Oct 28 Global Memory Loss

Oct 28, 2007 Global memory

I had this strangest thing happen to me a couple weeks ago.

I was working on the stewardship sermon for last Sunday
and for this Sunday
and I remembered this article, a ‘sermon illustration” article I was saving on the computer ; it was about the burden of money and it talked about the history of money and some of the stranger forms of money .
For example,
there was an old culture in the South Pacific that literally, had this huge form of money; they used 18 foot high rings made of stone..
Weighed about 15 tons

And then for smaller change you had smaller stone rings
that only weighed about a hundred pounds.

..You hauled them around with a carrying pole that went through the hole in the middle of the stone ring

( I suppose you had to really think twice before you carried around any cash like that)

I thought who ever heard having money that ways hundreds of pounds or even a ton ?
Giant money wheels!
and then I realized..oh we still have
that ..today
.we call them cars....Giant money wheels!

Then the article talked about the ancient Spartans back in Greece;
they had coins that seemed a little more normal
but they didn’t use silver or copper to make their coins
they used iron coins,..little iron disks
that way
they got reminded
that money was heavy.
it was a burden.

Now maybe those old cultures were on to something.

There was a deep wisdom in that, in fact,
Jesus and the early church gave us that kind of wisdom too

Look at I Timothy 6 and you hear these words that say watch out for greed. It can tempt you and trap you.. It can cause you pain.
The love of money (not money itself, but the power or love of money..is the root of all evil.

For two Sundays in a row now,we’ve talked about how much Jesus mentioned money and the role of giving as a spiritual practice.

...Anyway I was going to copy that article about the burden of money.
.and when I highlighted it for “copy” on the computer so I could put it into my set of sermon notes,
That’s when this strange thing happened

All of a sudden the computer started to make its working and processing sounds..
kind of clicking an humming way and
the little light is blinking.

.and then these words flashed on to the screen.

“Not enough global, memory available to preform this task.”

No enough global memory!

What does that mean? it sounds like a serious problem..global!!!

and then my computer got locked up ..it froze up.
..and I had to do a manual shut down..
Because I didn’t have enough “global memory”.

Like I said
I have no idea what that means in computer talk..
but this was the message..

I think it was a great metaphor....
think about what I was doing?


I was trying to copy a message on the burden of money.

But we don’t have the global memory to handle that reality.

Spiritually speaking, we don’t have the global memory to properly deal with money

.I told this story to the Wednesday lectionary group
and somebody said..
“Oh God talked to you through your computer!”

I don’t know .....

When it comes to the real use and purpose of money do you think we have a global memory loss?
We cant handle it...
We cant seem to copy it from one part of our life , to the next!

Is that why we have poverty?

Is that why we have people living without food and shelter and medicine
and water ?

“Not enough global memory available for this task”

Is that why there is such a difference between the rich and the poor in the world.

Is economic injustice the result of a global memory loss?


Do you know that just about every study you will ever find is going to say that we could end world hunger?

We can feed the world

We can end deep poverty..but its a matter of the will
spiritual, moral and political will,,,
and its matter of distribution

Some people say that the Christian population alone..has enough wealth,
if we really tithed ..for example..we could solve the problem

But then
that sign flashes on

“Not enough global memory available for this task.”
And we get locked up.

We don’t have enough global memory to do what we need to do

We forget
maybe we don’t want to hear it..

Somehow we just cant copy the message..
.the inner files get corrupted..

(Are you with me)


Do you and I remember ..in our daily living..
When your paying the bills,,and making the plans,,and going down town or watching tv..

Can we still remember what Jesus said about giving.. And sharing and caring..

“Give excepting nothing in return”

Love one one another as I have loved you

do we remember..really what he said
about being brothers ans sisters and children of God
that we are all connected to each other....

and we are witnesses ..and servants and disciples

Can you remember
what he said about losing your life, giving your life.. Taking up the cross
to find your real life

Can I remember..really..
the story of Lazarus ..the beggar at the rich man's gate.
When I am the rich man..?

Do we forget what he said about worrying about your clothes and food..
and what he said about bigger barns..
and false security
in the lesson you heard from Luke 12

Or
do we .. forget
in practical ways.. That the earth is the Lords and the fullness (the abundance) thereof

Do you think think we forget
as a nation
the biblical vision of caring for the stranger
the widows and the orphans.. the vulnerable..the left out

“Not enough global memory available for this task”

.....well,,you know what I mean..

But
,,maybe the calling of the church is
first of all

to remember

to restore the files
to fix the memory problem

can we want and chose to remember
something about money
the use of our gifts
the use of our life.?

Maybe we are here to be the global memory; to do what needs to be done.

There is a wonderful little Jewish story
about a rabbi in a Russian city years ago
in another century


the rabbi was thinking about the direction and sense of purpose in his life,

he went out for a walk late at night
out and around in the city
and he came to a part of the town that was guarded

it was a part of the town
where the richer people had hired someone to patrol the neighborhood

and this guard .
.this night watchman
saw the rabbi out in the dark
late at night and he shouted to the rabbi"Who are you? And what are you doing here?"
"Excuse me?" Said the rabbi.
"The guard said it again
...., ‘Who are you and what are you doing here?!’"

the rabbi, stopped for a moment
and didn’t say a word

and then finally
he said to the guard
, "How much do you get paid every day?"
The guard said
"What does that have to do with you?"
The rabbi said,
"I will pay you ..twice as much...
if you will just ask me those same two questions every day:
Who are you? And what are you doing here?"



Those are the questions that we need to remember on days like this

personally
and as a church;
Who are we
and what are we doing here.?

But we forget it.
Continually
.amnesia is the human problem

global memory loss happens
when we forget the great question and the deeper answers.

And it seems to me
as I said already

that when we get down to thinking about our money and our possessions and our egos and our faith...we get this financial amnesia.

What is the money for
why is it here.
Who does it serve?

What are we suppose to do with it?
But
that’s what we have to ask ,,as the church.. In the name of Jesus Christ
this where the faith comes back into play
Faith give us something to remember

Faith gives us Jesus
and the word of God
in this part of life,

What are we supposed to remember?

Let me say it this way

There is a Jewish Spanish story.
Almost one thousand years ago,
in the Moslem days of Spain,

there was a Jewish Rabbi ...named Samuel the Prince.

Rabbi Samuel was very wise,
and he was very trusted and very soon he became the Sultan's treasurer.

Well..this caused some jealously in the courts
and
rumors got started
that Rabbi Samuel was embezzling money from the royal treasury.
Of course the Sultan heard about the rumors..because that was the plan
.
So he decided to put the Rabbi to the test.

One day,
without any warning,
he called in the Rabbi
and ordered him to do a full accounting of his personal wealth.
Tell me about all the money that you have!

