Blog Archives

Fr Mike's Message - 8/29/21

8/30/2021

The Gospel: Mark 7:1-8, 14-15, 21-23
When the Pharisees and some of the scribes who had come from Jerusalem gathered around him, they noticed that some of his disciples were eating with defiled hands, that is, without washing them. (For the Pharisees, and all the Jews, do not eat unless they thoroughly wash their hands, thus observing the tradition of the elders; and they do not eat anything from the market unless they wash it; and there are also many other traditions that they observe, the washing of cups, pots, and bronze kettles.) So the Pharisees and the scribes asked him, “Why do your disciples not live according to the tradition of the elders, but eat with defiled hands?” He said to them, “Isaiah prophesied rightly about you hypocrites, as it is written,
‘This people honors me with their lips,
but their hearts are far from me;
in vain do they worship me,
teaching human precepts as doctrines.’
You abandon the commandment of God and hold to human tradition.”
Then he called the crowd again and said to them, “Listen to me, all of you, and understand: there is nothing outside a person that by going in can defile, but the things that come out are what defile.” For it is from within, from the human heart, that evil intentions come: fornication, theft, murder, adultery, avarice, wickedness, deceit, licentiousness, envy, slander, pride, folly. All these evil things come from within, and they defile a person.”

Prayer: Lord, you have promised that when two or three gather in your name you will be present with them. We depend on that promise today and pray that you will move among us. Lord, we pray that have you inspired Mike's preparation, that you will enliven his presentation and that you will empower our application. Amen

The Message: Welcome back we are in the Gospel of Mark. We step right into the middle of a cultural clash between the Pharisees and Jesus or actually between the Pharisees and some of Jesus' disciples. The Pharisees are upset because some of the disciples did not wash their hands before eating. They complain to Jesus.

Now, it is important that we recognize that this is a cultural clash. It does have spiritual or religious overtones but it is a cultural issue. The Pharisees want to uphold a practice - which to our ears seems valid - that a person should wash their hands before eating.

Jesus challenges this cultural observance and cites Isaiah as predicting that this type of behavior would become commonplace or typical. Jesus says that the Pharisees are an example of how the People of Israel have lost an essential truth or lesson in their religious life. They have lost touch with the central relational message of their faith and are getting caught up in outward appearances.

They are very concerned about living up to the cultural expectations of their society so that they would look good to others. They are very worried about those who were watching and observing their behavior. The rules have become more important than what the rules are supposed to point to or remind them of.

Jesus takes the opportunity to teach an important spiritual lesson. Jesus takes the crowd aside and challenges them to consider what their motivation is or should be. He asks: "where does the motivation to keep the purity laws originate?" In the world that we live in today, I believe this is a really good question for us to consider.

Jesus is interested in the hearts of the people. Jesus is interested in where their thoughts, their actions, and their words come from.

Now before we go much further I thought I would share with you a couple of cultural experiences I have had that illustrate my message this morning. I have lived in this country off and on since 1984. But I still find myself capable of cultural gaffs that sometimes bring laughter and sometimes looks of horror.

So the first story is about an experience I had in someone's home. It came to mind when I read the scripture from Mark as I was preparing for this morning. Fiona and I were staying with friends in California. These were fairly wealthy folks, who really took seriously the practice of hospitality. We would often sit down at their dining room table with 15 to 30 people. They would invite the lonely and disenfranchised to share a meal with them. Especially at Thanksgiving.

This story centers around a butter dish. Bread rolls would often be a part of the meal and the butter dish was available in the center of the table. I would often reach for the butter and help myself to butter for my roll. I became aware at one point that the hostess would become a little tense whenever I did that. But it didn't seem like something big enough in the scheme of life to talk about. Then one time a friend of mine from Australia joined us for a meal. He helped himself to the butter and our usually very proper and self-controlled hostess exclaimed: "he does the same thing!" Apparently, my friend had run his knife across the top of the butter, as we do in Australia, instead of neatly cutting the butter stick on the end as was this family's practice. Our hostess was aghast. She had never experienced anyone who didn't know the proper procedure for "helping yourself" to the butter, and now there were two of them sitting at her dining room table!

