Saturday, December 31, 2011

Reflection for 2012

Reflection for New Year's 2012 by Linda Jo Peters, Pastor
As I was preparing for my sermon on New Year's Day, I was reading Sr. Joan Chittister, a Benedictine Sister of Erie, Pennsylvania, "A Time to Heal: The Process of Beginning Again." (see http://www.csec.org/csec/sermon/chittister_4210.htm)

I began to consider how just living risks being wounded.  Our Lord Jesus is a prime example of how wounding life can be.  But we are assured that there is a time to heal, to laugh, to dance, and to love (Ecclesiastes 3:1-13).  Yet how many of us go around bemoaning what is wrong rather than celebrating what is right and good?  "Inside ourselves we feel the pain; outside ourselves we wear a calloused look."  So I created the following refection for the end of 2011 and the beginning of 2012.  I adapted the idea from Anthony B. Robinson's Transforming Congregational Culture.  Robinson writes that for the church to move from a board culture to a ministry culture we have to reflect on what we have learned at each step. 

For many people 2011 was a year of loss and fear.  Much of that based in our global financial crisis but also deep personal suffering.  I pray you will use this reflection to to face your losses and fears so with confidence you can move into the future knowing that God is calling you to times of joy filled with hope.  Blessings on you all, Linda

Reflection for 2011

How was I hurt? 

Who helped me heal?  

Where did I encounter God? 

Where do I still need to heal?

Reflection for 2012

Where is God calling me to step out and take a risk?

Wednesday, December 28, 2011

Christmas Eve Homily


Homily                      “An Unforgettable Story”        Linda Jo Peters, Pastor

By all rights it's a story that should not even have been noticed, let alone told again and again across the millennium. After all, countless young girls gave birth that night and we remember none of them. Interestingly, the "smallness" of Mary's story is set off by Luke's narrative setting: "In those days a decree went out from Emperor Augustus... while Quirinius was governor." Emperors and governors are apt subjects for dramatic narratives; unwed teenage mothers and their vulnerable babes are not. Yet Luke locates this simple story amid the powers and principalities of the age to make a claim: The child born to this young mother will change the course of history, and the fates of leaders and common folk alike hang in the balance of his destiny.[1]  Now that is an unforgettable story. 

How do you tell that story?  Simply read it to the children in your life.  Or follow Roberta and Michael Conotly’s example and plan to include Jesus’ story in your Christmas greetings.  Post his story on Facebook or Twitter.  Tomorrow morning make a new tradition of telling the story in a round with your family and friends or sing carols like we have tonight.  Or if you’re really creative write a poem or compose a song about Jesus.   "Cantique de Noël" is a well-known French Christmas carol composed by Adolphe Charles Adam.  It was written in 1847 to the French poem "Minuit, chrétiens" (Midnight, Christians) by Placide Cappeau, who was a wine merchant and poet.  Cappeau had been asked by his parish priest to write a Christmas poem. A few years later Unitarian minister John Sullivan Dwight created a much loved song based on his translation of Cappeau's text. In both the French and in the English versions of the carol, the text reflects on the birth of Jesus and of mankind's redemption. In English it is called "O Holy Night."

I know we may seem incongruent to the importance of this great message. Yet it is our story.  The one we have been given to tell.  It is the story of God choosing unremarkable people to carry the most important message to the whole of creation.  The message that God does love us unconditionally and that Jesus came among us to provide hope, forgiveness and reconciliation with God and all of creation through his birth, life, death and resurrection.  Like Mary, Joseph, and the shepherds, we have been given a vital role in God’s saving activity.  We are all bearers of the good news that was born that Holy Night.

Duet sung by Amie and Paul Ellison of  “O Holy Night”  followed this message.     



Tuesday, December 20, 2011

Sermon December 18, 2011


Dethroning the Powerful
Scripture Psalm 89: 1-4 read responsively and Luke 1:39-56
Preached by Linda Jo Peters
December 18, 2011 - Fourth Sunday of Advent
Christmas Joy Offering is received

Scripture Introduction:
Psalm 89: 1-4 read responsively
This is a song of praise for God's steadfast love and faithfulness and recalls God's very words in establishing the throne of David and his descendants.  It is part of our Advent lectionary reading as we recall that Jesus as the Messiah is given the throne of David.

