Advent Silence 11;15 Dec 14 PUMC
Kathleen Norris
is a writer that I would fully recommend to you and in her book
Amazing Grace: A Vocabulary of Faith by Kathleen Norris
She writes about an exercise that she developed
back in the years when she was a resident artist
in elementary schools in North Dakota.
she wanted to teach children about the mysteries of silence.
She said to them
first you get to make noise
and then you will make silence
the first part was pretty easy
apparently they already know how to make noise
Norris
would raise her hand and that was the signal to make as much noise as they could
the only rules were that you could not leave your desks
you could only use your hands,
feet and mouth
and when Norris put her hand down the noise had to stop

they would stop.
Actually This usually took a few tries to get a serious noise..going but
but also to stop.

The rules for the silence were also simple.
Don't hold your breath
and make funny faces
breathe normally
but quietly
and sit still enough
that was the hardest part..
Sit still enough to make no noise at all
..of course they would have trouble with someone moving or a pencil would roll off a desk
But
she said
In all her years of doing this
there was only one time
that a class of children
failed to find the silence.
It turns out that a certain class had a teacher
who was constantly
yelling orders at them ....
this teacher would yell
– Write, don’t print your name
in the upper right-hand corner of the paper;
set a left-hand margin and keep it;
use a pencil, not a pen;
line the paper up with the edge of your desk for collection.
These children had so many little rules barked at them
all day long
by a burned-out teacher
that they had stopped listening,
and listening does tend to be is a prerequisite
for silence


well
anyway
In most cases
Norris said the children
were able to become so still
that the silence
was like a presence in the room.
The interesting thing though
was not just that they could do it ..but what they discovered and experienced in the silence

Most kids thought it was fun
and they wanted to do it again
. Some ..however thought it was scary
like the little boy who said
"It's like we're waiting for something - its scary!"

After the exercise,
Norris s would have them write about their impressions
and what they experienced.
Because what she really wanted to see... In that experiment
was how it opened up the imagination
She found out that when the children wrote about the noise
it was mostly
the usual cliches
like
'we sound like a herd of elephants'.
But when it came to the to the silence
they came up with some stuff that was
deep
and thoughtful
One boy came up with an image of strength
as being
'as slow and silent as a tree'
another person wrote that
"silence is me sleeping.. waiting to wake up.
Silence is a tree spreading its branches to the sun."
In a private religious school
there was a third grader who wrote this poem kind of prayer school,
"Silence is spiders spinning their webs,
it's like a silkworm making its silk.
Lord, help me to know when to be silent."
And in a tiny town in western North Dakota
a little girl
offered a gem of spiritual wisdom. . .
. "Silence reminds me to take my soul with me wherever I go."
.....I am talking about this because...as you might know
,we are using wonder .
.the sense of wonder
as a spiritual practice
or spiritual disciple for the month of December
I am inviting us to do some intentional wondering.
and silence
being in silence is one of the ways to do that

here again we have seem guidance and clues right tin some of the most popular and I would say most prayerful Christmas songs
so pay attention to the signals that are built into these traditions
Think about
the third verse in o Little Town of Bethlehem,
is a prayer ful reflection
how silently how silently the wondrous gift is given
No ear..
May hear its coming... (Get that)
no ear may hear his coming.)
So it’s a different kind of listening and silence right?
But in this world of sin
where meek souls will receive him still the dear Christ enters in.


you hear that the invitation to silence for the birth of Christ in your life
or think of the most popular church Christmas song ...silent night
we are going to sing it here on Christmas eve
it usually comes at the end of a service
after all the other business of Christmas
It s like
we instinctively or intuitively know that after the noise
after singing the louder song of joy to the world
and Hark the herald angle sings ..songs about glory
then its time to be silent

silent night holy night
all is clam ..all is bright


but you see
we are not there yet

we are still in the noise part of the exercise and that ok too
because the nosie is part of life
and the noise also happen to so we get the contrasts


here in advent we have the noise of John the Baptist
Crying
shouting even
in the wilderness
repent the kingdom of God is at hand
prepare the way of the lord

we are in the the advent season of the busy world and the crowds

But there is also another kind of silence
Do you remember in Kathleen Norris example
she told about a kid
who said the silence was kind of scary
and like we are waiting fro something

that is so true
In advent
we also read the prophets and we read about the vision and the dream of shalom
you get the worlds about the lion and the lamp shall lie down together
and they shall study war no more
Swords beaten into plowshares
and spears into pruning hooks
That’s the vision and the peace
and we simply are not there...it leaves us speeches and in the silence of longing..
It takes some silence .
.to hear that ..and be with that .
That silence is also .is unsettling and sad because we know that we are not there yet
it is the silence of naming our reality
and our shortcoming
we are waiting ,,
as in O come o come Emannuel ...longing..yearning
and it is not easy to listen
and feel the reality of violence ..injustice...sin...in the world
to think about terrorists...Iraq or Afghanistan
or the tragedies of drought and famine
or maybe your own economic worries
and
Well
it is tempting to just keep busy
and make noise and be distracted
rather than feel the calling of the vision..
The noise can be easier than the silence of reflection
Or maybe
when everyone else is talking about Christmas cheer and good will and The Bible dream when Sorrow and morning shall flee way
.. Maybe it is hard to be in silence
because
well we know the emptiness and the Grief and the loneliness
That Is also Who we are
and the contrast is just to much to bear
so gain the silence is frightening
maybe we are afraid that there is the silence of giving up
the silence of hopelessness
That maybe in the silence it will just be too dark

but
let me ..in the name of Jesus Christ..
Call us to try the silence
any way
because in the silence
in the deepest silence
you can also here the words Of hope
The light shines in the darkness and does not over come it
Christmas ..remember
is about the world becoming flesh
in other words the world actually coming to us
entering our lives
And maybe the way for that to happen
is for us to become the sacred
listeners
to be silent enough to just hear the WORD
the world of Immanuel ..God with Us
god with us
the word of hope and healing and light and life
the word Was with god
and the Word is God
and the WORD is what we have in Jesus Christ..
That word is being birthed
and Given in this Bethlehem story
but God is also still speaking in the living Word
and very soon
John the Baptist will
step aside
he will quiet down ..
And we can prepare the way by becoming the silent listeners
For the word
the silent word of wonder the silent world of love
the world that says you are loved even when you’re not doing anything
but just sitting still

I wonder
how much of Christmas
we are missing
because we are so much enjoying the noise part
That we forget
or cannot simply be still
The silence in Advent and Christmas is pregnant
Christ is being born
. Something new is trying to be born.
As that little boy from Norris example said
said,
it is
as if we are waiting for something.

If you I can take you to the end of the Christmas story in Luke it will say that Mary pondered all these things in her heart.
Sound like silence and wonder to me

So I invite you to yes
make all the good noise
you can even enjoy it
and have fun with it..
but when God ..
Gives you the signal to stop and be silent..
Don’t miss the experience .
Don’t miss that silent part
because that is the part that will
Stir your imagination
that is the creative part that will Overcome the frightening silence that is in us
and take us into the true and deeper
silence of hearing Gods word
Silent Night Holy Night All is calm
all is bright
How silently how silently the wondrous Gift is given

Nov 2 All Saints and Names 2008 PUMC Rory Swenson
The Bible knows how important names can be
have you noticed how some of the greatest stories of the Bible are about names
Jacob.///back in the book of Genesis is named heel grabber .
.that what his name means
and he lived up to his name
as Esau’s twin bother
he was always trying to grab and get something away from his older brother..
and when Jacob meets God at the river Jabbok
he struggles and wrestles with god or some angel of god of God
but as a result
his name
gets changed to Israel which means wrestling ... struggling with God..
It’s a story about names
Do you know the story about Moses
at the Burning Bush..
Moses wants be a name dropper
who are you God,,give me your name
who
should I say you are ?
and we get the revelation of the divine name
the most holy name is so awesome and undescribable
that we really don’t know what it means
something like I am
or I am who I am
I will be there

