What to do with Sabbath?

• Twentyfourth Sunday in Ordinary Time

on Matthew 12:1-14, 

in which Jesus draws the ire of the Pharisees 

for his understanding of the Sabbath.

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• When I meet with couples in premarital meetings I present them with list of ten emotional needs and then I have them each force rank them, order them from greatest priority to least. Force rank does not mean that some are not important it means they're lesser priority.

We're messy living beings and we have to set priorities.

• God has set priorities for folks, even so we both need help narrowing priorities down (what is the greatest commandment?) AND we have ability to set em ourselves, which can be dangerous, and upsetting to some when our priorities do not match theirs.

• Christians are in an odd spot. On the one hand, “Sabbath” is mentioned nearly 200 times in Old and New Testaments. God is a jealous God, very serious about people honoring the Sabbath. And yet on the other hand, Jesus heals on the Sabbath half a dozen times or more, and if he doesn't defy he challenges commonly held Sabbath practices, and the church has honored the Sabbath on Sunday for many centuries, if not back to the first century.

• Pharisees concerned with letter of interpretation of law: make sure you don't do this.
Jesus concerned with spirit of law: honor God. Plan rest.
And when prioritizing, love and compassion come first.

God wants our hearts more than our mindless obedience.

• Little House on the Prairie. Sabbath seemed like Sunday punishment. 

Should be celebration.

• Brother Lawrence (17^th century monk, The Practice of the Presence of God)
lived sacramentally moment to moment... IMO even better than setting aside Sabbath.

“Consecrate all your years to His love; I assure you, if I had known Him sooner, and if the things that I tell you new had been told me, I would not have waited so long to love Him. Believe and count as lost all the time that is not spent in loving God!” (p. 48)

When a monk asked him what he was doing and what was occupying his mind, he replied, “I am doing what I will do throughout all eternity. I am blessing God, I am praising God, and I am adoring and loving Him with all my heart. This sums up our entire call and duty, brothers: to adore God and to love Him, without worrying about the rest.” (p. 55)

• The “word of the Lord” is not cold mindless checklist, but lives (& thrives!) in our hearts
and God requires us to spend ourselves in service and in love, and to not neglect rest.

Sunday prayer from This Day (a prayer book I use): 

God of great deeds: on the first day of the week you wondrously called forth light out of darkness. On the first day of the week you graciously raised Jesus from the dead. On the first day of the week you powerfully formed the church through your gift of the Holy Spirit. By this triple witness you testify to us concerning your covenant love. Grant that all who worship you this day may do so in spirit and in truth, and present to you a living sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving; through Christ our Savior. Amen.

• Hymn: The Church of Christ in Every Age

Open Carry

• Twentythird Sunday in Ordinary Time

on Matthew 11:25-30, 

in which Jesus praises God as Father 

and invites weary ones to try his yoke.

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• Author unknown, The Trouble Tree...

The carpenter I hired to help me restore an old farmhouse had just finished a rough first day on the job. A flat tire made him lose an hour of work, his electric saw quit, and now his ancient pickup truck refused to start. While I drove him home, he sat in stony silence.

On arriving, he invited me in to meet his family. As we walked toward the front door, he paused briefly at a small tree, touching the tips of the branches with both hands. When opening the door he underwent an amazing transformation. His tanned face was wreathed in smiles and he hugged his two small children and gave his wife a kiss.

Afterward he walked me to the car. We passed the tree and my curiosity got the better of me. I asked him about what I had seen him do earlier.

"Oh, that's my trouble tree," he replied." I know I can't help having troubles on the job, but one thing's for sure, troubles don't belong in the house with my wife and the children. So I just hang them on the tree every night when I come home. Then in the morning I pick them up again."

He paused. "Funny thing is," he smiled, "when I come out in the morning to pick 'em up, there ain't nearly as many as I remember hanging up the night before.

There's a kind of freedom you can only get by releasing your troubles,
laying them down. In doing so you free yourself, you open your arms your hands to receive blessings instead.

• In Matthew 11, Beautiful passage of God's grace offered in, through, & by Jesus Christ. Come to me, weary and burdened, my yoke is easy, my burden light.

There's a kind of exhausting works-righteousness that Jesus is speaking against here, a notion that there's a behavior-modification you can do to achieve the peace that God offers. (as if the trouble tree replaces meaningful relationship with God)

Jesus had seen the way religious leaders had heaped burdens and rules and practices on peoples' lives, turning the Law (which was given that it may go well with you) into legalistic lists devoid of life.