Rabbi Samuel was surprised by this ...
but you just don’t refuse the Sultan!

so He sat down at a table,
and he started writing..and writing
as fast as he could

half an hour later, he stopped,

he looked at the list silently,

and handed it over to the Sultan.
The Sultan read the inventory very carefully,

and then he slammed it down
with anger on the table.

How dare you lie to me.rabbi!

this is just a part of your wealth.
I know you have more than this
your hiding soemthign
I personally
have given you way more than what you are listing here as your income

My advisors must been telling the truth about you

You must be cheating me in your financial affairs

and so I will personally take awayeverything you own.

Guards, ...take this man away!'

But 'Your Majesty', the rabbi said, 'you asked me for an report of my wealth.

And As you can plainly see,my worldly possessions are not truly mine.

At any time,they can be taken away by robbers,
by war ...or natural disaster

. In fact, your Majesty ,
You have just proved it yourself
right now
you have just taken this money away from me
with a single command
The only possession I really have is the money that can never be taken from me;
that is ..the money I have given to charity.

You see, as a Jew I am taught by by the Torah to give one tenth of my income to those in need.
The figure that I gave you,
your Majesty,, was only the total
of all the money that I have given away to charity.
I listed only the money that I have given for others.

Because only that is my true wealth

That is the only benefit that cannot be taken away from me,

The Sultan listened to all of this
he was moved by that wisdom

and the rabbi was given a greater position in that kingdom

Thats the story

but you heard that same message before
Jesus said the same thing!

you heard it the words of Luke 12 about where your real treasure is.

maybe that means
that the real treasure that you have
is the not the money that you have in the bank
or in your pocket
in you property or your pension plan

but your real treasure
is what is written on the estimate of giving card
and what you shared this year.

Maybe the only money you have
is the not the money you a e keeping

but the money your giving..

Is there enough global memory for this task?

maybe tha t
means that what Park Church has in the financial statement
isnt the money that we have on hand ,
but the money that flowed through our hands

maybe we should celebrate the expenses
even more than the income..

maybe
instead of saying that the assets of park church are the dollars and the value of the building
and the cash on hand

but ..more so it is
the value of what has happened here.
In you ..and through you..

Remember that budget I sent out...
that said ...down that one side
priceless.. priceless ....prices less
and it listed the ministries of this church
priceless
lives changes
people celebrated
laughter given
hope lifted up
gospel proclaimed
hungry people fed
homeless given shelter
the cup of water given
the community shared
the lessons learned
the worship
the sacraments
the times gathered around the bible
the prayers
the tears
the deep silence
the children..and the growing
the people joining us this year.
the people whose names we are going to read next week..
the names of the people we know
the mystery felt
the beauty seen
the thanksgiving in the heart
the peace that passes understanding
the amazing grace
the calling and somehow the saying
yes.
To .something ..someone.
beyond and within..
To Jesus Christ
saying yes
to God saying yes
to the needs of the world
saying yes to one another in the soul
The life
this life of love
...priceless..

you see that’s what we have
that can never be taken way
that is the treasure that cannot be touched by moth or rust

the spiritual ..heavenly treasures.
that is what Jesus is saying to us
and giving us
and helping us to remember..
And when we restore that memory
we have enough memory to do the task

we can use the blessings of this life..
.right down to the dollars and cents.
Having enough memory to be followers of Jesus in ministry


If we spend some 280,000 dollars in the budget.. in ministry. this year

Then maybe That is what we have still rely have.

Only what we have given away...the treasure that cannot be taken away..

I think that’s what we celebrate on this gift of faith commitment Sunday

We are celebrating what we we really have ; and we are getting our memory back.
Little by little
in what we are doing right here.

I believe Jesus is restoring the global memory.

I pray for a new ..good ..large memory so there is enough here at Park church
to perform this task.
Amen

Oct 14 God's Reminders

Oct 14 2007 Park UMC Rory Swenson

There is a Russian Jewish children’s story called
As Big as an Egg* and it is a story that teaches about sharing and it teaches us a very Biblical principle. It goes something like this .

Once upon a time back in Russia there was a Jewish man named Chaim. Chaim had already had a long day at work and he was cold and tired but he was standing in a line in front of the bakery.

All he really wanted to do was just go home. He just wanted to get warm and say his prayers and go to bed.
.but this was during the war in Russia ...and times were hard
and there was hardly any food
But Chaim had his ration card and that card said that he was allowed to stand in this line, twice a week,to get his loaf of bread and this was his day to be in the bread line

So now he was thinking about that bread... he thought about how he was going to soak that bread in some hot tea and bite it off in little piecesand enjoy every little piece of that bread

He was going to make it last as long as possible.

Finally the line had moved, and he got his bread and headed home with his loaf of bread;and of course that bread had to last him for 4 days.

But just as he turned around to go home, there
of all people
was the old widow Hanna , coming toward him.

And is heart sank,well actually it was more than that ... he felt this anger in himself

This woman was always around whenever he got his bread. She had nothing else to do
except collect bread for other people

He didn’t want to give her any of his, but she was on him in a flash

She had a way of looking right into your eyes and she gave you this deep smile
and she would say
“Bread.?”
And then she would open up her sack and you could look inside that bag
and you could see all these chunks of bread that other people had shared.

They had torn off chunks of bread from their loaves

“Please” she begged
“there are so many people who are old and crippled and sick
and they cant wait in the bread lines out in this cold

Just a little piece or two ?
Pulled from your loaf so they can eat too.?”

Well honestly, he didn’t want to give her anything at all.

He didn’t feel like he had enough for himself. hH was barely getting by..

He just wished that he had not been spotted by her.
But he was trapped so he pulled off a piece of bread about the size of an egg
and he threw it in the sack with the other pieces..

Hana smiled ,and gave him a blessing and she said thanks with the words

“May you live long and prosper.. to do many more good deeds.”
Chaim just mumbled back,‘yeah ...yeah...”and he tried to get away as fast as he could

Back home he made his hot tea; he could feel the steam coming from the cup
and he ate his bread ,nice and slow, he chewed on every bite and enjoyed the taste
Every bite was so good but there was never enough

He was still kicking himself for not getting away from Hana in time
and losing that piece of bread

Next time, he said.,“I m going to go to different bakery and she wont be there to bother me.”
Then he said his prayers and he went to sleep.
And you know he was still dreaming about food as he went to sleep

The next day
he came home from work thinking about how good that bread and tea would be
and as he opened up the door to his little apartmen the was shocked to see a rat running across the room and disappearing into a hole.

The rat’s tail was wagging at him...almost like a finger scolding him;
right away Chaim thought about his bread
Oh no!
sure enough,
there was a piece of bread missing, about the size of an egg

He was going to have to be more careful .... but first he got down on his hands and knees and he plugged up every hole he could find
then
(now he was even more tired than he was before)
he washed his hands
said the blessings
and very slowly
he ate his bread
he was very careful with the rest of that loaf

The next time he got bread, he picked another bakery
and sure enough

Hanna was not there with her bag and her begging.

