Advent and Christmas at Unity 2012

December 9 - Choir Concert during 10:30 AM worship

December 14 & 15 Hosting Madrigal Dinners preformed by Terre Haute South choir.  

December 16 - Dedication of White Gifts and Trinity Bible Study following worship

December 17 - 26 Bess on vacation, office on limited hours.

December 17 - Caroling at Springhill Nursing Home, wassail and cookies following at Unity.  Joint meeting of Boards to follow carol sing.

December  20 - Carol Sing at Unity 6:00 PM Dinner following

December 21 - Food pantry and White Gifts distributed - extra hands always welcome.

December 23 - Dedication of Joy Offering

December 24 - 25 - Office Closed

December 24 - 7:00 PM  Christmas Eve Service with Lessons in Carols, Candlelight and Celebration of Our Lord's Supper

December 26 - January 2: Pastor Linda on vacation

December 30 - Rev. Dr. David E. Rosen preaching

Sermon: October 28, 2012

Overflowing Giving

Scripture: Psalm 126 read responsively and II Corinthians 9: 6-15

Preached by Linda Jo Peters ~ October 28, 2012

Reformation Sunday ~ Dedication of Pledges

Unity Presbyterian Church ~ Terre Haute, Indiana

Thanks to Colt Carter for providing beautiful
bagpipe music for our Reformation Celebration

“Blessing of the Colors”

Prayer for the Blessing of the Colors:

Almighty God, who has promised that in all places where your name is honored, you will meet with your servants to bless them, we rejoice in this opportunity to present these “Colors” representing your people from all over the world many who suffered terrible oppression of their culture and language.  May they be as symbols of our unwavering loyalty to you and our steadfast faith in Christ our Lord. We praise you for our ancestors: for all those saints of long ago who shared Christ’s story and love with many people.  We pray that in the present day, the dedication of these early saints may still inspire us to even greater achievements in the service of Christ and our fellow citizens. On behalf of all people we present these Colors before You o Lord God in appreciation of our Heritage; and we ask Your Blessings upon these, your humble servants. In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

INTRODUCTION TO SCRIPTURE

Psalm 126 read responsively

In this psalm, the notion of reversal occupies a central place, inviting the reader to recognize that restoration by God does more than simply restore what was lost. God restores the spirit of those who have lost so much so they can sing and dance with joy.

¹When the Lord restored the fortunes of Zion, we were like those who dream.

²Then our mouth was filled with laughter, and our tongue with shouts of joy; then it was said among the nations, “The Lord has done great things for them.”

³The Lord has done great things for us, and we rejoiced.

⁴Restore our fortunes, O Lord, like the watercourses in the Negeb.

⁵May those who sow in tears reap with shouts of joy.

⁶Those who go out weeping, bearing the seed for sowing, shall come home with shouts of joy, carrying their sheaves.

II Corinthians 9: 6-15

This letter continues Paul’s encouragement that the Corinthians give to the poor in Jerusalem.  There is no greater reward than knowing Jesus as our friend, and that reward is freely. What then is the reward of faithful service? The principle of reward in the scriptures is a simple one. Those who act responsibly are rewarded with greater responsibility. God makes grace abound in us that we may abound in every good work.

This is not a prosperity Gospel of greater returns for the giver.  Rather this concerns the resources that are ours in Christ which are increasingly available to us as we use them wisely and well. If we are found trustworthy in little things, then we can be trusted with greater resources.  Greater resources will be directed our way to use toward the realization of the Kingdom of God.

⁶The point is this: the one who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and the one who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. ⁷Each of you must give as you have made up your mind, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. ⁸And God is able to provide you with every blessing in abundance, so that by always having enough of everything, you may share abundantly in every good work. ⁹As it is written, “He scatters abroad, he gives to the poor; his righteousness endures forever.” ¹⁰He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your seed for sowing and increase the harvest of your righteousness. ¹¹You will be enriched in every way for your great generosity, which will produce thanksgiving to God through us; ¹²for the rendering of this ministry not only supplies the needs of the saints but also overflows with many thanksgivings to God.¹³Through the testing of this ministry you glorify God by your obedience to the confession of the gospel of Christ and by the generosity of your sharing with them and with all others, ¹⁴while they long for you and pray for you because of the surpassing grace of God that he has given you. ¹⁵Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift!

