7/12/09 from my sermon from II Sam 6:1-5, 12b-19
I can see it now....a church staff position...Minister of Fun. At the job interview, "What qualifications do you have?" "I went to clown school, then I got my undergraduate degree in humor, my Masters of Hilarity, and I'm working on my Ph. D., Doctor of Pfthlllth." Wouldn't that be fun?
Ain't we got fun...in the church? Once upon a time I was visiting with a first time guest at another church I served. She came with her little daughter. During the service, her daughter leaned over to her and said, "Mommy, who died?" "Why do you ask, honey?" "Because everyone looks so sad." Ouch.
Christ died. But I like what one child said to me when I was doing a children's sermon on Easter once. "Yeah, Christ died....but he didn't stay dead too long!" Thank God! We have good news to share. So can church be fun?
King David and company sure had fun. They were moving the long-forgotten Ark from its storage place to Jerusalem. Our scripture reads like a liturgical procession....there was an order of worship....that included fun. There was dancing...singing....musical instruments...lavish offerings.....ritual feasting. There was ecstacy within liturgy.
It reminds me of what happens in a Jewish worship service. Have you ever been? At one point in the service, they open the Ark....yes that is the word...the place where the Torah scrolls are kept. They open these ornate doors, pull out a beautiful, large scroll, and then the rabbi walks through the congregation. People smile, laugh, give thanks to God. They kiss it as it passes, touch it with their hands, touch it with their prayer books. It is a joyful moment. One would even say that they were having fun in worship!
Ain't we got fun? Can we have ecstacy in our liturgy? I was reading over old notebooks I have kept over the years. I found another story of a little boy who was just starting to attend worship. He really enjoyed communion....enjoyed the fact that he was welcome at the table. His parents told me, "When you break the bread, he claps his hands and says, 'I just love this part!'"
May it always be so that we can have fun in worship.
Part of our fun comes from the fact that we don't do worship alone. David had 30,000 with him! Ain't WE got fun? Fun comes in community.
Reading over those old notebooks, I remembered what happened one Sunday in worship when I was pastor in San Saba. It was an old style sanctuary with the choir behind me in the choir loft, rows of wooden pews that extended all the way back to a balcony with a railing. During the sermon, our younger son, Matthew got loose from Cathy. God bless the spouses of pastors. She chased him to the back of the sanctuary where he climbed up one side of the balcony on a staircase. She followed him up. He started down the other side. She went down and started up that side. She went down and up the other side. Now I could see what was happening, but I kept on preaching my serious sermon. But the choir behind me was dying with laughter. They were watching a tennis match...with Matthew shuttling back and forth across the top of the balcony and Cathy batting him from side to side. Finally, Cathy sent our older son Joel up one side while she went up the other to trap him on top. I can only tell this story now because Matt just turned 25 on Friday.
We can have fun in church...we laugh at the children's sermons....and today when a child is baptized...and at weddings.....and even at funerals. Christ died, but he didn't stay dead long!
Ain't we got fun?
But Michal can't stand it. David's wife looks out at his leaping and dancing and "despised him in her heart." The commentaries say that maybe it because it reminded her of what the fertility religions did, and she was disgusted at this irreverence. Or it was her disgust over David's near nakedness. Or she was a cynic and saw this as David's political manuevering, trying to cement religious power with the throne. Or she felt used; everytime she is mentioned in the story she is married off to someone for political reasons.
Maybe we are like Michal in some ways. We are wary of too much fun in worship. "It's not appropriate," we say. "It's disrespectful."
We would have good grounds on which to stand, even from this passage. Did you notice some verses were skipped in the reading. What happened in those verses was that as the Ark was being moved, it was going to fall off the cart upon which it was being carried. A young man who was not a priest reached out to keep it from falling and was struck dead. He violated the holiness of the Ark.
What are we to say? God won't be trifled with. God is awesome. I like what Annie Dillard says, "Liturgy are the words that we have learned that we could safely say in worship without getting struck down."
Can we still have fun before the awesome God? David and company sure did. I got some help in understanding how from another source. Her name is Fiona, and she is very high up in the management of Southwest Airlines. She is also married to a UM pastor. She was a resource person at our Bishop's convocation in March. She was the one who asked the probing question, "Do you have fun at church?" She said that one of the core values at SW Airlines was a fun-loving attitude. She said, "We take our work seriously, but we don't take ourselves seriously." Here's the punch line, "Humor creates courage."