Nobody was there to make him feel guilty or angry;
nothing to bother his conscience ...or make him think.
So he went back home and enjoyed his bread
and then the next night when he got home.... he opened the door
and again he saw that rat and it was like it was wagging its tail....
like it was shaking his finger at him
as he headed down a hole in the floor

Oh no..not the bread again !

He grabbed his bread
and there it was a missing piece;just about the size of an egg

well Chaim said a quick blessing and he ate ;
then he got his loaf of bread and wrapped it up and put it on the highest shelf

and he tried to make a little wall around itwith other things on the shelf
so nothing could get to the bread

The next evening
he came home and guess what ?
That rat went running off a soon as he opened the door to his room
...all he could see was that rats tail; just like a scold ing wagging finger getting waived at him

and of course his bread was missing another piece
(how big was it?)

About the size of an egg
this time
he was determined to save his bread

so after he prayed and ate his bread
he wrapped up his loaf of bread in some paper

and he tied a string around it.

. And he hung it from the ceiling so it would be safe


The next day he came home

and just as he was opening the door

What!!..... not again!

that rat was going across the room with that tail
just like some scolding finger
wagging away at him again

he pulled the bread down from the ceiling
and ..yep.. a piece was gone
about the size of an egg

he sat ....and he prayed the blessing
and he thought about the bread
something was wrong

what was it?

.finally he smiled to himself
and he knew ...

he realized

all of this bread
just did not belong to him

some of it belong to hannas begging bag

it belonged to the people
who couldn’t wait in line
and the people who had been left out..

it simply had to be shared

and he knew he should be grateful
that he had a ration card..

and he was guaranteed
at least two loaves of bread every week

he really had what he needed

so that night
he slept well
and the next day he went to stand in the bread line
back at the same old bakery


and Hana was hovering around

and as soon as he got his loaf of bread

there she was..... with that smile
and that collection bag

“bread ....bread ..just a piece of bread ?”

this time Chaim tore off two pieces
good sized pieces
about the size of a large egg
two large eggs

she smiled back
and said
may you live long ....and do well.... so you can do more good deeds

Hannah closed her sack and
Chaim went off back home and when he opened the door

he saw that rat with its tail running across the room

but this time that rats tail seemed to be waiving goodbye
and he was not surprised
that he never saw Hannas little helper, the rat, after that

he was not surprised at all.


Well you get message
at least I hope you do.


So..... does God put Hanna on your path ?
or does God send us rats to teach us those things..?

(I’m not going to say that God is like a rat.)

But we can be absolutely clear that God has put things in our life to teach us about sharing
and God does give me Bible lessons to guide my conscience

and God does give us scripture lessons
that teach us about who really owns the bread
God has given us reminders.

This year our stewardship campaign is built on I Corthinians 13:13

and in that section.
.Paul has been teaching the corinthans about what is most important. in the church
.and he pares it down to three things; faith, hope and love

he says
those are the things that really last
when you get right down to it......
and then he says that love becomes the real point of it all...
Eventually everything ends up as love.
but



.we are going to use those themes
as the great gifts for these next three years ..faith hope and love..
and this year
the theme is the great gift of faith.


Faith.is your relationship with gGd..faith is a living trust. Of the heart

.
Faith is not just an idea or a doctrine

Faith is letting God lead us...fromthe inside and out..

.and the stewardship committee said lets tie that in with what the Bible says about giving.
Giving is rooted in faith.

Now when a committee in the church
wants to be Biblical..thats a good thing..isnt it?

But do you know what the Bible says. about money and the wealth and giving?

Do you know what the Bible says about being financially faithful...

And maybe you don’t want to know..

but thats not a small topic..

First of all.
If you want to know what the bible says on this ..especially the Old Testament..
then you have to know about the tithe and tithing...

Now those are words that your not going to hear on Wall street or on TV;
its Bible talk and it means 10% or 1 tenth
' all through the Bible
I could give you verse after verse ..
..(I gave you some of those verses in the church newsletter.. )

. But I tenth is Gods share

That’s the minimum ... there is more beyond that ..
but ten percent belongs to God..

. And if you do the Bible study you find out that God’s share was put into the ‘storehouse..”
1 tenth of the produce,, the crops...the income of the day..

...it became Gods community property... So it was used to feed people
And It was for the Levites

..the Levites were the priestly tribe and the religious class in ancient Israel
....they didn’t get a share of the land to live on

so the tithe was used to support the religious life of the people

(maybe you can see how that would apply today
when we talk about the church budget ...support for the “religious system”)

And the tithe ,,,,,also in the Bible....
is used to care for the poor
and those who didn’t get in on the harvest and so on..
(Support for missions and relief etc.).

But there is another layer of the tithe..
and that is another basic teaching point..of the tithe ..and this is what I really want you to hear..out of this “tithe” message

It teaches you...
as a very practical reminder..when you give 1/10,
you get reminded that you don’t own this stuff
Its not really yours ..
you are just using it,, you are a steward ..a manager..
Because
it all belongs to God.
“The earth is the lords and the fullness there of..”

And it teaches you that God gave you,
in one way or another,. everythign you have.
..
God is the source of everything..

God is the giver
and we are called to see the tithe
as a way of saying thanks....

(.and jump now to the Gospel lesson with the ten lepers..isn’t Jesus saying that giving thanks is a core.. faithful response..note that one out of ten..a tithe...said thanks!
-----------------
Now all o f that is that probably more than you can absorb,maybe you can get it into your “head” ..as an idea but it’s a lot to get into your heart and your soul.
As part of your life

So Let me take you on the short cut

when the church
with
the guidance of the Bible
and the holy spirit
and the life of Jesus Christ

talks about money
and our spending
and the wealth

all this financial stewardship stuff..

we do it because it is about our faith.

. its about your real life ..deep down
and your relationship with God

If you want to grow in your faith, then you have to ..eventually ...
deal with the grip of money..and the spirit of your giving..
and the role of your possessions in your life!

This is not easy..it might be one of the hardest parts for us as Christians in this country.

But Jesus said ;we cannot have divided loyalties.
He said you cannot serve both God and mammon or wealth
-------------
Henri Nouwen said
_If money touches our relationships with family members
as well as the world beyond our home,
it also reaches into our inner life.”

How does money reach into your inner life?

That the most improtant of this conversation this morning!!!!

The New testament says that money is something that can tempt us
and control us
and make us greedy
or stingy ..or resentful (James says it’s the cause of wars!)
or it make us worried. Or it gives us a false sense of security
or somehow it becomes a spiritual danger.. Money is a spiritual issue..
It gets inside of us!

In fact
that warning about money and possession
is found in just about every major religious tradition of the world..
Buddhist, Islam,, Native American , Jewish Christian, Hindu..its all there.

