life and death

Good morning friends,
Today in worship we're talking about end of life matters, not so much big picture ethics questions, but faith and experience questions. Part of our sermon time is going to be interactive, so I'd love it if you bring your thoughts and questions. This is the passage we'll be digging into, which is Paul's reflection on how God's power shows up especially in human weakness. That's a big part of what the cross means, but I bet it's also a lesson we've learned somewhere in our own life. I hope the passage and the worship this morning are a blessing for you. For those not in Rochester, the sermon will be online this afternoon, but it's always better in person and in community.

See you there,
Sam

2 Corinthians 4:5-18

⁵For we do not proclaim ourselves; we proclaim Jesus Christ as Lord and ourselves as your slaves for Jesus’ sake. ⁶For 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. ⁷But 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.

⁸We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; ⁹persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; ¹⁰always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be made visible in our bodies. ¹¹For 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. ¹²So death is at work in us, but life in you.

¹³But just as we have the same spirit of faith that is in accordance with scripture—“I believed, and so I spoke” —we also believe, and so we speak, ¹⁴because we know that the one who raised the Lord Jesus will raise us also with Jesus, and will bring us with you into his presence. ¹⁵Yes, everything is for your sake, so that grace, as it extends to more and more people, may increase thanksgiving, to the glory of God. ¹⁶So we do not lose heart. Even though our outer nature is wasting away, our inner nature is being renewed day by day. ¹⁷For this slight momentary affliction is preparing us for an eternal weight of glory beyond all measure, ¹⁸because we look not at what can be seen but at what cannot be seen; for what can be seen is temporary, but what cannot be seen is eternal.

God is love

Good morning friends,
There's a lot going on at and around Laurelton this week as we remember the last week before Jesus death. I'll get the schedule of events on the website as soon as I can. Tonight at St. Ambrose (Culver and Empire) there will be an ecumenical tenebrae service at 7:30. In the tenebrae service we tell the story of Jesus' passion with readings and music. As the story moves towards Christ's death, candles are extinguished and the sanctuary grows darker. We've participated in the service the last three years, and it is quite powerful.

Today's reading comes from the Apostle John's first letter. John reminds his readers that God is love, so we should love each other. He also emphasizes that we know God's love best through Jesus' life and death for us. This week is all about entering into the mystery of Jesus' suffering. Try to take some extra time each day to reflect on Christ's love and walk the road with him.

God bless,
Sam

1 John 4:7-21

⁷Beloved, let us love one another, because love is from God; everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. ⁸Whoever does not love does not know God, for God is love. ⁹God’s love was revealed among us in this way: God sent his only Son into the world so that we might live through him. ¹⁰In this is love, not that we loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the atoning sacrifice for our sins. ¹¹Beloved, since God loved us so much, we also ought to love one another. ¹²No one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God lives in us, and his love is perfected in us. ¹³By this we know that we abide in him and he in us, because he has given us of his Spirit.

¹⁴And we have seen and do testify that the Father has sent his Son as the Savior of the world. ¹⁵God abides in those who confess that Jesus is the Son of God, and they abide in God. ¹⁶So we have known and believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and those who abide in love abide in God, and God abides in them.

¹⁷Love has been perfected among us in this: that we may have boldness on the day of judgment, because as he is, so are we in this world. ¹⁸There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear; for fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not reached perfection in love. ¹⁹We love because he first loved us. ²⁰Those who say, “I love God,” and hate their brothers or sisters, are liars; for those who do not love a brother or sister whom they have seen, cannot love God whom they have not seen. ²¹The commandment we have from him is this: those who love God must love their brothers and sisters also.

atonement

Good evening friends,
Thanks to everyone who participated in the prayer vigil yesterday and today, especially to Christy for organizing it. Thanks also to those who joined in the two services for Ash Wednesday; both were small, but participation was enthusiastic. At least for me, it was a good way to start the lenten season. Our reading today reminds us that we all sin; anyone pretending otherwise is fooling themselves. Fortunately, sin doesn't have the last word; because in Christ God's love conquers sin and sets us free. We know that freedom when we come to know Christ. Knowing Christ has consequences for our daily lives; if we don't put our faith in action, we don't really know Jesus. I hope this word from John will be a blessing to you as you finish the week.

