Archive for category Radical Hospitality
2-Corinthians 4:1-9 (3-6) Shine the Light of Christ
Posted by myoikos in #2017, #cross, Radical Hospitality, Witness on February 11, 2018
Therefore, since it is by God’s mercy that we are engaged in this ministry, we do not lose heart. We have renounced the shameful things that one hides; we refuse to practice cunning or to falsify God’s word; but by the open statement of the truth we commend ourselves to the conscience of everyone in the sight of God. And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. For we do not proclaim ourselves; we proclaim Jesus Christ as Lord and ourselves as your slaves for Jesus’ sake. For it is the God who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.
But we have this treasure in clay jars, so that it may be made clear that this extraordinary power belongs to God and does not come from us. We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be made visible in our bodies. For while we live, we are always being given up to death for Jesus’ sake, so that the life of Jesus may be made visible in our mortal flesh. So death is at work in us, but life in you. [NRSV]
Give light to the glory of God in the face of Jesus
Shining light OUT of darkness
The power of Darkness is real
• There is darkness in the oppression of the people of North Korea.
• There is darkness in the cycles of human trafficking
• There is darkness in the evil of terrorism
• There is darkness in the homes of those abused and batters
• There is darkness in the rollercoaster of addictions
• There is darkness that divides us into opposing camps
• There is darkness in the face of cancer and other diseases
• There is darkness in the loneliness and grief of loss
• There is darkness in broad daylight
• There is darkness in middle of some crowded places
• There is darkness in churches, homes and hearts among us.
And when we stand alone and even if we stand together, we are over whelmed as the ocean waves crash upon the best castle of our design and labors.
It seems like retreat and apathy rule the day and the hour and the years..
But that is when we look at darkness without the light of Christ
God is the Power Company
God so loved this broken work that he sent the only light strong and bright enough to overcome the darkness.
Our task is not to stop evil,
Our task it is cling to Christ upon the stormy sea, and from THAT place of strength and assurance: that Jesus Christ has been unveiled and revealed through us!
We step into the raging seas because
1. That is the reality of where we are
2. This is where we might best see Christ
3. This is when we and the world need hope and salvation more nearly.
We clothe, feed, comfort, and befriend because it is Christ at work in us..
We pray for healing and wholeness in Jesus’s name because God is the source
We stand with Christ because these bodies we carry suffer, and eventuality die.
We ride the rollercoaster of struggle because life fluid and always testing
We trust Christ when to step in to stop others from harm
We trust Christ when to step back and no longer remain oppressed and abused
We trust that we are powerless over evil, fear, terror, and all sin without Christ
Jesus Christ came to save sinners..
We are those who have seen light light
Jake and Elwood Blues go to James Brown’s ole Landmark Church and after hearing the good news Jake proclaims that he has seen the light of how to save the soon to be closed orphanage that was his childhood home… I can’t say that what follows is Gods work but they end up saving the children’s home even though they go back to jail.
This cult classic movie tells two truths
1. God can work through every situation for God purpose
2. When we put our name on God’s home work we are going to fail.
3. Our mission is to tell of God’s work.
Encourage one another in shining the light of Christ
What are you going to say when politics fuel start to burn you up?
Say this: “Instead of debating, fighting or disagreeing with you, I need you to pray for me to love my enemies”
• If someone is hurting, struggling, complaining, as them “how long are you going to keep working on that alone when Jesus is ready to be your strength?” E ready to be strong with that person.
• If someone is grieving or afraid, or alone, “ how long do you want to feel lost?” Offer to be Christ’s presence.
• You make ready your own conversations that lead and encourage one another to lean into, trust, stand-with Jesus.
Be the flash light, candle. lantern, headlights, spotlight, laser,… you don’t have to be the light, be the one who directs and reflects the light of Jesus Christ
Matthew 17:1-9 Can You Keep a Secret?
Posted by myoikos in #findingJesus, #jesus, #sharingfaith, #weareprophets, fear, Intentional Spiritual Growth, Jesus, law, Preparation, Prophets, Radical Hospitality, Resurrection People, Scripture, Transfiguration on February 25, 2017
Mt Tabor, Church of the Transfiguration.
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A Strange Order to Keep Quiet
- Could it be Jesus we testing reverse psychology?
- Could it be Jesus didn’t think they understood what they saw
- Could it be Jesus want these disciples to have something the others did or couldn’t know?
- Could it be Jesus had more than one purpose in taking the disciples along to see this event?
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Learning the timing when to tell
- If Jesus had multiple reasons for the trip, what were they?
