Series: "Wandering Pilgrims" "I Have a Plan"

Sunday Sermon June 24, 2012                         
Jer. 29:8-14

2 old-school farmers were talking when one says, “I think I’m going to buy one of those new tractors.” The other responds, “Not me… I’m going to stay with my tried and true horses.” They stare at the tractor when the 2^nd farmer says, “Don’t shoot your horse till you know how to drive the tractor.”

  “If you want to make God laugh… tell Him your plans.”

Prayer:

We conclude our series “Wandering Pilgrims” today where we’ve learned that transitions can be long and arduous. We’ve learned that we should expect wilderness times because they will happen… because we are imperfect people and because God desires to teach us… and often we learn best in the wilderness of life. We’ve learned that to leave the wilderness we will have to take some risks… that we will need faith to get out of our boats and to trust that God will provide what is necessary to get through. We’ve learned that we need each other… that God doesn’t want us to be alone on this journey. That each of us is a part of the body and each of us has a part to contribute to the conversation as we discern what God is calling us to be about.

Today, we conclude our series by reflecting on God’s plan for us.

                        “I Have A Plan”

You may recall our 1^st week’s reflection when the Israelites escaped Egypt enthusiastically, then 15 days in there complaining, they build idols, they fight with each other etc…

-       Ex 14:15… God says to Moses, “Why do you keep complaining, tell the Israelites to move forward.”

They do… but they shortly forget that God is walking with them and they still find reason to complain. The result… 40 years in the wilderness. For the Israelites… it becomes a patterned of faith and trust and disobedience that gets repeated over and over. This leads us to Jeremiah and another failing on the part of the Israelites.

Jeremiah is called by God to preach to the Israelites and to tell them to turn back to God.

God calls him even before he’s born.

God calls him as a young man… he’s 14-16 yrs old.

God calls a boy to proclaim the goodness.

A boy who has no experience.

A boy who has difficulties speaking.

A boy who is going to tell a nation that they’ve turned away from God and a boy who is going to tell them to turn back to God.

Be honest… How many of you would listen to a 14 yr old boy like this?

He’s called to tell them bad news… their very existence is in jeopardy. The Babylonians is at the door step of Jerusalem and readying themselves to destroy Jerusalem and the Temple. They are going to be carted off to Babylon for 70 years. Most of them will never return.

The people, that is the Israelites, beat Jeremiah… they put him in a hole, and carry him off to a foreign land…. How would you like that job? Yet… God says in Vs 11… “I have a plan”…. “I will bless you with a future.” Jeremiah, like Moses, who only saw the Promised Land from a distance… Jeremiah has to trust God with the future as well. The Israelites thought they had the plan… they thought they knew best. They thought they had right answers & didn’t need guidance from God. They didn’t want to hear about God’s plan for their lives.

So… what is God’s plan for us? Let’s look at what God tells us…

“I have Plans to Care for You”

Vs 11… God says, “I have plans to care for you” Look at the times I have provided for you…. If you turn to me… trust me

They knew the stories of God’s provision.

They knew the stories when God protected them.

They knew God wouldn’t abandon them…that God hasn’t forgotten then

I just read a book titled, “The Land Between” and it’s a story that reflects the wilderness journeys of the Israelites and compares those journeys with the stories of people the author knows.

Author Jeff Manion makes this analogy, “The Israelites do not seem to have changed over the course of two years in the wilderness… I have the sensation of listening to an old-fashion record player with the needle stuck in a groove, repeating the same fragment of song over and over”… Manion continues, “the intention of God is to dislodge the Israelites from the rut of their lethal, faith-destroying groove… God is at work to rescue.” 

God is not in the business of wrecking things. God is not in the business of making your life miserable… God care to much for you to do that. God is however, in the business of rescuing people not punishing people. Think about it for a moment… How has God cared for you in the wildernesses of life? God has provided for you. We’ve all experienced it!

When finances have been tough… and out of nowhere money shows up at the right moment.

When the encouragement of a friend soothed an ache.

Just recently a friend w/ medical issues and was wondering how they were going to meet a $5000 deductable… and somebody or bodies covered it.

When I trusted God… God provided.

God cares deeply for us despite our propensity to turn away.

