Respect

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I grew up in a home with parents who didn’t always agree, but did always respect each other.

My mom was a registered Republican, and my dad was a registered Democrat. They both felt voting was one of the great privileges and sacred responsibilities of living in our nation, so they exercised that right at every opportunity. However, every time an election rolled around my dad, who was an unapologetic wise guy (I once saw him shake Hubert Humphries’ hand and the count his fingers to make sure he got them all back), would say to mom, “Marlys we’re just going to go and cast our votes for the opposite party and cancel out each others votes, why don’t we stay home this time.” To which mom would reply, “Bob, I’m not that stupid.” Then dad would get that little smile on his face and the gleam in his eye, and mom would smile back defiantly.

This oft repeated drama taught me a number of things: Stand up for what you believe in, and make sure you vote even if you know the wise guy in the next booth is voting for the opposing candidate. The other thing about my parents, is that they were each willing to cross the aisle and vote for someone of the opposite party if they believed in what that candidate stood for. You see they voted based on their core values and beliefs, and one of the strongest of their core values was love for one another, even in the face of disagreements.

Both of my parents were good faithful Christian people. Yet they saw things differently.

The decline of civility and respect in public discourse and even in casual conversation diminishes us all. When our identity and sense of self is defined by the small parcel of things that divide us, then we are all losers.

I have people in my life that I cherish, that I respect a great deal, and whom I enjoy spending time with. They are each the wise guy in the next booth voting for the opposing candidate. The strength of those relationships is that there are far more, and more important things that unite us, than separate us. We have a mutual respect and choose not to let the minor differences destroy our relationships.

I choose to love and respect those who differ from me, because my life is sweeter and fuller because of them.

Heeeeeeere’s the Holy Spirit

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Sermon for June 8, 2014

Texts – Acts 2:1-21, John 20:19-23, 1 Corinthians12:3b-13

I find that Lutherans talk mostly about Jesus. As Mark Allen Powell puts it, “We’re very Jesusy people.” We claim to be Trinitarian in our theology, and defend that label proudly. But when it comes to the topics we like to preach about and study I think the breakdown looks something like this:

God the Father              7.65%

God the Son (Jesus)     92.3%

God the Holy Spirit      0.05% (and then only in a whisper)

Maybe it harkens back to the days when we referred to the third person of the Trinity as the Holy Ghost, and we’re afraid of ghosts. But I think it is more because of the unpredictable nature of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is very hard to put in a box which we can tape up and label with a Magic Marker.

The work of the Holy Spirit is also hard to boxify. Calling, enlightening, and sanctifying. Comforting, teaching, and guiding. Gathering, enlivening, and sending. And the only picture we have of the Holy Spirit is of a dove on Jesus shoulder. Even the Hebrew word ruach (pronounce the “ch” as though you are clearing your throat) has three basic meanings: wind, breath, and spirit. The Holy Spirit is really hard to pin down, just like wind or breath. And we don’t like things w can control.

Yet, without the Spirit we are lost. In his explanation to the third article of the Apostle’s Creed, Martin Luther writes:

I believe that by my own understanding or strength I cannot believe in Jesus Christ my Lord or come to him, but instead the Holy Spirit has called me through the gospel, enlightened me with his gifts, made me holy and kept me in the true faith, just as he calls, gathers, enlightens, and makes holy the whole Christian church on earth and keeps it with Jesus Christ in the one common, true faith. Daily in this Christian church the Holy Spirit abundantly forgives all sins—mine and those of all believers. On the last day the Holy Spirit will raise me and all the dead and will give to me and all believers in Christ eternal life. This is most certainly true.

I wish the new translation had kept the word “sanctifies,” what a windy breathy word that is. And it is a nebulous word that more accurately befits the work of the Spirit.

The Holy Spirit is breathed into us by Christ in the upper room with the disciples. With the Spirit is also given the power to forgive, a power normally reserved for God. But since God the Spirit is with us and within us so is the power of the Spirit at work in us and through us.

And there are other gifts that come with the Holy Spirit, it’s like the haul some people get on their birthday. Gift upon gift, upon gift.

There’s speaking in tongues, preaching, teaching, discernment of spirits, compassion, love, joy, generosity, hospitality, baking lemon marangue pies for the pastor (and many others too numerous to mention here.)

In 1 Corinthians 12:4-6 Paul writes, “4Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; 5and there are varieties of services, but the same Lord; 6and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who activates all of them in everyone.” All these many and varying gifts are from the one Holy Spirit who calls all people to use their gifts to serve the one Lord, God. And it is the same God whom we are called to serve that makes those gifts active in our lives.

For many of us, the fear comes from the fact that God chooses which gifts we will have and we are given no say n the matter.  The gifts come from God, we are given the power to use them by God, in the service of God. In no way are the gifts meant to be ours to use for our own purpose. As a matter of fact, Paul goes on in vs. 7, “To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good.”

God gives me specific gifts by the Holy Spirit to be used for the sake of the community. And God gives you specific gifts by the Holy Spirit to be used for the sake of the community. When we use our gifts in concert with one another then we truly become the Body of Christ  as God envisioned us to be. It is then that we become like the disciples witnessing in the streets of Jerusalem to the amazing and wonderful acts of God, to the praise and glory of Jesus Christ.

Amen.

