Open Your Eyes this Advent Season

We used Luke 2: 8-14 for our discussion time this past Wednesday night at Church. The passage tells the story of the angels announcing the good news of the birth of Christ to "shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night."(NIV).

We know that being a shepherd was not the greatest of jobs, but there was an additional stigma attached to that profession by the Hebrew laws regarding cleanliness. See, shepherds live out with their flocks (remember). There wasn't much available to them in the way personal hygiene products. Additionally, shepherds didn't own the sheep. The owner of the sheep was safe and warm and ritually clean in his home.

This discussion opened my eyes to the reality that from Christ's very conception, the Immaculate Conception, God has used Him to focus attention on the invisible people in society. A teenage Hebrew girl living in a small village, the shepherds. These people weren't the poorest in Hebrew society. They were working class people. People who struggled to keep their heads just above water.

In our modern culture invisible people are the store clerks, the people that pick up our trash. The bulldozer driver at the construction site. The school crossing guard. People we walk past, drive past, and bike past every day. Hundreds of times a week, each one of us encounter these people and hardly think twice about them or their lives. Often these invisible people frustrate us by taking too much time to ring up our purchase or stopping us so 1 kid can cross the street in on the way school.


All throughout the Gospels, we cannot look at Jesus without seeing these invisible people. Christ ate with them, slept in their homes and attended their weddings.


Far to often Christian Churches today focus their ministries on the poorest of the poor. Now, I'm not saying poor and homeless should be ignored. I am saying that often, when we focus on the very poor, we fail to see the marginally poor. Families that aren't a paycheck away from loosing it all but a days wages away. Single moms and dads struggling to raise their kids, earn a living, and take classes in hope of a better life for their families. Invisible people. Invisible to us as we hurry past them on our way to Church. Invisible to the Church as it looks past them when designing ministries.


As we wait for Christ this Advent Season, let our eyes be opened to the invisible people around us. Take the time to engage them, to appreciate them as children of God, and be the Light of Christ to them that day.

A Mother's Love

As we get closer to the Christian celebration of the birth of Christ, my thoughts have been focused on Mary. How many times I have seen a pregnant woman caress her child while it is still in her womb. Rubbing her belly and transferring deep feelings of love to her unborn child.

Mary must have done the same thing. It is so hard to imagine how she felt as her time to give birth drew near. Growing inside her womb was God's perfect expression of love and life. I'm certain Mary caressed and sang to Jesus in her womb.

I'm sure she must have felt a fair bit of fear as well. What exactly would this birth bring? How would her community respond to the birth of Christ? How would the world respond to His birth? I can see Mary lovingly and gently rubbing her belly, caressing her child, the Christ child, and letting those fears fall away and be replaced by hope through the power of God's love.

Third Sunday of Advent

James 3:5-8
5Likewise the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts. Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark. 6The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole person, sets the whole course of his life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell.
7All kinds of animals, birds, reptiles and creatures of the sea are being tamed and have been tamed by man, 8but no man can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison.

This week’s Lectionary reading from James has an interesting almost imperceptible connection to the Season of Advent. For Christians the Season of Advent is a season of waiting. Awaiting the light and love of Jesus Christ to come into the world and to walk among us. Here in James I find waiting of a different kind.
My speech has the power to anger, hurt, shame, and discourage. As a Christian I am called to create a space between my emotions and my actions; my emotions and my speech. A space where I am to wait and consider the affects my words and actions will have on others. To discern if my need to vent and lash out is more important than maintaining the dignity of others.
Christ through the power of the Holy Spirit has created this space within me. I confess that I, far too often leap over that space and use speech that harms others. At the time I feel justified. Most of the time I begin to regret my words even before they have left my mouth. If anyone reads this post that has been hurt by my words, please forgive me.
As I move toward this third Sunday of Advent, I will practice waiting in my speech. Waiting and controlling my emotions. Waiting for the Holy Spirit to temper my emotions and give me words that best express my feelings without hurting the feelings of others.

