Pastor Mike Lowery - Sermoncast

Visit us at https://www.cartecayumc.org/   Time to Wake Up Acts 9:36-43 Happy Mother’s Day! Good memories… Some ine: apple trees, drink cups, “time to wake up” We are thankful this day for the love God shows us through the mothers and mother-figures in our lives And we single one out of scripture as an example… Tabitha/Dorcas (maybe a mother; certainly a mother-figure) She lived in Joppa, a port town on the Mediterranean just south of what is now Tel Aviv. The modern name is Jaffa, & it remains a thriving town in Israel. Was called a “disciple” One who is seeking to grow in the ways of faith and life, trusting God and serving God. But THIS “disciple” in this passage is the ONLY feminine form of the word used in the whole Bible. She is the only woman in the Bible that gets labeled a DISCIPLE. She was called by God to works of charity Showed God’s love to widows (and orphans?), who were among the most vulnerable of society Was she a widow? We don’t know.  A mother? We don’t know.  Were the widows followers of Christ?  What we DO know, and what her story should teach us: We do know that the widows loved her! Probably because she had first loved them.  Sound familiar? We know that she was not just fond of doing works of charity (agape love) but devoted to them. Moms tend to be devoted to their child’s well-being.  Tabitha had widened her circle. We know that she used what skills she had for God’s purpose. She probably did her good works up to the last. We can imagine how she hung on to complete her work and then, finally, though that her work was done.  But we KNOW that God wasn’t done with her, and that MANY were saved! Let us not grow weary of well-doing!  Wake up!  Be thankful for those examples of holy love that God sets before us and become those examples for others!  People need more Tabithas in this life!

Visit us at https://www.cartecayumc.org/   Grace for the Skeptic John 20:19-31   What is the Big News here? Jesus is alive! Jesus breathes upon them the Holy Spirit! Gen 1:1 In the beginning God created John 1:1a In the beginning was the Word Genesis 2:7 Then the Lord God …breathed the breath of life into the man’s nostrils, and the man became a living person. John 20:22 Then he breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit." But Thomas steals the show.. He wasn't there, he didn't see, he wouldn't believe! How did Jesus respond to him? With compassion, by letting him see. With a final Beatitude Why is there so much “active unbelief” nowadays? God interferes with their "good time" God has let them down (or God’s people) These are often the “burned” or the wounded... like Thomas.  Such skepticism is very often the result of pain, and leads to emptiness We imagine Thomas' disbelief as intellectual, but maybe it was relational He didn't believe his friends' eyewitness accounts, or his Rabbi's past teachings & miracles He was grieving, and this was "too good to be true;" But what are we to make of what Jesus said to Thomas? Can you imagine a case where demanding evidence is wrong? (How about "Prove that you love me!”) Some may think that what is "leaped over" through faith is a lack of evidence. But in my experience, it is more about the struggle in our hearts (insecurities, fear of being hurt, etc.) than the struggle in our heads Like "love," we can say a lot or a little when we say, "I believe" ex 1: "I believe it's going to rain." ex 2: "I believe this airplane is safe." ex 3: "I believe in my wife." "Belief in Christ" is that kind of belief that starts with a realization and moves quickly to trust, then over time permeates the center of your being and fills every corner of your life... (Like Thomas says: "My Lord and my God!") I LOVE talking with those who have honest intellectual struggles, for they are searching for the truth But for MANY this last beatitude could effectively be translated "blessed are those who believe without an injured heart impeding their way" Will we be there to assure them that God in Jesus felt the same grief and pain at the unjustness of this broken world? That is at the CORE of the Good News!    

Visit us at https://www.cartecayumc.org/     Then They Remembered Luke 24:1-12  Why are we here? Almost 2,000 years ago... A man was betrayed, captured and killed; his followers scattered, his mother mourned; hopes were dashed ...and then the unbelievable happened Have you believed the unbelievable, and found it true? That you could find love, or self-worth, or meaning? That your child would look into your eyes and call you Mamma or Dadda? That you would look into the mirror and see your mother or father? Have you ever doubted the words of someone you trusted, because they were too bad, or good, to be true? A Catastrophic Joy... Why do we have no word like "catastrophe" for something good? Could it be that life hasn't caused us to need one? J RR Tolkien: "I coined the word 'eucatastrophe': the sudden happy turn in a story which pierces you with a joy that brings tears... because it is a sudden glimpse of Truth, ...that this is indeed how things really do work in the Great World for which our nature is made.” - Letter 89 But we need a better word. Redemption, maybe? ...at Odds with the World Why Mary was disbelieved: Not just because of the legal disregard of women, or even pure chauvinism But because this is not the way the world works, but we feel it should! Why did Peter (and John) not fully believe? Mary and the women REMEMBERED, and they saw the light at the end of the tomb, but the “menfolk” were still “stuck” at Golgotha, in the land of shattered hopes and dreams. Why are you here, some on most Sundays, some for the "high" holy days? Not just because "I was made to come," surely But because: You have seen the brokenness of your work, maybe even yourself And a part of you cries out for the "happy ending," the sudden undoing of the catastrophes of our lives, the healing of the harms and hurts, the world to be as your heart cries out that it should be What is the promise of Easter? That on that most blessed of mornings, the world finally worked as it ought to! That on a blessed morning to come, the ways of this broken world will change, heaven and earth will join, and Joy will come! And that until that day, our calling is to look upon the brokenness, the hurts, the little and large catastrophes of our lives and of those around us and proclaim that this is not how it has to remain! And to each day, and with the Spirit's guidance, help each other and all of those in this world full of brokenness and hurt, to REMEMBER Christ’s promise, and to see the Lord!