1I will sing of your steadfast love, O Lord, forever; with my mouth I will proclaim your faithfulness to all generations.
2I declare that your steadfast love is established forever; your faithfulness is as firm as the heavens.
3You said, “I have made a covenant with my chosen one, I have sworn to my servant David:
4‘I will establish your descendants forever, and build your throne for all generations.’”

Luke 1:39-56
The Christmas story is often rendered devoid of challenge and is told as a sweet story about a baby being born.  We can miss the radical claim that God is found, not as the royal child of a queen, but as the son of an unmarried peasant.  Mary’s song at this encounter with her older cousin, Elizabeth is an overture to the Gospel of Luke as a whole. Her lyrics set the tone for Jesus’ radical and controversial ministry that is to come.[1]

39In those days Mary set out and went with haste to a Judean town in the hill country,40where she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth.41When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the child leaped in her womb. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit42and exclaimed with a loud cry, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb.43And why has this happened to me, that the mother of my Lord comes to me? 44For as soon as I heard the sound of your greeting, the child in my womb leaped for joy.45And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what was spoken to her by the Lord.” 46And Mary said, “My soul magnifies the Lord, 47and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, 48for he has looked with favor on the lowliness of his servant. Surely, from now on all generations will call me blessed;49for the Mighty One has done great things for me, and holy is his name.50His mercy is for those who fear him from generation to generation.51He has shown strength with his arm; he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts.52He has brought down the powerful from their thrones, and lifted up the lowly;53he has filled the hungry with good things, and sent the rich away empty.54He has helped his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy,55according to the promise he made to our ancestors, to Abraham and to his descendants forever.” 56And Mary remained with her about three months and then returned to her home.

Sermon
I was searching the internet for a picture of an upside down crown as a symbol of dethroned power when I came upon this logo for Westside King’s Church in Calgary, Canada.  They chose this symbol to represent the “mystery of Jesus.  A king who comes not simply to replace those who have come before but to completely reinvent our imagination of what the world can be."[2] 

 Dethroning the powerful can come very violently or it can come peaceably.  Watching the Tea Party and Occupiers in this country and the democratic movements throughout the Middle East has been a lesson in dethroning.  There is an unrest that is being demonstrated on a wide front. Like many of you, I have wondered what has changed.  The rich have always gotten richer, there has always been poor.  What has changed?   I believe we have all been graced by God’s Spirit to know when things are not right or fair.  We have all yearned for dethroning of the powerful especially when they take advantage of those with limited resources.  One of the great Bible stories was a tale about justice woven to challenge a king’s authority; David’s infidelity with Bathsheba and murder of her husband.   The prophet Nathan comes to King David with this story:

“There were two men in a certain city, the one rich and the other poor. The rich man had very many flocks and herds; but the poor man had nothing but one little ewe lamb, which he had bought. He brought it up, and it grew up with him and with his children; it used to eat of his meager fare, and drink from his cup, and lie in his bosom, and it was like a daughter to him. Now there came a traveler to the rich man, and he was loath to take one of his own flock or herd to prepare for the wayfarer who had come to him, but he took the poor man’s lamb, and prepared that for the guest who had come to him.” Then David’s anger was greatly kindled against the man. He said to Nathan, “As the Lord lives, the man who has done this deserves to die; he shall restore the lamb fourfold, because he did this thing, and because he had no pity.” Nathan said to David, “You are the man![3]

What stirs in us to see justice and fairness reign rather than greed and power, is what stirred in Mary’s womb.  What called her to sing out:

He has brought down the powerful from their thrones, and lifted up the lowly; he has filled the hungry with good things, and sent the rich away empty. (verses 52 &53)

May the Christ stir in you.  May a deep abiding yearning for righteousness and justice to come rolling down like a mighty stream; be alive and well within your heart.  We are disciples of the ultimate dethroner of the powerful.  May he move through you to make a difference in this world and turn the crown upside down.  Amen.





