You can hear an audio recording of the second scripture reading and my sermon entitled,
“ Following the Bread Crumbs ”
being preached, by CLICKING HERE.
Dear Fellow Travelers,
Growing up, I went through a phase where I wanted
to be a travel agent when I grew up. In
the lectionary cycle Jesus is often traveling during the summer and fall. And while it’s not Lent, we’re coming again
to the part of the gospel stories where Jesus is on his way to Jerusalem to
meet with death, just as in the very next weeks our stories will dramatically
shift gears and return to the annual pilgrimage toward Bethlehem, where the
announcement of Jesus’ birth will initiate the cycle toward the cross and
Easter. Sometimes, I feel like there
should be a brief moment when all the stories and timelines come together and
touch …except they don’t, really.
As you open this month’s newsletter, I’m living
life like a travel agent, it seems! I’m
in the middle of a series of travels that will carry me far and near, as a part
of my work both as your pastor and as a part of the larger church. As you’re reading this, I’ll just have been
to El Paso, Texas and the Synod of the Sun’s fall assembly. (Synods are made up of presbyteries in a
region; ours covers 11 presbyteries in Arkansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, and
Texas). A part of my experience will be
witnessing what’s happening at the border of the United States and Mexico these
days.
In the second week of November I’m traveling to
Louisville, Kentucky where the headquarters of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)
is, to meet with mid-council leaders from across the whole church (leaders and
stated clerks for our 16 Synods and 166 presbyteries). We’ll be learning about and discussing recent
structural changes within our denomination’s agencies and meeting new
denominational staff in new staff roles.
In the third week of November I’m gathering with other
clergy, preachers, and worship leaders in our Presbytery of the Pines for a retreat
at Lake DeGray. It will be a chance to
spend time with colleagues and new leaders and hopefully rebuild in-person
relationships that were severed during COVID and from a number of pastoral
changes.
But, this is also a time of year that sees many
of us traveling or receiving travelers who come to spend holiday times with
us. It matches with the upcoming
Christmas narrative that finds Mary traveling to visit a cousin, and Mary and
Joseph returning to family roots in Bethlehem, and Mary and Joseph and a baby
Jesus seeking safe-keeping in Egypt, and God—traveling across time and space to
meet us in an infant who grows up to change the world and through his life and
ministry, changes us, and through us, transforms the world.
I am a travel agent, of sorts! In the bible’s journeys or our journeys,
either in travels on the road or opening our doors to travelers, we’re allowed to
see the world as it is, but also, imagine how it should be, instead. There’s room to grow and be changed and for
us to become the transformation we’re seeking.
As Ferris Buehler reminded us, “Life moves pretty fast. If you don't stop and look around once in a
while, you could miss it." Looking
up, and noticing others, can be a wonderful opportunity to become reacquainted
with Jesus.
May the coming days of celebration renew your
hope, and give you every opportunity to see the beloved of God. We travel, because Jesus
travels. And, Jesus is coming. Again.
We will see him. Again. Be ready.
Take notice. Share the news!
You can hear an audio recording of the second scripture reading and my sermon entitled,
“ Stumbling Over the Wrong Thing ”
being preached, by CLICKING HERE.
You can hear an audio recording of the second scripture reading and my sermon entitled,
“ Finding Faith on the Earth ”
being preached, by CLICKING HERE.
You can hear an audio recording of the second scripture reading and my sermon entitled,
“ Leaning Into God's Love, Heaven's Joy, and Jesus Saving the World! ”
being preached, by CLICKING HERE.
You can hear an audio recording of the second scripture reading and my sermon entitled,
“ Increase Our Faith ...or, Increase Our Pledge ”
being preached, by CLICKING HERE.
You can hear an audio recording of the second scripture reading and my sermon entitled,
“ Loosening Our Grip on the Love of Money ”
being preached, by CLICKING HERE.
Dear …those daring enough to think they are or
should be disciples of Jesus,
All summer long in the lectionary, Jesus has chided
followers and would-be disciples about our money, wealth, power, and
possessions. In fact, Jesus says
plainly—those with possessions CANNOT be his disciples. …But Jesus doesn’t say we need not
apply! Harvest is coming!
I believe that Jesus teaches that in the Kingdom
of God, money has no value and possessions are meaningless. Which clearly means, we can’t take them with
us. But I also believe the point of
Jesus’ teaching is so that we become proficient at building the Kingdom of God
on earth as it is in heaven. Jesus
invites us to build the Kingdom of God!
Living in the Kingdom of God is not a “reward” for our believing or having faith in Jesus.
Living in the Kingdom of God …is God’s gift to
us. The Law, Prophets, and Jesus—all
call us toward a relationship with God that transcends the chasm between this
life and the next. Jesus demonstrates
that the Kingdom of God is present on earth as it is in heaven, and teaches us
not only to pray that this is so, but calls us to build the kingdom around us
and among us. This isn’t to confuse
heaven and earth, but it is to try and fulfill God’s vision when God said, “Let
there be light,” and “God saw that it was good.”
Jesus insists that living in the Kingdom of God
is not because we somehow earn a privilege, or that we can preserve such an
experience for ourselves and other people “like us”—but just the opposite! The goal of the Kingdom of God is to make it livable
and accessible to everyone! It’s why
money, wealth, possessions, and power carry no sway! It’s why this is almost utterly unimaginable to
us, but for Jesus! God gives us the kingdom,
and we’re always invited to dinner whether we can pay for it or not.
Jesus reminds us, people like us, other
believers, even the Pharisees and scribes, religious and political opponents,
that we are called to build a kingdom not our own, a kingdom built on serving neighbors
as ourselves. It is a vision that
insists that everyone is of value, and no one is less than another. Loving neighbors as ourselves transcends our money,
wealth, power, and possessions—making us believers and followers together.
Harvest is traditionally the season in which we
are invited to take stock of our money, wealth, possessions, and power, and
consider how we use them in the service of kingdom of God we dream about and
pray for. In the next few weeks you’ll
hear about our congregation’s financial plans for next year, but you’ll also hear
about special opportunities to spread the love of God we’ve benefitted from, to
so many others. As you consider what you
have received, I hope you will contemplate the ways you can be instruments of
God’s love and joy—not only in our community but for the love of God to have
the broadest possible influence.
Jesus teaches us we tell his story best with our lives …bent toward serving our neighbors as ourselves. Where the building blocks used to be our abc’s—attendance, building, and cash—today’s thriving churches worry about their NOPs—their neighbors, the way they’re organized, and their partnerships. ALL, in the service of loving neighbors and building God’s kingdom.
Come. Use
your God-given gifts. Build the Kingdom
of God on earth as it is in heaven.
You can hear an audio recording of the second scripture reading and my sermon entitled,
“ Celebrating the Lost ”
being preached, by CLICKING HERE.
You can hear an audio recording of the second scripture reading and my sermon entitled,
“ The NOT Disciples of Jesus ”
being preached, by CLICKING HERE.