God tells us I have “Plans to give you a Future”

I believe this is the most difficult truth for us to deal with. We look around and we may see not to bright a future based on our understanding of the kind of future we are seeking. And that it the problem for us… it’s our understanding of the kind of future we want. When I entered the ministry I never planned on being an interim pastor. My plan was that I would be called to a congregation, we would don amazing ministry, we would engage the community and grow. I would be there 10, 15, or even 25 years. That was my plan!!! Well… that’s not what God’s plan has been.

God told the Israelites they had a future… God said, Vs 10… “in 70 years I will bring you back to Jerusalem.” Israelites… theirs your future.

Jesus tells his friends, “I have chosen you to be sent out to produce fruit.

Jesus says in John 14… “If you have faith in me you will do the same things I am doing… in fact, you will do even greater things than I.”

Do you believe this? Do you believe God has a plan for your life?

Do you trust God with your future?

God says, Jer. vs 14… “If you come looking for me, you will find me.” Some translations say, “If you turn back to me.” ----“If you seek me with all your heart.

The Israelites were seeking temporary fixes… much of the time that’s our solution too.

God tells us I have “Plans to Bring You Back”

I believe the most significant and most challenging Vs in the story, especially as it reads in “The Message Bible”  is Vs 13… “If you get serious about finding me and want it more than anything else, I’ll make sure you won’t be disappointed… I’ll turn  things around and I’’ bring you back.”

Most of us most certainly bounce back from difficulties we face.

-       Hope is centered in the opportunity that times will change.

-       Hopefully we have learned something from the wilderness.

-       Hopefully through the wilderness we have learned to trust God fully.

-       The good news… God is always inviting us back when we stumble.

The challenge… Are we serious about God leading us?

                           Are we serious about God’s Plan For Us?

Max Lucado tells the story of a man who had been a closet slob most of his life. He just couldn't comprehend the logic of neatness. Why make up a bed if you're going to sleep in it again tonight? Why put the lid on the toothpaste tube if you're going to take it off again in the morning? The man admitted to being compulsive about being messy.

Then he got married. His wife was patient. She said she didn't mind his habits ... if he didn't mind sleeping on the couch. Since he did mind, he began to change. He said he enrolled in a 12-step program for slobs. A physical therapist helped him rediscover the muscles used for hanging up shirts and placing toilet paper on the holder. His nose was reintroduced to the smell of Pine Sol. By the time his in-laws arrived for a visit, he was a new man.

But then came the moment of truth. His wife went out of town for a week. At first he reverted to the old man. He figured he could be a slob for six days and clean on the seventh. But something strange happened. He could no longer relax with dirty dishes in the sink or towels flung around the bathroom or clothes on the floor or sheets piled up like a mountain on the bed.

What happened? Simple says, Lucado… He had been exposed to a higher standard of living. That's what Jesus does.

-- Max Lucado, In the Grip of Grace (Dallas: Word Publishing, 1996), 116-117.

See You Out on the Road

"I Don't Believe in Organized Religion"

I found Brian's insights to this nagging question to be very helpful. While I've been the reciepiant of statements like this, I must admit, a bit reluctantly, I've even made them at various times as well. Brian has leveled the ground with his article and it makes sense to use this insight when we hear it. check it out.

“I Don’t Believe in Organized Religion!” Huh?

Posted on June 22, 2012by briangigee

And I heard the guy murmur…“I don’t believe in organized religion.”
Heard that? It’s not the first time. 1980’s, 1990’s 2000’s. Last week. Some might even say now it’s not just a Christian thing. The word is our Jewish and Muslim friends partake and are adding a few bricks to the wall! And it’s never ever a new comment and still when someone thinks I’m hearing it again for the first time, I get out my grumpy old man¹ posture faster than Doc Holliday drew on Ike Clanton at the OK Corral. Is there a point? It’s not an OK or helpful statement and I think it gets said in an attempt to avoid talking about what now too many know too little about. Most folks want to have faith, but too few major in religion. After all, why would I want to talk ‘hockey’ with Wayne Gretzky or ‘home cookin’ with Paula Dean? Is it that I don’t believe in organized hockey or having a plan for home cooking? No, it’s just that I don’t have much to offer to either of those conversations, so avoiding one would serve me best.
Have you ever heard that same excuse…“I don’t believe in organized religion”? What did you say? How’d it go? Sadly, for me, it seems that I never really get to truly engage in the conversation as the comment is designed to end it before the talking gets started. But, someday I hope to and someday really want to because I do believe in organized religion and my reasons are both personal and professional. So, when I do, maybe, this is what some of that conversation can include…

continue at.... http://briangigee.wordpress.com/2012/06/22/i-dont-believe-in-organized-religion-huh/