Visit us at https://www.cartecayumc.org/ The Long-Awaited King Luke 19:28-40 Do you like waiting? Does anyone? Waiting for a certain date & time vs. Waiting for something to happen… when? Waiting for the world to change? Did you know TWO processions into Jerusalem? From the West: Pilate's Procession The rulers, the soldiers and cavalry Many "gods" represented by Caesar Peace through Roman power Pilate was an expert in the “game of thrones”… Maneuvering for position; stabbing others in the back Gaining power at the expense of others Who will win? Who will lose? But today we celebrate the Triumphal Entry! From the East: Jesus' Procession The "peasants," the poor, the faithful Proclaiming the Kingdom of God Peace through God's strength, shown in our weakness Jesus was a King who refused to “play the game” Humble ourselves to be exalted by others Turn the other cheek; forgive a brother 77 times... Praise a widow giving a penny vs. others giving fortunes A STRONG person who turned down the lure of power to stand between us and death Which King Will We Choose? The irony: many people wanted Jesus to be more like Pilate Let Jesus Be Jesus! Come to Him, not trying to "redefine Jesus for the 21st century." Jesus is just fine, thanks. Jesus’ approach seemed doomed to failure, but (and here’s the kicker) how many of us remembered Pilate had a procession that day?  Seems like in this case, the world did change for the better!  Maybe if we let Jesus be Jesus IN US, it will continue to!

Visit us at https://www.cartecayumc.org/   Extravagant Love John 12:1-8 Two weeks before Good Friday, before Easter Jesus and the disciples are in Bethany At the house of Simon the Leper Martha was serving (but not grousing) Lazarus was eating Mary showed her (and possibly her family’s) devotion and gratitude What is the greatest gift you’ve ever received, or given? Have you ever poured out a year’s wages on a loved one’s head and feet? An Extravagant Gift 12oz spikenard Imported from India (the Himalayas) 300 denarii (a year's wages of a working man) Probably used as an investment; possibly her (and her family’s) life savings Econ 101: When you spend something, you have not just lost its value, but all the other possible uses of it Pension? Unemployment? Food in a famine? Their little bit of hard-earned security? An Anointing: Of His head as King before a Triumphal Entry Of His feet as her savior, showing Mary’s humility She could not know it was also the only burial anointing He would ever receive She was only opposed by false piety Judas (and others?) tried to tarnish her gift What Mary did was astounding, and beautiful Makes me feel a little cheap This was the kind of action you must be CALLED to do. Not every person has every calling, but if we stay in love with Jesus, we will find that answering His specific call upon our lives leaves our hearts at peace and our souls filled with Joy.

To donate to Concord UMC, click HERE.     GREAT JOB EMILY!!!

To donate to Concord UMC, click HERE.   “Seeing Is Believing?" John 20:19-31   Learning from Thomas The resurrection of Jesus from the dead is not the easiest truth to grasp and believe. Thomas was not shunned by the other disciples, and was not condemned by Jesus.  This should give us all courage. Thomas believed, lost faith and returns to even greater faith.   The Character of Thomas: A Different Take Thomas the Negative? John 11:16 - "Thomas, who was called the Twin, said to his fellow disciples, “Let us also go, that we may die with him.”" John 14:5 - "Thomas said to him, “Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?”" These two passages reveal a man who is not giving in to fear. BUT he does seem to be a bit of a pessimist... AND being brave while others hide in fear can make you a bit "puffed up..." Thomas the Offended? Easy to imagine: "Why would he choose to show up when he knew I wasn't there? Here I am being brave (unlike these fair-weather-disciples) and he doesn't appear to me?!?" Thomas the Testy? We do know this: Thomas failed the "do not put the Lord your God to the test" test. (see Deut 6:16; Luke 4:12) Thomas the Honest He did not try to hide his doubts... Doubts which are left unattended can fester and grow, and can tear you apart. Jesus knew Thomas. And Jesus knows you! Jesus knows your doubts. He knows where you struggle in your faith. If you honestly admit where you struggle with doubts, but you really want to know God in spite of them, He will lead you to a place where you will be content with the answers. Joy in the Presence of the Risen Christ The Reaching-Out of God “Religion is about our reaching out to God; Christianity is about God’s reaching out to us.” Willimon: “The resurrected Christ goes back to, and appears before the very same rag-tag group of people who so disappointed him, misunderstood him, forsook him, and fled into the darkness." This is the dynamic of the Easter message. We don’t find Jesus, he finds us! The nature of a post-Resurrection faith Thomas was the pattern of what was to come: faith beyond (immediate) sight; finding Jesus in the midst of his followers; confession of Jesus as Lord and God The Last Beatitude: Jesus said to him, “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have come to believe.” (John 20:29) The Last Beatitude was reserved for us! Seeing What Cannot Be Seen There are things we believe that we cannot directly see (love of parents; faithfulness of a spouse). They are often the most important things of all!

