View from the Pew: Sermon Titled “Human Frailty”

 

Sermon on July 29, 2012                     II Samuel 11: 1-15

King David lusts after Bathsheba and commits adultery and murder as a result.

Spirit in Motion does a liturgical dance to “Lord of the Dance”.

We have been discussing King David as an “everyman,” prone to lapses and self-serving as much as you or I.  Certainly, in this reading he slips farther than most, committing murder as well as adultery and lusting/coveting the married woman next door.

As King he can do pretty much whatever he wants (power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely), and he wants Bathsheba… AND gets her pregnant.  Hoping to cover this up, David calls Bathsheba’s husband Uriah back from battle hoping that Uriah will sleep with his wife and the baby might be considered his.  Uriah, however, thinking of his men on the battlefield, eschews sex and luxury and sleeps on the floor.

David goes to plan B and sends Uriah back to the battlefield and instructs the army to desert him in the heat of battle.

God had a plan for the future.  Even David’s horrible actions could not distroy God’s plan nor overcome God’s Grace!  Bathsheba’s baby was Solomom, the wisest of them all.

God’s grace and plans for the future are far greater than our abilities or weaknesses…

View from the Pew: Sermon titled “Getting Ready”

 

Sermon on:  June 24, 2012                  selections from I Samuel 17

 

The story of “Getting Ready” is that of young David coming of age in the battle versus the giant Goliath.

What prepared him to do battle against the formidable giant?

Was it confidence gained from preparation– successfully shepherding his flock, defending  them against predators with only stones and a sling?  Before facing Goliath, David shed the heavy armor and sword given to him and used what he had always used to defeat the enemy– a stone slung from his sling.

Or was it faith?  David had said “The Lord who delivered me from the paw of the lion and the paw of the bear will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine.”

What are our Goliaths–so overpowering that we cannot face them?

What are the problems that we fear will destroy us?

What are our tools to help us defeat a giant?

Just as David was able to put aside fear because of confidence in his own ability and his trust in God, we also can defeat giants by trusting in our own power AND trusting in God.

David was prepared for this test.  What can we do to prepare for the tests that confront us?

View from the Pew: Sermon titled “Knowing What We Want”

Sermon on:  June 10, 2012                              1 Samuel 8

Scripture:  Old Testament.  The Israelites chose to have a human king (like everyone else) rather than follow the Lord.  This displeased Samuel and God; nonetheless, God told Samuel to allow this, and Saul was crowned king.

Mission Moment:  Before the sermon a member talked about his personal mission.  This included the discussion of suicide.    That got me to thinking about suicides resulting from bullying and all the discussions going on– movies, social networking, and questioning what the solutions might be.

I tend to look for simple solutions, which don’t exist due to the complexity f the issue.  Our member’s experiences and accomplishments showed that one-on-one efforts can sometimes be an answer.

Sharing of Joys and Concerns: The practice of sharing joys and concerns in our church knits us together in Christian Community.  We see reasons to be joyful and reasons to pray harder (and work harder to provide love and support).

Just a Closer Walk With Thee: This hymn says it all, for me.  It lifts my heart.  It is what we need.  (See a video of this hymn here.)

Sermon “Knowing What We Want”:  Hindsight is usually 20/20.  What we want is generally the result of immediate needs and issues with, perhaps, little regard or planning for the future.  The people wanted a king–like everyone else–someone they could see, some one to lead them into battle and do their thinking for them.

Scripture and the sermon talk about following the crowd.  If we are to fulfill our destiny, we can’t be like everyone else.  I think back to the hymn, “Just a Closer Walk With Thee.”         Amen

View from the Pew: Sermon Titled “When A Church Breathes”

Sermon on May 27, 2012 Acts 2: 1-21

Pentecost: Inspiration of the Holy Spirit,
speaking in languages, tongues of flame.

Our pastor Richard Moman had spent a week or so in Miami, FL with some students from Christian Theological Seminary. They were visiting Mt.Tabor Missionary Baptist Church in the inner city. Once it was a church of middle- and well-off African American families but the neighborhood has changed and most of those families have been replaced by poor and even homeless individuals.

