Rev. Jeffrey T. Howard
Eagle Rock Presbyterian Church
Sermon Exodus 16:2-15 and Matthew 20:1-16 Providing for our Needs
September 21, 2008
As the Israelites wandered through the desert that were tired and hungry and began to wonder if they had made the correct decision to leave Egypt. It was at this time that God decided to teach them an important lesson about what to do when you do not have enough. We all have experienced times when we don’t seem up to the challenges before us or we don’t have the resources to do what we need to do. At times like these, what should we do? This is what we will be exploring today. But first please pray with me.
Lord Jesus, we thank you for your gracious love for us. Protect us and keep us in your loving care. Watch over us and care for our needs. And satisfy our hunger for you. We pray this in your strong name. Amen.
Matthew 20:1-16 1 "For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire laborers for his vineyard. 2 After agreeing with the laborers for the usual daily wage, he sent them into his vineyard. 3 When he went out about nine o'clock, he saw others standing idle in the marketplace; 4 and he said to them, 'You also go into the vineyard, and I will pay you whatever is right.' So they went. 5 When he went out again about noon and about three o'clock, he did the same. 6 And about five o'clock he went out and found others standing around; and he said to them, 'Why are you standing here idle all day?' 7 They said to him, 'Because no one has hired us.' He said to them, 'You also go into the vineyard.' 8 When evening came, the owner of the vineyard said to his manager, 'Call the laborers and give them their pay, beginning with the last and then going to the first.' 9 When those hired about five o'clock came, each of them received the usual daily wage. 10 Now when the first came, they thought they would receive more; but each of them also received the usual daily wage. 11 And when they received it, they grumbled against the landowner, 12 saying, 'These last worked only one hour, and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden of the day and the scorching heat.' 13 But he replied to one of them, 'Friend, I am doing you no wrong; did you not agree with me for the usual daily wage? 14 Take what belongs to you and go; I choose to give to this last the same as I give to you. 15 Am I not allowed to do what I choose with what belongs to me? Or are you envious because I am generous?' 16 So the last will be first, and the first will be last."
The Israelites had been given their freedom from slavery in Egypt and in the bargain they received hunger. So they complained to Moses saying that they would gladly give up their freedom to satisfy their hunger. And as we feel the pangs of hunger we are all too ready to give up our freedom, the freedom God has given us.
For many years I experienced great hunger in my life. I hungered for more money and worked very hard for my business to succeed. I hungered for relationships and did everything could I think of to make friends. I tried to satisfy my hunger with peanut butter sandwiches until my weight started to rise. But once I became involved in a church many of my hungers went away. As I attended Bible studies, worship and retreats I found greater satisfaction in my life. Then as I began to teach in the church I found that my hunger was satisfied. That’s how I first knew of my calling to be a pastor.
The great hunger that many of you have brought into the church today, your desire for a job, your prayers for a loved one who is sick, your hope that your children, grandchildren and great grandchildren will succeed are all good things to want and hope for. That is why we pray for them every Sunday in worship and during the week at Early Morning Prayers. Our act of praying is our way of freely putting ourselves into the hands of God. We do this because we know that trusting God is the only way we have to protect our freedom.
Sadly many people satisfy their hunger by giving up their freedom too easily. They stay in a consuming job because they think their hunger is for success. They remain in a consuming relationship because they think that their hunger is loneliness. And they acquire a mountain of debt because that think the next purchase will satisfy their hunger. But jobs, relationships and success cannot save us. They have no power to satisfy our hunger. So we turn in despair to eating more, getting drunk, or staying busy. And as we consume more and more food, alcohol or work these things begin to consume us and we become enslaved, losing our freedom.
When the Hebrews experienced hunger they were tempted to return to slavery. Their only option to preserve their freedom was to trust God completely, that she would provide for their needs as they continued on their journey. Every morning God blessed them with a shower of bread for them to eat. Each person had to gather her own for the day. It could not be stored so it had to be gathered every day. No one got full. Everyone was satisfied. And the Hebrews remained free. This is how God’s grace works; it comes daily to individuals to nourish them all the way to freedom in the Promised Land.
What God provided in the wilderness was spiritual food. We know this because of the name, manna. “Manna” is the Hebrew word meaning, “what is it?” Just image a kid eating it every morning and asking his mother, “what is it?” and she would say “yes”. When we get hungry we pray “What is it Lord, that I am to do with this hunger.”? This is the question we ask until it is answered by Jesus Christ who told us in the Gospel of John that he is the bread of life. So our real question is not “What must I consume to be free of hunger? Rather we now ask “What is Jesus Christ doing about my hunger.
Jesus answered the question “What is it?” with a story about workers in vineyard. The workers thought that their hunger could be satisfied by money. Some thought they needed to get up real early to earn enough to satisfy their hunger. Others thought that they needed to work long hours. They all thought that though their own efforts they could satisfy their hunger themselves. But they were all surprised when it was discovered that the “What is it?” had nothing to do with how long they worked or how hard they worked. Rather “What is it?” was a gift from God to each of them and was just sufficient enough to satisfy their hunger.
The lesson in this is that if you depend on money or power to satisfy your hunger you will be disappointed. The hunger you experience can only be satisfied by God who provides you with a sufficient amount of his grace every day.
And this brings us to our teachers. Why do you think people would volunteer to teach in a church? Do you think it is about the large wages we pay? Think again. None of our teachers are here because of money. Something else motivates them. It must be that something about teaching satisfies a deep hunger. They have learned to trust God each day and that God will provide for them exactly what they need.
I have observed that our teachers teach because of their great love for their students. Why would Rosie spend her Tuesday evenings here if it were not for the love of the international students who are learning English? Why would Vern come here mornings and afternoon if were not for his love of helping new immigrants to pronounce words correctly? Why would June come here every Wednesday were it not for the great love she has for the women of the church. Why would seminarians Sterrett and Erwin volunteer their valuable time were it not for their great love of college students and children? Why would Cora and Cecelia come back to the church after their music responsibilities were complete to work with children on Sunday evenings were it not for their great love of this church and our evangelism effort. Our teachers sacrifice their time and talent because by doing so their deepest hunger is satisfied by God.
So “What is it” that God uses to satisfy our hunger. The hunger we feel is not in our stomachs or in our wallets. Our hunger is buried deep in our hearts. And therefore it can only be satisfied by the great love of God which fills our hearts and satisfies our needs. And if you really believe that you are loved by God then you become free to use your life not in consuming things but in responding to God’s love by loving others. This is why our teachers teach. They love God so much because their hunger has been satisfied and they just have to share this good news with their students. So whatever hunger you are experiencing today take it Jesus Christ in prayer, because Jesus is your savior and will not let you go hungry.
Lord Jesus Christ, just as you taught your disciples while on this earth so do we teach your disciples today. Bless our teachers as they bring your love to children and adults here in this very special place, Eagle Rock Presbyterian Church. And we ask for you to satisfy our hunger not just with the chili dogs waiting outside, but with the spiritual food that only you provide. We thank you and praise in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Amen.
Tuesday, September 23, 2008
Saturday, September 20, 2008
Sermon Matthew 18:21-35 Forgiven and Forgiving
Rev. Jeffrey T. Howard
Sermon Matthew 18:21-35 Forgiven and Forgiving
Eagle Rock Presbyterian Church
September 14, 2008
We all know that forgiveness is the foundation of our faith. Each Sunday we gather right here to confess our sins and ask God for forgiveness. And we know that if we do confess our sins and truly repent our faithful God will pardon us by his grace. This creates in us our supreme joy in knowing that all we have done to fail God’s expectations is wiped away by the blood of Jesus Christ. And in this joy we owe God an enormous debt of gratitude. God expects us to express this gratitude in a very specific ways. We are to forgive those who have harmed us. And this is a very difficult thing to do. So today we will be looking at what it means to forgive someone else just as God has forgiven us. But before we start all of this will you pray with me?
Lord Jesus Christ we know that by your sacrifice on the cross we have been forgiven for all of our sins against God. We thank you for this gift. And in our gratitude we ask that you teach us, though the scripture, how to forgive those who have harmed us. We pray all of this in your strong name. Amen.
Matthew 18: 21-35 - Then Peter came and said to him, “Lord, if another member of the church sins against me, how often should I forgive? As many as seven times?” 22 Jesus said to him, “Not seven times, but, I tell you, seventy seven times.”
23“For this reason the kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who wished to settle accounts with his slaves. 24 When he began the reckoning, one who owed him ten thousand talents was brought to him; 25 and, as he could not pay, his lord ordered him to be sold, together with his wife and children and all his possessions, and payment to be made. 26 So the slave fell on his knees before him, saying, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you everything.’ 27 And out of pity for him, the lord of that slave released him and forgave him the debt. 28 But that same slave, as he went out, came upon one of his fellow slaves who owed him a hundred denarii; and seizing him by the throat, he said, ‘Pay what you owe.’ 29 Then his fellow slave fell down and pleaded with him, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you.’ 30 But he refused; then he went and threw him into prison until he would pay the debt. 31 When his fellow slaves saw what had happened, they were greatly distressed, and they went and reported to their lord all that had taken place. 32 Then his lord summoned him and said to him, ‘You wicked slave! I forgave you all that debt because you pleaded with me. 33 Should you not have had mercy on your fellow slave, as I had mercy on you?’ 34 And in anger his lord handed him over to be tortured until he would pay his entire debt. 35 So my heavenly Father will also do to every one of you, if you do not forgive your brother or sister from your heart.”
