…for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you gave me clothing, I was sick and you took care of me, I was in prison and you visited me.’ Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when was it that we saw you hungry and gave you food, or thirsty and gave you something to drink? And when was it that we saw you a stranger and welcomed you, or naked and gave you clothing? And when was it that we saw you sick or in prison and visited you?’ And the king will answer them, ‘Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these who are members of my family, you did it to me.’  Matthew 25:35-40

Seems simple, doesn’t it?  Yet our society continues to argue with this.  We argue, we reason, we compare, we make excuses.  But do we see Jesus?

We are all created in the image of God, the Imago Dei. This means no matter who we are, what we believe, where we live, what color, race, gender or any other “descriptive term”, we are all the same – children of the Heavenly Father.

There is a lot going on in our country right now, there are many distractions, many difficult issues, and to be honest, a lot of people are falling through the cracks.  Most people do not “deserve” to be hungry or poor.  It is not a lack of hard-work or discipline.  Often it is nothing more than where someone is born (even in our country).

See Jesus in the face of everyone and do what you can.

Peace,

Pastor Bill

Again, Jesus began to teach by the lake. The crowd that gathered around him was so large that he got into a boat and sat in it out on the lake, while all the people were along the shore at the water’s edge. He taught them many things by parables, and in his teaching said: “Listen! A farmer went out to sow his seed. As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up. Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow. But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root. Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants, so that they did not bear grain. Still other seed fell on good soil. It came up, grew and produced a crop, some multiplying thirty, some sixty, some a hundred times.” Then Jesus said, “Whoever has ears to hear, let them hear.” Mark 4:1-9

We went out to our garden the other night to see what was ready to harvest.  Of course, as anyone with a small home garden knows, the zucchini which were tiny a few days ago are now large clubs.  We picked them, as well as some cucumbers, and looked at the jumbled mess of tomatoes.

We actually did not plant the tomatoes this year (or last, either).  Two summers ago, we had a huge crop of heirloom tomatoes.  We harvested them and cleaned up as many as possible, but there were enough small, rotted tomatoes that we missed.  

Over the past two summers, tomato plants have grown from that seed that fell into good, fertile soil.  It is amazing how well things can grow in the right environment.

Our society today is filled with dry, shallow places, rocky places, thorny places and fertile places.  We often encounter turmoil, dealing with people who want to tear us down, watching as people scorch one another, or those who are truly thorny, who will tear us apart and choke our dreams and aspirations.

Or we can create fertile ground, places where we are nurtured and can nurture others, places where we can bring peace and love.  If we all work towards the true Christian ethic, we can remove the thorns, and rocky places and instead create places of great growth.

During your journey this week, be a fertile place for another, be a person of nurture, care and understanding. 

Peace,

Pastor Bill

On one occasion an expert in the law stood up to test Jesus. “Teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?” “What is written in the Law?” he replied. “How do you read it?”

He answered, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’; and, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’”

“You have answered correctly,” Jesus replied. “Do this and you will live.”

But he wanted to justify himself, so he asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?”  Luke 10:25-29

This, of course, is the set up to the parable of the Good Samaritan a story where Jesus turns the tables upside down.  He makes the “expert” admit that the Samaritan was the neighbor to the man beaten and left in a ditch.  The Samaritan, you know, the foreigner who Jewish people of the day were not supposed to avoid.  There was a long-standing division between the two peoples, over religion, politics and beyond.  But here Jesus states something different – He makes the Samaritan the hero of the story forcing the expert to admit it. 

Who are the Samaritans in your spheres?  Who are the ones you are not supposed to associate with, to speak with, to consider friend?  Or, to ask a different question, if you were robbed, beaten and dying in a ditch, who would you want to be your neighbor?  Someone so self-absorbed that they walk on by, or the one who everyone considers an outsider?

As you journey through this week, look around at your neighbors.  Pray for them, talk with them. Show them Christ’s love no matter who they are, where they are from or what they do, for you have something in common with them, the image of God.

Peace,

Pastor Bill

For God alone my soul waits in silence, for my hope is from him. He alone is my rock and my salvation, my fortress; I shall not be shaken. On God rests my deliverance and my honor; my mighty rock, my refuge is in God.  Psalm 62:5-7

Along with many in this nation, I am heartbroken over the catastrophic loss of life in Texas due to flash flooding.  My sympathy goes to all who have lost a loved one, a family member, a friend.  I cannot imagine how parents feel sending their child to a summer camp, for this to happen. 

There are so many ways we can take this event, but for right now the best we can do is to keep all in prayer while looking for ways to respond.  Can we help?  Are there needs we can meet?  Are there ways to reach out to people affected?  If so, we should respond.  If not, for now, can we keep silent instead of playing the blame game (which started immediately from all sides of the political circus). 

For God alone my soul waits in silence.  My heart goes out to all involved in this situation, I am paying attention to any needs that can be filled and I lean on the mighty rock.

As you journey through this week, be attentive to how you can help in any situation, working for the good of all.

