SCRIPTURE TEXT Matthew 6:5-13
Prayer is religion in action.
Prayer is as old as civilization itself. Man has always found much which perplexed him, natural phenomena he could not explain. To help release himself from the fear of the unknown, primitive man often placed his faith in ONE who could help. In the beginning he prayed to fire, wind, the moon and the sun; thunder lightning streams, lakes, mountains, and trees. He attained communion with "another" who could bring about something that man alone could not achieve.
Man today is still beset by problems, anxieties and fears fears as binding as those man has faced through the ages. Although science has given him many answers, he is still surrounded by much that bewilders him.
This was the condition of the disciples in out scripture reading.
The disciples seeing and realizing that Christ spent much time in prayer, and witnessing the fact that Christ received great spiritual strength from his communion with the heavenly Father, desired also to pray after this manner. On various occasions they desired that Christ should teach them to pray. It is natural that they should have this desire, for all men should pray. God made man to be in communion with Himself, He did this first of all because He cherishes that communion. But the importance of prayer lies in the further fact that man is dependent upon God. Men ought to pray always because one single step apart from His wisdom and gracious providence would start man in the direction of destruction.
Jesus first of all set the pattern for prayer in verse 5-7. We are not to stand and pray to be seen of men. Rather we are to pray to our father in secret. He tells us our prayers should be communion with God not just a recital. And he tells us our Father knows our needs and will honor the fervent prayer of a righteous man. Prayer is not to inform God or persuade him. He knows and loves us, but he has set prayer as a mysterious law of approach to him. It has something that prepares the way for the answer. The important distinction in this connection is that, although we should pray, we must put our trust in God rather than trusting in prayer. The question may follow, why should we have to ask him or tell him if he know?
The simple answer is that God has made it a law, in a sense as truly a law as the law of gravity. It is a prescribed method of approach to our Maker, and we may assume that there is something in the very effect of prayer that prepares us to receive the blessing we seek. Two of the universal requirements for victorious prayer are clean hands and a humble heart. In I John 3:22 we read that we have a standing access to answered prayer, if we keep his commandments and do those things that are pleasing in his sight.
And so Jesus tells them beginning in verse 9 when you pray, pray then like this--. And so he gave to us what we call today the Lord's Prayer, it is brief as prayer goes, it is simple and meaningful. The prayer begins by declaring God as our heavenly Father. This was Christ' usual address to God when he prayed. he establishes God as the divine Ruler and Maker and enthrones his name with the words "hallowed be Thy name". Our Father is the highest and dearest name we know, embracing both father and mother and embodying both justice and mercy. Our first petition then is-- Hallowed be Thy name. The second and third petitions-- Thy kingdom com, Thy will be done.
God's kingdom cannot come to man until man does God's will. Thus we petition that God's will be accomplished in our lives that His kingdom may come. This should be a joyous petition, for the kingdom of God is righteousness, joy, and peace.
The fourth petition-- Give us this day our daily bread.-- This prayer is concerned with our day by day needs both temporal and spiritual. The bread that we seek is bread for the body and bread for the soul. This is supplied to us in direct proportion to our submission to God's will.
The fifth petition-- And forgive us our debts, as we forgive or debtors.-- We seek in this prayer forgiveness of sin, both sin against God and sin against our fellow-man. Forgive us our debts-- but along with this is the prayer, as we forgive or debtors. The two forgivenesses go together, we cannot hope to obtain forgiveness if we refuse to forgive. An unforgiving spirit closes God out of our lives. He is ready to forgive but often we are not ready to be forgiven. Eph. 4:32 tells us: "Be ye kind one to another, tender-hearted forgiving one another, even as God for Christ' sake hath forgiven you."
The sixth petition-- And lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil. This prayer is probably best explained as the plea of conscious weakness. We do need testing. It is no sin to be tempted, it is sin only when we fall prey to temptation. This prayer admits our weakness and asks God's help for deliverance.
For thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. amen.
This ascription to the Lord's Prayer was almost certainly not in the original prayer. But we may be glad for the addition. This doxology of the Lord's Prayer is the churches praise for his risen power.
No one has yet exhausted the power of prayer in a lifetime.
"Your contribution," says Dr. Laubach, "can be titanic beyond all imagination. It depends upon one thing only-- how much time and heart and mind and soul and strength and prayer to give to God's world task."
And so in this manner Christ taught his disciples and us to pray.
Man ought always to pray-- Luke18:1-8 says "and he (Jesus) told them a parable, to the effect that they ought always to pray and not lose heart. He said in a certain city there was a judge who neither feared God nor regarded man, and there was a widow in that city who kept coming to him and saying vindicate me against my adversary; for a while he refused, but afterwards he said to himself, though I neither fear God nor regard man, yet because this widow bothers me, I will vindicate her, or she will wear me out by her continual coming."
And the Lord said, "Hear what the unrighteous judge says. And will not God vindicate his elect, who cry to him day and night? Will he delay long over them? I tell you, he will vindicate them speedily."
We too can talk with God-- for ourself --that our experience of Christ right now may be as fresh and vital as the air we breathe.
For others that we right now may share the concern of Christ for others.
For the world-- that continuing peace of Christ may become the peace of the whole world.
Finally-- see that none of you repays evil for evil, but always seek to do good to one another, and to all. Rejoice always, pray constantly, give thanks in all circumstances, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.
Let us join in prayer-- Dear Lord, who makest all the commandments of the law to consist in love toward God and toward man, grant to us so to love Thee with all our heart, with all our mind, and all our soul, and our neighbor as ourselves, that the grace of charity and brotherly love may dwell in us, and all envy, harshness, and ill will may die in us. And we beseech Thee, so to fill our hearts with true affections that by constantly rejoicing in the happiness and good success of others, by sympathizing with them in their sorrows, and by putting away all harsh judgments and envious thoughts we may follow Thee, who art the Way the Truth and the Life. In Jesus name--
Amen.
Now may the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit and go with you.
Amen.
Nottingham Methodist Church 7/14/1963 -- Evening
Nottingham Village, Cleveland, Ohio
Tuesday, October 19, 2010
Monday, October 18, 2010
What is a Methodist
Scripture Text J.B Phillips
The Letter to Ephesus 2:1-10, pg 412-13
To each Methodist layman the organization of his own local church seems more important than the big over all structure of Methodism as a whole. This is understandable. He lives his life in the local church, attends to it's finances, and if he is a Steward, Trustee, or other church officer, he has a direct part to play in the church work. He knows in a general way the Methodist Church is a big institution with bishops and boards, with conferences and huge budgets. But too often the average layman feels that the Methodist organization is too complicated for him to understand; and because he does not necessarily have to understand it, he is inclined to dismiss it from further thought.
Yet it is not too difficult to understand and every methodist should know in a general way how it functions.
The Methodist Church, though large, is a closely knit organization. The basic unit of organization is the local church, or "charge", as it has been called in Methodism. A charge may be one or more local churches. If it is one it is termed a station charge, if more than one it is a circuit charge.
Charges are grouped geographically into districts each supervised by a minister known as the District Superintendent. Districts in turn compose a larger grouping, called the Annual Conference. This is presided over by a Bishop.
Annual Conferences in turn make up larger regional divisions known as Jurisdictions, of which there are six in the United States.
Who then are the people that comprise the Methodist Church?
A Methodist is the postman, the baker, the garbage man, your neighbor, your employer, your fellow-workmen, your closest friend. Methodists are peoples of all walks of life, and of all races.
But they are Methodist in varying degrees. To illustrate what I mean let me quote an often heard statement it goes something like this, "I don't have to go to church, I can be just as good, better than some of those hypocrites that belong to your church." The sad part of this is that we could not completely deny this statement, for we do have in the Methodist Churches varying degrees of Methodist members. This statement however is material for a sermon of it's own which we will not take up at this time.
Let us ask ourselves what is the cause of this varying degree of response to the total responsibility of the member to the Church. Is it because people are uninformed about their church? Is the church lax in it's responsibility to supply proper education and opportunity for learning? I think not. Is it possible that we repeat the Apostle's Creed Sunday after Sunday without an understanding of the belief and faith interpreted to us in it?
It is my opinion that it is not because the church does not make proper effort to inform people, but rather it is the people who do not make the effort. Learn.
They are to busy as a general rule to even make an effort to come together in Christian fellowship in more than a Sunday morning service.
It seems to be a an ever widening and disturbing belief, disturbing to me, on the part of many church people to feel that they have met their obligation to church if they manage to attend four Sunday mornings out of five. Really it makes as much sense as the nursery rhyme that has Little Jack Horner sticking his thumb and pulling out a plum and saying what a good boy am I.
