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News & Happenings2012 CALENDAR OF EVENTS
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Pastor Eric Fjeldal's January 2012 Sunday Sermons
Pastor Eric's sermons are presented here in reverse chronological order...in other words, the most recent sermons are at the top of the list, working backwards through time.
Sunday January 8 “Offering what is Precious”
Matthew 2: 1-12
Over the years we have all heard about the symbolic meaning behind the gifts the Wise Men brought; gold, reflecting Jesus’ royalty, frankincense, his divinity and myrrh for Jesus’ sorrowful death. James Howell has a slightly different take. He writes (T)hey simply brought what was precious, what they wanted Jesus to have. ((Feasting on the Word, Year B, Vol. 1 pg. 216). This comment started me thinking, “When I think about my life and faith, what is precious? What do I want Jesus to have?
Most of us can pretty easily come up with a list of things we consider precious. It would be a combination of tangible things as well as emotions and feelings. Some would be personal or family oriented and others would focus on our relationship with God.
What about our answer to the second question, “What do I want Jesus to have?” I ask because we are not used to thinking in this way. We tend to think in terms of what we receive from God and Christ. Again our answers would tend to be personal, concerned with me and mine’s safety, security and happiness. Hopefully some would have to do with the greater good. Either way our focus would be on the gifts we offer to God, not just material, but also our talents and abilities. What we bring to the Church. What we bring to help the Church run better.
Today I invite you to think in a different way, beyond what we bring to our particular faith community. Instead to think in terms of what we want Jesus to have in the world. Is it a better reputation; more relevance, more influence on the decisions we and others make? I think there is a part of us that wants this for Jesus. At the same time we are reluctant to give this to him, and therein lies the challenge.
The Wise Men offer Jesus their willingness to pay homage to him. We often think of paying homage as worshipping. I invite you to see it as something more, something deeper. It is easy to worship something or someone, to sing their praises and be thankful for them. I suggest that paying homage is about truly connecting with, a coming together of souls if you will.
Thinking in this way invites us to expand our understanding of the gifts offered by the Wise Men. To see them
as symbols of the Wise Men’s inner dispositions. Gold means they offer their virtues, frankincense shows them to be people of prayer, and myrrh, represents their willingness
to sacrifice. The outer gifts tell of their inner reality. What is hidden is revealed.
Their gifts are perfect because they allow communication between two interiors-
the hearts of the Wise Men and the heart of the child. The perfect gift is the one that
carries one person into another.
(John Shea, Following Love Into Mystery, Liturgical Press, pg. 60)
We all know people who give us gifts they think we want or need which too often is what they think we ought to want. Our frustration with this is we don’t think the other is hearing us. The result is often a feeling of disconnect because we sense the other didn’t think about who we are and what we value. This may not be the intention or case, but often times it is the resulting feeling.
Reflecting on the Wise Men, their journey and the gifts they offer three words come to mind; readiness, listening and humility. The Wise Men were attentive to what was happening so they were ready for it and could respond appropriately because they listened. As much as they already knew, they were open to knowing more.
(T)hey continued to listen and were obedient in respecting the warning they received.
So they returned by another way. We too need to be careful about falling into arrogance, as if there were no more to learn. (William V. Arnold, Feasting on the Word, Year B, Vol. 1, pg. 216)
This too is a part of paying homage, seeking, recognizing the journey continues and never really ends. In order to embrace this truth we need to practice humility which for too many in our world is a lost art.
Humility is also important because it allows for the communication mentioned earlier. It makes possible our hearing not just God but others. I am reminded of Howard Thurman words
If I knew you and you knew me and each of us could clearly see
by that inner light divine the meaning of your life and mine
I think that we would differ less and clasp our hands in friendliness.
and how they call us to not just hear but remain open. To truly see in a way that allows us to be ready to respond, offering healing and hope in whatever way is needed. This is something Herod, because of his ego and fear of losing control was unable to do. The result was dishonesty, death and destruction.
Humility is what allows us to ask what we want Jesus to have; to think not in terms of what we receive from God but what it is we can offer to God as we seek to pay homage. Seek to find ways to truly connect with God in Christ as we seek to follow him, seek to let him have us as we offer ourselves more freely and completely.
Scott Bader-Saye has written:
Following Jesus will mean surrendering the power that masquerades as security in order
to love the neighbor and welcome the stranger. It will mean avoiding the safe path in
order to pursue the good.
The Wise Men understood this and were able to bring what was precious, what they wanted Jesus to have. As we continue our faith journey may our understanding of what is precious, what we want Jesus to have grow as we come to know God in Christ more fully and completely and learn to offer to God what is most important as we seek to offer ourselves.
January 15, 2012 “Come and See”
John 1: 43-51
The invitation is extended, “come and see.” No real pressure, no heavy sell, just a simple invitation. Philip is modeling my kind of evangelism, a low key approach that reminds us it is not all up to us. Whether you want to call it; telling your story through deed and word, offering a glimpse of the kingdom, or letting your light shine, what Philip does is extend the invitation and leave the rest to God. He trusts that God truly does work in people’s lives, often times in ways we least expect.