Glorifying God

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Sermon for June 1, 2014; Seventh Sunday of Easter

Texts: John 17:1-11, Acts 1:6-14

During the 1988 winter Olympics in Calgary Michael Edwards competed for Great Britain in the 70m and 90m ski jump. Better known as “Eddie the Eagle” he qualified to represent his for country in ski jumping because he was the only one who entered from Great Britain. Eddie came in last in both events. His performances were heart-stopping, not because of the grace or perfection of his jumps, but simply because he didn’t break his neck. People around the world were glued to the TV wondering if “The Eagle” would land or not. He had his moment of fame and glory as Great Britain’s record holder in ski jumping.

Every child has dreams of what they will be when they grow up. Many athletes devote hours each day to training single-mindedly hoping to achieve a level of performance that will bring them glory, win them the gold. The benchmark is the “10,000 Hour” rule. It is believed that in order to truly master a sport or any other activity of life you must spend 10,000 hours of focused intentional practice. That can be achieved by spending 4 hours a day, every day, for 7 years.

That’s what it takes to achieve at the level where true glory dwells, at least in this world. You stand on the top step, wrap yourself in the flag and have the gold medal placed around your neck, and all eyes are on you.

Jesus is gathered with his disciples in the upper room following the last supper, and he prays about glory. (John 17:1b-4) “Father, the hour has come; glorify your Son so that the Son may glorify you, 2 since you have given him authority over all people, to give eternal life to all whom you have given him. 3 And this is eternal life, that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent. 4 I glorified you on earth by finishing the work that you gave me to do.” And following this prayer Jesus went to the Mount of Olives to be betrayed, arrested, and crucified.

That doesn’t sound very glorious. As a matter of fact, rather than glory many people throughout history have viewed the cross as Jesus’ failure to accomplish the glorious work of God here on earth. But on this last Sunday in Easter, we are in the midst of the most glorious events recorded in scripture. And none of them could have happened without the cross.

I’m talking about the resurrection and Ascension which are behind us, and Pentecost which is before us.

In Acts 1 we read the account of Jesus meeting his disciples (and there were more than 12 of them there) on mount Olivet and giving his final words (Acts 1:8) “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” Following this they watch as he ascends into heaven and they are left to carry on the work Jesus began. We are told they dedicated themselves to prayer and fellowship as they await the next step in the adventure to which Jesus called them.

Christ has called us to be part of that same adventure, that same journey. We are commissioned to also be Jesus witnesses to the ends of the earth. And we are called to start right here in Clear Lake. In my June newsletter article I wrote about encountering a man at a local convenience store, he commented to the clerk that he wasn’t going to church because he is not welcome there. I interrupted and told him that he would be welcome at Galilean Lutheran. He queried, “Are you sure?” I replied, “I’m the pastor and I know you are welcome there.”

The cross of Christ stands as God’s invitation to all people, no matter how sinful, to be gathered into the Body of Christ. And it is in this body, the church, that we live out the grace and love of Christ on communion with God and one another. This is what we mean when we proclaim our mission: We are Galilean Lutheran Church: Growing in, Living out, and Celebrating the Grace and Love of Christ Jesus our Lord.

As part of living out this mission God has given us, we will be having conversation on June 22nd following worship about approving a welcome statement for us to include on our website and in other outreach communications. It reads:

We, the members of Galilean Lutheran Church, affirm that Christ has made us one body with many members, all sharing in God’s wondrous grace and unconditional love. We celebrate both the human variation and inclusive unity of God’s family. Following Jesus’ example, we embrace all of God’s people, regardless of ethnicity, physical and mental abilities, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, or economic circumstance. With welcoming hearts, we invite you to join us in worship, fellowship, and ministry.

Thanks be to God for calling us to this amazing adventure and journey in Jesus Christ.

Scot

Thoughts on Starting a Blog

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I enjoy reading a few blogs, but I try to be discriminating in my choices. I want content that will be uplifting and encouraging, too many blogs seem to be filled with rants about how unfair life is, they are just depressing. I like blogs by people I know like my friend Allan Stellar http://paradisefrommyporch.blogspot.com/ even though sometimes he rants he’s my friend so I can overlook that.

Though I like to read what others write it seems a bit narcissistic to start my own blog. But the idea came up again at our church council meeting, “You should write a blog.” So I asked the Wednesday morning Bible Study group, “If I start a blog, what should I write about?” There was silence (no crickets chirped, but I could imagine them in my mind.) Finally someone said, “I think stories of your experience as a pastor would be good.”

That set my mind going, in 27 years I guess I have accumulated a few stories that would be worth telling. I have been blessed to know some living saints in my life, some of them have transitioned to their heavenly home in the bosom of our Father, and some continue on the journey of this life. The stories of their faithfulness and love deserves telling, as a testament to the Holy Spirit who is their guide and strength.

I have been witness to and participant in some events that cause me to laugh out loud at their remembrance. And I am blessed to have been used by God in ways that still take my breath away.

To that end, I humbly submit this first post.

     Self: OK do I sign my name as if it is a letter, or what?

     Reply: Allan doesn’t.

     Self: He’s really good at this blogging thing. Guess I’ll follow his example.

     Reply: OK, just don’t get in the habit of following his example. 🙂

     Self: Heheh, for sure. 🙂