I would term church attendance with this attitude, coming before god with nothing, if you come with nothing, not expecting or seeking, you go away as you came with nothing. If we were to come with real old Methodist zeal we would be found often in the house of the Lord seeking his will and serving as he calls us.
One of the best known and most often quoted sayings of John Wesley, was that in which he describes the Methodist as "the friend of all and the enemies of none". It seems to me we have gone far--far afield from the spirit of this quote in our modern world. At every point of life we are faced with conflicts of interest and motive. Men are grouped together in opposing camps, nations against nations, class against class, neighbor against neighbor. It seems at times that we forget that no man can unto himself, everybody influences us and we influence everybody we meet. We are the only Bible that many people ever read.
Again I ask who is a Methodist, and I would reply he is all these people we have mentioned. But he is yet some thing more. Let me illustrate what I mean with a story told by Dr. Baker in one of his books. He speaks of a friend of his who when presented with enlistment form in the first World War, entered in the space opposite religion the word "Christian". It caused confusion amounting to havoc at the local recruiting office, and they brought him the form to amend. "But I don't wish to alter it", he protested. "It is as a Christian I desire to be entered". They told him this was impossible because they did not have that category on the form.
But I say to you a Methodist is also a Christian.
A Methodist is a Christian who believes in regeneration, the new birth, through which one becomes a child of God. In the witness of the Holy Spirit that seals him as a Child of God. He believes in the possibility of final perfection, that he can be "made perfect in love" in this life. He believes in the doctrine of repentance, that he has a Godly sorrow for sin committed coupled with a will to sin no more. He believes in the universality of redemption--that Christ died for all, not simply a chosen few.
He believes in Justification by Faith, that it is by God's grace that we are saved. Faith is the lever here. Being justified by faith, we have peace with God. (EPH 2:8) First God offers, then we believe, then we accept. "By grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God."
Methodism like the whole Christian religion is the fruit of man's response to God's initiative.
It is not required of a Methodist that he hold fast to a set form of rules and regulations. The Methodist Church is noted as a Church that "thinks" and let's think.
And yet if we as Methodist, as a church, would make our mark here for Jesus we must learn of him, we must hid his word in our hearts, we must learn all we can, for if we are to be disciples of Jesus Christ we must be willing to put loyalty to him above everything else.
We must be Christian, Mothers teaching Gods word to our children, we must be fathers with a faithful witness. We must be children at work and play who have the Love of Christ in our hearts. We must be workers who have a concern and compassion for all our fellowmen around the world. If we are to count for as Methodist and Christian we must "stand for Christ". All the waking hours of everyday. We must show Christ in our lives always.
Our watch word must be
"Christ Above all"
AND FOR ALL
Nottingham Methodist Church 1961, Nottingham Village, Cleveland, Ohio
The Letter to Ephesus 2:1-10, pg 412-13
To each Methodist layman the organization of his own local church seems more important than the big over all structure of Methodism as a whole. This is understandable. He lives his life in the local church, attends to it's finances, and if he is a Steward, Trustee, or other church officer, he has a direct part to play in the church work. He knows in a general way the Methodist Church is a big institution with bishops and boards, with conferences and huge budgets. But too often the average layman feels that the Methodist organization is too complicated for him to understand; and because he does not necessarily have to understand it, he is inclined to dismiss it from further thought.
Yet it is not too difficult to understand and every methodist should know in a general way how it functions.
The Methodist Church, though large, is a closely knit organization. The basic unit of organization is the local church, or "charge", as it has been called in Methodism. A charge may be one or more local churches. If it is one it is termed a station charge, if more than one it is a circuit charge.
Charges are grouped geographically into districts each supervised by a minister known as the District Superintendent. Districts in turn compose a larger grouping, called the Annual Conference. This is presided over by a Bishop.
Annual Conferences in turn make up larger regional divisions known as Jurisdictions, of which there are six in the United States.
Who then are the people that comprise the Methodist Church?
A Methodist is the postman, the baker, the garbage man, your neighbor, your employer, your fellow-workmen, your closest friend. Methodists are peoples of all walks of life, and of all races.
But they are Methodist in varying degrees. To illustrate what I mean let me quote an often heard statement it goes something like this, "I don't have to go to church, I can be just as good, better than some of those hypocrites that belong to your church." The sad part of this is that we could not completely deny this statement, for we do have in the Methodist Churches varying degrees of Methodist members. This statement however is material for a sermon of it's own which we will not take up at this time.
Let us ask ourselves what is the cause of this varying degree of response to the total responsibility of the member to the Church. Is it because people are uninformed about their church? Is the church lax in it's responsibility to supply proper education and opportunity for learning? I think not. Is it possible that we repeat the Apostle's Creed Sunday after Sunday without an understanding of the belief and faith interpreted to us in it?
It is my opinion that it is not because the church does not make proper effort to inform people, but rather it is the people who do not make the effort. Learn.
They are to busy as a general rule to even make an effort to come together in Christian fellowship in more than a Sunday morning service.
It seems to be a an ever widening and disturbing belief, disturbing to me, on the part of many church people to feel that they have met their obligation to church if they manage to attend four Sunday mornings out of five. Really it makes as much sense as the nursery rhyme that has Little Jack Horner sticking his thumb and pulling out a plum and saying what a good boy am I.
I would term church attendance with this attitude, coming before god with nothing, if you come with nothing, not expecting or seeking, you go away as you came with nothing. If we were to come with real old Methodist zeal we would be found often in the house of the Lord seeking his will and serving as he calls us.
One of the best known and most often quoted sayings of John Wesley, was that in which he describes the Methodist as "the friend of all and the enemies of none". It seems to me we have gone far--far afield from the spirit of this quote in our modern world. At every point of life we are faced with conflicts of interest and motive. Men are grouped together in opposing camps, nations against nations, class against class, neighbor against neighbor. It seems at times that we forget that no man can unto himself, everybody influences us and we influence everybody we meet. We are the only Bible that many people ever read.
Again I ask who is a Methodist, and I would reply he is all these people we have mentioned. But he is yet some thing more. Let me illustrate what I mean with a story told by Dr. Baker in one of his books. He speaks of a friend of his who when presented with enlistment form in the first World War, entered in the space opposite religion the word "Christian". It caused confusion amounting to havoc at the local recruiting office, and they brought him the form to amend. "But I don't wish to alter it", he protested. "It is as a Christian I desire to be entered". They told him this was impossible because they did not have that category on the form.
But I say to you a Methodist is also a Christian.
A Methodist is a Christian who believes in regeneration, the new birth, through which one becomes a child of God. In the witness of the Holy Spirit that seals him as a Child of God. He believes in the possibility of final perfection, that he can be "made perfect in love" in this life. He believes in the doctrine of repentance, that he has a Godly sorrow for sin committed coupled with a will to sin no more. He believes in the universality of redemption--that Christ died for all, not simply a chosen few.
He believes in Justification by Faith, that it is by God's grace that we are saved. Faith is the lever here. Being justified by faith, we have peace with God. (EPH 2:8) First God offers, then we believe, then we accept. "By grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God."
Methodism like the whole Christian religion is the fruit of man's response to God's initiative.
It is not required of a Methodist that he hold fast to a set form of rules and regulations. The Methodist Church is noted as a Church that "thinks" and let's think.
And yet if we as Methodist, as a church, would make our mark here for Jesus we must learn of him, we must hid his word in our hearts, we must learn all we can, for if we are to be disciples of Jesus Christ we must be willing to put loyalty to him above everything else.
We must be Christian, Mothers teaching Gods word to our children, we must be fathers with a faithful witness. We must be children at work and play who have the Love of Christ in our hearts. We must be workers who have a concern and compassion for all our fellowmen around the world. If we are to count for as Methodist and Christian we must "stand for Christ". All the waking hours of everyday. We must show Christ in our lives always.
Our watch word must be
"Christ Above all"
AND FOR ALL
Nottingham Methodist Church 1961, Nottingham Village, Cleveland, Ohio
Monday, September 20, 2010
Happy Are You
Scripture Text
Old Testament -- Psalms 1:1-6
New Testament -- Matthew 5:1-12
Responsive Reading -- Pg. 581 Sixteenth Sunday -- Second reading -- "The House of God"
The Beatitudes with which the Sermon on the mount begins describes the typical citizen of God's kingdom-- that is the "bless ed man".
In pagan Greek, the word here translated "blessed" was used to indicate the highest state of happiness, such as pagan gods were thought to enjoy. Here in this scripture it is a translation of the Hebrew, meaning "happy"-- "how happy". We see it used in the Psalm we read this morning, where it said, "Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly." -- "How happy" is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly." I would point out that the word "blessed" when translated from the Hebrew refers only to men and never to God, but when translated from the Greek it refers to God as in the saying "Blessed be the Lord", meaning "let God be worshiped".
