from my message on Aug. 24, 2014, from Rom. 12:1-8
(video clip from Transformers recent movie) Anybody see this movie? It is like the 4th in a series. Anybody have these toys? I know our boys who are now 32 and 30 years of age used to play with these Transformers. Is is a car or a robot? Is it a plane or a robot? They transform.
Our God is about transformation. The old line is that God loves us just the way we are, but God loves us far too much to leave us that way. Repeat after me: Thank God, we are not who we once were. Thank God, we are not who we will be. We are being transformed.
Paul says, Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your minds. I know you like it when I do the Greek words with you. The word for transformed here is metamorphsis. It has an outward component. It is the same word used when Jesus is transfigured on the mountaintop, when his clothes glow bright white. It has an inner component, as here, Paul says our minds are renewed. That word for renewing of minds is found only in Christian literature. I like it that our God is about changing our minds!
Which is more important, the outward or the inward? Both! Which comes first? It could be either. Sometimes God does that interior work first, and the actions follow. For some of us, it is like we are in AA. We have to fake it till we make it. We go through the motions of loving and serving and giving until we actually become loving and serving and giving.
Transformation looks like this (video clip of our work at the back to school blast at Parker Lane UMC last Sunday)
We are being transformed in order to transform others. For a school setting, I will share a report I heard on National Public Radio as I was driving around this past week. It talked about the MVP, Mentors in Violence Prevention. These were seniors in high school who shepherded incoming freshmen. Often they were athletes and others who were looked up to as role models. These MVP's would not keep silent in situations of bullying or when a young woman was taken advantage of. One MVP was the captain of the football team. He said about those he mentors, "I try to get into their heads." Transformed by the renewing of our minds.
Thank God, we are not who we once were. Thank God, we are not who we will be.
Then this past week, I heard again about this talk called the Last Lecture. You can look it up online by Jerry Pausch. It is subtitled Realizing your Childhood Dreams. He was a professor at Carnegie Mellon University in virtual reality. He starts by saying, I was diagnosed with liver cancer a month ago and given 3-4 months to live; you do the math. The talk is very upbeat, humorous. It is not particularly religious our spiritual, but we Methodists have been trained to find good news everywhere.
In the talk he says about fundamentals, we're going to work on the things those other 21 players are doing. Jerry wanted to be a NFL football player. He never made it. He started playing football in middle school. The first few practices, the coach never even brought a football to the field. They worked on blocking and tackling and other techniques. When Jerry asked the coach why they didn't get to use a football, the coach asked, How many players on the field at a time? 22! And how many of them are touching the ball at any one time? 1! We're going to work on the things those other 21 players are doing. Jerry learned the fundamentals and teamwork.
Another saying was experience is what you get when you don't get what you wanted. He wanted to become the captain of the USS Enterprise. It didn't happen. He did get to meet William Shatner who played Capt. James T. Kirk. Jerry had his virtual reality team set up the command deck of the USS Enterprise for William to use.
Another saying was the brick wall is there to show you how much you want things. Jerry wanted to be an Imagineer for Disney. He got rejected time and again. He finally figured a way to take sabbatical leave, write a paper and work at Disney. He continued to consult for them.
Another saying was wait long enough and people will astound and amaze you. He said we get impatient with ourselves and others too quickly.
The best saying was maybe the most important thing is to help others realize their dreams instead of realizing your own. His last years were spent in recruiting students from across the disciplines in a class of 50 where they could work in teams on creative projects. He said it was the best work he did.
We are being transformed for others. All of those gifts listed here in Romans are for building up the community. Prophecy and teaching and giving and serving are not just for ourselves but for others.
Let's practice that now as we bless students, parents, and workers in our schools--teachers, administrators and support staff.
Thank God, we are not who we once were. Thank God, we are not who we will be. That's the good news have to share.
Monday, August 25, 2014
A crumby story
from my message on Aug. 17, 2014, from Mt. 15:21-28
What a crumby story! It's so crumby, it must be true.
First, it must be true, because everybody needs a vacation, even Jesus. Here, Jesus has left Israel and gone to the coastal region. The religious leaders have been plotting against him. He needs to get away.
