Mark 1:21-28

January 28, 2024

the Rev. Todd R. Goddard, Pastor

Rush United Methodist Church

Mark 1:21-28

They went to Capernaum; and when the sabbath came, he entered the synagogue and taught. They were astounded at his teaching, for he taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes. Just then there was in their synagogue a man with an unclean spirit, and he cried out, “What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are, the Holy One of God.” But Jesus rebuked him, saying, “Be silent, and come out of him!” And the unclean spirit, convulsing him and crying with a loud voice, came out of him. They were all amazed, and they kept on asking one another, “What is this? A new teaching—with authority! He commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey him.” At once his fame began to spread throughout the surrounding region of Galilee.

| Centering Prayer |

“Just the facts, ma’am,”

Joe Friday would ask the witness.

Just give me the facts.

The sleepy, seaside town

Known as Capernaum

Came together for

Friday evening Sabbath

To hear and see the latest sensation

To come out of Nazareth.

(picture of map and synagogue at Capernaum)

Crowds gathered to hear him teach.

People were drawn from the surrounding countryside

To experience a new authority

– A refreshing breath of Good News –

That was blowing in the land,

– Unlike the stale and tired –

The old news that was strict and unbending

Recited by talking heads

Of religious authority.

The new authority would become identified

Not with the Law or Covenant of old,

But, with the grace and love of a gentle God

Yearning for the repentance and love

of His children.

…

“Just the facts, ma’am,”

Joe Friday would ask,

“Just the facts.”

Fact #1: Jesus taught with authority.

He is compared and contrasted

with the scribes,

the keepers of the text,

who lacked such authority.

Authority is

more than the ability to be.

Authority is the ability to become

Based on understanding,

Not just caretaking,

Knowing,

Not just believing,

Fulfilling

All that God is calling you to become.

Human nature has

remained remarkably unchanged

in two-thousand years.

When people gather for prayer, worship, and insight, the demons we bear come right along with us.

The sins we struggle with

Are wheeled right into the midst of the sacred,

Only to have us get out our pitchfork

And start cleaning out the stall

Of human depravity and sin,

Slopping it right onto the altar of our God.

We really know how to muck up a good sanctuary.

We would like to think that a house of worship

Would be free

Of sin, suffering, and sedition

But then, whenever people are gathered

We are nothing more than a community of sinners

Yearning to be transformed into a community of Saints.

…

“Just the facts, ma’am,”

Joe Friday would ask,

“Just the facts.”

Fact #2: People with demons know who Jesus is.

They know him by name and reputation

and, likewise, they know his disciples.

Whether we are the demon possessed ones,

Or, we are nothing more than

just an innocent bystander

We are drawn in by the struggle.

We are splattered by the mud;

Hoping above all hope

That we are not sin’s unintentional victims.

All to often,

We are

the stewards of sin.

How could this be so?

We were

Born perfect in everyway.

We have been

Granted free will by our benevolent creator,

Yet exposed to evil and

Succumbing to the lure of

temptation’s persuasive ways.

The evil one knows

Who we are,

Where we are,

What we are doing, too.

We are on his radar.

Like an evil mass marketer

Spewing spam and

phishing for unsuspecting dolts and doorknobs,

The evil one is prepared to fight for his very life

In a cosmic battle with our God.

The evil one is in a death match

over the final disposition of our souls.

This fight is God’s fight.

This fight is also our fight.

In a crime more hideous than identity theft,

Sin driven hunger

drives even the most unsuspecting people

to commit the most outrageous sins

Against God and fellowman or woman.

Be forewarned, “there but by the grace of God,”

That demon filled, sin oozing person can sometimes be a reflection you or me.

Human pride and ego,

Weakness to temptation

And tendencies towards sin

Sometimes makes the most holy Saint

Become nothing more than a snake,

A demon possessed handmaiden of the devil himself.

…

“Just the facts, ma’am,”

Joe Friday would ask,

“Just the facts.”

Fact #3: People with demons are attracted to Jesus and his followers.

Is it because darkness seeks out it’s adversary?

Is it because sin is looking for a fight?

Or, perhaps

Sin comes a-knocking

Knowing that the only solution

– The only solution to sin and death –

Is the grace that Jesus has to offer:

True repentance

Complete forgiveness

And the hope of eternal life.

…

“Just the facts, ma’am,”

Joe Friday would ask,

“Just the facts.”

Fact #4: People with demons expect that Jesus desires to destroy them, and the evil they carry.

The perspective of evil

Comes from looking through glasses

Colored by sin,

Constructed to be evil.

The demon knows death and destruction.

That is where it lives.

Yet death and destruction

Are limited in their scope;

Are confined to only a small corner

Of the world’s reality.

Jesus surprises the devil.

Instead of seeking his destruction

He seeks his exorcism.