Why do you think that is?

Do you think there is some real wisdom in that warning?

So we have to ask; every day I suppose ..at least every Sunday when the offering plate comes around;is my financial business in the spiritual relationship that it needs to be?


The Christian tradition is here to help you do that..at least to hear the call; by asking you to give.....and to grow a faithful and generous spirit in you.

That is our calling...to form your spiritual life....to shape your spirit according to Jesus Christ

In a sense,
we are the ‘Hanas” in your life

the Bible is like Hanna.
.the offering envelope is like Hanna..
The church is like Hanna

And I know it is something...that sometimes,
we don’t want to deal with

So we go to a different bakery ,..we go to a different church..
We skip that Sunday.... or we just ignore the topic.

I don’t want to say we are a the rat that nibbles away at your bread..

But .you get the point

If I didn’t bother you ( Am I bothering you?)
or remind you..as a pastor...
In the name of Christ.

.I would not be faithful to God

I would not be presenting the Bible to you..
And if you don’t like
or agree with what I say

that oks...I struggle with it too....this is not easy...its a life long process..

But then..
go tell God
go argue
with the Bible..go do the soul searching .
Look at your “inside” spiritual stuff...

because ultimately its not coming from me.

And its not the finance committee..

I believe it is about the faith,
This is about what God wants you to do..
As part of the Christian faith

And I also believe that God wants to do more with this church

with this ministry
with you..
God has bigger plans for this Park United Methodist church

something has been happening here
and will happen even more..
Whenever we get faithful.. Faithful things happen..

Until then,tell me if you are avoiding Hanna
and if you have been noticing any rats.
. Nibbling away in your heart
or in life.

I look forward to the great gift of faith..
as big as an egg..
or maybe just the size of a mustard seed.

The story is adapted from Megan MeKenna, Blessings and Woes. P, 60 Orbis Books 1999
she also cites As Big as an Egg by Rochel Sandman*

Sept 30 2007 Bible Presentation Sunday

Sept 30. 2007 PUMC Rory Swenson “The Bible is..”

I get to do another one of my favorite things this morning.
We get to give out Bibles to third graders and confirmation students.
And I am wondering ,how many of us still have a Bible that you got in about third grade?
How many of you have a Bible that you got for confirmation?
And then take a minute and tell somebody next to you about your first Bible.

When did you get it and who gave it to you?
What did it feel like to get that Bible?
Do you still have it? No that for just a minute or 2

Now another question:what is a favorite verse or a verse that you think of most often?
Finally, is there anybody here who does not have a Bible ?

Because if you don’t then I have a Bible for you;... you can see me at the end of the service.

Now up until Thursday evening I was going to talk about what the Bible is.

I was going to talk about the Bible as a way to hear God’s voice to us.
... we do speak of It as God’s Word..and we are called into this dialogue of listening and relationship

I was also going to talk about the Bible as a standard for living

and I was going to talk about the Bible as a the source for our identity ...
that's why I had those verses put into the bulletin insert this week

I listed some verses that tell us who we are
so maybe you could save that insert and use them as prayer reminders this week of who you are;

And all that is true

But there was this story that I’ve know about for several years
that has been waiting for its turn to be told and it kept coming back to me this week

I got this idea again and again ,“tell that story this week..”
Drop those other notes,Go get that story

and I realized that it is also a story about what the Bible really is....

Except that it’s a zen Buddhist story and its about how the Buddhist scriptures
the sutras, got printed in Japanese language

Well
its still a story that can speak to us about what the bible really is..

Heres the “jist” of to the story..and its based in history

Tetsugen,
was a follower of Zen in Japan, in the 1600s and he became a monk when he was just a young teenager. He wanted to become a holy person so he obeyed the discipline of the monastery where he listened, he studied ,chanted and he learned


But very early on he dreamed of having the Buddhist teachings printed in the Japanese language . Up until this time they were only printed in Chinese:
all the scripture and the chants
the koans the parables and the stories;
all had to be read in Chinese

so only the most dedicated and determined people were able to do this
You had to learn Chinese before you could even start to study and of course,
not everybody could do that

so you can see why Tetsugen wanted to translate the words

and then
he wanted to have 7000 copies printed
That was his dream and his devotion to the scriptures;
so that the lay people of Japan
could read this in their own languages
and they too could be inspired ..and they too could become holier in their own lives...
(We had the same kind of challenges and issues in western Christianity , trying to get the Bible printed into the common languages of the people, for example English or German, rather than just Latin)

But this was a huge project ; translating and then carving all those letters on to wood blocks for printing...it would take about 60,000 wood blocks to make this translation ;of course it was very expensive

yet Tetsugen was driven by this dream and his own devotion to tho scriptures
and wanting to share this wisdom and this life with the people.

He became a leader in his own monastery and then became a master also at a young age ;then he started to teach outside the monastery ,out in the villages
or in the town s and cities,soon
he was invited to teach with the scholars and the businessmen and the government officials
He was a famous teacher and as he taught in these places
he was able to charge for his lectures; he also collected donations for his project
sometimes he would get a hundred pieces of gold
..but most of the time
he got just a few coins.

. Still, he was grateful for every donation and he valued them all just the same

. After doing this for ten years.. He had enough money to hire a translator,

He could now by the paper and have the paper prepared,
and have the print blocks made.

After ten years he could finally have the books for the people

But just as he was about to give the money to the translator and get the project in motion, there was typhoon and heavy rains
and the Uji river overflowed .Homes were ruined, bridges and roads were destroyed and the rice crop was lost ;
after that there was a famine..


The very young and the very old were the first to die
but soon everyone was in danger
there was no seed rice..for the next crop
Tetsugen looked at the suffering of the people and he thought,

“How can I make books when the people who are going to read them.
Are starving to death”

And so he took all the money he had saved in those ten years
and he sent away to get rice .to save the people.
He gave away everything he had for the hungry

As Japan began to recover
Testugen still had his dream to translate the scriptures so he started to go out and speak once gain,
to collect for the project..

More traveling ,,more begging..
He begged from every one and anyone ;always grateful for the gifts..

Again it took him several years to collect enough money

by now the cost of the materials had gotten higher
but finally he was ready with the translator
and the paper and the person to carve the printing blocks


But again. Tragedy struck
there was an epidemic; disease was everywhere.
The people were two weak to work the fields..
’people needed medicine and they needed food.
.and so again Tetsugne spent all of the money
to help the people


and then For a third time
he started his work, all over; speaking , teaching, writing,
collecting donations..

He begged shamelessly but he was begging from people who had given donations before and sometimes people would say to him

What did you do with the money that we already gave you for this project.?

But he never gave up on his dream, and his devotion to the scriptures and how he wanted to share them with his own people
well

again after twenty years his wish was fulfilled.
He had enough money ;this time
no disasters came along,
the translator was paid

the wood printing blocks were made
the paper was printed.