When this "blessedness is applied to man there is seldom any clear indication as to it's nature; but it is in a sense a reward for faithfulness, and plainly indicates as pointed out in these Beatitudes that the reward is still in the future.
The world is full of people who are eager for happiness--at least this is what they tell us. Actually what they are really seeking is pleasure and comfort. But I ask you this morning what was God's purpose in his creation, did he create us to be comfortable, far from that, I believe he created us to be "good".
This does not mean that we should not be comfortable, but it does indicate to me that goodness is a primary purpose in our lives and that comfort is desirable but secondary. It is because so many people the world over have placed pleasure and comfort first in their lives, that the happiness as described by the Lord Jesus in this Sermon on the Mount is rejected.
Let us consider these Beatitudes together. The first Beatitude is "Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven". Luke in his account omits the words "in spirit" and says, "Blessed be ye poor." We cannot evade Luke's short description, "poor". The poor easily keep compassion, they remember their dependence and so are blessed. Matthew's addition "in spirit", is needed however for poverty of itself is not blessed. The word poor takes in all those who would learn, who come like children to the Book of Life.
The promise of this Beatitude is "for theirs is the kingdom of heaven." What and where is the kingdom of which they speak.
The Kingdom of God means the rule of God as King, and it may be found wherever God rules as King, whether in one single human life, or in a community of upright men or, perfectly in heaven.
What Jesus meant by the kingdom of God however, was different from what most Jews of His time meant. To a serious minded man like John the Baptist the coming of the kingdom was a thing of dread, because all wickedness among Jews as well as Gentiles would be punished. But Jesus described it not as a threat but as a promise of "Good News".
This Rule of God--the kingdom-- far from being a threat to shrink away from, was great good news, available to all who would receive it here and now; not just a distant hope in a remote future.
We each of us cannot begin to deserve this wonderful gift; we have simply to learn, humbly to accept it and live by it. "It is your Father's good pleasure", said Jesus, "to give you the kingdom."
Of course man cannot enter into the Kingdom of God and himself remain unchanged. Those things in his life which proclaimed that Satan ruled there can find no place under God's rule-- such things for instance, as selfishness, greed, and ill-will. No man can serve both God and Mammon (worldly self-interest). The gate into heaven is called a narrow gate, because through it we may take only that which comes within God's will for us.
Poverty of spirit therefore is the logical beginning of the road to heaven.
The second Beatitude says--"Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted."
The world says, "Enjoy life while you may! Fill your days with pleasure and activity, and forget your pain and sorrow. Eat, drink, and be merry--toss aside your worries!" God says, "Happy are they that mourn."
The wise men of old said, "Sorrow is better than laughter: for by the sadness of the countenance the heart is made better. The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning; but the heart of fools is in the house of mirth." (Eccles. 7:3-4)
The sorrow in view in this beatitude is not the sorrow of bereavement. This is the sorrow for sin--one's own sin and the sin of others. This is the sorrow for injustice, for oppression, for unrighteousness. The Beatitudes tells us that those who experience and feel this sorrow will enjoy the comfort of God.--(Happy are you) Ephesians 4-24 Tells us we must put of the old man which is corrupt and put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.
The third Beatitude is-- "Blessed are the meek for they shall inherit the earth."
Meekness is often confused with weakness, and the amusingly bewildered "Casper Milquetoast" has become, in the popular mind, the symbol of a weak man.
The meekness in view here however is a comparison of our littleness in the light of God's greatness. Wycliffe translates this Beatitude as, "Blessed is the mild man." A man who does not swagger or bluster about, but rather is a humble man who is satisfied to inherit a place in the new heaven and new earth, wherin righteousness will dwell.
The fourth Beatitude says to us, "Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled."
Let me start to say with that not all hungering and thirsting is blessed. Some kinds of thirst when satisfied leave us a spiritual hangover. The hungering and thirsting in view here is the desire for righteousness. All who earnestly want righteousness have God's promise that he will satisfy them-- completely and permanently. I would repeat, that this promise of God is for "all" who earnestly want righteousness regardless of the condition of their life at this very moment, if they earnestly seek righteousness God will satisfy them completely and permanently "right Now".
I am reminded this morning of a song we sing often.
The fifth Beatitude is --"Blessed are the merciful for they shall obtain mercy." Mercy lays claim on each of us whenever and wherever there is suffering. It pities and helps every creature, not man alone. It refrains from cruelty and punishment and harshness.
Those whose hearts are open to the needs of others, in Christian love, and whose hands are quick to minister to their fellow-man in trouble, are promised God's mercy. Permit me to say a quick word in regard to "love for our fellow-man". In the racial problems that are before us today there seems to be much misunderstanding concerning God's command that we should love our neighbor as ourself. God tells us to love them he does not say to us that we must "like" what they do--what they stand for-- or the conditions they must live under, but he does say to you and to me if you love them as I command you to you will dis-like the conditions these people have to live with to the point where you will do all you can legally and morally to correct these conditions. So as I see the problem that is before us today the solution lies between these two words-- "love" and "like" and their real meaning for us.
The sixth Beatitude-- "Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God."
This Beatitude focuses our attention upon the basic difference between the teaching of the "Law" in the Old Testament, and the teachings of Jesus. The law said, "Thou shalt...and Thou shall not....," but Jesus said, "Blessed are you".
The Law was concerned with outward acts, but Jesus was concerned with inner conditions or the states of the heart.
Let us look at this word heart. Heart as used in the Bible means the whole personality. It involves the mind and will, not only the emotions. The word "pure" translated is "clean". So if our mind and will are clean we shall see God, this is the promise of the Sixth Beatitude.
The seventh Beatitude is--"Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God."
Jesus doubtless had in mind here those who settle disputes, and so make peace. We may be sure that he was also thinking of those who preach the Gospel and reconcile others to God.
This Beatitude is placed last because the qualities described in the first Beatitudes are prerequisites of the peacemaker. It's presence in the list shows the importance Christ placed on the ideals of peace. The establishing of good will and harmony in home and in church, in the community and in international relations calls for peacemakers.----
----
Men who can organize and carry into practice these ideals which they hold.
To such is given access to the glorious privileges of sonship in the family of God.
One would suppose that such people as we have been thinking of together here, would be popular with their fellow-man, but good character does not necessarily contribute to popularity.
In the Bible, Christians are never promised that they will be popular--they are promised persecution. Perhaps that is why Jesus, at this early point in His ministry, put in a word of encouragement for his disciples when he spoke to them and said. "Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is the Kingdom of heaven. Blessed are ye when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you."
Christians bring some persecution upon themselves by their tactlessness or their holier than thou attitudes.
The persecution spoken of here is persecution "for righteousness' sake". It is suffered "falsely"-- without just cause--and it is suffered for the sake of our Lord. Believers are to rejoice in such persecution, for they may be sure that a great reward awaits them in glory. And if you an I can live our lives to be included in this company of people, then we may be truly happy, for we are in the company of a great host of people who received this treatment at the worlds hand, such as Isaiah, Elijah, Amos, and a host of other faithful prophets and witnesses, and the Lord Jesus himself.
Let us pray......
Our dear Heavenly Father--- Father of all creation, whose being is from the beginning of time, speak to us. Raise us above the storms of our generation and above the barriers with which we seek to surround ourselves. Fill us with the love and understanding that embraces all people and is not bound by nation, race, or creed. Forgive us our little goals and narrow visions. Lead us to dedicate ourselves to the work of thy kingdom. Make us willing to be disciples of Jesus Christ. Though our minds cannot fully grasp His Call to us give us the will to follow Him, accepting Him as the Savior of man and the hope of the world.
Amen......
Now may the Grace of our Lord Jesus, the Love of God, the communion and fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you now and remain with you always.
Amen.
Nottingham Methodist July 1962
Old Testament -- Psalms 1:1-6
New Testament -- Matthew 5:1-12
Responsive Reading -- Pg. 581 Sixteenth Sunday -- Second reading -- "The House of God"
The Beatitudes with which the Sermon on the mount begins describes the typical citizen of God's kingdom-- that is the "bless ed man".
In pagan Greek, the word here translated "blessed" was used to indicate the highest state of happiness, such as pagan gods were thought to enjoy. Here in this scripture it is a translation of the Hebrew, meaning "happy"-- "how happy". We see it used in the Psalm we read this morning, where it said, "Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly." -- "How happy" is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly." I would point out that the word "blessed" when translated from the Hebrew refers only to men and never to God, but when translated from the Greek it refers to God as in the saying "Blessed be the Lord", meaning "let God be worshiped".
When this "blessedness is applied to man there is seldom any clear indication as to it's nature; but it is in a sense a reward for faithfulness, and plainly indicates as pointed out in these Beatitudes that the reward is still in the future.