God bless,
Sam

1 John 1:8-2:6

⁸If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. ⁹If we confess our sins, he who is faithful and just will forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. ¹⁰If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.

My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous; ²and he is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world.

³Now by this we may be sure that we know him, if we obey his commandments. ⁴Whoever says, “I have come to know him,” but does not obey his commandments, is a liar, and in such a person the truth does not exist; ⁵but whoever obeys his word, truly in this person the love of God has reached perfection. By this we may be sure that we are in him: ⁶whoever says, “I abide in him,” ought to walk just as he walked.

the cost of discipleship

Good morning friends,
One more reminder about tonight's ecumenical service for Christian unity at St Mark's and St. John's Episcopal Church on Culver at Rosewood. The service is at 7pm tonight and will feature pastors and musicians from several different churches. It should be a great time. I'd also like to ask your prayers for healing for Lindsey, a young woman from my last church who suffered a brain aneurism almost 2 weeks ago. She's doing very well, but still has a long way to go in her recovery.

Today's reading almost feels like a slap in the face. Three people come up to Jesus and want to follow him, but he leaves each with a warning that only total commitment is enough to follow him. I know my commitment needs work, but Jesus still loves and welcomes us. Sometimes I think we take his welcome too lightly and forget that discipleship is serious business.

God bless your following,
Sam

Luke 9:57-62

⁵⁷As they were going along the road, someone said to him, “I will follow you wherever you go.” ⁵⁸And Jesus said to him, “Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests; but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head.” ⁵⁹To another he said, “Follow me.” But he said, “Lord, first let me go and bury my father.” ⁶⁰But Jesus said to him, “Let the dead bury their own dead; but as for you, go and proclaim the kingdom of God.” ⁶¹Another said, “I will follow you, Lord; but let me first say farewell to those at my home.” ⁶²Jesus said to him, “No one who puts a hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.”

Christ's love and our love

Good afternoon brothers and sisters,
Today's reading comes from John's first letter. We don't spend a lot of time in John's letters, but they are very rewarding and present a somewhat different perspective from Paul. In this reading John makes the point that we know love by how Jesus loved us. That love is what saves us, not our actions. But when Christ's love makes us right with God, we naturally respond by loving others. So if we don't find ourselves driven to help others, we should pause and reflect on why. Further, love is about real actions, not just pretty words. Our calling is to live love in the world.

Blessings as you follow you calling today,
Sam

1 John 3:14-19

¹⁴We know that we have passed from death to life because we love one another. Whoever does not love abides in death. ¹⁵All who hate a brother or sister are murderers, and you know that murderers do not have eternal life abiding in them. ¹⁶We know love by this, that he laid down his life for us—and we ought to lay down our lives for one another. ¹⁷How does God’s love abide in anyone who has the world’s goods and sees a brother or sister in need and yet refuses help? ¹⁸Little children, let us love, not in word or speech, but in truth and action. ¹⁹And by this we will know that we are from the truth and will reassure our hearts before him.

kings to the brightness

Good morning or evening friends,
Today's reading is a prophesy of restoration for Israel. From exile and despair God will make Israel a beacon to other nations. We read this passage when we think about the Christian celebration of Epiphany or Three Kings Day. The connection is that the epiphany celebrates the visit of the wise men to see baby Jesus. That symbolizes that Jesus is the savior for the whole world, not just for Israel. Part of our job as Christians is to keep that same spirit of openness, to shine the light of Christ's love so people outside the church will see it. God wants everyone to be part of the family, so we need to open the doors wide so the world can come in.

God bless,
Sam

Isaiah 60:1-6

¹   Arise, shine; for your light has come,
          and the glory of the LORD has risen upon you.
²   For darkness shall cover the earth,
          and thick darkness the peoples;
     but the LORD will arise upon you,
          and his glory will appear over you.
³   Nations shall come to your light,
          and kings to the brightness of your dawn.