See Matthew 23, where Jesus fleshes that out: The teachers of the law and the Pharisees sit in Moses' seat... but do not do what they do... they tie up heavy loads and put them on men's shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to lift a finger to move them... 

(Trouble tree is no substitute for relationship).

• One time I was asked if I actually liked being married. Middle school girl who viewed the wedding ring as a shackle, a “ball and chain”. 

No, it's a sign of a wonderful relationship, a celebration not a limitation.
This girl needed to see marriage differently. Up to me to “open carry”.

And so as a Christian. Some people see religion as lifeless and restricting. They need to see people “open carrying” Christianity as a wonderful relationship, a celebration not a limitation.

Yoke both restrains and enables, and no one lives without yoke.

It is not a burden to be Christian, it is a joy to know God, to share life.

Carry yoke of Jesus.

• Jesus came to redeem the world of the brokenness that sin brought into the world, including the brokenness of religion, somehow thinking that if you do all these right things, if you follow this checklist of dos and don'ts you can behavior-modify yourself out of sin and into grace.

• God gave law and the law is good, but we cannot sufficiently meet its demands to earn God's grace – that is pure gift. God says I will cover you. Give me your heart, for I can do more with your heart than your measured legalism. I desire your obedience, yes, but I desire your heart so much more. Let me shoulder your burden with you, let me show you how to live, let me fill you and fulfill you.

And our response: praise, and open carry.

• Let Jesus sustain you.

• Into communion liturgy

Paradox and Repentance

• Twentysecond Sunday in Ordinary Time

on Matthew 11:16-24, 

in which Jesus scolds unrepentant cities.

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• Earlier in chapter, we affirm identity of Jesus Christ, 

and of John the Baptist.
Now we learn about the crowds... about people in general.

People are fickle. 

John the Baptist ate sparingly and didn't drink, 
but the people were not satisfied with him. He was weird. (Matt 11:18)

Jesus ate with sinners and drank,
and the people called him a glutton and a drunk. (Matt 11:19)

People have seen Jesus in action and have remained unmoved.

People have seen miracles and have not changed lives or actions. 
(Matt 11:20)

People are hard-hearted, like Pharoah.

And Jesus should remind you of Moses, 

God's chosen one sent to free the people.

• Jesus has done miracles,

& miracles should get attention 

and should inspire change.
But the people are unmoved.

• So Jesus reminds that if you lay down with dogs you'll get fleas.

The laws of God are good and just.

And if you follow it's for your benefit.

•  On the Last Day it'll be better for Sodom 

than Tyre, Sidon, Capernaum. (Matt 11:22)

The sins of T, S, or C aren't spelled out here,
but we do know the sins of Sodom...

Ezekiel 16:49 Sin of Sodom is this: She and her daughters were arrogant, overfed and unconcerned; they did not help the poor and needy. 
They were haughty and did detestable things before me.

Pride, gluttony, unmoved, stingy... These are the sins of Sodom.

Laws of God are for your benefit...

Humility, simplicity, generosity, compassion... 
These are fruits of repentance, signs of God's priority in your life.

These are qualities Jesus demands.

And Jesus gives us grace. 
It's a paradox because grace is freely given: 
there is nothing we can do to earn saving grace 
(i.e. works righteousness) AND our works must reflect God's grace... 
the fruits of repentance must be evident in our living.

Jesus gives both warning and encouragement (paradox).

When he comes again, how would you like to look him in the eye?

I need him. I want to be like him.

• Hymn 206 I Want to Walk as a Child of the Light

The Beginning of the End

• Twentyfirst Sunday in Ordinary Time

on Matthew 11:1-15, 

in which John the Baptist wonders about Jesus the Christ, 

and Jesus commends and edifies JtB.

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• John the Baptist sends two disciples to ask whether the Christ is the One.

• Two ways of looking at JtB's question... does he doubt, or not doubt?
Traditional: doubt. JtB imprisioned, Jesus not meeting his messianic expectations...
Possible: JtB confesses Christ, and is strengthening witness of disciples.

Regardless, Jesus points to several messianic passages (Isa 35 and 61) and says, “What do YOU think?”