The other story is a little more recent. I served an internship at St Timothy's Episcopal in Perrysburg with the Rev. Jeff Bunk before coming here to Christ Church. I would meet with Jeff once a week to review my service and for him to guide and instruct me in my preparations for being a Priest. Jeff and I got on well and these meetings were very helpful and productive. But one morning I felt Jeff was tense for some reason and it seemed to be getting worse the longer the meeting went on. Finally, he could no longer contain his frustration and he exclaimed: "will you stop doing that!" I was stunned. What reprehensible action was I engaging in that had brought Jeff to this level of frustration and the need for an angry outburst?

All I could do was ask what I had done or what was I doing? "That thing that you are doing with your glasses" was his curt reply. The glasses I wore at the time would slide down my nose while I was in conversation and I would have to push them back into position. What I didn't know or understand at the time was that it is not kosher to do that with your middle finger. I have to say that raising your middle finger is not an Australian cultural "thing." But it certainly brought a reaction from my friend and mentor that morning.

I am sure there are numerous other faux pars I have committed along the way. We sometimes cannot help things that we do or say that will cause offense to our neighbors and our friends. Of course, we often do that when we are unaware of what the cultural norms are in a particular group or community.

In the Gospel of Mark this morning Jesus is seeking to put aside the cultural expectations and he wants to get to the heart of the matter. Jesus is reminding his audience of the long history of the Heavenly Father seeking to have a heart-centered relationship with his people.

Jesus is seeking to challenge his audience to consider where their hearts are centered. He doesn't pull any punches when he outlines the results of a heart that is not focused on the Lord. "For it is from within, from the human heart, that evil intentions come: fornication, theft, murder, adultery, avarice, wickedness, deceit, licentiousness, envy, slander, pride, folly. All these evil things come from within, and they defile a person."
I believe that Jesus wants to shock the people in much the same way EMS personnel shock someone who has had a heart attack. Often after a heart attack or some other serious health crisis, people find that their attitudes and their priorities change.

Jesus is hoping that the people will be shocked into remembering the promises that the Heavenly Father has made in the past to his people about their hearts.

For example in Ezekiel 36: 24 - 28: "I will take you from the nations, and gather you from all the countries, and bring you into your own land. I will sprinkle clean water upon you, and you shall be clean from all your uncleannesses, and from all your idols I will cleanse you. A new heart I will give you, and a new spirit I will put within you; and I will remove from your body the heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. I will put my spirit within you, and make you follow my statutes and be careful to observe my ordinances. Then you shall live in the land that I gave to your ancestors; and you shall be my people, and I will be your God."

Now, this is not just a call to people in general, this is also a call to people individually like in Psalm 119 18-20 and 33-36 "Open my eyes, so that I may behold wondrous things out of your law. I live as an alien in the land; do not hide your commandments from me. My soul is consumed with longing for your ordinances at all times. Teach me, O Lord, the way of your statutes, and I will observe it to the end. Give me understanding, that I may keep your law and observe it with my whole heart. Lead me in the path of your commandments, for I delight in it. Turn my heart to your decrees, and not to selfish gain."

Or in Psalm 51: 6 - 15: "You desire truth in the inward being; therefore teach me wisdom in my secret heart. Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. Let me hear joy and gladness; let the bones that you have crushed rejoice. Hide your face from my sins, and blot out all my iniquities.
Create in me a clean heart, O God, and put a new and right spirit within me.
Do not cast me away from your presence, and do not take your holy spirit from me.
Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and sustain in me a willing spirit."

An interesting thing about this encounter with Jesus for the Pharisees is that it is actually an opportunity for them to change. I know that often God will put people in my path or in my life to give me an opportunity to change. I first came across this idea when I was listening to the teaching from Graham Cooke. Graham has a great teaching moment when he talks about "The Three Wise Guys." These were three men who would come to Graham's early public meetings and ask him questions afterward. Initially, he would dread them being present, but after some time he realized his preparation and teaching was actually improving because of them The Brothers of Saint John the Evangelist have this idea as part of their teaching approach. This came up in a recent "Brother Give Us a Word" meditation entitled "Change" by Br. Nicholas Bartoli

"Saint Teresa of Avila once wrote that if we feel the need to change something in someone else, the first thing to do is consider what might need to change in us. If we find ourselves judging others and creating unnecessary separation and conflict, we need to quickly turn our attention inward, and pray that by our Lord Jesus Christ’s mercy we be delivered from this habit of separation and judgment."

I would like to end this morning with a passage from Ephesians 1: 15 - 20. Wouldn't it be wonderful if people spoke of us here at Christ Church in this way?