⁴   Lift up your eyes and look around;
          they all gather together, they come to you;
     your sons shall come from far away,
          and your daughters shall be carried on their nurses’ arms.
⁵   Then you shall see and be radiant;
          your heart shall thrill and rejoice,
     because the abundance of the sea shall be brought to you,
          the wealth of the nations shall come to you.
⁶   A multitude of camels shall cover you,
          the young camels of Midian and Ephah;
          all those from Sheba shall come.
     They shall bring gold and frankincense,
          and shall proclaim the praise of the LORD.

the good news for everyone

Good morning brothers and sisters,
This morning we will be putting together and delivering Christmas baskets and angel tree gifts. If you've chosen a child to buy a gift for, please bring it in to the church by 9:30 this morning. The morning of assembling and delivering these baskets is a lot of fun. If you're free you can join in the joy; it will remind you what Christmas is about.

Our passage from Isaiah talks about how God's redemption isn't just for Israel, but for everyone who seeks the Lord. Even those who think of themselves as less than others find a true place in God's sight. God's love and calling are for everyone, shepherds and angels, kings and peasants, people of Israel and Iraq; Afghanistan and the US. We are all God's people, on family joined together by God's amazing love and called to reach out to others with that love. May the love and peace of Jesus fill your heart today.

God bless,
Sam

Isaiah 56:1-8

Thus says the Lord: Maintain justice, and do what is right, for soon my salvation will come, and my deliverance be revealed. ²Happy is the mortal who does this, the one who holds it fast, who keeps the sabbath, not profaning it, and refrains from doing any evil.

³Do not let the foreigner joined to the Lord say, “The Lord will surely separate me from his people”; and do not let the eunuch say, “I am just a dry tree.” ⁴For thus says the Lord: To the eunuchs who keep my sabbaths, who choose the things that please me and hold fast my covenant, ⁵I will give, in my house and within my walls, a monument and a name better than sons and daughters; I will give them an everlasting name that shall not be cut off.

⁶And the foreigners who join themselves to the Lord, to minister to him, to love the name of the Lord, and to be his servants, all who keep the sabbath, and do not profane it, and hold fast my covenant— ⁷these I will bring to my holy mountain, and make them joyful in my house of prayer; their burnt offerings and their sacrifices will be accepted on my altar; for my house shall be called a house of prayer for all peoples. ⁸Thus says the Lord God, who gathers the outcasts of Israel, I will gather others to them besides those already gathered.

united in Christ

Good morning sisters and brothers,
Jesus continues his prayer. Having prayed for his disciples he prays now for those who will become disciples because of the testimony of those first disciples. In other words, he prays for us, that all who follow him may be united. Division in the church pains our Lord. We are diverse, but we also are one in Jesus. There are many forces that threaten to divide us, but God's love in Christ is enough to keep us together.

God bless,
Sam

John 17:20-26

20”I ask not only on behalf of these, but also on behalf of those who will believe in me through their word, 21that they may all be one. As you, Father, are in me and I am in you, may they also be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me. 22The glory that you have given me I have given them, so that they may be one, as we are one, 23I in them and you in me, that they may become completely one, so that the world may know that you have sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.


24Father, I desire that those also, whom you have given me, may be with me where I am, to see my glory, which you have given me because you loved me before the foundation of the world. 25“Righteous Father, the world does not know you, but I know you; and these know that you have sent me. 26I made your name known to them, and I will make it known, so that the love with which you have loved me may be in them, and I in them.”

serving and living eternally

Good morning sisters and brothers,
I'll be spending today working on a house with Habitat for Humanities as part of the UPT Boots on the Street week. This is a chance to get out into the city and show that Presbyterians are serious about caring for our neighbors. There are still opportunities available to work with Habitat Friday and probably tomorrow and Saturday as well (contact John Smalt directly: jhsmalt@rochester.rr.com, or call him at: 924-8624). There are other opportunities this week as well including some home repairs for a disabled neighbor near Calvary St. Andrews this afternoon from 4:30-7 pm for those who work during the day. You can check out the possibilities here. I hope you'll join me in serving our neighbors in a visible way this week.

Our reading this morning begins Jesus' prayer to his Father. He prayer that the disciples might be protected in unity and faith. He says that eternal life is knowing God and knowing Jesus. When we know God intimately we are already living the life of God's righteous kingdom. We can take part in that powerful life now through faith, love and service. Today is as good a time as any to put fear aside and start living eternally.