It took a lot of courage for David to do what he did, moving the Ark. I think he got caught up in the moment. He truly worshiped. It was the closest he ever could be to God, singing and dancing and offering sacrifice. It was bold, it was risky, it was fun.
Ain't we got fun? We can face anything with courage, with humor. At my last church, we had lots of people with cancer, lots of people going through chemo, lots of people with lots of hair loss. So what did we do. Several of us cut our hair off. As you can see with me, it was no big sacrifice. Then we designated one Sunday as cap Sunday. If Sarahann and Bill and Phyllis were going to lose their hair, then we would too. In the face of fear, we laughed. We had fun.
Maybe we don't need a minister of fun on the church staff. Maybe we are all called to this ministry. Amen.
Thursday, July 9, 2009
Who?
7/09/09
Psalm 24 asks, "Who shall ascend the hill of the LORD? And who shall stand in his holy place?" The answer seems to disqualify all of us, at least I feel as if I don't measure up..."Those who have clean hands and pure hearts, who do not lift up their souls to what is false, and do not swear deceitfully." Who indeed can come into God's presence?
Thank God....literally....thank God, that God comes to us. The psalm ends by asking, "Who is the King of glory?" And the answer is in verse 9, the One who comes in, the One who enters the gates of our lives. May it be so.
Love,
Pastor Lynn
Psalm 24 asks, "Who shall ascend the hill of the LORD? And who shall stand in his holy place?" The answer seems to disqualify all of us, at least I feel as if I don't measure up..."Those who have clean hands and pure hearts, who do not lift up their souls to what is false, and do not swear deceitfully." Who indeed can come into God's presence?
Thank God....literally....thank God, that God comes to us. The psalm ends by asking, "Who is the King of glory?" And the answer is in verse 9, the One who comes in, the One who enters the gates of our lives. May it be so.
Love,
Pastor Lynn
Wednesday, July 8, 2009
the earth is the Lord's
7/08/09
My prayer verse today is Psalm 24:1, "The earth is the Lord's and all that is in it, the world, and those who live in it." I have usually thought of this verse in terms of the natural world, the outdoors, creation. Today, as I walked and prayed, I was led to focus on the last line, "those who live in it." They belong to God too. Not just animals, plants, the rivers, the mountains, and the sky, but also all the people belong to God. So as I prayed, I gave all the people back to God to whom they have always belonged.
Love,
Pastor Lynn
My prayer verse today is Psalm 24:1, "The earth is the Lord's and all that is in it, the world, and those who live in it." I have usually thought of this verse in terms of the natural world, the outdoors, creation. Today, as I walked and prayed, I was led to focus on the last line, "those who live in it." They belong to God too. Not just animals, plants, the rivers, the mountains, and the sky, but also all the people belong to God. So as I prayed, I gave all the people back to God to whom they have always belonged.
Love,
Pastor Lynn
Tuesday, July 7, 2009
Extravagant
7/07/09
I never paid attention to this verse from II Sam. 6:13 before, "When thoe who bore the ark of the LORD had gone six paces, he sacrificed an ox and fatling." Did you get it? Every six steps, David offered to God an extravagant sacrifice. My commentaries say that the journey from where the ark was previously to its new site in Jerusalem was about 8 miles. Every six steps, another lavish offering....that's a lot of bull!
I wonder how we worship....how we honor God. How extravagant are our offerings? Not just money, but time, song, praise, prayer, thanksgiving, service? Today as you go about your Christian walk, pause and offer God extravagant worship.
Love,
Pastor Lynn
I never paid attention to this verse from II Sam. 6:13 before, "When thoe who bore the ark of the LORD had gone six paces, he sacrificed an ox and fatling." Did you get it? Every six steps, David offered to God an extravagant sacrifice. My commentaries say that the journey from where the ark was previously to its new site in Jerusalem was about 8 miles. Every six steps, another lavish offering....that's a lot of bull!
I wonder how we worship....how we honor God. How extravagant are our offerings? Not just money, but time, song, praise, prayer, thanksgiving, service? Today as you go about your Christian walk, pause and offer God extravagant worship.