SERMON

Reformation Sunday can be a day when we only look back at what was, but God wants us to use the past to inform the present and future.  Even more, God calls us to live fully in this moment given to us by the Eternal One.  We give thanks for how sweet this time together is.  This moment is filled with joy.  Paul in his letter to the Corinthians is tapping into this amazing joy that fills a believer to overflowing.  Once we claim God grace for our lives we recognize how precious the whole world is.  We fill up to overflowing with a desire to make a difference. 

I believe the church is in a new reformation era.  God is mightily at work reshaping us for the future.  It is important to remember that prior to the Reformation the church sold passes out of purgatory called indulgences, music and worship and church leadership was the purview of only the clergy.  Women were undervalued.  Yet there was much the church did that witnessed with power the mission and ministry of Jesus Christ.  It was the church that provided for the poor, the ill and dying, encouraged art and spiritual formation in all people.  The hammering on the Wittenberg door of  Luther’s 95 Theses was the toll of the Reformation.  What is God hammering up today? 

One of my favorite of Luther’s Theses is:

13. The dying are freed by death from all penalties; they are already dead to canonical rules, and have a right to be released from them.

But the thesis that still speaks to us today is:

66. The treasures of the indulgences are nets with which they now fish for the riches of men.

Fleecing the rich is a proud Christian tradition.  We have laughed at the antics of the nuns in Sister Act as they stood in front of an adult books store to get donations.  But our fishing nets are not for separating people from their money but capturing people for Christ Jesus.  When we are caught by the net of faith there is not a gift we would not give.  There is no risk we would not take for Jesus Christ.  As Paul wrote “the rendering of this ministry not only supplies the needs of the saints but also overflows with many thanksgivings to God.”  When we give of ourselves, we are helping others that is true, but even more we are overflowing with thanks to God.  It is out of this thanksgiving that we become extraordinary givers.

The church is being called to a risky mission.  Living in a culture where being generous with friends and family is look down as foolish let alone being generous to the strangers and those we will never know.  Our culture is probably not a whole lot different than the culture of the first century in that aspect.  Money and power are tightly woven into an impenetrable barrier of control over most of our lives.  Religion is used to support those already in control.  But thanks be to God who has given us the breaker of barriers, Jesus The Christ.  In him all things are possible.  The selfish become generous, so generous it overflows in a bounty of grace.  But there will be forces seeking to suppress our generous spirits and push us back behind the barrier of distrust and fear.  Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. wrote about the drives we have to achieve at all costs.  He wrote:

Keep feeling the need for being first. But I want you to be the first in love.

I want you to be the first in moral excellence. I want you to be the first in generosity.

Here is a little bit of scientific knowledge I leave you with:

Hard as it may be to believe in these days of infectious greed and sabers unsheathed,

scientists have discovered that the small, brave act of cooperating with another person,

of choosing trust over cynicism, generosity over selfishness,

makes the brain light up with quiet joy.

Natalie Angier[1]

God created us to be generous.  So as you make your pledges today as you give your offerings, may your brains light up with joy!  Amen.

 Little bit of Reformation history: 

 Calvinists did seek to have simple music in the church, there was one place where it could be heard more artful music: the private home services. One distinct practice among the Reformed Christians was private worship. This usually took place daily with the family and household all gathering together to sing, read scripture, and study the catechism. It was here that the beautiful fully harmonized and sometimes even polyphonic Psalms zealously resounded. For it was perfectly acceptable for a family (with all members trained in music as was the custom of the day) to sing and play together beautiful and sometimes elaborate settings of the Psalms, canticles, and hymns.

The most wonderful of Reformed composer that I know of was Claude Goudimel (1505-1572). Goudimel was a French Huguenot who lived in the Calvinist community at Metz. He had converted to the Reformed faith in 1560. In 1567 he left Metz because of the growing persecution of Protestants there and moved to Lyons. However, his peace only lasted a short while. Sometime between August 28 and 31 of 1572 he was martyred in the St. Bartholomew’s Day massacre.[2]

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[1] The New York Times, July 23, 2002

[2] http://www.christianforums.com/t90056/

Sermon: October 21, 2012

 “Finishing What We Have Begun”

Scripture: Psalm 40 read responsively and II Corinthians 8: 9 – 15

Preached by Linda Jo Peters ~ October 21, 2012

Mission of Unity Fair and Special Fellowship

Unity Presbyterian Church ~ Terre Haute, Indiana

INTRODUCTION TO SCRIPTURE

Psalm 40 read responsively

Waiting for God to act in our lives can be stressful.  We rely on God’s previous actions to inform our waiting but anxiety can overcome our patience and reliance on God.  In this song of faithful waiting, listen for the times of remembrance that give comfort and the times of expectation that challenge our trust.  Through it all we know God is our refuge. 