God bless,
Sam

John 17:1-10

After Jesus had spoken these words, he looked up to heaven and said, “Father, the hour has come; glorify your Son so that the Son may glorify you, 2since you have given him authority over all people, to give eternal life to all whom you have given him. 3And this is eternal life, that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent. 4I glorified you on earth by finishing the work that you gave me to do. 5So now, Father, glorify me in your own presence with the glory that I had in your presence before the world existed.


6”I have made your name known to those whom you gave me from the world. They were yours, and you gave them to me, and they have kept your word. 7Now they know that everything you have given me is from you; 8for the words that you gave to me I have given to them, and they have received them and know in truth that I came from you; and they have believed that you sent me. 9I am asking on their behalf; I am not asking on behalf of the world, but on behalf of those whom you gave me, because they are yours. 10All mine are yours, and yours are mine; and I have been glorified in them.

God versus the world

Good morning friends,
Today Jesus warns his disciples that the world will hate them just like it has hated him. They will not fit in because of their calling to follow Jesus. He also says that the world will be guilty of rejecting his word because he showed God's power so clearly but was still rejected. In the midst of that divide between God and the world, Jesus will send the Holy Spirit to the disciples. The Spirit will continue to witness to Christ's word, and in the Spirit's power the disciples are called to be witnesses also. That's still our calling, to bear witness to God's amazing love with our words and our actions. It is a challenging calling that can sometimes get us in trouble, but it is also where we find rewarding life.

God bless,
Sam

John 15:18-27

18”If the world hates you, be aware that it hated me before it hated you. 19If you belonged to the world, the world would love you as its own. Because you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world—therefore the world hates you. 20Remember the word that I said to you, ‘Servants are not greater than their master.’ If they persecuted me, they will persecute you; if they kept my word, they will keep yours also. 21But they will do all these things to you on account of my name, because they do not know him who sent me.


22If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not have sin; but now they have no excuse for their sin. 23Whoever hates me hates my Father also. 24If I had not done among them the works that no one else did, they would not have sin. But now they have seen and hated both me and my Father. 25It was to fulfill the word that is written in their law, ‘They hated me without a cause.’


26”When the Advocate comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who comes from the Father, he will testify on my behalf. 27You also are to testify because you have been with me from the beginning.

ending well

Hi friends,
I'm not sending this email out early because I'm worried about the end of the world. I'm not at all concerned that the rapture or judgment day will happen tomorrow. There are two reasons I'm not worried: first, because God loves us so much that God's judgment doesn't scare me. Second: I don't really think anything special is going to happen tomorrow. Jesus told us the end would come suddenly and that no one (not even Jesus) knows when that will happen.

Still, speculation about the end of the world is always a good opportunity to reflect, after all any day could be our last. If there's something on your conscience you want to confess, now's as good a time as any. If you need to make peace with someone you've been in conflict with, why wait? If you want to tell someone you love them, do it. Any day could be our last, so live each day in such a way that you can close your eyes at night with no regrets. God loves us, so we've got nothing to worry about.

As far as our reading goes, Stephen is almost at the end of his final speech. He reminds his hearers that Israel hasn't always been faithful and that, while God loves the sanctuary, he doesn't need it. The whole world belongs to God, so any place is a good place to worship.

Blessings on your weekend,
Sam

Acts 7:42-50

42But God turned away from them and handed them over to worship the host of heaven, as it is written in the book of the prophets: ‘Did you offer to me slain victims and sacrifices forty years in the wilderness, O house of Israel? 43No; you took along the tent of Moloch, and the star of your god Rephan, the images that you made to worship; so I will remove you beyond Babylon.’


44“Our ancestors had the tent of testimony in the wilderness, as God directed when he spoke to Moses, ordering him to make it according to the pattern he had seen. 45Our ancestors in turn brought it in with Joshua when they dispossessed the nations that God drove out before our ancestors. And it was there until the time of David, 46who found favor with God and asked that he might find a dwelling place for the house of Jacob. 47But it was Solomon who built a house for him. 48Yet the Most High does not dwell in houses made with human hands; as the prophet says, 49‘Heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool. What kind of house will you build for me, says the Lord, or what is the place of my rest? 50Did not my hand make all these things?’

lays down his life

Good morning brothers and sisters,
Some of us heard most of this passage yesterday in worship. The image of Jesus as our Good Shepherd who willingly lays down his life for the sheep is a powerful one. It shouldn't surprise us that some of his audience thought he was crazy, especially when he talked about having the power to lay down his life and to take it up again. In this case he contrasts his love as the shepherd with the more selfish concerns of the "hired hands" who led the people of Israel then, the Pharisees and temple leaders.