"I have heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love toward all the saints, and for this reason I do not cease to give thanks for you as I remember you in my prayers. I pray that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you a spirit of wisdom and revelation as you come to know him, so that, with the eyes of your heart enlightened, you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance among the saints, and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power for us who believe, according to the working of his great power. God put this power to work in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places,"

Fr Mike's Message - 8/22/21

8/23/2021

The Gospel: John 6:56-69
Jesus said, “Those who eat my flesh and drink my blood abide in me, and I in them. Just as the living Father sent me, and I live because of the Father, so whoever eats me will live because of me. This is the bread that came down from heaven, not like that which your ancestors ate, and they died. But the one who eats this bread will live forever.” He said these things while he was teaching in the synagogue at Capernaum.

When many of his disciples heard it, they said, “This teaching is difficult; who can accept it?” But Jesus, being aware that his disciples were complaining about it, said to them, “Does this offend you? Then what if you were to see the Son of Man ascending to where he was before? It is the spirit that gives life; the flesh is useless. The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life. But among you there are some who do not believe.” For Jesus knew from the first who were the ones that did not believe, and who was the one that would betray him. And he said, “For this reason I have told you that no one can come to me unless it is granted by the Father.”

Because of this many of his disciples turned back and no longer went about with him. So Jesus asked the twelve, “Do you also wish to go away?” Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom can we go? You have the words of eternal life. We have come to believe and know that you are the Holy One of God.”

Prayer: Lord, you have promised that when two or three gather in your name you will be present with them. We depend on that promise today and pray that you will move among us. Lord, we pray that have you inspired Mike's preparation, that you will enliven his presentation and that you will empower our application. Amen

The Message: So, this morning we are back in the Gospel of John and focusing on Jesus' statements about being the "Bread of Life." As I said last week this is a central theme throughout John.

So, here we are right in the middle of Ordinary Time, dealing with another aspect of "Jesus as the Bread of Life."

We are faced with and challenged by another difficult scripture passage. Today's reading is difficult because it not only challenges us to think about what we understand about Jesus being the Bread of Life but it also raises the question: "who or what is the central source of our understanding of truth and hope?" In the other Gospels, Jesus asks the disciples directly: "Who do you say that I am?" Matthew 16: 15; Mark 8: 21; Luke 9: 20John deals with this question in a different way. But we hear that same question as we read John this morning. John presents for us some of the foundational truths of our Christian faith and life.

In John 6: 56-58" Jesus said, “Those who eat my flesh and drink my blood abide in me, and I in them. Just as the living Father sent me, and I live because of the Father, so whoever eats me will live because of me. This is the bread that came down from heaven, not like that which your ancestors ate, and they died. But the one who eats this bread will live forever.”

Then in John 6: 60
When many of his disciples heard it, they said, “This teaching is difficult; who can accept it?”

Then John 6: 64
But among you there are some who do not believe.” For Jesus knew from the first who were the ones that did not believe, and who was the one that would betray him.

Then John 6: 67-69
Because of this many of his disciples turned back and no longer went about with him. So Jesus asked the twelve, “Do you also wish to go away?” Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom can we go? You have the words of eternal life. We have come to believe and know that you are the Holy One of God.”

Here is John we see three major points laid out for us:1. Jesus understood it would be difficult for people to understand what he was saying about being the Bread of Life.2. He knew that someone would betray him.3. He also knew that some people would leave.

Then Jesus speaks directly to the Disciples and asks them: Where do you stand?" Peter speaks for the disciples and I believe he speaks for us as well when he says: “Lord, to whom can we go? You have the words of eternal life. We have come to believe and know that you are the Holy One of God.”

I have to admit that I needed this Scripture this week. There is a lot going on in the Parish at the moment. Even if we ignored all that has happened in the last 15 or 16 months I would say that there is a lot of activity going on. That is both positive and challenging.

We have already seen several things accomplished in our Planting for Tomorrow phase II project. There will be a number of other things happening soon. I have heard that generally people are pleased with what we have done. Personally I think the flooring around the Altar is particularly beautiful. I know that Jim and the choir members have been greatly encouraged by the change in the flooring in the choir area.

We all know I am not a musician but I believe there is a deeper resonance to the quality of the organ. I can't wait to hear the choir sing when they come back after the Summer.

I know that change can make people nervous or anxious but I believe we are moving forward in the refurbishment of the Sanctuary, and the education wing, in a way that will help us flourish as a parish. I also know that I will need to be involved in more than one meeting to talk about how this process is going to continue and how we can achieve the best result for all concerned.