Five Reasons Denoninations are Pass'e

This was posted by David Lose who writes a blogg "In the Meantime" that I find facinating and so very true. I believe we are in the final days of denominational exsistance as it becomes less and less important to have ties to denominations. The truth of the matter is... being faithful church community is no longer about which brand you are, but walking in the way of Jesus. I wish the church would finally catch on to this fact of faithfulness. Maybe... some day... it will.


Five Reasons Denominations are Pass'e
A quick, but important caveat: I teach at a denominational seminary, was ordained into and serve in a denomination, and not only take seriously, but take pride in, my Lutheran identity and heritage. Whether that makes you want to take more seriously or dismiss altogether my feelings about denominations is, of course, for you to decide.

With that in mind, here are my five chief reasons I not only think the day of denominations has passed but also can’t seem to find it in me to shed many tears about it.

1) Denominations are confusing in a post-Christian world and often an impediment to mission. When the larger culture was nominally Christian, we had the luxury of squaring off behind our denominational identities. No longer. Ask the typical person with little or no familiarity with the Christian faith the difference between Methodists, Lutherans, and Presbyterians and she’ll likely give you a blank stare that indicates she’s wondering whether you’re still talking about Christianity. Here’s the sad truth: most people in the various denominations have little sense what they mean and no one outside them really cares.

2) The differences between the major denominations are relatively minor. As much as I love a good real-presence vs. memorial-feast slugfest or round of justification/sanctification truth-or-dare, the truth is most of the denominational differences are not only unintelligible to their own members but, in the larger scheme of things, relatively minor. Across the board the major Protestant denominations share a biblical canon, confess the major ecumenical creeds, and observe the same two sacraments. I therefore can – and regularly do – worship at churches of any of the major denominations and feel not even a quiver in my theological conscience.

3) Inordinate amounts of funding are spent on maintaining denominational structures and bureaucracies, money that could be spent on mission. Even though every denomination I know has in recent years cut way back on spending, eliminated various divisions or boards, or extended the times between major assemblies or conventions, denominations are still expending vast sums of money to prop up dated denominational bureaucracies. Would it not make sense to conserve resources by efficiently combining structures? Are seven or eight struggling denominational publishing houses better than one robust one? Where there are three beleaguered denominational seminaries in a single region, might not one healthy pan-denominational school suffice? (And we haven’t even started on congregations!) Think of what might happen if the savings were channeled to funding creative media campaigns that didn’t extol the virtues of one denomination but taught the Christian faith.

4) Political differences outstripped theological ones decades ago. Let’s face it: progressive Lutheran, Presbyterian, and Episcopalian congregations have a lot more in common than do progressive and conservative congregations in the same tradition. Differences over how to read the Bible, the nature of the atonement, and the character of God are far more important today than nuanced differences in polity or regarding the sacraments.

5) Denominational affiliation often represents the triumph of ethnic and cultural loyalties over theological convictions. While denominations my have initially arisen over theological differences, they were soon co-opted by the political realities of their sponsoring state. Little wonder, then, that ethnic and cultural identity are closely tied to denominational affiliation. Those in the club, after all, talk not simply of Presbyterians and Lutherans but Scotch Presbyterians and Swedish or German Lutherans. This has always made it difficult to reach beyond one’s ethnic enclave because interested seekers, even if they were attracted to, for instance, Lutheran theology, had to accept it in the form of German chorales or Swedish traditions. Moreover, as ethnic culture has declined as an important identity-maker, so also has religious affiliation – after all, for many folks, if Lutheranism isn’t about Santa Lucia, what is it about? And if they’ve stopped going to the Santa Lucia festival, why bother with church?