- Jesus sharing with Moses and Elijah, Law and Prophets
- Jesus is confirmed for being foretold
- Jesus is confirmes preparing to complete the law
- Jesus places himself in the context for the disciples
- What did the disciples learn from the trip
- Peter, James and John were either more mature or needed remedial reinforcement
- Peter receives a lesson in
- asking before declaring,
- praying before acting,
- trusting before explaining.
- If Jesus had multiple reasons for the trip, what were they?
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Can you keep Quiet about who Jesus is to you?
- Do you notice that the disciples 2:1 keep quiet on the mountain.
- Reasons for speaking
- Reasons for listening and observing
- Learning lessons for future opportunities
- Trusting the lessons of the law
- Trusting the lessons of the prophets
- Affirming the mission and minsitry of Jesus
- knowing they can Get up and do not be afraid
- Trusting God’s time for telling.
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Knowing your time to listen and your times to tell.
- Being in the right place and time for learning
- Taking time to wait and listen to God
- Asking for guidance instead of declaring (our agenda/thinking/etc.
- Jumping ahead: This story is appears in Matth 17, Mark 9, and Luke 9, it is retold for us.
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Someone needs to hear about Jesus
- Have you prepared for those moments?
- Have you mis-spoken in the past?
- Have you ever gotten up from fear of taking what we have experienced and kept it in the past?
- Homework:
- Go tell someone what Jesus Christ has done for you.
- If you don’t then spend this Lenten season in prayer and study, because Easter is coming!
Amos 8.1-12 “Final Fruit-Baskets?” 202160717 RSUMC
Posted by myoikos in #2016, #askseekknock, #findingJesus, #gotell, #jesus, #relationship, #weareprophets, 5 Practices, Boldness, Citizenship, Extravagant Generosity, Intentional Spiritual Growth, Meaning, Passionate Worship, Preparation, Prophets, Putting God First, Radical Hospitality, Resurrection People, Risk Taking Mission and Service, Spiritual Growth, Trust, Truth, Witness on July 16, 2016
This is what the Lord God showed me—a basket of summer fruit. He said, “Amos, what do you see?” And I said, “A basket of summer fruit.” Then the Lord said to me, “The end has come upon my people Israel; I will never again pass them by. The songs of the temple shall become wailings in that day,” says the Lord God; “the dead bodies shall be many, cast out in every place. Be silent!” Hear this, you that trample on the needy, and bring to ruin the poor of the land, saying, “When will the new moon be over so that we may sell grain; and the Sabbath, so that we may offer wheat for sale? We will make the ephah small and the shekel great, and practice deceit with false balances, buying the poor for silver and the needy for a pair of sandals, and selling the sweepings of the wheat.” The Lord has sworn by the pride of Jacob: Surely I will never forget any of their deeds. Shall not the land tremble on this account, and everyone mourn who lives in it, and all of it rise like the Nile, and be tossed about and sink again, like the Nile of Egypt? On that day, says the Lord God, I will make the sun go down at noon, and darken the earth in broad daylight. I will turn your feasts into mourning, and all your songs into lamentation; I will bring sackcloth on all loins, and baldness on every head; I will make it like the mourning for an only son, and the end of it like a bitter day. The time is surely coming, says the Lord God, when I will send a famine on the land; not a famine of bread, or a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the Lord. They shall wander from sea to sea, and from north to east; they shall run to and fro, seeking the word of the Lord, but they shall not find it. [NRSV]
Sackcloth, baldness, morning only child, a bitter day.
- Sackcloth, baldness and morning, oh my!
- Sackcloth, baldness and morning, oh my!
- Sackcloth, baldness and morning, oh my!
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• Sackcloth: A sign of sinfulness
• Baldness: A sign of unhealthiness
• Morning an Only Child: Grief for this generation and the next
• Bitter Day: A sign of our separation from God.
Sending a famine instead of a fruit basket.
Not a famine of land, bread or thirst
But a famine of HEARING the words of the Lord.
God’s bringing a basket that we fill find as empty.
• If I bring fruit every day, and no one takes even a bite, it will eventually spoil
• If I bring healthy snacks and no one even samples, we will eventually starve
• If I bring hope for this generation and the next and no one trusts and believes, we have nothing left.
The basket is full of unwanted, un-tasted, un-sampled, un-digested, un-used nourishment: It lies in waste (or lingers in our waists)
Seeking and not finding, Knocking and nothing opening, Asking and receiving none.
The question of the day is
how long will the famine take?
How many attacks can we stand?
How many bodies left on the ground?
How many reports of violence before we are numb?