Love,
Pastor Lynn
Monday, July 6, 2009
Blessing
7/06/09
My prayer verse for the day is from II Sam. 6:18, "He blessed the people in the name of the LORD of hosts." When someone sneezes, we say, "God bless you." At the end of the service, I send the people out of the worship service with a blessing.
Today in my prayers, I have simply been holding people in God's presence and asking God to bless them. I don't know what is best for them, but God does.
And for those of you who reading this, God bless you too.
Love,
Pastor Lynn
My prayer verse for the day is from II Sam. 6:18, "He blessed the people in the name of the LORD of hosts." When someone sneezes, we say, "God bless you." At the end of the service, I send the people out of the worship service with a blessing.
Today in my prayers, I have simply been holding people in God's presence and asking God to bless them. I don't know what is best for them, but God does.
And for those of you who reading this, God bless you too.
Love,
Pastor Lynn
Sunday, July 5, 2009
A City Set on a Hill
7/5/09 from my sermon on II Sam.5:1-5 and Psalm 48
Jerusalem is a city set on a hill. Literally....from any direction one approaches it, one must climb. Therefore, we have all of those songs of ascent in the Psalms, songs which pilgrims sang as they approached the holy city.
Jerusalem was just any other city until the time of David. He made it his capital. He had already been anointed as king over the southern tribes of Judah. In this passage today, he is made king over the northern tribes of Israel as well. To bring them them both together, he forms a new capital by taking the city of Jerusalem. It becomes the center of government and very shortly the center for religious life as well. It becomes known as the city of David.
Jerusalem became more than a city; it became a symbol of the ideal government. David too became more than a ruler; he became the ideal one. The messiah was to be a son of David.
For a brief period, maybe forty years, all was up to the ideal. We long for it today. When we look at Jerusalem today, who's fighting there? Israelis and Palestinians both want it as their capital. Three major religions--Judaism, Islam, and Christianity--co-exist there.
We know that things are less than ideal, because the very last book of our Bible, the Revealtion to John, has as one of its final images of the coming of the kingdom of God, a new Jerusalem coming down out of heaven from God.
I am glad to be an American and a Christian, because we deal with the less than ideal. On this day after Independence Day, I want to celebrate how we handle things on this side of heaven.
I like how the passage talks about the ideal ruler being like a shepherd. What does a good shepherd do? Takes care of the little ones...the most vulnerable. A shepherd protects, nurtures, tends the flock. I love it that our form of government has rights and freedoms for all, especially those in the minority, seemingly without voice or representation.
Secondly, I like how the passage identifies David as the ruler. The Hebrew word there can mean prince or king-designate. I like one commentary said that in this way, the text allowed for ultimate loyalty to be to God and not to the king.
I like it that the USA has no state religion. One may worship or not as one sees fit. The state is not the ultimate authority and forces no one to worship. One is not automatically a member of the church when one is born. There is no coercion to practice faith in a particular way. Only God is king.
I like our form of government also in that it recognizes the reality of sin. We have three branches of government--executive, legislative, and judicial. They act as checks and balances, so that it is harder to enact abuses. Sins may be corrected. Only God is king.
I realize that there are other forms of government--monarchies, tribal confederations, military regimes, theocracies, etc.--but I like ours that deals with the less that ideal.
I want to leave you with an image that comes from spending part of 3 summers in Boston. They have a parade on July 4. People gather at Government Square downtown--fife and drum bands, musket brigades, people in period costumes, modern day soldiers, and lots of us ordinary people. There is a brief series of speeches and the National Anthem. And then we march...up the hill....along the freedom trail. There are no spectators. We are all a part of the parade. So be it, as we wait for the new Jerusalem. Amen.
Jerusalem is a city set on a hill. Literally....from any direction one approaches it, one must climb. Therefore, we have all of those songs of ascent in the Psalms, songs which pilgrims sang as they approached the holy city.
Jerusalem was just any other city until the time of David. He made it his capital. He had already been anointed as king over the southern tribes of Judah. In this passage today, he is made king over the northern tribes of Israel as well. To bring them them both together, he forms a new capital by taking the city of Jerusalem. It becomes the center of government and very shortly the center for religious life as well. It becomes known as the city of David.
Jerusalem became more than a city; it became a symbol of the ideal government. David too became more than a ruler; he became the ideal one. The messiah was to be a son of David.