[1]See: Carl Gregg, Patheos, 2011.   http://www.patheos.com/blogs/carlgregg/2011/12/magnificat-learning-to-sing-mary%E2%80%99s-song-a-progressive-christian-lectionary-commentary-on-luke-146-55/
[2] http://wkc.org/about/
[3] See: II Samuel 11 &12

Tuesday, December 13, 2011

Sermon: December 4, 2011

Prepare the Way of the Lord
Scripture: Psalm 84 sung as Psalter #207 and Isaiah 40:1-11
Preached by Linda Jo Peters - December 4, 2011
Celebration of Our Lord’s Supper – Second Sunday of Advent
Unity Presbyterian Church - Terre Haute, Indiana

Introduction to Scripture:
Isaiah 40:1-11
In the context of the Book of Isaiah, Jerusalem is hardly a sympathetic character. The first 39 chapters rail against the people of Jerusalem as they have prospered through wickedness, oppression, lies and injustice, refusing to heed the prophets' calls to repent, reform and be reconciled to God.   So it is not a surprise that in 587 BCE Jerusalem was conquered and destroyed by the Babylonian Empire and a significant part of the population was marched off to exile in Babylon. The Jerusalem prophets made it unmistakably clear that the calamity that befell them was not due to Babylonian strength; it was a well-deserved punishment from God. 

Then in chapter 40 there is this new message of comfort and promise for the future.  The people of Jerusalem are not "deserving" of comfort according to the norms of justice, but God insists -- no, commands -- that they be comforted.  The end of a prison term does not ensure a new life for the one released.  So too the end of the Babylonian exile does not ensure that what lies ahead will be any different except that for their sake, God chooses to be involved in that future.  God chooses to dwell with people, Emmanuel, God with us.  This is what we are called to cry out from the mountain top.[1]

Comfort, O comfort my people, says your God.2Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and cry to her that she has served her term, that her penalty is paid, that she has received from the Lord’s hand double for all her sins.

3A voice cries out: “In the wilderness prepare the way of the Lord, make straight in the desert a highway for our God.4Every valley shall be lifted up, and every mountain and hill be made low; the uneven ground shall become level, and the rough places a plain.5Then the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all people shall see it together, for the mouth of the Lord has spoken.”6A voice says, “Cry out!” And I said, “What shall I cry?” All people are grass, their constancy is like the flower of the field.7The grass withers, the flower fades, when the breath of the Lord blows upon it; surely the people are grass.8The grass withers, the flower fades; but the word of our God will stand forever.

9Get you up to a high mountain, O Zion, herald of good tidings; lift up your voice with strength, O Jerusalem, herald of good tidings, lift it up, do not fear; say to the cities of Judah, “Here is your God!”10See, the Lord God comes with might, and his arm rules for him; his reward is with him, and his recompense before him.11He will feed his flock like a shepherd; he will gather the lambs in his arms, and carry them in his bosom, and gently lead the mother sheep.

Sermon:
“Comfort, O comfort my people!”
What brings you comfort: food, a tall cold one, warm blanket, money in a safe place, loving arms wrapped around you? Are you comforted by experiences or assurances?  Are you comforted by feelings of love and safety?  What brings you comfort?  To understand the command of God to bring comfort, I believe we have to be honest about our needs and desires for comfort.  Is your comfort found in the uneven ground becoming a level playing field?  What would comfort a whole people that had felt abandoned by their God and torn away from their home? The Hebrew word nacham is what we translate as “comfort.”  Isaiah uses this word that also means to be sorry, be moved to pity, to have compassion.[2]  God’s unearned forgiveness, release from captivity and restoration of their homeland is what the people of Israel are given.  But we know that even these gifts are not enough to fully restore their relationship with God.  What is missing?

Let’s focus a little closer to home.  How would your being comforted open you to God’s will for your life?  What would prepare the way to receive God? 

Luke writes about John the Baptist as the one who prepares the way:
       This is he of whom it is written, 'Behold, I send my messenger before thy face,
       who shall prepare thy way before thee. (7:27)

John was certainly a dynamic figure, but a comforter I have a hard time wrapping my brain around that image. The one who called the Pharisees a” brood of vipers” does not seem to be one who will speak tenderly to Jerusalem.[3]  Yet he was preparing the way for the people to be open to God's presence in the Christ, in the one who would come and live among them.  Sometimes we need a jolt to notice our surroundings.  We need a wake up call.  Someone needs to stand at the mountain top and cry out:
"Here is your God!"