Starbucks Theology

Looking back, my walk with Christ has been much like my experience with Starbucks. When I first started going to Starbucks I was intimidated by the menu. Everyone else there seemed to know what was going on and what to ask for, not me. Over time, however, I began to understand the system. My coffee turned into late which then turned to iced late, climaxing in an "iced quad skinny vanilla late." Which I and my barista began to call a "quad skinny Vinny" providing proof I had arrived at Starbucks Perfection. How many of you share an abbreviated name for an abbreviated name for their favorite coffee drink?

Soon I grew bored with the multi-layerd flavors of such a complicated drink. All the extras were getting in the way of tasting the coffee. I needed more umph! Plus, I needed to spend less on coffee. My road to the simple Starbucks life began with 4 shot espressos and has settled now in the simplest of all, coffee with cream (less than $2).

My road into relationship with Christ has been similar. When I first turned to Him I couldn't get enough. I tried every sort of spiritual practice and read as many books as I could get my hands on. I bounced from Christian Service, to body prayer , to radical Christianity and all around the theological merry go round. All in an effort to give Christ the particular flavor and sweetness I wanted Him to have. I totally ignored the fact that He already had a flavor of faith just for me and the only way to find it was to stop shopping and let Him lead me there.

My faith practices today are far more simple. Daily prayer and quiet time. Self examination. Listening for what the scriptures have to say to me on this day, in this place. This simplicity has deepened my relationship with Christ and my understanding of Christ in me.

Health Care is a Moral Issue

Sunday September 6Th the Gospel Reading form the Common Lectionary is Mark 7: 24-37.
This is a very difficult story for me to read, but very timely given the debate our government is carrying on regarding affordable health care for everyone in America.

In this story, Jesus, tired and seeking rest, travels to "the vicinity of Tyre" where he encounters a Greek woman who asks Him to heal her daughter. Jesus refuses. Jesus refuses to heal the girl because she is not Hebrew. She is not "covered" under the "Hebrew plan."

The woman refuses to be turned away, even after Jesus insults her by calling her a dog. She replies "Yes Lord, but even the dogs under the table eat the children's crumbs." Jesus accepts her "plan" and heals her Greek daughter.

How can I as a Christian support a government that refuses health care to the neediest of its citizens? Drug companies, insurance companies, lawyers, doctors and peddlers are all making a profit off of pain and suffering.

When Jesus walked this earth He had a much different response to the suffering of others. Who would Jesus cover?

Thomas Merton

Today in my morning readings I started Thomas Merton's book, "Contemplative Prayer." Right off the bat he blows me away!

In writing about a Monk's call to to explore the two dimensions of community and solitude, Merton describes the call most Christians have to "works of mercy, or of creativity in the world."

This made me realize so clearly that all work is God's work! Secular work or work in the world should be seen as "Creative Christianity" or "Creative Evangelism." Our daily work is a door that opens allowing Christians access and influence in the secular world. My faith must inform my work. My Faith is meant to inform my business decisions. Business decisions should never define or inform my Faith.

Now What?

So, just what am I going to do with this Blog? I haven't done much with it so far that is for sure. The question I have to answer is " Do I have the courage to do this? Do I have what it takes to be totally honest with myself in a public space? Hell no! But isn't that the point, to recognize my fear and push through it and grow? I think so.

Up to this point I've tried to be smart and provocative. Well it hasn't worked. It bored me so much, I couldn't keep it up. From this point forward I'm going to post my response to life. I'm actually going to Blog. Sorry if I hurt your feelings or piss you off. Chances are if I do, you have hurt my feelings or pissed me off some time in the recent past. I promise to be honest and flexible. Willing to learn and grow and change.

Eastertide

The greeting card industry would have us believe that after the easter bunny comes the next celebration should be mother's day. Don't get me wrong, I love my mother and plan to let her know that May 10th. But as Christians, we have a lot more to celebrate this time of year.

Easter is more than a day, it is a season lasting 50 days. Three mystical and important events make up this season. Easter begins with a celebration of Christ's Resurrection. Forty days later we celebrate His Ascension to heaven. Ten days after that we celebrate Pentecost and the coming of the Holy Spirit

It is important that we as Christians celebrate the entire Easter experience. The liturgy of this time reminds us that we are loved in order to love others. That we must forgive, as we have been forgiven. That we are called to Christ in order to be sent out into the world.