Where is the fruit basket?
• The basket of milk and honey?
• The basket of power and grace?
• The basket of truth and certainty?
• The basket of goodness and peace?
We want that fruit basket, then
1. Why not eat it when it is placed in front of you?
2. Why wait until there are famine and ruin?
Today is the day for feasting on the Word of God.
• Open and read it
• Read and share it
• Share and sing it
• Sing and Teach it
• Teach and live it
• Live it and find the God, who loves us, living with us, still.
Luke 10:25-37 Show Me The Mercy 20160710 RSUMC
Posted by myoikos in #2016, #sermons, Christian LIving, grace, Radical Hospitality, Relationship, Trust, Wisdom, Witness on July 9, 2016
JOB #1. Show Me the Mercy
- Somewhere the passion for justice and mercy has become a political topic.
- In the News this week we have seen heightened tensions and enraged emotions from people who have a heritage of being marginalized by race, gender and creed have been blamed for the evils of our society.
- One answer for being oppressed is to fight back and reverse the oppression
- One answer is to learn from oppression and say, no more oppression
- One answer is to keep quiet, removed and mind our own business.
- These are the options in Jesus’s parable
- Those who turn to the law to help, ignoring the hurting
- Those who want to keep out of the fray
- Those who get personal in the process of healing.
- Putting the verse in a current context might be:
- Some would look at violence and unjust scene and jump to legal answers. For example USING the situation. Can’t you hear the leader who gets back to the temple and begins talking about Crime and Violence Laws they need to impose to keep people safe? They are more concerned about the LAW than the person.
- Talking Gun Control instead of Mercy for the Oppressed
- Pontificating on Social Media about Mercy, but showing no mercy.
- Work toward healing and wholeness
- Some might see the violence and unjust scene and talk to themselves or their peers but keep from being informed or involved. The talk and debate but leave the neighbor dying in the street.
- Someone stops, ignoring the laws, traditions, expenses and inconvenience and shows personal-to-person mercy.
- Some would look at violence and unjust scene and jump to legal answers. For example USING the situation. Can’t you hear the leader who gets back to the temple and begins talking about Crime and Violence Laws they need to impose to keep people safe? They are more concerned about the LAW than the person.
- QUESTION: Which neighbor would you hope walks by you in your time of crisis?
- The one who using the situation to address the law
- The one who only talks about doing good when its easy or simple.
- The one willing to get you through?
- Have a heart for God that looks for the good in the midst of evil and brokenness.
- Seeing the heart of God, even in the lives of our enemies (the victim)
- Seeing the place for healing instead of winning
- Healing Wounds
- Sharing Wine
- Sharing the expense and opportunities for service.
- Let’s focus on the laws, rules, getting even and determining what is fair.
- Let’s identify who are what to blame, but not help
- Let’s talk about it and keep our distance
- Let’s just keep attacking people and taking advantage of the opportunity
- Bad stuff happens, live with it.
- Mercy begins by Looking for Goodness, Godliness, Humanity:
- Seeing yourself in your enemy.
- Who do you want as neighbors?
What do we do with this passage?
Be the ones who teach
- mercy over correctness,
- mercy over distance,
- mercy over self.. then we become to Good Neighbor with God’s help and grace.
Footnote; the parable is not about befriending the robber or the thieves, nor what the Good Samaritan would/might have done if the thieves and robbers were in progress of about to attack the victim. Mercy remains the same: how we interpret how to show the mercy will always.
Romans 12:9-16 “Christian Living” 20160605 RSUMC
Posted by myoikos in #2016, 5 Practices, Church, connection, Disicpleship, Fellowship, holy communion, Putting God First, Radical Hospitality, Service, Spiritual, Spiritual Growth, Uncategorized, Witness on June 4, 2016
Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves. Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. Share with the Lord’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality. Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. [NRSV]Down in My Heart
It is a great reminder of where the core of the Christian life begins.
To be a follower of Jesus Christ might very different than being a Christian
Paul is building a case for the life and Christain community that is ours to emulate.
Let your love be genuine.
I love fresh lemonade verses I love you even when you misbehave.
Hate evil.
Strong words: Let’s be clear about evil. Don’t vilify the person, hate the unGodly things, attitudes, look past the words, to the other persons’ heart.
Hold on to Good.
It’s going to be a bumpy ride; not every handle is one you need to hold.
Devotion to God models our love of others.
Start at the beginning, love God first, greatest commandment.
Honor others, first.
Think from the other side first before you post or speak.
Life for God with a Passion
Don’t leave home without a case of Zeal for God.
