One More Christmas Story

“One More Christmas Story” was preached at Sunnyside Presbyterian Church on Christmas Day, December 25, 2016. Themes found in this homily include Scripture, theology, Christmas, hymn sings, and personal narratives.

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John 1:1-14

1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things came into being through him, and without him not one thing came into being. What has come into being 4 in him was life, and the life was the light of all people. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it

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6 There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. 7 He came as a witness to testify to the light, so that all might believe through him. 8 He himself was not the light, but he came to testify to the light. 9 The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world.

10 He was in the world, and the world came into being through him; yet the world did not know him. 11 He came to what was his own, and his own people did not accept him. 12 But to all who received him, who believed in his name, he gave power to become children of God, 13 who were born, not of blood or of the will of the flesh or of the will of man, but of God.

14 And the Word became flesh and lived among us, and we have seen his glory, the glory as of a father’s only son, full of grace and truth.

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“O sing to the Lord a new song”

“Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth”

“Sing praises to the Lord”     —excerpts from Psalm 98

O Lord, did we?! We raised our voices up to the Lord!  God hears our joyous songs of praise! We got to celebrate this Christmas morning with a hymn sing, and I have to tell you, I love a good, ol’ fashioned hymn sing! It makes me think of my three years at seminary. If you want to find a place where having a hymn sing is the coolest thing possible, step foot unto a seminary. I’m not joking. Both in and out of worship, seminarians love hymn sings. It doesn’t matter if it’s a special day such as Christmas or just a typical afternoon, if doesn’t matter if it’s morning or night, we would have a hymn sing. When we had our hymn sing this morning, although small with just a few hymns, I couldn’t help but remember the fun I had with my classmates, and the joy we all got from praising the Lord together. It’s a blessing to be able to do that again with Sunnyside and First Pres-Mishawaka. Thank you! Thank for allowing me that trip down memory lane.

It seems I find myself reminiscing a lot this Christmas Day. Of course, this comes from being with family and thinking of how our traditions have been practiced over the years, but it also has something to do with this Sunday—this Christmas Day—this Gospel text: John 1:1-14.

We are now in service three of three between Christmas Eve and Christmas Day services, so I’ll keep this brief… But let me tell you one more “Christmas” story…

My first experience working in ministry was at an outdoor Bible camp in North Dakota called Camp Metigoshe. My first summer I worked as a counselor and my second I was a chaplain. As the chaplain, I often narrated a walking passion play called the Christ Hike that took place every week on Wednesday. The play starts right before sunset with Jesus being baptized in the “Jordan” (or the lake at Metigoshe) by John. The campers follow Jesus as he walks through camp: telling parables and performing miracles. As part of this Christ Hike, there is the triumphal entry into Jerusalem. There is the Last Supper. There is the praying in the Garden of Gethsemane, and there is the betrayal of Judas. There is the scene of Jesus before Caiaphas and then another scene of Jesus with Pilate. And right as the sun set (and they time this perfectly), Jesus is lifted high unto the cross. Yes, I’m not joking. They actually put the staff member playing Jesus up on the cross. Night falls as a scene of death is displayed before the crowd. And after the song, “Were you there?”, the narrator would then lead the campers back to the shore where it all began with the baptism. It’s completely pitch black at this point, and darkness has surrounded the camp. And although there is no nativity scene or birth displayed in this Christ Hike, it is at this moment following the death of Jesus, the narrator reads John 1. With a swinging of a lantern and a loud, booming voice, the narrator proclaims, “The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it.” Then, suddenly the campers see it why the narrator was swinging that lantern. Across the lake, a giant sculpture in the shape of a dove is lit on fire. There it is. The resurrection. The promise that Christ was born so that we might all be born again.

Since I was the one so often swinging that lantern and proclaiming those words, “The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it,” I read this words today, even on Christmas Day, and I am reminded of the resurrection that is to follow.

John 1 is not the story we most often associate with Christmas. It’s not the narrative. It’s not the story we know. It doesn’t have the imagery found in the nativity scene. It’s not Mary and Joseph traveling to Bethlehem; it’s not the cows and the sheep; it’s not the shepherds or the magi; it’s not angels in the sky; it’s not even a baby in a manger. John 1 is the theology; the doctrine; the explanation. This is the story of the Word made Flesh. The light in the darkness. The incarnate God. It’s the birth; it’s the life; it’s the death; and it’s the resurrection. It is the full cycle of a promised life for humankind that was destined from the very beginning of time. This is the birth of salvation. This is Christmas.