I am just back from vacation. Just one quick story from northern Michigan, from Sleeping Bear Dune National Park. I hiked up this huge sand dune. You think we have sand dunes on the Texas coast. This sand dune was on steroids. I got to the top of the dune....and there was another one. I climbed it...and there was another one. It took me 4 dunes to get to the top where I could see Lake Michigan way off over there. At the top, as I was catching my breath, a father and young son came panting up. The little boy said, "Dad, now can we call the helicopter?"
On my way down, it was fun. I could run. A young couple was struggling to climb up. Every few steps, the girl said, "My calves hurt...my calves hurt." The boy said, "Yeah, well my ears hurt from you saying that your calves hurt."
Did you get a vacation this summer? Where did you go?
Jesus shows his human side. He tries to get away. He doesn't want to be bothered, especially by the squawking of this woman. The Greek word used to describe her crying out is that of a raven screeching. "Help me, Help me," she squawks. The disciples are like Jesus' posse. They run interference for Jesus. Not another demand upon the Master. Let him rest.
Is worship time like a vacation for you? Is it rest? Sabbath? Don't we need a break, an escape from the news cycle of awfulness? Just for an hour can we not hear about Israel fighting Gaza, or Ebola, or Russia and Ukraine? No squawking for help. the world is a crumby place sometime.
On vacation, I actually got to worship. Oh, I'm in worship a lot and leading worship a lot, but rarely do I get to worship. Cathy and I worshiped at Rancho de Taos Presbyterian Church in New Mexico. They a wonderful little congregation. There were 34 in worship; I know because I am a preacher, and I counted. When we sang the songs, I could barely choke the words out. I was in the presence of holiness. It is what I needed. We sat on the back, right hand side. They had the sacrament of communion. I went forward. The server placed a tiny piece of bread in my hands, a crumb. It was enough. It was just what I needed. Life can be crumby sometimes. We need a vacation, sabbath.
Second, the story must be true, because I wouldn't have included it in the Bible. If I were the editor, and I saw this story, I would have written "dele" for delete by it. Jesus doesn't come across very well in this story. He seems to have all of the cultural and religions biases of his day. Jesus is laser focused on his mission. He says, I was sent to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. He is quoting Isaiah. He says to the woman, It is not right to take the children's food and give it to the dogs. What is he calling her? A Dog! Yes, she is a woman, a foreigner, not a Jew, but a dog?!
The story must be true because the woman is laser focused on helping her child. What would you do for your child? The woman begs, sacrifices. You do too. I know what you do for your children. You take them in carpools all over the place to all kinds of activities. You put aside money for college. One family in this church has a parent who has given a kidney for the child. What you do? If you were a mother in Central America, what would you do? Would you put your child on a train to the US? This mother risks embarrassment. She will cross any barrier to get help for her child.
She has a snappy comeback. Even the dogs get to eat the crumbs from the master's table. She would be satisfied with just a crumb from Jesus. That's all she needs. Are you the parent in this story? Are you the child?
Third, this story must be true, because Jesus answers her plea. We are in relationship with God through Jesus. Our prayers count. We matter to Jesus. The universe is not fated.
Abraham bargains with God over the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah. If I find 50 righteous persons, would you still destroy the whole city? 45? 40? Look it up in Genesis. We can wrestle with God. God can change God's mind.
Then there's Moses up on the mountain with God. God is going to destroy the Hebrews because they have made a golden calf. Moses says, Whoa, there God. Is that what you really want to do? Look it up in Exodus. Moses talks God out of that reaction.
Our prayers count. Especially those prayers that lead to inclusion, to community. I think this crumby story got included in the Bible because it illustrates that Jesus really wants to include all kinds of people, even foreign women whose daughters are demon possessed. He praises her as having "great" faith, the only time he uses that adjective with faith. Peter, his trusted disciple has been called a "little" faith.
The story has been included because even those persons we may consider crumby are loved by God. I hope you find your place in this crumby story.
What a crumby story! It's so crumby, it must be true.