Don’t be lukewarm or worse.
Keep the Spiritual fires warm while serving the Lord
So, if you are telling, teaching, explaining what it means to be a Christian:
1. Christian living begins in the heart.
Genuine heart hates evil, but holds on to Good, models devotions, respects we are different, but is passionate about living for God.
Attitudes in Action
Facebook and all social media are easy targets to see where people, who may have great hearts for God, but choose to forget or not to listen to their heart.
Here is the test:
- If you find you can share Joyful Hope on Facebook, sign in!
- If you can use it to patiently see the world through others’ perspectives, log on!
- If you can use the media to offer your heart’s passionate prayers? Get social.
- If not, don’t sign in, don’t log on, get to heating up your God’s Spirit in you instead.
2. Christian living filters God’s voice through the world’s voice.
Our Witness in Community
Paul’s list of sharing our witness in a relationship with others.
+? “Share with the Lord’s people who are in need.”
Interesting, Paul begins with helping the “Lord’s People” in need.
+ Practice hospitality
Have an open heart and mind that welcomes others.
+ Bless those who persecute you.
Know that not everyone will return kindness and love and grace.
-Do not curse, rather bless
Take the high, Godly, Good Road, don’t blame, bless and grow away from evil.
+ Rejoice with others
Celebrate when the news is good, and Joy is clear
+ Mourn with others
Be open to comfort, even when you are not the one hurting
+ Live in Harmony
Find ways to get along without having to agree with everyone.
– Do not be proud
Remember God loves and saves you, AND everyone else.
– Don’t be conceited, Associate with the poor and wealthy
Be a friend to those who are easy and difficult to live with.
Being a Christian is easy if you rare filling out a survey.
More people are identifying themselves as less Christian these days.
- What does it look like when we say we are Christian but have lost hold of the heart of God?
- What does it feel like when we say we are Christian people but have forgotten or never learned how to find our way home and settle for where we are rather than where we belong?
- What does it sound like when we have our faith all worked out in our head, and heart but other folks don’t see, hear or experience God around us?
Paul reminds the church at Rome and Rock Spring:
Thank goodness we come to the table to start our journey today.
Here is our grace to begin anew and fresh.
Come.
Christian living begins in the heart of God
Christian living filters God’s voice through the world’s voice.
Christian living must interact with the community and reflect God at work through us.
John 10:22-30 “Faith Snatchers” 20160417 RSUMC
Posted by myoikos in #mysundaysermons, #resurreciton, 5 Practices, celebration, Communion, connection, creation, Easter, Jesus, Radical Hospitality, Uncategorized on April 16, 2016
At that time the festival of the Dedication took place in Jerusalem. It was winter, and Jesus was walking in the temple, in the portico of Solomon. So the Jews gathered around him and said to him, “How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Messiah, tell us plainly.” Jesus answered, “I have told you, and you do not believe. The works that I do in my Father’s name testify to me; but you do not believe, because you do not belong to my sheep. My sheep hear my voice. I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish. No one will snatch them out of my hand. What my Father has given me is greater than all else, and no one can snatch it out of the Father’s hand. The Father and I are one.” [NRSV]
The Festival of the Dedication
A Jewish Feast of Lights celebrating a time between the Old and New Testament to the Maccabean Revolt when the temple was reclaim and rededicated after the Jews were forced to give up the temple and the practicing of their faith.
This celebration is better known as Hanukkah. When the temple was reclaimed only one small jar of oil could be found to light the temple lights. The jar was enough oil to burn the lights for one day, yet the oil burned for eight days.
It is at this celebration of reclaiming the temple worship, the miracle of lights, and a restoring of the faith by the Jews that Jesus makes the claim that leads him to the cross.
John 10:30 The Father and I are One.
There it is: Jesus said it as plainly as at any other point in the Gospels.
- The I Am that Abraham, Isaac and Jacob called father.
- I am that father. I am, I Am with you.
- The I Am the Moses saw in the burning bush and the cloud guided them in the wilderness.
- The Spirit that moved over the face of the earth at creation, I was the one working that day.
- I’m the Light of the World.
So During the Festival of Lights, Jesus, the Light of the World, is Revealed.
- How are we willing to shine the light of Christ on the darkness in the world?
- When are we willing to enlighten others that we filter life through our faith
- Can you see yourself, filled with the ‘oil’ or fuel of the Holy Spirit to be a vessel for Christ?
Live as one connected to God.
- They might take my body, but not my spirit
- They might take my things, but not my identity
- They might take my position, but not my self-worth
- They might take my health, but not my eternal life
- They might take my reputation, yet God will never let go.