¹I waited patiently for the Lord; he inclined to me and heard my cry.

²He drew me up from the desolate pit, out of the miry bog, and set my feet upon a rock, making my steps secure.

³He put a new song in my mouth, a song of praise to our God. Many will see and fear, and put their trust in the Lord.

⁴Happy are those who make the Lord their trust, who do not turn to the proud, to those who go astray after false gods.

⁵You have multiplied, O Lord my God, your wondrous deeds and your thoughts toward us; none can compare with you. Were I to proclaim and tell of them, they would be more than can be counted.

⁶Sacrifice and offering you do not desire, but you have given me an open ear. Burnt offering and sin offering you have not required.

⁷Then I said, “Here I am; in the scroll of the book it is written of me.

⁸I delight to do your will, O my God; your law is within my heart.”

⁹I have told the glad news of deliverance in the great congregation; see, I have not restrained my lips, as you know, O Lord.

¹⁰I have not hidden your saving help within my heart, I have spoken of your faithfulness and your salvation; I have not concealed your steadfast love and your faithfulness from the great congregation.

¹¹Do not, O Lord, withhold your mercy from me; let your steadfast love and your faithfulness keep me safe forever.

¹²For evils have encompassed me without number; my iniquities have overtaken me, until I cannot see; they are more than the hairs of my head, and my heart fails me.

¹³Be pleased, O Lord, to deliver me; O Lord, make haste to help me.

¹⁴Let all those be put to shame and confusion who seek to snatch away my life; let those be turned back and brought to dishonor who desire my hurt.

¹⁵Let those be appalled because of their shame who say to me, “Aha, Aha!”

¹⁶But may all who seek you rejoice and be glad in you; may those who love your salvation say continually, “Great is the Lord!”

¹⁷As for me, I am poor and needy, but the Lord takes thought for me. You are my help and my deliverer; do not delay, O my God.

II Corinthians 8: 9 – 15

Paul has taken on a huge undertaking to raise funds for the poor of Jerusalem from the Gentile Churches he has nurtured.  This offering shows the believers' indebtedness to one another and to God who is working among them.  Caring for one another, even those far off who we do not know, binds the whole church together in trust and love that builds a community that values equity for all.

⁹For you know the generous act of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that by his poverty you might become rich.¹⁰And in this matter I am giving my advice: it is appropriate for you who began last year not only to do something but even to desire to do something—¹¹now finish doing it, so that your eagerness may be matched by completing it according to your means.¹²For if the eagerness is there, the gift is acceptable according to what one has—not according to what one does not have.¹³I do not mean that there should be relief for others and pressure on you, but it is a question of a fair balance between¹⁴your present abundance and their need, so that their abundance may be for your need, in order that there may be a fair balance.¹⁵As it is written, “The one who had much did not have too much, and the one who had little did not have too little.”

SERMON

I like this picture of an unfinished bridge, because it reminds me that while we are working hard on our side of a project, others we may not even know are working on their side and in completion we will celebrate everyone’s efforts.  God is guiding us with partners here in town, all over the country and around the world to bring completion to mission efforts.  Today we have a wonderful Mission Fair to get a glimpse of how Unity serves with many others to complete the bridges God is building.

I was reading site about surviving natural disasters.  Being without power for two hours is frustrating.  Try two weeks and desperation sets in.  Even people, who are prepared for a natural disaster where it takes a gallon of water per person each day, still have storage challenges to face.  Sitting in the dark… (Stewardship Interruption)

Let there be light and there was light and God saw that the light was good.  

People all over the world need our help.  Yes, the help of one little congregation made a difference to a small community in Africa.  Every year we provide the funding for a shallow well that will sustain the drinking water for approximately 125 people.  But just like Paul raising money to help the poor in Jerusalem, it takes risk, and like the bridge and power supply these wells take money, know-how and effort from both sides. 