When we are lost and afraid we need someone to point out that there is hope and joy.  It can be a real comfort to hear that we are worthy not because of what we have done but because we are loved.

Since we just finished our Thanksgiving feasting and Christmas is coming and today we celebrate the great banquet with our Lord’s Supper, I began to think perhaps the comfort is found at the feast but first we need to prepare for the feasting.  We need to shop for the food, read recipes, set the table, cook the food and finally serve it. The feast provides an environment where we partake of compassion that heals our souls.  We taste the bread of forgiveness and drink the cup of blessing.  In the feasting we know we are precious and well loved.  I want to celebrate with our Lord who is like no other ruler, he will be like a shepherd who gathers the lambs in his arms, and carries them and gently leads the mother sheep.  The one who will heal our relationship with God by his death is the one who stands in the breach between creation and God and makes us whole.  It is worth the effort to prepare our tables for the coming of the king, the Messiah, the One who was, is and will be.  May you taste and see how good he is!  Amen.




[1] Adapted from Elna K. Solvang, Associate Professor of Religion, Concordia College, Moorhead, MN commentary for WorkingPreacher.org
[2] http://www.blueletterbible.org/lang/lexicon/lexicon.cfm?Strongs=H5162&t=KJV
[3] See: Luke 3:7

Tuesday, November 29, 2011

Sermon: November 27, 2011


“Angels Among Us”
Scripture Psalm 80: 1- 7 read responsively and Luke 1:26-38
Preached by Linda Jo Peters ~ November 27 First Sunday in Advent 

INTRODUCTION TO SCRIPTURE
Psalm 80: 1- 7 read responsively.  The season of advent welcomes the faithful, even beckons the faithful to cast a new vision amidst a world swallowed up in the sounds and images of completing claims.  Whatever the original historical setting of Psalm 80 was, it belongs to the afflicted people of God on their way through troubles.[1]  It is not a safe place or time for soldiers let alone babies.  Yet our Messiah came to us not a conqueror but a little child.  God’s amazing plan to save all the children of God is hard to hold onto, when you are afraid of the future.   May this lament open your heart to God’s message of hope even in the midst of despair.

1Give ear, O Shepherd of Israel, you who lead Joseph like a flock! You who are enthroned upon the cherubim, shine forth
2before Ephraim and Benjamin and Manasseh. Stir up your might, and come to save us!
3Restore us, O God; let your face shine, that we may be saved.
4O Lord God of hosts, how long will you be angry with your people’s prayers?
5You have fed them with the bread of tears, and given them tears to drink in full measure.
6You make us the scorn of our neighbors; our enemies laugh among themselves.
7Restore us, O God of hosts; let your face shine, that we may be saved.


Luke 1:26-38
The Angel the Bible calls Gabriel has a remarkable position in our cultural because he plays an important role in more than one major religion. He is referred to in the Old Testament as appearing to Daniel to explain the frightening visions Daniel has had. In Islam he is renowned for dictating the Holy Koran to the Prophet Mohammed. And for we Christians he announce the birth of John to his father Zachariah and Jesus to his mother Mary, which is our reading for this first Sunday in Advent.  All angels and even the term angel have a primary roll as messengers of God.  As you listen to this familiar passage see if you hear Gabriel providing more than a message.

26In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a town in Galilee called Nazareth,27to a virgin engaged to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin’s name was Mary.28And he came to her and said, “Greetings, favored one! The Lord is with you.”29But she was much perplexed by his words and pondered what sort of greeting this might be.30The angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God.31And now, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you will name him Jesus.32He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give to him the throne of his ancestor David.33He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.”34Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, since I am a virgin?”35The angel said to her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be holy; he will be called Son of God.36And now, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son; and this is the sixth month for her who was said to be barren.37For nothing will be impossible with God.”38Then Mary said, “Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word.” Then the angel departed from her.

SERMON
The song by Alabama, Angels Among Us comes to mind with this passage.  We will get to that but for now just set it aside.  And let us consider Gabriel in relationship to Mary.  Here is a young woman shocked by God’s message to her.  “You want me to do what?”  This response has been a common question when God calls us to service.  The angel as messenger seems to have more than a delivery boy role in the communication.  The angel is to assure the recipient of the message that it is true and worthy.  The comfort these rather awe inspiring beings can bring is an assurance that you really are being called to service and God will provide your needs.