And then Jesus commends and edifies JtB.
JtB is nothing to sneeze at. JtB is the real deal.
JtB is the predecessor of God's chosen one. Look at the prophets' writings.

• It's reassuring. To JtB, to JtB's disciples, to the crowds, to the original hearers, to US.

...that Jesus is the one told about in Isaiah...
...that the time is NOW (every now)...
...that God is redeeming...

• Jesus assures b/c ppl need assurance.
It's why we say “I love you” more than once.

• Jesus assures b/c we tend to see what we want to see... 

we find an explanation or expectation we're comfortable with 

and we stick with that.

Yet Jesus did not fit the popular expectations, 

and tends not to remain in boxes...

• Jesus assures b/c we constantly hear otherwise.

Assurance threatened by racism oppression violence
by ISIS, terrorism, abuse, poverty
by drug crime, depression

• Recall the promises of God and the actions of Jesus (healer, savior, chosen) who strengthens us 

-- to pick up cross
-- to remain faithful (verse 6)
(may Jesus' negligence to meet our expectations not cause us to stumble)
-- and to bear witness

• Live in expectation that the end is near,
and not in confidence that you always have another day.

• Hymn 421 Make Me a Captive, Lord 

(btw in verse 2: “wind” rhymes with “find”)

Huddle Up

• Twentieth Sunday in Ordinary Time

on Matthew 10:34-11:1, Jesus sent the Twelve to teach and preach and heal, to proclaim that the Kingdom of Heaven is near... Coach Jesus's “huddle up” speech comes to an end.

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• Matthew 10:34-11:1, in which Jesus' warning slash encouragement speech concludes.

• Honestly I'm a little glad to come to end of Chap10, ready for Chap11. We've had four weeks of Jesus' speech to disciples,
and the tension has been ratcheting up.

(btw, it takes about six minutes to read the chapter, & it IS one speech...)

It starts out nice, go and proclaim the Kingdom of Heaven is near,
I give you authority to drive out evil spirits and heal the sick.

But oh: travel light. And folks may not welcome you. 

I'm sending you out like sheep among wolves?

You'll be handed over to the government and flogged? 

Hated and persecuted and killed?

And now disciples must choose between God and family, 

and pick up a cross?

This chapter makes a person squirm a bit.

Because Jesus calls for a pretty high level of commitment.

Why? Because the level of pain in the world requires a pretty high level of commitment.
 

Because the powers of God >> powers of darkness.

• The world can be inhospitable.

Shooting of 18-yo Michael Brown last Sat outside St. Louis. Young man not even the latest in line of not a handful, not dozens, but hundreds of black men slain by white cops in the last decade. There are peaceful protestors as well as rioters and looters. Not much peace. Not much understanding. World can be inhospitable.

Death by suicide of Robin Williams. Because depression, addiction, disease (Parkinsons).

Depression is a real medical condition, needs treated like a medical condition just like diabetes or high blood pressure need treated. 

Ongoing trouble in Middle East. Islamic group ISIS taken control of dam that provides power and water for 7 million inhabitants of Baghdad, US seeking to remove from power, reports of ISIS killing dozens or more, plus thousands of refugees without access to adequate necessities.

Drug abuse addiction trafficking in our own Huntington / tristate area.

• The world can be inhospitable but God is stronger,
and people need to know that the KOH is near, is here,
that there is hope, there is relief, there is renewal, there is justice
that though there be grave darkness in the world 

the darkness does not overcome.

Jesus quotes Micah 7:6, which describes the sad state of affairs in Israel...
Look on to verse 8: 

Though I have fallen, I will rise. 

Though I sit in darkness, the Lord will be my light. 

He will bring me out into the light; 

I will see his righteousness.

• This is the speech of encouragment that Coach Jesus gives.

But he's not just coach. He's team Captain. 

What's he do at the end of the speech?

11:1 When Jesus finished teaching his twelve disciples, he went on from there to teach and preach in their cities.

He's on the field. So let's go.

• Hymn 396 O Jesus I Have Promised

Courageous

• Nineteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

on Matthew 10:26-33, Jesus sent the Twelve to teach and preach and heal, to proclaim that the Kingdom of Heaven is near... and tells 'em there will be opposition.

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• Jesus' warning / encouragement speech in Matthew 10 continues.
Don't be afraid of those who can kill the body...
God values you. Don't deny God.

→ Life & faith & discipleship are bigger than our years on earth.