The 2011 Marion Medical Mission Team installed 2662 shallow wells. The wells included over 500 in Tanzania and 400 in Zambia with the rest in Malawi.  

One of the first questions Stewardship team asked you is, “Do you give?”  That is right now in your life are you giving?  You may think, “I can’t give right now, I have too many financial challenges.”  I understand because I have lived from paycheck to paycheck.  Just in the last few years, I took a $10,000 cut in compensation to assist the church in trying to meet its budget.  I knew better, I knew it was the wrong choice, but like you I want Unity to be successful.  It wasn’t a wrong choice for me, because I have learned over and over that God will take care of me.  But it was the wrong choice for the church.  We need to be risk takers, extravagant givers.  If that $10,000 had been given to United Campus Ministry to help provided for a fulltime campus minister or the roof for a home in Henryville or built 25 wells in Africa, then we would have been completing the work God has called us to do.  We would have been risk takers. 

Yesterday, a small group of committed members culminated their risk in trying something new in ministry.  They could of given up when the task turn out to be dirty, difficult and frustrating.  The Grant committee of the Mission Committee has been working with Popoff’s cleaners to see if Unity could create an alternate site of ministry.  Running a laundromat is extravagant, it is risky but we follow a risk taking Lord.  At a well in Samaria Jesus risked telling the good news to an exiled woman.  The reward was an amazingly successful evangelist that brought the whole town out to meet him. 

I do not want to tell you what percentage of your income, time and talent you should give to the church.  Instead I want you to learn to put God first in your life.  And I promise you that in spite of mistakes, failures and even losses you will build bridges to completion in your life and with the church.  When we are extravagant, when we are risk takers, we finish what we have begun.

Amen.

Sermon September 16, 2012

 “Believers Who Make Peace”

Sermon Series on “Peacemaking a Believer’s calling”

Preached by Linda Jo Peters ~ September 16, 2012

Scripture: Psalm 16 read responsively and Matthew 5: 1-16

Unity Presbyterian Church ~ Terre Haute, Indiana 

INTRODUCTION TO SCRIPTURE

Psalm 16 read responsively

There are some serious textual problems with Psalm 16, but for today let us trust the translators of the text and listen instead for a message of care and love found in a life of faith.   

¹Protect me, O God, for in you I take refuge.

²I say to the Lord, “You are my Lord; I have no good apart from you.”

³As for the holy ones in the land, they are the noble, in whom is all my delight.

⁴Those who choose another god multiply their sorrows; their drink offerings of blood I will not pour out or take their names upon my lips.

⁵The Lord is my chosen portion and my cup; you hold my lot.

⁶The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; I have a goodly heritage.

⁷I bless the Lord who gives me counsel; in the night also my heart instructs me.

⁸I keep the Lord always before me; because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved.

⁹Therefore my heart is glad, and my soul rejoices; my body also rests secure.

¹⁰For you do not give me up to Sheol, or let your faithful one see the Pit.

¹¹You show me the path of life. In your presence there is fullness of joy; in your right hand are pleasures forevermore. 

Matthew 5: 1-16

When I was first ordained as a Minister of Word and Sacrament, I chose the call of Abraham as the pivotal text for our worship service.

 “Go from your country and your kindred and your father’s house to the land that I will show you. I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you, and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing.” (Genesis 12:1&2)

To be a blessing seems significant in our relationship with one another.  In the “Sermon on the Mount” Jesus expands being a blessing; to being blessed by following God’s will in our lives.  Giving and receiving blessings are all wrapped up in the Hebrew word for Peace – Shalom, which means so much more than an absence of violence.  It means wellbeing; completeness; health and contentment.  It is the encompassing nature of God’s blessings that bring us to such a state and that we are called to create together.  

When Jesus saw the crowds, he went up the mountain; and after he sat down, his disciples came to him.²Then he began to speak, and taught them, saying:

³“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.⁴“Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.⁵“Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.⁶“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.⁷“Blessed are the merciful, for they will receive mercy.⁸“Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.⁹“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.¹⁰“Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.¹¹“Blessed are you when people revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account.¹²Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

¹³“You are the salt of the earth; but if salt has lost its taste, how can its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything, but is thrown out and trampled under foot.¹⁴“You are the light of the world. A city built on a hill cannot be hid.¹⁵No one after lighting a lamp puts it under the bushel basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all in the house.¹⁶In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven. 