Now, we also have a number of people who have, or who are facing, some serious health issues in the parish. Bill Balduff died this past week, Anne Harjar is in a rehabilitation center, Mim Olmstead had a stint in rehab as well. Jim Schweifert spent some time in hospital this week.

There are a number of people dealing with ongoing health issues from cancer to debilitating or declining health.

I have to admit I was feeling weary a couple of days this week. And if I am really honest I had a couple of days where I felt anxious.

Last Sunday evening we had Brad Purdom with us for our Sundays@Five service. I would really encourage you to go to our Christ Church Facebook page and to watch and listen to Brad's message. It was what I would define as a "message from the heart."

Brad spoke on our theme: "How do we sing the Lord's song in a strange land?" He made it very personal and relatable.

At one point he talked about how he found it helpful to substitute the word "trust" for the word "believe" when he came across it in Scripture. I believe what he said was or at least this is my paraphrase of what he said, "when it comes to times of struggle, when I have a hard time saying I believe, I say "I put my trust in" instead." So he would say I put my trust in Jesus, rather than saying I believe in Jesus. Now, I tried that this week and I have to say it really helped.

But I still was having difficulty. So I was grateful for Emma who sent me a Max Lucado devotional she had listened to. Max was talking about anxiety. He quoted that scripture, from Philippians, which I am sure we are all familiar with: "Be anxious for nothing...."What I heard Max say was really helpful to me. Because he went on to say: "We are human, we will be anxious." I had always heard the scripture almost as an ultimatum - like it was spelled out in capital letters and with an exclamation point at the end: DO NOT BE ANXIOUS! Max said we will have anxiety or we will be anxious but don't allow that anxiety to dominate our thinking.

Then I also read the SSJE sermon this week from Br. Jim Woodrum:"While we may never face the reality of martyrdom in our faith journeys, most of us will endeavor to engage in what the church fathers called sanctification. Simply put, once Jesus comes into our lives and we profess to be disciples, then we adhere to the task of working out our salvation, that is, practicing the tenets of our faith in order to become more fully who God has created us to be."

So, I found myself with all these divergent thoughts and influences and had to do some evaluation. I found myself remembering an acronym I learned in AA. The acronym H.A.L.T. as many people in recovery know means hungry, angry, lonely, and tired. AA folks will often say to one another you need to H.A.L.T. To stop and consider. You should never make a decision when you are hungry, angry, lonely, or tired.

Well, I was weary and I was feeling like I was ready for a change. When I thought about Brad's trust concept and Brother Jim's sanctification concept I was glad for AA's H.A.L. T. Because what I really was thinking about doing was AA what calls: "doing a geographical." I wanted to go somewhere else. In AA terminology that just means I would move on or move out. The only problem with that response is that I would still be in the picture or the circumstances or the location.

What I really needed to do was look and see what was provoking me? What was the underlying issue or challenge that I needed to resolve within myself?

Truth be told I found myself asking the question Peter asked on behalf of himself and the other disciples: "Where else would I go.....?" Now he did it more eloquently than that. “Lord, to whom can we go? You have the words of eternal life. We have come to believe and know that you are the Holy One of God.”

So, I had to ask myself how willing am I to adapt and change? How can I express my trust in the Lord? How can I exercise my understanding of what Br Jim was saying: "Simply put, once Jesus comes into our lives and we profess to be disciples, then we adhere to the task of working out our salvation, that is, practicing the tenets of our faith in order to become more fully who God has created us to be." I rediscovered something important. Church, the community I belong to, and my spiritual practices are the source of my ability to once again take up my cross and follow Jesus. Church, this community, needs to be more than a place I come to. A place I find familiar and may draw some comfort from. Church, this community, needs to be the place where I/we can find our sustenance. As we read in John, Jesus says it straight out, unequivocally: "Just as the living Father sent me, and I live because of the Father, so whoever eats me will live because of me."

So, this morning can I encourage you to consider Peter's words from John: “Lord, to whom can we go? You have the words of eternal life. We have come to believe and know that you are the Holy One of God.”

Where else can we go and where else would we find the sustenance we should find here? "O taste and see that the Lord is good; happy are those who take refuge in him. Psalm 34: 8"

Sermons

Fr Mike's Message - 8/29/21

Fr Mike's Message - 8/22/21

Bishops & Father Mike

Archives

Categories