Mark 1:21-28, "Standing Before the Light"

This is the sermon for Feb 1, 2009 at Trinity Church of the Nazarene.

This passage is a continuation from last week’s message.

Last week we talked about how Jesus called the disciples—called them to be fishers of people, to lay down their nets and become fishers of people. We talked about what it means to be a disciple.

This week we are talking about how Jesus takes these new followers to Capernaum to teach in the synagogue there.

And Jesus starts to teach. What he’s teaching, who knows? Maybe he’s teaching one of his parables. Maybe he’s teaching how to be a disciple. The scripture does not tell us what he’s teaching—just that he is.

When suddenly a man starts shouting out to Jesus; possessed by an evil spirit. He asks Jesus if he is the one who is to destroy evil and declares he is God’s Holy One.

Jesus commands the evil spirit out of the man and everyone walks away amazed at Jesus’ teaching as one with authority.

Now, I do not know about your experiences… but in my personal experience, this kind of stuff just does not seem to happen anymore.

When was the last time you were in church next to a person who was demon possessed?

Right? Seriously—have you seen anyone cast out a demon lately in the Church of the Nazarene?

Really, what does this have to do with us?

In our empirical age of science and reason-- does this passage have anything to do with us?

Does this passage have any relevance whatsoever?

This is just utter silliness is it not?


Or… perhaps it is not so ridiculous.

(This is when I will pull out my mailbox- pictured above- and say): Yeah, this kind of stuff still happens.

The forces of evil are still very much at work in people’s lives.

Someone, this last week… thought they were better than me. Thought they were more important than me. Thought what they wanted was more important than my need to get mail.

Someone this week—smashed my poor mailbox with a baseball bat; or so it appears.

Yes. Evil manifests itself physically still today.

This poor, beat up mailbox is a symbol of evil spirit’s possession in our culture.

No matter how intellegent we are, no matter how scientific data oriented we are-- there is one thing we cannot deny-- Jesus confronted evil and evil is still very much at work today.

We are possessed by a lot of things. We are possessed by greed. We are possessed by violence. We are possessed by money, pride, drugs, sex, and so much more (See Girardian Lectionary 4th Sunday after the Epiphany Year B, under Michael Hardin and Jeff Krantz).

We are possessed by our own power of selfishness.

We are possessed by the desire to exert what we want at the expense of mailboxes.

Yes. This passage has a lot to do with us; does it not?

We live in a culture possessed by evil; possessed more by an evil spirit than by the Holy Spirit.

And so we have every reason in the world to look at this passage a little more closely—to see what Jesus has to say about evil.

One of the first things that struck me (and several of my friends whom I was chatting about this passage with this week) was how it happened IN the synagogue.

That is quite bizarre, is it not?

Should Jesus not be confronting evil spirits OUTSIDE the church building? I mean, really—IN the synagogue?

There was evil... an evil spirit, IN the Synagogue? Who does that?

It makes you wonder: Was this guy scary for the people in the synagogue that day?

Did he walk in and everyone stopped breathing—like in a television “hold up” scene? Did people throw themselves on the floor in fear, arms in the air?

Did the guy walk in the building suddenly and send raging fear into everyone?

Or… was it the exact opposite? Perhaps the man was “church member J” who sat in the synagogue every single week and no one was afraid to see him because he belonged in the synagogue. This was his space.

The passage does not say anyone went away talking about the man. They went away taking about the teacher—the teacher with authority.

And so we are left wondering… what if the people listening to the teaching of Jesus that day were people who were in the synagogue every single day? What if the people in the synagogue that day never noticed that “church member J” was possessed by evil—until Jesus reveals it—until Jesus uncovers the man’s selfishness; the man’s evil possession?

Wow. Let that one sink in for a bit.

See the great truth about Jesus—is even people IN the synagogue can be set free from evil.

Even people in the Church can be set free from evil.

Even people who refuse to admit they are anything but holy—are confronted with their selfishness when Jesus comes around.

As Kaza Fraley says, "Jesus gives him a new lease on life, a second chance, the ability to start fresh and make better choices, the ability to choose to love God and neighbor as the scriptures require."

Jesus gives this man who is IN the synagague another opportunity to truly love--to truly be holy. To find himself where he belonged in God's plan for his life.

And this can either sting (that Jesus can confront any of us and show us where He needs to work)… or be the most comforting thing in the whole world.

Because people are always brought together for one of two reasons… either around a common sense of self-righteousness (that they are so holy and so pure)—or people can be brought together based on a common sense of brokenness (“Becoming the Answer to Our Prayers,” Shane Claiborne and Jonathan Wilson-Hartgrove, IVP, 2008,page 47).

Instead of being brought together by a common sense of being more holy than the next person… that we have it all figured out and no one is as good as us…

Perhaps we should be brought together by the understand we are all just as horrible as the person next to us. We are all just as sinful and selfish as the person next to us. We are all vulnerable and broken, laid bare for who we really are before Jesus who confronts the evil within us.

As Thomas A Kempis says in "The Imitation of Christ," A person "who truly knows" themselves "realizes" their "own worthlessness" (Penquin Classics, page 28).

If it stings to confront your own worthlessness and selfishness, perhaps one is clinging to their self-righteous status a little too closely.

If it is the most comforting thing in the world, perhaps one is okay with being broken before the brothers and sisters around them—willing to admit they do not have it all together. Willing to admit they are not completely perfect; completely selfless.

“We are better off beating our chests and praying that God would be merciful enough to save us from this present ugliness and make our lives so beautiful that people cannot resist the mercy” (“Becoming the Answer to our Prayers”, page 48).

This is an excellent set up for Lent-- which begins Feb 25 this year, with Ash Wednesday.

Lent is the time of year, 40 days before Easter, that set apart time in the Church calendar to focus on the life of Christ. 40 whole days that center on Christ's life and ministry.

For these 40 days of Lent to mean anything or teach us anything—we must be willing to confess we do not have it all together-- that we are not worthy; that we are not quite eternally perfect in all ways.

For Lent to change our very being, we must be ready to let Jesus confront the evil within us.