I find this painted by Henry Ossawa Tanner, Annunciation, very revealing in what is does not show.  There is no image of Gabriel except as a beam of light.  The angels among us are here to keep us on the path of God’s will.  They are our assurance that God is with us.  For Jesus the angels cared for him after his encounter with temptation in the wilderness and in his spiritual struggle of Gethsemane.   Where have God’s angels come to you with a message of hope and new life?

Last week Annie came to me while Andrea was playing the beautiful offering of “While Sheep Safely Graze.”  She climbed up into my lap and for a brief moment I was visited by a messenger from God.  Now Annie is no more angelic than the rest of us.  What made it an encounter with God was God’s intention that I had the rare presence of mind to notice.  I firmly believe God is constantly trying to communicate with us.  Sometimes I can read a passage year after year and it just does not touch my soul as it does when others journey with me.  Those who study scripture in small groups have often experienced angels among us guiding our understanding. 

I have told you the story of Esther’s surgery on her hands at Children’s Hospital.  A young teenage from Jordan was waiting on the gurney in front of us.  She was all along and I am sure scared.  Then one of the other youth rolled up in her wheelchair.  She had the halo screwed into her head for traction.  So she literally looked like an angel.  She promised her companion in suffering that she would be waiting for her when she came out of surgery.  She was an angel among us.  My own brother was in a fox hole in WWII when an in-cinerary bomb went off.  He remembers the fire and that someone pulled him out, but he never knew who.  Was he saved by an angel, he always believed he was.  I sat at a traffic light while the woman in front of me never moved when the light turned green.  No one waiting in line even honk our horns.  Suddenly coming over the hill was a semi-truck and still we did not move and right behind him came another truck barreling through the intersection.  It was like the hand of God saying stay, peace, be patient.  But terrible things happen to good people.  Where are our angels then?  Even Jesus from the cross cried out in abandonment.

Gwendolyn talked about the long nightmare of Vincent’s death at Riley.  But she also remembered the angels that brought food to the Ronald McDonald House where they slept. Churches in Indianapolis came with whole meals and brought them in for the families who can barely care for themselves let alone make a meal.  Angels were among them ministering to them as they did Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane.  Angels rarely take the pain away, but care for us in our suffering.  I have seen congregational members of Unity go way out of their way to care for another during the pain of health concerns or death.  You have been angels among us. 

The last refrain of Alabama’s song is:
They wear so many faces; show up in the strangest places, to guide us with their mercy in our time of need.  Oh, I believe there are angels among us sent down to us from somewhere up above.  They come to you and me in our darkest hour to show us how to live, to teach us how to give, to guide us with a light of love.[2]

God’s mission for Mary is not one for celebration.  She was a young unmarried woman who is already betrothed to Joseph.  Getting pregnant could have gotten her stoned to death outside the city gates.  Gabriel not only brought a message from God, but the strength to withstand the risks that came with the message.  Think about making choices in your own life that you have felt called by God to fulfill.  It seemed impossible that you could take the risk.  But there have been angels of assurance that you are worthy that you’re are meant for this mission.  Some of you have encountered heavenly beings who have guided you to God’s will for your life.  Others have encountered human beings who have guided you with heavenly direction.  What is important is your openness to God’s activity in your life.  Never stop believing there are angels among us. Amen.



[1] W. Dennis Tucker, Jr. Associate Professor of Christian Scriptures, George W. Truett Theological Seminary, Waco, TX
See: http://www.workingpreacher.org/preaching.aspx?lect_date=11/27/2011&tab=5
[2] Becky Hobbs - Don Goodman Recorded by: Alabama

Sunday, November 20, 2011

Sermon: November 20, 2011


The King Who Demands Compassion
as a Prerequisite for Citizenship
Scripture: Psalm 100 and Matthew 25: 31 - 46
Preached by Linda Jo Peters ~ November 20, 2011
Christ the King Sunday
Unity Presbyterian Church ~ Terre Haute, Indiana 

INTRODUCTION TO SCRIPTURE
Psalm 100 read responsively:
One can almost hear the outbreak of jubilation described in this summons to praise. It calls the entire community to lift praises to God. This psalm is the last of a collection of psalms that are known as enthronement psalms (93, and 95-99). These psalms celebrate with an understanding that the Great “I Am” who spoke to Moses is God who is worthy of our adoration and praise.  Let us join our voices in this proclamation of joy. 

1Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth.
2Worship the Lord with gladness; come into his presence with singing.
3Know that the Lord is God. It is he that made us, and we are his; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.
4Enter his gates with thanksgiving, and his courts with praise. Give thanks to him, bless his name.
5For the Lord is good; his steadfast love endures forever, and his faithfulness to all generations.

Matthew 25:31-46
Here we have the culmination of the previous parables with the coming of the Son of Man, the King of Heaven, the Messiah, the Christ and the final judgment at the end of time.  As believers, we receive these stories with great anticipation as we have waited to be a part of the Kingdom of Heaven.  We want to be citizens of God realm.  Jesus tells us through this parable that prerequisite is compassion for those who suffer. 

31“When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on the throne of his glory.32All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats,33and he will put the sheep at his right hand and the goats at the left.34Then the king will say to those at his right hand, ‘Come, you that are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world;35for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me,36I was naked and you gave me clothing, I was sick and you took care of me, I was in prison and you visited me.’37Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when was it that we saw you hungry and gave you food, or thirsty and gave you something to drink?38And when was it that we saw you a stranger and welcomed you, or naked and gave you clothing?39And when was it that we saw you sick or in prison and visited you?’40And the king will answer them, ‘Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these who are members of my family, you did it to me.’41Then he will say to those at his left hand, ‘You that are accursed, depart from me into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels;42for I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink,43I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not give me clothing, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.’44Then they also will answer, ‘Lord, when was it that we saw you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not take care of you?’45Then he will answer them, ‘Truly I tell you, just as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me.’46And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”

SERMON
It is interesting that neither the sheep nor the goats connected service to the “least of these” as service for their King.  If you want your faith to be relevant to your life, it doesn’t get any more down to earth, gritty material than Jesus telling us to feed the hungry, cloth the naked and visit those who are sick or in prison.  Then if we still don’t get the point he tells us we are not welcome in his Kingdom if compassion is not a priority in our lives.  It is all about what are your priorities in life?  To what or whom have you made a commitment?

Having been born in the US, I don’t even have to say the Pledge of Allegiance to be a US citizen.  To graduate from High School in Illinois, I was required to pass a test on the main points of the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution of both the United States and Illinois, as well as on the proper use and display of the American Flag.  Last year I was privileged to watch Min Soe became a US citizen.   Her requirements were much more stringent.
·        Be 18 or older
·        Be a green card holder for at least 5 years immediately preceding the date of filing.
·        Have lived within the state, for at least 3 months prior to the date of filing the application
·        Have continuous residence in the United States as a green card holder for at least 5 years immediately preceding the date of the filing the application
·        Be physically present in the United States for at least 30 months out of the 5 years immediately preceding the date of filing the application.
·        Reside continuously within the United States from the date of application for naturalization up to the time of naturalization.
·        Be able to read, write, and speak English and have knowledge and an understanding of U.S. history and government (civics). She had to pass a test and be interviewed.
·        Be a person of good moral character, attached to the principles of the Constitution of the United States, and well disposed to the good order and happiness of the United States during all relevant periods under the law.
·        Then Min had to promise the following:

 I hereby declare, on oath, that I absolutely and entirely renounce and abjure all allegiance and fidelity to any foreign prince, potentate, state or sovereignty, of whom or which I have heretofore been a subject or citizen; that I will support and defend the Constitution and laws of the United States of America against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I will bear arms on behalf of the United States when required by the law; that I will perform noncombatant service in the armed forces of the United States when required by the law; that I will perform work of national importance under civilian direction when required by the law; and that I take this obligation freely without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion; so help me God."