To donate to Concord UMC, click HERE.   “An Easter People" John 20:1-18   "Christ our Lord is Risen!" "He is Risen, indeed" “Early on the first day... Mary Magdalene went to the tomb…” “It was still dark.” “Light has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light..." In the Gospel of John darkness represents chaos, despair, unbelief.  Light is truth, faith, & salvation. Mary was living in a state of chaos & despair... She had watched as the person she had loved more than anyone in the world was tortured, and murdered... And she was one of a small handful of people who did not desert Him when He was arrested and crucified. She heard Jesus say: “It is finished”  She knew where He was buried. All her hopes and dreams had died along with Jesus And so, she would weep. And she would remember all the good times.  But her meaning in life had gone away.  The Empty Tomb But when she got to the tomb, “the stone had been removed” She ran, in pitch black darkness, to tell Peter and John that Jesus’ body had been stolen!!! And when they got to the tomb, we are told that they saw Jesus’ grave clothes, but no body. Peter and John went back to their homes, but not Mary. Mary stayed and wept, and wept and wept. She “saw two angels," but she seems oblivious that they are angels.  Is it possible that in our darkness, misunderstanding and unbelief that we have been stumbling over angels as well? She tells these angels that someone has stolen Jesus’ body, and she turns away from them. And when she turns away, there is another figure standing in her line of sight. But she does not recognize that it is Jesus Himself. How many times do we fail to recognize Jesus as we are walking in the darkness of this world? And yet Jesus is all around us. Do we see Him? Mary “saw Jesus standing there, but she did not realize it was him. ‘Woman,’ he said, ‘why are you crying? Who is it you are looking for?”  You can almost hear His tender smile.  But Mary was looking for a dead body, not a living Jesus. “Thinking he was the gardener, she said, ‘Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will get him.” At this, “Jesus said to her, “Mary.” And suddenly, everything changed!!! Jesus simply calls her name! And in John’s Gospel this is the moment when the Resurrection is declared.  And it’s not done by Jesus telling Mary Who He is, it’s done by Jesus telling Mary who she is!!! This is the turning point. Nothing will ever be the same again! The world seems without meaning until God speaks our name and calls us to Himself, and everything is changed. The Resurrection took place for Mary when Jesus spoke her name! The chaos, despair and hopelessness and darkness was gone as she ran to the Light of Life!!! Mary went to the disciples with the news: ‘I have seen the Lord!’ And that is what we are called to do…not just with our mouths, but with our entire lives. You see, belief in the resurrection is more than some intellectual agreement to the story of the gospels.   The power of Easter is not found in mere assent that Jesus walked out of the tomb. The power of Easter is the power of the resurrection itself, present in the life of those who truly follow Christ. Jesus is raised by the power of God into a new way of life, a new existence. The power of Easter comes as the resurrected Lord is raised to a new way of life, and then shares that life with us. Those of us who follow Christ share not only in his name but in this Life to which he is raised. Because he is risen, we share in his new existence.   We are an Easter people. We are not just a people of a spring-time celebration... For us to be an Easter people means the daily realization that the very power of God which raised Jesus from the dead is also the very same power which flows in and through us as His followers To be an Easter people means that even as the long dark nights come, even as the daily grind wears at us, even as the tugs and bumps of the problems of each day come our way, we know that it is not our own strength which sustains us. Rather, "Because he lives, I can face tomorrow." Because he lives, and lives in me; because my true life is hidden with Christ in God, and will be fully revealed in that great day a-coming, I can live today with grace and power no matter what comes. For "Christ our Lord is Risen!" "He is Risen, indeed!

To donate to Concord UMC, click HERE.   “The King of Israel!” John 12:(1-11) 12-16   Is the King of Israel the Lord of my life? Is Jesus both our Savior and our Lord? One way to see is to look at our priorities. We all have our priorities... Ever sat down and thought about what your priorities are? Spouse, children and grandchildren, work or study, etc., etc. What about God or church...? John 12:1-11 - Martha, Mary, and Judas Martha: Jesus is again in Bethany enjoying a dinner put on for him Martha is serving the meal... One of Martha's top priorities seems to be service to others, and by extension, service to God. In Jesus' presence, her first impulse was to serve Him Mary: Mary comes and kneels at Jesus feet to anoint him. John probably wants us to connect this anointing with the triumphal entry. Jesus is anointed then proclaimed King. The cost of the ointment was worth about 300 denarii, about $55,000 U.S. dollars. Mary had probably spent her life savings for it. Mary's priority was adoration of Jesus; receiving His teaching and showing Him extravagant worship. Do you notice that neither Martha nor Mary's priorities had themselves as the object? Judas: Remember Jesus saying: Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also? It also works the other way around. Where your heart is that’s where you’ll invest your treasure. Judas is more worried about what might be done with the money that this jar would bring in the market place – particularly if he could get his hands on it. Judas doesn’t have kingdom priorities. He seems to be in it for what profit he can get out of it. John 12:12-16 - The Chief Priests and the Crowd The Chief Priests: They’ve already decided Jesus, and now Lazarus, needs to die. They’ve closed their minds to the possibility that Jesus is the Messiah. "All the world has gone out after Him!" The chief priests probably meant by this, "our world, our people, are going after Him, instead of us!"   They were afraid of what He was going to cost them: power, prestige, control... How different from Mary! The Crowd: They cry out a royal welcome: “Hosanna! Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord— the King of Israel!” "Save us, we beseech you, O Lord! O Lord, we beseech you, give us success! Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord. We bless you from the house of the Lord." - Psalm 118:25-26 (NRSV) But why did they praise Him? Was it adoration like Mary's?  Was it self-interest, like Judas?  What were their priorities?  Most likely a mix, which surely the Lord understands... "For the Lord will remove his hand of judgment and will disperse the armies of your enemy. And the Lord himself, the King of Israel, will live among you!  At last your troubles will be over, and you will never again fear disaster." - Zephaniah 3:15 (NLT) Yet also, surely Martha's and Mary's priorities, committed service and extravagant adoration, are the examples for us to follow... Closing thoughts and a Challenge We have seen a range of responses to Jesus based on different priorities. Where do our priorities lie when it comes to Jesus, to God, to God’s church? A bit of "homework:" Prayerfully consider what are most important things in your life, and what you believe your priorities should be.  Then consider, are those things which I believe are the most important things in my life, also those things that my actions proclaim to be the most important?  