On this day, we raise our voices together to praise the birth of our Savior. I hear the joyful noise! Through our songs, we all loudly proclaim together, “The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it.” I love the stories we hear at Christmas.  We need to remember Mary and Joseph; the cows and the sheep; the shepherds and the magi; the angels in the sky, and especially the baby in the manger. That’s why we read the stories found in Matthew and Luke again and again. But in the Gospel of John, we remember why that baby was born. God was born into the flesh as a baby in the manger to eventually die and defeat death through the resurrection. For us, it all started there right there in that moment: the birth of Christ; the reason we celebrate Christmas. Christ was born as one of us so that we might all be brought to new and eternal life. That’s the Christmas story. That right there is a reason to make a joyful noise! The light will forever shine. Thanks be to God. Amen.

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Photo credit to Alexis Philbrick

In This Life

“In This Life” was preached at Sunnyside Presbyterian Church on Sunday, October 9, 2016. Themes found in this sermon include Scripture, living by faith, generations, stewardship, and the origin of “It is Well with My Soul.”

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2 Timothy 1:1-14

1 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, for the sake of the promise of life that is in Christ Jesus,

2 To Timothy, my beloved child: Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.

3 I am grateful to God—whom I worship with a clear conscience, as my ancestors did—when I remember you constantly in my prayers night and day. 4 Recalling your tears, I long to see you so that I may be filled with joy. 5 I am reminded of your sincere faith, a faith that lived first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice and now, I am sure, lives in you. 6 For this reason I remind you to rekindle the gift of God that is within you through the laying on of my hands; 7 for God did not give us a spirit of cowardice, but rather a spirit of power and of love and of self-discipline.

8 Do not be ashamed, then, of the testimony about our Lord or of me his prisoner, but join with me in suffering for the gospel, relying on the power of God, 9 who saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works but according to his own purpose and grace. This grace was given to us in Christ Jesus before the ages began, 10 but it has now been revealed through the appearing of our Savior Christ Jesus, who abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel. 11 For this gospel I was appointed a herald and an apostle and a teacher, 12 and for this reason I suffer as I do. But I am not ashamed, for I know the one in whom I have put my trust, and I am sure that he is able to guard until that day what I have entrusted to him. 13 Hold to the standard of sound teaching that you have heard from me, in the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. 14 Guard the good treasure entrusted to you, with the help of the Holy Spirit living in us.

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You know those weeks when you just feel God is trying to tell you something? This week has been one of those weeks.

I give thanks to our duet and the choir for leading us in the song, “It is Well with My Soul.” It’s such a beautiful, haunting, emotionally-filled hymn, and every time I hear it—especially today—I feel the words come alive in my soul.

You see, this song and the story behind it came up three separate occasions this week. First, the choir arranged it as part of the service this Sunday, and so I first read this story when we added it as an insert to our announcements. Second, I had the opportunity to lead the Women’s Bible Study this past Tuesday. In the book, “Soul Keeping,” the chapter we discussed ends with the author telling this story as an example of a soul constructed to survive destruction. This was the second time I heard this story. And then on Thursday, as I’m scrolling through my facebook feed, I see an old friend of mine post a link to an article titled, “When It is Not ‘Well with My Soul.’” Once again, I read the story as a part of the article. Three different times in three different occasions all in one week as I’m preparing for this sermon, I came across this story. That’s God trying to tell me something, right? Reading this story over and over made me think of the impact life can make on each of us, and how our lives can make an even larger impact in the lives of others. [I have posted the story behind the hymn at the end of this sermon—It was added as an insert to our bulletin.]

And then on top of that, today marks the opening of stewardship season in our church. This is a time for us to intentionally give what we can to the church and for us to do our part to make sure the church lives on to provide for everyone who enters through our doors. We are given a generous opportunity to make an impact.

And then on top of that, we celebrated a baptism today! As a congregation, we made the promise to nurture him, to assist him as he becomes a faithful disciple, and to recognize him as a loved, special member of our family. We make these same promises every time we baptize a child. With each new baptism, we are given a beautiful, intimate glimpse of the future church and the generations to come.

And then on top of that—this is the last one, I promise—we turn our scripture lesson from today. In the first chapter of 2 Timothy, Paul takes a moment to give thanksgiving for a faith that lasted through generations that ended up making a positive impact on a faithful disciple who would become one of the founding fathers of the Christian Church.

All these happenings in one week with the following core themes. Family. Connection. Impact. Life. Generation to generation to generation. Stories of tragedy, thanksgiving, and celebration. Stories of the past, stories of the future, and stories of the here-and-now all saying similar things. That’s God definitely trying to tell us something, right? Right. Now I’m definitely thinking about the impact life can make on each of us, and how our lives can make an even larger impact in the lives of others.