And in 1681
7000. copes of the sutras
., the prayers and the teachings
were made for the people of Japan

Testsugen was not a young man anymore but his devotion was shared
and it was lived in his translation

You can still go to a monastery in a Kyoto Japan
and you can see Four of those little printing blocks that made the first edition of sutras
.
I'm told that
The tour guide in that monastery museum
will tell you this..
They say that Testsugin
actually made three sets of sutras,
not one
but three translations of those scriptures

and that the first two invisible sets

surpass even the last.

The first 2 sets of scripture are far superior and much more to be valued.

You get the message

The best translation of the scriptures came in the acts of devotion
and self lessness and compassion .as he helped the people

When Tesugun used the scripture
to become food and medicine and the rebuilding of lives

that is what really taught the wisdom and gave holiness to the people

Because he loved those sutras , those scriptures ;
he also loved the people those scriptures were for
because he knew what those teachings taught, he know what he really had to do.
because he wanted to share those scriptures; he also knew that he had to share with the people in need

He could not do one without the other.

That what I want us to hear to day as we present these Bible and have our kind of Bible Sunday.

Can you really love the Bible without loving the people the bible is for?
Can you love God’s word without loving Gods world..and God’s vision for the you in that world?

Can you be devoted to God’s word
without being devoted to gods work
Doesn’t one lead tot he other?


That’s the lesson that I hear in our Bible as well..
The true giving of the scriptures happens when we give love and life

the true translating of the bible
happens when change our action
s and respond the hungry and the poor

The true teaching of the Bible
happens when we do what the Bible teaches us to do
and we begin to live the kind of world
and form the kind of future that God points out for us

That is the vision of the scriptures where they study war no more
where the hungry are fed
the outcasts are regathered and the lost are found
in the good ness of God

Do you think God want us to translate that into our real lives somehow?

Maybe that what the Bible really is

it s a translation of Gods will
.wanting to happen in us..and thorough us.....
a translation of Gods wisdom

a translation of Gods love into your world, your mind, your action, your being

Is the translation only in the pages of this wonderful book?
or

do we make those other invisible translations
those more precious translation
in the living of our lives

as we become
those sacrificial and holy
stories of faith and hope and love..
Can you make that translation?

the Bible is meant to be translated... into life..

Go back to the gospel lesson today

maybe the true devotion to the Bible as the word of God
comes when we do see the Lazarus at our own gates of the world..

and we listen to the scriptures

We listen to the warnings and calls of Moses
and the prophets

and yes we listen
and do the the words of Jesus
who did indeed raise from the dead...

Jesus is very clearly saying we already have the scriptures to lead us!
Now do it! Will we listen to it..Will we translate it!

That the kind of living translation that the bible
..as the word of God ,is trying to be

There is an old gospel poem and song
that talks about the gospel according to you

and that you are the gospel
you are the bible

that most people are actually going to read...

Are you good translation.? I hope that as a church we are trying to be a good modern translation
that takes to days complex issues
and todays challenges
and tries to solve them

with the same kind of transformative love, and creative hospitality
and selfless sacrifice and
ultimate trust..
that Jesus revealed as the way

now thats a transaltion
of the bible to be treasured.. Its seems like a very rare translation!

The Bible printed in a book
is to be cherished and prayed and studied..

But most of all it is to be embodied.
.taken to heart and lived..

Maybe that's why we see Jesus Christ as the incarnation of the word
..the living Word...Jesus became the word


Let me close with lesson form the Jewish tradition
Rabbi David Wolpe
tells about a man who went up to a very wise rabbi and said

Rabbi I don’t want to boast
but I consider myself a very devout and learned Jew.
I have been through the Talmud three times in my studies.

The rabbi smiled back at him and nodded
“Admirable
Very admirable
But my friend, I have a question for you?
How much of the Talmud has been through you?”


Maybe we have to ask the question :how much of the bible has been though us..?
Gotten into us..
Moved us ..changed us.. Formed us.

What is the Bible ...? As people of faith..I think we have to say

The Bible is God word to create us and recreated us. The bible is Gods word
that is meant to be translated and gone through us.
All of us and each of us

How much of the bible is going through you.?
That is how we personally answer, what the Bible is.

---------------------------------------------------------------------
....(My version of the Tetsugin story is a compilation of the material from the wikipedia entry for Tetsugen as well as Megan Mckenna's version in Keepers of the Story p. 50 Orbis Press

The rabbi and Talmud story is From M. McKenna Prophets,,p. 1 , she cites Rabbi David Wolpe

Sept 23 Confirmation notes

PUMC Sept 23 2007 Rory Swenson

Confirmation is always a great day and I have enjoyed getting to know the three of you a little more.Actually my favorite part of the whole confirmation journey
is the opportunity to get a sense of who you are
and hear your thoughts..

We got together on Wednesday evening for most of the school year last year..

And as always .there is a lot that we didn’t get covered.. You are not Bible experts

and really you still have a lot to learn about John Wesley and the United Methodist church and you have a lot of spiritual growing to do..

But thats ok
because thats just how it is, for all of us.
So we need you to be in Sunday classes and youth group.and mission trips and Bible studies and worship....from now

That means two things; I am going to use this a time to give another confirmation lesson to the class
and secondly, I use this a s time to remind you that confirmation is not an ending but a beginning.
I want you to know that this is not anything like graduation:
you are not graduating from your Christian education
you are not graduating from a class
you are not graduating
from the training program of the church

This is a beginning,
so instead of graduation,I want you to think more like matriculation.


Now... do you know what a matriculation ceremony is?
Matriculation is the admission ceremony

Its when you sign in to a school ..such as a college..
You enroll.
(We just went to one of those ceremonies for my daughter Sara)

matriculation

maybe that’s what this is: that means the confirmation program
was more like an application process with the admissions interviews and
you have now met some admission requirements with grace

Now
you are going to actually start the next level of learning
now
you are going to be officially in the membership program
now you are going to start
Formally
at the school of faith as a disciple of Jesus Christ
I like that.

.you are saying that now I will be a student in this discipline

not a graduation but a matriculation
not an ending but a beginning

As you start your formal admission
into the membership life of the church

I want to give you a couple of confirmation presents..

That’s what I have here over on the side.
And I’ve got a little story or a lesson to go with each one so let get to the presents


First of all

I got you a basket with a Bible in it.

and here’s the story that goes with the basket

This story goes way back to the days of the first monks
who lived in the deserts around Egypt.


One day there was a young man who came to an old hermit in the desert
and he wanted to know
....."How can I become holy and happy

but to do it quickly"

the old man said
Its easy, just go to one of those caves over there
and take your scriptures with you. Read them day and night and you will find what you are looking for.

So off he went...And he did what he was told to do then in three days he came back to the old Master
"How it going?"