The season of Lent, the 40 days that go from Ash Wednesday to Easter Sunday morning create a space for us to be set free from evil (just like Jesus set this man free from evil).

The season of Lent, the 40 days that go from Ash Wednesday to Easter Sunday morning create an opportunity for us to learn about our dependence on things—on objects-- on items (just like Jesus set this man free from his dependence that day).

The season of Lent, the 40 days that go from Ash Wednesday to Easter Sunday morning create a place for God to show us, the good Church people who show up to the synagogue all the time, where Jesus might show us our own desires, our own selfishness, our own desire to be unclean (just like this man apparently was at the synagogue where people allowed his selfishness and evil spirit to run).

The season of Lent- calls us out of a feeble understanding of holiness and into a bright and beautiful (although difficult) transformational way of becomming the holy people of God together.

The season of Lent-- challenges us, even now (in Epiphany), to look up at Jesus.


This message-- of standing before the Light is really a call to genuine holiness.

Often when things “get a little difficult, we tend to become consumed with trying to make our lives comfortable again. But by doing so we miss a great spiritual opportunity.” Which means we must ask ourselves: “Would I rather live a life of ease and comfort and remain immature in Christ, or am I willing to be seasoned with suffering if by doing so I am conformed to the image of Christ” (“Sacred Marriage” by Gary Thomas, Zondervan, 2000, page 131).

We must allow Jesus to walk in the synagogue of our hearts—walk into our synagogue and make us a little uncomfortable. Walk into the synagogue to teach and reveal the evil spirits that rage within us—so that we might be made more beautiful, more holy, more amazing-- in genuine holiness.

For in our common brokenness… we are united—and in our common beauty, we are also united.

We are just as horrible and broken as the next person and we are just as beautiful as the next person.

We are tempted to trust in our own holiness (especially in our special and sacred tradition).

We are tempted to trust that we are more beautiful than the next person.

We are tempted to ignore the power of evil selfishness that rages throughout us—unwilling to confront it and see the blood on our own hands; to see the darkness of our own selfishness.

“God is not glorified when we try to live together as perfect people” (“Becoming the Answer to Our Prayers, page 69).

God is glorified in our humbling of ourselves-- humbling ourselves with a “childlike willingness to acknowledge all our faults” (Sacred Marriage, Gary Thomas, 96).

God is glorified when we beat our chests, together, and cry out for mercy. When we give up ourselves enough to admit we could be a little selfish. Where we let God transform all of who we really are.

Because the truth is—not even I, your pastor, have it all together. Not even people with multiple degrees and ordination has it all together.

I’m just as terrible as the next person. I’m just as beautiful as the next person.

We do not have to have it all together—we do not have to know everything. We do not have to claim to our holiness so tightly we refuse to admit there are places evil manifests itself physically today…

And so I must allow Jesus to stand before me and cast out the evil selfishness within me. To continue to transform me and make me less of Christy and more like Christ.

For Jesus to stand before me in the synagogue of my heart and command the evil spirits of selfishness, pride, anger, and whatever else to come out of me—in the same way he did for this man in the Gospel of Mark.

And it is my prayer—that you will join me on this journey. To allow Jesus to stand at the synagogue of your heart and cast out the evil spirits of pride, anger, and selfishness out of you too.

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Added for Sunday morning:

I’m challenging you to look in your heart—let Jesus confront the unpleasing pieces of your life to God. Give God permission to walk around in the synagogue of your heart. I’m asking you to listen if God begins to say, “that’s a bad attitude, or the way you spoke to that person wasn’t good,” that we then choose to listen.

I don’t care if you’re church board member or “church member J”—or penitent slave… but WHAT WOULD HAPPEN if we came to church with anticipation that God would confront who we really are—and show us who we could be?

What would happen if everyone took action on what God was saying to us—if we came to the altar and declared, “I’m here to be who God wants me to be. I’m giving God permission to speak to my heart.”

Is your relationship with God so close you can tell me what the last thing was that God confronted you about?

Is your relationship with the Light of Christ so intense—you could confess what the last thing God worked on your heart about?

If not, perhaps God is inviting you to make your way to the altar. Let God work on your heart. Give God pretermission to show you who you could be.

I’m asking you to open yourself up and allow Jesus to confront the evil spirit within us and show us who we really are; to allow Jesus to point out to us where we might be more selfish than holy.

Just as with the man in the Synagogue that day—Jesus stands before us and shows the evil within us. The places Jesus still needs to work on—the places we still need God’s gracious work in our hearts and lives. The places we still need to be taken over by the Holy Spirit; for God to work in who we are and who we are becoming to continue.

Allow Jesus to work on you. Be willing to let God come into the synagogue of your heart and make you into a beautiful person.

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Let’s pray (leaning on Stanley Hauerwas' "Prayers Plainly Spoken"):

Dear Heavenly Father,

We trust you. We trust in you to reveal to us who we really are—to show us who we really are when we cannot even fake it to ourselves.

All too often we want to “strut our stuff”—we like to parade our purity and beauty for the world to see… but inside we know we are hoping to become what we pretend.

Save us from this desire to fake.

Save us from this desire to be unclean.

Save us from the evil selfishness that rages deep within us—even when we refuse to admit it.
We want to be pure. We want to be holy. We want to be possessed by your Spirit.

So come to the synagogues of our hearts and reveal to us who we really are. Reveal to us the selfishness. Reveal to us the stubbornness. Reveal to us our own self-righteousness…. So that we might become the beautiful one we desire to be.

Make us into more than we could ever fake.

We love you Lord, Amen.

Mark 1:14-20, “The Light calls us to change our hearts and lives”

This is the sermon for Wichita Trinity Church of the Nazarene, January 25, 2009.

In the early 1800s lived a family of girls who became more famous than they ever dreamed. They would write novels together, sharing chapters every evening—offering suggestions to each other.

One of the sisters wrote the classic novel—“Jane Eyre.” Another sister wrote some famous poems I never read, and still yet another sister wrote the classic novel “Wuthering Heights.”

I can remember reading Jane Eyre in High School; my senior year. I can also remember various references about “Heathcliff” from “Wuthering Heights” in culture since 1845 (when the young 27 year old girl, Emily Bronte, began writing this book) but until this week—I never read the book for myself.