The world is full of people who are eager for happiness--at least this is what they tell us. Actually what they are really seeking is pleasure and comfort. But I ask you this morning what was God's purpose in his creation, did he create us to be comfortable, far from that, I believe he created us to be "good".
This does not mean that we should not be comfortable, but it does indicate to me that goodness is a primary purpose in our lives and that comfort is desirable but secondary. It is because so many people the world over have placed pleasure and comfort first in their lives, that the happiness as described by the Lord Jesus in this Sermon on the Mount is rejected.
Let us consider these Beatitudes together. The first Beatitude is "Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven". Luke in his account omits the words "in spirit" and says, "Blessed be ye poor." We cannot evade Luke's short description, "poor". The poor easily keep compassion, they remember their dependence and so are blessed. Matthew's addition "in spirit", is needed however for poverty of itself is not blessed. The word poor takes in all those who would learn, who come like children to the Book of Life.
The promise of this Beatitude is "for theirs is the kingdom of heaven." What and where is the kingdom of which they speak.
The Kingdom of God means the rule of God as King, and it may be found wherever God rules as King, whether in one single human life, or in a community of upright men or, perfectly in heaven.
What Jesus meant by the kingdom of God however, was different from what most Jews of His time meant. To a serious minded man like John the Baptist the coming of the kingdom was a thing of dread, because all wickedness among Jews as well as Gentiles would be punished. But Jesus described it not as a threat but as a promise of "Good News".
This Rule of God--the kingdom-- far from being a threat to shrink away from, was great good news, available to all who would receive it here and now; not just a distant hope in a remote future.
We each of us cannot begin to deserve this wonderful gift; we have simply to learn, humbly to accept it and live by it. "It is your Father's good pleasure", said Jesus, "to give you the kingdom."
Of course man cannot enter into the Kingdom of God and himself remain unchanged. Those things in his life which proclaimed that Satan ruled there can find no place under God's rule-- such things for instance, as selfishness, greed, and ill-will. No man can serve both God and Mammon (worldly self-interest). The gate into heaven is called a narrow gate, because through it we may take only that which comes within God's will for us.
Poverty of spirit therefore is the logical beginning of the road to heaven.
The second Beatitude says--"Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted."
The world says, "Enjoy life while you may! Fill your days with pleasure and activity, and forget your pain and sorrow. Eat, drink, and be merry--toss aside your worries!" God says, "Happy are they that mourn."
The wise men of old said, "Sorrow is better than laughter: for by the sadness of the countenance the heart is made better. The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning; but the heart of fools is in the house of mirth." (Eccles. 7:3-4)
The sorrow in view in this beatitude is not the sorrow of bereavement. This is the sorrow for sin--one's own sin and the sin of others. This is the sorrow for injustice, for oppression, for unrighteousness. The Beatitudes tells us that those who experience and feel this sorrow will enjoy the comfort of God.--(Happy are you) Ephesians 4-24 Tells us we must put of the old man which is corrupt and put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.
The third Beatitude is-- "Blessed are the meek for they shall inherit the earth."
Meekness is often confused with weakness, and the amusingly bewildered "Casper Milquetoast" has become, in the popular mind, the symbol of a weak man.
The meekness in view here however is a comparison of our littleness in the light of God's greatness. Wycliffe translates this Beatitude as, "Blessed is the mild man." A man who does not swagger or bluster about, but rather is a humble man who is satisfied to inherit a place in the new heaven and new earth, wherin righteousness will dwell.
The fourth Beatitude says to us, "Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled."
Let me start to say with that not all hungering and thirsting is blessed. Some kinds of thirst when satisfied leave us a spiritual hangover. The hungering and thirsting in view here is the desire for righteousness. All who earnestly want righteousness have God's promise that he will satisfy them-- completely and permanently. I would repeat, that this promise of God is for "all" who earnestly want righteousness regardless of the condition of their life at this very moment, if they earnestly seek righteousness God will satisfy them completely and permanently "right Now".
I am reminded this morning of a song we sing often.
The fifth Beatitude is --"Blessed are the merciful for they shall obtain mercy." Mercy lays claim on each of us whenever and wherever there is suffering. It pities and helps every creature, not man alone. It refrains from cruelty and punishment and harshness.
Those whose hearts are open to the needs of others, in Christian love, and whose hands are quick to minister to their fellow-man in trouble, are promised God's mercy. Permit me to say a quick word in regard to "love for our fellow-man". In the racial problems that are before us today there seems to be much misunderstanding concerning God's command that we should love our neighbor as ourself. God tells us to love them he does not say to us that we must "like" what they do--what they stand for-- or the conditions they must live under, but he does say to you and to me if you love them as I command you to you will dis-like the conditions these people have to live with to the point where you will do all you can legally and morally to correct these conditions. So as I see the problem that is before us today the solution lies between these two words-- "love" and "like" and their real meaning for us.
The sixth Beatitude-- "Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God."
This Beatitude focuses our attention upon the basic difference between the teaching of the "Law" in the Old Testament, and the teachings of Jesus. The law said, "Thou shalt...and Thou shall not....," but Jesus said, "Blessed are you".
The Law was concerned with outward acts, but Jesus was concerned with inner conditions or the states of the heart.
Let us look at this word heart. Heart as used in the Bible means the whole personality. It involves the mind and will, not only the emotions. The word "pure" translated is "clean". So if our mind and will are clean we shall see God, this is the promise of the Sixth Beatitude.
The seventh Beatitude is--"Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God."
Jesus doubtless had in mind here those who settle disputes, and so make peace. We may be sure that he was also thinking of those who preach the Gospel and reconcile others to God.
This Beatitude is placed last because the qualities described in the first Beatitudes are prerequisites of the peacemaker. It's presence in the list shows the importance Christ placed on the ideals of peace. The establishing of good will and harmony in home and in church, in the community and in international relations calls for peacemakers.----
----
Men who can organize and carry into practice these ideals which they hold.
To such is given access to the glorious privileges of sonship in the family of God.
One would suppose that such people as we have been thinking of together here, would be popular with their fellow-man, but good character does not necessarily contribute to popularity.
In the Bible, Christians are never promised that they will be popular--they are promised persecution. Perhaps that is why Jesus, at this early point in His ministry, put in a word of encouragement for his disciples when he spoke to them and said. "Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is the Kingdom of heaven. Blessed are ye when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you."
Christians bring some persecution upon themselves by their tactlessness or their holier than thou attitudes.
The persecution spoken of here is persecution "for righteousness' sake". It is suffered "falsely"-- without just cause--and it is suffered for the sake of our Lord. Believers are to rejoice in such persecution, for they may be sure that a great reward awaits them in glory. And if you an I can live our lives to be included in this company of people, then we may be truly happy, for we are in the company of a great host of people who received this treatment at the worlds hand, such as Isaiah, Elijah, Amos, and a host of other faithful prophets and witnesses, and the Lord Jesus himself.
Let us pray......
Our dear Heavenly Father--- Father of all creation, whose being is from the beginning of time, speak to us. Raise us above the storms of our generation and above the barriers with which we seek to surround ourselves. Fill us with the love and understanding that embraces all people and is not bound by nation, race, or creed. Forgive us our little goals and narrow visions. Lead us to dedicate ourselves to the work of thy kingdom. Make us willing to be disciples of Jesus Christ. Though our minds cannot fully grasp His Call to us give us the will to follow Him, accepting Him as the Savior of man and the hope of the world.
Amen......
Now may the Grace of our Lord Jesus, the Love of God, the communion and fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you now and remain with you always.
Amen.
Nottingham Methodist July 1962
Tuesday, March 30, 2010
LEARN TO DO WELL
SCRIPTURE TEXT: Isaiah: 1
RESPONSIVE READING: 557
HYMNS: 20, 267, 154
CALL TO WORSHIP: "If with all your hearts ye truly seek me, ye shall surely find me"; thus saith our God. Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.
COLLECT--OR PRAYER: O God, by whom the meek are guided in judgement, and light riseth up in darkness for the godly: Grant us, in all doubts and uncertainties, the grace to ask what thou shouldst have us to do, that the spirit of wisdom may save us from all false choices, and that in thy light we may see light and in thy straight path may not stumble; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen
SERMON:
This being Higher Education Sunday, I was asked by our Pastor to speak to you this morning on the subject of education. In a small sense I feel qualified to speak on the subject, having served Nottingham Church for almost 20 years in a teaching capacity in the Church School. And I am presently engaged as teacher of the Adult Class and serve as Chairman of the Commission on Education.
My talk this morning will not be in the form of the usual three point sermon. There are many "small" points that I would like to touch on and leave with your consideration instead.
First I would like to say positively and emphatically so that we might understand from the start the overall tone of this message, that the learning process begins at the birth and continues to the grave.