Explore and celebrate with your family and community the mystery and joy of the entire Easter Season.

Peace,
Larry

Life After Intervention. My Sermon based on John 20:19-31

1.
Prayer:
Gracious and ever living God we come today filed with joy and anticipation. Longing to encounter the Risen Christ. Ready to know the promise of love everlasting and peace among your people. Lead us into your Grace oh God and open our lives to your Hope. This we ask in the name of our risen Lord, Jesus Christ. Amen
2.
So, exactly who talked ya’ll into this? Letting me preach? A friend at work asked if this would be my first sermon at First Church. You all know the answer to that question. Of course not. Anyone who has been in small group or served on a committee with me knows I’ve been preaching for years. Martha just finally called my bluff.

Seriously though, it is a very great honor and humbling experience to stand before my friends and family. People who love me in spite of me. The very same people I love so deeply. I mean that’s really what all this is about isn’t it? Love? Christ walked amongst us teaching us the true meaning of love. The true meaning of relationship with God. Teaching us that we cannot, we can not, be in full relationship with Him unless we are in full relationship with our community our Church. And we all know relationship brings responsibility.
Martha’s Lenten Sermon series was wrapped around the concept of intervention, as seen in the popular TV show with the same name. Well, unfortuniatly I know from experience too much about the circumstances and themes in that show. But the show stops really when all the hard work begins. Once a person is confronted by family, friends and people who love and cafre about them, they are given the free will choice to accept help and start a new life oor to continue the self destructive behavior and terrible choices that brought them to where they are. If they choose help they enter rehab and begin to heal through some sort of program that almost always is centered in the 12 step treatment plan developed by Acholics Anonymous. A very important part of that process is to recognize not only how we have harmed others but how others have hurt us and to move past it. In AA I learned that either I can forgive and move on, or I can hold on to bad memories and bad feelings and forever use them as an excuse to abuse drugs and alcohol. So, simply said, even a drunk can learn to recognize the need to forgive and move on.A common excuse used by alcoholics is “so and so drove me to drink.” Well I’m here to tell you that it was my truck that drove me to drink and it was my refusal to let go of the past that I used as an excuse to drink after my truck drove me there.
So now the hard work of forgiveness begins.


4.
In the liturgy today the Psalmist and the writer in Acts paint a glorious picture of the Church. In Psalms we hear “How beautiful it is when brothers and sisters get along.” And from Acts we learn that the community of believers that made up the Early Church was selling their own property to meet the needs of their brothers and sisters. Church historians tell us the Methodism began with John Wesley in the 1700’s, but I see Methodist here in the Psalms and in Acts. I have seen this very Church, First Church, as a body of believers and as individuals stand up and sacrifice their time their talents and their treasure to meet the needs of others.
5.
That is what the rebuilding that’s taking place at the corner of Second and Poplar is all about isn’t it. It’s not about what color we paint the bathrooms or whether we sit in pews or in chairs. Sorry John, but it’s not about whether we have a pipe organ or an electric organ. All those things are going to work themselves out.
What the rebuilding of that sacred space is about are Christian Families we don’t even know yet that will join us there. It’s about the many more Christians that will come after we’re long gone that we will never know. But, they will know us. The same way we know the Church that met in a tavern. They will know us the same way we know the Church that built the first log building. They will know us the same way we know the Church that built the beautiful sanctuary that was lost to a fire. The only way the Church that comes after us will know this Church is by the love we put into that building. Love is the most important fixture on any of the list of fixtures the architects and building committee have made up. And we cannot have love without forgiveness.

6.
Now, nothing since the fire has been easy for us but staying in relationship and community wasn’t easy for the post crucifixion church either. God knew it wouldn’t be easy. The Gospel writer tells us that when Jesus came into that locked room, that room full of fear and uncertainty, full of men and women who may not have even been certain they could trust each other, the first word Jesus spoke was PEACE.
I can see them there together can’t you? Scared and in crisis, but together. We’ve all been there haven’t we? Not necessarily agreeing with each other, but together. Really, it sounds a lot like a United Methodist Committee Meeting doesn’t it? But there they were, and Jesus was there too. Bringing peace and then calling on them to forgive.
Now this small band of Christians had a lot to forgive. I’m sure some wanted to strike back at the Romans who nailed Christ to the Cross. Others probably wanted to go after the Jewish Leaders who brought charges against Jesus. Some too, I’m certain, were angry with each other and with themselves for not doing more to stop the crucifixion. For hiding from the authorities. And even in the case of Peter, for denying Christ and with that denial denying the very community he was now seeking comfort with. But, there they were, together in that locked room. And Jesus was there too, bringing peace and empowering forgiveness.
God has filled this world and filled our lives with everything we need to not only survive but to thrive, to really live. Live a life filled with joy and hope and love.