To donate to Concord UMC, click HERE.   “We Wish to See Jesus” John 12:20-36   Into the Midst of Holy Week As we come to John 12, Jesus has ridden into Jerusalem on the donkey. Jerusalem is full of people from all over the world, gathered for the feast, and among the crowd, there are some Greeks. They would have been Jewish converts, but they’re not native-born Jews. Do you see their question in verse 21? ‘Sir, we wish to see Jesus.’ It’s not obvious on the surface how Jesus’ reply relates to the Greeks’ desire to see Him. Instead, it is the question, and who it comes from, that is the signal for Jesus, the indication that his time has come. So That All May See Jesus The Hour has now come... Up till now, there has been a repeated theme in John’s Gospel that Jesus’ hour or time has not yet come. ...for the Son of Man to be Glorified... But now, in response to the request of these Greeks to see Him, Jesus announces (John 12:23), “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified.” Salvation would now be proclaimed to the whole world. The hour had come for the Son of Man to be glorified. ...in the most unexpected of ways. Now, when you think of Jesus being glorified, what is it that comes to mind? You might think of the crowds in Jerusalem shouting their praise; or being elevated high on people's shoulders. But as Jesus is glorified, as he is lifted up, it means his death on the cross - as John says: 'he said this to indicate the kind of death he was to die. So That As We See Jesus, All May See Jesus In Us The Necessity of Death “Unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains just a single grain; but if it dies, it bears much fruit...” Somehow death and seeing Jesus are intimately related. To see Jesus is more than looking at him. It is more than just believing the things he said and did. We follow Christ as participants not spectators. If we want to see Jesus then we must also learn to die. The Process of Death see Galatians 2:19b-20 Seeing Jesus means dying to our own self-sufficiency. We let go of our life to receive God’s life. This work of dying (to self) is difficult and painful. But in the process of dying is what begins to heal our vision. We see a new life, and a new way of living, and this new way looks a lot like Jesus, and his way of living and being. That’s a big part of what Lent, and Holy Week, are about. The Purpose of Death "Sir, we wish to see Jesus." When we hear of the next tragedy, the next shooting, the next suicide, we need to hear the words, "Sir, we wish to see Jesus." Bearing Much Fruit The Foster Care service and churches: In 2012 there were 397,000 foster care cases; by 2016 there were 437,500 children in the system. In 2012 there were 384,000 functioning churches in America.  So if every church in America had one family willing to take in a foster child or two, we would empty the system out, at least for a time.  Imagine if all these children were shown what a loving family looks like? What Jesus' love looks like? When was the last time in Western world that the Church did something that was shockingly good? Do we wish to see Jesus? Do we want others to see more of Jesus in us? If Jesus said that where He is, his servant will also be found, then Jesus calls us to stand in the place of self-sacrifice with Him. If we hear His call, then we will see Jesus...

To donate to Concord UMC, click HERE.   When God Sends Encouragement Luke 2:22-40 One last look at the first Christmas... Mary & Joseph The "scandal" of Mary's pregnancy Herod's attempt on the life of Jesus In the midst of the trials, God gave them gifts: The baby Jesus! Messages of encouragement! Treasured Words and Experiences What do you do when you are "running on empty?" Seek comfort Remember moments of encouragement the Lord has sent Mary's approach Luke 2:19 "But Mary treasured all these words and pondered them in her heart." As God's children, we know they come from Him How often have words of encouragement come right when we needed more courage! And how often do they come from Him, but come through His children? A community of encouragement Hebrews 10:24-25 "And let us consider how to provoke one another to love and good deeds, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day approaching." How grateful we are for even a drop of encouragement; how amazed we are when others encourage by word and by deed! A call to reciprocity Luke 6:36-37 “Do not judge, and you will not be judged; do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven; give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap; for the measure you give will be the measure you get back.” Pay it forward!  Listen when God directs you...