now go to the new testament
and the birth of Christ .
.and we get more stories about names
you shall name him Jesus...
he shall l be called Immanuel..which means God with us
I suppose we could sing all kind of songs about the name
"take the name of Jesus with you.."
"Jesus Jesus Jesus there is something about that name
"Jesus the name that charms our fears"
...names
are in the stories
but some of that naming doesn’t happen with a story
sometimes its just a list
Long names
lists of so and so begot so and so..
.. Genealogies...
Mike North and some of you genealogists
just love those lists of names
normally I say
don’t worry too much about that those lists
if you are trying to read the Bible
don’t get stuck on all those names Just move on.
But I probably should not say that
names are important..
. names are about people
and remembering names
remind us that is people
particular who carry the story
it is people who tell the story
it is people who are the story.
..God uses these people in a certain time and a certain place
and sometimes
those names are there
just to say that yes ...thats exactly the point
God uses people who had names
God doesn’t keep a list of people called anonymous
We are not just numbers
we are not just faces in the crowd... god know our names.
personally uniquely
God knows your name!
...
we want to know ...that we are known by name.
I remember talking to a young person in church
and I had not been doing a very good job of using that person’s name.
. And this person picked up on that and
said to me do you know my name..
Well I did.
.and I was able to say well of course I do ...you are.... .
.and I said the name..
I realized waht an awkawrd moment this was
....if I had not known the name
and I gotta tell you that sometimes in the quickness of the line at the door
coming into church or going out the door
I ve been known to call somebody by the wrong name...
Couple weeks ago I called Patty ..Pam
and it bothers me
I usually catch myself..
But its too late.
When I ve done that...
forgive me..please
Names.
And the reason we want to wear the names tags is to help us learn each others names..
now
there is another story in the Bible
that is about names
another example I want to highlight
. And this one is found in the book of Exodus
at least that’s what we call it... the book of Exodus
and it the story of the deliverance from slavery
the calling of the Hebrew people out of Egypt ....
the central redemption story of the Jewish scripture.
But they don’t always call it the book of Exodus in Hebrew
its also called the book of Names
because it starts out like this...
These are the name os of the sons of Israel
who came to Egypt with Jacob each with their household
Reuben, Simeon
Levi, Judah Issachar
Zebulun, and Benjamin Dan and Naphtali, Gad and Asher .....
then it gives a little more information and
it talks about Joseph who served in the courts of pharoah
But then it leads into a story
and it says a new king came to power
or as another version had it
there was a pharaoh "who know not Joseph "
In other word Jospehs name got forgotten.... it didn’t mean anything to this new ruler.
Josephs name meant nothing to this new Pharaoh
And now
he could see how these Israelites had grown
So they got forced into slavery
And the....the ruler. who by the way is not called by name.. In the bible
Decides to do some population control
and he told the Hebrew midwives to only let the girls live
when they were delivering the children
only keep the girls
but now here is the key to the story
two Hebrew midwives
Disobey the pharaoh..
They let the boys live
and we are told who these two women
are by name...
Do you know who they were
Thousand s of years late
r we know there names Shiphrah and Puah...
Do you know how amazing that is
after all thee years form way back then..
over 3000 years ago..maybe almost 4000 years ago Their names are remembered...
Not the kings name..
not the upper class.
.but these midwives..with the Hebrew slaves
They are the ones who God was able to use
and because of Shiprah and Pouah
this boy child,,,Moses..is able to be born//
a footnote here.
You gotta appreciate this
you know
.all this time Pharaoh was afraid of the men
don’t let them keep those baby boys...
But Go ahead and keep the little girls
as if to say ....
what can they possibly do..
There just the women ..we don’t have to worry about the women
. But look who undermined..him .
.it was the faithful women
it was was these women. And their faith..
Who set the stage for the exodus
God used the unexpect.
and we have a God who knows that
pahariah and the power people of the world..like to ignore some types of peopel
but God doesn think like that.
Our God is all about about learning the names of peopel like hebrew midwives.
.and lifting them up in sacred hsitory
In a culture that didn’t care about women ...didnt value women.
God called them by name
and we remember them by name.
.God knows the names of women.
.and is saying to us..learn the names of the women
learn the name s of the people that maybe today
our society is ignoring.
Learn the name of the immigrants..and the poor..
Everybody has name
these names shiprah and puah.. are now holy names
Now.. do you know any other holy names
is there any holiness to your name?
I don’t mean
like... do you have a name from the Bible........ like Mary or Beth or Daniel , John..Issachar Obadiah
I don’t know any little girls named Puah .... it’s a good Biblical name
but.....if you were baptized
We were saying something about your name
It used to be.. That in the baptism ceremony
the minister would ask the question; What name is given to this child?
And so in some ways
baptism was also a naming ceremony
but if you look at the instructions for a baptism ..in the United Methodist book of Worship
it says that Im not supposed to baptized you with your surname
Don’t use the last name...
It says just the first name and the middle name.....why is that
Do you think the idea is
that we are being joined to a larger family
we have a new family name
that is greater than all the other family loyalties and kinships and identities..
We are into something bigger than just being
an Olson or a smith or Chung or Alvarez

we are becoming Christians
it’s a christening
at the baptism
naming you...forming you..changing your identity in the family of Christ
it’s the deeper identity..
that overcomes ..
all the family names..all the nationality and ethnic names
..and bring us together in this new name.
In Jesus Christ
I am not just a swenson
I am Rory Lee
baptized in the name
hear that?
baptism is in the the name
of the father and of the son and the holy spirit

my name... is connected to another name
Holy Name
that who we are are.
Named in the calling ....belonging and the vison of god
and in baptism
we are asking you
and asking the church
to remember
your real name .
.your holy name...learn your name
live up to your name
grow into your spiritual name

I heard of a mother who had a little boy whose name was Jackson,
four years old or so.
And every night as she tucked little Jackson in bed,
after they’ve said their prayers,
and just before she turns out the light,
she says,
"Now Jackson,
let me remind you who you are."
And then she will go through this long list of superheroes,
. "Jackson, you’re my Superman.
You’re my Power Ranger.
You’re my Buzz Lightyear.
You’re my Rescue Hero
. You’re my Lightning McQueen."
And little Jackson would just lie there with a big smile on his face,
taking it all in.
One night,
the parents got home late,
and the mother put little Jackson to bed in a hurry.
She didn’t take time to go through the long list of superheroes.
And a few minutes later,
she heard this voice calling out to her from upstairs
, "Mommy, mommy."
And so she runs over and yells up,
"Yes Jackson, what’s wrong?"
And little Jackson says,
"Mommy,
you forgot to tell me who I am."

In the name of Jesus Christ we get to here God always telling us who we are
who you are
who I am
and it is a spper anem...a powerful wonderful name
youare a child of God
beloved... Called
claimed...
People of light and eternity..saved by grace.
Known by name...
As we read the names on this memorial roll this year..
I know how holy and sacred this is...
I have thought for weeks now
as I looked ahead to this Sunday
I thought
oh its going to be hard to read those names again this year
..because these are not just nameless people
these are people that I too got to know
and I got to know their families...
I know some of the stories that go with these names,,
,we know how God used these people in some way
to touch lives
to grow the church
to share the love of God..
we are going to be praying the names
thanking god for the names
holy names
in the communion of saints
And we remember then
by name
in the loving holy name of Jesus Christ

Amen

*I have lost the source of the Jackson and names story....when/if I find it again I will cite it. And if you, reader. finds it, please let me know.

Park UMC The Bible and Hope Oct 12, 2008

I might have too many themes going on this morning
too many topics
first of all
we have kind of a Bible Sunday..going on with
third grader and confirmation students getting Bibles this morning

I put that theme in some of the music and prayers
and I want to talk about the Bible
I love to talk about the Bible
giving Bibles
is one of my favorite things to do
and I know that as a congregation we love to do this..
Doesn’t it feel good to give...and especially to give Bibles
Well
the spiritual practice that is also being emphasized this month
is about the practice of giving
..its about forming the generous heart.. Christianity is about giving
. And beside giving out Bibles
we have a very practical way to do that spiritual practice...
with
Your estimate of giving cards that are available this month.
..that’s a clear way for you to think about your stewardship
how are being a faithful steward or manger of Gods world
that what stewardship means
it means managing what belongs to God
and how you share
and use the gifts of your life
how do you share financially to do Gods work..
So that’s a second theme this morning too
..Im not going to say any more.on that For now
you know how important this is
But we have theme with in the stewardship campaign this year
and its about hope....(you see all those wonderful hope posters around the building..?
.
And this is a good time to talk about hope...
We need some source of hope
because some people see this as an anxious time
frightening economic time....
Wheres the hope?
Maybe we can bring some of this together
let try this
I want to talk about the Bible and hope...
When we
as the church give people Bibles
when we have Bibles in our life
what are we hoping for...

First of all I m hoping that you
You all
as in all us .
Will actually make use of the Bible
read it..
Think about your own Bible reading
...and the bible in your life
Did you read the bible this week .
if we treasure this spiritual resources
do we use it.
Were you in a Bible study groups.
do you where your bible is...right now.
..how many Bible do you actually have...
By the way
The average American household has 3 or four bibles
but again When was the last time you deeply read the bible
I read a bout a bible scholar who made the wisecrack
he said ,
"If all the neglected Bibles were dusted at the same time,
we would have a record dust storm
and the sun would go into eclipse for a whole week." (David Nygren)
sometime this year
we are going to look at Bible reading
as a spiritual practice
so were going to wait with some of that
but to make the point today
use the Bible as part of your daily life..
Or even better
would be
to let the Bible use you... as a word from God


Now let me talk a little about how the and hope
I grew up with holy respect for the Bible itself..
I know it was a special book
..powerful book ..
after al l it said so,,,
Holy Bible right on the cover.
Holy,,
I remember when I was in the fifth grade
my family was moving into a new house ..
. well actually it wasn’t a new house
it was great old house
built in 1912
it had Belonged to the Englstad family
..in fact
it was the house that belonged to my friend Mitch Englstads grandma
we all still called it Grandam Ollies house
so my friend Mitch
and I were going to stay in the house for the first time.
We hadn’t moved in yet
But
I was going to have my own bedroom upstairs
my folks I suppose
were in the downstairs bedroom
and the two other bedrooms upstairs were still full of old furniture
Being stored there..by the Englstad family
But the room at the end of the hall was going to be my room
it was open
and it had a bed in it.
.now remember
I was in the 5th grade and Mitch was a 6th grader
upstairs
by ourselves
in this old house
and then we got ourselves pretty worked up about this
you know the old furniture in the other bedrooms
Mitch told me..
well that belonged to dead people...
Kind of mysterious stuff...had a few strange stories about them
And this old house
was kind of spook y
all the old house kind of sounds
creaking floors
..drafty at the windows..
Little wind howling
And best of all
or worst of all
.you could hear the mice in the walls
old plaster and lath walls
Some of it was insulated with old newspaper
years later we took out some of those papers .
.they must have re-insulated with WW 2 newspaper
I found articles on the bismark
and the bombing of London.. And pictures of Mussolini..
Well anyway
in this old house
mice were in there
scratching away
in the walls,,
,right by the bed...by the headboard.
scurrying around You could here it
Maybe even a squeak along with the rustling now and then...
Well between the scary stories
that Mitch was telling
and the sounds of the mice....and the old furniture.
And the house creaking
We were just plane scared to death
afraid...
but the problem is
when you’re a 5th grade or sixth grade boy
you cant admit that your afeard.....
You cant chicken out.
Mitchs older brothers would tell everybody
So we did what we had to do
we did
the only thing we could do to face our fear
and be the first people
in my new house..
to spend a night up in that old bedroom
so we prepared ourselves
we got our security
we armed ourselves with a hatchet..
And a Bible.
Ready for anything.