SERMON

“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.”  Believers who make peace are called children of God.  For me, when I hear the word “make” I think of creative activities such as cooking, carpentry or gardening.  But making peace seems so ethereal.  I wonder, “Where is the concrete result of peacemaking I can see and touch?”  My plan for this sermon series is to seriously look at peacemaking as we move toward World Communion Sunday when we receive and dedicate our peacemaking offerings. 

In the Gospel of Luke, as Jesus is teaching in the synagogues, he comes to his home town and reads the Isaiah passage that would frame his en-fleshed life. It is here that he grounds his calling in the making of peace. “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”[1]

Last week we remembered that Jesus’ purpose was to proclaim the Kingdom of God and how we are to live as citizens of God’s kingdom.  If we too are called to herald the Kingdom of God and we too are called to be children of God, then we too are called to be makers of peace through works of justice and compassion: to be light in the darkness and salt that gives flavor.  We do that through a myriad of actions that make for peace.  I think making peace really is like gardening, baking, and carpentry:

·        Gather your resources

·        Put them together

·        Waiting time/patience

·        Share the result

·        Give thanks.

 What are the resources that make for peace?

Respect of others, even when we disagree with one another. 

Seek common ground. 

People who have made peace in their communities.

Prayer, prayer, prayer!!!! 

Good listening practices

Time and financial support

Remember Northern Ireland? Over thirty years of violence, what seemed irreconcilable hatred between groups, and generations of injury.

The legacy is deep seeded hurt from decades of fighting and polarization along religious, political and cultural divisions. Even after a decade of peace movement toward full reconciliation still needs to be seen as a generational task involving the churches, voluntary bodies, and community groups, working alongside politicians.[2]

One example is Project Children which was started in 1975 by members of the Gaelic Cultural Society who wished to assist the blameless children who had become victims of the conflict in Northern Ireland. Money was raised to bring six children, Protestant and Catholic, from Belfast to the United States to spend a six week vacation together.  Since its inception, more than 16,000 children have experienced a summer of peace and tranquility in the United States. Now they are bringing young adults who are doing internships in various areas of law, politics, science and building trades.[3]  Did this cost time and money, you bet!

How do these resources go together?

Prayerfully and Carefully.  

Can you find common ground without respect of others?

Who in your family, our church or community has a history of peacemaking among people?  Often in counseling we challenge peacemakers because they have lost a sense of their own worth.  Peacemakers cannot be doormats!  Could you see Jesus as a doormat?[4]  Peacemakers are those who stand up for righteous relationships and justice.  They will encourage risk taking. 

The Presbyterian Peacemaking offering at the national level takes gifts of nearly one million dollars and works with the Red Hand Campaign to end the use of children as soldiers, supports peace efforts in the Sudan, Israel, Palestine, the Philippians, Congo,

Colombia, Iraq, Iran, Pakistan and other places around the world.  Think of the careful and prayerful efforts that have come together in so many places to make peace a reality. 

Why wait?

Whether it is waiting for bread to rise, paint to dry or plants to grow, good results only come to those who wait in patience.  When I see violence reign in our world, I want to stop it right NOW!  But lasting peace, takes time and people are hurt and dying during those waiting times.  It is the hardest thing to do, is not to rush into violence our selves and wait for God’s grace to be revealed.  

With whom do we share our results?

Wherever brothers and sisters hurt one another: in families, communities and around the world they need to know there is another way that works.   

Praise God!!!!!

Everyday and in every life there are reasons to rejoice.  The makings for more shalom/more peace is born from the praise of God. 

 

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[1] Luke 4:18–19 and Isaiah 61: 1-2

[2] Adapted from: http://www.presbyterianmission.org/ministries/global/northern-ireland/

[3]See: http://www.gaelicculturalsociety.org/projectchildreninfo.html

[4] See: http://www.impactsalaska.com/articles/dysfunctional-family-rules-and-roles/

“The enabler is the family peacemaker who feels responsible for everyone’s emotional well-being.”

Sermon September 9, 2012

 “Healing which brings Fame Instead of Faith”

Preached by Linda Jo Peters ~ September 9, 2012

Psalm 125 read responsively and Mark 7:24-37

Unity Presbyterian Church ~ Terre Haute, Indiana

 Rally Day! Return of Choir and Sunday School!  