The young man said its going terrible
he said he was bored
and his mind kept wandering

and he didn’t remember anything that he read

and not only that but he didn’t understand.

The old man just smiled


he said Don’t worry,You are doing fine. Go back and keep reading
every hour of the day but I want you to add something more;

get a basket and fil lit up with sand

and set it outside the front of your cave

then go down to the well
and get a bucket of fresh water

and pour it over the sand
do that twice a day

once in the morning and then again in the evening

then come back and see me in 7 days

to tell me how your doing.

So off the man went and again he did what he was told to do
and one week later he came back

Hows it going now?
the old man wanted to know

oh
Its still terrible

I fall asleep and my mind is still wandering

and I still don’t really understand it



ok now what about the sand?

and the young man said

“oh that...

well I pour the water in

just as you told me,

some of it leaks out of the basket

and some of it pools up at the top for a little while
and then it soaks into the sand”

Good said the old hermit

you are doing just fine

Now go back
and keep doing the same thing
and come back every week and tell me hows it going

again the man went off

and every week he came back ..had the same report

Nothing was happening at all.

One day though he came back and said
that something had changed

all the sand was gone fromthe basket.

“Good” said the old hermit


what do you mean good?
the young man said

I'm just as unholy as I was before and now im just poring water into a clean basket.

Yes , said the old man

(he had this twinkle in his eye)

and
don’t you see the same thing is happening to you..?

But you don’t see it..

You are the basket and the word of God is the water that you have been pouring over the sand.


That is the sand of your sins.or your needs
and your obstacles,your ignorance,your weakness, your prrde
your doubts and fears,
that is the sand
of your unhappiness
andyou impatience
or your selfishness


But the basket does not know
which drop of water washed away which grain of sand

but still
the sand just cant resist the water

in the same way you will not rmember

or even know
which word of God
washed away
which sin or trouble or barrier in your life

but everything that needs to change

will be changed.

As you let the word of God come into and over your life
again and again.

Your soul can’t stand up against the washing water of the Living word
as you let it soak into your life.

Some day , however

you will know what its like to be a clean basket
empty and more open
ready to carry
life or bread
or something that another person needs
you life will become a service and a gift to others.

So that why I gave youa basket and a Bible... let the word soak into you







and then ;second present; I got you a uniform... or a team jersey


here the story
Tom Long ..who teaches preaching
at one of our seminaries

talks about his step son

his step son
was a star cross country runner in high school

and for him cross country

was this whole way of life
they had doctrines or beliefs
so to speak
ideas about nutrition and exercise and aerobics

he believed
that you should fuel up on carbs the night before a race

and he believed in how important it was
to have a cool down period after a race

they had all these disciplines and rules

they encouraged each other
and pushed each other to do more

they learned a few techniques
to improve this or that..


he and the other runners
would get together
a lot of times before the sun was up

and they would runa few miles.

He ate a special diet
he would not drink any sugary pop

he went to bed early the night before a meet


he learned all this from his teammates
and from his coach
and he made it his own
He committed to it. Personally..

Now get this: Its the point I want to make

they had a high school year book .... like every other high school
and in that yearbook

there is a team picture that shows him being on the team.

But as Thomas Long puts it.
That picture merely shows that he was on the team

but did that make him a cross country runner?

Getting up at 5:30 AM to run seven miles with his team-mates is what made him a runner


doing those those other things that were talked about
thats what made him a runner

that is the same for Christianity


We are talking about a way of life

we have a set of practices
we have some beliefs and you do these things with other Christians

that what Christianity is all about

its not just being listed in the book
as a somebody on the team

its not just being in the picture
or even the confirmation picture
its showing up
getting up
to do the run in the race eof faith
doign the discipline

doing the work
loving
serving
praying..
Giving

Encouraging each other
being accountable
being coach able
Being here for worship and fellowship
getting on the mission team
Trusting
making peace
forgiving
doing good
stretching your spiritual muscles

following the spiritual diet of Gods word
its waking the walk..

So I gave you some kind of sports jersey to remind you
that you are called

to put un on this chrsitian life
and practice it..do it.

but it more than jsut the jersy

show up
for practice , run wit the team..
Don’t just be in the picture

with your white confirmation robe
even if it the confirmation Sunday picture

that is not what makes you into a Christian. And a member of the church

Its saying
yes to it
and making it your own
as part of the discipleship team

so those are the presents

matriculation presents
as you get admitted as a professing member
into the next step of your Christian jounrey

I hope you keep these things around as reminders
to let he Bible soak into your life
and to run the race.of faith. Do the actions
...............................................................
The Tom Long story is from Testimony p, 36, by Thomas G. Long Publisher Jossey-Bass

Megan McKenna, Keepers of the Story p. 101. was my source for those story from the Desert monastic traditions

Sermon conversations

The root meaning of the word "sermon" actually goes back to something closer to dialogue and conversation. Maybe this blog format is a way to do that. If further thoughts or questions come out of these sermon notes, or I need to clarify a typo, post your comments! Thanks

Bring it Home Easter 2007

Easter sermon 2007 PUMC “Go Home”

Christ is Risen ....that is the gospel of the church.

Now here’s the sermon.:

its very short..... Its to the point ..are you ready?

here it is......
“ Just go home.”

All of you
(Scott ...Jim, Loree.. Mary.. "Go home"
John ... Sara, ..Bob. Dorothy) etc //////////////

Go home!

Christ is risen..
Now be amazed and go home
.......................................................
really that’s a good Easter response

I’m not making this up.

I found it right here in the Bible.

You even heard it in the gospel lesson
the very last verse of the gospel reading from Luke

in verse 12
here...let me read it again:


“Peter got up and ran to the tomb;
he bent down
and saw the grave clothes by themselves..and nothing else.
Then he went back home
amazed at what had happened


you see..?.... he went back home

You know I’ve preached for about 30 years of Easter services
I have never noticed that verse before.
Now to be fair
some of the old manuscripts don’t even have this verse.
. (The New International version didn’t bother to translate it that way)

but this little note
is not just a fluke in Luke


I'm convinced that its supposed to be there..
Why?
because Johns gospel put it there as well..

Look it up.. John20 verse 10

Peter and this other disciple
ran to the tomb
they looked in
saw the grave clothes and they believed..

they didn’t understand it yet....
.but it says ‘they believed..

And in verse 10 it says
“then the disciples went home..”

So Now
in two of the gospels..it says” They went home”

We talked about this a little bit on Wednesday morning
in the bible study group

After something like that ...how do you just go home?!


We were puzzled....Didn’t have an answer

But I’ve been thinking about this ....and


that is what we do!

Its in this bible story ,,,,because that’s what we do!

After this Easter service

After you and I have made this Sunday morning run to the tomb
so to speak
after you and I have heard the Easter news

what are you gonna you do?

Well I know ,you might go to somebodies house ..you might go out to eat,..