Have you ever noticed that we can’t change the past? We have a little control over the present. At least the future is filled with hope. But the past is locked in stone, unable to be changed and trapped in our memories forever. Often we want to forget the past but it constantly sneaks up on us for a visit. When we least expect it, a memory from the past breaks into our consciousness, reminds of a past hurt and rekindles an anger which never seems to go away. Our only hope, when this happens, is that God will give us the gift of forgiveness which will wash away our anger and allow us to heal.
One thing to remember about forgiveness is that it is always about forgiving a person for something that person did. It’s not possible, I believe, to forgive a corporation, a church, a school, a business or a government. Since all of these are products of a fallen world they all have the potential to harm us. And when they do we rightly get angry and demand justice. But forgiveness is something we do about people, people who live in families, and work for corporations, churches and schools. We forgive people because people, like us, were created in the image of God and because people, like us, are sinners in need of forgiveness. Therefore only people can be forgiven. And this leads us to the first step of forgiving someone, to realize that the person who hurt us is a person just like us.
All too often we see a person who hurts us, not as a person at all, but as the hurt itself. We say things like “He is nothing more than an animal” or “She is just a cheat”. We see people though the lens of our anger and hurt. But by looking though the lens of forgiveness we understand that the person who hurt us is a person not the hurt. Recognizing that the person who hurt you is a person does not mean that you should marry that person again, or be friends with that person again. Reconciliation or restoration is often impossible to do. Forgiving means, that you recognize that you were hurt by a person who was flawed, a sinner. And with that realization forgiveness then becomes a possibility.
Whenever we are hurt we have the desire to get even. Our sense of justice and fairness seems to demand this. We want vengeance. We want our enemy to suffer. But forgiveness means giving up our desire for vengeance. Now be careful not to confuse vengeance with justice. Vengeance is the satisfaction we feel when someone who hurts us is hurt and then some. But justice is when someone pays a fair penalty for what they have done. Forgiveness requires that we hold justice firmly with two hands while dropping vengeance to the ground. Forgiveness therefore requires that we give up our right to get even.
Lewes Smedes tell an interesting story based on an episode in John Irving’s Trying to Save Peggy. A new freshman in college named Maggie was walking home from the library with her new friend, a senior named Apol. When they arrived at the dorm Apol kissed a very excited Maggie. A week later she got a note from Apol that said that he had syphilis and probably gave it to her. He told her to go down to the infirmary at once for antibiotics. At the infirmary the nurse listened to Maggie’s story and assured her that she was ok. She could not get syphilis from kissing Apol. The nurse also said that Maggie was the fifth freshman girl who had come to the infirmary with the same story that morning. So Maggie decided to get even. She hung a 25ft banner made from five bed sheets on the front portico of the school which said in large block letters “Apol Sider Has Sphilis”. So Apol, with some friends at the airport, hired a biplane to fly a large banner over the next football game which read “Maggie Mousma Has a Filthy Disease.” So what did Maggie’s and Apol’s desire to get even accomplish? What does a desire to get even ever accomplish? Situations just escalate into continuing conflict. We need to first surrender our right to get even if we ever hope to get around to forgiving.
As we have seen to forgive someone as God has forgiven us requires us to see that person as a human being, however flawed, and to give up our right to get even. When we do these two things, something happens to us. Our feelings begin to change. Usually when someone hurts us we experience pain and anger, but our feelings quickly change to hate. We hate the person who has hurt us. We can passively hate someone and hope that bad things will happen to them. We can actively hate someone and plan the misfortune that will befall them ourselves. Either way we tend to call on God in Heaven to hurt someone at least as much as they have hurt us. But when we receive the gift of forgiveness from God our feelings begin to change. We begin to desire that good things will happen to the person who hurt us. Our desire for that person’s goodwill will be weak at first. It will be mixed with a desire that bad things will happen too. But if you experience, even a little, the desire that good things will happen for a person who hurt you then you can be assured that God’s gift of forgiveness is coming upon you, and your feelings will change.
The apostle Peter knew the importance of forgiveness from Jesus’ teachings. But he wondered how long, should a follower of Jesus keep forgiving someone who hurts them over and over again. Seven times seemed enough for Peter. After all seven was the number of days in week. But Jesus said that there is no limit to forgiveness. It does not matter how many times you were hurt in the past, God’s gift of forgiveness is sufficient for you to recognize the humanity of the person who hurt you, give up your right of vengeance, and begin to feel benevolently toward that person regardless of how long or how many times you have been hurt.
Jesus’ parable tells us that we have been forgiven by God. We are sinners and deserve God’s condemnation. But God recognizes us as her creation. God has no desire to get even. And God loves us no matter how long or how many times we have sinned. As a response to God forgiving us we owe a debt of gratitude which can only be paid if we forgive those who have hurt us.
So if you are angry with someone today, if someone has hurt you, I urge you to forgive that person just as God has forgiven you. Remember that the person who hurt you is a sinner in need of a loving God just as you are. Remember that God never takes vengeance or tries to get even and neither should you. And God loves us even though we are sinners. So we are called to love even those who have hurt us. The only way we can love the ones who hurt us is if we are first loved by God. And promise of scripture is that even though we are sinners and deserve to be condemned God loves us and forgives us and gives us by his grace the gift of being forgiven and the gift of forgiving others.
Father in Heaven we ask for the gift of forgiveness. Forgive us of all the sins that we have done against you. Remember that we are your children. Withhold your ability to punish us. And love us as if sin had never touched our lives. Then help us to forgive those who have hurt us. Allow us to see that they too are your children. Remove our desire to get even. And help us to love them as you love us. We pray this in the name of Jesus Christ who gave his own life that we might be both forgiven and forgiving. Amen.
Sermon Matthew 18:21-35 Forgiven and Forgiving
Eagle Rock Presbyterian Church
September 14, 2008
We all know that forgiveness is the foundation of our faith. Each Sunday we gather right here to confess our sins and ask God for forgiveness. And we know that if we do confess our sins and truly repent our faithful God will pardon us by his grace. This creates in us our supreme joy in knowing that all we have done to fail God’s expectations is wiped away by the blood of Jesus Christ. And in this joy we owe God an enormous debt of gratitude. God expects us to express this gratitude in a very specific ways. We are to forgive those who have harmed us. And this is a very difficult thing to do. So today we will be looking at what it means to forgive someone else just as God has forgiven us. But before we start all of this will you pray with me?
Lord Jesus Christ we know that by your sacrifice on the cross we have been forgiven for all of our sins against God. We thank you for this gift. And in our gratitude we ask that you teach us, though the scripture, how to forgive those who have harmed us. We pray all of this in your strong name. Amen.
Matthew 18: 21-35 - Then Peter came and said to him, “Lord, if another member of the church sins against me, how often should I forgive? As many as seven times?” 22 Jesus said to him, “Not seven times, but, I tell you, seventy seven times.”
23“For this reason the kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who wished to settle accounts with his slaves. 24 When he began the reckoning, one who owed him ten thousand talents was brought to him; 25 and, as he could not pay, his lord ordered him to be sold, together with his wife and children and all his possessions, and payment to be made. 26 So the slave fell on his knees before him, saying, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you everything.’ 27 And out of pity for him, the lord of that slave released him and forgave him the debt. 28 But that same slave, as he went out, came upon one of his fellow slaves who owed him a hundred denarii; and seizing him by the throat, he said, ‘Pay what you owe.’ 29 Then his fellow slave fell down and pleaded with him, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you.’ 30 But he refused; then he went and threw him into prison until he would pay the debt. 31 When his fellow slaves saw what had happened, they were greatly distressed, and they went and reported to their lord all that had taken place. 32 Then his lord summoned him and said to him, ‘You wicked slave! I forgave you all that debt because you pleaded with me. 33 Should you not have had mercy on your fellow slave, as I had mercy on you?’ 34 And in anger his lord handed him over to be tortured until he would pay his entire debt. 35 So my heavenly Father will also do to every one of you, if you do not forgive your brother or sister from your heart.”
Have you ever noticed that we can’t change the past? We have a little control over the present. At least the future is filled with hope. But the past is locked in stone, unable to be changed and trapped in our memories forever. Often we want to forget the past but it constantly sneaks up on us for a visit. When we least expect it, a memory from the past breaks into our consciousness, reminds of a past hurt and rekindles an anger which never seems to go away. Our only hope, when this happens, is that God will give us the gift of forgiveness which will wash away our anger and allow us to heal.