For a brief period, maybe forty years, all was up to the ideal. We long for it today. When we look at Jerusalem today, who's fighting there? Israelis and Palestinians both want it as their capital. Three major religions--Judaism, Islam, and Christianity--co-exist there.
We know that things are less than ideal, because the very last book of our Bible, the Revealtion to John, has as one of its final images of the coming of the kingdom of God, a new Jerusalem coming down out of heaven from God.
I am glad to be an American and a Christian, because we deal with the less than ideal. On this day after Independence Day, I want to celebrate how we handle things on this side of heaven.
I like how the passage talks about the ideal ruler being like a shepherd. What does a good shepherd do? Takes care of the little ones...the most vulnerable. A shepherd protects, nurtures, tends the flock. I love it that our form of government has rights and freedoms for all, especially those in the minority, seemingly without voice or representation.
Secondly, I like how the passage identifies David as the ruler. The Hebrew word there can mean prince or king-designate. I like one commentary said that in this way, the text allowed for ultimate loyalty to be to God and not to the king.
I like it that the USA has no state religion. One may worship or not as one sees fit. The state is not the ultimate authority and forces no one to worship. One is not automatically a member of the church when one is born. There is no coercion to practice faith in a particular way. Only God is king.
I like our form of government also in that it recognizes the reality of sin. We have three branches of government--executive, legislative, and judicial. They act as checks and balances, so that it is harder to enact abuses. Sins may be corrected. Only God is king.
I realize that there are other forms of government--monarchies, tribal confederations, military regimes, theocracies, etc.--but I like ours that deals with the less that ideal.
I want to leave you with an image that comes from spending part of 3 summers in Boston. They have a parade on July 4. People gather at Government Square downtown--fife and drum bands, musket brigades, people in period costumes, modern day soldiers, and lots of us ordinary people. There is a brief series of speeches and the National Anthem. And then we march...up the hill....along the freedom trail. There are no spectators. We are all a part of the parade. So be it, as we wait for the new Jerusalem. Amen.
Thursday, July 2, 2009
My grace is sufficient
7/2/09
My prayer verse for the day is one of my all time favorites, II Cor. 12:9, "My grace is sufficient for you, for power is made perfect in weakness." We don't like to feel vulnerable. We don't seek out powerlessness. Yet, all of us have experienced feeling helpless or being overwhelmed.
Maybe the good news is that in those times when we know we are absolutely powerless are the times that we turn to God, to God's grace, to God's power. It is not the case that God brings these situations upon us in order to humble us. However, they are opportunities for us to trust God more fully.
As you breathe in and out today, may you hear the living God say to you, "My grace is sufficient for you, for power is made perfect in weakness."
Love,
Pastor Lynn
My prayer verse for the day is one of my all time favorites, II Cor. 12:9, "My grace is sufficient for you, for power is made perfect in weakness." We don't like to feel vulnerable. We don't seek out powerlessness. Yet, all of us have experienced feeling helpless or being overwhelmed.
Maybe the good news is that in those times when we know we are absolutely powerless are the times that we turn to God, to God's grace, to God's power. It is not the case that God brings these situations upon us in order to humble us. However, they are opportunities for us to trust God more fully.
As you breathe in and out today, may you hear the living God say to you, "My grace is sufficient for you, for power is made perfect in weakness."
Love,
Pastor Lynn
Wednesday, July 1, 2009
Boasting
7/01/09
My prayer verses today come from II Cor. 12:1-6, where Paul gets around not boasting about his ecstactic experience by talking in the third person about that very experience. I know that one thing that keeps me from boasting is that I often trip up/mess up/sin. In fact in my early morning walks, I often trip over a tree root, a rock, a small hole, or a slight bump. It is a good metaphor for my life. These things that cause me to trip up help keep me from boasting too much.
Love,
Pastor Lynn
My prayer verses today come from II Cor. 12:1-6, where Paul gets around not boasting about his ecstactic experience by talking in the third person about that very experience. I know that one thing that keeps me from boasting is that I often trip up/mess up/sin. In fact in my early morning walks, I often trip over a tree root, a rock, a small hole, or a slight bump. It is a good metaphor for my life. These things that cause me to trip up help keep me from boasting too much.
Love,
Pastor Lynn
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