The new born babe begins it's learning process almost at once, and by the time you take that little bundle of joy home from the hospital he has learned how to manipulate his parents. When he becomes hungry or is uncomfortable he discovers that if he cries he gets the attention he needs. So he cries and he either gets fed or a retread in the diaper department.
This learning process started at so tender an age continues on thru childhood, youth, adulthood, and on to the grave. To many people however when they reach adulthood and have completed the necessary formal education required of them, feel that the learning process has now ended as far as they are concerned. Let me try to explain my reasons for making this statement. In my position as Chairman of the Commission on Education I am continually challenging people to study, yes if you will study the Bible, and to seek out with other people the moral and spiritual lessons and guides to life that can be found in study and discussion. This is so necessary if we are going to apply these guides to our lives and therby be assured in our hearts that our lives have meaning and purpose.
But what is the answer to this challenge to study that is fed back to me by a great majority of the adults that I speak to concerning this business of study? Can you guess? Let me tell you---it goes something like this---I went to Sunday School when I was a kid---Sunday School is a good thing---I make sure that my kids go--but I had my share of it when I was a kid growing up. Most of you here this morning have either heard or used this excuse.
If I was to ask for a show of hands this morning, for all those who have attended schools beyond high school and college level, for the purpose of increasing their knowledge and skills for the work that they are engaged in daily, I think you would be amazed at the response that we would have.
Would those of you that have been engaged in this type of study within the last year please raise your hands---thank you--20 people with an average of 3 hours of study a week, that's 1200 hours spent by the people of this congregation in study only in the last year.
Now I want to make it clear that I think this is wonderful and I would encourage this entire congregation to participate in some educational program. And don't be afraid that you will overtax your brain. Medical science tells us that the most brilliant men we have known die having used only 1/3 of their capacity to store and use knowledge.
Many of the people that feel that church school is for kids and not for adults, are also in many instances people who feel it is necessary to continually school themselves for the world of business. I ask you can it be right to neglect the study of the Bible and it's related studies and expect to have joy in our lives. I believe that if we limit our learning activities to the purely material things of life, by putting all our efforts into personal advancement our joy will be a hollow joy. There can be no real joy, no real purpose in life, if that life is not properly divided between the material and spiritual aspects of life.
Administrators of the Methodist and Evangelical United Brethren schools and colleges were told at a meeting in Los Angeles in January that the "only defensible reason for the church to be directly involved in higher education is to add the dimension of meaning to knowledge." Yes, the total of education is more knowledge. The truly educated man must possess knowledge--but he must also be a man of wisdom and of understanding.
Question---how can the adult come to an understanding of the meaning of life with the wisdom and understanding of his youth?
It would seem to me that if he is going to be educated man who possesses knowledge, wisdom, and understanding that his learning process must be of an ever continuing nature. This then is my answer to those who say I went when I was a kid growing up, that's enough for me.
I would like now to speak to the young people who are contemplating college, and to the parents who with fear and trembling face the high cost of college education.
Recently I had a very interesting and enlightening talk while lunching with a salesman friend. He makes the point to avoid talking business during lunch. This day we talked about his hobby--he devotes a great deal of his leisure time interviewing young people for college entrance. He told me that he has noticed a big change the last few years in the amount of money that colleges have to aid young people with their finances, especially in private colleges. He said he advises all young people to seek enrollment in the best colleges they can qualify for scholastically, without concern about tuition cost.
He tells me that young people who need help with tuition costs can ask for and file a confidential family situation report at the same time that the make application to a college. These reports are considered and aid is given where needed.
Now I know that so called middle class people are a proud group and don't easily accept aid. But consider a family situation with me. Let's say that the family income is $15,000 and there are two children, one in senior high school and one ready for college, this kind of a family situation could qualify the applicant for partial aid. Sickness in the family causing a heavy drain on funds would be another qualifying situation and there are many more reasons for receiving help with tuition. My friend told me to advise all young persons and parents of children considering college not to lower their sights when selecting a college because of cost because aid money is there to help. Just a few weeks ago the Press carried an article listing some of the colleges in this area and the funds that they have available for tuition aid. Case had $180,000, Reserve had $150,000, Baldwin Wallace $100,000 to mention a few.
Now let's listen to what the Bible has to say about learning and instruction. Psalm 32:8 says--"I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way that thou shall go. Be not as the horse, or as the mule, which have no understanding; whose mouth mus be held in with bit and bridle."
Proverbs say---"The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and instructions." It also says, "Take hold of instructions, let her not go: keep her; for she is thy life."
"Hear instruction and be wise and refuse it not. Blessed is the man that heareth me, watching daily at my gates, waiting at the posts of my doors. For whosoever findeth me findeth life, and shall obtain favor of the Lord."
This Bible is the gate the Lord has given us--that he asks us to wait at.
Proverbs 1:5 says, "A wise man will hear, and will increase learning; and a man of understanding shall attain unto wise counsels."
Proverbs 9:10--"The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom: and knowledge of the holy is understanding."
There it is wisdom--Knowledge and understanding.
Let's now look briefly at the first chapter of Isaiah which I read as our Scripture text this morning.
Isaiah is justly accounted the chief of the writing prophets. What did Isaiah have to say to people in this chapter? Does it apply to us today?
He speaks of the chastisement they have gone thru---the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, the nearness of the time when they shall be expelled from the land, he talked to them about the Palestinian covenant of future restoration and exaltation, he whispers warnings and promises to them.
What did he say concerning their worship and sacrifices? He said that the Lord was full of burnt offerings, and delighted not in the blood of bullocks or lambs or of goats. He said why do you tread his courts and bring vain oblations, it is iniquity, even the solemn meeting it is iniquity.
Isn't he saying attendance with out love of God, which is demonstrated in service is not acceptable to God?
Yes, we must study to show ourselves approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of God.
Isaiah goes on to tell the people "to wash themselves to make themselves clean." He's saying to them and to us make a fresh start. "Learn to do well" yes, after you have made yourself clean "Learn to do well"--"seek judgement" that's it--learn what is right, then act upon it--"Look after the poor and fatherless and downtrodden."
He gave to them, and to us, the command "Brotherly Love".
He said to the people no matter how evil, how indifferent you have been in the past, if you are willing and obedient, "you shall eat the good of the land."
The gospel writers show us Jesus, the Son of God, as preacher, teacher and healer. In every story or incident that we see Him in the Bible we find Him teaching a Lesson. He came to proclaim God's love for us, He provided a way of salvation for us, He died that we might live, he overcame the grave to show forth God's sovereignty, because He lives we live.
Jesus said, "All things are delivered unto me of my Father; and no man knowth the Son, but the father, neither knoweth any man the father, save the son, and he to whomsoever the Son will reveal him." "Come unto me all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest."
"Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart; and ye shall find rest unto your souls."
"For my Yoke is easy, and my burden is light."
Yes friends, he says, "Learn of me." "Learn to do well". Let us Pray.
Our dear heavenly Father we pray that thou wouldst truly grant us thee grace to ask what thou wouldst have us to do, that the spirit of wisdom may save us from all false choices, and that we may walk in thy light and not stumble, through Jesus Christ. Amen.
Nottingham Methodist Church 196?
Sunday, March 28, 2010
The Laity, Who are they?
I wanted to title my sermon for this morning "Laymen, who are they?" but in today's world, liberated as our society is, it sounded sexist, and laymen and laywoman didn't make it either, so I settled on "The Laity, who are they".
I want also to add a sub title which is the theme of the Methodist Church this year, "Catch the Spirit".
The Laity is all of us gathered together here this morning, who have come to worship together here this morning, who have come to worship together, to listen to the spoken word, to be comforted by the music, and to fellowship together after service. The Laity is also those persons who by circumstance of life cannot be in fellowship with us this morning. All of us together are the Laity.
The question is often asked of us, 'Why do we come to church?' Let me try to explain why I think we come and why we should come.
This being the football season, Let's see if we can find similarity to football and the church service.
A football team, as we all know, has many signals that are used to successfully execute it's plays on the field. The members of the team huddle together to receive the signals from the quarter back who in most cases receives it from the side lines. They then go to the line of scrimmage and carry out the play. The successful final outcome of the play depends upon all the players carrying out the signals properly. If any of them fail the play most likely will fail.
So it is with the Church. We come together, as we have today to huddle, to get the signal for the coming week. We get that signal in many ways, in Church School classes, and there are classes for all ages, in the formal Church worship, in the many meetings that can occur in Church and in the homes of the members, in prayer groups and through the music both as we listen to the message in song that the choir brings, and as we lift our voices together in praise.
How well we understand and carry out that signal determines how successfully we carry the message of love and salvation to the world around us, until we meet together again and huddle. It takes each of us doing our part to execute the plays that Jesus has set before us.