I want to go back to the text for a moment. 2 Timothy is the last of the Pauline epistles. According to the letter, Paul is currently imprisoned and facing certain death. Since Paul actually mentions his upcoming martyrdom, we can be pretty sure that Paul’s execution has been announced. Since he’s aware of his impending death, Paul’s words in this letter could be considered his last will and testament. These are the words from his deathbed—his final words to his beloved follower Timothy. Knowing these are his last words, I wonder what crossed Paul’s mind. Would he try to right his wrongs? Would he write a letter filled with his life’s regrets? Would he fight for his death sentence to be overturned? Would he beg for mercy?

No, Paul does none of this, but he does consider what he life has been and where life—not just his life, but life as a whole of all creation—where life is headed. He recognizes his present suffering, but he also notes if it is suffering for the gospel, then it is suffering well-endured. He looks to the past, and gives thanks for his ancestors who praised and worshipped God that same way Paul praises and worships God in his current situation. He then gives thanks for Timothy, who followed as a disciple as Paul dedicated his life to serving the Lord and spreading the Gospel. Paul, instead of praying that he may live, prays that he may see Timothy just one last time. But knowing this probably won’t happen, Paul instead gives thanks for Timothy’s sincere faith—a faith that was born and carried through his maternal ancestors.

But Paul doesn’t stop there. Paul urges Timothy to rekindle this gift—to fan his flame of faith. He urges Timothy to be constantly and consistently and continually filled with the Spirit of power and love and self-discipline. Paul with bold, clear words tells Timothy he still has time—and a responsibility to use that time—to make an impact! After all, while Paul’s mission was coming to an end, Timothy’s mission still had years to go with many countries to be reached and thousands of people who longed to hear the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  And then—after Paul’s death and after Timothy’s death—generations to come would hear and follow these miraculous teachings because the countries reached would reach out to even more countries and the people who heard the Gospel would spread the Gospel to even more people. Generations—yes, generations—would continue to hear and live into the great Good News! Look us at now! The Good News is alive and well in us today because our ancestors and those who came before us fanned the flame of faith! 

So now we consider our own our lives. Where we’ve been. Where we are. Where we’re going. We have to remember this. Our faith—like the church—was built upon a foundational Rock. Through the years, this Rock has been formed and transformed, and the faith that was built upon has grew and flourished because of the constant fanning of its flame. Because of the work that was put into it through each and every generation. It is now our duty to strengthen and nourish this foundation just as our ancestors have done before us. To fan the flame. Rekindle the gift. To put the work in. That way, our children and grandchildren and the children of our grandchildren have the very same foundational opportunity that nourished us when we were children ourselves.

Do you hear what Paul said with his final words? He stressed the importance of both innovation and preservation. We are called to inspire and to create new ideas through the spark of new flames, AND we are called to value and to preserve the traditions of the generations before us—to fan their flame—so that these new ideas and these valued traditions will be celebrated by generations to follow. As Presbyterians, I believe we do this best. We are the “Reformed Church, Ever Reforming.”

As the Reformed Church, Ever Reforming: What have we done to innovate? And what have we done to preserve? As we think of our answers, consider this final thought.

Your life lasts more than a lifetime. The things you say; the things you do—they will have an impact on generations to come. Good or bad; the impact we will make matters, and we have a responsibility to make sure that this impact matters in a way we want our church to be remembered by all generations.

Ask God to fill our hearts with the Spirit of power and of love and of self-discipline. Fan the flame; do your part; be good stewards. In this life, we have been given wondrous opportunities by God that involves both preservation and innovation. Thanks be to God for the generations before us. Thanks be to God for the generations to follow. Thanks be to God for our generation to make a positive impact on both. Thanks be to God. Amen.

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Origins of "It is Well with My Soul" 

Late in 1873 Horatio G. Spafford and his family were scheduled to travel from the United States to England for a vacation. Delayed by pressing business, Spafford sent his wife and four daughters ahead on the French liner Ville du Havre. The ship collided with the English ship Lochearn on November 22 and sank in just twelve minutes. Spafford's wife was saved, but his daughters (11-year-old Annie, 9-year-old Maggie, 5-year-old Bessie, and 2-year-old Tanetta) perished. After arriving in Wales, Mrs. Spafford cabled her husband, "Saved alone." Spafford then left by boat to meet her. Near the tragic scene on the high seas he wrote this text. [Adapted from http://www.hymnary.org/text/when_peace_like_a_river_attendeth_my_way]

In God We Trust

“In God We Trust” was preached at Sunnyside Presbyterian Church on Sunday, September 25, 2016. Inspirations found in the sermon include Scripture, commentaries, living by faith, money, and God’s providence.

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1 Timothy 6:6-19

6 Of course, there is great gain in godliness combined with contentment;7 for we brought nothing into the world, so that we can take nothing out of it; 8 but if we have food and clothing, we will be content with these.9 But those who want to be rich fall into temptation and are trapped by many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. 10 For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, and in their eagerness to be rich some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pains.