Jesus seeks his conversion.

Jesus seeks to save the person’s life.

…

“Just the facts, ma’am,”

Joe Friday would ask,

“Just the facts.”

Fact #5: Jesus doesn’t seek to destroy people.

Jesus saves.

Jesus seeks to caste out evil,

All-the-while

salvaging and saving the person

To live another day.

There are no “throw away” people in God’s kingdom.

All of us are capable of being Rehabilitated with repentance and

Recycled into a state of grace.

It is the yearning of a loving parent

That we come with repentance written upon our lips and hearts.

Yet, our Gospel for today tells us

That the authority of Christ is capable

Of overcoming even the possessed and unrepentant.

This is truly Good News.

This is good news for those mucking around in sin’s tar pit.

This is good news for you and me, too.

For each of us have our time in the bottom of the barrel.

And no amount of human endeavor

Seems capable of removing the stain of sin.

The Good News of this day is that

Jesus is the only solution:

All other solutions kill both the body and the soul.

Jesus is the only solution:

Who is capable of exercising sin with the precision of a surgeon’s scalpel, saving the patient’s life.

Jesus is the only solution:

Jesus is the only one with sufficient authority to cleanse us from our demons, from our possession, from our sins.

Jesus is the only one with grace sufficient

To rehab and restore this sin sick soul of ours.

Jesus is the only one who is interested in saving your life and mine, all the while, making us pure and perfect once again.

One story

Of Jesus and a demon possessed adversary.

One story

Yielding many facts, but one essential truth:

Jesus is our solution

– Our only solution –

That restores our body

And saves our soul.

The Word of the Lord, as it has come to me.

Thanks be to God.

Amen.

January 21, 2024

Mark 1:14-20

The Rev. Todd R. Goddard, Pastor

Rush United Methodist Church

Mark 1:14-20

Now after John was arrested, Jesus came to Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God, and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God has come near; repent, and believe in the good news.”

As Jesus passed along the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting a net into the sea—for they were fishermen. And Jesus said to them, “Follow me and I will make you fish for people.” And immediately they left their nets and followed him.

As he went a little farther, he saw James son of Zebedee and his brother John, who were in their boat mending the nets. Immediately he called them; and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired men, and followed him.

| Centering Prayer |

God does the calling.

It isn’t about us,

you or me,

(though, to tell the truth,

I would like it to be

all about selfish-me.)

It is by God’s initiative

and by God’s initiative alone

that we are named

that we are invited

to the table

to join

in relationship

– give and take –

in a relationship

between our Creator,

one another,

and ourselves.

God takes the bold stand

to claim you for God’s very own

whether we like it or not.

This isn’t a buyer’s market.

Questions of motive or means

are unknowable

without Divine revelation,

without God showing you God’s hand.

So don’t beat yourself up

with questions.

If answers come,

simply respond with thanks.

We only know what we’ve experienced.

We only know the knock

when God is standing

at our door.

Listen for God knocking.

The time is ripe.

The time is now.

God establishes the standards.

Expectations are low.

The likelihood of success is high.

Failure is not remembered in God’s kingdom.

The depths of hell

are filled in and paved over

with one simple utterance of repentance.

The trouble wrought by the Devil himself

is wholly righted

simply by the majesty and power

of a forgiving and loving God

who sent his Son to die for our sins.

God calls the ordinary

the plain and simple;

fisherman and farmer,

merchant and trader

soldier and sailor and candlestick maker.

God calls

The pilot and crew,

The driver and the mechanic changing your oil.

God calls the disabled,

The non-neural typical,

Their family and their staff.

God calls

the widowed and the divorced,

the drunk and outcast,

the blue collar, white collar,

and every type and color of collar in-between.

God calls the sinner

and the saint alike.

God calls the best and the brightest

and the least and the dull.

If God can call the least of these,

– If God can call someone as foul as me –

then I assure you

God can call you, too.

In fact,

the mere fact

that you are here

(that you are reading this)

is proof positive

that God is calling

your name

the same way Simon and Andrew

James and John were called.

Stop what you are doing.

Watch. Listen. Wait for it.

Can you hear the knock?

Listen for the whisper.

Follow me.

Follow me.

“Not worthy?” you say.

Please.

Save your protests

save your whining

for some imbecile

who might be suckered in

by such insincerity.

It does not say anyplace in scripture

that God reviews past work experience

that Jesus asked to see a resume or curriculum vitae

of anyone chosen or claimed

for His discipleship.

No psychological testing.

No background checks.

No physicals to pass.

No final essays or test!

You hear the knock?

You can trace the sound of the Spirit’s whisper?

You are worthy

just the way you are.

You are worthy

no matter where you’ve been

or what you’ve done.

You are worthy

so, as my doctor told me years ago,

“it’s time to grow up.”