I spent time this week reading the "other" Bronte sister-- flipping through the pages of Wuthering Heights faster than normal. It was fascinating. It was absolutely thrilling—that a book written in the 1800s could still keep my attention today. No wonder it is a classic.

The book is filled with rivalry. At the turn of every page someone is trying to exert their selfishness through violent words and actions.

If you were not required to read this classic in school, allow me to summarize parts of the story pertinent for these moments.

The plot begins with a nice gentleman who had a son and a daughter; Hindley and Catherine.

The nice gentleman goes out to a nearby town where he finds a young orphaned boy he feels compelled to take in his home and raise as a son. His name is Heathcliff.

Hindley hates Heathcliff with passionate fury. He would beat up the young boy and persecuted him merciless. The rivalry between Hindley and Heathcliff pokes its ugly head with anger and rage. But young Catherine and Heathcliff become the best of friends.

Hindley goes off to school and Heathcliff and Catherine fall for each other. Until Catherine is injured in front of the house of a young man, Edgar, who takes her in for 5 weeks caring for her wounds. And thus, the rivalry between Heathcliff and Edgar begins.

Page after page of rivalry. Page after page of being so selfish each character takes what they want, when they want it without a care in the world for the next character.

And when I got to page 61 (of 326) I actually wrote on the top of the page, “What would happen if they forgave and lived differently than rivalry?”

What would have happened to this story if just ONE character decided to give up what they wanted for a moment? If just one character would be redeemed, to care more about the people they (claimed to) love, than themselves?

What would happen to this story if one character looked at the person they did not like and acted like Jesus had made a difference in their life? That rivalry no longer guided them—but the call to be a disciple of Jesus did guide them?

What would happen if redemptive power hit Wuthering Heights?

If just one character answered the call to be a disciple, as Jesus calls the disciples… if they changed their hearts and lives to model Jesus’ values, saw the “other”—the one completely different from them through Jesus’ eyes instead of manipulating the “other” for their own purposes?

What would happen to Wuthering Heights?

Our scripture passage for this week is Mark 1:14-20.

Verse 15 catches my attention the most. Verse 15 lays it out there for us—on what it means to be a disciple. How to live a life very different than the world of characters enveloped in rivarly that Ms. Bronte created for us.

Verse 15 reads, Jesus “said, ‘the right time has come. The kingdom of God is near: Change your hearts and lives and believe the Good News’” (NCV).

Verse 15 will shock you to your core and shake up your world.

Jesus will mess with your life if you keep coming to church and opening your heart to God’s Word.

I am warning you now—the message of Scripture is not changing. Jesus is going to mess up your world and turn everything upside down if you keep listening. Every passage of scripture is about a God who calls us to be disciples, to answer the call by being different than a world guided by rivalry and violence.

I know plenty of people with perfect lives; just the way they wanted them. Their lives were fantastic—and then Jesus came and messes with their life.

Verse 15 calls us to become disciples, to change our hearts and lives.

Just like an athlete will do the most difficult workout to get stronger (and not the easiest), verse 15 calls us to work really hard. To let Jesus shake up our world.

So join me as we delve into verse 15—the verse that shocks you to your core and shakes your world—if you really want to be who you were meant to be; a disciple of Jesus Christ.

“Change your Hearts and Lives”—that is a fascinating translation. I love it.

“Change your hearts and lives;” well, how do we do that?

In the context of this passage, where Jesus is calling his disciples, we imitate Jesus; we follow Jesus’ example.

Well, how do we imitate Jesus?

We imitate Jesus by sharing Jesus’ values. We imitate Jesus by seeing the world through Jesus’ eyes. We heal the sick. We touch the untouchable. We extend love to people who are very, very different from us. People we would not choose to hang out with for fun. People we would not stand and talk to if it was not for Jesus. People we would not invite into our midst or go out into their midst if it wasn’t for this Jesus who shakes everything up.

How do we answer Jesus’ call to be a disciple?

You let Jesus mess with your life. You imitate the Jesus who did not draw lines in the sand to call someone so different, so disgusting, so exhausting- they were unworthy of his love. Which means... we really need to focus on this “other.” Those people who we would call “other.”
The one who is so different from ourselves.

It seems these days good church people do not want to talk about the “other.” We want to only talk about us, we want to talk about our holiness and transformation of heart and life. And although these are good things—holiness is a VERY good thing; it cannot be separated from acting like Jesus.

If you look at Jesus, it is impossible to talk about holiness without talking about the “other.”

Because if you truly want to be holy, if you truly want to be transformed in your heart, you must see others the way Jesus saw others.

If you really want to be fulfilled, if you really want to be called unto holiness, you must follow the call to be a disciple... and view the "other" in radical ways.

So let us focus on the “other” for awhile. That yucky subject we all hope does not make it in sermons.

1. The “other” is that person who gets under your skin.

There was a non-mentioned (and never will be mentioned) person I worked with once who drove me absolutely crazy. If you asked me to spend time with her this afternoon or be her pastor, I would probably need to be checked into a hospital. She was nuts and drove everyone around her nuts. Once she took my notes, tore them up, and threw them in the trash. Another time she riled up people around her to turn them on me just for kicks. She was the best example of the “other” I could ever come up with for you.

The “other” is that person who gets under your skin and jumps on your nerves.

2. The “other” is that person who does not agree with anything you believe.

I have a few friends I try really hard not to get in conversation with because they are so far opposite end of understanding Jesus. You know what I mean? They are just crazy in their ideas of faith and what it means to be a Christian. If their idea of God is the actual God, I do not want any part of religion—you know what I am saying?

The “other” is that person who does not agree with anything you believe and you do not agree with them either.

3. The “other” is that smelly person who does not bathe as much as you think they should. That “yucky” person who does not dress the way a good Christian should dress. The “other” is that person you do not want to be around.

As a minister (and preparing for ministry) the last ten years there are a few times I stepped into places where I wanted to gag (not with any of you, of course—you are perfect). But times where you really want to hold your nose or gag. The “other” is that person who looks, smells, and sounds different than you think they should.