Well
I suppose that’s one way one to have hope
Biblical hope of sorts.. To face my fears

Looking back
I know that was kind of childish way to think about the Bible
kind like a good luck charm..
or an amulet. Against evil
Bu the bible isn’t a good luck charm
that’s just superstition
.I know th t just having a Bible ...doesn’t protect me.

.I know people who had their Bibles with them
but they still had car accidents
or tragedies and such
it does not work like that
I know
but

at the same time

I haven’t rely outgrown that
when
I know that got something coming up
and it might be hard to face
or scarey
and Im worried about it...
you know
I still take I Bible with me.
,in fact I ve got this little travel one.
. Its been on a few trips with me.
Been to few hospitals with me
,when I went to the hospital after my brothers accident..years ago
I took this Bible
when I knew
that t I was going to say goodby to my Grandam Ethel
in th Fargo hospital
I took this Bible.
I just needed it..
But its different now
some kind of visible reminder..
it what that Bible reminds me of
..it reminds me e of the presence o god
and that I might need to go there
and be there in some words
some word from God
and for God
and for myself,
,when I don’t know what else to say
I got these words..of faith and hope and love..
Its kind of prayer room
in the words..
There is a sanctuary in the words

I might need what’s in the Bible
I might need that peace
and that
comfort and that reassurance ...
I want to be able to read that psalm
.or sometime just hold the Bible
just hold it like a prayer
and know that im not alone...
And that God is still God..
and there is life
even though what might be in front of me at that time
is about dying...or sickness
..there is a life
and there is hope .
.even though I might be in kind of a hopeless situation
and there is power
even though I might be feeling pretty powerless to t change anything in that moment
There is a deeper higher power..
that I can trust
no matter what happens there is a word of God ...
I me memorized Isaiah 40; v 8
the grass whithers and flower fades..
but the world of the lord stands forever.
You s ee that’s hope.
I hope these young people
will know in there own way
what Im talking about
and what the church has talked about
what spiritual faithful people
have pointed to ..for generations
( are you with me )
you see that’s hope..
hope from God
and the story of Gods love
love for all people..
That’s hopes
Love that changes the world
the gospel story
the Jesus story
that is carried in this book
,,,that encouragement
this hope
happens
when you let it be your living hope
your story
your truth..
When you decide to let be...
In your daily life
Say yes to it..believe it.
.in your life
the other day
I went to see Les drake in the hospital
he had a light stroke.

Les Drake used to be the pastor here when this sanctuary part of the building got built..
.Les was the pastor then

And we had nice viist .hes doing ok.
and after we talked about all the usual kind of hospital stuff..

And we had a prayer...
and you know it was one of the those times
when the prayer just felt deep
and when we ended
there was this kind of prayerful silence
for a few seconds
it just hung there after the amen
and then Les said
you know I put my life in the lords hands 53 years ago
.and its been a good life.
MYBE NOT BY THE SECUALR WAYS OF LOOKIGN A T LIFE..
BUT it been good
Well I knew what he was talking about
53 years I think that what he said
Les’s ordination
goes back to 1955
That would be 53 years.. Ago
just saying yes to God
im your s
I put my life in the Lords hands
53 years gao...
It been all right..
Well I know he had some grief
some loss
some illness in those years
but well
he knows that his life is in Gods hands
that is hope
..living with hope
And if you spend time with the Bible .
.I think you end up in that hope
and youl end up spending time with God
you might end up spending time with Gods people
and people who lvoe th ebIbel
and who know what needs to be done to face the scary stuff n this life
and you might end up wanting to let the Bibel guide you
you just might end up with some faith
and some hope and some love
tha t overcomes The fear
and you just might become a sign of hope for somebody else in this word
I htink its supposed to work like that
and you might come to know that your life is in Gods hands
and thats hope,,
I hoipe
that these third graders and confirmation students and you and I
That perosn next to you..
People not even here this morning
I hope that years form now
you can all say
I put my life in Gods hands
2o yeas ago
30 years ago
4o ,,50 6o years ago
,,,and it s been a good life

that what I hope for you
that’s what the church hopes for you
a life of hope
to grow
in the hands of God...
you just might need to know today
that this week
. Or next year... Or who knows when
but in the name of Jesus Christ
we want to give that to you
and to everyone.
.to everyone
hope
have you got it now?
So when you get the Bible today
or all of you
when you pick up the bible and read it..
You have hope in your hands..
Hope is in your hands
that is not something that you keep to yourself
People need hope.
hope ful hands are able to give..
Hopeful hands are not afraid.
Hopeful hands can do what needs to be done
I hope ..that here in Park Church,, for gods sake.. That you pass it on.

Park UMC The Potters House Sept 21, 2008

This is one of my favorite things to do in the ministry:
baptism and confirmation
I have enjoyed my time with this class
and this just feels right...
But I gotta tell you (students) you know you’re not Bible experts ...
there's a lot to learn
We didn’t have enough time together, you really didnt get any church history and
Im hoping we can still learn about prayer.,,y
ou need youth group and Sunday school..and bible study and worship....
I hope you at least ..know who John Wesley is.. Right?

You have no idea how much you don’t know about the spiritual life an Christianity!
But that is true for all of us..
So you have to keep learning ! How does that sound.
One of our confirmation students actually put it very well..
All of the the students had to write an affirmation of faith ,,as a confirmation requirement
A couple weeks agoone of the student was all excited and pleased
and said to me "I got my Aggravation of Faith done!"I kept a straight face "your aggravation of faith?"I said
..I bet your talking about your affirmation f faith..
. "Oh yeh"
But you know that aggravation thing might also be right
.after all,,
some of this is hard to believe
and maybe it s aggravating to believe that I have to forgive
and serve and give my money ... care about people
and love your enemy...and I have to watch my words.. Let go of my ego..and try to follow Jesus,,deny yourself
aggravating
I looked up aggravation in the dictionary and aggravation didn’t originally mean irritating or bothersome... Its from a Latin word
that means to make heavy.. If its aggravating.. its heavier
That ll preach...
Or as another confirmation student told her mother
when she was writing her creed
she said you know this is not easy..
(Amen
this is heavy stuff...as in deep ,,,,profound... A lot to think about..
Is this Heavy enough to make you think?
So let me take you to little closer at a scripture lesson this morning..
See if it saggravating...
Jeremiah 18... (that Katie read)...
Jeremiah heard the voice of the Lord saying,
"Go down to the potter’s house."
right there
Im thinking that Jeremiah... said to himself
what??? the potters house..
That doesn’t sound very interesting does it,
,at least back in those days
pottery shops are allover the place...
Now days you gott go see Bill grange
or go over to the franklin arts center to find the pottery studio
But in the Bible days
this pottery is everywhere
its just the dishes..
Pots and pans and you carry stuff in those pots
its storage ...it was the tupperware of the ancient world... Basic stiff
why go to the potters house?
You walk by it everyday.. So h’s probably not too excited..
Pottery what is there to see.
I’ve seen it all my life
But maybe that the first point..
the first heavy point?
When Jeremiah got sent to the potters house .
.God is telling him to look closely at the ordinary
God can speak to us,,in the common and the everyday life
like pottery but also like storms and rainbows
and dreams or maybe that still small voice,,
And th e old testament prophets were able to see God working in those daily routines.
.. And Jesus did the same thing
he told us to consider the birds of the air
the flower s of the field
the signs of the season
the mustard seeds and fig trees
planting a field ,planning a dinner party
..common ordinary stuff
but Jesus used it ..to teach us
and said pay attention
..for the lessons of God
the common and the ordinary. ....now what does that mean for you
I suppose you could come here Sunday after Sunday
and think
well that was pretty ordinary
worship at park Church
pretty ordinary..
Same old... same old
pick up the same hymnal.
how many times have you said the Lords prayer
sing the doxology.
.....read that Bible verse agin.
oh it’s the apostles creed again..
And didn’t we sing that servant song last month ?
And the same people in that pew over there.
.(you know where im going on this ..don’t you.
. in these tradition of faith."
.the same old..same old"
..we can start to say ho hum.
.what’s the big deal
l been there done that
nothing new..
Its like going to the potters house
.but the lessons are there
God says go look and listen..
That where my word will come to you
Because the lesson are here
.even in the same old songs
and the same old thing.
.Now of course
we ve got to be open to new people and new ministry
and be open to change
we have to embrace new music and language ...
the church at its best
is always re-forming and growing..
. my point is that God is in this ordinary religious stuff
..both old and new...so pay attention
Go to the potters house..
go to the places that are already in your life
and that where I will show something
go to the potters house
verse two says that is where I will let you hear my words..
Where is God telling you to look today ? Where will you hear the world of God..
I hope you hear it
in these Bible verses..and in the people around you
you could hear it in things like confirmation robes
and flowers and baptismal water
songs and in the prayers..
But beyond that.
All around you
in the common life on Monday Teus Wed Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday
Your still in the potters house..