To donate to Concord UMC, click HERE.   Love Is ___________! 1st Corinthians 13:4-8a Let's Talk About Love  We apply these verses most often to marriage, don't we? These verses were originally written to a church The Corinthian church was blessed. And when we are blessed, don't we assume God is pleased with us?  (see 1 Cor 1:4-11 )  These verses show us what real love looks like in action.  Paul's words on Love Breaking it down  Agape love: “a caring, self-sacrificing commitment which shows itself in seeking the highest good of the one loved.” Love is patient. If you’re patient, you’re slow to anger, you endure personal wrongs without retaliating. You bear with others’ imperfections, faults, and differences. You give them time to change, room to make mistakes without coming down hard on them. Patience says, "you are worth the wait." Love is kind. Patience in action. The kind person shows kindness in response to harsh treatment. (see Luke 6:33, 35; Rom. 2:4). Kindness, not harshness, motivates others toward positive change. Love is not envious/jealous. The envious person wants what others have. In relationships, they have to have all the attention. James says that jealousy is often the source of quarrels and conflicts (James 4:2). Love is not boastful or arrogant. “Jealousy is wanting what someone else has. Bragging is trying to make others jealous of what we have. Jealousy puts others down; bragging builds us up” (John MacArthur) The humble, loving person is aware that everything they have is a gift from God (1 Cor. 4:7), not something they "deserve." Love is not rude. Love does not needlessly offend. It is courteous, polite, sensitive to the feelings of others and always uses tact. Love does not insist on its own way. It is not selfish, does not demand its rights. Aren’t you glad Jesus didn’t insist on His rights? He would have stayed in heaven and we wouldn’t be saved! Love is not irritable. Phillips: “It is not touchy.” Love does not have a hair-trigger temper. Some people make everyone around them walk on eggshells. When you’re angry, usually you’re not loving. Love is not resentful. This word is used of God not imputing our guilt to us, but instead imputing the righteousness of Christ to us ( 4:6-8). One married man said to his friend, “You know, every time my wife and I get into a conflict, she gets historical..." Love does not rejoice in wrongdoing, but rejoices in the truth. These qualities are the flip side of one another. The Moffatt translation: “Love is never glad when others go wrong.” If someone you don’t like falls into sin, you don’t gloat; you grieve. If they repent, you rejoice. Love bears all things. Love doesn’t broadcast the problems of others. Love doesn’t run down others with sarcasm or put-downs. Love defends the character of the other person as much as possible within the limits of truth. Love won’t lie about weaknesses, but neither will it deliberately expose and emphasize them. Love protects. Love believes all things. This does not mean gullibility; it does mean that love is not suspicious and doubting of the other person’s character and motives without good reason, even if the actions offended you. Sometimes you will get taken advantage of when you trust, but love persists in trusting. Love hopes all things. It is not pessimistic. It does not expect the one loved to fail, but to succeed. Love refuses to take failure as final. It rests on the promises of God, that He is working all things together for good for those who love Him and are called according to His purpose. Love endures all things. The word “endures” is a military word meaning to sustain the assault of an enemy. It has the idea of holding up under trial, of perseverance in spite of difficulties. It means that love hangs in there. There is a trend among in our culture of bailing out of tough situations. Aren't you glad Jesus didn't bail on us? Love never ends Real love doesn't fail. It does not dependant upon the behavior of others, but upon God.  It's a "father, forgive them" kind of love. Conclusion And we can all probably do better.  I encourage you to make each of these "love is" statements a point of prayer over this week, especially the ones that are personally the most challenging...

To donate to Concord UMC, click HERE. A Difficult Journey (sorry, but the computer ate my sermon notes)

To donate to Concord UMC, click HERE.   “Sacrificial Victory” Mark 8:27-37   Spending your life for Christ The Rev. Billy Graham The Rev. Dietrich Bonhoeffer   Peter: Right belief, wrong goals Peter's great confession of faith: that Jesus was the Messiah. He was correct. He was even inspired by the Father to make that statement of faith. But when Jesus began to openly teach the necessity of the Cross, Peter - of all people - took Him aside, and began to rebuke Him. This the sternest rebuke that Jesus ever gave (Mark 8:31-33). Was this the "more opportune time?" Hard enough to endure temptation from Satan, but what about those from your friends...? Also notice the "get behind.." Jesus had called Peter to follow Him; now Peter was trying to talk Jesus into following what Peter wanted instead.  Taking up the Cross If you wish to follow Jesus, you must learn self-denial. You must “deny yourself” (Mark 8:34). The Christian life involves choosing the way of God rather than our own path. You must follow the example of Jesus, who surrendered Himself to the will of His Father (Luke 22:42). If you would follow Jesus, you must be willing to walk with Him, and to go wherever He leads. Sometimes this is spending a life in service, like Rev. Graham. For others, it has been giving up their lives for Christ, as Rev. Bonhoeffer.  It means surrendering our goals to God. That's hard... Conclusion We are told by this world to place our will at the forefront "I am the master of my fate, I am the captain of my soul."- from Invictus by William Ernest Henley And yet the message of Christ still shines through the lives of His children: In her book, Out of the Saltshaker and into the World, Rebecca Manley Pippert relates that she was afraid of becoming a Christian, because (she thought) she would cease to be herself. But surprise!  In losing herself to Christ she found the authentic "self" she was always meant to be.  The truth was that in Sacrifice she found Victory. You have a choice: Savior or Self “The opposite of wasting your life is to live by a single, soul-satisfying passion for the supremacy of God in all things. If you want your life to count, if you want the ripple effect of the pebbles you drop to become waves that reach the ends of the earth and roll on into eternity, you have to know one great all-embracing thing—and be set on fire by it. Like Paul, declare, ‘I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified.’” (Don’t Waste Your Life, p. 43-44)