Stop behaving like a child.

Stand up like a man or a woman

and take the authority

God has already given to you.

God provides

all the necessary talent, education, and tools.

There is a reason you can do some things well.

There is a Divine reason you can do some things well.

It’s because God has already been at work in your life

making plans and preparations.

From the time you were conceived,

From when you were in the womb,

your foundation has been under construction.

A strong back

a sharp mind

an artistic touch

an inventor’s creativity

a prisoner’s longing

are each equally important

gifts from a loving,

heavenly Father.

Do you think

doors have magically opened for you

throughout your life?

Open your eyes!

Wake up and smell the coffee!

God has been opening doors for you

all your life.

God has brought teachers and mentors

into your life and mine

to help develop the skills necessary

for successful discipleship.

This education comes at the incredibly low price:

Just as you have freely answered the call to follow Christ

Turn to the next generation

And invite them to follow Christ, too.

Teach your daughters.

Tell your boys.

Write it down to be discovered when you die.

Witness to the God of your experience.

Confess your doubt and brokenness,

All-the-while, proclaim God’s grace, redemption, and salvation.

All that you have been taught and learned

Pass it on.

Give it away.

Give it all away.

Whether your tool of choice

is a pipe wrench or a computer

a trowel or a plow truck

a hammer or a stethoscope

a pen or a badge

God has provided every tool you’ll ever need.

God has provided everything

Has given you everything

in the past

in the present,

and will continue to provide for your every need

in the time that is yet to come.

We’ve been given

One common tool.

Into everyone’s toolbox

is given the Bible.

The written Word of God,

sacred in every way.

Though often overlooked

and ignored

the Bible is the best all-around tool available.

Use it.

Use it liberally.

Read it’s Gospels like a road map for daily living.

– Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John –

Use it as your guide to life.

For me,

The Bible was

Taught the basics in Sunday school and Vacation Bible school,

Tolerated as a teen,

Questioned as a college student,

Learned to love and explore in seminary.

Understanding is not required.

Complete comprehension is not expected.

I don’t understand it all,

Educated, ordained, and experienced as I am,

and trusted with the keys to the kingdom.

If the preacher doesn’t understand it all,

how could anyone else?

Fact is

faith isn’t based on insider knowledge.

Faith isn’t based on certainty.

Faith is stepping out on nothing

And landing on something.

Faith is based on watching,

then passing on

what has been observed.

Faith is like a flowing river

That is taking us ever closer to the heart of God.

Accept the fact that

with God there is always that which is mystery.

Around the next corner may be

the unexpected detour or fork in the road.

With God there is always

the mysterious,

the unknown.

Good works result from faith.

Jesus and his apostle, Paul,

both knew that we would

forever get this fact backwards.

Faith is not the by-product of good works.

You can’t earn your way to heaven.

People do good

by God and by neighbor

when it is faith that does the talking.

God makes it possible

To introduce people to Christ

And grow deep His followers.

Whatever we need

has been given.

If it seems we need more,

Ask, and it will be provided.

If it isn’t provided

God probably didn’t believe we needed it.

Keep eyes on Jesus

And everything else will take care of itself.

Answering the call

is not about being a preacher.

Answering the call

is about following Jesus

like Peter and Andrew,

James and John.

Answering the call

Is about serving where God plants you.

All that is required from you and me

is the ability to say “yes,”

“here I am.”

“I will go where you send me.”

“I will do what you want me to do.”

Surrender may be the most difficult decision any of us face,

For we are taught from a young age

To resist,

To defend,

To fight to the bitter end.

Yet, even yet, the call begins with surrender.

Not my will,

Thy will be done.

God’s time is fulfilled

the moment acceptance comes,

the moment we submit

our will

to the will of Christ.

The appointed time has grown short.

The present form of this world is passing away.

Answer the call.

Fish for followers.

The moment is ripe.

The moment is now.

Be assured,

belief comes in time.

Likewise, be assured,

belief never fully completes the square.

Questions always remain.

Tomorrow will yield a new dawn

a new day

fraught with temptations, trials, and snares.

Even still,

tomorrow will yield a better day

simply because

we have decided to answer God’s nudge,

the Spirit’s whisper,

Christ’s call

to drop our nets

and to follow Him.

Dearly beloved, these are the words

God has impressed upon my heart.

Amen.