One thing to remember about forgiveness is that it is always about forgiving a person for something that person did. It’s not possible, I believe, to forgive a corporation, a church, a school, a business or a government. Since all of these are products of a fallen world they all have the potential to harm us. And when they do we rightly get angry and demand justice. But forgiveness is something we do about people, people who live in families, and work for corporations, churches and schools. We forgive people because people, like us, were created in the image of God and because people, like us, are sinners in need of forgiveness. Therefore only people can be forgiven. And this leads us to the first step of forgiving someone, to realize that the person who hurt us is a person just like us.
All too often we see a person who hurts us, not as a person at all, but as the hurt itself. We say things like “He is nothing more than an animal” or “She is just a cheat”. We see people though the lens of our anger and hurt. But by looking though the lens of forgiveness we understand that the person who hurt us is a person not the hurt. Recognizing that the person who hurt you is a person does not mean that you should marry that person again, or be friends with that person again. Reconciliation or restoration is often impossible to do. Forgiving means, that you recognize that you were hurt by a person who was flawed, a sinner. And with that realization forgiveness then becomes a possibility.
Whenever we are hurt we have the desire to get even. Our sense of justice and fairness seems to demand this. We want vengeance. We want our enemy to suffer. But forgiveness means giving up our desire for vengeance. Now be careful not to confuse vengeance with justice. Vengeance is the satisfaction we feel when someone who hurts us is hurt and then some. But justice is when someone pays a fair penalty for what they have done. Forgiveness requires that we hold justice firmly with two hands while dropping vengeance to the ground. Forgiveness therefore requires that we give up our right to get even.
Lewes Smedes tell an interesting story based on an episode in John Irving’s Trying to Save Peggy. A new freshman in college named Maggie was walking home from the library with her new friend, a senior named Apol. When they arrived at the dorm Apol kissed a very excited Maggie. A week later she got a note from Apol that said that he had syphilis and probably gave it to her. He told her to go down to the infirmary at once for antibiotics. At the infirmary the nurse listened to Maggie’s story and assured her that she was ok. She could not get syphilis from kissing Apol. The nurse also said that Maggie was the fifth freshman girl who had come to the infirmary with the same story that morning. So Maggie decided to get even. She hung a 25ft banner made from five bed sheets on the front portico of the school which said in large block letters “Apol Sider Has Sphilis”. So Apol, with some friends at the airport, hired a biplane to fly a large banner over the next football game which read “Maggie Mousma Has a Filthy Disease.” So what did Maggie’s and Apol’s desire to get even accomplish? What does a desire to get even ever accomplish? Situations just escalate into continuing conflict. We need to first surrender our right to get even if we ever hope to get around to forgiving.
As we have seen to forgive someone as God has forgiven us requires us to see that person as a human being, however flawed, and to give up our right to get even. When we do these two things, something happens to us. Our feelings begin to change. Usually when someone hurts us we experience pain and anger, but our feelings quickly change to hate. We hate the person who has hurt us. We can passively hate someone and hope that bad things will happen to them. We can actively hate someone and plan the misfortune that will befall them ourselves. Either way we tend to call on God in Heaven to hurt someone at least as much as they have hurt us. But when we receive the gift of forgiveness from God our feelings begin to change. We begin to desire that good things will happen to the person who hurt us. Our desire for that person’s goodwill will be weak at first. It will be mixed with a desire that bad things will happen too. But if you experience, even a little, the desire that good things will happen for a person who hurt you then you can be assured that God’s gift of forgiveness is coming upon you, and your feelings will change.
The apostle Peter knew the importance of forgiveness from Jesus’ teachings. But he wondered how long, should a follower of Jesus keep forgiving someone who hurts them over and over again. Seven times seemed enough for Peter. After all seven was the number of days in week. But Jesus said that there is no limit to forgiveness. It does not matter how many times you were hurt in the past, God’s gift of forgiveness is sufficient for you to recognize the humanity of the person who hurt you, give up your right of vengeance, and begin to feel benevolently toward that person regardless of how long or how many times you have been hurt.
Jesus’ parable tells us that we have been forgiven by God. We are sinners and deserve God’s condemnation. But God recognizes us as her creation. God has no desire to get even. And God loves us no matter how long or how many times we have sinned. As a response to God forgiving us we owe a debt of gratitude which can only be paid if we forgive those who have hurt us.
So if you are angry with someone today, if someone has hurt you, I urge you to forgive that person just as God has forgiven you. Remember that the person who hurt you is a sinner in need of a loving God just as you are. Remember that God never takes vengeance or tries to get even and neither should you. And God loves us even though we are sinners. So we are called to love even those who have hurt us. The only way we can love the ones who hurt us is if we are first loved by God. And promise of scripture is that even though we are sinners and deserve to be condemned God loves us and forgives us and gives us by his grace the gift of being forgiven and the gift of forgiving others.
Father in Heaven we ask for the gift of forgiveness. Forgive us of all the sins that we have done against you. Remember that we are your children. Withhold your ability to punish us. And love us as if sin had never touched our lives. Then help us to forgive those who have hurt us. Allow us to see that they too are your children. Remove our desire to get even. And help us to love them as you love us. We pray this in the name of Jesus Christ who gave his own life that we might be both forgiven and forgiving. Amen.
Thursday, September 11, 2008
Sermon Exodus 12:1-14, Matthew 26:17-29 The Passover Meal
Rev. Jeffrey T. Howard
Sermon Exodus 12:1-14, Matthew 26:17-29
Eagle Rock Presbyterian Church
September 7, 2008
This morning we will be celebrating the sacrament of The Lord’s Supper as part of our Service of Worship for the Lord’s Day. We gather around this table every month on the first Sunday. Today we will look closely at the first century Passover dinner where Jesus gave us the sacrament. But before we get started will you pray with me?
Lord Jesus on the night you were betrayed your gathered your disciples around a table to share bread and wine. Be with us this morning as we gather around your table to hear your words and to experience for ourselves your saving sacrifice. We pray all of this in your strong name. Amen.
Matthew 26:17-29 17 On the first day of Unleavened Bread the disciples came to Jesus, saying, "Where do you want us to make the preparations for you to eat the Passover?" 18 He said, "Go into the city to a certain man, and say to him, 'The Teacher says, My time is near; I will keep the Passover at your house with my disciples.'" 19 So the disciples did as Jesus had directed them, and they prepared the Passover meal. 20 When it was evening, he took his place with the twelve; 21 and while they were eating, he said, "Truly I tell you, one of you will betray me." 22 And they became greatly distressed and began to say to him one after another, "Surely not I, Lord?" 23 He answered, "The one who has dipped his hand into the bowl with me will betray me. 24 The Son of Man goes as it is written of him, but woe to that one by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would have been better for that one not to have been born." 25 Judas, who betrayed him, said, "Surely not I, Rabbi?" He replied, "You have said so." 26 While they were eating, Jesus took a loaf of bread, and after blessing it he broke it, gave it to the disciples, and said, "Take, eat; this is my body." 27 Then he took a cup, and after giving thanks he gave it to them, saying, "Drink from it, all of you; 28 for this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. 29 I tell you, I will never again drink of this fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father's kingdom."
Twenty five hundred years ago the descendants of Jacob were still in Egypt and subject to mistreatment at the hands of their taskmasters. They had become slaves in Egypt and as their numbers grew they became a threat to the dominant Egyptian culture. God sent Moses as her instrument to deliver her people from slavery. The Passover feast was established as a perpetual reminder of that deliverance by God. Over the years the Israelites forgot what they were suppose to do. When this happened, God raised up kings like Hezekiah and Josiah who reinstituted the Passover feast to remind the people of how they had been blessed by God. And today we remember how God has blessed us as we gather around this table for the sacrament of the Lord’s Supper which is based on the Passover feast..
At first, the Passover feast was eaten by families in their homes. Later there was a requirement that they were to come to Jerusalem for the meal. People gathered to eat the Passover lamb in the outer courts of the temple. As attendance at the Passover feast grew the sheer numbers of people overwhelmed the temple area and people were permitted to eat the feast anywhere in Jerusalem. You needed to be part of a group of at least ten Jews who could meet somewhere in the city to be part of the Passover feast.
According to Matthew, Jesus and his disciples came to Jerusalem in order to celebrate the Passover. Coming to Jerusalem for festivals was the duty of every Jewish man three times each year. Many Jews obeyed these rules, at least in part.
Jesus and his disciples most likely arrived for Passover a week early to purify themselves from the journey. They stayed in Bethany probably in the home of Mary and Martha. The Passover meal itself had to be eaten in Jerusalem so on the 14th day of Nisan Jesus sent two of his disciples into the city where they would find a man carrying water who would take them to an upper room where the feast would be eaten. This room had to have been ritually cleaned of all leavening, which was probably done before the disciples arrived. The disciples then went out to the marketplace and purchased a lamb for the dinner. They took it to the temple for slaughter, sometime that afternoon. When Jesus and the other ten disciples arrived that evening the lamb was already roasting.
When the meal was ready Jesus and his disciples reclined on couches at the tables and their wine cups were filled. Servants went around with towels to wash the right hand of each person. Jesus and the disciples then sang a song, praising God with Psalms 113 and 114.