11 But as for you, man of God, shun all this; pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance, gentleness. 12 Fight the good fight of the faith; take hold of the eternal life, to which you were called and for which you made the good confession in the presence of many witnesses.13 In the presence of God, who gives life to all things, and of Christ Jesus, who in his testimony before Pontius Pilate made the good confession, I charge you 14 to keep the commandment without spot or blame until the manifestation of our Lord Jesus Christ, 15 which he will bring about at the right time—he who is the blessed and only Sovereign, the King of kings and Lord of lords. 16 It is he alone who has immortality and dwells in unapproachable light, whom no one has ever seen or can see; to him be honor and eternal dominion. Amen.

17 As for those who in the present age are rich, command them not to be haughty, or to set their hopes on the uncertainty of riches, but rather on God who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. 18 They are to do good, to be rich in good works, generous, and ready to share,19 thus storing up for themselves the treasure of a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of the life that really is life.

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In the passage that you just heard, was there there a phrase that stood out to you? Or a phrase that sounds oddly familiar? “For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil.” I’m sure you’ve heard it before. “For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil.”

Money. That’s what we’re going to be talking about today. And if any of you don’t believe that hazing in the church is a thing, just remember they gave the new guy this topic and this text. They gave the new guy the sermon on money. No, we’re not in stewardship season… yet. Rather, this is a sermon on living by faith with your money. So I think this is good thing that they gave the new guy the sermon on money. It allows us to get to know one another. For you all to get to know me, for me to learn more about all of you, and for all of us together as a church—the body of Christ—to hear what God intended for us when it comes to our income, finances, and money.

From our earliest of years, we’ve made our own assumptions about what money is and what money can do for us. We’ve been developing that assumption ever since. I want you imagine each significant time you have received some kind of money. Whether it was a penny or a nickel as a young child—your first paycheck as a teenager—a gift in the mail at your graduation or wedding—or the first time you received an income as your started your career. Each time you have further developed this assumption. You saw the importance of money. You learned how to handle it. How you should use. What it is for. What it can do. And what it can’t.  Over time, a unique perspective on money was made, and to be honest, for most of us that perspective is a little off of what God intended. For some of us, it is more than a little off—it is way off. Through misinformation, bad habits, foolish choices, and our own desires; our perspective of money has gotten us into trouble.

That is why, in the passage from today found in 1 Timothy, we hear Paul write, “For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil.” Our wrong perspective on money is a trap that we have set and fallen into ourselves. It is a trap filled with ruin and destruction. It is filled with sorrow and heartache. It is filled with pain. And as I said, we have set this trap ourselves. These are self-inflicted wounds. In the same way, our perspective on money has created more troubles that just individual problems. We see these problems in global economies, government policies, systematic injustices—these too are self-inflicted wounds. I recognize those troubles, but I believe if we take a moment and consider our own individual perspective on money, we can make a positive change that can be seen across the world. 

Let’s be honest for a second. Too many of us are constantly worried about our finances. We all experience this worry differently, but in one way or another, it is there for all of us. For some us, the struggle comes with not having enough money. How will I pay for this? Can I afford that? Am I able to provide for my family? For others, the struggle comes from spending too much time earning money. Does money really buy happiness? Am I spending too much time away from home? Have I saved and saved but never used my money for something good? This is where the worry begins to set in. The troubles start. The panic ensues. And then we find ourselves trapped all because the assumptions we have made about money.

There’s one big assumption that most of us share that gets us into all kinds of trouble with our money. Here it is: That because we assume money and other material things are in our possession, it is our possession. We’re not wrong to make this assumption. Why wouldn’t we feel that way? We worked hard for our money. We’ve earned our income. We made it through school. We worked long hours at our job. We budgeted and invested just like we should. We’ve achieved success. We deserve this! But when we consider who gave this to us—maybe we don’t. Maybe we don’t deserve what we have. Or at least, we don’t deserve to believe that what we own is ours to own. Maybe in the grander scheme of things when we consider it in relation to God… it is not my money; it is not your money; it is not our money. What we own is not ours to own.

Because we have made the assumption that our money is ours—because we think we can do with it what we please—we make foolish choices. Maybe we have wasted it. We spend money we don’t have to buy the things we don’t need. Or maybe we have become greedy with it. To get more we have spent long hours abandoning the time and life with the people we love. Either way, we haven’t used it for the good God intended it to be used for. It’s this perception that leads us to the ruin and destruction Paul wrote about. It’s dangerous to want more—to waste and to be greedy.