1 Samuel 3:1-11 & John 1:43-51

January 14, 2024

The Rev. Todd R. Goddard, Pastor

Rush United Methodist Church

1 Samuel 3:1-11

Now the boy Samuel was ministering to the Lord under Eli. The word of the Lord was rare in those days; visions were not widespread. At that time Eli, whose eyesight had begun to grow dim so that he could not see, was lying down in his room; the lamp of God had not yet gone out, and Samuel was lying down in the temple of the Lord, where the ark of God was. Then the Lord called, “Samuel! Samuel!” and he said, “Here I am!” and ran to Eli, and said, “Here I am, for you called me.” But he said, “I did not call; lie down again.” So he went and lay down. The Lord called again, “Samuel!” Samuel got up and went to Eli, and said, “Here I am, for you called me.” But he said, “I did not call, my son; lie down again.” Now Samuel did not yet know the Lord, and the word of the Lord had not yet been revealed to him. The Lord called Samuel again, a third time. And he got up and went to Eli, and said, “Here I am, for you called me.” Then Eli perceived that the Lord was calling the boy. Therefore Eli said to Samuel, “Go, lie down; and if he calls you, you shall say, ‘Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening.’” So Samuel went and lay down in his place. Now the Lord came and stood there, calling as before, “Samuel! Samuel!” And Samuel said, “Speak, for your servant is listening.”

Then the Lord said to Samuel, “See, I am about to do something in Israel that will make both ears of anyone who hears of it tingle.

John 1:43-51

The next day Jesus decided to go to Galilee. He found Philip and said to him, “Follow me.” Now Philip was from Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter. Philip found Nathanael and said to him, “We have found him about whom Moses in the law and also the prophets wrote, Jesus son of Joseph from Nazareth.” Nathanael said to him, “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” Philip said to him, “Come and see.” When Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward him, he said of him, “Here is truly an Israelite in whom there is no deceit!” Nathanael asked him, “Where did you get to know me?” Jesus answered, “I saw you under the fig tree before Philip called you.” Nathanael replied, “Rabbi, you are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!” Jesus answered, “Do you believe because I told you that I saw you under the fig tree? You will see greater things than these.” And he said to him, “Very truly, I tell you, you will see heaven opened and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of Man.”

| Centering Prayer |

The news wasn’t good.

His brothers had been caught red handed.

His father failed to react;

To do anything about his scoundrel sons.

(1 Samuel 2:12)

Instead the father,

An elderly priest,

Turned and looked away.

The boys had been caught stealing from the offering plate.

No, not money.

They had been stealing the remains of

animal sacrifices from the Temple

Which were designated for the poor.

Instead of waiting at the end of the line,

Like any good parish pastor at a dish-to-pass dinner knows to do,

These contemptuous brothers (1 Samuel 2:17)

Budged in first,

Took the choice cuts for themselves,

Then turned over

the leftovers and scraps for those in need.

All are called to righteousness and justice.

When the crooked brothers blasphemed the Lord by their behavior

The Lord took notice.

Eli chose not to.

Their evil behavior didn’t end by stealing the choice cuts of lamb.

Elkanah, or Eli as he had come to be known,

Had tried to confront the boys, Hophni and Phinehas,

About their evil dealings in the local brothels.

(1 Samuel 2:23)

But they would not listen.

A man from God even came to Eli

To warn him that the Lord honors those who honor him,

And despises those who hold him in contempt. (1 Samuel 2:30)

But Eli would not be moved.

If the nearly blind, elderly priest

Would not respond to the Lord’s directive from an outsider

Perhaps the Lord had another card to play.

There was a third son,

A mere boy,

Meaning he was younger than the age of maturity,

Younger than 13.

It was time for the Lord to call Samuel.

The call of Samuel,

Which we have earlier heard proclaimed,

Is recognized as a monumental text

That has catapulted the imagination of many

And launched them into the process of discernment.

“Since God called the young child Samuel,

When is God going to call me?”  

Speak Lord, for your servant is listening.

Too often,

When we hear the word “call,”

Or the Lord “calling” someone,

We assume the call is to become a pastor.

In Samuel’s case, nothing could be further from the truth.

The Lord called Samuel to a life of righteousness and justice;

The Lord also calls Samuel to a ministry of prophecy and judgment.

The Lord had a message to send to Eli

Through his newly called child prophet, Samuel:

Daddy and his boys were going to pay,

And pay mightily,

For the iniquity,

The blasphemy,

Eli’s house had committed.

They would be punished.

They would pay with their lives.

Justice and righteousness matter to God;

Both values to which God’s people are called.

Samuel was faithful to his call

And he did just what the Lord requested of him.

He informed his father, Eli,

Who took the news to heart.

“It is the Lord; let him do what seems good to him.”

(1 Samuel 3:18)

Finally, Eli had listened to the Lord.

The Lord fulfilled his promise.

Eli and his two sons would die.

Samuel would become a life-long,

trustworthy prophet of the Lord.

(1 Samuel 3:20)

He would mature into the role as God’s last Judge (leader) in Israel,

The one who the Lord rallied to defeat the Philistines,

The one who God directed to anoint kings, Saul and David.