But sooner or later
your gonna go back home!
you gotta go back home.


And that’s exactly what we re suppose to do!!!
bring it home.

Be amazed , . And then Somehow you gotta Go ahead
and Bring this gospel
bring .this truth ..take this experience home
..........................
Now listen

don’t lose me here!

Im sure There is a larger meaning to this going home

its gotta be a double meaning

so When I say bring it home

I don’t mean just a place with walls

but bring it here ....(.in here)
bring it home.
Into your life

in your heart..in your mind... and
in your soul

where you really live....deep inside of you

bring it home.

Christ is Risen..

Think about it..
pray about.
.study the scriptures.. .
.search your heart..
Open your mind.
let it be there

will you do that?

In the amazing wonder of it all.

And whatever you do....don’t forget it
....Don’t leave it here.. in the church

don’t leave it here in the Easter music
or the flowers
or even
just in your puzzled rational mind

but take it to your inner home

You gotta take this Easter thing all the way home
because
you know what?!

That’s where you need it..


You don’t need this faith just on a Sunday morning

You need it
Monday
Tues /wed /Thursday/ Frid /Saturday
24 /7
And You don’t need it just here in church when we get together..

you need it at school
and work .
.everywhere you go
you need this where ever you are
you gotta take it with you


Take it home

that means take it out it into this real world .

.your daily world

so when you go home and watch that news tonight

when you feel the pain of a war in Iraq
the famine of Sudan
when you see the hungry and the poor..
The corruption and the greed
the ruining of the environment
and the threat of terrorism
,,the tragedy of AIDS

when you are just plain down..

And the whole world seems down

then you can hear those words again..
.Christ is risen !

You will hear this Easter message that even the dead are raised.
And you will know what that means


..it means ....that all things are still possible
peace
is possible
healing is possible
. Change is possible
Easter tells us

the stones of impossibility... are rolled away...

So Listen to it..
Just believe it..
And take it home..

..
It will come to you ...close to home... in other ways as well.


maybe when you go home to that empty place at the table tonight
and you feel again your own dear grief..
(As many of us will do..)
As hard as it is..

Remember that Christ is risen
the dead shall live.
.love goes on
life goes on..

There is a peace that passes understanding

the light shine in the darkness ..
and the darkness does not over come it..
even the darkness of the tomb..
Sorrow and mourning shall flee away
and in the eternity of God
all is well.
All is well


On Easter morning
that promise is signed... sealed and delivered

just so you and I could take that assurance home
where you feel it most..
Where you need it most....

bring it home
...........................

when you feel the aches and pains of your own mortal body

then you go and look at the Easter tomb
where nothing of the body remains

the Gospels say only the linen wrappings remained

resurrection ...is telling us.. That life is more than this body..
The physical somehow
is gathered into the spiritual

Only the wrappings remain..

There is more to this life than meet the eyes

Easter tell us to look at the empty resurrection tomb

and then go home ..take it home
when you go through the valley of the shadow of death

take it home
you will be amazed

you really can take this all the way home

......
And maybe too
When you need to hear those words of Christ
saying to you
your sins are forgiven..
When you need to know how much you are loved..

When you need
so desperately to know.. that you can. begin again

...that hope is alive by the grace of God
then hear the word
that Christ is risen

forgiveness is real.. This wondrous love is still real


In the name of the Risen savior we are loved..
redeemed set free
free to
bring it home


On Easter Sunday

bring it all home
..........


But Most of all
just take this Savior with you as the very presence of God

Easter is a day to Bring Jesus home with you

still alive..
Not in the tomb of time and space
not bound to the pages of history

not just an idea or name
,or doctrine or a wish

not just far away in heaven
but a living revelation of God


I like the way Sister Joan Chittister puts it

one of the great Catholic writers of our day
she says
In Jesus Christ)
we are surely called to believe that God who is everywhere
is (still)with us.

And we are called to believe that this God is Energy and Love

(Did you hear that) energy and love

Not the grand Inquisitor
Not the great Circus master
Not the indifferent Professor who does distant research on our lives

God is the one who made for us... a good world

and walks with us... to hold us up.. as we go..”

To hold us up as we go


energy and Love

God with us..


We get to bring that kind of God home with us.

God is still making this good world
God is still giving us this energy and Love

God is still walking with us
holding us up as we go..

So lets go home in the presence of Jesus Christ
lets go home
with joy
with purpose with power

to be the witness..
and dare to dream... .

Share the good news..
write the check
say the word...
offer the hand
open the door
join the prayer.
Be the church

be the undefeated love ..alive and well.
that God has given us IN Jesus Christ



we get to believe it... even if we can not understand it

bring it home

.................................................

Thats what I hear In those simple words of Luke 24:12

amazed at what had happened
peter went home

that’s what God want us to do.

......................................................
For years
we have learned to say on Easter morning this traditional greeting “Christ is risen”

Christ is risen indeed

but this morning
lets me add another greeting.... as an early sending forth
its saying the same thing really

I’ll say Christ is risen
and you can respond
bring it home

lets do that
will you do that with me..
L: Christ is Risen .....
.C: Bring it home

now louder ,,,,Christ is risen.......
bring it home.....

louder ...
Christ is risen ...
bring it home

now quiet as a whisper

Christ is Risen ..... Bring it home..

Now pray it..
silently to your self as a prayer.

Christ is risen .....say the response as a silent prayer..
...............

That is my Easter prayer

that this risen savior will come to you ..as I know he will
and meet you at home
and finally be your home
and take you home.


Christ is Risen....let us be amazed and go home.

Nov 19 2006 Belonging to our Path

Nov 19 2006 PUMC Belonging to our Path

Megan Mckenna passes on a traditional story that goes something like this:

Once upon a time there was Jew named Abu Kassim who lived in a city in Turkey a long time ago
Now Abu was a rag seller and he worked very hard but luck was against him and he was always very poor.

Every morning Abu would walk up and down the street
trying to sell some rags.
“Rags for sale
rags for sale, Come and buy my rags”

But no one wanted any rags and Abu got desperately poor
he was so poor
that he was down to one torn old shirt. one ragged pair of pants
and no shoes at all.

And life was a hard struggle..

One day though,after he had been walking all morning
he sat down by the side of the road to take a little rest
and he opened up the little sack that his wife had given him
and he had a piece of crusty old bread for his lunch.
And as he took out his bread he saw an old man with long white bear coming down the roadcoming right toward him.

And he looked very tired so Abu greeted him..
“Good Day grandfather”
And the old man answered him
“Good day’

“Please,” said Abu,,
“you look so tired
why don’t you sit along side me and have some rest.”

And Abu offered him a piece of his bread.

Take this he said
You must be hungry I wish I had more to offer, but this is all I have.

The old man thanked him.. And took the bread and he ate it very slowly
when he finished eating the bread

he looked at Abu and said. You have a kind heart.
And I have the power to grant a wish
a special wish
Ask for anything you want..
and it shall be yours.