Hear again the story. Jesus shows up in Galilee and finds Philip. He calls Philip, who decides to follow. Philip goes and finds Nathanael and invites him to “come and see.” Nathanael is reluctant; he is less than impressed with Philip’s description of Jesus and cynically asks, “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” Still Philip invites him and for whatever reason Nathanael goes. Maybe he is being polite to his friend. Maybe he is a little curious or has nothing better to do. Clearly his expectations are minimal, until he meets Jesus; it all changes once Nathanael comes into Jesus’ presence.
What changes Nathanael’s life? It isn’t Philip’s persuasive description of Jesus. It’s not even Nathanael’s observation of Jesus. It is not what Nathanael sees about Jesus. It is what Jesus sees about Nathanael. Being seen and known by Jesus turns this ordinary encounter into a life changing experience; one that opens Nathanael’s heart.
This morning’s story beautifully explains our role when it comes to being evangelists; that is inviting others to know and experience God, because that is all evangelism really is. It is not our job or role to convince others about the existence of or importance of God. The truth is we and others are only able to experience God because God first reveals Godself to us. We see because we have been seen. We love because we have first been loved. This really changes the whole dynamic, doesn’t it? It is not about what we do. It is about what God has done and continues to do.
What we are talking about is a better understanding. When it comes to the lives we touch and the lives that touch us, we are simply called to live and model our faith and let God be God. We are not called to worry about or focus on the outcome. We are called to live our faith and trust in “thin places.”
A thin place is anywhere our hearts are opened. To use sacramental language, a thin
place is a sacrament of the sacred, a mediator of the sacred, a means whereby the sacred becomes present to us. A thin place is a means of grace.
(Marcus Borg, The Heart of Christianity, pg. 156)
Thin places happen all the time, in all aspects of life. Thin places can happen in worship. They can happen as we sing hymns, listen to the choir or pray. They can also happen as we live our daily lives,
or are present with someone who is sick or dying.
We cannot create a thin place; God does that. We experience them when we and others are willing to come and see; come and open ourselves to the possibility. This is why the invitation is so important for us and others. All God asks is that we remain open so that we may discover for ourselves and also be open to recognizing when we are called to invite another to come and see; to come and discover for him or herself.
This is what Philip did. He invited Nathanael and trusting in God he simply stepped back. Commenting on this Cynthia Anderson wrote:
Those of us who are followers of Jesus in a highly skeptical if not downright hostile
environment can learn from Philip, who reminds us that our calling is to bear witness
with grace and obedience to the light that shines in our lives through the Son of God.
The ability of others to see that light does not rest solely on our powers of theological
persuasion, our skills of rhetoric or technology, our ability to communicate in culturally
relevant ways or even our sheer persistence. Rather, the ability to see Jesus comes as a
gift from God through the graceful and mysterious movements of the Holy Spirit. We can
take others by the hand, share our excitement with them and invite them by the faithful
living of our lives to come and get a glimpse of what we’ve seen – but we cannot make
them see.
(Christina Anderson, Christian Century, January 13, 2009, pg. 20)
I find this comforting and liberating, while at the same time helpful. The pressure is off. It reminds me that my journey with God is continuous and that if we remain open, God will continue to reveal Godself to us in thin places that will deepen our faith; deepen our sense of what it means to be a disciple. God will also reveal the places where we need to extend the invitation to another to “come and see” and God will reveal them far more often than you think. This is so because
discipleship is first of all a willingness to walk with Jesus. It is not obedience to an abstract
set of codes, but consent to a costly, joyful relationship. In walking with Jesus, we learn who
he is. As we learn who he is, we learn what it means to follow him.
(Ted A. Smith, Feasting on the Word, Year B, Vol.1, pg. 265)
“Come and see”. This is the invitation Jesus extends to Philip which Philip than extended to Nathanael. It is the same invitation that is extended to us. The same invitation we are asked to extend to others.
So “come and see”. Come and walk with Jesus and learn what happens when we discover that God in Christ has seen you and that his seeing you has transformed you; not because of what you have done or not done, but simply because of what God has chosen to do. Then go and “let your light shine”. Go and tell your story through deed and word offering a glimpse of God’s kingdom; because you have learned and will continue to learn that following means living more simply, loving more generously, caring more deeply, speaking more clearly and then steeping back and leaving the rest to God. Amen.
January 22, 2012 “Stepping Out in Faith”
Mark 1: 14-20
Earlier on in my ministry this morning’s passage troubled me. I struggled with the immediacy of Peter, Andrew, James and John; what I perceived as their irresponsible behavior as they dropped what they were doing and followed Jesus. I don’t think I was alone in my thinking. Wouldn’t we wonder about someone who did as they did? Wouldn’t we question their emotionally stability, their sense of responsibility and maturity?