Samuel’s exciting life as God’s prophet can be read in the

Biblical books of Judges, and 1^st & 2^nd Samuel,

Which I highly recommend.

…

Question.

Are we living out our call to act with righteousness, upholding justice?

Samuel’s childhood call narrative teaches us something about our relationship with God.

Indeed, the Lord often guides one to diverse roles,

Changing over the course of life,

Spanning from childhood to old age.

It begs the question,

What does God’s call look like,

At this time,

At this place in your life?

Speak Lord, for your servant is listening.

…

Both this Sunday and next Sunday

We are experiencing powerful call narratives from the Gospel;

Today from John and next week from Mark.

Jesus is launching his ministry by calling his first disciples.

John was doing his job.

You know John, don’t you?

The Baptist guy.

The one who had amassed quite the following;

The one who had been baptizing the crowds in the Jordan River;

The one who baptized Jesus in Jordan’s icy current.

He had been standing on the street corner with two of his followers,

Andrew and Simon (who would also be known as Peter),

Both Andrew and Simon Peter were from the seaside Galilean village of Bethsaida.

John, Andrew, and Peter

Were standing on a street corner in the lower Jordan valley,

In the region of Judah,

Someplace within a day’s walk

From where John was preaching and baptizing;

Quite possibly in the ancient City of Jericho (of Jushua’s fame).

Jesus is seen walking by when John exclaims,

“Look, here is the Lamb of God!”

(John 1:35)

Testimony, as is often the case, results in action.

Andrew and Peter immediately followed Jesus.

“What are you looking for?” Jesus inquires.

“Rabbi,” they respond, “where are you staying?”

“Come and see,” Jesus replies.

Come and see.

And the first two disciples were called. (John 1:37-39)

Bethsaida, the town where Andrew and Simon Peter grew up,

Was a small village,

Kind of like the hamlet of Rush,

And, like in every small town,

Tongues tend to wag.

Everybody knew everybody else’s business.

Everyone, it appeared, was related.

Siblings, cousins, and neighborhood kids grew up together.

While Jesus’ first two disciples were from Bethsaida,

Jesus had grown up in the nearby village of Nazareth,

Less than 30 miles to the west.

If Jesus intended to expand the number of his disciples,

Perhaps he should stretch his network of those who he is calling.

Thus, it makes sense, for

Them to travel to Andrew and Peter’s hometown, Bethsaida.

In your mind’s eye,

Think of these three (Jesus, Andrew and Simon Peter) walking the path

That paralleled the Jordan River, then, around the east side of the Sea of Galilee,

Arriving at the bustling village of Bethsaida.

It is here where the Gospel picks up the narrative.

Jesus finds Philip, quite possibly

a friend or relative of Andrew or Peter.

“Find” is a very important word,

Especially in the context of the Gospel of John;

It serves as a launchpad for deeper reflection as the story unfolds.

Find.

To be found.

Know.

To be known.

The easy way out would be to suggest

Andrew and Peter had simply briefed Jesus about Philip,

“Primed the pump,” as it is often said,

And convinced him

On the road between the Jordan in the south

And Bethsaida in the north

That Philip was a really good chap

And would serve as an excellent recruit for our Lord’s third disciple.

Yet, when we look at the Gospel of John in total,

From a thirty-thousand foot perspective,

We see this longing desire for our God to know us

Through his Son, Jesus Christ;

To know his disciples,

To know those who are being called to make up his body.

Finding and knowing are characteristics of God, played in spades.

God finds and knows disciples before each are called.

As Nathanael comes towards Jesus, he said,

“Here is truly an Israelite in whom there is no deceit!”

“Where did you get to know me?” Nathanael asked, apparently mystified.

“I saw you under the fig tree before Philip called you,” Jesus replied.

Nathanael immediately comes to recognition,

“Rabbi, you are the Son of God! You are the king of Israel!”

(John 1:47-49)

John witnessed to Andrew and Peter.

“Come and see” was our Lord’s invitation.

In turn, it was Andrew and Simon Peter who led Jesus to Philip and Nathanael.

Jesus found them and knew them,

Even, as I would suggest, Andrew and Peter

Had a chance to introduce Jesus to Philip and Nathanael.

It is the Divine nature of Jesus that finds disciples.

It is his love, that seeks to know each and every one of us.

It is his call, that every baptized disciple receives,

To come and follow him.

The call, for Andrew and Peter, for Philip and Nathanael,

Is for the one who is called to go and find more disciples,

Those whom Jesus already knows

Where they are

And who they are.

Jesus is the one making disciples.

It is the roll of his disciples to support Jesus to make more.

Speak Lord, for your servant is listening.

…

Have you testified like John,

Pointed to Jesus, saying “Look, here is the lamb of God!”?

Have you introduced friends and neighbors to Jesus?