Abu Kassim was very surprised..and startled

O h he said..
if only I had a pair of shoes.

And all at once.

By some kind of miracle..
The man reached into Abus bag of rags
and pulled out some sandals.

Shiny brand new sandals.

Thank you! Thank you

Abu cried with delight This was something he could hardly believe

but right away he put on these new shoes.

They were made just for his feet. How comfortable they are
and how quickly he could walk in them.
.it was like they gave both speed and rest.. to his feet.

He knew they were the most wonderful shoes in the world..

more than he could imagine.
He turned around to thank the old man but he was gone!
And from that moment on when Abu put on those mysterious shoes.

His luck began to change.
Now he was walking faster than he ever walked before.
he would call out for the rags he was trying to sell,,

and people bought them
more and more
now he was taking home gold coins and profits every day.
Not long after that he opened his own shop.
He sold pants and shirts and skirts.
And best of all his prices were low..


He sold his clothes at a such a good price that even the poorest of the poor could afford to buy clothes..

and people came form all over the city..

The months went by..and the years went by
Abu breathed easier.

He built a house.
He had good clothes..
And he ate good food...not anything extragant....but just right
And he always remembered
to share the bulk of what he had with the poor.
He always shared with poor.
And all this time Abu kassim wore his sandals
those very same shoes.

Well of course ...as time went on they began to wear out..

they were now very shabby looking sandals,
a hole here
and tear there.
A rip or a crack.


One day
as he was talking to a neighbor
the neighbor said..
Abu what a fine shirt you have and some very nice pants
you even have a nice embroidered hat..

But what a shame
look at your shoes..
such ragged shoes for a man of your taste...who wears something like that!
I think it’s a disgrace..
So he looked at his sandals and this neighbor was right

and he was ashamed
he said to himself..
I have to get rid of these shoes
but how can I get rid of the shoes.
So the next day he went to the shoe shop
over to the cobbler and he got a new pair of shoes..some nice new sandals and he put them on..

And then on the way home he threw out his old sandals

he just tossed them into the river.

He watched them sink.. Happy really to be rid of them..

well
the very next morning 2 fisherman came knocking at his door..
Abu Kassim.... look at what we found in our nets..
And they held out his sandals.
All dripping and wet..
On no he thought to himself.
But.. he thanked them politely and sent them away.

How was he going to get rid of them.?

So then he went to the bath house.
He had them tucked under his arms
you know how things are always disappearing at the bath house.
So he left them there..

Someone was bound to pick them up.

And the next morning a small boy came to the door..
And he had the sandals..God Morning sir

I think your forget your sandals back in the bath house.
Again he thanked the boy and he took the sandles
what could he do.

Then another idea came to him.

He waited until the sun went down and the sky was dark

he took his shovel and went out of town out to a field and he dug a hole.

He buried the sandals way down deep ;
so deep that no one would find them..
He smiled
finally he was done with those worn out sandals.

But (You guessed it)
the very next day there was a knock at the door
this time it was soldiers.
But they didn’t have the sandals..

Looking very stern at Abu Kassim
they said..

Last night someone saw you burying a treasure out in the field..

That land belongs to the sultan
so any treasure that is hidden there belongs to him

you must dig it up. And give it to the Sultan right away.


Abu laughed as he went with the guards..and took them to the treasure..

They dug it up .. Just dirty old sandals.

But this time he knocked off the dirtand put them back on

they were as comfortable as ever.
And with them he walked as graceful as before.

My dear sandals he said.
I don’t know what I did to deserve you..
But you are beyond a doubt the best present I have ever had..

Then Abu kassim remembered that told man..
And a revelation came to him .

.and he knew who that was.
.that old man was Elijah the prophet.

Sent by God..
To help the people when they are really in need.

Abu Kassim wore those sandals. For as long as he lived.

No matter how many holes and rips and cracks they had..
No matter how many creaks and squeaks and strange looks they got for him.
Those sandals never wore out.. And Abu never went without them.
And over the years
as time went on..
Abu grew in wisdom.
He grew in generosity
and he had good friends.
Hope
Hope was with him all of his days.

In spite of changes in luck and life..

With al the ups and downs..
Everyone knew him by his sandals.
And by the way that he walked in life.

You could say
that he belonged to the one who sent the gift.

In a way
he belonged to his sandals..

That’s the story and the truth is
its our story
everyone one of us here has been given a pair of sandals

well, not literally... but you have been given a gift that helps you walk in life
you have been given way to walk
instead of sandals ....we are given a path

did you hear it in the psalm ??

Make me to know your ways O Lord
teach me your paths
lead me..
All the paths of the Lord are steadfast love and faithfulness


all through the Psalms you hear about this path

Thy word is a lamp unto my feet
and a light to my path

all through the psalms and in the Bible
you hear about walking Gods path..walking in righteousness

Itis like a pair of sacred sandals through life,
given to us
put it on....it comes to us..
and even if seems old fashioned and worn out
its what we belong to .
Don't walk without it..

(Don’t toss it aside in terms of the gospel lesson today

especially when we get scared or anxious about the news

keeps your sandal on..belong to them

don’t leave the path
when you see wars and rumors of wars
and all the ups and downs

stick to the path
or as Jesus said Don’t be afraid when you see those things
.There will always be wars and rumors of wars..
Don’t be alarmed....don’t jump off the path

when false prophets and false promises ..all the other ideas..
come along
and all the other things that are trying to say follow me..
I’ll make you happy..I’‘ fix your problem..
Do it my way.. I’ll protect you I’ve got the answer..



. We need to stick to the true..path.
.the path of steadfast love
the path of God
the path that we have in Jesus Christ

it was Jesus Christ who said I am the way..

THAT COULD ALSO BE TRANSLATED
AS
I AM THE PATH
THE PATH OF LIFE..
I am the Pathway, the truth and the life

FOLLOW ME
.. Keep the path

Remember when Jesus washed the feet of his disciples in johns Gospel?

I think he was washing their feet as if.. he was baptizing their feet for this new path of servant hood and love..
And as we celebrate Brenda’s (Garrets) baptism today..

We are saying Brenda (Garret)

you have a path in Jesus Christ that belongs to you

God given..a gift.. in Jesus Christ..

That path brought you here today

and that path is yours for the rest of your life
for eternity
It is the path of Jesus
and it will bring you
to the communion table of forgiveness and community
it will lead you to generosity and wisdom and hope

it will lead you (him)to worship and prayer and caring for other.

it will fit your (his) life
its over 2000 year old. ..so yes,,it old fashioned....some people think its out of fashion....but its eternal
it will fit your life...and it belongs to you and you belong to it..

If the shoe fits.. wear it.





sandal story is adapted from Megan McKenna. One of her books on the Lenten readings
will add reference later.