On every dollar bill and every monetary coin in the United States is our motto, “In God We Trust.” This is a reminder we can use every time we receive a paycheck. “In God We Trust.” This is a reminder we can use every time we pay a bill. “In God We Trust.” If we use this reminder every day and believe in what it says, maybe our perception of money will change. We’ll start to believe that we are God’s own and because we are God’s own, what we own is also owned by God. In this, we surrender our power and control—our wealth and our destruction—to God who in return allows us to pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance, and gentleness. In God We Trust.

Is that not what Paul is saying? To place our trust and hope in God. Listen again to the portion of 1 Timothy that we read together: “As for those who in the present age are rich, command them not to be haughty, or to set their hopes on the uncertainty of riches, but rather on God who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. They are to do good, to be rich in good works, generous, and ready to share, thus storing up for themselves the treasure of a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of the life that really is life.”

We were always destined to pursue a certain quality of life that has nothing to do with money or other material possessions. It is a different kind of wealth. It’s the wealth we celebrate. It is finding our meaning and calling. It is having a sense and a purpose in life. It is investing in something such as the earth that will be enjoyed by generations to come. It is being surrounded by friends and family who love and need us. It is allowing these relationships to grow deeper throughout the years. It is to be grateful for what we have. It is to be thankful for the people we have. It is to celebrate that God is our God and we are God’s children. We do not find our meaning in life by what we can or cannot buy with our money. We find it in our calling to serve God and to serve others. Let us be rich in good works in response to God’s glory and grace. This is our calling. This is how we live faithfully.

In comparison to all of this, money is not the key to happiness. It’s not critical. It’s not at the heart of the matter. But that being said, we have to be honest. We live in a capitalistic society. Money is necessary. It is a tool we have to use. While we would love to focus only on the things that actually provide fulfillment and joy, we have to be realistic and recognize money is a part of life. So how do we use our money in a way that is pleasing to God? Especially when recognize that it is not ours to own but rather God’s.

What would be the odds that every member of this church owns the exact same amount of money? It’s not likely. This church like all churches reflect society as a whole. Some folks have more, some folks have less. But yet it is true. Every member of this church—every single member of society—owns the same amount of money. Nothing. Zip. Nada. Zero.

This is God’s world and we are just one small part of it. Our money is an even smaller part… but even this is also God’s.

Paul is telling us in this passage that assumed ownership is an illusion. After all, it is God who not only created everything but still continues to provide us with everything we need. Paul writes, “We brought nothing into the world, so that can take nothing out of it.”  We’re just passing through this earthly life till one day we head to our heavenly home.

We may control a few things such as money and other material possessions for a while, but we don’t actually own anything. Everything that we think we own will be owned by someone else eventually. It just passes from generation to generation. We do not and never will take our money with us after this life. It will be gone and passed on.

The Bible tells us this over and over. We don’t own a thing. We are just managing it. You and I, we’re just managing God’s stuff. We are managing it for the Great One who does own it. Just because something is in our possession, doesn’t mean it is our possession. It is and always has been and always will be God’s.

Here’s another crucial thought. At some point we have to give an account for it. We have to account for how we’ve managed God’s stuff, God’s money, God’s possessions. A good manager tries to manage well. Wisely. Carefully. Considerably. Not only that, a good manager not only tries to manage well, but a good manager does so out of the respect for the owner. A good manager tries to advance the plans and follows the desires of the owner. If we remember that this owner is God, then this new perspective can change how we handle our money. Maybe we’ll make less foolish choices. We’ll avoid that trap of ruin and destruction. Rather, if we remember it is in God we place our trust and our hope and that we are just managers for God’s stuff—then a miraculous thing happens. We begin to open our eyes and start to see the world just as God sees it.

God doesn’t care about only this or only that. Not just our spiritual bodies or our physical possessions. No, God cares for it all. God owns it all. When we begin seeing the world as God sees it—it alters our perception on money—the needs it can meet—the good it can do! The good that we can do!

Now the moment you’ve been waiting for… you’ve been waiting for me to tell what the good is that you can with your money. But I’m afraid I can’t do that. I can’t tell you to do this or to do that. To give here or the spend it there. No, I can’t do that. After all, I’m just another manager of God’s stuff. What I’m trying to do is for all us to consider our perspective on money in relation to God who is the Owner. So instead of me telling you what to do, you and I both need to go and talk to the Owner. You and I both need to talk to God. I don’t know exactly what God wants each of you to do. The changes God wants each of you to make. I don’t know how God wants you to spend or give your money. You have to go and ask God yourself. Have that conversation. Spend time in prayer. And then as you figure out what God wants for you, go do it.