The church has become a refuge in the neighborhood and supports drug- and alcohol-abuse treatment programs such as AA and NA. They have come to believe that their ministry is to understand where they are located and what they can do to promote healing, wholeness and wellness to whomever comes through the door. They have tried to answer the question “What is God calling us to do?”

If we ask ourselves the same question our answer will not be the same as this inner city church because we are not surrounded by the same type of neighborhood. Yet there are unique things in our future. We may be in a position to mentor or teach from our experience in mission. Sunday was Pentecost Sunday when we celebrate God’s breathing new life into the disciples and sending them out into the world. It is time for us to take a deep breath and let God work through us.

View from the Pew: Sermon Titled “Why Would You Turn Back Now” May 6, 2012

Numbers 13: 17-33,  14: 1,2,6-9
The Israelites near the end of the journey through the desert, still carping and complaining.

Protected by the parting of the Red Sea.  Guided by Fire going before them.  Fed daily with manna from Heaven.  Promised a land of milk and honey.

Yet they complained.  Claimed to want to go back into slavery.

Today’s sermon was about perseverance. Going forward, one step at a time.  Keeping the Faith.

God didn’t abandon them, yet many wanted to turn back.

Life is a test.  And a life-long learning process.  Hang in there kitty!

View from the Pew: Sermon titled “Facing our Fears” March 18, 2012

Ephesians 2: 1-10

“Saved by Grace, through Faith”

 

During the sermon on facing our fears, an interesting side note was brought up that intrigued me and piqued my curiosity. What is the difference between the Word of God and the Words of God? Ever since I was little, I’ve always wondered about the Bible. I’ve struggled with the question of is the Bible true, or did it really happen? Is it really the Word of God?

I always kind of saw the Bible as a written version of the telephone/gossip game. The one where you have a line of people and the first person whispers a phrase to the next and it travels down the line. In the end, the phrase is always different. People always hear or interpret things differently.   That’s how I saw the Bible–a collection of stories that were passed down from generation to generation. By the end they were highly exaggerated and completely different from the stories they started out as. And so, when the pastor brought up this idea of what is the true meaning of the Bible, I finally found my answer. The Bible is not necessarily the true, exact words of God. What we should learn from the Bible, is the word of God; what he wants us to learn, understand and take away from the stories and trials of those before us.

View from the Pew: Sermon titled “We Wish to see Jesus”

Sermon on March 25, 2012 John 12: 20-26

Following Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem…

“Sir, we would like to meet Jesus”, the Greeks implored Philip during Passover. (John 12:21)It’s a poignant subject as Easter approaches.

This past week has been a terribly difficult one for our family. We buried a loved one, leaving behind a shattered family. But in the midst of our sorrow, we were assured that Pete “met Jesus”. But is physical death the only way to experience Jesus? As I sat in the pew Sunday morning, I reflected on this question, and discovered the answer. Jesus’ presence was loud and clear within the sanctuary. From Kip whistling a familiar old hymn, to dancers giving new meaning to the Lord’s Prayer, to Dick lovingly holding Mary’s hand, and celebrating Christopher’s 10th birthday with cake and punch.

But is His presence reserved only for church? Not as I have experienced it. Thinking back over the weeks’ events, the Lord touched my life in many ways. The reassuring hugs received from countless friends, the aroma of blooming trees and the beauty in red-streaked sunrises, dinner with dear friends reliving old memories and making future plans, the excitement of a future bride at her shower, the joy in my granddog’s step during a highly-anticipated walk, and the familiar voice of an old friend over the phone. From the simplest act of kindness to the most intricate detail in a magnolia bloom, to me, these are all evidence of God’s love and presence.

I am convinced that we don’t have to request to meet Jesus, He’s already here. And all we have to do is open our eyes, ears and hearts to experience it.

A View from the Pew: Sermon titled “A Holy Transformation”

Sermon on March 11, 2012 by Victoria Handy, Student Associate Pastor

Based on Psalm 19

On this 3rd Sunday in Lent, a warm and beautiful reaching-to-Spring day, the opening hymn stanzas of the 19th Psalm seemed particularly fitting:

The heavens declare the glory of God; 

the skies proclaim the work of his hands.