Bottom line: while I love my denominational heritage and am all for a robust theological identity and spirited theological conversation, I’d give up denominational identity and structure in a heartbeat if it meant a more unified, comprehensible, and compelling witness to the Gospel. How do we move in this direction? To tell you the truth, I haven’t the foggiest idea. (I know that I don’t think non-denominational churches are the answer, as they’ve essentially become denominations minus any sense of organization.) Do I even think it’s possible, given how much we have invested in our denominations and the good work they still accomplish? Again, you’ve got me. But I do know it’s time to raise these questions and initiate a conversation about mutual collaboration and mission that runs far beyond anything our parents or grandparents would have dreamed possible.

Series: “Wandering Pilgrims,” “We Need Each Other”

Sunday Sermon June 17, 2012                                                                                    

      Gen. 2:18-23, 1Cor 12:24-27, Jn 15:1-8

This was an interactive sermon meaning the congregation participated in learning what God was doing and saying to us. I asked two questions and the congregation got into groups of 4-6 and discussed the questions and then responded to their discoveries. It was an interesting discussion about what God is doing in this faith community during this transition time.

Prayer:
We are continuing our series “Wandering Pilgrims where we’ve reflected that life often times has us experiencing wilderness times. Truth is… we should expect the wilderness or wandering times because they will take place. Last week we focused on “if you want to walk on water, you’ve got to get out of the boat.” That getting out of the boat is often times risky and fearful, but that we need to trust Jesus because Jesus believes we can do what he is asking.

Today… our readings reflect and our focus will be that… “We Need Each Other”

I read a story from Ward Williams and thought it was a good analogy to why we need each other…. "Those of you who live in suburbia know how some people take great pride in their lawn. They do every imaginable thing to have the most beautiful and best manicured lawn in the neighborhood. When we lived in Connecticut our neighbor was such an individual. He was justly proud of his half-acre, until one year a heavy crop of dandelions appeared. He tried everything imaginable in an effort to get rid of them, but without success.

Finally, in desperation, he wrote to the Connecticut State Agricultural College, listing the remedies he had tried, and concluded with the appeal, What shall I do about my dandelions now? Not long after, he received a brief reply: We suggest that you learn to love them."
                                                                                     -Ward Williams, A stable God, vheadline.com.

We are a faith community when we are together. This means we are on a journey of faith… and by faith we do our best to live in Christ-likeness. This journey is often a journey of discovery… not only for myself, but also for us collectively.

Some think this journey is dumb and stupid… after-all is all about just hiring a pastor. As a pastor I take offence to that… because what it’s about is growing in faith and becoming disciples or Jesus followers and not just about having someone do church, or baptize, marry & bury. On Confirmation Sunday someone commented to me that I was a rent-a-pastor… NO…. what we are doing is about growing in faith together. Growing in forgiveness and grace together. This is about learning that we need each other

Last Sunday we worked on Cross’s history time-line and near the end someone said that they were glad we were doing this together and that we are still a community that needs each other. This person was moved by the fact that being with one another was still part of who we are as a faith community.

Today all three of our reading focus on connecting us to each other.
      - Gen 2:18… God says, “It isn’t good for man to be alone, I will make a suitable partner.”

      - Paul uses body imagery in 1Cor as a metaphor to being together.
      - Jesus talks about being connected to the vine.
       - These stories help us visualize how God desires the church or as I’m fond of saying,          “The Faith Community” to be.

So… with this in mind… I want to do something a bit different. I want us to have a conversation together in reflecting on our 1Cor and Gospel stories. That’s right… you are going to reflect on our readings for the rest of the sermon. The purpose of this is to help us understand what God is doing and to help us discover a metaphor for our life together.

I’m going to ask you 2 questions to help you reflect. This is an exercise in being with each other and discovering what God is up to.

Those seated on my right will reflect on 1Cor 12:24-27 story (Pg 153 in your bibles)

Those on my left will reflect on John 15:1-8 story (Pg 95 in your bibles).

 Get in groups of 4-6 with around you and answer this question….

 What is God up to in this story?      Take 5 min…
                                    What did you discover? What is God up to?

 What is God Saying to Us?      Take 5 Min….

                                    What did you discover? What is God saying?