Blessings as you follow the shepherd this week,
Sam

John 10:11-21

11“I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. 12The hired hand, who is not the shepherd and does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and runs away—and the wolf snatches them and scatters them. 13The hired hand runs away because a hired hand does not care for the sheep. 14I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me, 15just as the Father knows me and I know the Father. And I lay down my life for the sheep. 16I have other sheep that do not belong to this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. So there will be one flock, one shepherd. 17For this reason the Father loves me, because I lay down my life in order to take it up again. 18No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it up again. I have received this command from my Father.”


19Again the Jews were divided because of these words. 20Many of them were saying, “He has a demon and is out of his mind. Why listen to him?” 21Others were saying, “These are not the words of one who has a demon. Can a demon open the eyes of the blind?”

a peace beyond force

Good morning sisters and brothers,
The news of Osama bin Laden's death stirred up many emotions for people. Some feel joy, or relief, others feel sadness or anxiety. We are all created in God's image and we all have meaning and value. And we know this one death won't end the wars we are fighting or the fear of terrorism. So maybe we feel torn, and regardless of how we feel, we pray for peace.

In our reading for today we are reminded that human power doesn't give us safety or eternal peace. Only God can do that, and he does it through the love of Jesus Christ. We are called to trust God and then to engage in our world for peace, justice and love. Peter talks about "living in reverent fear during the time of your exile." In this case by exile he probably means our life where we often feel separated, exiled, from God. The truth is, where ever we are, God is with us and in each of us. We can always lean on God to guide and care for us, because in Christ we see how far that love will go.

God bless,
Sam

1 Peter 1:17-21

17If you invoke as Father the one who judges all people impartially according to their deeds, live in reverent fear during the time of your exile. 18You know that you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your ancestors, not with perishable things like silver or gold, 19but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without defect or blemish. 20He was destined before the foundation of the world, but was revealed at the end of the ages for your sake. 21Through him you have come to trust in God, who raised him from the dead and gave him glory, so that your faith and hope are set on God.

let the same mind be in you

Good morning friends,
This morning my other workplace, Rural Metro Medical Services, says goodbye to one of our coworkers, Darcy Kipphut, who died suddenly on March 27th. Please keep Darcy's family and friends in your prayers today and in the days ahead. Our passage for this morning is one of my favorites. Many biblical scholars believe Paul is quoting a hymn that would have been familiar to the church in those days. In any case, the image of Jesus pouring his Godliness out to become humbly human and then to go all the way to the cross for us is overwhelmingly beautiful. In that humble emptiness Jesus received the name that is above all names. One day everyone will recognize and worship Jesus, when we see him face to face. For those of us who are blessed enough to know Jesus now we feel confidence because of God's amazing love. Many people don't have that assurance yet, which is why we want to share the good news that God loves us. Christ's love is amazing and there's nothing that love won't do.

God bless,
Sam

Philippians 2:5-11

5Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus,
6 who, though he was in the form of God,
did not regard equality with God
as something to be exploited,
7 but emptied himself,
taking the form of a slave,
being born in human likeness.
And being found in human form,
8 he humbled himself
and became obedient to the point of death —
even death on a cross.

9 Therefore God also highly exalted him
and gave him the name
that is above every name,
10 so that at the name of Jesus
every knee should bend,
in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
11 and every tongue should confess
that Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father.

relationships and the Spirit

Good morning brothers and sisters,
Today's reading shows that while Jesus often got in trouble for "breaking" the commandments, he actually felt strongly about the commandments. In fact, for Jesus, faithfulness to God went further than following the commandments. True faithfulness means getting our inward thoughts as well as our actions in line with God's will. That's only possible if we work intentionally on our relationships with others and with God. We are called to create space in our lives for the Holy Spirit to shape us more into God's image. Open yourself to the Spirit today. You'll be amazed at what God can do in your heart over time.

