jesus - "My Grace is Sufficient"

April 14 2013 “The Sayings of Jesus: My Grace Is Sufficient” 2 Corinthians 12.1-10 Pastor J Hines

When we think of the sayings of Jesus, we think of the “I am” sayings, where Jesus declares in the gospel of John 7 elements of his identity ‘I am the good shepherd, I am the vine you are the branches, I am the way, the door; I am the bread of life, I am the light and the truth, I am the resurrection and the life.’

Today, we are looking at a lesser known saying of Jesus. “My grace is sufficient for you. My strength is made perfect in your weakness.” The Lord is speaking to Apostle Paul who wrote most of our New Testament and spent his whole life spreading the gospel, helping others to access the love of God. Every Christian’s story is not as dramatic, but Christians everywhere are like Paul in at least three ways. Number one, Paul had a supernatural experience, number two, he suffered, number three, he got an answer when he prayed.

Paul had a supernatural experience. He had visions, out of body experiences, revelations; light bulbs went on in his head so he understood deep things about life. One time, a poisonous snake wrapped around Paul’s hand. He was not bitten, so those witnessing this believed he had special powers from God. Many of us have had enough close calls that show God was with us in a special way.

According to Acts 19 when Paul’s handkerchiefs and work aprons touched the sick, their illnesses were cured and evil spirits left them. Even today, there are ministers who give and sell special cloths that are said to have the power to cure and attract blessings. Such things are very natural and true, but very limited. Some Christians try to capture God’s healing and help, put it in a box, sell it, hoard it, control it, or schedule it for a certain service where God is guaranteed to show up and heal you, but God’s not having it. We can’t control the supernatural, spectacular, marvelous things of this world. All we have is by the grace of God.

God blesses us, heals us, and helps us using whatever timing, relationship or source that God chooses. It may be holy water, a holy song, sermon, or even a handkerchief.  We know that a young child’s attachment to a certain blanket, binky or toy can be so comforting that we dare not leave home without it. We know the healing powers of fragrant flowers, fresh air, the sweet songs of our feathered friends, and the sight of long awaited family and friends returning after a long absence. We know how holding a hand and holding a winter scarf that a loved one has left behind can bring hope and happiness that can sustain us, even heal us. God has an infinite number of ways to heal and help us.

During Holy Week, our Christ Servant Ministers – Terry, Anne and Aubrey took a risk and helped prepare a special Maundy Thursday Service. Maundy Thursday recognizes the mandare  of Jesus– from that Latin word for commandment – His command to each disciple to love one another. Instead of a traditional foot washing, we modernized the concept and administered a hand washing of the disciples at Bethel. The looks on the faces and the atmosphere of worship as our hands were washed was such a wonderful  blessing. One person said, ‘I felt the love.’

Feeling God’s loving, powerful presence was nothing new for the Apostle Paul. Saying “yes” to whatever way God wanted to use him so others could experience God had become routine for him.

Most of us have or will have some delightfully breathtaking, profound or inexplicable spiritual experience, even if for a fleeting moment. Such experiences can ground us in our faith, make us feel closer to God and inspire us to grow. A little taste of heaven can strengthen our resolve to excel in our spiritual lives.

John Wesley, the founder of Methodism was no stranger to the supernatural. He left England and came here to Georgia to preach to the Indians. They weren’t having it, especially that high church stuff. They had their own culture, their own sense of God. They probably felt that Rev. John was arrogant and afflicted with a superiority conflict. When the Indians were not converted as he expected, Wesley became depressed and discouraged. A Moravian friend helped restore his faith. Eventually, he had a spiritual experience that set his faith on fire and changed the world. 

Many people have had such experiences even if they do not claim to be Christians. Several years ago, I invited a woman to church. When she hesitated, I agreed to meet with her and pray with her believing that God would help her make a commitment. We did meet and we did pray and she had a very moving experience of encouragement about her husband whose mental health was not in a good place. She was so excited that she asked if we could meet and pray again.

 As much as I wanted to say, “yes” I believed God wanted her to make a commitment to the body of Christ, to a whole church that could support her and her family. I knew she could be a blessing to the church as well, but she refused to commit.

The Apostle Paul told the church of his supernatural experiences. Then he dropped a bomb. ‘I’ve got problems even God won’t fix.’ Paul had trouble, but who doesn’t.

The story is told of a man who came upon great tragedy and stopped attending church. A pastor called him but got no return call. Various members reached out, but the man did not respond. Finally, several months passed, and the pastor ran into this fellow and they began to talk.  The pastor encouraged him and reminded him to continue to have faith in God. The man spoke up, saying, “Pastor you do not understand. I have not lost my faith in God. I just hate him.” “I just hate him.”