Why Wouldn’t we trust/reveal our Christ connection?
There are those people and things that grab at our connection.
Driving through a neighborhood, my phone wifi trying to logon to just any signal it can find. When my setting is to grab onto anything, even in the name of saving some money, I am putting myself at risk.
- Im not as pretty
- I’m not as wealthy
- I’m not as popular
- I’m not as happy
- I’m not as worthy
- I’m not as important
- I’m alone
- I’m not appreciated
- I’m not included
- I’m lost and forgotten
- I don’t have time
- I don’t have enough
- I’m not ready
Every time we listen to theise voice we pry away at God’s grip on our hearts. God will not let go, unless we ask him to let us go our own way.
How to I/Someone find the way back to God?
Ray Charles sings about it in our state theme song, Georgia on my Mind.
Other eyes smile tenderly
Still in peaceful dreams I see
The road leads back to you”
No peace I find
Just an old sweet song
Keeps [Jesus] on my mind
Change lyrics of the World’s songs, hooks and teaser to reframe our connection with the one who will never let us go.
Psalm 84 Claiming A Place with God 20160207 RSUMC
Posted by myoikos in #findingJesus, #innkeeper, #relationship, #rsumc, #sermons, All Saints, Christian LIving, Disicpleship, Epiphany C, Fellowship, Joy, Meaning, Ministry, Missions, Racism, Radical Hospitality, Relationship, Suffering, Worship on February 7, 2016
How lovely is your dwelling place, O LORD of hosts! My soul longs, indeed it faints for the courts of the LORD; my heart and my flesh sing for joy to the living God. Even the sparrow finds a home, and the swallow a nest for herself, where she may lay her young, at your altars, O LORD of hosts, my King and my God. Happy are those who live in your house, ever singing your praise. Selah (two of 74)
Happy are those whose strength is in you, in whose heart are the highways to Zion. As they go through the valley of Baca they make it a place of springs; the early rain also covers it with pools. They go from strength to strength; the God of gods will be seen in Zion. O LORD God of hosts, hear my prayer; give ear, O God of Jacob! Selah
Behold our shield, O God; look on the face of your anointed. For a day in your courts is better than a thousand elsewhere. I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than live in the tents of wickedness. For the LORD God is a sun and shield; he bestows favor and honor. No good thing does the LORD withhold from those who walk uprightly. O LORD of hosts, happy is everyone who trusts in you. [NRSV]
Text Notes:
A psalm, a hymn for worship, to be sung by the choir/praise team. Not a congregational hymn but more of a solo or at least for the choir, [psalm for *Korah]
Denote 2 of the 74 Selah references are in this one psalm/hymn.
VERSE 1
God’s Temple is our Refuge, heart’s home
Song begins remembering the temple/tabernacle is beautiful.
My heart longs to be there, my bones ache to sing for joy and know God is alive.
Secondly, God’s house is a place where everyone is welcomed. Even the least little bird (swallow) finds a home at the temple. Who wants the swallow? Bugs, mites, disease, messy? But God’s house has room for all of us.
Bottom line of verse one: People find God at the temple and love to worship when there are in the magnificent gates. Come and find God present in the sanctuary. The ornate nature of the space reminds us of God’s presence and our belonging.
SELAH, pause to praise, breathe and find God with us.
VERSE 2
Finding God outside the walls.
It makes us happy to know God is near, even when we are not in this place…
It is a blessing to know God is with us, even when we are not at church…
When you are at home or your place of safety, all is well. You make it through the day back to base, you can breath easy because you are thankful for all that is “home”.
Perspective is looking at the “place of comfort” when you are not there.
The Valley of Baca (Weeping)
Instead of focusing on the being lost, focus on the being at home, where you are.
Happy are those who know the way home. But what of those who have lost their way… those who don’t know where to turn? It can be a comfort, that even though we have gone astray, we know the way home, the way back. the GPS coordinates match up.
Those who know the Strength of the Lord, That’s Us.
BUT VERSE 3
WHEN ALL I HAVE IS A SHIELD
What about those who are outside or
those who have lost their way, or
those who have not heard?
Imagine hiding from the struggles, turmoil and threats in life, picture yourself out in the open, a shield is a protection but only on one side and the arrows are hurling in from every direction: money, hunger, rejection, fear, shame, sin, etc.
When we realize we are far from the walls of safety, belonging and peace.
A place between the House of God and the tents of wickedness.
Our place is between, bridging the gap.
Our Space is halfway in and halfway out.