NRS Psalm 113:1 Praise the LORD! Praise, O servants of the LORD; praise the name of the LORD. 2 Blessed be the name of the LORD from this time on and forevermore. 3 From the rising of the sun to its setting the name of the LORD is to be praised. 4 The LORD is high above all nations, and his glory above the heavens. 5 Who is like the LORD our God, who is seated on high, 6 who looks far down on the heavens and the earth? 7 He raises the poor from the dust, and lifts the needy from the ash heap, 8 to make them sit with princes, with the princes of his people. 9 He gives the barren woman a home, making her the joyous mother of children. Praise the LORD
It probably at this time that Jesus passed his cup around to the others after blessing it and saying that the next time he would eat the Passover feast it would be with them in the Kingdom of Heaven.
Then the first course of the meal featuring lettuce that would be dipped in a bowl of salad dressing was served. It is likely that during this first course Jesus shocked the disciples by announcing that someone would betray him.
After this each person ritually washed their hands again and was given a second cup of wine to drink with the main course. At this time Jesus said a blessing over the bread, and broke it. Jesus interpreted the breaking of the bread in terms of his own body. He then distributed the bread telling the disciples to remember him whenever they celebrated this feast in the future. At this point there was probably a joyous, festive atmosphere at dinner.
When the main course was over, the disciples were given a third cup of wine. Jesus blessed his cup and gave thanks for the meal, but then added, quite unexpectedly , that this represented his own blood poured out on the ground, and interpreted it symbolically as the new covenant established by his death.
As the dinner came to an end, Jesus and his disciples sang Psalms 115 to 118.
Psalm 115:1-18 NRS Psalm 115:1 Not to us, O LORD, not to us, but to your name give glory, for the sake of your steadfast love and your faithfulness. 2 Why should the nations say, "Where is their God?" 3 Our God is in the heavens; he does whatever he pleases. 4 Their idols are silver and gold, the work of human hands. 5 They have mouths, but do not speak; eyes, but do not see. 6 They have ears, but do not hear; noses, but do not smell. 7 They have hands, but do not feel; feet, but do not walk; they make no sound in their throats. 8 Those who make them are like them; so are all who trust in them. 9 O Israel, trust in the LORD! He is their help and their shield. 10 O house of Aaron, trust in the LORD! He is their help and their shield. 11 You who fear the LORD, trust in the LORD! He is their help and their shield. 12 The LORD has been mindful of us; he will bless us; he will bless the house of Israel; he will bless the house of Aaron; 13 he will bless those who fear the LORD, both small and great. 14 May the LORD give you increase, both you and your children. 15 May you be blessed by the LORD, who made heaven and earth. 16 The heavens are the LORD's heavens, but the earth he has given to human beings. 17 The dead do not praise the LORD, nor do any that go down into silence. 18 But we will bless the LORD from this time on and forevermore. Praise the LORD!
After midnight Jesus and his disciples left the upper room and went to the Mount of Olives where they spent the night.
Today we will be gathered around the table of the Lord. This table reminds us of the Passover feast that Jesus and his disciples ate on the night when Jesus was arrested. It also reminds of that first Passover in Egypt when the Children of Israel were redeemed by their God through the great sacrifice of the death of all the first born of Egypt. Likewise it reminds us of the great sacrifice of the death of Jesus Christ on the cross redeeming us from slavery to sin.
But as we gather around this table we are doing far more than just remembering past events. Remember that Jesus said the he would be participating in our feast in the Kingdom of Heaven. And in the very next chapter of Matthew Jesus promises us that he will be with us until the end of the age. Therefore as we gather around this table we can be confident that Jesus is here with us and that this banquet is in the Kingdom of Heaven.
I urge you today to prepare yourselves to meet Jesus as you come forward in communion today. Jesus is here, blessing this bread and wine and sharing it with us. We are his disciples who have been richly blessed. So let’s celebrate the Passover feast together with Christ our Lord.
Lord Jesus Christ, your disciples in Eagle Rock Presbyterian Church have gathered for your supper. Welcome us as your people as we approach you this day. Bless us with the new covenant you promised with your blood. Forgive our sins and restore us to new life in you. Amen.
Adapted from: Barry D. Smith, Jesus' Passover Meal,Lewiston: Mellen Biblical Press 1993.
Sermon Exodus 12:1-14, Matthew 26:17-29
Eagle Rock Presbyterian Church
September 7, 2008
This morning we will be celebrating the sacrament of The Lord’s Supper as part of our Service of Worship for the Lord’s Day. We gather around this table every month on the first Sunday. Today we will look closely at the first century Passover dinner where Jesus gave us the sacrament. But before we get started will you pray with me?
Lord Jesus on the night you were betrayed your gathered your disciples around a table to share bread and wine. Be with us this morning as we gather around your table to hear your words and to experience for ourselves your saving sacrifice. We pray all of this in your strong name. Amen.
Matthew 26:17-29 17 On the first day of Unleavened Bread the disciples came to Jesus, saying, "Where do you want us to make the preparations for you to eat the Passover?" 18 He said, "Go into the city to a certain man, and say to him, 'The Teacher says, My time is near; I will keep the Passover at your house with my disciples.'" 19 So the disciples did as Jesus had directed them, and they prepared the Passover meal. 20 When it was evening, he took his place with the twelve; 21 and while they were eating, he said, "Truly I tell you, one of you will betray me." 22 And they became greatly distressed and began to say to him one after another, "Surely not I, Lord?" 23 He answered, "The one who has dipped his hand into the bowl with me will betray me. 24 The Son of Man goes as it is written of him, but woe to that one by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would have been better for that one not to have been born." 25 Judas, who betrayed him, said, "Surely not I, Rabbi?" He replied, "You have said so." 26 While they were eating, Jesus took a loaf of bread, and after blessing it he broke it, gave it to the disciples, and said, "Take, eat; this is my body." 27 Then he took a cup, and after giving thanks he gave it to them, saying, "Drink from it, all of you; 28 for this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. 29 I tell you, I will never again drink of this fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father's kingdom."
Twenty five hundred years ago the descendants of Jacob were still in Egypt and subject to mistreatment at the hands of their taskmasters. They had become slaves in Egypt and as their numbers grew they became a threat to the dominant Egyptian culture. God sent Moses as her instrument to deliver her people from slavery. The Passover feast was established as a perpetual reminder of that deliverance by God. Over the years the Israelites forgot what they were suppose to do. When this happened, God raised up kings like Hezekiah and Josiah who reinstituted the Passover feast to remind the people of how they had been blessed by God. And today we remember how God has blessed us as we gather around this table for the sacrament of the Lord’s Supper which is based on the Passover feast..
At first, the Passover feast was eaten by families in their homes. Later there was a requirement that they were to come to Jerusalem for the meal. People gathered to eat the Passover lamb in the outer courts of the temple. As attendance at the Passover feast grew the sheer numbers of people overwhelmed the temple area and people were permitted to eat the feast anywhere in Jerusalem. You needed to be part of a group of at least ten Jews who could meet somewhere in the city to be part of the Passover feast.
According to Matthew, Jesus and his disciples came to Jerusalem in order to celebrate the Passover. Coming to Jerusalem for festivals was the duty of every Jewish man three times each year. Many Jews obeyed these rules, at least in part.
Jesus and his disciples most likely arrived for Passover a week early to purify themselves from the journey. They stayed in Bethany probably in the home of Mary and Martha. The Passover meal itself had to be eaten in Jerusalem so on the 14th day of Nisan Jesus sent two of his disciples into the city where they would find a man carrying water who would take them to an upper room where the feast would be eaten. This room had to have been ritually cleaned of all leavening, which was probably done before the disciples arrived. The disciples then went out to the marketplace and purchased a lamb for the dinner. They took it to the temple for slaughter, sometime that afternoon. When Jesus and the other ten disciples arrived that evening the lamb was already roasting.
When the meal was ready Jesus and his disciples reclined on couches at the tables and their wine cups were filled. Servants went around with towels to wash the right hand of each person. Jesus and the disciples then sang a song, praising God with Psalms 113 and 114.
NRS Psalm 113:1 Praise the LORD! Praise, O servants of the LORD; praise the name of the LORD. 2 Blessed be the name of the LORD from this time on and forevermore. 3 From the rising of the sun to its setting the name of the LORD is to be praised. 4 The LORD is high above all nations, and his glory above the heavens. 5 Who is like the LORD our God, who is seated on high, 6 who looks far down on the heavens and the earth? 7 He raises the poor from the dust, and lifts the needy from the ash heap, 8 to make them sit with princes, with the princes of his people. 9 He gives the barren woman a home, making her the joyous mother of children. Praise the LORD
It probably at this time that Jesus passed his cup around to the others after blessing it and saying that the next time he would eat the Passover feast it would be with them in the Kingdom of Heaven.
Then the first course of the meal featuring lettuce that would be dipped in a bowl of salad dressing was served. It is likely that during this first course Jesus shocked the disciples by announcing that someone would betray him.