To donate to Concord UMC, click HERE.   “When Jesus Got Mad” John 2:13-22    Why talk about anger? ...especially on Communion Sunday? We are in the season of Lent The lectionary reading for today is Jesus clearing the temple If we are in any way connected to the larger world via news reports, podcasts, social media, anger is now in the air we breathe. Earlier this past week, while the news was still focused on the Parkland.. Did you watch the CNN town hall meeting? I listened to it, and when the NRA spokeswoman was speaking I did indeed hear a cry of "burn her," although it could have been someone mangling the word "murderer." So much anger. Did you hear the Broward county deputies (multiple) stayed outside? We have since learned they were told to set up a perimeter So much anger over that. What do we do with this anger? Write nasty replies on social media? Take it out on other people during the day? (or worse, when at home in the evening?) WWJD? What Jesus did... Why was He upset? (Yes, He really was upset. The "wrath of God" is real...) Disrespecting God's holy place was a part of the story... (John 2:16) The other part was the "unjust scales" alluded to in Matthew 21:13 with the "den of robbers" quote How often had Jesus and Mary and Joseph traveled to the temple, and how often had Jesus seen exorbitant prices demanded of the poorest people? How did He respond? Not politely! But not out of proportion, either... A "whip" would have been used to get the animals moving Turning over the tables and chairs got the moneychangers moving He did not go around wailing on the money changers... And when it was over, it was over! It doesn't say Jesus was carrying the anger around with Him, even against those who crucified Him. How are we to follow Him? Paul speaking to the church as a whole: Be angry but do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, and do not make room for the devil. - Ephesians 4:26-27 (NRSV) The writer of Hebrews (maybe Paul) addressed lingering anger: See to it that no one fails to obtain the grace of God; that no root of bitterness springs up and causes trouble, and through it many become defiled. - Hebrews 12:15 (NRSV) Ever let a bull thistle grow in your garden? Do not allow yourself to be infected by this era of anger that we are living in If your anger is just, do not allow it to become sinful Treat others as persons deserving respect and understanding Do not respond disproportionately Do not in frustration take past wrongs out on present family, friends, churchgoers, coworkers, motorists... In short, give your frustration and anger to God! Allow just anger to move you to action, but don't allow it to curdle into bitterness. Make no room for the devil, but make room for love and forgiveness instead. Do your best in this age of anger to spread love, not hate, through the power of Jesus Christ. Even if you don't feel it yet, set an example by your actions not only for others, but for yourself! If you do this, the feelings will start to change...

To donate to Concord UMC, click HERE.   “The Heart of the Gospel” John 3:14-21   Those very special verses... The Golden Rule The Great Commission John 3:16 Our focus: "For God so loved the world..." The Context: Jesus has been speaking to Nicodemus Jesus recalls the story of the Israelites, judged for idolatry and bitten by serpents, who only had to look to the bronze serpent Moses placed on a pole to be healed (Numbers 21) In coming to see Jesus at night, Nicodemus had moved from darkness into the light The Heart of the Gospel For God so LOVED...            For God IS.. Love stretches back through eternity past, BUT God chose to share that love by creating others with the capacity to love each other and to love Him For God so loved THE WORLD... NOT "worldliness!" God so loved every fallen, broken person that has ever been or ever will be; though He hates the evil that we do, he loves each and every person He created so much that He bore our sins in Christ on the cross. Are we sharing God's Love? Are we sharing and living the message that God loves everyone He created? Or do we send the message that God only loves some? We are all human. We have our "comfort zones." Christians have a reputation for being a clique. Is that fair?  Are we sharing God's love within our fellowship? John 13:34 "A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you..." How well are we doing this? Christians have a reputation as divisive and combative, with churches splitting even over little things. Is that fair?  Are we sharing the kind of love God has? God's kind of love is not content with those that already share in it. God's kind of love is explicitly self-sacrificing. How many times have we placed our wants before others' needs? Jesus said, "Be ye perfect, as your Father in heaven is perfect." (Matthew 5:48) Many Christians, including Methodists, understand that to mean "perfected in love," so that every decision, every action, has love of God and love of others as its motivation.  Example: In 1st-century Rome they practiced sex-selective infanticide.  Imagine living in a world so callous that the cries of abandoned infants are ignored as an accepted, necessary part of a "modern society."  Then imagine this one, crazy group of people who start to say, "we will take them!  Don't kill them!"  That was a shock to the Roman world that left an impression of God's kind of love.  And such extravagant love went on to transform the world... That is the kind of love that can fill our hearts, our minds, our very lives... if we let it.