It is the love of money that traps us. It is the love of God that frees us. Open yourself to a new perspective of viewing your money. Allow it to free you from ruin and destruction. Allow it to let you pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance, and gentleness. Place your trust and hope in God. We are the managers. God is the Ultimate Owner. Open your eyes and allow yourself to see how God sees the world. Use your life and the money you manage and the stuff you possess, use that to glorify God and bring purpose and meaning to your life. This is God’s world. Everything we are and everything we own are a part of that. In God We Trust. That’s where we start. Thanks be to God. Amen.

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Dreamcatcher

“Dreamcatcher” was preached at University of Colorado Health Hospital on Wednesday, July 27, 2016. It was part of the weekly chapel service open to all patients, families, and staff of the hospital regardless of their religious affiliation, spiritual background, faith tradition, or belief system. Inspirations and themes for this short reflection included Scripture, the presence of God, accessibility, commonality, and a universal message.

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Psalm 46

1 God is our refuge and strength,

     a very present help in trouble.

2 Therefore we will not fear, though the earth should change,

     though the mountains shake in the heart of the sea;

3 though its waters roar and foam,

     though the mountains tremble with its tumult.

4 There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God,

     the holy habitation of the Most High.

5 God is in the midst of the city; it shall not be moved;

     God will help it when the morning dawns.

6 The nations are in an uproar, the kingdoms totter;

     he utters his voice, the earth melts.

7 The Lord of hosts is with us;

     the God of Jacob is our refuge.

8 Come, behold the works of the Lord;

     see what desolations he has brought on the earth.

9 He makes wars cease to the end of the earth;

     he breaks the bow, and shatters the spear;

     he burns the shields with fire.

10 “Be still, and know that I am God!

     I am exalted among the nations,

     I am exalted in the earth.”

11 The Lord of hosts is with us;

     the God of Jacob is our refuge.

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Be still, my soul. Be still, your soul. Be still and know who is your God. Be still.

When I was younger, during my early years in elementary school, my parents bought me a small dreamcatcher. Made of interwoven feathers, leather, and twine; it hung for years on my closet door next to my bed. During those nights when I awoke in a sweat of fears, I would look at my little dreamcatcher and allow my fears to be caught into its web of protection. I practiced this same act for years: my fears being continuously defeated by this little interwoven circle. Over the nights, months, and years; my fears would eventually come back and new fears would be formed, but my dreamcatcher was always this same solid source of comfort. I truly believed it to be a shield against my nightmares. It would take my fears and give me back a sense of peace. I was filled with comfort because I believed in what a dreamcatcher could do.

Over the years, my room changed. From galaxy painted walls to posters of rock bands; from my little boy bunk bed to my first “adult” full size bed; everything in my room was changing, but still on my closet, next to my bed, hung my dreamcatcher. As my room changed, so did I and I eventually outgrew my need for my dreamcatcher, or at least I thought I did. However, I couldn’t ever allow myself to get rid of it; it actually never crossed my mind to get rid of it, and so there it hung, for years and years: my little dreamcatcher.

A few weeks ago I went to visit my parents, and as I entered into my childhood bedroom, I saw that little dreamcatcher hanging on my old closet just as it’s always been. I found myself smiling for a moment. How has it survived all these years? And then I thought about how easy it was as a child. To take my fears and give them away to a little interwoven circle of feathers, leather, and twine. It took my nightmares and my worries; it took my grief and my sorrow. It took it all. “Wow,” I thought to myself, “What a gift. That little dreamcatcher.”

What ever happened to the fears of our childhood? Did they go away? Did they cease to exist? Or did they just transform? Become greater as we aged? Did they become just a little more real and tangible, as we no longer just feared for ourselves but also our loved ones? As we feared for our parents, our siblings, our children? Whatever happened to our fears? And whatever happened to our dreamcatcher? Whatever happened to that the force that would give us a sense of peace when our fears overwhelmed us?

Be still, my soul. Be still, your soul. Be still and know who is your God. Be still.

We are told not to be afraid. We are told not to fear. But we are human, and it is only human to fear and to be afraid. It is natural and it is real. To fully rid ourselves of our fears is impossible and to ignore them would be foolish. They are there for a reason. They must be there for a reason. We are human, and we are afraid. That is okay. It is okay to be afraid.

It is okay to be afraid because we are not alone in our fear. We have never been alone. The Lord of Hosts is with us. My God, your God, our God is with us. While this God resonates as the Trinitarian Deity of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit for me, it may be another higher power for you. Justice, compassion, love, or grace; the teachings of Buddha or the God of Jacob; the power of the earth or the experiences of humankind – there is a mighty Dreamcatcher. A Dreamcatcher that comes to us at all times, especially in our times of fear, to be with us. To give us a sense of peace. To show us a sign of presence. To be the calm in the storm. To give us refuge and strength in our troubles. To be our force of protection. What can your Dreamcatcher do? What can your God do? Our fears may be great, but I promise you this, our God is greater.