 

…..In the heavens God has pitched a tent for the sun.  

It is like a bridegroom coming out of his chamber,

like a champion rejoicing to run his course.

It rises at one end of the heavens

and makes its circuit to the other;

nothing is deprived of its warmth. 

These verses allude to the constants of God’s universe through the movements of the sun, moon and stars.

The later verses offer instruction. Though through God’s making life changes around us, the light and warmth of God’s love is constant. Our earthly existence was designed to be variable, to experience change and as such, we are a work in progress. This was beautifully illustrated by Ms. Handy through the music of Quincy Jones and the words of Benard Ighner in the song “Everything Must Change”:

Everything must change

Nothing stays the same

Everyone must change

No one stays the same.

The young become the old

And mysteries do unfold

Cause that’s the way of time

Nothing and no one goes unchanged.

There are not many things in life 

You can be sure of

Except rain comes from the clouds

Sun lights up the sky

And hummingbirds do fly

Winter turns to Spring

A wounded heart will heal

But never much too soon

Yes everything must change.

God gave us the constants of his love and light; our responsibilities to Him are to live in the manner that God created us; it is the least – and the most we can do. From the sun/Son, nothing is hidden. Remembering that we’re a work in progress, we must live by example, talking the talk and walking the walk. God is waiting to give us a holy transformation, if only we ask.

The final stanza is the timeless prayer and request to God:

May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart

be acceptable in your sight,

Oh Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer.

View from the Pew: Sermon: “Ponder”

March 4, 2012

John 9   Jesus gives sight to a man who was blind from birth.  The man is challenged by the Pharisees and Jews in general but is unintimidated, and worships Christ.

Pondering is something I do a lot of. I am constantly thinking of what I need to get done, what I should be doing, and what I have coming up in my schedule. I feel like I have a pretty good relationship with God and I try to be the best person that I can be. A struggle sometimes for sure, but I am a work in progress.

I don’t think about miracles very often. Blind men made to see, crippled people suddenly being able to rise and walk these are things that have never happened in front of me. I have to admit if they did I would probably question if it really happened or it was a hoax. I guess that is why it was hard for people to put their head around it in Jesus’s day.

I have seen miracles though. My ex-husband and father of my children suffered a heart attack on December 10th. He was given a 1% chance of making it, but he will be getting out of the hospital on March 13th. He isn’t totally the same person he was before, but miraculous none the less. Not as instantaneous  as being touched and something changing, but that would have maybe made the incident seem not as dire.

The struggle and making it through is the part that really has taught me things. I think the more instant miracles are the smaller things. Like when I have had a bad day and someone says just the right thing you need to hear or bills start stacking up and you get some unexpected money. I wonder if God trusts us to even see big instant miracles anymore. I wonder if people as a whole would even notice. I guess I have some more things to ponder.

View from the Pew: “Understanding Judiasm”

02/19/2012.

Understanding Judaism was the theme presented by our guest speaker, Dr. James Nocon.  Dr. Nocon is a member of Indianapolis Hebrew Congregation, a member of the Mankind Project, and a frequent speaker on Judaism to Christian groups.  He outlined the importance to Christians of acquiring a good working knowledge of Jewish history, faith, and traditions:

 

1. Lent makes more sense to the Christian who is knowledgeable of Jewish history and religious customs.
2. The upcoming Mankind Project production, Visiting Mr. Green, draws heavily on Jewish culture, as do many well-known plays and works of art, such as Fiddler on the Roof.
3. Jews and Christians who are familiar with one another’s customs and traditions will quite naturally be better neighbors.

 

“I’m Just a Jew”, is how Dr. Nocon likes to be regarded by his audience. In so doing, he reminds his audience that Jews are, like all people, those who seek to live life fully and well, and with peace and goodwill toward others in shared community. There are a number of distinctive elements to Judaism that he believes are important for Christians to understand.

 

1. Dr. Nocon stresses that the central theme of Judaism is building and maintaining relationships: to God, to Israel, and to one another. Experientially, the Jewish temple service and the Protestant Christian worship service are virtually the same in practice.