4. The “other is that person you would rather talk ABOUT than WITH.

There are a few people in my life, the last 28 years, who I would dread talking with and need long, long vacations from in order to relate to them. I would rather talk about how they annoy me than talk with them and get annoyed. You’ve been there, right?

The “other” is that person you would rather talk about them than with them.


But if we decide to look at the “other” not as an annoying waste of space we avoid… but look at our relating with those “others” as a means to become real disciples, our lives get shaken up.

If we look at the "other" as a means of grace, a way God is developing WHO WE ARE AND WHO WE ARE BECOMMING, our world gets shaken up.



Because the radical truth of being called to be a disciple of Jesus Christ and "change our hearts and lives" is that the more difficult people are, the more different people are—the more of an opportunity you have for the most beautiful holy spiritual discipline to come to life.



The more complicated someone is to be around, the more of an opening you have to become like your heavenly Father.


It is quite the "means of grace," as Wesley would call it.


If we really want to reflect the character of God, if we really want to be a disciple of Jesus, then we need to look at every conflict we have as a spiritual discipline; a holy spiritual discipline ready to shake up your world and make you more like God.




For your attitude, your words, and you actions towards the “other” form a mirror—for us to look at ourselves. We see who we really are in relationship with the “other”—the one very different from us whom we are not inclined to like.




We must have the courage to relate to the “other” one whom is so different—to show us where we are not so holy. Show us where we are slightly faulty. Show us where maybe we are not as perfect as we think we are.




For really, “What is humility?” Humility is childlike willingness to acknowledge all our faults” (Sacred Marriage, Gary Thomas, Zondervan, 2000, page 96).


Most of us good Christians would be quick to say we are not proud… but most of us really do not know what humility is either. We are so convinced for our perfect holiness (especially in my particular and beloved, sacred tradition), we are scared to confront our faults.



However, the “other” forces us to confront our faults. The “other” forces us to see where we might not be as perfect as we once assumed.




Holiness is so much more than being nice to people who are easy to be nice to (people who are like us). Holiness is so much more than throwing money at people who have less than we do.
Holiness—is about true humility. Submitting our life before God, open and ready to see any faults—confront any faults we might have.


Which would mean then… that every time we threaten to quit a relationship, every time we flirt with the notion of leaving the presence of another person because they are too ridiculous (because they are not what you want or do what you want), then (besides abuse situations), we are responding in a non-follower of Jesus way.


We are running away from a spiritual discipline of learning how to live and relate to people completely different from us; learning how to love the “other” truly and purely. Learning how to love God through loving the "other."


It is like divorce, when we say “I can’t live with you anymore." When what we should be saying is, “I’m a little too feeble to love even my enemies—and you are my enemy.”


Never thought of divorce like that, did you? Marriage is the perfect example of learning to really love the "other," someone completely different from you.


In “Sacred Marriage” Gary Thomas writes, Except in abuse—when a person leaves their spouse they often say, “I never loved you” and what they mean is “I never found you lovable.” When what they should be saying is I’m failing “to be a Christian,” I am failing to love you in spite of the fact you are now my enemy (40-41).




And we can apply this right back to the Church of Jesus Christ.


The Church... is also a perfect example on how we can learn to really love the "other."


When we threaten to divorce, split-up, break off from, separate from someone who is different from us (except in instances of abuse) because they just are not who we want them to be, we are failing to be Christian; Christ followers. We are failing to love even our enemy. And the Jesus I read about in scripture screams out, “love your enemies.”




How much have we, the Church of Jesus Christ, fallen prey to this? We think we are holier than the “other” and thus do not need the “other.”


We think we are so good we do not need "them." When the truth is that "them" is what makes us good.


How often do we write off the “other” instead of seeing them as a beautiful opportunity to grow into the person God has called us to be; to be disciples. To follow Christ’s call to be a disciple; to imitate Jesus.




I cannot help but imagine if Hindley (the brother who hated the new stray foster kid) had uttered the words to Heathcliff, knowing he did not like him or want to be anywhere near him and said, “lets pray together brother. Even though you are completely different from you and we do not get along, let’s use our friendship as a means to grow closer to God.”




YEAH RIGHT. We would have no book lasting since the 1800s! Things like that do not happen in our culture.




BUT, they do happen in God’s culture. In God’s Kingdom that “is near” and calls us to “change” our “hearts and lives” (verse 15).


God calls us to be real disciples. To change our hearts and lives.


God calls us to look at the “other” as a means of grace. As a means of being formed into the person God is calling us to be.




God calls us to view that annoying, rotten, dirty, frustrating person with different eyes.


* * * * * *

For how can we EVER preach God’s reconciliation to the sinner if we cannot even reconcile with Christians?


How can we EVER tell the sinner, the person who chooses what they want over what God wants, "God can redeem you"—if we are not even willing to be fully redeemed ourselves... to continue allowing God to redeem us through our experience of the "other?"


How can we EVER show the world who they COULD BE, if we refuse to participate in life alongside the “other?”


* * * * * * *


WHEN we love each other well—when we love the “other” (that annoying disgusting person) really well, we are loving God well.


WHEN we change our view of the “other” to see them as a way God will transform our hearts and lives, we love God enough to change us.


WHEN we learn to love someone so difficult, so different—we are called outside of ourselves, called outside of our selfishness—towards really loving God.




The CHURCH is full of “others,” people different from us. The WORLD is full of “others,” people different from us… And what an opportunity! What a way to truly learn how to love—than by participating in life with someone completely different from us.

Yes, they might be difficult to love. That is the point!

If you can love the difficult, you are more like the One who calls you to follow him; to become fishers of people, to change your heart and life, to believe the Kingdom of God is near and shakes up everything.

1 Samuel 3:1-18, Call of Samuel: The Light Calls Us

This is the sermon for January 18, 2009; 1 Samuel 3:1-20, “The Call of Samuel: The Light Calls Us; Trinity Church of the Nazarene.”

I must give thanks to Rev. Donna Lawson Carlile (Pastor in North Florida, Church of the Nazarene) and Rev. Kaza Henson Fraley (Pastor at Mulvane Church of the Nazarene). The three of us talked out this passage until God pointed each of us on where we should go for our congregations. Their brilliant ideas inspired this sermon.