God bless,
Sam

Matthew 5:21-26

21“You have heard that it was said to those of ancient times, ‘You shall not murder’; and ‘whoever murders shall be liable to judgment.’ 22But I say to you that if you are angry with a brother or sister, you will be liable to judgment; and if you insult a brother or sister, you will be liable to the council; and if you say, ‘You fool,’ you will be liable to the hell of fire.


23So when you are offering your gift at the altar, if you remember that your brother or sister has something against you, 24leave your gift there before the altar and go; first be reconciled to your brother or sister, and then come and offer your gift. 25Come to terms quickly with your accuser while you are on the way to court with him, or your accuser may hand you over to the judge, and the judge to the guard, and you will be thrown into prison. 26Truly I tell you, you will never get out until you have paid the last penny.

setting aside our rights

Good afternoon friends,
Yesterday we saw Paul build a case for why he, as an apostle, has the right to be supported financially in his ministry. Today, he completes that thought by telling why he lays that right aside. He doesn't make use of his rights as a way to go above the calling God laid on him. We as a culture are so fixated on our rights, and they are important. If we had a bit more of Paul's spirit in terms of giving up our rights to serve others, our society would be more of a community and more healthy in many ways.

He also sets his rights aside to make the gospel free for all, so that more people can hear the gospel. Paul stresses that he reaches out to all kinds of people on their own terms, in language they can understand. To people steeped in Judaism, Paul speaks to them in the context of Jewish faith. To people from pagan backgrounds, Paul speaks about the gospel in ways they can understand too. That's our calling for today: reaching out to people with the good news of God's love in ways they can connect with. That means we have to know the people we seek to serve. Our calling is out of the church and in to the world around us, so we can bring hope and love to those in need.

God bless,
Sam

1 Corinthians 9:15-23

15But I have made no use of any of these rights, nor am I writing this so that they may be applied in my case. Indeed, I would rather die than that—no one will deprive me of my ground for boasting! 16If I proclaim the gospel, this gives me no ground for boasting, for an obligation is laid on me, and woe to me if I do not proclaim the gospel! 17For if I do this of my own will, I have a reward; but if not of my own will, I am entrusted with a commission. 18What then is my reward? Just this: that in my proclamation I may make the gospel free of charge, so as not to make full use of my rights in the gospel.


19For though I am free with respect to all, I have made myself a slave to all, so that I might win more of them. 20To the Jews I became as a Jew, in order to win Jews. To those under the law I became as one under the law (though I myself am not under the law) so that I might win those under the law. 21To those outside the law I became as one outside the law (though I am not free from God’s law but am under Christ’s law) so that I might win those outside the law. 22To the weak I became weak, so that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all people, that I might by all means save some. 23I do it all for the sake of the gospel, so that I may share in its blessings.

called and blessed

Good morning friends,
Today's reading is Paul's greeting to the church in Corinth. Notice, though, that he greets them along with everyone who calls on the name of Jesus. When we talk about the church, often we think about a local congregation, usually Laurelton. That's not wrong because most ministry happens around the congregation. The ministry of the congregation itself is one important part of that, but so are the different ministries each of us is involved in outside the church. At the same time, there is only one church around the world. All Christians are one in the Lord, so even though Paul is addressing the unique situation of the church at Corinth, his teaching is relevant to all of us.

The other thing I want to highlight is that, as Paul mentions, we are all called to be saints. Each of us is called to have a relationship with God through Jesus, and each of us is called to live holy lives proclaiming God's love. In that calling, even though we are far from perfect, God will strengthen us to be blameless when Christ returns. God's love in Christ frees us from our sins and keeps us holy in love. God is faithful, so we can live out our calling as God's people today.

God bless,
Sam

1 Corinthians 1:1-9

1Paul, called to be an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and our brother Sosthenes,

2To the church of God that is in Corinth, to those who are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, together with all those who in every place call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, both their Lord and ours:

3Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.