After this each person ritually washed their hands again and was given a second cup of wine to drink with the main course. At this time Jesus said a blessing over the bread, and broke it. Jesus interpreted the breaking of the bread in terms of his own body. He then distributed the bread telling the disciples to remember him whenever they celebrated this feast in the future. At this point there was probably a joyous, festive atmosphere at dinner.
When the main course was over, the disciples were given a third cup of wine. Jesus blessed his cup and gave thanks for the meal, but then added, quite unexpectedly , that this represented his own blood poured out on the ground, and interpreted it symbolically as the new covenant established by his death.
As the dinner came to an end, Jesus and his disciples sang Psalms 115 to 118.
Psalm 115:1-18 NRS Psalm 115:1 Not to us, O LORD, not to us, but to your name give glory, for the sake of your steadfast love and your faithfulness. 2 Why should the nations say, "Where is their God?" 3 Our God is in the heavens; he does whatever he pleases. 4 Their idols are silver and gold, the work of human hands. 5 They have mouths, but do not speak; eyes, but do not see. 6 They have ears, but do not hear; noses, but do not smell. 7 They have hands, but do not feel; feet, but do not walk; they make no sound in their throats. 8 Those who make them are like them; so are all who trust in them. 9 O Israel, trust in the LORD! He is their help and their shield. 10 O house of Aaron, trust in the LORD! He is their help and their shield. 11 You who fear the LORD, trust in the LORD! He is their help and their shield. 12 The LORD has been mindful of us; he will bless us; he will bless the house of Israel; he will bless the house of Aaron; 13 he will bless those who fear the LORD, both small and great. 14 May the LORD give you increase, both you and your children. 15 May you be blessed by the LORD, who made heaven and earth. 16 The heavens are the LORD's heavens, but the earth he has given to human beings. 17 The dead do not praise the LORD, nor do any that go down into silence. 18 But we will bless the LORD from this time on and forevermore. Praise the LORD!
After midnight Jesus and his disciples left the upper room and went to the Mount of Olives where they spent the night.
Today we will be gathered around the table of the Lord. This table reminds us of the Passover feast that Jesus and his disciples ate on the night when Jesus was arrested. It also reminds of that first Passover in Egypt when the Children of Israel were redeemed by their God through the great sacrifice of the death of all the first born of Egypt. Likewise it reminds us of the great sacrifice of the death of Jesus Christ on the cross redeeming us from slavery to sin.
But as we gather around this table we are doing far more than just remembering past events. Remember that Jesus said the he would be participating in our feast in the Kingdom of Heaven. And in the very next chapter of Matthew Jesus promises us that he will be with us until the end of the age. Therefore as we gather around this table we can be confident that Jesus is here with us and that this banquet is in the Kingdom of Heaven.
I urge you today to prepare yourselves to meet Jesus as you come forward in communion today. Jesus is here, blessing this bread and wine and sharing it with us. We are his disciples who have been richly blessed. So let’s celebrate the Passover feast together with Christ our Lord.
Lord Jesus Christ, your disciples in Eagle Rock Presbyterian Church have gathered for your supper. Welcome us as your people as we approach you this day. Bless us with the new covenant you promised with your blood. Forgive our sins and restore us to new life in you. Amen.
Adapted from: Barry D. Smith, Jesus' Passover Meal,Lewiston: Mellen Biblical Press 1993.
Wednesday, September 3, 2008
Sermon Exodus 3:1-15, Matthew 16:21-28 “Following God”
Rev. Jeffrey T. Howard
Sermon Exodus 3:1-15, Matthew 16:21-28 “Following God”
Eagle Rock Presbyterian Church
August 31, 2008
This past week Grace and I traveled to Philadelphia Pa on an important mission. While there we had a wonderful time and something really special happened. We saw something like the burning bush that Moses saw. Now we did not see a literal burning bush, but what we did see confirmed God’s presence with us just as the burning bush confirmed God’s presence with Moses. Before I tell you what happened will you pray with me?
Father in Heaven, we know that you are present with us when we need you. We thank you for your Holy Spirit which is with us and in our hearts strengthening us for the difficult tasks we find ourselves in. We know through your son Jesus how much you love us. And we ask that you let us follow you into a glorious future. And may the words of my mouth and the meditations of our hearts be acceptable in your sight O Lord our rock and redeemer. Amen.
Matthew 16:21-28 21 From that time on, Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and undergo great suffering at the hands of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised. 22 And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him, saying, "God forbid it, Lord! This must never happen to you." 23 But he turned and said to Peter, "Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me; for you are setting your mind not on divine things but on human things." 24 Then Jesus told his disciples, "If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. 25 For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake will find it. 26 For what will it profit them if they gain the whole world but forfeit their life? Or what will they give in return for their life? 27 "For the Son of Man is to come with his angels in the glory of his Father, and then he will repay everyone for what has been done. 28 Truly I tell you, there are some standing here who will not taste death before they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom."
Moses grew up in two different cultures. On the one hand he was a Hebrew and his Hebrew servants always let him know that he was mashea, the one pulled from the water. On the other hand he knew the privilege and power as the son of Pharaoh’s daughter. Eventually the stress of belonging to both the privileged class and a despised minority became too much. Moses grieved over the oppression of his people. And one day when he saw a Hebrew being beaten by an Egyptian, Moses reacted violently and killed Egyptian taskmaster. When his crime was discovered Moses fled to the wilderness to hide, and with God’s blessing, to survive.
The wilderness is where we go to deal with the enormous problems in our lives. Jesus knew something about the wilderness. He spent forty days and nights without food and water in the wilderness. Jesus knew that an even greater wilderness was in his future, the cross. And he knew that his followers would also experience a wilderness with their own crosses on their backs. Followers of Jesus, it seems are not immune from the wilderness.
A young woman I know went through a bitter divorce where she lost her husband, the school she had built, and her two sons. Unable to cope with the shame of this situation she entered into her own wilderness and eventually immigrated to America to start a new life. Even though she was a faithful Christian who was dedicated to prayer she was forced to carry her own cross of intense emotional pain and shame. The woman I am talking about is my wife, Grace. I am about to tell you what happened to Grace and me last week, but first, let’s get back to Moses.
Moses adjusted to his new life in the wilderness by getting married to the daughter of the Priest of Midian and caring for the priest’s sheep. Moses got to know the wilderness real well as he guided the sheep in search of grazing land and water. This led Moses to the mountain of the gods of Horeb. There Moses saw a remarkable sight: a fire burned in the mist of a bush, but the bush itself was not consumed. “Was this one of the gods of Horeb?” Moses must have thought as he stared at this incredible sight. And Moses knew that this must be very powerful god because it knew his Egyptian name. But Moses had to be greatly relieved when the god of the fire in the midst of the bush identified itself as the god of his people. The god of the fire in the midst of the bush was none other the God we have been reading about for the last few weeks, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. Moses had seen an awesome sight and it turned out to be none other than the Lord, God of Israel.
Last week Grace and I encountered this same God, the god of the fire in the midst of the bush, as we traveled near Philadelphia. Here’s what happened. Recently Grace found out that her two sons had come to America. They are now exchange students living in the Philadelphia suburbs. We had no contact information. All we knew was that one was attending the Kennedy Kendrick Catholic High School in Norristown, PA. So we traveled to Pennsylvania to talk with the principal of that school. When we arrived at the school we saw a sign just inside the door. Here is what it said.
“Let it be known to all who enter here that Christ is the reason for this school, the unseen, but ever present Teacher in its classes, the Model of its faculty, and the inspiration of its students.”
When I read this sign I knew that God was with us in our journey. And even when the principal told us that she could not legally give out student contact information I was confident that we, with Jesus’ help, would find Grace’s two sons.
I decided to hire a lawyer to force the school to tell us how to contact the boys. Then, Grace remembered that she had met the senior pastor of the Eternal Life Korean Church in suburban Philadelphia at a Korean church revival in Glendale just ten days before. So we decided to call this pastor to ask for help. He invited us to his church for a conversation. We drove for around forty minutes though the narrow country roads of eastern Pennsylvania until we arrived at his church. Then we spent several minutes in the sanctuary in prayer asking God, the god of the fire in the midst of the bush, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, the Lord, God of Israel to help us.
After prayer we met with the pastor. It was during this meeting that the god of the fire in the midst of the bush appeared. The Lord God of Israel was present in that room. It happened this way. During our discussion with the pastor it was discovered that Grace’s two sons, Jae Cheon and Jae Hyun were both active in the youth group of that church! Through prayer and the grace of God we had found Grace’s sons and were able to contact them. A miracle had occurred. God had acted to help us.
After meeting the god of the fire in the midst of the bush, Moses was given and important task. He was to use his skill as a shepherd for last forty years in the wilderness, his upbringing in the Egyptian court, and his love for his own people to lead the Hebrews from slavery in Egypt, through the wilderness, to the Promised Land. This was not going to be an easy task. Moses didn’t think he could do it. After all the Egyptian had a death warrant out for his head, and his only experience for the last forty years had been tending sheep. How could Moses convince Pharaoh to led the Hebrews go? And where would they go once they were freed? These questions must have been racing through Moses head as he pondered what God was asking him to do. And thankfully Moses had no idea, at this point, that the task God was giving him would take another forty years to accomplish.