Who in your network hasn’t yet heard the whisper of God?

Who are your acquaintances

Who haven’t yet been introduced to Jesus?

“God so loves the world,” Jesus teaches.

The whole world is called to Jordan’s baptismal waters,

To become a member of Christ’s body;

To be claimed by God,

Adopted by God.

Found and known.

As members of Christ’s body,

The Son of God,

All of us are called to live righteously before God,

To always try to do the right thing.

Follow God’s commands.

Act according to God’s instructions.

Prioritize justice.

Let us be like Samuel.

Speak Lord, for your servant is listening.

As members of Christ’s body,

The Son of God,

Let us dedicate ourselves to introducing others to Jesus,

To take an active roll in disciple making.

Witness what you have seen.

Testify to what you know.

Introduce others to Jesus

And let God do the rest.

What does God’s call look like to you,

At this time,

At this place in your life?

Speak Lord, for your servant is listening.

Some of us are called to pastoral ministry.

Some are called to prophecy.

Some are called to teach.

Others are called to justice ministries,

To advocate for the poor,

To feed, house, and provide shelter,

To visit in prisons,

To minister to the sick and dying.

The apostle Paul even reports that some are called to speak in tongues.

What does God’s call look like to you,

At this time,

At this place in your life?

Know this to be true:

God calls all of us to righteous living.

Jesus calls all of us to bring to him new disciples.

Amen.

Mark 1:4-11

January 7, 2024

The Baptism of the Lord

the Rev. Todd R. Goddard, Pastor

Rush United Methodist Church

Mark 1:4-11

John the baptizer appeared in the wilderness, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. And people from the whole Judean countryside and all the people of Jerusalem were going out to him, and were baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins. Now John was clothed with camel’s hair, with a leather belt around his waist, and he ate locusts and wild honey. He proclaimed, “The one who is more powerful than I is coming after me; I am not worthy to stoop down and untie the thong of his sandals. I have baptized you with water; but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”

In those days Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. And just as he was coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens torn apart and the Spirit descending like a dove on him. And a voice came from heaven, “You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased.”

| Centering Prayer |

The heavens were torn.

Ripped apart.

It is not as if

the divide had not

been previously breached.

Through covenant and law,

at the hand of

anointed

chosen

prophets

preachers

kings

and angels,

our God has

a record,

a history,

of intervention

– of loving intervention.

The heavens were torn.

Ripped apart.

Leaving an opening

for the Spirit

the Holy Spirit of God

to pass through

descend

and alight

upon him.

“This is my Son”

the voice called

from behind the jagged opening.

“My beloved

with whom

I Am

well pleased.”

The divide

between heaven and earth

has continued to be torn

ever since.

Two thousand years

and

fifty-plus generations later

have shredded

and left tattered,

like a faded

weathered

battle flag,

the barrier that separates

God’s heavenly kingdom

from God’s earthly kingdom.

The divide

is only a barrier of inconvenience,

one that simply gives the illusion

of privacy

of being alone

of being on our own.

In reality,

God is present

– Emmanuel –

– God with us –

– just beyond our perception.

The divide

can no more hold back our God

than a paper marquee

can hold back

a charging football team

being introduced

at a championship game.

The divide

Continues to be torn today.

Pastors, preachers, and priests

welcome to the font

young and old alike

to experience the same flood

experienced by Noah and Moses

to listen for the same water

that was turned to wine

to experience the same tearing of the divide

that our Lord

Jesus Christ

experienced at the hand of John.

…

Baptism was a practice of purification

By our Jewish ancestors,

Water washing away the dirt of wickedness and sin.

John the Baptist today

is proclaiming a baptism of repentance

for the forgiveness of sins.

People from the whole Judean countryside

And all the people of Jerusalem, St. Mark reports,

Country folk and city slickers alike,

Went to John,

In the Jordan,

Confessing their sins,

To be baptized

By its cleansing waters.

“Go wash up before you come to the dinner table,”

My mother used to direct.

Perhaps your mother or father did, too.

Clean up my side of the street.

Take care of my shortcomings

And make corrections of my defects of character.

Humbly confess my sins

Before God

And my fellowmen and women.

Thus, we make our confession before approaching the Upper Room’s table.

Jesus shaped baptism

Like a potter shapes their clay.

Go therefore. Make disciples of Christ.

Baptize. Teach.

Baptism becomes initiation

To the redemptive nature of the cross

And God’s salvation of the empty tomb.

…

In one of my favorite movies,

Three convicts happen upon a church gathering at the river

in antebellum Mississippi:

(O Brother Where Art Thou?”)

Delmar is washed of his sin,

Emerges from his baptismal water,

His proclamation becomes our invitation:

“I have been redeemed”

“Heaven everlasting is my reward.”

“Come on in, boys. The water is fine.”