Be still, my soul. Be still, your soul. Be still and know who is your God. Be still.

Be still. Amen.

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Eternal God,

Send your Holy Spirit into our hearts,

To direct and rule us according to your will,

To comfort us in all our afflictions,

To defend us from all error,

And to lead us into all truth.

We hear your words, O God. We hear your call to us.

Be still and know that I am God.

Be still and know that I am.

Be still and know.

Be still.

Be.

Amen.

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The Present of Presence

“The Present of Presence” was preached at First Presbyterian Church of Sterling, Colorado on Sunday, July 17, 2016. Inspirations for this sermon include Scripture, current events, commentaries, Clinical Pastoral Education experiences, and “Misery” by Anton Chekhov.

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Luke 10:38-42

38 Now as they went on their way, Jesus entered a certain village, where a woman named Martha welcomed him into her home. 39 She had a sister named Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet and listened to what he was saying. 40 But Martha was distracted by her many tasks; so she came to him and asked, “Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to do all the work by myself? Tell her then to help me.” 41 But the Lord answered her, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and distracted by many things; 42 there is need of only one thing. Mary has chosen the better part, which will not be taken away from her.”

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I recently read a short story by late Russian writer and playwright Anton Chekhov as part of the curriculum for my Clinical Pastoral Education as a hospital chaplain. The story is titled, “Misery” with the tagline, “To Whom Shall I Tell My Grief?” The story – written in 1886 – tells the tale of the sledge-driver Iona Potapov as he struggles to tell someone—anyone—about the recent death of his son.  Throughout the night Iona gives rides on his large sled pulled by his mare. Three times Iona attempts to share his grief from the loss of his son. He tells a military officer, he tells a group of drunkards, he tells the young stable boy; all three dismiss Iona’s story and leave Iona to process his grief alone. His story is ignored; his grief builds up; his loneliness sets in. There’s no one to listen to Iona’s story until at the end of the story where Iona goes out into the cold winter stables to visit his mare that pulled his sled all through the night. It is then to her that he shares his grief. Listen to the end of Chekhov’s story:

“The old man sighs and scratches himself.... Just as the young man had been thirsty for water, he thirsts for speech. His son will soon have been dead a week, and he has not really talked to anybody yet.... He wants to talk of it properly, with deliberation.... He wants to tell how his son was taken ill, how he suffered, what he said before he died, how he died.... He wants to describe the funeral, and how he went to the hospital to get his son's clothes. He still has his daughter Anisya in the country.... And he wants to talk about her too.... Yes, he has plenty to talk about now. His listener ought to sigh and exclaim and lament....

"Let's go out and have a look at the mare," Iona thinks. "There is always time for sleep.... You'll have sleep enough, no fear...."

He puts on his coat and goes into the stables where his mare is standing. He thinks about oats, about hay, about the weather.... He cannot think about his son when he is alone.... To talk about him with someone is possible, but to think of him and picture him is insufferable anguish....

"Are you munching?" Iona asks his mare, seeing her shining eyes. "There, munch away, munch away.... Since we have not earned enough for oats, we will eat hay.... Yes,... I have grown too old to drive.... My son ought to be driving, not I.... He was a real cabman.... He ought to have lived...."

Iona is silent for a while, and then he goes on:

"That's how it is, old girl.... Kuzma Ionitch is gone.... He said good-bye to me.... He went and died for no reason.... Now, suppose you had a little colt, and you were the mother to that little colt. ... And all at once that same little colt went and died.... You'd be sorry, wouldn't you?"

The little mare munches, listens, and breathes on her master's hands. Iona is carried away and tells her all about it.”

My chaplain colleagues and I have a running joke as a lesson we took away from this story. When we visit with a patient or a patient’s family, we try to channel the mare. “Be the mare,” we often say, “Be the mare. Be attentive; be aware; be compassionate; be present. Listen to their story. Be the mare….. Be the mare.”

Then we turn to our Gospel reading for today: Jesus visits the sisters Mary and Martha. The story is relatable to Chekhov’s for there is one character that is attentive and aware and compassionate and present. There is one character that listens to the story. Similar to the mare, we have the character Mary. Be the mare. Be the Mary.  But what about Martha? Reading this story would cause one to think the Mary did everything right and Martha did everything wrong… but this isn’t completely true. Let me explain.

Chapter ten in the Gospel of Luke is filled with acts and challenges for Christians today to follow. It has the mission of the seventy where Jesus tells seventy of his followers to go into the towns ahead of them to evangelize, heal the sick, and spread peace. Jesus tells them to go into houses and to eat and drink whatever their hosts provide. “Go on your way,” he tells them, “Go.”