In the beginning, God dealt with his people through the Prophets. He made covenants with the people, giving them direction for living. He gave them the ten commandments through Moses. This was their signal for the living of each day.
In the New Testament, we find God sending His Son in the form of a man to live among his people, to bring the message of God's great love for us. Jesus gave us a new commandment, that we should love the Lord our God with all our heart, soul, and mind and our neighbors as ourself. What stands out for me in this commandment is , that we must love ourselves in order to love our neighbor, Love and self as we are-
After the crucification, When Jesus appeared to the disciples in the upper room, where the disciples were trying to decide what they would do now that Jesus was no longer with them ( to give them the signals). He told them that when he went to be with th Father, he would not leave them comfortless, but that they should tarry until the Holy Spirit came upon them. We read in the scriptures what great things happened at Pentecost when the Holy Spirit empowered them. They had "Caught the Spirit".
In our Old Testament reading we find Moses trying to avoid God's call to go and set his people free, but God removed all of Moses' arguments, and we find Moses "Catching the Spirit", and great things happened, Moses indeed led God's people out of bondage into the promised land, Moses had carried out the signal that God set before him.
In the story of Zachaeus, we see that when Jesus identified with Zachaeus in a loving and positive way and went with him to his home and shared a meal with Zachaeus, Zachaeus' heart was warmed and he became a changed person. He said he would return all the monies he had cheated people out of even returning it fourfold. Zachaeus had "Caught the Spirit". Just as Zachaeus' life was changed by Jesus so can mine and yours.
We at Nottingham Church have levels of needs that we need to consider. I would like to briefly lift out three levels.
At the first level are the needs of this building we worship in. We need to faithfully take care of our meeting place. We have salaries for the Church staff. We have utilities to pay for, we have operating bills to consider. We have many functions in the Church's life that require funds and there are office expenses. We have a pressing need for funding a janitorial service. We have not had this service in over a year.
At the second level...we as a connectional church have District and Conference askings to meet in order for the workings of Methodism to go forward. These askings are a major part of our budget.
I know that to a degree the Laity of Nottingham is functioning in all three of these levels, in some areas to a greater degree than others, and I commend you for all the good things that you are making happen here. But if we sit where we are like a frog on a lily pad, basking in the warm sun, who is equipped with a very fast tongue that allows him to catch his food without moving, we will be like the frog who says to himself, 'this is a great world I really have it made.' If we are like that frog, satisfied with what we have done, we will not do a good or effective job at any of the levels I briefly spoke of.
If we the Laity "Catch the Spirit" we can do all things together for good.
I ask you today with all sincerity to Catch the Spirit and be about the task of doing the work of the universal Church of Jesus Christ. Catch the spirit of carrying, catch the spirit of giving of your time, your talents and your tithe, Give of yourself.
Let Us pray.....
Lord we pray just now that the sunshine of Thy love will shine upon us, and that our lives may be as mirrors that will reflect that love into the world. Around us, that all people may know the Love of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.
Nottingham UMC
Thursday, March 25, 2010
The Fifth Word
Opening Hymn 140 There is a fountain
Call to Worship: Seek the Lord while he may be found, call upon him while he is near; let the wicked forsake his ways and the unrighteous man his thoughts, let him return to God.
Responsive Reading: Pg. 588
The 22nd Sunday Second Reading "Trusting in God"
Presentation of Tithes and Offerings
Reading of Scripture--John 19:25-29
Closing Hymn No 144--Beneath the cross of Jesus
Sermon: The fifth word--The word of suffering--John 19:28 "Jesus said I thirst."
When we speak of the seven last words of Jesus from the cross the number seven is accidental for only one of the sayings appears in as many as two Gospels, and no Gospel gives more than three of the last words.
The first word "Father forgive them for they know not what they do", is found in Like 23:34. It was spoken early during the crucifixion, perhaps while Jesus prone on the ground, His hands being nailed to the cross.
The second word "Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise", is also found in Luke chapter 23, verse 43. This word was spoken directly to one of the felons who was being crucified with Jesus on a cross, the one who had said in repentance, "Remember me when you come into kingly power." If Jesus is speaking of the immortality of the soul apart from the body in this instance then it is the first and only time he spoke of the soul thusly.
The third word "Woman behold thy Son," and to the disciple he loved, "behold thy mother". This word is found in John 19:26-27. It is very noticeable that Jesus never referred to his mother by name, but in commending her to the care of the disciple whom he loved Jesus refers to Mary as "woman."
The fourth word is found in Matthew 27:46 and in Mark 15:34. When Jesus is reported to have cried out "My God, My God, why hast thou forsaken me". These words are a quotation from Ps. 22:1, this psalm describes the agony of a man innocent of sin. This thought of innocence would naturally be in Jesus mind as he was dying there on the cross.
The theological implications of this statement presents a difficult problem. T.R. Glover in his book, The Jesus History has finely observed that there never was an utterance that reveals more amazingly the distance between actual feeling and fact. Jesus felt the horror of sin so deeply that for a short space of time the closeness of his communion with the Father was obscured.
In the first three words from the cross we have pictured before us Jesus, the Son of God, being crucified, Jesus who is innocent of any sin, showing concern for those about him. First in a general act of forgiveness, "Father forgive them they know not what they do." Concern for the penitant dying thief, Concern for the welfare and care of his mother.
The Fifth word found in John 19:28 is the word we are going to think about together this evening. The word of Suffering. "I Thirst."
This saying of Jesus may conflict with Luke 22:18 where Jesus vows to "Drink nothing until the kingdom comes".
It was characteristic of our Lord that only after he had arranged matters for his mother could a thought of his own desperate needs find entrance to his mind. That was his nature. Always he was thinking about others, and always in his own life he came last. This is the essence of Christlikeness, this is what Christianity is all about. If we are ever to be Christlike we will also have to aquire a like attitude of mind.
Each of us today--, think too much about "self". We work for self, we save for self. If we could push this self out of place it has usurped in human minds, and take other people and not self as the center around which our life turns. If we would think of them, work for them, spend ourself for them, would not most of the problems that perplex the world today be solved. Jesus has shown us the way that this is to be done, and it is he who gives us the power, if we choose, to do it.
At the same time, this saying of our Lord, "I Thirst", makes plain that the body has it's rights. However Christ teaches that these needs of the body must be restrained, and subordinated and held firmly in check. None the less in their own place and in due season they are legitimate.
"I Thirst", he cried, and thereby asked for some relief from his suffering. It is truly a moving cry to come from someone who claimed, "He who believes in me shall never thirst", but that the living water which he shall give will be a perpetual ever flowing fountain that can never run dry.
That living water he does give. But to secure it for us he himself had to pass through a dry and thirsty land.
When Jesus cried out "I Thirst", one of the soldiers put a sponge upon a reed and dipping it in vinegar or sour wine placed it to the parched lips of Jesus. Apparently such wine was supplied for the use of the crucified to help them bear their agony. The soldier then was kind to Jesus Christ the Son of God when he was dying on the cross.
Each of us if we would think about it would covet to have this chance to be of service in this way to our Lord, but really we don't need to envy this soldier his act of kindness. For so touched is Jesus with the needs of his people that he accounts anything done to aid the most insignificant of them as done unto him, and feels the same gratitude to those who so help as he does to all eternity to that rough soldier.
For he has said-----"In as much as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethern ye have done it unto me."
Nottingham 1967
Sunday, February 21, 2010
WANTED--"GAMBLERS"
Responsive Reading Page 574
Second Reading "The Gracious Invitation"
Old Testament Lesson Issiah 42:1-23
New Testament Lesson St. john 19:23-24
Our Scripture text this morning says that Roman soldiers gambled at the foot of Jesus' cross. The scriptures tells us his robe was seamless, and therefore, of no use when torn in pieces to be divided among them. So they cast lots for it. Lloyd Douglas wrote a great book about this event and he called it The Robe, he wove an imaginative and exciting picture of what happened to the Roman soldier who won the toss of the dice. --Gambling at a crucification.--- This is a story of a crude, cruel heartless Roman Soldiery.
But when we look closer at these soldiers, we hardly know what to censure most--their brutality or their insensitivity. For directly above their heads the greatest game was on. It was being played for high stakes--the souls of men--
Studdert Kennedy put it in blunt and vigorous verse:--and I quote--
And sitting down they watched Him there.
The soldiers did;
There, while they played dice,
He made His sacrifice,
And died upon the Cross to rid
God's world of sin.
He was a gambler, too, my Christ,
He took his life and threw
It for a world redeemed.