Claiming Space in God
Dwelling Place
Happiness is : Content/at Peace/at one/ complete
Shield: temporary help, but we need to claim/reclaim temple life, when there is no temple.
Door Keepers: The greatest service is to be one of the choir members of Korahites, sing so someone will hear and find their way to God.
Happy are those who trust in God
God’s House has room for us all
Someone is living in the valley of weeping adversity
Our place is not in the temple, but out singing, knowing/remember the comfort of home, but reaching out to be shield
1 Corinthians 13:1-13 Reset: The Power of Love 20160131 RSUMC
Posted by myoikos in #2016, #jesus, #loveneverwins, #marriage, #sacrifice, #umc, 5 Practices, Christmas, Extravagant Generosity, Faith, Forgiveness, Generosity, God, holiday, Holy Spirit, Intentional Spiritual Growth, Love, Marriage, Passionate Worship, Prophets, Putting God First, Radical Hospitality, Relationship, Risk Taking Mission and Service, Sacrifice, Service, Sin, Spiritual, Spiritual Growth, Truth, Wisdom, Witness on January 30, 2016
If I speak in the tongues of mortals and of angels, but do not have love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. If I give away all my possessions, and if I hand over my body so that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing. Love is patient; love is kind; love is not envious or boastful or arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice in wrongdoing, but rejoices in the truth. It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends. But as for prophecies, they will come to an end; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will come to an end. For we know only in part, and we prophesy only in part; but when the complete comes, the partial will come to an end. When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child; when I became an adult, I put an end to childish ways. For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then we will see face to face. Now I know only in part; then I will know fully, even as I have been fully known. And now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; and the greatest of these is love. [NRSV]
Do I love that dress?
In a world, where we love mashed potatoes, love our sports teams and love or hate the weather, it is important to spend a moment being clear about love.
This past Christmas Eve, I ran a few errands and saw three stores putting out Valentine season products on the shelf. At first, I was frustrated that we had not officially started Christmas and retailers had moved to the next money grab. But if we stop and think what Christmas is about, God loving us so much that our heavenly father sends his only child to bridge the gap of love that we cannot build nor complete. Maybe a giant heart-shaped box of delicious treasures is better Christmas gift.
Love: Nothing Gained
ELOQUENT SPEECH: Genuine Love needs no response. That’s hard.
- If I speak in the tongues of mortals and angels,
- but do not have love,
- I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal.
- but do not have love,
CHARISMATIC VISION: Genuine Love sees through a show.
- If I have prophetic powers,
- but do not have love,
- I am nothing.
- but do not have love,
INSIGHTFUL COMPREHENSION: Genuine Love is not calculated.
- If I understand all mysteries
- but do not have love,
- I am nothing.
- but do not have love,
MULTIPLE DEGREES IN MULTIPLE DISCIPLINES: Genuine Love has nothing to prove.
- If I had all knowledge,
- but do not have love,
- I am nothing.
- but do not have love,
UNWAVERING TRUST and BELIEF: Genuine Love is the core of faith.
- If I have all faith, so as to remove mountains,
- but do not have love,
- I am nothing.
- but do not have love,
EXTRAVAGANT SELFLESSNESS: Genuine Love is Forgetful of the score.
- If I give away all my possessions,
- but do not have love,
- I gain nothing.
- but do not have love,
SACRIFICIAL OFFERING: Genuine Love cannot be faked.
- If I hand over my body so that I may boast,
- but do not have love,
- I gain nothing.
- but do not have love,
IF, THEN STATEMENTS
- Conditional statements about unconditional, foundational core of relationships.
- SuperMan/SuperWoman are meaningless without love. Right Action, Wrong Purpose
- Love is God’s meaning, purpose, and energy, what we have to gain. Love is God’s power plant
- BOTTOM LINE: Without Love all in life is meaningless. Scientific Method can never love. Science is accurate in measuring how, but not why. Love is why. The universe is not so big to make us feel special; it is to show how incredible God is.
The Object of Love NOT loves itself.
LOVE is sacrificial, selfless, extravagant, unwavering, trusting, knowing, insightful, visionary, and charismatic, but the reverse does not necessarily describe love.
The test if Love is love or something else: Does my love stop if Love is not returned?
- You can take one for the team and not love the team at all.
- You can act selflessly, seeking approval for your random act of kindness.
- Your extravagance can become enabling.
- You can be “committed” and support something evil
- You can trust wealth, fame, opinion polls or deeply held principles, but these are based on us, and we inconsistent, fragile and often wrong.