When we embark on a task given to us by God we should not expect that the task will be easy to do or it will be accomplished quickly. We have to trust that God is at work guiding us and helping us to do what God wants us to do even though we can’t see the whole picture as God does. So we have to act on faith and trust that in God the work will be finished.
Doing the work of God is like taking up a cross. We have to deny our own wants and desires to focus on the needs of others. We have to trust that God will provide for us and our needs as we do God’s work of loving others. We are called to obedience and love supported by a strong faith.
The work of restoring the relationship between Grace and her sons was not accomplished this past week. But that is not surprising. These things take time and with the help of the very creator of time we have hope, and we need to be patient as God slowly acts. Our job is to pray and ask God what we can do each day. The fruits our labors may not be known until years later, maybe even past our own lifetimes. But with God directing our work we can act with confidence in the final result. So that is why we pray for Grace’s sons every day and try to visit them as often as we can because we believe that reconciliation is God’s plan and will come about in God’s time.
So Grace and I came home from Philadelphia without her sons. They are not ready for that step of coming to live with us. I’m not sure that we are ready for that either. But after this trip is obvious to me that the god of the fire in the midst of the bush was with us in Pennsylvania and will help us to restore the relationships that have been broken. We may now be in the wilderness carrying our own crosses but the god of the fire in the midst of the bush is there to love us, guide us, and lead us in her way in her own time.
God of the fire in the midst of the bush, we come to you today expecting miracles in our lives. We come expecting restore relationships. We come confident that you will be with us as our God as we travel though the wilderness with crosses on our backs. But we are also confident that in your time your will be accomplished on Earth, and for that we are most grateful. Amen.
Sermon Exodus 3:1-15, Matthew 16:21-28 “Following God”
Eagle Rock Presbyterian Church
August 31, 2008
This past week Grace and I traveled to Philadelphia Pa on an important mission. While there we had a wonderful time and something really special happened. We saw something like the burning bush that Moses saw. Now we did not see a literal burning bush, but what we did see confirmed God’s presence with us just as the burning bush confirmed God’s presence with Moses. Before I tell you what happened will you pray with me?
Father in Heaven, we know that you are present with us when we need you. We thank you for your Holy Spirit which is with us and in our hearts strengthening us for the difficult tasks we find ourselves in. We know through your son Jesus how much you love us. And we ask that you let us follow you into a glorious future. And may the words of my mouth and the meditations of our hearts be acceptable in your sight O Lord our rock and redeemer. Amen.
Matthew 16:21-28 21 From that time on, Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and undergo great suffering at the hands of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised. 22 And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him, saying, "God forbid it, Lord! This must never happen to you." 23 But he turned and said to Peter, "Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me; for you are setting your mind not on divine things but on human things." 24 Then Jesus told his disciples, "If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. 25 For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake will find it. 26 For what will it profit them if they gain the whole world but forfeit their life? Or what will they give in return for their life? 27 "For the Son of Man is to come with his angels in the glory of his Father, and then he will repay everyone for what has been done. 28 Truly I tell you, there are some standing here who will not taste death before they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom."
Moses grew up in two different cultures. On the one hand he was a Hebrew and his Hebrew servants always let him know that he was mashea, the one pulled from the water. On the other hand he knew the privilege and power as the son of Pharaoh’s daughter. Eventually the stress of belonging to both the privileged class and a despised minority became too much. Moses grieved over the oppression of his people. And one day when he saw a Hebrew being beaten by an Egyptian, Moses reacted violently and killed Egyptian taskmaster. When his crime was discovered Moses fled to the wilderness to hide, and with God’s blessing, to survive.
The wilderness is where we go to deal with the enormous problems in our lives. Jesus knew something about the wilderness. He spent forty days and nights without food and water in the wilderness. Jesus knew that an even greater wilderness was in his future, the cross. And he knew that his followers would also experience a wilderness with their own crosses on their backs. Followers of Jesus, it seems are not immune from the wilderness.
A young woman I know went through a bitter divorce where she lost her husband, the school she had built, and her two sons. Unable to cope with the shame of this situation she entered into her own wilderness and eventually immigrated to America to start a new life. Even though she was a faithful Christian who was dedicated to prayer she was forced to carry her own cross of intense emotional pain and shame. The woman I am talking about is my wife, Grace. I am about to tell you what happened to Grace and me last week, but first, let’s get back to Moses.
Moses adjusted to his new life in the wilderness by getting married to the daughter of the Priest of Midian and caring for the priest’s sheep. Moses got to know the wilderness real well as he guided the sheep in search of grazing land and water. This led Moses to the mountain of the gods of Horeb. There Moses saw a remarkable sight: a fire burned in the mist of a bush, but the bush itself was not consumed. “Was this one of the gods of Horeb?” Moses must have thought as he stared at this incredible sight. And Moses knew that this must be very powerful god because it knew his Egyptian name. But Moses had to be greatly relieved when the god of the fire in the midst of the bush identified itself as the god of his people. The god of the fire in the midst of the bush was none other the God we have been reading about for the last few weeks, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. Moses had seen an awesome sight and it turned out to be none other than the Lord, God of Israel.
Last week Grace and I encountered this same God, the god of the fire in the midst of the bush, as we traveled near Philadelphia. Here’s what happened. Recently Grace found out that her two sons had come to America. They are now exchange students living in the Philadelphia suburbs. We had no contact information. All we knew was that one was attending the Kennedy Kendrick Catholic High School in Norristown, PA. So we traveled to Pennsylvania to talk with the principal of that school. When we arrived at the school we saw a sign just inside the door. Here is what it said.
“Let it be known to all who enter here that Christ is the reason for this school, the unseen, but ever present Teacher in its classes, the Model of its faculty, and the inspiration of its students.”
When I read this sign I knew that God was with us in our journey. And even when the principal told us that she could not legally give out student contact information I was confident that we, with Jesus’ help, would find Grace’s two sons.
I decided to hire a lawyer to force the school to tell us how to contact the boys. Then, Grace remembered that she had met the senior pastor of the Eternal Life Korean Church in suburban Philadelphia at a Korean church revival in Glendale just ten days before. So we decided to call this pastor to ask for help. He invited us to his church for a conversation. We drove for around forty minutes though the narrow country roads of eastern Pennsylvania until we arrived at his church. Then we spent several minutes in the sanctuary in prayer asking God, the god of the fire in the midst of the bush, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, the Lord, God of Israel to help us.
After prayer we met with the pastor. It was during this meeting that the god of the fire in the midst of the bush appeared. The Lord God of Israel was present in that room. It happened this way. During our discussion with the pastor it was discovered that Grace’s two sons, Jae Cheon and Jae Hyun were both active in the youth group of that church! Through prayer and the grace of God we had found Grace’s sons and were able to contact them. A miracle had occurred. God had acted to help us.
After meeting the god of the fire in the midst of the bush, Moses was given and important task. He was to use his skill as a shepherd for last forty years in the wilderness, his upbringing in the Egyptian court, and his love for his own people to lead the Hebrews from slavery in Egypt, through the wilderness, to the Promised Land. This was not going to be an easy task. Moses didn’t think he could do it. After all the Egyptian had a death warrant out for his head, and his only experience for the last forty years had been tending sheep. How could Moses convince Pharaoh to led the Hebrews go? And where would they go once they were freed? These questions must have been racing through Moses head as he pondered what God was asking him to do. And thankfully Moses had no idea, at this point, that the task God was giving him would take another forty years to accomplish.
When we embark on a task given to us by God we should not expect that the task will be easy to do or it will be accomplished quickly. We have to trust that God is at work guiding us and helping us to do what God wants us to do even though we can’t see the whole picture as God does. So we have to act on faith and trust that in God the work will be finished.
Doing the work of God is like taking up a cross. We have to deny our own wants and desires to focus on the needs of others. We have to trust that God will provide for us and our needs as we do God’s work of loving others. We are called to obedience and love supported by a strong faith.
The work of restoring the relationship between Grace and her sons was not accomplished this past week. But that is not surprising. These things take time and with the help of the very creator of time we have hope, and we need to be patient as God slowly acts. Our job is to pray and ask God what we can do each day. The fruits our labors may not be known until years later, maybe even past our own lifetimes. But with God directing our work we can act with confidence in the final result. So that is why we pray for Grace’s sons every day and try to visit them as often as we can because we believe that reconciliation is God’s plan and will come about in God’s time.
So Grace and I came home from Philadelphia without her sons. They are not ready for that step of coming to live with us. I’m not sure that we are ready for that either. But after this trip is obvious to me that the god of the fire in the midst of the bush was with us in Pennsylvania and will help us to restore the relationships that have been broken. We may now be in the wilderness carrying our own crosses but the god of the fire in the midst of the bush is there to love us, guide us, and lead us in her way in her own time.
God of the fire in the midst of the bush, we come to you today expecting miracles in our lives. We come expecting restore relationships. We come confident that you will be with us as our God as we travel though the wilderness with crosses on our backs. But we are also confident that in your time your will be accomplished on Earth, and for that we are most grateful. Amen.