are you open to God presence that is all around you everywhere every day!
John ortberg has a wonderful book called God is closer than you think,,
( put it on your reading list)
Frederick Beuchner...a great presbyterian writer says there is no event
so common..that God is not in it.
. But God is always leaving room for you to recognize him or not...
Because in the last analysis
all moments are key moments and life itself is grace..
Thomas a Kempis back in the 1400s said every creature will be a mirror of life to you and a book of holy doctrine///
another famous Christian said... Each moment is a revelation form God
can you r imagine that...Do you believe that?
Just when you think God is only in the religion business you find out that God is in the life business ...everywhere its all the potter s house?
Now think about that in school and work and sports and out for a walk
or on a bad day.......its all ...the potters house
I think that’s heavy
Now point number two,
what did Jeremiah see in the potters house..
What the revelation
He goes there
and he says to the potter
no Im not her e to buy anything
Im just looking
..and he is
h’s just looking.. For this word of the lord...,this insight..
so he watches the potter with this lump of clay
spinning on the wheel
th potter is touching it
holding it shaping it on the wheel
with his hands

but then
something happens
it s out of balance
or off center
twisted maybe
too wet ,or too dry..
Too hard... Maybe its got sand or a bubble whatever
anyway
its gone wrong
and what does the potter do
He starts over..
He started all over gain
and the reason is found in verse 4
it says
if the clay got spoiled
..if ti wasn’t turning out right..
The potter reworked it..reshaped it.
. And made it into something else
or in some translations it says he reworked it as seemed good to him..
You see the potter has a vision
of what that clay .that pottery..that vessel .. can be.
..uniquely and for good
and God knows,,
as the potter knows.
.that things happen ..on the wheel of life
the potter didn’t cause it..
But clay is clay..it has its variables
and its surprises
.but the potter worked with it...
The potter and the clay ,interact..
.....
God doesn’t cause bad things in your life.
bad things are just in life..
..in this world
life is going to be off center
out of balance
grainy..
and too hard and too dry it off course..that what sin actually means..out of pattern off course..
And things don’t work out
it s messy ...in the pottery shop....
but the good news is that god keeps forming us...
Recreating us..
Now that’s the good news
yes
we have those disappointment
we have those tragedy ,,there is greed and abuse and violence..and hurricane
we have those time when nothing is ;looking for good..
This world doesn’t go right (just watch the news)
But God says there is hope....
pay attention to this
the potter
doesn’t the clay off the wheel
the potter doesn’t
walk away
the potter keeps working
for good.. Beyond the frustration
beyond the corruption
in spite of the uncooperative clay
God does not abandoan the project
there is a patience and a persistence
God does not give up on this clay
it is the faithfulness so f God...to stay with this wheel of life..
does that mean that god knows what you can be?
what we can be
god know what this country can be
God knows what this world
can be
God even knows what this church can be
God has a vision...shalom..wholenss..
and God does not give up
why because
because God is love
Working for Good...
Like a potter with that clay
that why we have word s in our faith
like forgiveness and repentance
and healing and new creation
when
we talk about salvation and redemption
and amazing grace
its all a way of saying that
the potter is working in our lives
never giving up.,,helping us..
And today as the church
we are saying... yes.. that’s what we believe
that’s what we see in Jesus Christ
God never giving up
even when the clay gets as bad.
.as spoiled ..
as death on a cross
God is still at work
Saving us..
No matter how bad the clay can get.
. God is still there..forming us
God is transforming us...healing..
Like the potter with the clay...
But ...be open to that touch
desire that touch
trust that touch of the potter
can you see that we are all a work in progress
can we see ....the Holy pottery potential in each other
do you ever wonder what god sees in other people
can you just hope and wonder..what..can be
(Bill grange when you sit down at the pottery wheel and put your hand on that clay do you ever just start in and say let see what happens here...letting the beauty just happen?
I think god id creative like that....interactive,,spontaneous..relational.
Are we at least Waiting for God to keep working...on you ..in you..
Trusting..
Letting yourself get formed ..saying God
Shape me ,,
help me.
use me..
Lets see waht we can be..
You see that’s spiritual formation. Formed in the life of Christ...
.formed to be a vessel of God s love..
Each of us..in our own unique ways... No two pots can ever be exactly alike..
"So the potter remolded the clay,
as it seemed good to him."
You notice
that I’ve got the song in here this morning
Have Thine own way..
It was written by Adelaide Pollard
she was born in Bloomfield, Iowa back in 1862
even when she was a little kid she dreamed of going to Africa
she wanted to be a missionary ....she felt this call ...she got missionary training..
But when she was already to go..
Their wasn’t any money
They cancelled her plans. She went home to Iowa ,,just in despair.
.how could this be..

And in that pain and confusion she began to meditate on the potter,
... the verses that we read and she wrote the words :
Have thine own way, Lord, have thine own way.
Thou art the potter, I am the clay.
Mold me and make me after thy will
while I am waiting, yielded and still.
We call it faith..
And it begins by discovery ....by trusting,,, by saying yes... That you a re indeed ..in the potters hands
and in the potters house

My ideas for this sermon came after reading Jack Harnishs sermon about the Potters House preached at First UMC in Birmingham Michigan. That is my wife’s hometown church where my mother and gather in law continue to worship. Beside being able to access them on the church website. My mother in law sends them to me.

Worship pt 1

Spiritual Practice; worship Park UMC Sept 7 2008

As you can see from the sermon title we’re going to think about worship this morning
Back in the church newsletter
I said I was going to give some attention to some spiritual practices this year
spiritual practices are tools or disciplines that we use to help us spiritually grow as Christians

I said I would give some type of emphasis or topic each month..
I might do that with a hand out.
I might have some homework for you to try
maybe you could actually try to do some fasting or tithing.
. prayer or spiritual reading
or silence ..maybe some attention to beauty or art.
..but I said that worship was going to be the first spiritual practice
And in fact....
.... lists spiritual practice or spiritual discipline
very often
put this at the top of the list.....
So here we are
Now as soon as I got working on this
I realized that this was One of those way "too much to cover" kind of topics
so this might end up as a two part sermon
ok?
we could look at Bible verse on worship
and we will
we could look at the traditions in the history of worship...
Do you think we have traditions!
well maybe a little
we could look at styles of worship ....
and you know there is a lot of variety out there.
Its one of those things where everybody has an opinion
we get so opinionated about worship!
" I don’t like those kinds of songs or that kind of music
and I want this or that (A s if its about you)
well
we’re not going to go there
maybe we could talk about "why" we worship
how to prepare for worship
think about it
..what did you do.. to prepare for worship?


and then of course
there is some thing very practical as well
I want to increase worship attendance!
just get here
And I would love to see you doing that this month...
I would love to set some attendance records this year
..Do you know that when you compare our membership..with average worship attendance
we get less than 50% attendance and we consider that normal in most churches
for a lot of churches we only plan on 50 percent attendance
in fact
if all the members from park church
w anted to show up
for the 9:30 service..
we wouldn’t have room for much more than 50 percent..
What does that say about expectations?
Does that sound right?
I want you to show
and up and be here.
We gotta count attendance every Sunday
Hey
I got file a report on that every year..
And You know people judge us by how many people come here.
..its just a fact//
we look better ....when we fill up the place..
So do your part..
Show up and get counted
Ok now that’s my confession

well... Not really....
You know im teasing you ..being a little cynical
I know there’s much more to it.
This goes way deeper than doing reports
it goes deeper
its what we do here
gathered together
in the name of Christ
this thing called worship
I believe this is the most important thing that we do
it becomes the center
that connects
al the res t of the ministry that we do as the church..
So its not just about numbers and statistics
its being the church

worship is one of the most important connections that we have with God and with each other
in the spiritual life
and I believe
that if we don’t get worship..right
in our church life.
,everything else is going to be in trouble
\
now
how about some Bible verses
you want to hear about worship
read the Psalms (Psalm 148)
all that talk about Praising the Lord
come let us worship and bow down
worship the lord with gladness
come into his presence with singing..
Make a joyful noise to the Lord
.I could go on
worship is all over te psalms
its what the psalms are
the psalms
are the song book
and the prayer book
for the Jewish people and for the church
and you see that it has a lot of joy
. And celebration
I think one of the best reformations in the life of the church
has been the rediscovery of joy and celebration
as the mood of worship
now I understand that the dark colors in sanctuaries
and the minor notes in the music
and the sense of solemnity and order
that was the main mood for a lot of the church.....
it meant well
holiness and reverence.
This .kind of solemn assembly..
.look your best,,sit up straight..don’t talk.
Respect and dignity in the presence of God
I understand that
..but ...did we squeeze out the Biblical joy of worship !..
Is it possible to make worship into something dull and boring/
God is not dull or boring.
.now on the other hand
I think we might have gone overboard
when we try to make worship into entertainment shows..
.I personally don’t want to feel like Im at a concert or some kind of Jesus Las Vegas show
(personally I like things on the quieter ..slower side..that’s just me.. I am an introvert)
so Getting ourselves hyped up for the lord ..and feeling good.
is not always the same as worshiping the lord
can we keep some sense of balance
or maybe variety in the mix.
Here at park church,
we have what I call a spirited traditional style.
.. I don’t see us as too high church or formal
..although we use the organ.. And we have the robes for the choir and for the pastor.
.except in the summer.
.and we do have something less formal here at 11;15 service

we also know that we have to offer some other choices in style and music
we are going to have the Awe services starting on October 19th
Sunday evening service..at 5 pm at the light of the Lakes
AWE as in alternative worship experiences..
It might not be your style and that oks,,
but it also might be
just what your looking for..