- You can know many facts but not know how to use information
- You can misguide judgement selfishly
- Your visionary work can be selfishly motivated
- Your charisma or charm can fool people
- The Object of God’s Love is you. Hear the Good News..
- God’s love is not if, then. God’s love is. God may not like our behavior,
- God forever loves us.
IS / IS NOT
- Love is patient; tolerant of us and intolerant of our manipulations
- Love is kind; when is the last time we were snippy, rude or down right mean
- love is not envious; I want vs. God wants
- love is not boastful I’m right, you are wrong
- love is not arrogant I know better than you
- Love is not rude. Thoughtless or intentionally vindictive
- Love is not insistent My way or no way.
- Love is not irritable How can I get attention
- love is not resentful How come I’m not getting attention
- love cannot rejoice in wrongdoing, I told you so
- love rejoices in the truth. Admit I am wrong, especially when they are wrong too.
- (sometimes being truthful is not popular or pleasing)
- Love endure and hold up through all things, vs. I will give you one more chance, or no more chances
- Love believes through all things; You crossed my line, your out.
- Love remains hopeful through all things, We can’t do it, That’s impossible.
- Love lasts longer than anything else. I give up
If we are honest, our conversations and actions reveal, while we know what loving is, we are not always loving when it get self-less.
Timeless
- Love never ends.
- Prophecies end
- language ends
- knowledge ends
- wealth ends
- Love never ends.
The Best is Yet to Come
For we know only in part, and we prophesy only in part; but when the complete comes, the partial will come to an end.
We learn to love as children, and it is to mature and grow.
- Speaking.. saying I love you.
- Thinking— Thinking about
- Reasoning Justifying Love
When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child; when I became an adult, I put an end to childish ways.
- Adult love, mature love, doesn’t have, to say it. We are not there yet..
- Adult love, doesn’t have to plan it and think it through, it is automatic. We calculate..
- Adult love, doesn’t have to have everything neat. We try to fix, cover up or manage love.
- When we move toward God’s love, we loose ourselves and more fully enter the heart of God.
For now, we see in a mirror, dimly, but then we will see face to face. Now I know only in part; then I will know fully, even as I have been fully known. 13 And now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; and the greatest of these is love.
Love is a work in progress.. try letting your guard down and God through.
Luke 3.15-22 Wash Up for Jesus 20160110 RSUMC
Posted by myoikos in #findingJesus, #jesus, #savealife, #turnaround, Baptism, Christian LIving, Epiphany A, Extravagant Generosity, Meaning, Ministry, Missions, Radical Hospitality, Risk Taking Mission and Service, Witness on January 9, 2016
As the people were filled with expectation, and all were questioning in their hearts concerning John, whether he might be the Messiah, John answered all of them by saying, “I baptize you with water; but one who is more powerful than I is coming; I am not worthy to untie the thong of his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. His winnowing fork is in his hand, to clear his threshing floor and to gather the wheat into his granary; but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.” So, with many other exhortations, he proclaimed the good news to the people. But Herod the ruler, who had been rebuked by him because of Herodias, his brother’s wife, and because of all the evil things that Herod had done,
added to them all by shutting up John in prison. Now when all the people were baptized, and when Jesus also had been baptized and was praying, the heaven was opened, and the Holy Spirit descended upon him in bodily form like a dove. And a voice came from heaven, “You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased.” [ NRSV ]
I baptize with water
- Reclaiming the terms: Dunked, dipped or drizzled
- TELL USE ABOUT YOUR BAPTISM. Giving witness to our journey.
I am not worthy: we can do great things as good folks but without Jesus our value is he whim of popularity or eternity.
- Not the time for Jesus to be shut up. The corrupt government figures tried to quiet and stop the voice of the faithful, but God is not in our government. God is beyond laws.
- Baptism: the first step of many. John’s ministry begins with preparing us for a life with Jesus. Dressed in grace to transform the place.
Reclaiming our mission to baptize the world as the entry point to a life in Jesus Christ. Think of the people who we work, live, play, fellowship or struggle every week: who amount them does not know the power of Jesus living in there hearts?
- This is the year to have the conversations of intentionality and purpose: open our relations and interactions to be ways of revealing Jesus.