Saturday, August 30, 2008
Sermon: Exodus 1:8-2:10, Matt. 16:13-20 Build upon Rock
Rev. Jeffrey T. Howard
Eagle Rock Presbyterian Church
Sermon: Exodus 1:8-2:10, Matt. 16:13-20 Build upon Rock
“Who am I?” This is a question we all ask. We want to know our own identity. We need to know who we are, why we are here, and what our purpose is. Our identity is tied to the names given to us by our parents, the educational degrees we have earned, the work we do, and the families we have. But since we are all children of God our identity ultimately comes from our creator. Today we will be exploring the issue of who we are by looking at the naming of two important biblical characters, Moses and Peter. But first will you pray with me?
Holy Spirit be with us as we read and interpret the Holy Scripture that has been preserved for us by the church for two thousand years. Help us to understand not only the original meaning of the verses we read but what you are saying to us through them today. And may the words of my mouth and the meditations of our hearts be acceptable in your sight our rock and our redeemer. Amen.
Exodus 1:8 - 2:10 8 Now a new king arose over
When Moses was born his identity was already established. The Egyptians saw him as part of a despised minority of foreigners that had grown too large and had to be stamped out; this put Moses life in jeopardy as soon as he was born. His mother saw him as a beloved son who had to be saved from death. To Pharaoh’s daughter he was seen as a gift of a beautiful baby whom she gave the name common to Egyptian royalty, Moses. And his own people, when they heard the name “Moses” thought of the Hebrew word “mashea” and remembered that Moses was one of their own, the one pulled from the water. From God’s perspective Moses was the one who would lead the Hebrew people out of slavery, through the waters of the
Today our names are given to us by our mothers and fathers. This ability to name was given to us by God at creation when Adam gave names to the creatures God had created. I have studied my own genealogy and discovered that in the eighteenth century my ancestors were named after family members; then in the nineteenth century biblical names were used; and in the twentieth century we went back to family names so my middle name, Thomas, is my grandmother’s maiden name.
We all have names from our parents but our name is not the same thing as our identity. In
I have found that Koreans approach identity in a very different way. They often seem surprised when I ask them where they work or which city in
I am still trying to figure out how people are identified in
Of course God gives us our real identity. We are Christians, followers of Jesus Christ the Son of God. And this brings us to Peter.
Matthew 16:13-20 13 Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, "Who do people say that the Son of Man is?" 14 And they said, "Some say John the Baptist, but others Elijah, and still others Jeremiah or one of the prophets." 15 He said to them, "But who do you say that I am?" 16 Simon Peter answered, "You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God." 17 And Jesus answered him, "Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father in heaven. 18 And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not prevail against it. 19 I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven." 20 Then he sternly ordered the disciples not to tell anyone that he was the Messiah.
Just before beginning his journey to
While they were traveling Jesus was talking to his disciples and asking them questions. One question was about identity. “Who do people say the Son of Man is?” All educated Hebrews would know about the Son of Man. The prophet Daniel predicted that a human being would come directly from heaven to rule the earth with power given by God. Their expectation was that this person would come to lead God’s people from slavery to
Another question from Jesus to the disciples was: “Who do you say that I am”. This is a question we are still asking. Who is Jesus? Some say that Jesus was a good teacher of morality. Others say that Jesus was a prophet. And still others say that Jesus was an historical figure of minor importance in the first century. But for Christians the answer to this question defines who we are and gives us our identity. So lets look at the identity of the first Christian, Simon Peter.
Simon was given the Aramaic name Cephas by his parents. English speakers pronounce it Simon. Simon was a fisherman on the
When Simon made this confession Jesus knew that Simon now had a new identity as a Christian. So Jesus gave Simon a new name symbolizing his new identity. Jesus called him Peter or “Petros” which sounds to Greek speakers a lot like “petras” which means “rock”. Simon became Peter the rock upon which Jesus Christ would build his church.
Church history tells us that Simon Peter became the Bishop of Rome, and in that role he collected and preserved the writings which one day would become the New Testament. Peter and the bishops, priests, pastors and teachers who would follow would preserve these writings as authentic presentations of orthodox faith in Jesus Christ, protecting them from heretical teachings. It is upon this rock, the Word of God, that the
As Christians we are identified as people who stand on the solid foundation of the Word of God. The Word of God contains the keys that unlock the
Lord Jesus Christ, we confess that you are the Christ, the Son of God. We thank you for blessing us with the church that has preserved the Word of God for two millennia. Open us to receive this Word into our lives though the preaching and teaching of this church today. And give us the new name “Christian”, as those who follow you. Amen.
Wednesday, August 20, 2008
Sermon Gen 43:26-34, Matt 15:21-28 Strangers at the Table
Rev. Jeffrey T. Howard
Sermon Gen 43:26-34, Matt
Eagle Rock Presbyterian Church
“O God, who is the hope of all the ends of the earth, the God of the spirits of all flesh: We beseech Thee to hear our humble intercession for all kindred and races of humanity that thou wilt turn all hearts unto Thyself. Remove from our minds hatred, prejudice, and contempt for those who are not of our own race or color, class or creed; that, departing from everything that estranges and divides, we may by Thee be brought into unity of spirit, in the bond of peace. Let the words of our mouth, and the meditation of our heart, be acceptable in Thy sight, O Lord, our Strength and our Redeemer. Amen.”[1]
Genesis 43:26-34 26 When Joseph came home, they brought him the present that they had carried into the house, and bowed to the ground before him. 27 He inquired about their welfare, and said, "Is your father well, the old man of whom you spoke? Is he still alive?" 28 They said, "Your servant our father is well; he is still alive." And they bowed their heads and did obeisance. 29 Then he looked up and saw his brother Benjamin, his mother's son, and said, "Is this your youngest brother, of whom you spoke to me? God be gracious to you, my son!" 30 With that, Joseph hurried out, because he was overcome with affection for his brother, and he was about to weep. So he went into a private room and wept there. 31 Then he washed his face and came out; and controlling himself he said, "Serve the meal." 32 They served him by himself, and them by themselves, and the Egyptians who ate with him by themselves, because the Egyptians could not eat with the Hebrews, for that is an abomination to the Egyptians. 33 When they were seated before him, the firstborn according to his birthright and the youngest according to his youth, the men looked at one another in amazement. 34 Portions were taken to them from Joseph's table, but Benjamin's portion was five times as much as any of theirs. So they drank and were merry with him.
Eating together is how we celebrate important times in our lives. I can remember the great feasts my mother would prepare on holidays and when the grand parents visited, roast beef, turkey, or meat loaf with the all the trimmings. I can remember pot luck dinners when families would gather in church to sample dishes from each other; my mother’s scalloped potatoes were always in demand. A couple of years ago I invited my family and friends from back east to enjoy of wedding feast of Korean food, as my multicultural life got started.
Once I was eating in a Thai restaurant with a mixed group of Americans and Koreans. Although Thais do not use chopsticks some were provide for the benefit of the Koreans who do. The waitress bought out plates of food which were served American style; they were passed from person to person who scooped out what they wanted on their own individual plates. We then ate from our own plates refilling them as desired. Near the end of the dinner I saw a singe shrimp sitting on a serving dish across the table. So using chopsticks I reach across the table, grabbed the shrimp, and ate it. Immediately I was scolded by an American women sitting across from me who yelled “Jeff, what are you doing?” I explained that in Korean culture food is placed in shared bowls all over the table and you use chopsticks to eat whatever you want directly from the shared bowls; these is no need for a plate. A Korean man sitting next to her was amused that an American man was getting into the same kind of trouble that he experienced as a new immigrant. These are the kinds of multicultural experiences I have had in the three and a half years that I have known Grace.
In Genesis we see how the Egyptians handled multicultural experiences at dinner; they were avoided. No Egyptian would ever eat at the same table as a Hebrew. So the Egyptians ate at a table by themselves. The Hebrew ate at a table by themselves. And Joseph who had one foot in each culture ate all by himself. The rule was that strangers were not welcome at the table. And this brings us to an unusual and somewhat disturbing story about strangers at the table in the gospel of Matthew.
Matthew 15:21-28 21 Jesus left that place and went away to the district of Tyre and
Many of us are disturbed by the words of Jesus. Why, we ask would Jesus not talk to the Canaanite women who came to Jesus to heal her daughter? Why would Jesus call her a “dog”. This does not square with our picture of a loving Jesus who welcomes everyone to the table.
To understand this passage we must first understand Jesus’ teaching style. Jesus was a rabbi or teacher and had way a teaching that was unusual and showed his authority. Matthew often condensed stories about Jesus’ teaching so much that some information about the way is lost. But I think that we can piece enough of this story together to see what Jesus is really trying to say.
Jesus usually began teaching by referring to the Law of Moses. Here the Law of Moses clearly states that a Hebrew man should not speak with a Canaanite woman. The reason was simple, according to Moses when the people of God entered into the Promised Land the Hebrew men were not to marry Canaanite women because those women would take their children not to God’s tabernacle but to pagan shrines. To prevent this, Hebrew men were told to marry good Hebrew women. This Mosaic Law was what Jesus was referring to when he refused to speak with the Canaanite woman.