Gambling like all other vices, is the perversion--the turning away from--a good instinct. There are no bad instincts, just as there are no bad notes on a piano; there are only bad players, who make discord out of notes meant for harmony. And what we call gambling--punch boards, race tracks, give aways, and all the rest of it--is a degrading misuse of that spirit of adventure that God has instilled in each of us.
You can never destroy the gambling instinct in man without destroying the soul of man, for instinct is part of the original greatness of our being. God has set man down in a world of uncertainty, in a world where man never knows what the next day might bring forth; in a world where he must take risks to live. Or as the Bible puts it, he must live by faith. Man plants his crops by faith, he takes his mate by faith, he makes investments by faith. If he will not risk he will not live.
The eleventh chapter of Paul's Epistle to the Hebrews speaks of men who live by faith. They were great gamblers these men. By faith Abraham went out, not knowing whither he went; he took a chance with God. By faith Moses identified himself with Israelites' struggle for liberty. These and the rest of them lived by faith.
Today in our world civilization the thing we seek most is security. We seek security in every avenue of life. A civilization that devotes it's major energies to taking the risk out of life and thereby reducing it to a life of comfort and convenience cannot be Christian and cannot long be civilization, For as Toynbee says, it bleaches out of the human spirit that quality of adventure that makes civilization.
The American revolution was a great gamble staged by men who wanted to establish something never before established--they wanted liberty or death.
Now today it's security we want. We pray---Lord make us comfortable; keep us safe; make the job last and keep wages high; let us live a long time, even if we don't live well. What are we doing? We have taken a religion in which goodness meant a cross and reduced it from a revolution to a refuge. People today are flocking to cults that promise comfort without a cross. Jesus said, "He that saveth his life shall lose it. He that loseth his life; that risketh it for my sake, shall keep it unto eternal life." Jesus described what he meant in the parable of the talents, in the picture of the man who was so eager to protect himself that he hid his talents in fear. He won nothing because he risked nothing; he got no where because he started nowhere. Any life dominated by this impulse of security, condemns itself to become uneventful, and in the long run unendurable.
The people of Sweden live under a secure socialized type of government with doctors, dentist, medical and old age benefits which are very adequate--yet Sweden with all this security has the highest per capita suicide rate of any country in the world. A life of security without risk indeed can become unbearable.
Here then is the curious thing. How does it happen that an age who's dominant search is for security is also an age in which gambling is at an all-time high. "America" says a national magazine,"is on it's worst gambling spree in history; the cost of it is in the billions, more than the nations spend on education, medical care and all the churches put together.---Why?---
The answer is spiritual starvation. Jesus taught about a man who could not have a vacumn where his soul should be. When a house is empty something gets in--usually rats. When men will not be greatly good then they will be greatly evil. Gambling is the perversion of a mighty instinct that must find an outlet somewhere, if not on the High level of achievement, then somewhere.
The sin of gambling is that men should take this God given instinct of adventure and waste it on petty issues, demoralizing themselves and society by the misuse of a power meant to mold the world into better form and to lift men up.
Let us look at this cross again, this cross with little games below it and the Great Game on it. I want to emphasize a few of the things on which Christ staked His life; and a few things God wants us to take great risk for now.
Truth and righteousness first. Christ died for that. The communists of Russia are so sure that we can't get anywhere with truth that they have adopted the big lie as their chief weapon of aggression. Everywhere there seems to be a depreciation of the truth. We are told that you have to keep people fooled, frightened, and outwitted, above all, never tell anybody the truth.
Wanted-- great gamblers. People ready to risk something on the possibility that this world was made by God and designed to be run by Him. Religion is betting your life that there is a God. Betting your life--standing up in the midst of the crookedness and saying, "I believe in God the Father Almighty, maker of heaven and earth"--risking something on the possibility that the world was made for righteousness, This and nothing less is what God expects of each of us.
Then there is brotherhood. Christ died for that; He threw his life into the balance on the proposition that all mankind was one family in God. He taught that to people, and it seemed to them an ideal so dangerous to their supremacy and security that they pushed him out of the synagogue and up on a cross. Millions today are betting their lives on white supremacy, but what if we are wrong, and what if Jesus was right about brotherhood of all colors. What if the Gospel had truth when it says that God made of one blood all the races of men that they stand equal before Him and therefore equal before each other? What if our ideas about our own superiority are as fictitious as the pretensions of the Pharisees with whom Jesus clashed.
Finally, while men gambled at the foot of the cross, revealing the worst side of human nature, Christ was staking His life on the best side of human nature. He was putting His life down on the proposition that men were better than they knew and were created for something infinitely greater than they understood. Jesus believed in human nature. To be sure man is desperate sinner, but Jesus believed in human nature so much that He bowed his head and died in the confidence that men had it in them to walk in the high path He had opened, and that His cause could be trusted in their faulty human hands.
We marvel at that faith, that He could believe so greatly when the odds seemed so against Him.--Murdered there between two thieves by people who were behaving more like beasts than men. Jesus knew much about the shabbiness of human nature, but nowhere does he talk down to human nature. He never talked down to anybody as we sometimes think we must. He never offered a cheap way to anybody, never like the modern politician offering a chicken in every pot to get votes. He treated every person--even Zacchaeus and the sinful woman of Samaria--as great creatures. He counted on something in even the lowliest to respond to the highest truth.
Jesus said, "if any man will be my disciple, let him deny himself and take up his cross". He wagered his life on the fact that if he gave men a task they would respond. He said, "if I be lifted up above earth, I will draw all men unto me." They will come. If I give them a cross to follow, they will come.
What if it is true that each of us is made for something greater than we have imagined, and that conversion is the process by which we accept the challenge and put our lives down on the possibilities? Ask yourself these questions now, for God needs great gamblers. --Now-- Today--
Prayer
Dear Lord Jesus thou who has called us to help build the city of God, enrich and purify our lives and deepen our discipleship. Help us daily to know more of thee, and through us by the power of thy Spirit to show forth they self to other men. Make us humble, brave and loving, make us ready for adventure. We do not ask that thou will keep us safe, but that thou shall keep us loyal, who for us didst face death unafraid, and who dost live and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Benediction:
Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, make you perfect in every good work to do his will, working in you that which is well pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen
Processional Hymn #162 O for a Thousand Tongues to Sing
Hymn of Preparation #251 Take Time to be Holy
Hymn of Dedication #460 Lord Speak to me That I May Speak
Nottingham UMC
Nottingham Village, Cleveland, Ohio
July 9, 1964
Monday, February 15, 2010
Sin and Forgiveness of Sin
Old Testament Scripture--Psalms 85
New Testament Scripture--Luke 5:17-20
Responsive Reading--Pg.571
Eighth Sunday-First Reading
"A Prayer of Penitence."
In order to reach Jesus, a palsied man was let down through the roof by his friends. Our Lord confronted the patient with an unexpected greeting. He said, "Man, your sins are forgiven you."
That situation is deeply suggestive for our own day. The crowds still gather wherever there is hope of health or help. Yet with all the worthy effort put forth to lift the burdens and banish the fears and worries of men, I believe Christ would stand among us and say, to us as to the man at Capernaum: "Man, your sins are forgiven you." Too many of us are trying to feel good without first trying to be good. We seek Comfort before we seek forgiveness.
We bright modern people rush around too busy to bother about our sins, but the stubborn fact of sin remains. In our sophistication we may soften the old word "sin" with a new psycological term and call it a complex. Deep in our natures, passions seethe with sinful tendencies and often erupt with volcanic force.
The biggest business of our day is to keep the sin of war from utterly destroying our civilization.
It has been observed that, on cold wintery days at Niagara Falls birds will swoop down to take a drink from clear water. Each time they dip down for a drink a bit of ice forms on their wings until they are so weighted with ice that they can no longer rise up and they are swept over the Falls to death.
Sin is a deceptive as the sparkling water of Niagara's wintry rapids. Dip in to it once to often and we are not able to "Layaside every weight, and sin which clings so closely." (Hebrews 12:1)
We human beings are not sufficient unto ourselves in handling our sins. Martin Luther saw this when he said, "Forgiveness of sin is a knot which needs God's help to untie."
Confession of sin is not a very popular note in contemporary preaching. The last few decades have seen a decided change of emphasis in our presentation of religion.
Where the burden of preaching in our Grand-father's day was to save hearers from their own sins, our modern congregations seem to want preaching which will protect them from the evils which others may inflict upon them. We are not half so worried about divine judgement as we are about social dangers.
However, I would certainly not suggest reviving the kind of sermons that picture sinners in the hands of an angry God, dangling over the brink of a fiery hell. Jesus did not present fear as the motive of salvation.
God is a father, not hostile to us, not even angry with us, but rather eager for our reconciliation and redemption. What the gospel seeks to show us is that sin is a violation of love and not merely a violation of the law.