- Dont keep him imprisoned in our hearts, sing out the witness, love and presence of Christ. Leave it to guessing people have Christ or be certain. NOT FOR THIER SALVATION BUT FOR OURS
Colossians 3:12-17 “Clothes for Christmas” 20151227 RSUMC Xmas1
Posted by myoikos in #sermons, 5 Practices, Christian LIving, Christmas C, Extravagant Generosity, Forgiveness, Generosity, holiday, Intentional Spiritual Growth, Joy, Missions, Passionate Worship, Radical Hospitality, Risk Taking Mission and Service, Spiritual Growth on December 26, 2015
94% of American’s celebrate Christmas (3). We have verbal and ideological battles with 6% of the population who don’t feel comfortable greeting each other this season by saying, “Merry Christmas.” It’s important to keep this in perspective. The number who keep a religious Christmas is about 70% with 29% celebrating some holiday during the same period of holidays (4). And yet we hear political debates about our nation not being a Christian nation, when 70% of the 94% who celebrate Christmas do so for religious reasons. Tis the Season to be religious.
The National Retail Federation reports
- average spending per person reaches $805.65 in 2015
- Gifts for family members will total $462.95 this year
- 46 percent of their shopping this holiday season was conducted online,
- 21.4 percent of smartphone owners used their device to purchase holiday merchandise in 2015,
- 47%) said free shipping/shipping promotions are important factors where to shop.
- 55.8 percent of holiday shoppers will splurge on themselves
The number one anticipated “item” for Christmas is what category? ____ Clothes. Men 48% / Women 56%. But the number one “non-item” requested is gift cards. Men 51% / Women 66% (3)
What does that say? We expect Clothes at Christmas and more than half the time we’d prefer to pick out our own clothes than have people guess.
So this is where we begin hearing this passage from the church to Colossae:
As God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience. Bear with one another and, if anyone has a complaint against another, forgive each other; just as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in the one body. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly; teach and admonish one another in all wisdom; and with gratitude in your hearts sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs to God. And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. [NRSV]
Clothe one another in love
- compassion
- kindness
- humility
- meekness
- patience
Imaging celebrating the 12 days of Christmas. Not just the first one.
Imaging, after all the celebration of Christmas morning of day one, we continues giving the gives of compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience.. all together as example of Christ’s love for us.
What does that look like?
Seeing or hearing the needs of someone who is hungry or wanting and we take them food for the day. It does not solve their every need, but it gives them one more day of perspective that they are not forgotten and their transformation is not hopeless. Or teach them skills to work or to deal with their brokenness, fears or depression. This is not the task of someone to do FOR us, but for us to give one-on-one. Gifts of compassion.
You could think of sarcastic and judgmental comments, that might be accurate, yet, instead you find kind words of encouragement or forgiveness. In speaking where you would have remained silent and offering kindness instead of leading with what’s wrong, you lead with the kindness you would hope to hear when someone is speaking with you. A gift of Kindness with words.
You and I could choose to give a gift out of our abundance away. You know how special it makes you feel to know someone has given you a gift of love, think how sharing what you have might make you both feel loved, even if it is yours to keep. A Gift of humble sharing, it cost no more because it is yours to give.
Often it is not the value of the gift, but rather the appropriateness of the gift. We wait and save up to give expensive gifts, when it is our present half-hour each day that transform lives around us. Which would I rather have today: a grand gift from my father, who died a decade ago or 20 minutes talking about the day with him face-to-face? In the meekness of time, we share the lives we have to share.
Or could you find it possible to not fix someone’s problem, but rather be one who stands with them while they work through the trial and error of failures. So often we don’t want folks to live life for us, we want someone with us, to make certain we are not alone. Can you be present with someone who is alone and listen, encourage and wait with them, the gift of patience, for you and them.
For the remainder of the Christmas season, ten more days, try giving these gifts in love for Christ.
In the next ten days: Let everything you do, be done in Jesus name.
As you wake to start the day: In Jesus Name
As you write a check or open your purse or wallet: In Jesus Name
As you open you mouth to speak or your mind to consider: In Jesus Name
As you cook, clean, travel, read, share or listen: Do so in Jesus Name
As we shall then be clothed in love.
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(1) http://www.statista.com/topics/991/us-christmas-season/
(2) https://nrf.com/media/press-releases/retailers-very-digital-holiday-season-according-nrf-survey
(3) http://www.berkshireeagle.com/local/ci_29153886/from-spending-celebrating-2015-holiday-season-25-stats
(4) https://www.barna.org/barna-update/culture/699-tis-the-season-how-technology-is-affecting-the-holidays#.Vn9dPpMrLBI
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Vanderbilt Lectionary Weekly Texts- May 22, 2022: Sixth Sunday of Easter (Year C)Acts 16:9-15 * Psalm 67 * Revelation 21:10, 22-22:5 * John 14:23-29 or John 5:1-9
- May 22, 2022: Sixth Sunday of Easter (Year C)