The picture is from scripturepics.org (a resource I highly recommend).

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Do you remember what it was like as a kid (or if you still are a kid, perhaps you can enlighten us)… when you were in your room at night… and it was completely dark.

You could not see anything when those lights first went out. You can’t see the closet. You can’t see the dresser. It is completely dark.

Or… what about when you go camping or are walking around in nature at night?
When it is so dark you cannot even see your hand in front of your face.


This is what it was like for Israel in 1 Samuel.
It was dark, dark times.

Eli, the priest—had sons who were abusing their power as priests.
These priests were sexually immoral.
They were doing horrible things.

And Israel itself was being threatened by a super-power, the Philistines.

These were dark, dark times for the people of Israel.
Dark times—and a dark abuse of power.

The people had lived in dark so long- their eyes began to adjust to the darkness.


If you remember this Old Testament story—

Hannah really wanted a baby. Her husband was married to another woman too who had several babies… and she just wanted one baby.

So Hannah begged God for a child-- and promised if she had a son, she would give him to the priest, Eli.

Our passage for today starts when Hannah drops off her son Samuel at the temple to serve under the priest, Eli.

We will live in 1 Samuel chapter 3:1-18

So basically this is the story—

Samuel is a young boy living with the old priest, Eli, in the temple.

Late one night—while Samuel is staring up at the ceiling in the darkness—he hears someone calling for him.

And being the fantastic child scholar he deduced and reasoned with all logic available that if someone is calling for a young boy, it is probably someone IN the house.
So Samuel assumes it is Eli calling for him.

Samuel goes to Eli.

The old man opens up his little old eyes and squints saying—“How can I help you?”

Samuel says- “You called me, what do you want?”

And Eli replies- “I didn’t call you my son, go to bed.”

This happens 3 times. Yes? Go to bed. Yes? Go to bed.

Finally Eli wises up and realizes it is Yahweh God calling the young boy. And he says to Samuel—next time the Lord speaks to you say these words, “Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening.”

In other words Eli tells the young boy to speak for his heart is open- speak for he is ready to listen. Speak for he is ready to hear.

Samuel goes back to bed and when he hears the Lord call for him, he does as Eli instructed… and God says something horrible to the young boy.

God tells Samuel the sons of Eli did horrible things. They slept with women in the synagogue. They stole from the offerings. And they will be killed in battle.

That is a horrible message for a little boy to receive.

Somehow this young boy finds a way to make it through the night. Maybe he sleeps. Maybe he does not. Maybe he stares up at the ceiling all night—hoping he will not have to tell Eli the message.

The next morning comes and Eli hobbles over to Samuel’s bed to ask him what the Lord said.

Samuel is anguished over delivering this message.

But Eli is persistent and gently urges the young boy to share the message from the Lord.

Samuel hangs his head and starts to whisper.

I can see Eli saying, “Louder my boy, I can’t see or hear. I’m an old man.”

I can also see Samuel raising up his little head and uttering the horrible words to the old man. “Sir, the Lord says your boys have committed enormous sins and are going to be killed.”

And with that, Eli nods and claims he understands. And says—Well, the Lord knows what the Lord is doing—so, that is okay Samuel.

What a story!


There are several things going on in this passage. Several fascinating things I would like for us to focus on today during this sermon.

First, there is the exciting play on power in this particular portion of scripture.

There is a complete reversal of power, actually.

Eli’s sons abuse their power as priests. They have the power of a priest, have the power of a person of the cloth… and they abuse it.

Instead of using their power as priests to heal, bring hope, and offer love to the hurting—they use their power to bring women in the temple. They do horrible things.
They choose what they want over delivering the message of God.

Therefore, God will raise up another who will not abuse power. God will call someone to be a prophet and priest who will not exploit their God-given power and authority.

Power is fascinating in this story.

The same power that is abused will be taken away and given to someone else.
Power is reversed.

Those who deserve the power—the sons of the good priest… get the power taken away.

And God gives the power to a little boy who was randomly dropped off at the temple. Just some little kid; a nobody.

The weakest person, a little boy with no legacy—with no great heritage to his lineage… is called by God to receive the power.

Samuel is not a prophet or a priest. Samuel is a regular little kid who was dropped off one day… to whom God gave enormous power.

Second, it is fascinating to see the play between God’s initiative and human response.

God calls Samuel, the little boy.

And Samuel responds in the midst of a struggle with that calling.

First, Samuel struggles because he does not know the voice of God.
He goes to Eli 3 times because he does not recognize the voice of God.

Second, he struggles because he does not want to share the message he receives from God. It is a horrible message he does not want to share.

But God calls Samuel anyway—and Samuel responds anyway.

God gives initiative, calling the human—and the human responds, even in the midst of difficulty.

It is a fascinating story in scripture of God’s call and a human’s response to that call.



And so—to spin those two things back on us. The play on power and God’s initiative and human response…


First, What is our power?
CEOs? Dollar bills? Check books? Credit Cards? Jobs? A House? Mortgage? Position? Titles?
What gives us power?

What does it look like for God to speak to us when we have power?

For the people in this story—the sons of Eli had the power—and they did not hear God. They had dark times.

But what does it look like for God to speak to us when we have power?

Can we hear God? Or does our power block the voice of God?
DOES IT BLIND US? Does it make everything dark?

Does power make everything seem like you’re in the wilderness and you cannot even see your hand before your face?


Abused power, like that of the sons of Eli, makes it hard to hear God.
But true and beautiful power… magnifies the voice of the Lord.


So the question becomes: Have we heard the voice of the Lord recently?
If not, what is blocking the voice of the Lord?
What power in your life, what darkness in your life is blocking the voice of the Lord?

And… If we have heard the voice of the Lord, what is God saying?


Second—
In the same way God called Samuel and he responded—God still calls humans today.

Is our response like Samuel?
Will we respond like Samuel… embracing the truth of God’s message?
Even when it scares us?
Even when it is a horrible message we do not want to share?