INTRODUCTION TO SCRIPTURE

Psalm 125 read responsively
When life gets scary, it is good to imagine God surrounding and protecting us like the hills around Jerusalem. 

¹Those who trust in the Lord are like Mount Zion, which cannot be moved, but abides forever.

²As the mountains surround Jerusalem, so the Lord surrounds his people, from this time on and forevermore.
³For the scepter of wickedness shall not rest on the land allotted to the righteous, so that the righteous might not stretch out their hands to do wrong.
⁴Do good, O Lord, to those who are good, and to those who are upright in their hearts.
⁵But those who turn aside to their own crooked ways the Lord will lead away with evildoers.
Peace be upon Israel!

Mark 7:24-37

A new study in the journal Cognition overturns a decades-old theory about the nature of attention and demonstrates that even brief diversions from a task can dramatically improve one's ability to focus on that task for prolonged periods.[1]

This week Governor Romney took a break from campaigning.  He like most politicians when they take time off received criticism for his choice.  People in all walks of life need down time.  Wendy Olson who pastors with her husband Mark in Trinity Parish, and I are working on a downtime for Presbytery participants at PYOCA.  .  Jesus understood this need and often chose to withdraw for a time of prayer.  Now he seems to be going out of his way to find some quiet away from the demands of fame.  Let’s face it if we knew of someone who was healing the ill, we would be looking for him/her to help someone we loved or ourselves.  The encounter with the Gentile is almost hostile and the demand for silence from those helping the deaf mute is ironic. Now they are asked to be the deaf and dumb.  I can almost hear Jesus say, “What does this have to do with my purpose?”  We too get frustrated when we are derailed from our goal.  Jesus’ purpose was to bring people to faith, not to become a famous healer.  

²⁴From there he set out and went away to the region of Tyre. He entered a house and did not want anyone to know he was there. Yet he could not escape notice,²⁵but a woman whose little daughter had an unclean spirit immediately heard about him, and she came and bowed down at his feet.²⁶Now the woman was a Gentile, of Syrophoenician origin. She begged him to cast the demon out of her daughter.²⁷He said to her, “Let the children be fed first, for it is not fair to take the children’s food and throw it to the dogs.”²⁸But she answered him, “Sir, even the dogs under the table eat the children’s crumbs.”²⁹Then he said to her, “For saying that, you may go—the demon has left your daughter.”³⁰So she went home, found the child lying on the bed, and the demon gone.

³¹Then he returned from the region of Tyre, and went by way of Sidon towards the Sea of Galilee, in the region of the Decapolis.³²They brought to him a deaf man who had an impediment in his speech; and they begged him to lay his hand on him.³³He took him aside in private, away from the crowd, and put his fingers into his ears, and he spat and touched his tongue.³⁴Then looking up to heaven, he sighed and said to him, “Ephphatha,” that is, “Be opened.”³⁵And immediately his ears were opened, his tongue was released, and he spoke plainly.³⁶Then Jesus ordered them to tell no one; but the more he ordered them, the more zealously they proclaimed it.³⁷They were astounded beyond measure, saying, “He has done everything well; he even makes the deaf to hear and the mute to speak.”

SERMON

Through the ages commentators have tried to explain Jesus’ behavior in the face of this worried mother and her suffering child.  I have heard everything from it was a teachable moment for his disciples to a lesson for Jesus to learn that his mission was for the whole world not just the Jews.  But I would like to focus on what Jesus’ priorities were, so that this encounter and the deaf man frustrated his purpose to proclaim the kingdom of God and how we are to live as citizens of God’s kingdom.

Today we are delighted to have the choir back in leadership; to have Bible Study and Sunday School is back in full force.  Youth Group had their first meeting last week.  We are glad they took a break.  We hope all the volunteers are eager and full of energy for another year of service.  Time off can be precious time to focus on our purpose.  Are we doing what God has called us to do?  As I work with Wendy planning a time of refreshment for those who participate in the demanding schedule of Presbytery, I am reminded that Jesus took time away to renew and re-center.