Peace,

Pastor Bill

Then Jesus said to the chief priests, the officers of the temple police, and the elders who had come for him, “Have you come out with swords and clubs as if I were a bandit? When I was with you day after day in the temple, you did not lay hands on me. But this is your hour, and the power of darkness!” Then they seized him and led him away, bringing him into the high priest’s house. But Peter was following at a distance. Luke 22:52-54

Are you following at a distance?  Peter, in the dramatic story of Jesus’ Passion, was following at a distance.  He wanted to know what was going on, but did not want anyone to know he followed Jesus, for fear of his life. 

Often, we follow Jesus at a distance.  We come to church, we give our offering, we even do ministries around the church, but are we open about our faith?  Do we show Jesus to others, or are we following at a distance?

As you journey through this new week, find an opportunity to step out of the shadows and the distance and show Jesus to someone.  It does not need to be a grandiose thing, rather one simple caring thing you can do to show your faith.  It may make all the difference.

Peace,

Pastor Bill

So when they had come together, they asked him, “Lord, is this the time when you will restore the kingdom to Israel?” He replied, “It is not for you to know the times or periods that the Father has set by his own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”  Acts 1:6-8

This week begins our church’s Mission Week, where we have projects within our community.  Some will be done at the church, others at the ministry locations.  We will help clean up and paint a house for emergency housing, sort clothing for another church’s clothing drive, make blankets for people in a nursing home, and provide meals for both those in need and some of our shut-in members.  Overall, we have an ambitious few days ahead of us.

In the passage from Acts, the apostles are all concerned with power structures – “Lord, is this the time when you will restore the kingdom to Israel?”  This is often one of the ways we deny our calling as well. “Isn’t it the job of (insert some excuse here) to feed the hungry?”  “Can’t the government help?”  “Shouldn’t the church do more (often said by non-church goers)?” and the list goes on. 

 But that is not the way of the Lord.  He reminds them (and us) of the mission – to go out and witness, to show, to teach, to do.

Whether you are a part of our Mission Week, or you have your own mission projects this week, remember it is about doing what Jesus calls us to do. 

As you journey through this week, go with one of my favorite prayers, attributed to Francis of Assisi.

Lord, make me an instrument of your peace:
where there is hatred, let me sow love;
where there is injury, pardon;
where there is doubt, faith;
where there is despair, hope;
where there is darkness, light;
where there is sadness, joy.
O divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek
to be consoled as to console,
to be understood as to understand,
to be loved as to love.
For it is in giving that we receive,
it is in pardoning that we are pardoned,
and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.

Peace,

Pastor Bill

And you shall be my people, and I will be your God. Jeremiah 30:22

And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. Revelation 21:3

The eternal promise.  It is all through the Hebrew Scriptures, the Gospels and the Epistles.  No matter what happens in this life, God is with us; “though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea” we need not fear for God is with us.

Our nation is having a lot of difficulties right now.  There is too much violence in the world today.  There are too many little issues that prevent people from coming together in community, even within a church congregation, there is just far too much toxic negativity in our world. 

Be still and know that God is God, and God is with us.

As you journey through this week, hold onto this basic promise; And you shall be my people, and I will be your God.  No matter what happens, we can always pray, we can always turn to God, we can rely on Him.

Peace,

Pastor Bill

The end of all things is near; therefore, be serious and discipline yourselves for the sake of your prayers. Above all, maintain constant love for one another, for love covers a multitude of sins. Be hospitable to one another without complaining. Like good stewards of the manifold grace of God, serve one another with whatever gift each of you has received. Whoever speaks must do so as one speaking the very words of God; whoever serves must do so with the strength that God supplies, so that God may be glorified in all things through Jesus Christ. To him belong the glory and the power forever and ever. Amen. 1 Peter 4:7-11

Love covers a multitude of sins.  If only that were true in our “secular” lives.  Too often we are judged by what we do for a living, or how much we earn, or what we do for others (not for “others” but for the one judging).  Yet when we serve in love, it does not go unnoticed.

While serving the homeless at our last mission meal, I watched as everyone stood at the serving line, offering food to the guests without judgment.  It did not matter what they looked like, or how they were dressed, we gave them what they needed (and extra in many cases).  This was done with love, and the serving was done with the strength that God supplies.

This is the case when the church is at its best, serving those in need, loving those whom God has created, speaking the word for everyone’s benefit. 

As you journey through this new week, do so with love, for love covers a multitude of sins.

Peace,

Pastor Bill

Be strong and take heart, all you who hope in the Lord. Psalm 31:24

It is Monday morning, so may of us are hurrying to get up, get dressed, eat and get out the door to work or school.  Sometimes Mondays can be the hardest day of the week.

This morning as I was making breakfast and packing lunches, checking emails and getting ready, I thought about the day, all that needs to be done, all that should get done, all that I’d like to do to take things beyond the status quo, and it hit me; a deep “Monday melancholy”.

Be strong and take heart, all you who hope in the Lord.

Perhaps your day started off like this, or perhaps your day started out wonderfully and you charge into this new week energized.  Either way be strong and take heart for He is still risen and walks with you this day.

Peace,

Pastor Bill