To donate to Concord UMC, click HERE.   When the Time Comes Mark 13:24-37  What were you doing on Monday, September 26th, 1983? ...In Hickory Level the high temperature was a perfect 72 degrees, with 8 miles of visibility. It was also the day our world almost ended.... Stanislav Petrov, the man who quite possibly saved the world, died this past May at 77. The first Sunday in Advent is one of hope: the hope that Light will shine amidst the darkness Jesus spoke of a time of darkness: Signs in the heavens, light being extinguished! Jesus spoke within a time of darkness: Israel occupied by Rome, 400 years since God had spoken through the prophets And the darkness still tries to surround us: 34 years ago we were so close to destruction, and never even knew it!  And this week we find out that North Korea can now reach Washington DC with their brand new ICBMs But Jesus assures us that Light will overcome the darkness, and councils us to keep awake! The problem with the darkness is it makes you want to pull the covers over your head, to go to sleep. But He tells us not to, even though it might be more comfortable to be lulled by things that don't matter, to drift off into distraction. Are we awake? We are ready if it were to BE now?, if an angel appeared and said, "It is time to stand before Jesus...?" Would you be comfortable with... your prayer life? ...your treatment of others?...your patience or lack thereof?... If the answer to all of that was yes, then are you maybe too comfortable? Final words Do you remember David Cassidy? 1983's Joseph in his Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat? Teen heartthrob star of the Partridge Family? He also passed away this year, this past week actually, at 67. His daughter Katie Cassidy (Laurel Lance on "Arrow") shared this on Twitter: "Words can't express the solace our family’s received from all the love & support during this trying time,” the Arrow actress wrote. “My father’s last words were ‘So much wasted time.’..." Yet we serve a God who "redeems the time," who takes what this world calls a waste and makes it fruitful and holy. "Arise, shine, [people of God] for your light has come, and the glory of the LORD rises upon you." "Wake up, and strengthen what remains..." May God open our eyes, convict our hearts, lead us to repentance, forgive us our sins, and fit us for His service.

To donate to Concord UMC, click HERE.   On the Word of the King 2 Timothy 3:14-17 Are We Confident in the Word? "From childhood you have known the sacred writings that are able to instruct you for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus." As true for many of us as it was for Timothy. "... for the Bible tells me so." The secular culture replies, "so what?"  That HAS to have an impact. If not on you, then on your children, or grandchildren... So let's spend ONE Sunday just on this Word of our God and King You Can Be Confident in the Bible's Construction Let me tell you the story of the New Testament... Sharing the Stories of Jesus, reading letters from the Apostles Letters being recognized AS scripture (2 Pet 3:16) As the Apostles start to pass, the Stories are written down Matthew, Mark (Peter), Luke (Paul), John Each local church has their own copies of letters and gospels, each deciding whether they are genuine, with the same Jesus The earliest list was compiled in AD 170. It included all of the New Testament books except Hebrews, James, and 3 John. Some of them accepted the Apocalypse of Peter, although others "will not allow [it] to be read in church."  They rejected the letters claiming to be Paul's letter to the Laodiceans and to the Alexandrians. Over time, a consensus developed as to what was accepted: (1) Because the apostles were the eyewitnesses of Jesus, the writing had to be directly connected to an apostle. (2) The writing had to be "orthodox"; that is, it could not contradict Old Testament or the teachings of the apostles. (3) The writing had to be accepted in churches throughout the known world, not just one group of believers In 367, the Festal Letter of Athanasius listed as authoritative the same twenty-seven books that appear in our New Testaments. In 382 a group of bishops and theologians, including some eastern representatives, met in Rome. The list was discussed, formalized, and published. Not at all like Dan Brown's claim that " books were compiled and edited by men who possessed "a political agenda... to solidify their own power base." You Can Be Confident in the Bible's Translation American Bible Society: "the number of printed English translations and paraphrases of the Bible,... complete or not, is about 900." Things to remember as an informed consumer: Modern translations have better sources than older translations All translations come from a particular time, place, and people, which effects the translation choices : NIV "the man of God" vs NRSV "everyone who belongs to God" in verse 17 Paraphrases translate idea-for-idea, rather than word-for-word. “And when we were all fallen to the earth, I heard a voice speaking unto me, and saying in the Hebrew tongue, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? It is hard for thee to kick against the pricks (goads)” (Acts 26:14 KJV). But The Message? "Why do you insist on going against the grain?’" My personal choice? A more literal translation with study notes to explain the meaning or background of difficult passages... A good practice: test the translations against one another (easy for you, or your grandkids, to do now); weed out the bad ones You Can Be Confident in the Bible's Teachings "I have a problem with..." v16: "ALL Scripture..." Things to remember The letters were, for the most part, written to particular churches with the understanding they would be shared with others. You can expect them to target the particular problems at that church. The entire NT was written within a first-century context. Sometimes that means we have to step back from the particular practice to look at the principle underlying it before we can apply it to our lives. Within their context of a small, persecuted religious minority, the status quo was subverted instead of protested Can you find the letter to Philemon?... A slave is sent home to his master, but the master is told the slave is his brother.  How can slavery survive?  The church challenged Rome by rescuing babies from exposure in trash heaps, taking care of the poor, etc. We are more distant from the first century, but have greater resources than any of the generations that have gone before. Granted there is a lot of chaff mixed in with the wheat, and a lot of people with agendas, but they usually reveal themselves. If I could leave you with one thing, it would be a holy excitement for the Word of God, and a desire to spend TIME studying this Word, given by the Creator of the universe, whose message to us is Life and Love.