I know when I think about my having been called by God into ministry it was far from an immediate response. There was a long period of discernment. When I talk with someone who is considering ministry I encourage them to pray about it and to think long and hard about their decision. I don’t encourage following Peter, Andrew, James and John who just jumped in with both feet; just leave it all behind and go.
On the surface this seems to be what they did. Digging deeper we discover that is not the case. Charles Paige in his book, Jesus and the Land writes:
Jesus’ ministry officially began after the arrest of John the Baptist. Up until this time Jesus had been preparing his disciples for their ministry together. After John was arrested, Jesus came to the Sea of Galilee and told Peter, Andrew, James and John that it was time to get started. (Charles Paige, Jesus and the Land, Abingdon Press pg. 71)
Paige’s historical study reveals that Jesus had moved to Capernaum before this event. He lived among the four; they had worshipped together and studied together. They had committed to joining Jesus in his ministry and prepared their families. John’s arrest triggered the beginning of Jesus’ ministry and the four were committed to following. They seized the opportunity and stepped out in faith.
This makes more sense, doesn’t it? For while the moment for stepping out is proclaimed and the response is immediate there had been some pre-work if you will. The foundation was laid so that the action could follow. This is much more in line with what I think God asks of us. After the invitation to come and see, come and discover comes the invitation to act, to respond, to “step out” in faith and do something.
In calling us to step out God does not expect perfection or even success. God simply asks for faithfulness and a willingness to step out trusting that God is at work in the process. For Peter, Andrew, James and John and for us stepping out is not the end of the story. This is just the beginning of ‘the beginning’ (v.1). Ahead, for them and for us, there is much to learn, much stumbling, misunderstanding, and backsliding. Becoming a faithful (or more faithful) Christian disciple takes both a moment and a lifetime. (Elton W. Brown, Feasting on the Word, Year B, Vol.1, pg.284-86)
But we will never know this unless we continue to step out.
In preparing this morning’s sermon I did something that I don’t do often enough. I spent time thinking about my calling; why I do what I do. Amid the busyness and also the routine of my week it is easy for me to lose sight of what it means to be in ministry. I am not complaining, merely stating a reality. If I am not intentional my day can be consumed by the stuff that comes as part of the job; the day to day business that comes with the territory. In the process I can lose sight of my call to serve God. I think you know what I am saying.
As I started thinking about this I started thinking about all of you. If I can easily lose sight of my call to serve God, you must as well. After all being in ministry is what I do fulltime. Your being in ministry is what you do in addition to everything else you must do; all the other tasks, commitments and responsibilities you have. Amid all of the competing noise and voices that bombard you, you must listen for God’s voice. Discipleship requires our being mindful of what God calls us to do and be about; our being faithful regardless of what else is happening. This includes being attentive to those moments when we need to step out; to follow immediately because the time to act is now.
Being a faithful disciple involves comforting the afflicted. It also involves afflicting the comfortable including God afflicting us when we become too comfortable. Doing either involves stepping out; intentionally expanding our worldview so that we might better serve God as well as grow in our faith. Grow in our understanding of how God is active in our lives and life together and calls us to not get so caught up in the routine and busyness of our lives that we miss an opportunity to respond. Miss an opportunity to share the good news by offering healing, love, justice, mercy, compassion and hope.
As I reflect on those moments when I have dared to “step out in faith”:
· by taking time to talk with the homeless and my fellow workers on a Midnight Run
· going on a mission trip to Haiti or working at a Habitat site
· participating in a prayer vigil be it during Holy Week or for peace
· taking time to listen to someone who is exploring his or her faith
· daring to admit to a colleague where I was struggling
· praying in an emergency room with a scared family or at the bedside of someone who was dying
· visiting in a nursing home and singing Christmas carols
· participating in a vigil that protested war or some other injustice
· writing a letter on behalf of Bread for the World to help the hungry
or any of the other countless opportunities any of us has to be present amid the mystery and wonder that happens as faith intersects with life. I know that I have been blessed with a deeper understanding of just how much my life is enriched as I seek to faithfully serve God because such is the nature of a God who transforms.
We are here today because a faith foundation has been laid. For some the foundation may be stronger than it is for others, but still there is some kind of foundation. To varying degrees we know about Jesus. We have heard the stories and have some sense of what it is all about. We have on some level made a commitment to God and Christ. Our friends and families know of this commitment. They know our faith matters to us because despite everything else we do we find a way to set aside time for God.
With love and gratitude I invite you to do something more. Amid your busyness and daily routine stay attentive because sometime this week the moment will happen. The time will be fulfilled and you will be presented with an opportunity to offer someone healing, love, justice, mercy, compassion, hope. In the immediacy of that moment you will be called upon to act, to expand your worldview and respond.
In that moment, step out; step out in faith. You and the world will be better for your having done so. I guarantee it.