Troubles can reveal the worst in us, and the best in us. Either way, we can rest assured that in our troubles, God has a purpose and a plan. There are all kinds of things happening on our behalf that we can never see. Our disappointments are God’s appointments. Our extremity is God’s opportunity. We can do all things through Christ who strengthens us. God is working it out.

Paul prayed three times that God would take away his thorn in the flesh. We do not know if he spent a few hours kneeling in prayer, whether he stood before an altar, laid prostrate before a bible, sung aloud, read the Torah, kept a journal, bowed or vowed an offering, washed his hands, wore special clothes or all of that. We don’t know, but we do know that after all that the answer was “No.”

Not getting what we want can be very frustrating and discouraging. Rather than pouting, ranting or raging, we do better to thank God and prepare ourselves for where the Holy Spirit wants to guide us next. All of us should be ready at the impulse of God’s love as the songwriter penned : Take my life and let it be

Consecrated, Lord, to Thee.

*Take my moments and my days,

Let them flow in endless praise.

Take my hands and let them move

At the impulse of Thy love.

It’s time for you to take at least one step closer in a relationship with our Creator. It’s time to listen even more carefully. Like a plant leaning toward the sunshine, we who are alive in Christ are eager to be in God’s presence and grow.

If we are prompted to speak to someone, we go ahead and do it. If we see a need, we ask God’s guidance in meeting it. If there is a song in our hearts, we sing it. If we have comfort and support to give, we give it.

We can do whatever we are called to do, whenever we are called to do it. God’s grace is sufficient to help us make it through.  As we continue to pray about making our building more accessible, God is preparing us for a closer walk with God and with one another. That’s our number one priority, to be the body of Christ. Whatever we do, however we do it, we cannot afford to lose sight of God’s plan for us to be a united witness of our faith and trust in the God who has guided and provided for us all these years.

Where we are weak in courage or lacking in finances, God is strong enough to guide us to spiritual and financial resources that we never dreamed of. God is going to strengthen us for the task at hand. In our moments of weak faith and   finances, God will provide someone with strong faith and finances. We CAN do all things through Christ who strengthens us. God specializes in things that seem impossible. As we work together and give our all, we will prove it to be true once again. Amen.  

The Sayings of Jesus: It is Better to Give than to Receive

April 28 2013”The Sayings of Jesus: It is Better to Give Than to Receive” Psalm 148, *Acts 20.25-38

There is something about good news that compels us to share it. The good news of the gospel was so exciting to the apostle Paul that he risked life and limb traveling far and wide to share it. He heard God call him to share his spiritual story, to share the light he had in his heart, to share great wisdom that could solve big problems, healing that could restore and relationship advice that could save them. Paul traveled wherever there was an open door to tell folks that God is love and that there is nothing we can’t do together if we trust in that love. He found many open doors, many ready hearts, many souls willing to dedicate their lives. He even found some obstacles. Nothing could stop him; he was on a mission.

He summarizes his work in verse 35 of chapter 10 of the Acts of the Apostles, saying, …I have worked and raised my own money for this mission. I have given you an example that by such work we must support the weak, remembering the words of the Lord Jesus, for he himself said, “It is more blessed to give than to receive.” ’ …That’s Paul’s bottom line: that the weak would be supported by the strong. We’ve made a Covenant to give our all as the Spirit guides us, to support the weak. Who ARE the weak? All of US. We all need each other at one point or another. We all have blessings God leads us to share, no matter what situation may turn our life around and upside down.

We are the beloved community. We are children of the most high God, we have a heavenly father who is on our side and helps us from the inside out to live a life of giving and sharing in miraculous and marvelous ways. Even when we feel all is lost, God is on our side.

There was an outstanding five-year-old soccer goalie who played against another team whose players were also very good. This goalie played his heart out, but the other team began to score on him. After the third goal was scored against him, he could see it was no use; he couldn't stop them. He didn't quit, but he fell to his knees and cried the tears of the helpless and brokenhearted.

The boy’s father ran as fast as he could onto the field and said, "Scotty, I'm so proud of you. You were great out there. I want everybody to know that you are my son."

"Daddy," the boy sobbed, "I couldn't stop them. I tried, Daddy, I tried and tried, and they scored on me." * Since God controls the game, we are all winners, no matter what our situation.

There is an old saying, “Those who need love the most are those who least deserve it.” Have you ever complained to God that someone is falling short, getting on your last nerve? Have you ever barely breathed out their name when the Spirit interrupts you and says, “That’s my son…my daughter.” It is as if God is saying, “That’s MY child your complaining about.  My love and compassion for them is greater than any complaints and criticism I have against them.  As we understand the intensity of God’s love for us, how God treasures each one of us, we will work to imitate that love. We think of each other as a prize. We begin to get stronger in our ability to overlook their faults and see their needs. We come to understand that it is better to give love than to receive the satisfaction of complaining and criticizing!