 Jesus tells us to stay joined to Him.
               Paul tells us that together we are the body of Christ.

 We need each other if we are to move forward in mission ministry of sharing Jesus with others. We don't know how long this transition will take. We have a plan, but none of us know what will take place in the weeks and months ahead. That is why we need each other. We need to stay connected to the one who provides. We cannot do any of this by ourselves. each of us play a part in how Cross's ministry unfolds. We need each other to continue in our growth in faith. 

Two brothers worked together on the family farm. One was married and had a large family. The other was single. At the day's end, the brothers shared everything equally, produce and profit.

Then one day the single brother said to himself, It's not right that we should share equally the produce and the profit. I'm alone, and my needs are simple. So each night he took a sack of grain from his bin and crept across the field between their houses, dumping it into his brother's bin.

Meanwhile, the married brother said to himself, It's not right that we should share the produce and the profit equally. After all, I'm married, and I have my wife and children to look after me in years to come. My brother has no one, and no one to take care of his future. So each night he took a sack of grain and dumped it into his single brother's bin.

Both men were puzzled for years because their supply of grain never dwindled. Then one dark night the two brothers bumped into each other. Slowly it dawned on them what was happening. They dropped their sacks and embraced one another.

                                                      Jack Canfield, Mark Victor Hansen, A 2nd Helping of Chicken Soup for the Soul

See You Out on the Road

Hardship and religion

We don't seem nearly as mystified by the presence of happiness and blessing, which makes me wonder weather suffering and evil might be the prerequisites for religion. That is, if humankind didn't know hardship, would we be nearly as motivated to create systems of faith?

Philip Gulley

Series: “Wandering Pilgrims” "Get Out of the Boat"

Sundays Sermon Jun 10, 2012  
Matt. 14:22-33

We are in week 2 of our 4 week series titled, “Wandering Pilgrims.” As we begin the summer months we as a faith community may be feeling that the interim process is slowing giving us the perception of a wandering or wilderness time. Last week we talked about this happening and that we should expect to experience times like this. We experience these times throughout our lives and this isn't be any different in the church either. It’s normal to experience this, and it’s ok because through the experience we will discover our true selves as a faith community.

This week we will reflect on another reason we find ourselves in wandering times, furthermore, it may also present an opportunity for us to end our wandering times… if we are willing to…. "Get Out of the Boat."

PRAYER:

In college I had a classmate named Joseph… he was from Kenya, and he over-heard our professor commending me for going to college as an older person. The prof likened it to walking on water and Joseph over heard the last part of that statement. Joseph said that's impossible. No body can walk on water. This is simply impossible. The prof told Joseph that by the end of his time here he will have the opportunity to walk on water. Joseph responded by saying there was no way he or anyone else could walk on water. In mid-January... Joseph walked on water... he then believed. 

When we are in a wandering or wilderness time in our lives we often feel little hope.

Quite often, we have a WOW is me attitude. We typically feel worthless and helpless, and unable to do anything. We often don’t see the opportunities that surround us. The same is true for churches. Many times our church loses focus on the main thing being the main thing, thus becoming self-serving and self-centered. In a sense… “Getting Out of the Boat” is a kick in the behind that opens our eyes to a needed perspective change. So my friends… if you want to walk on water, then you need “Get Out of the Boat.”

Our bible story today is a familiar one. Peter takes a risk and we often see it as a failure… we see it as a failure of faith. Jesus says, “You of little faith.” But, this story isn't only about Peter, but also about the other 11 who make no attempts to do anything.

This is really a story about fear and trust. Let’s look at these two attributes.

 Fear....

John Ortberg in his book “If you want to walk on water, you got to get out of the boat” says,

“There are 366 “FEAR NOT’S” in the bible, one for everyday of the year including 1 for Leap Year.”
Why do we fear so much? Why are we so afraid to do things? When we were younger we didn’t think too much about doing things… we just did them. Many times they worked out, and sometimes they didn’t, but generally we would continue to try things. Many of us live in a constant tension between fear & trust.

Maybe you experienced this as a parent or child… your child is on a platform and you call out to her to jump… I will catch you… trust me… I’m your father or mother… I will catch you… I love you and I won’t let you drop. How many times did we jump? How many times did our kids jump? Of course most of the time we jumped because we trusted our parent.