Will we answer, “Yes Lord, your Servant is listening”—when God calls us?
Will we respond to God’s call in the same way we saw Samuel respond?

Will we respond to God’s call with hearts open?
Will we respond to God’s call ready to listen and ready to hear?


And almost more fascinating than Samuel’s response… is the response of Eli.

Will our response be like Eli?
Remember Eli’s response—to the message of the Lord is… “He is the Lord. Let him do what he thinks is best.”

In other words—even though that means MY SONS die, He is the Lord.
How powerful of a response is that?!
How crazy of a human response to God’s initiative is that?

To respond to God’s action… when it means your sons will die… “He is the Lord, He will do what is best?”

That is crazy!

There was a man in the church I grew up in, Hagerstown Maryland.
His name was Robert Brown.

He was on the church board year after year, after year, after year. One of those pillars of the Church.

One day the church decided they wanted to take out the pews and put in chairs.

Robert Brown did not like that idea.

He was saved in those pews.
He knelt down and prayed at those pews.
His tears left stains on those pews.
His kids were married in those pews.
His kid’s kids were dedicated in those pews.
He did not want to let go of those pews.

When the church board voted, he spoke his mind. He voted no.
He did not want to get rid of those pews.

But it passed anyway.

And Robert responded JUST LIKE ELI.
He might as well have uttered the words, “He is the Lord. Let him do what he thinks is best” because his actions spoke louder than any words could.
Because when it came time to pull out his beloved pews… Robert Brown was the first one there with his tool belt on, ready to help the rest of the church.
His son was there, with his tool belt, ready to pull out the pews with everyone else.

Robert Brown, responded like Eli.

And that is why we remember him EVEN today. Even though he has been buried in the ground for almost 10 years…. We remember him… because he responded to God’s call like Eli.
Even when it hurt.

Robert Brown said, “He is the Lord. Let him do what he thinks is best”—even if it means I need to sacrifice a little.”
“He is the Lord. Let him do what he thinks is best—even it if means I need to let go of something I love and hold dear.”
“He is the Lord. Let him do what he thinks is best—even if it requires I let go of something precious and sacred to me.”


What a human response to God’s action.
What a legacy.
What a memory.


So what about you?
What will people say about you?

Will they say—they had entirely way too much power like Eli’s sons—and never even heard the voice of the Lord?

Will they say—they found true power in the Lord—and heard the voice of God because their power was pure and holy?

Will they say—they were called by God?
Will they say—when God called they had an amazing human response?
Like Samuel, “Speak, your servant is listening.”
Like Eli, “He is the Lord, Let it be as he wants.”
Or even like Robert Brown, “I do not like it, but God is God—and I choose God’s plans over my desires.”

What will people say about you?


Let’s pray.

Father God—we want to have a pure response to your calling. We want to respond like Samuel and like Eli.

When you call us, whatever it is… we want to say yes.

When you speak, give us the ears to hear it. Help us to hear what you really want, over our own power—over our own desires—over our own dependency on things.

Use the upcoming season of Lent (just before Easter) to help us learn something about our dependency. Use the upcoming season of Lent to show us the correlation between the things we do and the behaviors and listening habits we have with you.

Begin to use these moments now… to help us learn about you.
God, use the upcoming season of Lent. Use us.

Help us to learn how to hear you. Help us to know how to open our hearts to you, ready to listen.

Help us to learn how to have a beautiful response that leaves a legacy for those who come behind us.

Make us into more than we could ever make ourselves.

Help us to say “Yes, Lord, Yes. To your will and to your way” even when it means some pain for us. Even when it means some suffering for us. Even if it means some sacrifice for us.

We love you, Lord. We love you more than what we want.

Amen.

Tips for Ministering to the Elderly: A Satire for Our Time (and then some serious stuff)

A group of young people and young families in my church want to go visit a nursing home Sunday evening to BE the kingdom here and now to a group of people suffering in our own community.

It just so happens my parents are visiting my church for the first time and my Dad had some tips for these young families... that made us all laugh so hard we could not breathe.

So, here is an article by my Dad... his first blog post ever. In fact, before today I am not sure he knew what a blog was! :) Yep, and now he is saying to my Mom, "Honey. She's trying to blog me. Make her stop. It sounds horrible."

I must warn you though, if you are easily offended, stop reading and proceed immediately to the end.

I'm serious. Stop reading now if you are easily offended.

And just in case you think I am kidding... you have one more warning not to be offended. Stop reading and go to the section titled "And Then Some Serious Stuff."

* * * * * * * * * * * * *

A Satire for our Time:

I love it when the nice little old lady cries out, “Oh, did I break wind, pastor?” I just respond, “Depends” and I mean the diaper…even if they think I’m just being sweet.

One of my favorite things to do is bring sugar cookies to the diabetics. You leave feeling like you were really able to bring life to the people. There is so much shouting and convulsing you think you were in a Pentecostal church- watching people get a hold of Jesus.

I like to take my teeth out too, just to blend in more with the culture. Before we give all the teeth back… we sing a few verses of “Just As I Am.”

You know that teen game where you have all the young people throw their shoes in the mix… well, we do that with our teeth and we end up looking fairly funny when we end up with the wrong ones. Once I ended up with Ms. Smith’s but fortunately for me she used the neighborhood watch program and engraved her numbers into the teeth making them highly identifiable.

One way you can really get the elderly ready to meet our Lord Jesus is by dressing up as the grim reaper. It works every time. My salvation quota and conversion rate was raised by 20% since I started this technique. My church board was so proud.

I also like to walk into an elderly person’s room when they are sleeping and shout, “WE’RE CRASHING!” You would not believe how fast the elderly can move. This provides all the exercise they need.

Sometimes I like to borrow the oxygen tubes and take a few hits. And that’s all I have to say about that.

At Christmas we sponsor the “Decorate a Bed Pan” program. The creativity is unbelievable. I highly recommend doing this at least once during the holidays. It improves the nursing home moral all around.

And one last thing I do... I like to take the batteries out of their remote just to help them think everyone is deaf.

* * * * * * * * * * * *

And Then Some Serious Stuff

In all seriousness my Dad has many years of experience with ministering to the elderly and people who we treat as undesirable and unwanted. He had some great advice for our young famlies.