God is eager and ready to forgive the wrongdoer but he cannot forgive until the sinner confesses and repents. When a child in the home hurts his brother he hurts also his father, because the father suffers not only with the child who is hurt but also with the child that does the hurting. The father looks with loving compassion on both of them equally.
So also with our heavenly Father. He loves all his family, whether they live in America or India or Russia, whether their skins are white or black or brown. His heart aches over their quarrels and divisions and injustices. He suffers with those who do the sinning. He loves them and longs for their peace and happiness, he "gave his only son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life."
When we confess our sins, therefore, we are not trying to placate an angry judge and thereby lessen our punishment. We are responding to violated love and seeking to comfort a suffering Father. If we are not restrained by fear of hurting one who loves us--that wife who has been our partner in sacrifice and suffering, that child who looks up to us and bears our name, that brother or sister who was our comrade in play and our standby in danger--if we are not restrained by the fear of hurting our Heavenly Father who doubly suffers for us, if we are not sensitive to wounded love, then we are headed to hell.
When we see how deeply sin hurts both our fellowmen and our Heavenly Father, if there is any spark of decency in us we will confess our sins.
Romans 10:10 says:" For man believes with his heart and so is justified, and he confesses with his lips and so is saved." There is great value in putting our sins before ourselves audibly. "Prayer is the soul's sincere desire uttered or unexpressed", to be sure we can pray silently. But just as the home relations of husband and wife grow slack without some words of affection, so our fellowship with Gods needs words to keep it vital. We need to be on speaking terms with our Lord. We need to unpack our hearts with words.
It is one thing to run through the Lord's Prayer, saying in chorus "Lord, forgive us our trespasses." It is quite another to pray, Lord forgive my meanness to Mary, my words of gossip about George.
In court of law conviction is not won on blanket indictments but rather on specific charges. Likewise, convictions of sin are best secured on specific confessions. This leads us to repentance, when the life and love and death of Christ really sink home in our hearts we advance from self-centered remorse to Godly grief over our sins.
Saint Paul drew the distinction when he wrote where lies the deepest hurt and also the highest hope. Love is one commodity which grows by consumption.
The Prodigal son discovered that though his sin had taken him away from his father's house it had not cut him off from his father's love. That love was waiting for him with outstretched arms. Prodigals down through the ages have found the same welcoming love. This same love of God awaits each of us today, the requirements are, repentance, faith and a contrite heart.
The question is not what will God do with us, but rather what will we do with Jesus?
He stands at our hearts door seeking entrance in order to cleanse us of our sins, but we must open the door.
What will you do with Jesus today?
Let Us Pray -
Our Dear Heavenly Father we acknowledge our transgressions; our sins are before us. Have mercy upon us, O God, according to thy loving kindness. Blot out our transgressions wash us and make us, whiter than snow. Keep us in the center of thy will, that we might be acceptable before thee, and bring joy to thee. Amen
Let us join together in the singing of the benediction
Hymn no 372
And now may the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Love of God, the Communion of the Holy Spirit, Be with you all. --Amen
Used at Nottingham Methodist 8/26/1962
Used at Collinwood Methodist 5/5/1963
Sunday, January 24, 2010
JESUS SAID, "i AM THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD"
Scripture Reading--
Old Testament Psalms 27
New Testament St. John 8:1-12
Responsive Reading-- Seventeenth Sunday
First Reading--Christ the Light Pg. 582
Jesus had just completed His remarkable interview with the adulterous woman she was brought to him by a crowd of eager Pharisees who proposed she be stoned to death. He had just finished saying..."Go and sin no more" when he declared, "I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life".
Jesus said emphatically "I am the light of the world", but he also said, "Ye are the light of the world." There is no contradiction here. We can be the light of the world only because He is the light of the world and because He, being in us shines out through us.
Jesus said, "As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world," Almost I hear him continue, and when I am no longer in the world, I must rely upon you. Then you must be the light of the world.
I do not know what darkness of doubt or uncertainty, of grief or disappointed, may surround you, but I do know that Jesus is the light and that He can make plain a way ahead for you.
Friends often advise and cheer us, friends comfort and strengthen us, but the best advise a friend could ever give us is to put our trust, our life our all in the keeping of the One who said, "I am the light of the world, he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life."
Here if I may, I want to interpose a parable. Imagine with me that I have a friend who is a jeweler. Let us imagine that he has just been promoted and is in charge of a very fine shop of which he is very proud, and that he says to me, although it is late, I want to show you my shop. So although it is dark and late, I go with him and we enter the shop, and I wonder why he keeps me waiting in the dark so long. Well, he is removing the covers from the show cases before turning on the light. Then suddenly he turns on the electric light. In a fraction of a second a thousand reflections reach my eyes from the shining silver and jewels in the cases before me. They have no light of themselves, but as soon as he turned the light on, every one of them leaps up at me with this message: "Though we have no light within ourselves we reflect the light that is above us."
Let us remember Jesus not only said: I am the light of the world." He also said, "Ye are the light of the world." When we begin to think of some of our Christian friends, the people who have made life rich and meaningful to us, we realize that though perhaps they have no spiritual light of themselves, their lives are beautiful because they continually reflect His light. They fling back into this dark world a radiance they get from Him.
It is part of my message this morning that we can do this too. Can He count on us to reflect Him, or have we become too tarnished, to dusty to care. "Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father who is in Heaven."
There is yet something else about the light in the jewelers shop, it not only reveals the splendor of the jewels, but also the things that ought not to be there at all. A cobweb, or a dusty shelf, paper on the floor.--trays in disarray.
While darkness reigned in the shop these things were not apparent, but as soon as the light is turned on they can be seen-- Jesus is the light in this sense also. Men walked in darkness and did not always know what the darkness covered. When Jesus "Blazed" into the world, men knew that certain things they had always accepted and done were wrong. "This is the judgement", says John, "that the light is come." (John3:19)
Electric power is a wonderful thing, with it we can light up whole cities. It is the dynamo from which we get electricity to light up cities, yet the dynamo does not create electricity, it just lets it break through. It is the same with the spiritual energies that are within us. We do not create them but we can let them break through and shine forth as lighted lives. We are candles of the Lord. Have you ever stopped to consider how many candles can be lighted from one feeble little candle.
Just suppose for a moment that all the workers on a building site said: "Let's forget the blue prints Let's each work out our own ideas!" When you saw the finished house (if it was ever finished), you'd laugh and say don't tell me there's a designer behind all this.
That is what has happened in the world for a good many centuries, and is still happening today.
What proportion of all the people in the world do you suppose, are following the Designer's blueprint? A pretty small number I dare say. Many, of course, don't know about it, many don't bother to consult it, and a lot of people prefer their own ideas. If the results are chaotic can we blame the Designer?
This blue print is found in the New Testament. There we can read of a God who broke through from the real and permanent world into this life of time and space by becoming a Man. He was thus able not only to give men the blueprint for living but to live it out in person. Among us in fact, you might say that he personally was the blueprint. And it becomes pretty plain as you read that if only men would live according to that design, the world would quickly recover and become infinitely better and happier place.
At present there is only a mere handful who have studied the plan and are trying to cooperate with the designer.
What about you? Do you say, "Who need the blueprint" and then try to shift the blame for all the mess on God, the designer? Or are you daily seeking to live according to God's Plan.
Consider the influence of the life of Jesus. It has been said He never wrote a book. He never held an office. He never owned a home. He never had a family. He never went to college. He never traveled two hundred miles from the place he was born. He had no credentials but himself. Yet, We are well within the mark when we say that all the armies that ever marched, and all the navies that were ever built, and all the parliaments that ever sat, and all the kings that ever reigned, put together, have not affected the life of man upon this earth as powerfully as has this one solitary life.
Jesus you see identified Himself with the great idea: He lived for a supreme objective :The Kingdom of God". He says," To this end was I born and for this cause came I unto the world, that I should bear witness unto truth." (John 18:37)
Here then my brothers is one way to make a simple life truly influential. It is to serve God instead of gold, to invest yourself in men instead of markets. It is to live for the long term instead of temporary values. It is to put the Church first instead of last. It is to identify yourself with great causes instead of petty satisfactions.
Do this and one solitary life, one small candle, however humble, becomes great in stature and matchless in it's endless influence among men.--
Jesus said,"I am the light of the world, he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life."
"Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father who is in heaven.
Let Us Pray.
Our dear Heavenly Father we pray that thou will keep us in the center of thy will. Help us to shine for thee in a mighty way. Increase our vision - lift our horizons - intensify our zeal, that we might in all times seek they face: That we might love our neighbors as ourselves. -That we might live lighted lives. -Amen
used at Nottingham - Methodist
used at Collinwood Methodist 8/19/62
used at Zion & Union Ave 8/7/65
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