…

We share

a common baptism

with Jesus

with one another

and with every other

child of Jesus Christ

who has come before us

and who will come after us.

Consider the tattered divide;

the rip

that occurred at your baptism.

With the pouring water

the Spirit of the Heavenly Father

breaking from heaven,

tearing into your life,

making a base camp

called faith.

Consider the Holy Spirit

Poured into your life,

Grace overflowing,

Love abiding,

Taking hold,

and will never,

ever,

let you go.

Into the river we go.

Together we wade.

…

Reverently I removed

the ledger from my shelf

opened to the pages

that list each of

the 137 people

I’ve lifted up to God

in celebration of their

baptism with water

and the tearing,

ripping

fire

of the Holy Spirit.

In the course of

Thirty-eight years of parish ministry

names rise off the page

with prayers of thanksgiving;

names separated by geography and distance

names separated by time and space

names separated by heaven and earth,

and very possibly, hell.

The great divide was broached

and the number of God’s children grew by one

the fourth of November

Nineteen eighty-four (1984).

Water whetted the matted hair

of adolescence lost;

Jeffrey,

who at the same moment

his soul was received

into paradise

when the respirator was turned off

and his parents cried out

in anguish.

My first baptism.

The great divide was broached

and the number of God’s children grew by one

when water whetted the infant head of Shawn,

conceived by parents joined in marriage

before God’s altar

and me,

whose birth

was attended by my beloved wife,

Cynthia.

The miraculous circle of life continued.

The great divide was broached

and the number of God’s children grew

with the baptism of

brothers Benjamin and William,

brother and sister, Jayden and Alyexia,

father and daughter, Stuart and Catherine,

mom, dad, and son, Paul, Cathy, and Collin;

each experienced the Spirit’s entry

and were welcomed by God’s

baptismal waters.

The great divide was broached

and the number of God’s children grew by three

the Sunday

Elizabeth, Benjamin, and Felicia

were presented to me

standing above a furnace grate

that began to belch black smoke

gasping in disrepair!

The great divide was broached

and the number of God’s children grew by one

when I held Alexa in my hands

and poured the waters of grace

upon her head.

In later days a line would be drawn

between Alexa’s parents and me,

a line of pain and hurt

that continued for years,

which only time and God’s grace has begun to heal.

Jessica, Richard, Kerry

Andrew, Amber, Trevor,

Kodie, Pamela, and Sean

and a whole host of

witnesses have been added to Christ’s kingdom.

They are more than memories

to a maturing and graying pastor.

Each is connected with Christ and me.

Together we wade

into the river of life.

Each shares our common baptismal waters.

Each is a Christian disciple or saint.

Each a child of God.

Each and every one of us

have been adopted by a loving Father

forgiven by a redemptive Son

saved by a compassionate Spirit

through the baptismal waters

touched by the same Holy Spirit

that descended

and alighted

upon Jesus in the Jordan.

The heavens were torn.

Ripped apart.

On this day

we remember

we recall

our Lord, Jesus Christ

– a new Epiphany of our God –

how he stood with John,

as if fly fishing for disciples,

in the midst of Jordan’s

rippling waters.

The heavens were torn.

Ripped apart.

And through the opening

we welcome the Holy Spirit

with praise and thanksgiving.

The Word of the Lord,

as it has come to me.

Thanks be to God.

Amen.

Seventh Day of Christmas

December 31, 2023

The Rev. Todd R. Goddard, Pastor

Rush United Methodist Church

Luke 2:22-40

https://bible.oremus.org/?ql=570601676

| Centering Prayer |

This year,

the calendar gives us the opportunity

to gather for Sunday worship on New Year’s Eve.

Historically New Year’s Eve has held great significance for those of us

Who trace our roots back to John Wesley,

An Anglican Priest,

Who served as a midwife for the birth of Methodism.

Thus, this Sunday offers an excellent opportunity

for our church and others to live into a piece of our heritage.

Beginning in 1755,

John Wesley encouraged

gathering for worship

on New Year’s Eve

for what he called a “Covenant Renewal Service”.

Central features of this service are

remembering the past year

—something of a communal exam—

as well as recommitting to following Christ,

often using the Wesleyan Covenant Prayer.

Through this message of renewal

And walking in the path of our forefathers

Let us search for a balance of reflection and hope.

(With thanks to umcdiscipleship dot org)

…

Let us reflect.

In 2023,

Ask yourself

How have I put to practice my baptismal vows:

To reject evil?

To resist injustice and oppression?

To place our whole trust in Christ’s grace?

And, to nurture one another by teaching and example?

…

Evil follows us wherever we go,

Just as the devil followed Jesus into the wilderness.