Yet… fear grips us. Fear paralyzes us… fear stops us from experiencing the joy of accomplishment and we do this in the church as well. When churches stop trying out of fear or of failing, or the fear of not having enough money, enough people, enough leaders, etc.
Sometimes we fear succeeding… new people will come… things will change… things will be different. When we fear too much… fear will always win the day.

Fear can be a good thing… when a small child touches a hot stove… the fear of being burned is good. However, most of the time we fear for no reason at all.

Jesus tells Peter, “Don’t be afraid… Don’t worry I’m here.”

I wonder how much ministry has not happened because of fear.

TRUST...

Jesus says to the 12, “Surely you don’t have much faith.” Some translations say, “You of little faith” or “you don’t believe because you have no faith.” Do you remember when we talked about the word “Believe” as one meaning “Trust”?

Trust says “JUMP”

 Fear says “NO”

Why does Peter walk on water initially?

Why does a church stop growing?...

When Jesus calls Peter to come out of the boat…. He believe Peter can walk on water… and at that point Peter believes he really can walk on water.

Peter believes he can do what his rabbi is doing.
Then Peter begins to sink… Jesus still believes he can do it.
Contrary to how we read the story, Peter hasn’t lost faith in Jesus.
Peter and the others have lost faith in themselves.
Peter loses faith that he could do what his rabbi is doing.

Rob Bell in his book “Velvet Elvis” says, “If the Rabbi calls you to be his disciple, then he believes you can actually be like him… what I believe frustrates Jesus most is when his disciples lose faith in themselves.”

Closing:

As we move through this wandering period… what waters do you need to walk on?  What boats do you need to get out of?

Are you jumping in trust? Or are you NOT jumping because of fear?

Jesus believes you can do this!!!!

Jesus believes we can do this!!!!

DO YOU????

See You Out on the Road

Cross of the present

We would rather be ruined than changed. We would rather die in our dread than climb the cross of the present and let our illusions die.

W.H. Auden

What makes us so resistant to change? Why do we cling to illusions? Why don't we embrace the present, that which is right in front of us?

"Christianity After Religion" author Diana Butler Bass Interview: State ...

A facinating interview with Diana Butler Bass about her new book. I've read the book and I believe she is on to something new and exciting.

Series: “Wandering Pilgrims” "Expect Wilderness Times"





















Sunday June 3, 20012 Sermon                                                                                              

Exodus 16:1-4

Prayer:

We begin a new transition period. It’s what I call an in-between time in the transition process, and I consider the in-between time a wandering time. Thus… the series title, “Wandering Pilgrims.”

This is a new phase in the interim period as a couple of things begin to take place. One, we’re approaching the 6 month time of your long term pastor being retired. Some may still be grieving this, and two,  we’re heading into a time when some may be feeling that the process as slowed or is slowing.

This is easy to understand because we are entering the long hot days of summer and as the image on the screen suggests, it may feel like you’re walking in the desert. Desert times aren’t always the places we would want to visit, but we can look at the time Jesus spent in the wilderness as a model of how we should approach our wilderness times.

Jesus didn’t bite on the temptations from the devil. Jesus didn’t try to cut short his time in the wilderness though the devil tried to help him out on the endeavor. So… the temptation for us may be to cut the process short, but I caution you… this in-between time is important and there is still much to learn. We… like Jesus must stay the course.

As we begin this next step in the transition as pilgrims on a journey our 4 part “Wandering Pilgrims” series will focus on these themes, “God has a Plan,” “We Need Each Other,” “Our Need to Get Out of the Boat,” and today as we begin this next chapter; we should, “Expect Wilderness Times.”

Wilderness journeys can be very invigorating if you’re like me…. an adventurist type. However, many associate the wilderness with the image on the screen… that of a desert. And this kind of wilderness journey isn’t always too adventurous nor appreciated, and often times can be long and painful. Many times the wilderness journey of losing a spouse or close friend, or a job, or that of losing a home is long and arduous. These aren’t fun times in our lives. For many, these wilderness journeys can be long, dry, and painful times in our lives.

The great temptation for us is to cut short the hurt.