7.
I like to think of life and learning in terms of tools and toolboxes. When I learn something I think of it as putting another tool in my toolbox. Something useful I can use later on. Well God has filled our toolboxes with all the tools we need to live that joyful life. But you can’t build a house if you don’t take the hammer out of the tool box and start pounding some nails. And we can’t build a Church without forgiveness.
Now forgiveness is one of the most important tools we’ve been given but it’s also one of the hardest ones to pick up and use, much like a jackhammer or a pick axe. Once when I was doing commercial construction work I was the superintendent on a job building 14 miles of sidewalks for the City. The inspector and I needed to open up a man hole to make sure mud and construction debris hadn’t washed down into the storm drain causing it to back up. The cast iron manhole lays flat with only a small opening or indentation to get under the cover and lift it out. When I couldn’t get it up with my hands the inspector asked me if I had a pick. You see you can take a pick, slip it under the lid and pry it up just enough to get a better grip on the lid and roll it off. I said sure I’ve got a pick but I make a point of not carrying it around with me in my truck.
Now, many of you have seen my truck. Even though I don’t work construction anymore my old truck is still full of stuff. Well back then, every tool you could imagine was in my pickup truck. So the inspector laughed and asked me why a pick wasn’t in there too. I told him I didn’t carry a pick around because if a did somebody might ask me to use it and I don’t much care for swinging a pick. You see using a pick is hard work. So is forgiveness. But, God has given us this mighty tool and He expects us to use it
8.
There is an immensely popular book that many of you have may have read, if not I highly recommend it, named “The Shack” by William Paul Young. The shack is a beautiful expression of one person’s view of God and of heaven. It’s also an expression of the longing individuals in our modern culture, our friends, our neighbors, and coworkers have for some kind of spiritual experience and even a communal spiritual experience and relationship. But the book also highlights people’s reluctance to participate in existing faith communities, like the Methodist Church, that they, rightly or wrongly, perceive as judgmental, exclusive, and harsh. Well, we have to fix that.