When we hear Paul quote Jesus as saying, “It is better to give than to receive.” We think it is about money. It isn’t about money, but when we follow the Spirit’s lead and care for each other, we have enough and sometimes we have more than enough. We tend all the more to flow in love, flow in excellence, and flow in money, too.

Joy McLain was a blushing May bride. It wasn’t long before her husband’s casual drinking became excessive. She cried out to God, “I hate the stench of alcohol on his breath.” She heard God respond, “All sin is a stench to me.” “All sin is a stench to me.” She quickly realized she also needed to change, to trust God more, to turn to God’s word, learn to confront, learn to carefront. She understood that her grumbling and lack of forgiveness was a sin God wanted to help her with. She suffered for 22 years without the marriage she dreamed of. She learned to pray for holiness rather than happiness. She taught her children to conduct spiritual warfare, to pray for their home, for their father, for their future as a family.

When the drinking led to violence, Joy made a plan to leave the home with her two teen daughters and son when Mark was at work. The plan got a little confused and one of the daughters was left behind. When Mark came home drunk, the teen left behind felt a tremendous peace when a scripture about God’s protection came to her mind. As her father walked from room to room raging, opening each door, looking for his runaway family, she nestled safely in a corner. He stopped in front of the door, but he did not open it. Instead he left and drove away. At one point in the year, the 16 year old began cutting, feeling worthless and disgusting, not even wanting to be touched at Christmas. She said thoughts of driving her car into a pole regularly seeped into her mind.

In spite of their struggles, the family kept the covenant. They sought God’s help first and foremost. In several years, they began to forgive and wait on God to change their hearts. In 2007, they renewed their wedding vows.

Every day we wake up, we are a Covenant family. We seek God’s help and guidance for our lives and our church. Today, the Haines family has joined Bethel. We have renewed our covenant with them. God is with us.  When God comes to church, hearts are touched and lives are transformed. Sins are forgiven and relationships are restored. Hope is gained and healing happens. This is what it means to be a covenant family. This is what it means to be a church. Let it happen. Let’s not stand in God’s way. Let it happen without delay.

In the DC area, I visited an 80 year old lady whose son remembered her being very mean when he was growing up. Now in her golden years he struggled to forgive. She spent most of her time in a semi-comatose state, but I felt an urgent need to visit her and sing even though I had no clue as to why except God always has a purpose and plan. Those weeks of visits were amazingly peaceful for me as I did as I was called to do for her. It is better to give than it is to receive.

When we dedicate ourselves as a covenant family with the attitude of giving our all, God always meets us and has something for us. When we come only with the idea of receiving, we miss the best of what God has for us. Giving always means receiving, but receiving does not always mean we are giving.

One of my favorite praise songs says,

Come, now is the time to give your heart

One day ev'ry tongue will confess You are God

One day ev're knee will bow

Still the greatest treasure remains for those,

Who gladly choose you now.

Sometimes we think of our commitment to the church as a selfless act, but it has enormous benefits. Recent research according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention suggests the world is getting more and more depressed and anxious, but attending church increases our mental health and wellbeing.

Children tell me that bullying happens in their schools and not even the teachers can stop it. God can help us to help our children, if we are ready to listen and to act accordingly.  

We live well compared to so many in this world. Perhaps that is why Americans are great givers. Remember the lady bullied by school kids. She received thousands of dollars with which to take a vacation. She may have even been able to quit her job. There were generous donations after the tsunami in Indonesia and Japan, and the earthquake in Haiti. Twenty-six million has been donated for the victims of the bombing in Boston in just a few days. So often it feels good to give. The world has set a high standard. God’s standards are even higher. We are called to give at the impulse of God’s love, to give when it looks good as well as when no one else sees. There may be times when we are called to give our all even though we feel resentful, angry, frustrated, put upon, or afraid. We know the scriptures say, “Give and it shall be given to you, pressed down, shaken together and running over,” but it is still an emotional challenge to be a cheerful giver when you are unemployed, underemployed, unforgiving, or otherwise living outside of the will of God.

We may give ourselves a good dose of guilt about our giving. We do need to be guilty enough to repent, but we also need to see ourselves as the beautiful, precious, forgiven, and loved creation as God sees us. Gil Zamora is a forensic artist who worked for the San Jose police Department from 1995-2011. After he retired, he participated in an advertising activity wherein he sketched people’s faces as they described themselves hidden behind a petition. He then sketched that same person as someone else described them. Then he placed the two sketches side by side. Each time, a comparison of the two pictures showed that we see each other in a more favorable light than we see ourselves.

It is time to get with God’s program and see what God sees, his beautiful children, sharing as if they know for sure it is better to give than it is to receive. Amen.

*Sermons.com