It was a very humbling experience to watch as over a hundred people in North High School make this commitment while family and friends present. 
Commitment is what it is all about.  Marriage is a commitment between two people.  They make promises to each other.  In a Christian ceremony they also ask God to bless their union.   When we join the church we are asked to make a commitment by professing our faith in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, renouncing evil and affirming our reliance on God’s grace, and declare our intention to participate actively and responsibly in the worship and mission of the church.  It is first a commitment we make with God and then it is a commitment we make with the church, and the church makes with us like in wedding vows, we exchange vows with one another. So whether it is a commitment between two people or with a whole group, it is what gives life meaning.

What happened to the commitment of the goats?  Why did the sheep not even understand the meaning of their purpose?  Perhaps like most American citizens, the sheep were born into life in the church and the commitment to caring for those in need was just an expected part of their lives that they did not reflect on its place in their relationship with Jesus Christ.  It is what Christians do!  For the goats it was what other people did.

I was talking to Mark Olsen who with his wife pastors the Trinity Parish about this passage.  He said sheep listen to their shepherd’s voice, but goats do not.  So the sheep were feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, welcoming the stranger and visiting those confined.  Yet they may never have known why.  I have never heard membership vows that included a promise to live as Christ and care for those on the margins of society.  Perhaps we should make a vow to listen for Jesus teaching us about what is important and who is of value in our lives.  Like the bridesmaids with their oil from the first parable or the slaves with their huge fortunes in the story of the talents, we have a commitment to Christ to keep doing what he has asked us to do.

So are you listening to Jesus’ voice, will you recommit your life to his service?  Will you pour out the oil to be a light in the darkness; will you risk all your abundance to make a difference in this world?   It is our citzenship requirement for the Kingdom of Heaven.

I found this icon by Br. Robert Lentz, OFM[1] in Carl Gregg’s commentary.  Perhaps if you take a moment and focus on this image of Jesus, you may hear the voice of the Good Shepherd saying, “Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these… you did it to me.”  Amen.







[1]See: www.trinitystores.com/store/artist/Robert-Lentz and  www.patheos.com/blogs/carlgregg/2011/11/four-spiritual-practices-for-preaching-on-matthew-25

Tuesday, November 15, 2011


Growing Wealth
Scripture: Psalm 123 read responsively and Matthew 25: 14-30
Preached by Linda Jo Peters
November 13, 2011 – Dedication of Theological Education Offering
Unity Presbyterian Church ~ Terre Haute, Indiana 

Introduction to scripture
Psalm 123 read responsively
This psalm is a community lament based upon trust in God as it petitions God for help in the face of scorn.  Our Horizon’s Bible study on the Beatitudes, explains how one form of wealth in Jesus’ time was one’s honor, or one’s good name.[1]  So loss of honor or being shamed was a crisis that could affect one’s financial health.

1To you I lift up my eyes, O you who are enthroned in the heavens!
2As the eyes of servants look to the hand of their master, as the eyes of a maid to the hand of her mistress, so our eyes look to the Lord our God, until he has mercy upon us.
3Have mercy upon us, O Lord, have mercy upon us, for we have had more than enough of contempt.
4Our soul has had more than its fill of the scorn of those who are at ease, of the contempt of the proud.

Matthew 25: 14-30
The themes of chapters 24 and 25 of Matthew are about final judgment and the return of the Son of Man, or, the establishing of the reign of God on earth; or teachings about delays.  The first parable that we read last week used the image of oil to light lamps. This parable uses the image of money and what it can achieve. Just as in the first parable the oil comes close to being a description for the Spirit, so here the money is an image for what is potent in the kingdom and for the kingdom. It may also be seen as a way of talking about the Spirit or at least about the life of God within us. It speaks to how we allow the life of God to flow through us - because it is powerful- like money![2]