Worship has to have variety ...one size doesn’t not fit all..
but...... it needs to fit in somewhere in your life....
And its my job..
one of my jobs
to say that you just need to be in worship
.
And if you want that in a Bible verse
here it is
Hebrews 10:25
it doesn’t say that its... Specifically about worship
but the translators think it is.
It says "et us not neglect to meet together..as is the habit of some "
you hear that ?
As is the habit of some..
even the early church had people skipping the worship service..
Peterson in the Message translation
it says let us not avoid worshiping together

we know that gathering for worship
was a pattern in the early church ..
it was part of the Jewish tradition that the church started with.
Now
let me say two things about worship
#1
worship is a sign of Gods invlovment in your life
#2 worship is a sign of being in Gods new community
let s take them one at a time
first of all if you believe that god is involved in your life.
.then worship is how you show it.
Do you remember
when God was calling Moses to lead the people out of slavery
to lead the exodus
and Moses wanted proof.....a sign / .that this whole thing was real
and that this God was real
and God said back in Exodus 3:18
the proof
the evidence ,would be that the Hebrew people
would come out to worship God
..three days out into the wilderness.
They would worship God
Think about that
these Hebrew slaves
will not be worshiping the god of the pharaoh
or the gods of Egypt
the first sign of the exodus
the first sign of salvation
was worshiping this other God..this true God
Worship is a sign of Gods deliverance at work
worship is a sign
that we belong to God
you belong to God
not to some pharaoh
not to some other ruler
some other nation
not to the economic power of the world
not to the government
not to your job
not to you past
you are not a slave
you are not a prisoner or a captive
but rather
a child of God..
.Gods people..yes you are a chosen people
worship is a sign that you are being set free
by the power
and the claim and the call of God
do you believe that?
now that should excite you
Why would you want to miss that
or
forget that..even for a week..
every time you come to worship god
you are living in the great truth of a god who is saving you and loving you

and working to over come all the chains and the shaming
and the oppression of the world in your life
no wonder
it was expressed with joy and thanksgiving and songs of praise..
It was good news ..and hope and promise
worship is a time to live out that kind of life ...that god has for us...
Worship is an experience
of entering into this new world
into this life that god is working ..to give us..
again
If you were a Hebrew slave
and you were out there worshiping God
it was a sign that you were getting away from your old life
you got away from Pharaoh and the abuse
and the degradation of that life that was trying to use you
to break you down and keep you down
worship was sign of God.at work
and it was sign..of course that pharaoh...or any ruler of this world
does not want to see true worship threatens the order of the world
you know if you want to really control somebody..you gotta control their religion.too...
(If you want to oppress people..you gotta suppress their religion)
worship was a sign that there was greater power happening in this world
worship in that sense becomes a witness of defiance
it this holy rebellion that says
..w e belong to God
to this God and this God alone

because this is the only God who saves us.
That’s what you are saying... (oh ..you bunch of radicals.!
You are saying that you have this Holy God working in your life..
Powerful stuff
do you want to say that.
. Then come to church and worship
worship is a sign of belonging to God
we are Gods people.
And nobody else owns us.
that’s my first point
now .
related to that
worship is also sign of community. Holy Community
In Bible faith
in Biblical spirituality
your "God life" and your "people life...cant be separated.

This is not just something private and individualistic
In the church
we can talk about this in a uniquely Christian way a s well..
Its about Communion..
..(And this might surprise us as United Methodists)....
communion
was at the very center of Christian worship services
they had some kind of communion meal all the time
not just once a quarter
or even once a month
the lords table was the central image for Christian worship
we gather in Christ around the bread and the cup..
.and John Wesley by the way
tried to keep that central importance
but we lost it along the way..
now
why was that so important to the worship life of the early church ?
Because they saw it..in Jesus
its what Jesus did.
. Jesus formed his life
and he formed his followers around the idea of an open table..
Look at his parables about banquets and wedding parties .
About who to invite
and where to sit..
Look at his his lifestyle and his practices..
He embodies this gracefully open table
But in the Jewish culture of his day ...
and also a lot of the Roman culture.
this table talk was full of rules..
was very structured and hierarchical
status and prestige got demonstrated at the table
power got demonstrated at the table
your table was like a miniature model for your society
your table was like a microcosm of the world
and who you ate with
was a statement...and you didn’t just eat with anybody..
Except that Jesus did..
and he got in trouble for it..
one of the clearest things we know about the historical Jesus
is that he ate with tax collectors and sinners...
and in some of the verses it refers to harlots..
..now that word needs to be clarified
it meant that he included women who didn’t fit in with the strict rules of society..
they might have been single
but they stayed more independent of male ownership
or control
.they didn’t become some mans property
and so they were disgraced...or just left out
they didn’t fit in..except with Jesus.
.he took them in
and it looks like the early church did that pretty well at least for while
and the communion table
this open table..
.this shard life in equality.. And acceptance
Was ritually built in to the worship service of the Christian church..
It was there In the practice of Holy communion
the lords table was a key to Christian worship services
Worship therefore
is a sign of being a new kind of community..formed by different values
formed by God in Jesus Christ
formed around forgiveness and grace.
That makes a different community
I remember the words that were written over the door way of Marsh Chapel back in Boston University
it sais :Abandon rank all who enter here."
worship is a sign
that God had made us one..
One level.
God has overcome our brokeness ..our sinfulness that spiritually divides us
even though we still have our diversity and our differences.


pay attention to that..
In Christianity worship and fellowship are intertwined
God has given us all value and equality
God has called us to care for each other....
.and we worship God by Demonstrating that in our life

we embody what Jesus said
and
its about experiencing the great commandment
about both loving God
and loving our neighbor as ourselves
worship again
is a sign of what God is doing our lives
God is bringing us together in new way.
.something very different than the rest society
worship points to our higher obedience
The lords table ..the communion table
is our microcosm
or little example
our foretaste.
of the kingdom of god
and the new creation..the new social order
God is making us into this kind of people.
.God is making us one in Jesus Christ
or as st Paul put it
in Christ
we are neither slave nor free
Jew or gentile
male or female..we are one in Christ,,

and in Christianity
it means
that when we leave people out
when we demean others
exclude others
when we treat others as inferiors
as less than the way
that Christ treats them

.then our worship is not in spirit and in truth
why ?
because it is not worshiping in the name of Jesus Christ.

there is a little piece of wisdom form the Persian poet Hafiz
14th century mystic poet
If Godinvited you to a party andsaid,"Everyone in the ballroom tonight willbe my specialguest."
How would you then treat them when you arrived?
Indeed, indeed!
Have you ever thought about worship like that.
.it is your invitation as Gods special guest.
At the banquet the feast
the ball room
. not only you..
.but everyone else..
Everyone here
called by name
chosen people!
Graced people
loved by God

And how
would we then see,
and treat
each other in light of that invitation

You know...
we try to have this special open house month every September
in the United Methodist church..
.try to be extra nice..
.we are nice. .its not an act. and polite
and practice hospitality.. And I know sometimes we miss people and we mess up.
but this also has to be more than a program or something to try for a month
its part of worship..its worship.
Its who we are in the spirit of Christ
.it how we are to be
together
in the presence of God
worship
is who you are....
It who we are as the body of Christ
the body of Christ is a body of worship glorifying God
It’s a powerful way for us to grow as Christians
Again in the words of Hebrews
let us not forsake or miss the habit of meeting together

Its time for the call to worship

These were passed out for the Rosebud trip

Prayers and reflections for your use
May I walk this dayin the realm of grace,walking with Youmy feet firmly on your earth-path,my heart loving all as kindred,my words and deeds alive with justice.
May I walk as blessing,meeting blessing at every turnin every challenge, blessing,in all opposition, blessing,in harm’s way, blessing.
May I walk each step in this moment of grace,alert to hear Youand awake enough to saya simple Yes.
- Robert Corin Morris From p. 213 Wrestling with Grace: A Spirituality for the Rough Edges of Daily Life

Prayer for Simplicity
Lord, help me now to unclutter my life,to organise myself in the direction of simplicity.Lord, teach me to listen to my heart;teach me to welcome change, instead of fearing it.
Lord, I give You these stirrings inside me,I give You my discontent,I give You my restlessness,I give You my doubtI give You my despairI give You all the longings I hold inside.
Help me to listen to these signs of change, of growth;to listen seriously and follow where they lead,through the breathtaking empty space of an open door. - Northumbria Community (from Celtic Daily Prayer)

EVER-LOVING GOD, who having loved us loves us still, help us to hear again your word, "By this shall they know you are my disciples; that you love one another." Turn our hostility into hospitality and our callousness into care. Through Christ, we pray. Amen.
- Rueben P. Job and Norman Shawchuck From p. 175 A Guide to Prayer for All God’s People

GRACIOUS LORD, you are the beginning and ending of all things, my center and my circumference: root and fix me in you in such a way that my soul finds rest in its true home and never stops growing in grace, safe and secure in your loving embrace. Amen.
- Paul Wesley Chilcote p. 23 A Life-Shaping Prayer: 52 Meditations in the Wesleyan Spirit

MY LORD GOD, I have no idea where I am going. I do not see the road ahead of me. I cannot know for certain where it will end. Nor do I really know myself, and the fact that I think I am following your will does not mean that I am actually doing so. But I believe that the desire to please you does in fact please you. And I hope I have that desire in all that I am doing. I hope that I will never do anything apart from that desire. And I know that if I do this you will lead me by the right road though I may know nothing about it. Therefore I will trust you always though I may seem to be lost and in the shadow of death. I will not fear, for you are ever with me, and you will never leave me to face my perils alone.
Thomas Merton, "Thoughts in Solitude"» Abbey of Gethsemani
-
GRACIOUS LORD, you sang all that exists into being: give me a voice to sing your praise in all that I do, a heart to seek harmony with all your creation, and a spirit of gratitude and thanksgiving to tune my heart to the keynote of my life, my Lord, Jesus Christ. Amen.
- Paul Wesley ChilcoteFrom p. 41 A Life-Shaping Prayer: 52 Meditations in the Wesleyan Spirit