To donate to Concord UMC, click HERE.   Consider the Lilies Matthew 6:25-34 The Enemy of Thanksgiving Taking things for granted/Always wanting more? Good candidates, especially in our consumer culture! But there is another: fear, worry, stress I want to be thankful. But all these things I'm stressed about keeps getting in the way! And even if "life is good" for you, there is a whole smorgasbord of stress offered up to you each day! So much to fret over, to say "what is this world coming to" about! Cares and Lures of life: Parable of the Sower (Matthew 13:1-23): 7 Other seeds fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked them. 22 As for what was sown among thorns, this is the one who hears the word, but the cares of the world and the lure of wealth choke the word, and it yields nothing. Most of the Christians that I spend time with, and I myself... we seem to have a pretty good handle on the lures. It is the cares that are tripping us up. ...And that's why I always seem to return to these verses in Matthew 6... Giving Thanks, Being Content In Matthew 6, Jesus seems to be talking to those distracted by the cares more than the lures They weren't the rich (whom Jesus did spend time with) They were stressed over things most of us take for granted Q: Are you more concerned with having too little this Thanksgiving, or eating too much? Jesus redirected them: Your Father knows what you need... yes! But also, isn't if "funny" that Jesus directed them to look at the birds flying overhead, and the flowers blooming all around them? Doesn't that sound restful? Paul said "whatever is true, honorable, just, pure, pleasing, commendable, excellent, praiseworthy... think about these things!" (Philippians 4) Jesus seems to be saying, "look at them, seek them out!" Against Our Society of Lures and Cares... Advertisers offer us lures; the news offers us cares Jesus offers us contentment, and thankfulness is key. They go hand-in-hand.  Homework: You know yourself (God knows you better, but...) If you are vulnerable to the lures... Remember that story (maybe you lived it) of the parents who spent a fortune on a Christmas gift, and the child had more fun with the cardboard box it came in?... BE THAT CHILD If you are vulnerable to the cares... If you've got the weight of the world bearing down on you, quit trying to prepare yourself for how bad things can be, take it one day at a time, and be thankful for what, and who, you have. Consider the lilies and the birds flying overhead, that God provides for them, and will provide for you... If you've learned how to practice thanksgiving, if you've learned (as Paul did) the secret of contentment beyond your present circumstances, help your family to see it.

To donate to Concord UMC, click HERE.    For The Coming Generations Psalm 78:1-8 It Makes a Difference My Dad was a soldier Paratrooper, purple heart recipient Didn't talk much about it; only shared a few stories But he handed down to me a fundamental respect for soldiers, for their struggles, for why they fought And having received this from him, and having seen my father's service respected at his funeral, it is almost painful to see the American flag held in contempt... That connection is becoming more rare Recent statistics show just one-half of one percent of American adults have served on active duty at any given time. Fewer that one-third of those under 30 have immediate family members who served.  And if you look at the difference between those who live in the big cities and those from the rural areas, the differences get larger. And with the loss of that connection comes a loss in understanding, respect, and common values. That happens when the important things are not passed on to the next generation... So it is with our Faith, and its Foundations Remember that push years go to "not force our kids into our faith?" Against this today's scripture says: " We will not hide them from their children; we will tell to the coming generation the glorious deeds of the Lord, and his might, and the wonders that he has done. " How well do you think we've done? Noah, Jonah, Moses, Sampson...ok Do they know the story of David and Jonathan? Or David and Absalom? Do they know that a prostitute named Rahab became the ancestor of Jesus? How Elisha prayed so his servant could see God's armies defending them, and he saw the hillside surrounded with "chariots of fire?" They know the 23rd Psalm; do they know that the 22nd Psalm was the cry of Jesus on the cross? For that matter, have we told them of our personal struggles with faith, when God delivered us, or gave us strength to carry on? These are the foundations of our shared faith, mutual understanding, common values... Are our foundations solid? Will "the children yet unborn,... set their hope in God, and not forget the works of God, but keep his commandments;... that they should not be like their ancestors, a stubborn and rebellious generation, a generation whose heart was not steadfast, whose spirit was not faithful to God"? (God's church is there to equip you and support you in this calling; this is something God's church and God's families do together. But the church can never take your place.) Beyond the Foundations, we must Build Well But even if we get that RIGHT, that is only the first step! Do you think the Pharisees had a strong biblical foundation?   And yet they put Jesus to death... Of all the national instances of violence in the last few months, only one was (possibly) seeking fame. The others killed, at least in part, because they thought they were in the right... just like the Pharisees when they had Jesus killed. The foundations must be solid, yet Christ-like love is the mortar that holds them together... Every story we share is told in the light of Jesus' love, sacrifice, and resurrection... done so ALL may come to Him Please consider this well... God has given us infinite grace, but in this world we have a limited amount of time We know (hopefully) that our faith has made us "better," in how we handle the trials of life, how we reach out to others... But bringing it down to that limited resource of time, please consider this question: What practical difference has it made in my family's life that we identify as Christians, excluding all church-based activities? And should I be satisfied with the answer? Maybe there should be more time with my spouse, with my kids, sharing the stories, talking about the faith, praying for the hurting and lost?