But after two millennia the laws of Moses had been perverted. A once sensible law that encouraged men to ensure that their children would worship Yahweh had been twisted into a rational for racist hatred against the Canaanites. It was this racism that Jesus referred to when he said when he said that sharing food with a Canaanite was like giving it to the dogs. This was a mean spirited perversion of the Mosaic Law which Jesus had come to condemn. Jesus was not going to tolerate racist attitudes against anyone and would not allow the Law of Moses to be twisted for that purpose.
Jesus then speaking from the position of authority as the Son of God told his followers that no longer would race, ethnicity, nationality, or language, be used in deciding who would gather at his table. Everyone who places their faith in our Lord Jesus Christ is welcome to share in his fellowship. That is why the experiment we are trying here are Eagle Rock Presbyterian Church is so important. We live in a society where monoethnic churches are the norm, Caucasians go to Caucasian churches, Koreans go to Korean churches, African Americans go to African American churches, the wealthy gather in wealthy churches, and the poor gather in poor churches. But here we are building a multicultural church where everyone regardless of race, ethnicity, nationality, or economic level is welcome into our fellowship. Our only requirement is that you have faith in Jesus Christ.
Let me tell you a story that happened this week. A homeless man living on the streets of Eagle Rock has been attending our evening services. I thought I recognized him somehow but I didn’t know when or where. This past Thursday as Grace and I were walking to church for morning prayers we saw him sitting in front of our cross on Eagle Rock Blvd. So we invited him into prayers. After the prayer service we all went over to Burger King for breakfast. It was there that Joseph, the man we met, pulled out a sketch pad and showed us some drawings. That is when I remembered when and where I had met him before. Ten years ago I participated in a ministry serving lunch to homeless men in
I believe that a church that welcomes into its doors people from all ethnic groups and economic levels will be richly blessed by God. A church the welcomes everyone even the poorest, even the most despised, is a church that will be blessed with new members and increased giving. God is just waiting for the
I urge you to come to our Sunday evening worship. There you will see what it means to welcome everyone to the table. There you will meet young Koreans trying to learn English and American ways. You will also meet the desperately poor who live on the streets and depend of the hospitality of churches to survive. You will meet all types of people whose faith brings them to worship in this sanctuary and who are then fed at our Lord’s tables in Montgomery Hall. At dinner no one is excluded or called a “dog”. Rather, everyone with faith in Jesus Christ is welcome. As you eat dinner with us you will experience the
“Now unto Him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us; unto Him be glory in the Church, by Christ Jesus, throughout all ages, world without end. Amen.”
Thursday, August 14, 2008
Sermon Mt. 14:13-21, Gen. 32:22-31 Wrestling With God
Rev. Jeffrey T. Howard
Eagle Rock Presbyterian Church
Every now I then I can’t sleep. I toss and turn in bed with my mind racing ahead thinking about some matter or another which keeps me up all night. We all experience this inability to sleep at one time or another. It usually happens at important transitions in our lives. In today’s scripture lessons both Jesus and his ancestor Jacob experienced sleepless nights when they were confronting enormous issues. Today we will see that during these times of distress both came closer to God.
Father in heaven our minds are often troubled. We grieve the loss of family and friends. We fear what the future has in store for us. We ask that you be with us though whatever may happen in our lives. And we place all of our hope on a glorious future with you, in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, amen.
Matthew
Jesus just heard some really bad news. His friend, cousin, and ministry partner, John the Baptist was dead, brutally murdered by the Tetrarch himself, Herod Antipas. John had been in one of Herod’s prisons because he had dared to criticize the king for his adulterous relationship with his brother’s wife, Herodias. John would have been executed a long time ago, but the king was fearful of what might happen if he killed someone the people considered to be a prophet. So John stayed in Herod’s prison until Herod’s birthday. At the birthday celebration Herodias’ daughter danced beautifully and the king offered to give her anything she wanted. Her mother urged her to request John’s head on a platter, and it was immediately done.
When Jesus heard this story he wanted to be alone. He got into a boat and went off to a deserted place to be by himself, think and grieve. We don’t know how long he was there, but it could have been a long sleepless night when Jesus wrestled with God over this injustice done to John.
Jacob also spent a sleepless night worrying about meeting his brother, Esau. As a youth Jacob had been a schemer and a cheater often at the expense of Esau. But now Jacob had two wives, twelve children, great wealth and the only thing he still needed to do was to repent and ask Esau for forgiveness. But when he heard that Esau was coming with 400 men he divided his caravan into two parts and sent them into the hills. Jacob spent the night alone. During that night Jacob couldn’t sleep. He wrestled with God over his past sin. He wrestled with God over his fears of tomorrow. He wrestled with God over God’s promise that his descendant would form a great nation which like dust would cover the whole world. He wrestled with God over a damaged hip and the chronic pain that would plague him the rest of his life. He wrestled with God the entire night never giving in to sleep. And years later when people remember the night when Jacob wrestled with God, he and all of his descendants were called
We have all spent sleepless nights worrying about tomorrow. Maybe we have lost a loved one. Maybe the doctor gave us a bad prognosis. Maybe we didn’t get the job we wanted. Maybe our business is not doing well. Maybe we can’t pay the rent or the mortgage this month. Maybe we are hungry and need something to eat. Maybe we found out that someone we love does not love us. Maybe we have done something wrong and fear the punishment we deserve. Maybe we suffer from chronic pain.
Whatever it is we toss and turn and cannot get to sleep. We stare at the clock and watch the minutes go by. We walk into the kitchen and remember something about warm milk. We turn on the television or the radio. For some of us we take a sleeping pill, open a bottle of vodka, smoke a joint, or shoot narcotics into our veins. We do whatever we have to do to lessen the pain and get a little rest.
King David had a long sleepless night and wrote down the prayer he spoke that night to God: Psalm 17:1 Hear a just cause, O LORD; attend to my cry; give ear to my prayer from lips free of deceit. 2 From you let my vindication come; let your eyes see the right. 3 If you try my heart, if you visit me by night, if you test me, you will find no wickedness in me; my mouth does not transgress. 4 As for what others do, by the word of your lips I have avoided the ways of the violent. 5 My steps have held fast to your paths; my feet have not slipped. 6 I call upon you, for you will answer me, O God; incline your ear to me, hear my words. 7 Wondrously show your steadfast love, O savior of those who seek refuge from their adversaries at your right hand. 8 Guard me as the apple of the eye; hide me in the shadow of your wings.
Jacob and Jesus both feared tomorrow. What would Esau do the Jacob? What would Herod do to Jesus? Each of us has our own Herods and Esaus that plague us in the night. But the promise of scripture is that God will be there to take care of our tomorrows. When you can’t sleep at night just put your faith in God, and give all your fears to God. Trust that God will guide you through the pain you are experiencing and the difficulty ahead.
When Esau arrived and saw Jacob he ran to him, embraced and kissed his brother. Even though Jacob had been a schemer and had cheated Esau so many times Esau still loved and missed his brother. Esau has long since forgiven Jacob and looked forward to the day when Jacob would return. This is how God sees us. God grieves that we have been away for so long and longs for the day we will return. God is waiting to embrace us if we just turn back and accept her love. So whatever you have done, whomever you have cheated, whatever schemes you have hatched return to God and say that you are sorry and our faithful God will forgive you just as Esau forgave Jacob.
After Jesus’ long night of grieving the death of John the Baptist he was greeted by a crowd of people wishing to console him. Jesus realized that they too had spent sleepless nights grieving over the loss of John. Jesus with great compassion in his heart healed the sick and comforted the grieving. And when evening came and they were all exhausted he refused to send them out alone to find food for themselves. Rather Jesus fed them with the bread of heaven. Once we experience God’s forgiveness in our lives we rejoice and express our gratitude by helping others. Like Jesus we can express our thanks to God by sharing food with those who need it. This is happening at our Sunday evening services as food prepared by this church feeds people who are hungry. And it will happen in a few moments as we gather around this table to eat the bread provided for us by Jesus. Jesus is providing us this bread and wine because he knows that we have spent many sleepless nights worrying about tomorrow. He wants us to experience God’s forgiving grace for ourselves. And so as you eat this bread and drink this wine remember that you are forgiven by God and that God will protect you, guide you, and provide for you in all your tomorrows.
So the next time you can’t get to sleep and toss and turn all night remember that whatever it is that you are ashamed of God is ready to forgive you and welcome you home. Remember that whatever it is that you fear God will be there to sustain you with the bread of life. Say a prayer of thanks, and get some sleep.
Lord Jesus, whenever we can’t sleep remind us that in you all the bad things we have done are forgiven and washed away. Remind us that you are waiting to welcome us into your arms when we return. Remind us that God will provide for us when we awake into a fearful future. And bless us so that we can bless others by being your instruments of forgiveness and provision. We pray all of this in your strong name, amen.
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