WHEN DISTRACTING NOISES come, don’t fight against them, do not elbow them out, but accept them and weave them by prayer into the silence. Does the wind rattle the window? Then pray, "So let the wind of the Spirit shake the Christian church into life," and absorb it into the silent listening. Does a child cry in the street outside? Then pray, "So cries my infant soul, which does not know the breadth of Thy heart," and absorb it into the silent listening prayer.
- Thomas Kelly The Sanctuary of the Soul p. 54

ALL-WISE GOD, you have called me here. Sometimes I question that call. All I ask is that I have the mind of Christ, who emptied himself of personal gain and was obedient to death. Let me die to my ego and in dying to my fantasies accept the reality of where I am. Amen.
- Richard Morgan p. 87 Settling In: My First Year in a Retirement Community

OUR PRAYER BEGINS where all prayer must begin, in the realization that the One to whom we speak is a God of grace. … To pray to such a God is like falling into the arms of the one you love. You open up your life to the One who is always faithful and trustworthy. You look to God, in the midst of hopelessness and in confidence, during times of deep personal agony and glorious triumph, from positions of overwhelming abundance and of utter desperation, and you find the Lord already near.
- Paul Wesley ChilcoteA Life-Shaping Prayer: 52 Meditations in the Wesleyan Spirit
From pp. 21-22 of A Life-Shaping Prayer


GOD, YOU ARE AT THE CENTER of this. Or you are all about me. Or even though I cannot name how you are here at all, still you are. I cannot rush matters now. Where would I rush to? I cannot deny that I am completely at sea. The sea and the drifting are all I look upon, day to day.
Yet somehow, by the thinnest of membranes, you keep me from sinking into the abyss. With your barely perceptible touch, you convey me, though I have no idea where. Through all of this uncertain movement, let my heart be toward you. Let me trust … and wait.

- Stephen V. Doughty "Adrift" 19-20 Weavings Journal
GOD OF THE GOOD NEWS,in the fullness of my life,empty me of distractions.Still my busyness.Quiet my chatter.Sing your song of grace to meuntil the tune ringsin the core of my beingand my life resonateswith your good news.
- Alive Now From p. 36 of Alive Now, November/December 2000
GOD,forgive my faultsand re-create mein your love,through Jesus Christ.Amen.
- Marianna K. Nealdevozine magazine , November/December 2004

FROM OUR BLINDNESS that cannot see the pain in others’ lives, from our fears that distance us from others, from our indifference that cannot relate to others’ suffering, deliver us, O God. Amen.
- Richard Morgan Settling In: My First Year in a Retirement Community From p. 141
COMPASSIONATE GOD,help me notto walk behind othersor to walk in front of thembut to walk beside themwith kindness.Amen.
- Richard Morgan
MAKE US AWARE, O God,that even in the darkestplaces on earthsome love is foundand music abounds.Amen. - Richard Morgan
O GOD, CHANGE my heart. Transform the attitudes from which my actions grow that I may honor you and others in my daily interactions. Amen.
- Mary Lou ReddingThe Upper Room Disciplines 2007

POTTER GOD,shape meand form meinto a vessel holding your good news.Amen.
- Alive Now
From p. 55 of Alive Now, September/October 2007

God, may I no longer be my own but yours. Put me to what you will; rank me with whom you will. Put me to doing; put me to suffering. Let me be employed for you or laid aside for you, exalted for you or brought low for you. Let me be full; let me be empty. Let me have all things; let me have nothing. I freely and heartily yield all things to your pleasure and disposal. And now, O glorious and blessed God — Creator, Redeemer, and Inspirer — you are mine, and I am yours. May this promise that I hereby make on earth be ratified in heaven. Amen.
- W. Paul JonesAn Adaptation of Wesley’s Watchnight Vows

THE APPLICATION
"Doing" Christianity (or not?)
Read of each of thes 4 quotes one a time but pause before reading the next one and write down your one or two word "gut reaction" first thing, that comes to mind response to the quote you have just read.


I remember a conference in NYC. The topic was social justice. Assembled for the meeting were theologians, pastors, priests, nuns and lay church leaders. At one point a Native American stood up, looked out over the mostly white audience, and said, "Regardless of what the New Testament says, most Christians are materialists with no experience of the Spirit. Regardless of what the New Testament says, most Christians are individualists with no real experience of community." He paused for a moment and then continued: "Let’s pretend that you were all Christians. If you were Christians, you would no longer accumulate. You would share everything you had. You would actually love one another. And you would treat each other as if you were family." His eyes were piercing as he asked, "Why don’t you do that? Why don’t you live that way?"
By Jim Wallis Source: The Call to Conversion
Your first reaction_________________-
"The cost of following Jesus entails not only giving up the past, but also giving up various options for the future." Vinay Samuel Quoted in Cry Freedom, by Charles Ringma
Your first reaction_________________-
The Talmud (Jewish )Look ahead. You are not expected to complete the task. Neither are you permitted to lay it down. (In other words we cant quit just because something is to big for us to finish!)
Your first reaction_________________-
"Serving others was meant to be more of a lifestyle than an event"
Jennifer L Arnwine in Jan Feb 2008 Alive Now p. 4
Your first reaction_________________

Reflecting on these quotes together: What do they say to you? Do you agree with them? Does it seem impossible? What did you do today to be a Christian on purpose?
How can you do this more often? Do you want to make this more of a lifestyle rather than an experience?
What is one step you can take to make this happen more in some part of your life.... try to be as specific and practical as possible considering your particular situation in life? What will get in the way of your doing that?
Spend time in silence and reflection, then journal your thoughts
Possible group sharing..what is some small change you could try make in the way you live your daily life..give an example if you can


---------------------------------------------------------------------
DEVOTION AND REFLECTION FOR WEDNESDAY
" THE DAY OFF"
This is (or was) a day to think about how you spend time not working or at rest and play, slowly down to think or just to be!... whether you went tubing or off to see some site, or just spent the day around the Tree of Life Center.
Continue to practice your sense of awareness and peace.
Maybe this is a day to not do any multitasking? Maybe you can do some inner listening or be quiet as you think about what you are doing or what you did.
Pay attention to beauty and joy and things that make you happy? There is always some goodness of life in every day. Celebrate it!
What did you enjoy about not having to work! Consider also these thoughts
W. Muller writes about Sabbath and Sabbath times:
"We need to listen to the spiritual traditions. Jesus said, "Behold, I bring you tidings of great joy," and "Come, that you might have life and have that abundantly." The Buddha spoke about joy being the fruit of spiritual practice. No spiritual tradition says that God wants us to be exhausted. No scripture says we’re supposed to be totally burned out. Almost every scripture says that the fruit of life is joy—being happy in all that we have been given and all that arises in the course of human life. There are sorrows, but the more spacious we become, the more joyful we become in being able to embrace everything. The Sabbath has a joyful uselessness to it. We are not supposed to accomplish anything of any significance so that we can stop looking for what’s not there and have the time to drink from what’s already here. When we’re on the wheel of constant work, our eye is on the next thing that has to be done, what hasn’t been accomplished yet. Sabbath is a time to eat what you’ve cooked, to harvest what you’ve planted and to give thanks for what you’ve been given. It’s a time to bless our loved ones and to eat, drink, ..... The sensual delight associated with Sabbath reminds us that one of the fruits of spiritual practice is useless happiness.
Once people feel nourished and refreshed, they cannot help but be kind; just so, the world aches for the generosity of a well-rested people. Source: Sabbath By Wayne Muller

WHEN YOUR SPIRITstarts to feel weary,feed yourself with quietness,with beauty,and with prayer.
- Helen R. Neinast and Thomas C. Ettinger
**********************************************************************On poverty and the poor.
A devotional focus
Obviously you are seeing conditions that might be very different from your own. Rosebud is at least among the top ten poorest area in the United States. Journal some of your observations about this.
Read the following statements slowly and let them settle into you. You might also write down a word or two of response or question after each of these statements


The median income for a household in the Census Data Population fpr Rsoebud was $19,906, and the median income for a family was $19,866. Males had a median income of $17,188 versus $23,886 for females. The per capita income for the CDP was $8,462. About 40.8% of families and 43.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 46.8% of those under age 18 and 11.9% of those age 65 or over.

Wacantognaka, the Lakota word for generosity, means to contribute to the well-being of one's people and all life by sharing and giving freely. This sharing is not just of objects and possessions, but of emotions like sympathy, compassion, kindness. It also means to be generous with one's personal time.http://www.aktalakota.org/index.cfm?cat=1&artid=46
The measure of a society’s progress is not whether it can give more to those who have more, but whether it can provide enough to those who have less.- David Lim
O God, to those who have hunger give bread; and to us who have bread give the hunger for justice. - A Latin American prayer Quoted in Cry Freedom, by Charles Ringma
.
Psalms 72:1-4 Give the king your justice, O God, and your righteousness to a king's son. May he judge your people with righteousness, and your poor with justice. May the mountains yield prosperity for the people, and the hills, in righteousness. May he defend the cause of the poor of the people, give deliverance to the needy, and crush the oppressor.