First, it must be true, because everybody needs a vacation, even Jesus. Here, Jesus has left Israel and gone to the coastal region. The religious leaders have been plotting against him. He needs to get away.
I am just back from vacation. Just one quick story from northern Michigan, from Sleeping Bear Dune National Park. I hiked up this huge sand dune. You think we have sand dunes on the Texas coast. This sand dune was on steroids. I got to the top of the dune....and there was another one. I climbed it...and there was another one. It took me 4 dunes to get to the top where I could see Lake Michigan way off over there. At the top, as I was catching my breath, a father and young son came panting up. The little boy said, "Dad, now can we call the helicopter?"
On my way down, it was fun. I could run. A young couple was struggling to climb up. Every few steps, the girl said, "My calves hurt...my calves hurt." The boy said, "Yeah, well my ears hurt from you saying that your calves hurt."
Did you get a vacation this summer? Where did you go?
Jesus shows his human side. He tries to get away. He doesn't want to be bothered, especially by the squawking of this woman. The Greek word used to describe her crying out is that of a raven screeching. "Help me, Help me," she squawks. The disciples are like Jesus' posse. They run interference for Jesus. Not another demand upon the Master. Let him rest.
Is worship time like a vacation for you? Is it rest? Sabbath? Don't we need a break, an escape from the news cycle of awfulness? Just for an hour can we not hear about Israel fighting Gaza, or Ebola, or Russia and Ukraine? No squawking for help. the world is a crumby place sometime.
On vacation, I actually got to worship. Oh, I'm in worship a lot and leading worship a lot, but rarely do I get to worship. Cathy and I worshiped at Rancho de Taos Presbyterian Church in New Mexico. They a wonderful little congregation. There were 34 in worship; I know because I am a preacher, and I counted. When we sang the songs, I could barely choke the words out. I was in the presence of holiness. It is what I needed. We sat on the back, right hand side. They had the sacrament of communion. I went forward. The server placed a tiny piece of bread in my hands, a crumb. It was enough. It was just what I needed. Life can be crumby sometimes. We need a vacation, sabbath.
Second, the story must be true, because I wouldn't have included it in the Bible. If I were the editor, and I saw this story, I would have written "dele" for delete by it. Jesus doesn't come across very well in this story. He seems to have all of the cultural and religions biases of his day. Jesus is laser focused on his mission. He says, I was sent to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. He is quoting Isaiah. He says to the woman, It is not right to take the children's food and give it to the dogs. What is he calling her? A Dog! Yes, she is a woman, a foreigner, not a Jew, but a dog?!
The story must be true because the woman is laser focused on helping her child. What would you do for your child? The woman begs, sacrifices. You do too. I know what you do for your children. You take them in carpools all over the place to all kinds of activities. You put aside money for college. One family in this church has a parent who has given a kidney for the child. What you do? If you were a mother in Central America, what would you do? Would you put your child on a train to the US? This mother risks embarrassment. She will cross any barrier to get help for her child.
She has a snappy comeback. Even the dogs get to eat the crumbs from the master's table. She would be satisfied with just a crumb from Jesus. That's all she needs. Are you the parent in this story? Are you the child?
Third, this story must be true, because Jesus answers her plea. We are in relationship with God through Jesus. Our prayers count. We matter to Jesus. The universe is not fated.
Abraham bargains with God over the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah. If I find 50 righteous persons, would you still destroy the whole city? 45? 40? Look it up in Genesis. We can wrestle with God. God can change God's mind.
Then there's Moses up on the mountain with God. God is going to destroy the Hebrews because they have made a golden calf. Moses says, Whoa, there God. Is that what you really want to do? Look it up in Exodus. Moses talks God out of that reaction.
Our prayers count. Especially those prayers that lead to inclusion, to community. I think this crumby story got included in the Bible because it illustrates that Jesus really wants to include all kinds of people, even foreign women whose daughters are demon possessed. He praises her as having "great" faith, the only time he uses that adjective with faith. Peter, his trusted disciple has been called a "little" faith.
The story has been included because even those persons we may consider crumby are loved by God. I hope you find your place in this crumby story.
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