I am certain Jesus had a clear understanding of his purpose to proclaim the Kingdom of God.  His proclamation came as amazing healings and stimulating teaching and other miracles.  But over and over people just did not get it. They wanted more bread or one more miracle or perhaps “tell the parable about the lost son once again, Rabbi.”  Listen to his dialogue with two of his disciples on the very night he was betrayed by a close companion who should have understood what his purpose was, he said:

⁴And you know the way to the place where I am going.”⁵Thomas said to him, “Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?”⁶Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.⁷If you know me, you will know my Father also. From now on you do know him and have seen him.”⁸Philip said to him, “Lord, show us the Father, and we will be satisfied.”⁹Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you all this time, Philip, and you still do not know me? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? ¹⁰Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on my own; but the Father who dwells in me does his works.¹¹Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; but if you do not, then believe me because of the works themselves.

Anyone who has taught knows the frustration when after a whole semester of study, a student comes up and asks for an extension on a project they have had weeks to finalize.  Generally they have no eternal clock that says this needs to done by this date, or they never read the syllabus or they may have a very legitimate reason for needing the time.  A teacher has to listen carefully as Jesus did to hear the truth and respond in kind.  Sometimes they may even seem to be harsh and unforgiving.  But to develop better habits, teachers need to set boundaries of behavior.  Jesus set boundaries not as inflexible walls but a flexible net to capture our souls.  He wants your undivided attention not just during the exciting times but every moment is filled with opportunities to hear God’s call for our life.

The point is that whether you are praying or playing, studying or serving every aspect of our lives needs to be imbued with a relationship with our Creator.  Faith is not just for fox holes or ill health.  Faith is a daily walk.  Moses told the people wandering through the wilderness for forty years:

⁴Hear, O Israel: The Lord is our God, the Lord alone.⁵You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your might.⁶Keep these words that I am commanding you today in your heart.⁷Recite them to your children and talk about them when you are at home and when you are away, when you lie down and when you rise.

When you lie down and when you get up! Every day all the time pay attention to what God is doing in your life.

The warrior chief Tecumseh of the Shawnee is credited with this wisdom:

Let every day begin and end in attention to God’s grace in your life. 

When you rise in the morning, give thanks for the light,

for your life, for your strength. Give thanks for your food

and for the joy of living. If you see no reason to give thanks,

the fault lies in yourself.[2]

Let this be a year of intentional effort to know God’s will for your life, your family, our church, community and world.  Amen.

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[1] See: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/02/110208131529.htm

[2] Read more at http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/t/tecumseh190018.html#qA3LTcGIbIiBkMW8.99

“Who Do You Say Jesus Is?”

Scripture Psalm 124 read responsively and Matthew 16:13-20

Preached by Linda Jo Peters ~ August 21, 2011

Unity Presbyterian Church ~ Terre Haute, Indiana

INTRODUCTION TO SCRIPTURE

Psalm 124 read responsively

The psalmist is expressing a kind of gratitude for a narrow escape or a divine explanation for having avoided a complete catastrophe, but what does it mean to have God on our side when we are defeated and suffering?  It may mean we are not be on God’s side or it may mean that even when we suffer God does not abandon us.  That is good news!

¹If it had not been the Lord who was on our side—let Israel now say—

²if it had not been the Lord who was on our side, when our enemies attacked us,

³then they would have swallowed us up alive, when their anger was kindled against us;

⁴then the flood would have swept us away, the torrent would have gone over us;

⁵then over us would have gone the raging waters.

⁶Blessed be the Lord, who has not given us as prey to their teeth.

⁷We have escaped like a bird from the snare of the fowlers; the snare is broken, and we have escaped.

⁸Our help is in the name of the Lord, who made heaven and earth.

Matthew 16:13-20

Who do people say Jesus is? Whether you look in the Bible or seek wisdom from preachers or pundits, people say a lot of things about Jesus. He is the King of the Jews. He is Mary’s Son. He is the light of the world. He is a prophet without honor in his own country. Jesus is the one who can heal your child, cast out your demon, forgive your sins, and even lead your revolution. Jesus is the one you invite to dinner and then invite to leave the district. He is a messiah, a prophet, a rabbi, and a pain in the neck. He is alive, he is dead, he is risen, he will come again. But just for a moment let all the talk from others go.  Instead stand in Peter’s shoes and watch Jesus turn to you and ask you, “Who do you say I am?” 