4I give thanks to my God always for you because of the grace of God that has been given you in Christ Jesus, 5for in every way you have been enriched in him, in speech and knowledge of every kind-6just as the testimony of Christ has been strengthened among you-7so that you are not lacking in any spiritual gift as you wait for the revealing of our Lord Jesus Christ. 8He will also strengthen you to the end, so that you may be blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9God is faithful; by him you were called into the fellowship of his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.

light in the darkness

Good morning and Merry Christmas!
I had such a great time last night at our Christmas Eve service. Thanks to everyone for their hard work. The choir, bell choir and women's (+1) ensemble all sounded fantastic, the sanctuary looked great and greeters made people feel welcome. What a blessing to gather for worship like that. This morning's reading is the full version of our last reading from Christmas Eve. This passage is called John's prologue because it gives us an introduction to John's Gospel. In 18 verses John lets us know what the story will be about.

John begins his story of Jesus at the beginning of time, because Jesus is the eternal Word of God, through whom all things were made. In his human life he came to bring light, life, grace, truth and a new relationship with God. John sets the stage here with the prologue and then begins the story in earnest with John the Baptist preaching in the desert. This is a great passage to reflect on the meaning of Christmas this Christmas day.
Christmas blessings,
Sam

John 1:1-18

1In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2He was in the beginning with God. 3All things came into being through him, and without him not one thing came into being. What has come into being 4in him was life, and the life was the light of all people. 5The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it.



6There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. 7He came as a witness to testify to the light, so that all might believe through him. 8He himself was not the light, but he came to testify to the light. 9The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world.


10He was in the world, and the world came into being through him; yet the world did not know him. 11He came to what was his own, and his own people did not accept him. 12But to all who received him, who believed in his name, he gave power to become children of God, 13who were born, not of blood or of the will of the flesh or of the will of man, but of God.

14And the Word became flesh and lived among us, and we have seen his glory, the glory as of a father's only son, full of grace and truth. 15(John testified to him and cried out, "This was he of whom I said, 'He who comes after me ranks ahead of me because he was before me.'") 16From his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace. 17The law indeed was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. 18No one has ever seen God. It is God the only Son, who is close to the Father's heart, who has made him known.

saved by grace

Good morning sisters and brothers,
Like many of our readings from Psalm 119, today's talks about clinging to God when we're in trouble. One line in particular caught my attention because of the movie we are watching with the confirmation class. The movie we're watching is about the life of Martin Luther. Early in his life as a monk his mentor in the monastery gave him a cross and told him when he felt overwhelmed with guilt or fear to think about Jesus and to pray, "I am yours; save me." The simplicity of the prayer struck me. We have a basic need to know we are in good hands; we need a place to take refuge when we feel under attack. For the psalmist, for Martin Luther and for all people of faith that refuge is God. The psalmist feels that concretely when considering God's teachings in scripture; Luther felt it when he considered Christ on the cross. How do you especially feel God's protection?
We are yours, Lord; save us,
Sam

Psalm 119:89-96

89The Lord exists forever; your word is firmly fixed in heaven.
90Your faithfulness endures to all generations;
you have established the earth, and it stands fast.
91By your appointment they stand today, for all things are your servants.
92If your law had not been my delight, I would have perished in my misery.
93I will never forget your precepts, for by them you have given me life.
94I am yours; save me, for I have sought your precepts.
95The wicked lie in wait to destroy me, but I consider your decrees.
96I have seen a limit to all perfection, but your commandment is exceedingly broad.

let the children come to me

Good morning sisters and brothers,
This reading reminds us that Jesus welcomes everyone. It doesn't matter if we're young or old, rich or poor, wise or foolish; Jesus welcomes us. We sometimes read this passage at baptisms to remember the special place in his heart Jesus has for children. There's something about little kids, especially infants, that speaks to our heart about new life, possibility and love. Kids are so open to the world around them, so ready to love and to explore. Jesus announces that only those who accept the kingdom like children can enter it. Maybe Jesus is encouraging us to approach the kingdom of heaven with curiosity and eagerness, with joy and excitement and a thousand questions. Underneath it all; Jesus encourages us to trust our Father/Mother to love us and protect us. That sounds like a pretty good plan to me.
Blessings on the new week,
Sam

Luke 18:15-17
15People were bringing even infants to him that he might touch them; and when the disciples saw it, they sternly ordered them not to do it. 16But Jesus called for them and said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not stop them; for it is to such as these that the kingdom of God belongs. 17Truly I tell you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will never enter it.”