14“For it is as if a man, going on a journey, summoned his slaves and entrusted his property to them;15to one he gave five talents, to another two, to another one, to each according to his ability. Then he went away.16The one who had received the five talents went off at once and traded with them, and made five more talents.17In the same way, the one who had the two talents made two more talents.18But the one who had received the one talent went off and dug a hole in the ground and hid his master’s money.19After a long time the master of those slaves came and settled accounts with them.20Then the one who had received the five talents came forward, bringing five more talents, saying, ‘Master, you handed over to me five talents; see, I have made five more talents.’21His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and trustworthy slave; you have been trustworthy in a few things, I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your master.’22And the one with the two talents also came forward, saying, ‘Master, you handed over to me two talents; see, I have made two more talents.’23His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and trustworthy slave; you have been trustworthy in a few things, I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your master.’24Then the one who had received the one talent also came forward, saying, ‘Master, I knew that you were a harsh man, reaping where you did not sow, and gathering where you did not scatter seed;25so I was afraid, and I went and hid your talent in the ground. Here you have what is yours.’26But his master replied, ‘You wicked and lazy slave! You knew, did you, that I reap where I did not sow, and gather where I did not scatter?27Then you ought to have invested my money with the bankers, and on my return I would have received what was my own with interest.28So take the talent from him, and give it to the one with the ten talents.29For to all those who have, more will be given, and they will have an abundance; but from those who have nothing, even what they have will be taken away.30As for this worthless slave, throw him into the outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’

SERMON
It is proverbially true that what we expect of a given situation, event, or person determines our experience of that situation, event or person. I believe the same is true of our expectations of God.  Our expectations of God shape our experience of God profoundly.  This story is how fear turned an opportunity into a total loss.  So is the glass half-full or half-empty?  Your attitude determines the answer. 

The sum the Greek talanta, a "talent" isn’t a special ability as it is in English.  Jesus was talking about the largest denomination of currency in Rome. We should translate talanta as "a huge bucket full of solid gold." Only the muscular could even pick up a talanton, which might weigh 50 or 75 pounds. Each was worth around 6,000 denarii, and a denarius was a good day’s wage.  These are extravagant sums over which these slaves are given charge.[3]  So was it an extravagant opportunity or a scary one?  Is the glass half-full or half-empty?  For the first two slaves who must of known that their master was “ a harsh man, reaping where he did not sow, and gathering where he did not scatter seed”  found a way to overcome their fear and double the fortune with which they were entrusted.  The third slave’s fear took over and all he could do was bury the fortune until his master’s return.

Now remember we have been exploring these parables near the end of Matthew’s Gospel and they are leading to the great of judgment when those who have cared for “the least of these” will be welcomed into the kingdom of God.  And like the oil of last week’s parable money is like the Spirit of God, powerful and life changing.  In our society we can see both the value of money and how its power can be used for good or evil.  So it is hard to relate this story to God and God’s kingdom.  This master is nothing like Jesus or God, he is cruel and destructive. 

In this day and age with investment losses, what would you do if someone gave you a million dollars and said take care of this for me while I am gone?  Fear of losing it all might drive you to rent a vault box and just preserve it.  Look at verse 15, “to one he gave five talents, to another two, to another one, to each according to his ability.”  They had abilities that their master expected them to use. 

God has given us an extravagant treasurer in Jesus Christ: forgiveness of sins, a means of healing a broken and fearful world, eternal life and unending joy.  Wow!  That is extravagant wealth.  It has the potential in any economy to grow exponentially, but it has to be used, risked. Have we shared it out or hidden it away?    Have we used the abilities we have to grow this wealth not for a cruel and vindictive master but for a loving and compassionate King?  Have we buried this treasure deep into our hearts and minds and never looked at it again, never risked sharing it with another? 

Our job as disciples of Jesus is to spread the wealth around.  That may be in the form of money given to do the mission of the church, it may be time to tell his story to whoever will listen in whatever way we can, and it may be using your particular abilities to grow the wealth of the Kingdom of Heaven.  One thing I am sure of it is not to be buried or hidden under a bushel.  The more this wealth is shared/risked the more it grows.  In fact, I believe we can never out give God’s ability to provide the growth of all that we are into all that we are meant to be.  Live unafraid lives of hope and joy.  Take the risk to pour out what has been given to you, the abundance that will follow you, will take your breath away in awe.  Amen.



[1] Confessing the Beatitudes by Margaret Aymer, 2011-2012 Horizons Bible Study
[2] William Loader, Pentecost 22, Murdoch University, Uniting Church in Australia. 
See: http://wwwstaff.murdoch.edu.au/~loader/MtPentecost22.htm
[3] See: James Howell, “Trojan Horse,” The Christian Century, November 1, 2005, p.19)
www.religion-online.org/showarticle.asp?title=3289t