To find a fast way to get through it all… and to compromise values.
To do anything that might lessen the time, the hurt, and pain.

The wilderness can be good… the wilderness can be a great teacher… if we’re open to learning.

The wilderness can deepen our faith.
The wilderness can help us become the people God desires.
And the wilderness can help us define who we are more distinctly.

Our OT reading the Israelites have been in the wilderness for 15 days since escaping from Egypt. That’s right… just 15 days and their already complaining and wish they were back in Egypt. How long does it take for you to start complaining? They want God to do something… or at the very least, Moses to do something. They accuse Moses of taking them out on a wild goose chase and a fruitless joy-ride. They are hungry… tired… dirty… in fact, they say to Moses, “You brought us out into the desert to starve.”

Our gospel story has Jesus returning to his home town. These are the people who knew Jesus pretty well and they weren’t all that happy about him coming home. You would have thought of any place, these people would have welcomed Jesus. You would have thought that Jesus would have received a heroes welcome. But they were not happy to see Jesus. They had heard of what Jesus was doing and they didn’t like all the attention they were getting because of Jesus.

Nazareth you see… was an unsophisticated and blue-collar town and they weren’t happy with all the attention they were getting because of Jesus. The Romans and the religious leaders were watching and waiting for Jesus to return. After-all… people always go home to see mom… right? They thought they could trap Jesus so they were promoting what Jesus was doing. But the town didn’t like all the attention, so they weren’t all that happy Jesus was there. And, for all practical purposes… they kicked Jesus out of town.

How would you feel about that?? You have to understand that in Jesus’ day community and family relationships were much more important than the way we think of them today. When I left Saginaw, Mi. a number of years ago no one was sad. I don’t believe anyone even noticed I was gone. Nobody really cared.

But, in Jesus’ day your social standing in the community sustained you during tough times… you would have at least had someplace to live and food to eat. I’m not sure we can say the same in our day.

The truth was, people aren’t happy.
Jesus says, “Prophets aren’t honored in their hometowns.”
The Israelites are complaining because they’re not comfortable.

It seems the dream of Jesus making a difference in the world and the Israelites of the promised land is all but dead. The big dream of God for his people was dead.

Read excerpts from the Book “The Dream Giver”…. “Ordinary Enters the Wasteland”

below is a summary,
“Ordinary has a longing to leave his homeland and is discouraged by family and friends. However, he risks the security of his life and embraces the adventurous life of living his dream. Not only does he meet Bullies as he leaves the Comfort Zone of Familiar but he meets Champion, a person who encourages him to pursue his dream. Immediately leaving the Land of Familiar, Ordinary enters the wasteland. The hope of finding his dream fades to a small flame of desire. As he keeps walking, he receives no direction or guidance and is alone. Then a character called Faith appears, sent by the Dream Giver, to show him the path to follow to get through the Wasteland to the Land of Promise. After the Wasteland, Ordinary finds Sanctuary, a land where the Dream Giver restores the hope of Ordinary’s dream and washes away the disappointments, fears and doubts accumulated in the Wasteland. At the end of each chapter of Ordinary’s progress, he writes notes to himself about what he learned in each land he traveled through.”

Closing:

Every person experiences wilderness times or seasons in life. Everyone’s journey experiences wilderness of dusty dry times. Most of the time we emerge stronger and more fulfilled than we were when we started.

Our 1 John 3:2 reading, John states,

“My dear friends, we are already God’s children, though what we will be hasn’t yet been seen.

My friends… the Dream Giver has given you a dream for ministry at Cross Lutheran. Yes, you will experience wilderness times, but you must walk through the wilderness to experience the dream God has given. God has given you faith to guide you through.

See You Out on the Road

God's Faint Path › Apprenticeship to Jesus

Greg speaks to a subject I believe strongly in... that being authentic discipleship. He explains this is really apprenticing with Jesus... through a follower of Jesus. He critizes the trining pastors get as being only enough to occupy the church... in a sense to only keep the peace by doing church stuff that doesn't encrouch on the church life-style as we like.

If we are series about living a discipleship life we should consider the ways Jesus discipiled his friends and then do it with others.

It's a great post... check it out.

God's Faint Path › Apprenticeship to Jesus