Start by introducing yourself and tell them why you are there. For example, "Hi. My name is Billy-Joe-Bob. I'm here from Trinity Church and we are here to visit with you. Is it okay come in and talk for a few minutes?"

He says, the most important thing to do is to listen. The elderly love to tell stories. Encourage them to tell stories. Find what you have in common and talk about those things.

Ask questions or statements like:

1) Tell me about when you were a young child.

2) What is your favorite memory?

3) Did you have children?

4) What traditions did you have?

5) Did you go to church?

6) Tell me about a book you read sometime.

7) What did you do for a living?

Ask open-ended questions to get people talking. Be a friend. Care about people. Look around the room to see what their intrests might be. Maybe they have butterflies or plants. Ask about these things.

When you enter the room, be respectful (don't touch stuff).

Relax. Enjoy your time with them.

If they want to hold your hand, do not be afraid. It is okay.

The most important thing for you to do is work at letting them know they are loved. And expect to build a relationship (perhaps even send them a card on their birthday or come and see them again).

And when you are ready to leave say, "It was so good to spend this time with you and get to know you. Would it be okay if I prayed with you before I leave and ask the Lord's blessing upon you today?"

But he said to be prepared... you will probably be more blessed than they ever will be.

Adore and Reveal for the Light has Come

This is the sermon for Trinity Church of the Nazarene for January 4, 2009 from Matthew 2, “Adore and Reveal for the Light has Come." The picture is from "Art in the Christian Tradition."

Last Sunday Connie (one of our board members) recommended a Hallmark movie to me called “The Christmas Choir.” Has anyone seen this movie? It is an amazing, powerful movie.

I happened to be flipping through the channels this week, searching for something to make me happy… when I saw the first scene Connie so eloquently described last week.

The movie begins with a rich, wealthy accountant named Peter Brockman, sitting at a bar lamenting and crying about the loss of his fiancée.

Peter is sad. He does not feel like his life has meaning, and he is hungry- starving even, to feel like he has value.

A man (named Bob) sits next to him and invites him to his house. Bob claims it is the holidays and no one should be left alone feeling so valueless.

Peter agrees.

As they walk into Bob’s house, Peter is shocked.

This home of Bob’s is… a homeless shelter.

He says to Bob, “I thought you said you were taking me to your family.” And Bob replies, “I did. This is my family.”

Peter sits down and eats a meal with the men. He feels slightly uncomfortable with the way he is dressed and how different the homeless men are. He stares at the nun who dishes out food.

He glances around feeling nervous and tight.

As the men all go to bed a nun (a little bit crazy nun; like no ladies of the cloth we ever knew) sits down to talk with Peter. She says, “What’s the purpose of life?” Peter says something intelligent like, “I don’t know, to be happy.” Sister Agatha replies, “No. To be useful. To make a difference with your life.”

Wow.

Our passage today is about a group of men who want more than to be “happy” who are the first to reveal the Christ child to the world, reveal the Word of God incarnate (in the flesh) to the world.

Our passage today is about three men who worship and reveal the Christ, being more useful, and making more of a difference with their lives than they ever imagined.


Quick Epiphany Lesson:

Epiphany Sunday happens 12 days after Christmas (or the Sunday closest to Jan 6) and is the day we celebrate the wise men bowing down at the feet of the Christ child, worshiping and adoring.

Epiphany Sunday is the day we rejoice in the revelation of Christ to the Gentiles; a revelation of God to wise men (who are not Jews). This is the day we celebrate that even we (those who are Gentiles) can worship and adore the Christ child.

Epiphany Sunday is the day we celebrate and remember the wise men kneeling at the feet of the Messiah and we rejoice that these 3 men were the first to reveal the Christ child to the world beyond the Jews.

Epiphany means “to make known” or “to reveal.” The wise men show us and reveal the good news that God is for all people everywhere; Jew or Gentile. Slave or free. Man or woman.

When we hear the word “Epiphany” we know it is a smack in the face realization (like when you are 7 and realize a small little stork probably did not carry the 8 pound baby).

And Epiphany Sunday is much like this. It is the “Woah, Jesus! You came in the flesh for me?!” realization.

It is a smack in the face. It gives us an extreme sense of value, of worth.

God came in the flesh and thinks you have value.

Epiphany is about sensing God’s value of us as we encounter the Christ child AND the wise men show us it is more too. It is wide-eyes in adoration of the Christ and then in the spirit of those three wise men, revealing the incarnate Christ.

Adoration and revelation. Those are powerful things to learn from the wise men. No wonder they are called wise.

Helping Epiphany Become Real:

The story of “The Christmas Choir” continues. Peter, the wealthy accountant, who was once starving for value, hungry for his fiancée to love him, suddenly has an epiphany one day- that he could direct a choir of homeless men to give them value.

The man who is starving and hungry for value… could help the men literally starving and hungry.

Deep irony.

This epiphany smacks him in the face with the realization he could do something to help these

men; that he, the most desperate of all can help another feel value.

So he speaks to Sister Agatha, the nun, who thinks a choir of homeless men is a crazy idea but agrees; warning him it will most certainly fail.

Suddenly Peter, the lonely, sad man; the hungry starving man… is filled with inspiration.
The one who sought to find value in his work, in the eyes of others… is whistling in his office.

He is singing because he found a way to become more than a person searching for value, more than a person yearning for a “fix” or a “high” to feel value.

He is singing because he discovered a new way to be someone who went from hungry for his own sense of value to nourishing others need for value.

He is singing because he transitioned from a search for value and significance to finding that worth (he so desperately needs)… in the investment of others.

Just like the wise men in our passage, Peter discovered life is more than just seeking to be happy, or collecting cool crowns we see in all the nativities, sparkling in the golden capes we see the wise men dressed in our mind’s eye.

Life is more than just a search to feel happy and feel better. Life is more than an attempt to be massaged in all the right places and feel “happy.”

Sister Agatha asks, “What is the meaning of life?” And in Peter’s life we see and example, to pour that happiness back out into the life of others. That is when you are truly happy.