 

1. Judaism is not a race, although Jews are culturally Semitic. There are three ethnic groups of Judaism that evolved following the Babylonian dispersion of Israel, known as the Diaspora: the Ashkenazi, who settled in Northern and Eastern Europe, with the largest communities in Russia and Poland; the Sephardim, who settled around the Mediterranean Sea and North Africa; and the Ladinos, who settled in South America.

 

1. The answer to the question, “What is a Jew?” is settled by matriarchal lineage.  If Mom was a Jew, so are you!  Historically, the debate concerning King David’s lineage has not been fully satisfied because much of his Jewish heritage depends on his patriarchal lineage.  The word Hebrew means, literally, “from the other side”, in reference to Abraham, whose family came from the opposite side of the Euphrates from Palestine.

 

1. Judaism’s unique claim in faith-history is that Jews were the first to espouse monotheism – the belief that there is one God alone, the Author and Origin of all.  The name ‘Jew’ comes from ‘Yehudi’ – the name given them by surrounding tribal peoples in the region of Palestine.

 

1. In regard to faith-practice, there are three branches of Judaism:

 

The Orthodox, who believe God gave the commandments to Moses and intended for Jews to keep them, as they were handed down – all 613 of them (365 Thou shalt NOT, and 248 Thou Shall). Kashrut, the practice of obeying strict Kosher dietary laws, is carefully followed. The most ultra-orthodox of this group are known as the Hasidim. This group wears their prayer shawls throughout the day, so as to be in constant prayer to God.

 

The Conservative, who believe laws and ideas come from God, transmitted through humans; therefore, it is necessary to adapt the laws to the realities of human experience. One connects to God through participation in congregational life.

 

The Reform, who believe that one’s connection to God is direct and autonomous. This group was founded in Germany. Today, 85% of American Jews are Reform. Within this group has arisen a sub- group known as Reconstructionists; they seek to incorporate American ideals into their faith-practice.

 

1. What is it that Jews actually believe? Dr. Nocon offers these helpful definitions:

 

On God: God is One – unique, incorporeal, and eternal.

 

On Prayer – tefillim – “through the conduit of the prophets”. The Jew is able to pray to God because of the covenants established through God’s prophets who were sent to turn the people to God. During prayer, the Askenazi wear the prayer shawl and the yarmulke; the Sephardim wear the shawl and the kepa.

 

On Torah: The Word of God, as handed down by the prophets, which outlines God’s relationship to Israel and Israel’s relationship to God. Tikkun Olam – repairing the world – is the principal responsibility of every Jew. Many Jews have been guided into human services and caring occupations, such as social work and medicine, by their commitment to fulfilling the responsibility of Tikkun Olam. The great rabbi, Hillel, explained the Torah in a single sentence: “Do good and avoid evil; all the rest is commentary.”

 

On Good Deeds: Called mizvot (pl. mizvah), these are defined by Torah and community; keeping the Sabbath, making love to one’s spouse, showing hospitality towards strangers, et cetera.  Doing good deeds is the way the Jew makes the world a better place for him/herself and others, thereby helping to advance Tikkun olam.

 

On Jewish Holidays: The most important are –

• Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonenent, where the Jew seeks forgiveness for wrongs done during the previous year.
• Sukkot, the celebration of the harvest, much like American Thanksgiving.
• The Sabbath (Shabbat), which begins every Friday evening as soon as three stars are visible in the night sky, and ends on Saturday evening, as soon as three stars are visible in the night sky.

 

Two facts of interest to Christians:

1. The Cabalistic Cross, used to conclude a prayer, translates into English as Thine is the Kingdom, and the Power, and the Glory, forever. Amen. This ending is identical to the ending of the Lord’s Prayer Jesus taught to His disciples.

 

1. The mezuzah, a small box Jewish families mount on the doorpost of their homes, contains a Torah verse known as the She’ma: Blessed art thou, Israel, the Lord is One, the Lord is the Only God. (Deuteronomy 6:4)

 

Dr. Nocon also displayed his yarmulke and prayer shawl, and demonstrated how a Jew would bind tefillin, or prayer boxes containing Torah verses, around his arms and forehead for prayer.

 

This was an excellent presentation, for which the congregation thanks Dr. Nocon and Pastor Moman. It will add a great deal to our experience of the Lenten season!