Any way there is one part in the book where the author, speaking as the Character Papa, who represents God and Papa beautifully describes the tools we’ve been given to help us forgive.
From the shack: p 190-191
“Don’t forget that in the midst of all your pain and heartache, you are surrounded by beauty, the wonder of creation, art, your music and culture, the sounds of laughter and love, of whispered hopes and celebrations, of new life and transformation, of reconciliation and forgiveness”
God has filled this world and our lives with everything we need to not only survive but to thrive, to really live. Live a life filled with joy and hope and love.
9.
When the risen Christ came into that locked upper room He knew his disciples would be angry and confused. He knew they either wouldn’t remember or wouldn’t understand His promise to defeat the tomb. So Christ entered that room, spoke words of peace, then entered into the bodies of the disciples. In the Message it reads “Then He took a deep breath and breathed into them. ‘Receive the Holy Spirit,’ he said.”
Immediately then He reminded them about forgiveness. He wanted them to know the peace of forgiveness. Not of being forgiven but of forgiving others.
How hard is that?
10.
The main Character in the Shack, McKenzie suffers a terrible loss. His young daughter is abducted and murdered by a serial killer known for hiding his victim’s remains in places where they are never found. Compounding the already terrible pain and loss by placing a huge question mark at the end. Forever extending the pain the families of his victims feel.
Later in the book Sarayu, the character that represents the Holy Spirit talks to McKenzie about choices we make that allow us to hold on to things we must let go of.
Sarayu is talking about living a life defined by rules. Rules we place on ourselves and rules we hold others accountable for. Sarayu says “It grants you the power to judge others and feel superior to them. You believe you are living to a higher standard than they are.”
Ouch. Sounds a lot like me sometimes. Not forgiveing leads me to judgment. Not to forgive says I trust myself and my knowing over God’s. Not forgiving forever binds me to someone or something I need to leave far behind. We cannot have the life God wants for us if we carry around baggage that slows us down. God has granted us forgiveness from our sins and with that gift comes the power to forgive others. He frees us from our sins so we can free ourselves from those who have sinned against us.
11.
Now, forgiveness doesn’t necessarily mean relationship. Forgiving someone who has sinned against us either gives us the freedom needed to continue you in a relationship that brings joy and meaning to our lives or it can mean the freedom to walk away from a harmful or hurtful relationship.
Without forgiveness we cannot have peace. Without forgiveness we cannot have joy. Without forgiveness we cannot have life. Without forgiveness we cannot have relationship. Without forgiveness we cannot have community. And without forgiveness we cannot have Church.
Ultimately it comes down to this: If Jesus Christ can look down from the cross at the people who persecuted, prosecuted, tried, convicted, tortured, humiliated, shamed and publicly crucified Him. If He could look down on these people and forgive them; how can I as an Easter child; how can we as Easter people, stand comfortably on this earth and NOT turn to our neighbors and forgive them?
Christ died for the forgiveness of our sins but he lives to teach us to forgive.
I’ll close with the Gospel reading from John 20, taken from the Message.
“22-23Then he took a deep breath and breathed into them. "Receive the Holy Spirit," he said. "If you forgive someone's sins, they're gone for good. If you don't forgive sins, what are you going to do with them?"

Easter People

What an incredible Easter this has been! So many powerful images and emotions as the day began. I was awake for one of the most beautiful sunrises I've ever experienced. So many colors, the sky was alive in vibrant magenta, pink, orange, blue, and purple. I love the way the low clouds reflect the pink light of dawn. On the way to Church I passed First Baptist who always decorates a large cross in the front of the Church with fresh cut flowers and blooming shrubs. The Cross comes alive, transformed from a harsh cold reminder of the crucifixion to a beautiful, living testament to the Living Christ. WOW!!!!!!

Today's episode of "Speaking of Faith" (http://speakingoffaith.publicradio.org/) featured an interview with Armenian Orthodox Theologian Vigen Guroian (http://www.guroian.com/Welcome.html) talking about his book "The Fragrance of God." Beautiful correlation of our sense of God and our sense of smell. We smell something and identify with it but it is still somewhat mysterious and uncertain. Much like our relationship with God. A true mystic (my kinda Christian!)It is going on my MUST READ list. Right now I'm finishing up "Take this Bread" by Sara Miles (http://saramiles.net/). She fully explores "eating Jesus" and all of what that means.

Take some time today and see God alive in our world, in our time.
Grace and Peace to all Easter People!!!!

I'm Back

So, 3/4 the way through Lent and I haven't blogged since Christmas. Oh well, I've got something to say now.

I've tried to be as intentional about my spiritual practices as I can this Lent. Attempted fasting, daily common prayer, and quiet time. Not all success stories but the idea wasn't to tick spiritual disciplines of some sort of "Life List for Christians" (if you're not a birder you won't get it). The purpose was to be purposeful. To that end I've been moderately successful. I have had good and bad "fast days". The good ones bring insight and purpose to a life I have made far to busy. The bad ones just reaffirm my belief that I need to be more purposeful about being purposeful. So, I guess I am learning something.

Daily common prayer and quiet time were a bit easier to accomplish. I'm an early riser and have been in the practice of praying and being still before my day begins for a couple years now. So I guess I was really cheating with those 2. Oh well..

I highly recommend http://www.explorefaith.org/ for anyone seeking to deepen their personal, or corporate, spiritual experience. Many of the tools on that site have helped me.

I'm writing my first official sermon. My Pastor asked me to preach April 19Th. Wrapping my thoughts around forgiveness. Not to give away the ending but, I believe Christ died to provide us forgiveness of our sins and He lives to teach us how to forgive.

Please add comments on forgiveness, especially our call to forgive. I'm off the the Memphis Theological Seminary "Spring Salon." More to come.