Peter reprioritizes his life. Phone calls have a different place. Meetings have a different place. Everything he once held high gets put a little lower… in order to care about a group of men.

And before he knows it, those men are giving him more than he could ever offer to them.

Peter discovers what the wise men discovered, long-long ago when they encountered the Christ child, when they knelt at his bedside and worshiped and adored the Messiah: Being happy is more than just a list of things to do… from phone calls to fulfilling responsibilities.

Being happy is about kneeling before the Christ child in adoration and letting that spill out to the rest of life for you to reveal Christ by making more of a difference than you could ever imagine.

To let your adoration for the Christ child spill over so much into the rest of your life… crazy things happen. Like… getting added to the manger scene next to the shepherds because your life was revelation in action.

To let your adoration for the Christ child spill over so much into the rest of your life… that we pour our lives into others… BECAUSE we are the Church- because we are the kind of people whose life and love spill over.

We could be the kinds of people who accomplish a list of things to do because someone has to do it—but we may never really be happy… until we discover the new way of being a Christian; the beautiful way of being the Church.

To adore the Christ child—while simultaneously revealing the Christ child.

In the movie “The Christmas Choir” we hit this tragic moment where one of the homeless men Peter was helping took his money and spent it on alcohol. He shows up to a concert drunk and

Peter is mad. He says, “I’m trying to help you people.”

At some point in the story… the homeless men became HIS project, HIS duty, HIS phone calls, HIS agenda to get things done.

These 10 singing men became just like his work—unfulfilling and causing unhappiness.

These men became “you people,” instead of “us,” in this choir together—working together as a team.

For Peter, the choir became a: you-me thing.

For Peter, the choir became a: us and them thing.

And it tore apart the group. Peter quits being director. He gets depressed again.

His life is finding no meaning. He is not making a difference. He is not useful.

He just goes through the motions, doing this, doing that. Answering this call. Going to this meeting.

And Peter beautifully illustrates with his life—that projects once beginning as great inspirations… activities and dreams that once began as living examples of our community life… can become a list of things we do. Something we do it because we have to. Something we do it because there is no one else to do it.

Peter is so upset he goes out drinking again. He sleeps amongst trash bags. He drags his expensive jacket through the muddy water.

He feels like he did not make a difference and wants to quit trying.

When he goes back to the office and stares out the window hopelessly, the homeless men show up in the lobby of his office building and begin to sing. They refuse to leave until Peter comes to talk to them.

The homeless men all start to tell him what a difference Peter made. One old guy says- you changed my life. I feel like my life has value now. A younger guy says—you changed my life. I even have a part-time job now.

And although the people we help may never come together and say that, it is true.
If we actually ARE the Church of Jesus Christ…. If we worship and adore, and kneel before the cradle… If we discover the new way of being a Christian… If we embody the beautiful way of being the Church: To adore the Christ child—while simultaneously revealing the Christ child…

Then, we are making a difference. Our life has meaning.


The Other Character:

There’s another character in the Matthew passage; alongside these wise men. His name is Herod.

According to scripture, King Herod is on a death-hunt to kill the baby called the Messiah, King of the Jews.

There is deep and beautiful irony here:

1. Herod is “troubled” by the baby who came to redeem the troubled.

2. Herod planned and schemed to destroy the Messiah who came to redeem all that is destroyed.

Oh how I see so much of myself in Herod.

We are so desperate to feel happy; we are so desperate to feel anything, so desperate to be massaged in all the right places… that we are troubled.

We are so desperate to get out of our own destruction or the destruction of those around us… that we plan and scheme.

We are unhappy. We are troubled.

We are destroyed. We are schemers.

Oh how I see so much of us in Herod. How much I see of myself in Herod.

A Little of Both:

We can find a little of Herod and a little of the Wise Men in ourselves.

We might be unhappy, troubled, destructive, and schemers… but there is hope. There is always hope- when we find where we are like the wise men… and adore and reveal the God who came as a baby to redeem the troubled and all that is destroyed.

Herod lies about wanting to go worship the baby but in his heart he wants to slaughter the Messiah. His heart goes astray.

Just like Herod, our hearts go astray.

And the wise men live a little different from Herod. They live with integrity—living as ones who tell the truth as a way of life. When asked where they are going—they tell the truth.

The wise men LITERALLY go out seeking the way, the truth, and the life (in a person, a baby).

They are LIVING differently. They are living a new way. Their stray hearts are brought prostrate before the Messiah.

These men who knew nothing about Yahweh, Israel’s God, find themselves on their knees in adoration.

Herod lies. The wise men live the truth.

The wise men adore and reveal in their very life the God who came as a baby to redeem all the lies and all the stray hearts.

Herod also abuses his power and influence in order to do harm.

All too often we abuse our power. Whether it is power in the church, our homes, with our kids… we abuse our power in order to do harm.

Sometimes we find ourselves just like Herod; submitting our lives to the kingdom of the world—and the princes and powers that be. Using our power to harm others… and usually, in order to be happy.

We are so desperate to be happy (just like Herod) we harm others to be happy.

But the wise men… submit power to a baby who came to redeem power so influence might be used to redeem all that was destroyed.

There is a little bit of Herod in us and a little bit of the wise men in us too.

The wise men adore and reveal through their submission of power to the God who came as a baby to redeem all the lies and all the stray hearts; to redeem power and influence.

A key theme in the movie, “A Christmas Choir” is about being a part of something bigger than ourselves.

A young lady who collects tokens in the train station tells Peter she used to go ride trains and look at faces because, she says, “looking at faces makes me feel like I’m a part of something bigger than myself.”

And the story ends with Peter giving the young lady a gift for Christmas, one of the first tokens he ever bought… to remind her “we are a part of something bigger together.”

And being the Church… is about being a part of something bigger than ourselves.

The exciting thing about adoring and revealing the Christ child alongside the wise men… is we get to be a part of something.

We get to find ourselves enacting and being more than we could ever be alone.

We get to discover who we can be together, as a church—adoring and revealing the Christ child together.

*Communion with my people-- to come adore the Lord in the beauty of holiness together and look forward to revealing Christ to the world*