Then directly preceding Jesus’ visit to Mary and Martha is The Parable of the Good Samaritan. It is a well-known parable that tells the story of a man who during his journey from Jerusalem to Jericho fell into the hands of robbers. As the man laid there crippled on the road, two times was he passed and ignored. It wasn’t until a Samaritan saw the man, bandaged his wounds, and took him to the nearest inn where the Samaritan paid for the man’s recovery. Jesus’ lesson in this parable was for his followers to be like the Samaritan. “Go and do likewise,” he tells them. “Go. Do.”

So can we really blame Martha? She was going and doing, going and doing. She was being a good host. She was extending hospitality to her guest.  She was trying to listen to and follow the very advice that Jesus had just given to his followers. Going and doing. But Martha became distracted by this advice, and she became worried by Jesus’ teachings. In fact, in attempt to be a good host, Martha lost what makes a host a good host in the first place: attentiveness, awareness, compassion, and presence.

Mary, on the other hand, did not help her sister. She was not going or doing. Rather, she sat at the Lord’s feet and listened to what he was saying. She was present with Jesus, and Jesus was present with her. When Martha complained at the lack of her sister’s help, Jesus invites Martha to do the same as her sister Mary reminding Martha that his presence is the thing needed and the thing that will not be taken away from them.

What Martha did wasn’t completely wrong. What Mary did wasn’t completely right. Mary was just able to discern what was better in that moment, and in that moment the sisters needed to be with Jesus. They needed to sit at Lord’s feet and receive his words. They needed to be in his presence for at that moment; that was his gift to them. It was the present of presence, and I think we could all use that same gift today, a reminder that we are in the presence of one another and in the presence of the Lord.

This summer has been filled with pain and grief, sorrow and anguish. From the shooting in Orlando where 49 LGBTQ people of color were shot down to deaths of Alton Sterling and Philando Castile. From police officers lives that were lost in Dallas and Baton Rouge to terrorist attacks overseas. In Turkey, in France, In Syria. In the Middle East. Even this week on Wednesday, July 20 is the four-year anniversary of the Aurora movie theatre shooting.  It’s these events and these acts of violence that make me want to scream and cry and lament, “How long, O Lord? How long?”

And then I read a story like Chekhov’s where a man tells his grief to a mare or the story where Jesus invites Mary and Martha to be in his presence, and I am reminded that I am not alone. I am reminded that God—the Creator, Redeemer, and Sustainer of all life—is present this day and all of days. This is promised, and this will not be taken away. The very presence of God, Christ, and the Spirit will not be taken away. They cannot be taken away. No worries or distractions can take them away. No amount of grief or sorrow or pain or anguish can take them away. Nothing. Nothing can or will take them away for it is written nothing in creation will separate us from the love and grace and presence of our Lord and Savior.

We live in a society where we believe our worth is measured by how busy we are, what we accomplish, or how well we meet the expectations of others. It’s okay to be busy and it’s okay to succeed… but when it feels like the world is falling down around us, we need to be reminded of something else. If it’s your world or the world of the people you love, if it’s the world of your neighbor or the world of the strangers across the globe, know this. When the world falls down around you, God stands taller and mightier and greater. Be reminded of this. We are called to be in the gracious presence of Jesus. We are called to listen to his words. We are called to remember that we are not valued for what we do or how well we do it, but simply for the fact that we are individually, wonderfully, and fearfully made children of God.

Our hearts may break, but they will be healed. Our souls may shatter, but they will be restored. 

Neither Mary nor Martha were wrong. Martha went and did. Mary listened and received. The challenge is to discern when one over the other is better in that moment. Listening and doing.  Being in the presence of God and serving our neighbor. Both are vital to Christian life. It’s like inhaling and exhaling. One is not better than the other, but both are necessary for us to breathe. Both work in partnership to fill our lungs with fresh air, so that we may continue on our way. Like the breath that fills our bodies, God’s presence fills our soul, so that we may continue to receive God’s Word and to serve our neighbors. Be the mare. Be the Mary. Be the Martha. Be you in the presence of God.

My friends, Jesus invites you to sit and rest at his feet and to hear his words of beauty and truth. He calls you to know that you are loved beyond measure and valued without comparison. You are a child of God; we are all children of God. Be renewed in your faith and be strengthened for your service. God is with you this day and all of days. It is the gift of grace. It is the present of presence. Thanks be to God.

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Gracious God, Merciful God, Loving God; we ask you remind us of your presence. Be with us in our times of grief and suffering. This world is filled with pain, but it is also filled with joy. Help us to remember that. Allow us to sit at your feet and receive your Word. Allow us to go out and serve our neighbor. Allow us to love the same way you love us. We know nothing can separate us from your presence, O God, and we give you thanks for that. Your love and grace are gifts of abundance to us. In Christ’s name we pray, Amen.

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