¹³Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” ¹⁴And they said, “Some say John the Baptist, but others Elijah, and still others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” ¹⁵He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” ¹⁶Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.” ¹⁷And Jesus answered him, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father in heaven. ¹⁸And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not prevail against it. ¹⁹I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.” ²⁰Then he sternly ordered the disciples not to tell anyone that he was the Messiah.

Sermon

Who do you say Jesus is: teacher, healer, savior, God? 

Jesus is not asking, “Who does the Bible say I am?” or “What is your Christology?”  Jesus is asking a personal question.  What do you believe? 

Believers throughout history have tried to put into words what it is they believed.  Such an action is called a confession.  We usually think of confession and naming our sinful nature, but   that is just a part of confessing.  First you need to say what your truth is about God.  Some of the historic confessions go back to the writings of Paul such as what is found in the Apostles’’ Creed.  The Horizon Bible Study that Trinity and Rebecca Circles will be studying this program year uses the practice of confessional writing to study the Beatitudes. Margaret Aymer the author of the study says: in the discipline of confession we practice the art of telling the truth as we understand it about God and ourselves.[1]

Reflection and being honest about what is true is a foremost action of disciples of Jesus Christ.  Especially during times when the church as a whole has betrayed the Gospel of Jesus Christ, it was time to confess who God is and our sin.  The Crusades and the Inquisition are just two instructive examples of the church going very wrong.  But many of you are survivors of the battle for power in churches still today.

We Presbyterians have a whole book of Confession that seeks to state our faith and bear witness to God’s grace in Jesus Christ.  In these confessional statements the church declares to its members and to the world who and what it is, what it believes, what it resolves to do. 

When Karl Barth and his EVANGELICAL Christians in Germany took a stand against the Third Reich, an evil empire that attempted to say the church and the state were one entity, they adopted the Barmen Declaration, which resulted in Barth's expulsion from Germany and possibly the arrest and death of Bonhoeffer. The Barmen, which is now in our Book of Confessions, showed that anytime nationalism, patriotism and allegiance to Jesus Christ are combined we are on very dangerous ground.[2]

In 1986 the Dutch Reformed Mission Church in South Africa wrote a confession that confronted the sin of Apartheid. 

We believe that any teaching which attempts to legitimate ( ) forced separation by appeal to the gospel, and is not prepared to venture on the road of obedience and reconciliation, but rather, out of prejudice, fear, selfishness and unbelief, denies in advance the reconciling power of the gospel, must be considered ideology and false doctrine. Therefore we reject any doctrine which, in such a situation sanctions in the name of the gospel or of the will of God the forced separation of people on the grounds of race and color and thereby in advance obstructs and weakens the ministry and experience of reconciliation in Christ.[3]

In confirmation here at Unity, I ask the youth to write their own statement of faith which is their personal confession.  What about your confession?  Who do you say, Jesus is?  It is good for believers to not only write what they believe but to share what they believe with others.  In the discussion to clarify what one means, we can become clearer on what is important for us.  Attending an Anabaptists seminary helped me become more assured that I believe in the baptism of infants.  In my chaplaincy I worked with a Roman Catholic Priest who would refuse communion if he felt people were not right with the Church’s laws; I came to value open communion all the more.  I would not want to give up those challenging discussions that helped me come to terms about what it is I believe.  My faith did not need to change their faith to be my truth. 

Lately I have been playing with the idea that Jesus is a Spiritual Free Radical.  Free radicals in chemistry cause change, some good and in biology often not so good.  But Jesus is good, so I am still looking for term that speaks to the radical change agent for good that Jesus is for my life and I believe for the world.  Amen.

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[1] p. 11 in the 2011-2012 Horizons Bible Study, “Confessing the Beatitudes” by Margaret Aymer

[2]Commentary by Rev. Stephen Row June 23, 2011 See: http://www.pcusa.org/resource/belhar-confession/  The Theological Declaration of Barmen was written and adopted at The Confessional Synod of the German Evangelical Church which met in Barmen, May 29-31, 1934.

[3]  This is a translation of the original Afrikaans text of the confession as it was adopted by the synod of the Dutch Reformed Mission Church in South Africa in 1986. In 1994 the Dutch Reformed Mission Church and the Dutch Reformed Church in Africa united to form the Uniting Reformed Church in Southern Africa (URCSA).  This inclusive language text was prepared by the Office of Theology and Worship, Presbyterian Church (USA).