Deuteronomy 24:19 When you reap your harvest in your field and forget a sheaf in the field, you shall not go back to get it; it shall be left for the alien, the orphan, and the widow, so that the Lord your God may bless you in all your undertakings.
Proverbs 22:9 Those who are generous are blessed, for they share their bread with the poor.
-
Proverbs 13:41 Those who oppress the poor insult their Maker, but those who are kind to the needy honor [God].

For not only do people need food, but they need also the touch of a hand, the sound of a voice. For food lasts but a day, but love is for always.
- Mother Teresa


By Shane Claiborne Source: The Irresistible Revolution

Almost every time we talk with affluent folks about God’s will to end poverty, someone says, "But didn’t Jesus say, ‘The poor will always be with you’?"
As we study the Scriptures, we see how many texts we have misread, contextualized and exegeted to hear what we want to. Like this one about the poor being among us, which Jesus says in the home of a leper and after a poor marginalized woman anoints his feet with perfume. The poor were all around him. Far from saying in defeat that we should not worry about the poor, since they will always be among us, Jesus is pointing the church to her true identity - she is to live close to those who suffer.
The poor will always be among us, because the empire will always produce poor people, and they will find a home in the church, a citizenship in the kingdom of God, where the ‘hungry are filled with good things and the rich sent away empty.’ I heard that Gandhi, when people asked him if he was a Christian, would often reply, "Ask the poor. They will tell you who the Christians are."

By Leonardo Boff Source: Cry of the Earth, Cry of the Poor
Is it possible to live in peace and happiness when you know that two-thirds of human beings are suffering, hungry and poor? To be human we have to have compassion. This solidarity is really the defining factor of our humanity and is gradually being lost in a culture of material values. It’s not only the cry of the poor we must listen to but also the cry of the earth. The earth and human beings are both threatened. We must do something to change the situation….
There won’t be a Noah’s Ark to save only some of us. To meet people’s fundamental concerns, change is needed. The world as it is does not offer the majority of humanity life but rather hell. I believe that change is possible, because I cannot accept a God who could remain indifferent to this world, but only one who cares about the poor and the suffering.
...............................
So you Americans who really want to help the poor have to change your own government first. You Americans who want to see an end to hunger and poverty have to take a stand. You have to fight just like we’re fighting—even harder. You have to be ready to be jailed, to be abused, to be repressed. And you have to have the character, the courage, the morale, and the spirit to confront whatever comes your way.
- Elvia Alvarado Don’t Be Afraid Gringo: A Honduran Woman Speaks from the Heart


By Frederick Buechner Source: The Longing for Home

Woe to us indeed if we forget the homeless ones who have no vote, no power, nobody to lobby for them, and who might as well have no faces even, the way we try to avoid the troubling sight of them in the streets of the cities where they roam like stray cats. And as we listen each night to the news of what happened in our lives that day, woe to us if we forget our own homelessness.
To be homeless the way people like you and me are apt to be homeless is to have homes all over the place but not to be really at home in any of them. To be really at home is to be really at peace, and our lives are so intricately interwoven that there can be no real peace for any of us until there is peace for all of us.

Jean Vanier
When I discover that I am accepted and loved as a person, with my strengths and weaknesses, when I discover that I carry within myself a secret, the secret of my uniqueness, then I can begin to open up to others and respect their secret. Each human being, however small or weak, has something to bring to humanity. As we start to really get to know others, as we begin to listen to each other’s stories, things begin to change. We begin the movement from exclusion to inclusion, from fear to trust, from closedness to openness, from judgment and prejudice to forgiveness and understanding. It is a movement of the heart.
It is not just a question of performing good deeds for those who are excluded but of being open and vulnerable to them in order to receive the life that they can offer; it is to become their friends. If we start to include the ‘disadvantaged’ in our lives and enter into heartfelt relationships with them, they will change things in us. They will call us to be people of mutual trust, to take time to listen and be with each other. They will call us out from our individualism and need for power into belonging to each other and being open to others. They will break down the prejudices and protective walls that gave rise to exclusion in the first place. They will then start to affect our human organizations, revealing new ways of being and walking together.
So, the one-way street, where those on top tell those at the bottom what to do, what to think, and how to be, becomes a two-way street, where we listen to what they, the ‘outsiders,’ the ’strangers,’ have to say and we accept what they have to give, that is, a simpler and more profound understanding of what it means to be truly human.
If we start to see people ‘at the bottom’ as friends, as people with gifts to bring to others, then the social pyramid, with the powerful, the knowledgeable, and the wealthy on top, becomes a place of belonging where each person finds their place and where we live in mutual trust.
Is this a Utopian vision? If it is lived at the grassroots level, in families, communities, and other places of belonging, this vision can gradually permeate our societies and humanize them.
I’m not suggesting for a moment that each one of us must welcome into our homes all those who are marginalized. I am suggesting that if each one of us, with our gifts and weaknesses, our capacities and our needs, opens our heart to a few people who are different and become their friends, receive life from them, our societies would change. This is the way of the heart.
Jean Vanier is the founder of L’Arche, a network of communities in 30 countries for people with intellectual disabilities and their assistants. This writing is from his book, Becoming Human.

I ONCE heard a wise priest say, in a meditation on gratitude, that we should be especially grateful for whatever breaks our hearts. Reflecting on God’s promise to write "upon" our hearts rather than "within" them, he suggested that our own hearts are so hard that all God can do is write upon the surface (Jer. 31:33). It is only when our hearts break, that they break open: then the word of God can enter deeply, like a seed in a harrowed field.
Perhaps this heartbroken availability is the "gift of tears" the desert fathers prized so highly, and urged each other to seek so urgently. … But in a special mercy, not only the specifically prayed-for tears of the ascetics will avail us this vision and this ministry: the ordinary sorrows of an ordinary life will suffice.
- Deborah Smith Douglas "Wounded and Healed" From p. 23 of Weavings Journal, March/April 2000.
-------------------------------------------------

This Devotion or Spiritual Practice Exercise is on words and language ;
what and how we communicate with each other
Be mindful and careful with your words.. We use them all day long, both giving and receiving. It is one of the most powerful things that we do each day. As a group these words can hurt or help us in community. Listen to how you hear language being used around you. How will you let Christ speak though you today? How do words shape your actions and feedings and altitudes. How are you listening?

Consider the following statements.

By Margaret Wheatley Source: Turning to One Another

A gesture of love is anything we do that helps others discover their humanity. Any act where we turn to one another. Open our hearts. Extend ourselves. Listen. Any time we’re patient. Curious. Quiet. Engaged…. Conversation does this—it requires that we extend ourselves, that we open our minds and hearts a bit more, that we turn to someone, curious about how they live their life.
Speaking to each other involves risk. It’s often difficult to extend ourselves, to let down our guard, especially with those we fear or avoid. When we’re willing to overcome our fear and speak to them, that is a gesture of love. Strangely, what we say is not that important. We have ended the silence that keeps us apart.


By Dietrich Bonhoeffer Source: Life Together
It must be a decisive rule of every Christian fellowship that each individual is prohibited from saying much that occurs to him….
Where this discipline of the tongue is practiced right from the beginning, each individual will make a matchless discovery. He will be able to cease from constantly scrutinizing the other person, judging him, condemning him…. Now he can allow the brother to exist as a completely free person, as God made him to be.
Now the other person, in the freedom with which he was created, becomes the occasion of joy, whereas before he was only a nuisance and an affliction. God does not will that I should fashion the other person according to the image that seems good to me, that is, in my own image; rather in his very freedom from me, God made this person in His image. I can never know beforehand how God’s image should appear in others.

Scripture: Read James 3
What was the most helpful or encouraging word that your heard all day? How will you consider your words tomorrow?

Hiddenness

Hidden Work
Scripture Matthew 6
"Be careful not to do your 'acts of righteousness' in front of others, to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven. "So when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. 3 But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, 4 so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.

Read this quote by Henri Nouwen
Hiddenness, a Place of Purification
One of the reasons that hiddenness is such an important aspect of the spiritual life is that it keeps us focused on God. In hiddenness we do not receive human acclamation, admiration, support, or encouragement. In hiddenness we have to go to God with our sorrows and joys and trust that God will give us what we most need.In our society we are inclined to avoid hiddenness. We want to be seen and acknowledged. We want to be useful to others and influence the course of events. But as we become visible and popular, we quickly grow dependent on people and their responses and easily lose touch with God, the true source of our being. Hiddenness is the place of purification. In hiddenness we find our true selves.

Write your first reaction______________



is this easy for you to do?

Aug 31 sermon notes, unedited

One and Half Followers Matthew 16: 21-28 Aug 31 2008

There is an old sufi tale..a story from Iraq or Iran that talks about being followers..
.and I am going to tell the story because it compliments what Jesus is talking about in the Bible verses this morning..
You heard Jesus in verse 24
if anyone wants to become my followers..
Let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me..
Verse 25 takes it even farther.. Those who want to save their life...will lose it..
Now those words should slow you down
this is not casual conversation
... talking about life and death..its serious stuff.
..listen to what this is taking about to follow Jesus
(And you do want to follow Jesus don’t you...isn’t that why you’re here?
Well
there is a cross involved..
not just the cross of Jesus..(not jsut what he did....)
but it says take up your cross..
It talks about losing your life
and denying yourself...and what you are going to do,
Now
you might want to ask yourself what that means
and how it could poosbly apply to your life
are you and I that much of a follower
and do you want to be..?
..that’s a deep question
and as a pastor or a preacher this morning
.I cant let us just skim by these verses
so let me back up
and let it settle in with this story
as I said
a story from Iraq or Iran..
Once upon a time
there was a man who became the head ,the sultan,
of the great ottoman empire
and that meant
that he was also the ruler of a great territory
his land included the desert
those parts of the empire
that were hard to live in
but for the people who knew how to live there
it was also rich with beauty and strength and treasures

as soon as this man became the sultan
he was warned about a certain caliph.. or a master teacher
who was said to have thousands of followers
this man had great influence and power
so much influence
that if this caliph ever decided to rebel against the sultan
he could overthrow the empire
and maybe become the ruler himself

or if this caliph of the desert ever joined forces
with somebody outside of the empire
They would have a combined force that could not be stopped..
But the head of the empire ignored all these warnings..
The years went by.
And in those years
there were plots to overthrow the government
Coups that failed
and there were assassination attempts
And always
the caliphs name came under suspicion
who else could be doing this?!
who else had that kind of power?
....he must be behind it all
so finally
this leader of the empire
listened to this accusations and set up a meeting with the caliph of the desert...
He went out to meet him alone.. Out on the edge of the desert
the caliph came riding out of the desert on his great Arabian horse
he got off in front of the sultan the leader of the empire
and he knelt down in the sand with his head touching the ground ;
(which was the custom of loyalty an allegiance )
then
the caliph stood up
and said you are my master.
What ever power I have here in the desert
..belongs to you and I will gladly give my life .so than my master may live.