• Persecution is alive and well in the world.
We've been horrified at news over the last week or more about Christian genocide in the Middle East, young and old being tortured, raped, beheaded, because they're Christians. Tens of thousands starving in mountains where they're trying to escape persecution.

And there are no easy answers. Negotiate? Deny Christ? Retaliate?

• I take comfort in belief / knowledge / hope that God will ultimately prevail, and that earthly sufferings and injustices are but temporary afflictions. They are horrific now but will be but a fleeting glimpse then.

2 Corinthians 4:17 (NCV) We have small troubles for a while now, but they are helping us gain an eternal glory that is much greater than the troubles.
(Also verse 1, we do not lose heart – be courageous!)

1 Peter 2:24 (NIV) “He himself bore our sins” in his body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness ...”

• Your discipleship may not be challenged like Iraqi Christians' today,
yet it does no good to “weigh” your challenges against theirs,
any more than it helps starving kids in India when you clean your plate.

• Hebrews 10:23 (NRSV) Let us hold fast to the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who has promised is faithful.

• What to do? Keep the faith. Terrible to drop your light because of darkness elsewhere.
What to do? Church / recharge / refuge / huddle
What to do? PRAY. Pray specifically. For strength, for relief, for end of persecution,
for peace, for hearts to change. For course.

Write. Send $. Maintain local witness. Acknowledge Father.

• Hymn 468 Dear Jesus, in whose life I see...

Jesus' D-Day Pep Talk

• Eighteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

on Matthew 10:16-25, Jesus sent the Twelve to teach and preach and heal, to proclaim that the Kingdom of Heaven is near... and tells 'em there will be opposition.

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• That was quite a storm we had yesterday. High winds, black clouds, sideways rain... reminded me of my cousin's wedding 20 years ago, at least the rehearsal. Incredible storm the night before the wedding. It was an outdoor wedding, on the banks of the San Antonio River, which was a raging torrent of swirling muddy water from the rains the night before. Perfect illustration for the priest's wedding homily, don't you think?

Kind of like Jesus' little pep talk here. Pep talk? It's alarming! True, but...
see General Patton's address to troops just two weeks before D-Day...

“You are not all going to die.  Only two percent of you, right here today, would be killed in a major battle.  Death must not be feared.  Death, in time, comes to all of us.  And every man is scared in his first action... Every single man in the Army plays a vital role.  Every man has his job to do and must do it.” (G. Patton, pre-D-Day pep talk.)

Jesus, sending The Twelve into discipleship, does not sugar coat. Some will die. Persevere.

Don't ask why do bad things happen, but what do we do when bad things happen? Peresevere. Hold head high. Think outside the box. Be creative.
What DON'T we do? Don't despair. Don't cave in. Don't give up.

• One aspect of Christianity is discipleship, resolve. Be like Christ.
In difficult circumstances, what did Christ do? Held head high.
Withdrew. Prayed.
Face circumstances w/ fear maybe, but not cowardice.
Jesus' pep talk: Trials and beatings, even execution, they're gonna happen. Persevere.

& when it happens, it's not a sign that you're supposed to stop.
Sometimes we look at difficult circumstances as signs to quit,
when in fact they may be signs that we're on the right path!

Rev. Shauna Hyde, (First UMC, Ravenswood) addressing local hunger needs via outdoor refrigrator. Until complaints brought in Health Dept. Tuck tail or persevere?

• Jesus says you will have opposition.
From trusted leaders maybe. Even from family.
Don't despair. Persevere.
Jesus was betrayed by close friend. He's with you.

The original audience of this passage would've thought of Micah 7:6 Son disrespects father / a daughter rises up against her mother / a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law / the enemies of a man are those of his own household.

How about the next verse:

7 But me! I will keep watch for the Lord /
 I will wait for the God of my salvation; / my God will hear me.

• Per last week: there's an urgency to Jesus' message.
The time to proclaim is now.
Verse 23 you won't even get through all of Israel before the Son of Man comes...
By our understanding, SOM hasn't returned... but...
I work better w/ deadline than ambiguity, how about you? Don't delay.

• Also trials = witness opportunity. Whereas last week's message was to go to the lost sheep of Israel, this week you'll speak to foreign kings... your witness will be heard far and wide, and news of the Kingdom will spread.

• Hymn 617 I Come With Joy...