The sultan hugged him and said
"how are you my old friend
I just wanted to make sure that you were still my follower
You see
my advisors have been afraid of you and suspicious
they have warned me about your thousands of followers
they are afraid that you will turn them against me
and they would do whatever you commanded
But I know
that you are my follower
so that everybody who follows you
will also follow me..
whether they know it or not
And so the two leaders
talked about their days together
back when they were young and lived in the desert.
Finally
the sultan ,said
"By the way my friend
how many followers do you have
just between you and me.
.how many faithful followers do you really have?


The caliph thought about this for awhile and finally he said "one and a half-
yes, I think that’s it one and a half.
The sultan didn’t like this answer
he felt insulted
as if his friend was lying to him
or toying with him
Why would my advisors be afraid of man who only has one and a half followers!
we are going to see about this
I am going to find out how many followers you have


and so with that that the sultan rode away and sent out orders for the caliph to be arrested..
he was captured and put into chains and taken off to a prison
Then the sultan sent out orders ...through the whole empire
he announced that the caliph of the desert had fallen from grace and that he would be killed
unless all of his followers showed up on certain day in a certain place.
Then the sultan set up a tent on the edge of the desert
out where the meeting place was supposed to be..but inside that tent. The sultan put about a dozen soldiers and a few sheep
And he waited.
On the appointed day,
he brought out the caliph..still in chains
and they waited on the edge of the desert to see how many of his followers would appear.
And as the sun came up that morning
They came hundred and thousands of them
on horseback and camel
on donkey or on foot
they came as far the eye could see.
.such a huge number.
Young and old
.men
women and even children

the sultan looked at the caliph
and said
one and half followers you say?! Then who are all these people?
The caliph said to the sultan " I do not know "
Well
we shall see...!
and then the sultan faced this great mass of people
and he said
this man..(he pointed to the caliph)
your master has fallen from grace
and I am going to behead him
on this very spot
right now
but if 10 of you
are willing to give up your life
so that your master can live..
then .step forward
...and if not...
well..
the sultan pulled out his sword
there was a terrible silence.
.a long silence
then a man stepped forward
and put his hand over his heart
and spoke the ancient ritual words of loyalty
he said
Sultan this man is my master.
Everything I know of wisdom and truth, he taught me
Whatever I have of strength and power in the desert ,
he share d with me
. I will gladly give my life so that my master may live.

The sultan snapped his fingers
and the solders marched out and grabbed the man
they marched him into the tent
took him inside
dropped the flaps so no one could see inside the tent
and then they cut the throats of three sheep
and they did it in such a way
that the people could see the blood run out form under the ten
and into the sand
there was murmur in the crowd
and if you looked carefully
you could see people slipping away
back into the desert
not many .
but still enough that you would notice.
Then
there wan another long silence
by now the sun was higher in the sky
and the desert heat was rising as well
the people were sweating and you could see the tension
and the sultan shouted out and said
That s one. I need nine more ...or your master dies,
again
there was whispering and murmuring in the crowd.
. And again a long silence
until finally a women stepped out of the crowd
and the crowd groaned
because she was a woman
and in those old Islamic culture..
for such legal matters as this..
. a women only counted as one half...only as half a perosn
But the women
put her hand next to her heart
and she spoke the ancient words of loyalty
this man is my master.
Everything I know of wisdom and truth
he taught me
Whatever I have of strength and power in the dessert
, he shared with me.
I will gladly give my life
so that my master may live.
Again
the sultan snapped his fingers
and the solders came
and got the women
and took her into the tent
covered up the doorway
and the cut the throats of three more sheep
once agin
the blood ran down the sand dunes underneath he tent
but this time
there was panic in the crowds
and people pushed and shoved
and they scattered back into the dessert
soon
there was no else except the sultan and the caliph standing out side the tent...
The crowd was gone
so the sultan took the chains off the caliph
and lifted him up on his feet
and said My friend I am sorry
you were right
You have only one and half followers
How awful you must feel
all of your time and your work
and this is all you have
only one and half followers

But the caliph looked at the Sultan
and said to him I know what your thinking
you are thinking that the man is my one true follower
and that th women is the one half follower
but that is not true
the sultan said
what do you mean
according to our law... The women is only counted as one half.. And the man is one.
But the caliph said it has nothing to do with law
discipleship is not about the law


It is all about faithfulness and love and devotion
when the man stepped forward
he didn’t know that he was going to die
he thinks everything is a test.. And he has a lot to learn
h’s a good man ..a bit arrogant ..and kinda naive
But he has possibilities
he is the half follower

but when the women stepped forward..
She had already seen what had just happened
and she knew she was going to die
therefore she is my one true follower!
And the sultan had no more to say
And (Megan McKenna says)
when they tell this story today they ask. Which one are you?
are you the crowd that shows up. To claim loyalty
.but then disappears when they are asked to step out..
Are you the person
who is arrogant or naive and thinks everything is a test..
but you have possibilities
Are you the woman
who knows that if you follow the master
if you follow Jesus
you will die with him
...................
Well...I think we still need to bring this closer to home
giving our life for Jesus ..dying for the faith .
.making the single great sacrifice
probably wont happen to you this week
or maybe this year.. or maybe never in your lifetime
but the work of your cross
the dying of your old life..
.so that you find the new life..
is the daily spiritual pattern of our faith
as Jesus said in verse
by losing your life in Christ..you will find it..
You come to the true life.
You come to the true life
by denying yourself
by crucifying
your self centered life
you let the ego control die.
Eugene Peterson gets at that layer of meaning
in his version of these words from Jesus
Jesus says..
Anyone who intends to come with me has to let me lead
your not in the drivers seat..
I am
don’t run from suffering
embrace it.
Follow me and I will show you how..
Self help is no help at all.
Self sacrifice is the way..
(you hear that self sacrifice is the way)
my way to finding yourself. Your true self
underline that
the only way to find your true self
is the way that Jesus shows us.
.it is the way of the cross
.
the life of surrender...giving up your ego life
NOW back to the question
how much of a follower are you

I don’t know if I can even claim to be one half.


but here we are as propel claiming the name of Jesus Christ..
are we like that crowd that shows up..maybe Sunday after Sunday ready to promise our loyalty
but how do we really do and show our love and our faithfulness
I gotta tell you about Ed Harrison
on our trip to Rosebud Reservation in South Dakota
we had a fantastic week by the way and I hope we keep going out there to work with Tree of life Ministry.. Of the United Methodist church
anyway
Ed WAS A medicine MAN WHO PRACTICES some of the traditional Lakota ways..
And he was taking to us about the sweat lodge ceremony
and some of his experience with Christians. And the church
. Basically what he said
is that as Christians
we make claims that we don’t live up to
He made me think about what it means to claim to be a Christian..
And you know we toss that claim
and that identification around pretty easily
don’t way
im a Christian
we say
Christian this
Christian that
but Ed
caught us off guard
because he would ask us as a group
are you Christians..?
Are you a Christian
.and when someone said "yes.."
he said
"can you walk on water... ?"
Show me.
.we can go to my stock tack
and you can show me
.well he was Teasing us some...pushing us around a little
but his point is valid
what he was really saying

was that if you are a CHRISTIAN ..as you claim..
show me something
besides just taking
show me some Jesus things
show me that Christian life
show me some evidence
some power

but I would also say that this not just about walking on water
but show me your faith
show me who you follow
show me how much of a follower you are
by showing the world
The sacrifices of your life
your love
your compassion
your genuine trust
your generosity of sharing.
. And yes
being willing to suffer for others ...to pay the price .
.to at least be inconvenienced.
.to make others have things better.
If someone wanted to see if you were a follower of Jesus Christ
could you show them your cross...in your life
how much do people see the Jesus life in us
the cross shaped life. .... people are askign to see how many folowers he has.
Maybe that’s how how we let Jesus know
who the followers are..
By giving our life
.our time
our talents,
our will..
Or
its like Jesus simply said
This is how they will know that you are my disciples
that you love one another.. As I have loved you ..
How can you take up your cross..?
And do something specifically..
. Intentionally, practically
.. Not just theoretically
as a follower of Jesus Christ..
But something that shows..
That’s what this life
is all about
As the church ..as disciples of Jesus
maybe we can show the world
or maybe just show the neighbors
or show even one other person how many followers Jesus has

How about you

The One and Half Followers story is in two of Megan McKenna’s books , Parables, and Lent, Sunday Readings. Orbis Press..
I have adapted the wording to my delivery style