Evil prods us with temptations

To do what we know is wrong,

To disobey God’s laws,

To not listen to God’s whispering voice that guides us along the way,

To not rely upon God’s strength to sustain our spiritual journey.

To deny the existence and threat of evil

Is to live in a delusional world.

Tasting evil’s temptation is like sticking your tongue into an electrical outlet.

Don’t.

Just don’t do it.

Ask yourself

“How have I rejected Evil this past year?”

Join me in my New Year’s resolve:

I will reject Evil,

with all my power,

with all my ability,

whenever,

wherever  

I may confront it.

…

Injustice and oppression are all around us,

Just as certainly as injustice and oppression assailed Jesus at every turn.

Racial and gender predigest confronted Jesus.

He told a parable about a mixed-race Samaritan

stopping to help the victim of a robbery and beating,

stopping to help when no one else would.

Oh, the scandal!

Jesus spoke to a Samaritan woman at a well,

a serial devorcee,

in search of a drink.

The nerve of him!

Just when I feel confident

That I understand

the racial and gender environment in which I live,

The Holy Spirit slaps me with a cold-water wakeup call

That washes away my long held beliefs

and reveals my ignorance.

For me, understanding begins with listening.

In this past year

Have I, as an individual,

Have we, as a church,

Listened to the voice of

Victims of injustice?

The voice of the oppressed?

Have we lifted a finger to do something about it?

Anything?

Let us listen to indigenous peoples,

People who have immigrated to our land and neighborhood,

Families that flee violence, crime, and terror.

Hear the stories of women and children,

Human trafficking, exploitation, and prostitution.

Join me in my New Year’s resolve

To listen and learn

from our near and far neighbors

who are oppressed,

who are victims of injustice.

Maybe, just maybe,

May we be so bold to confront injustice and oppression.

…

Christ came,

first as a baby,

Born of Mary,

In a manger,

Delivered in Bethlehem,

Beneath a star.

Today, Christ has gathered,

we, who are members of his Body,

We, who are his disciples

gathered to worship God.

We, who are Christ’s body are

Dedicated to following his will and his example.

Thus, we proclaim God’s Word.

Thus, we pray.

Thus, we listen.

We go forth,

Our words and actions

Reflecting and revealing

Jesus Christ in our world today.

And, we look forward to Christ coming again.

How and when Christ returns remains a mystery,

Just as Jesus taught our apostolic saints

Who came before us.

Let us reflect upon 2023

When, where, and in what circumstances have we

Placed our whole trust in Christ’s grace?

Do we trust Jesus:

God incarnate,

God and human combined?

Do we trust that our sins are forgiven when we ask?

Do we trust that our salvation was given when we accepted Jesus as our Lord and Savior?

Do we trust Jesus and his teaching?

To follow his example

To proclaim Good News?

To bring healing to a broken and estranged world?

To resurrect the dead and offer salvation to one and all?

Trusting God is daring.

Boldly dare this New Year

And place your trust in the grace of Jesus.

…

Beloved,

Join me in personal reflection upon 2023.

How have I nurture others by teaching and example?

I get it;

Not everyone is called to teach,

But everyone is called to live the example of Jesus.

When words fail,

Let actions do the talking.

The words and example of Jesus is nurturing,

A balm in Gilead,

The substance of love,

As a parent cares for their child,

As Mary loved her baby Jesus.

Have I followed through with a visit to the lonely?

Have I contributed the best of my expertise to inform and guide our leaders?

Have I given my money to the mission and ministry of the parish

so much I feel the pinch?

Let me, let us, be resolved to do better in 2024.

Teach what Jesus taught.

Live as Jesus lived.

Love and nurture one another.

Will you join me?

…

Dearly beloved,

Be filled with hope for the future.

Join me in the New Year.

Let us recommit to follow Jesus.

Let us join in prayer,

Reciting together the Wesleyan Covenant Prayer

As found in the United Methodist Hymnal, number 607:

“I am no longer my own, but thine.

Put me to what thou wilt, rank me with whom thou wilt.

Put me to doing, put me to suffering.

Let me be employed by thee or laid aside for thee,

Exalted for thee or brought low for thee.

Let me be full, let me be empty.

Let me have all things, let me have nothing.

I freely and heartily yield all things to thy pleasure and disposal.

And now, O Glorious and blessed God,

Father, Son, and Holy Spirit,

John 1:1-14

Christmas Eve, 2023

The Rev. Todd R. Goddard, Pastor

Rush United Methodist Church

John 1:1-14              

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came into being through him, and without him not one thing came into being. What has come into being in him was life, and the life was the light of all people.

The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it. There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. He came as a witness to testify to the light, so that all might believe through him. He himself was not the light, but he came to testify to the light. The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world. He was in the world, and the world came into being through him; yet the world did not know him. He came to what was his own, and his own people did not accept him. But to all who received him, who believed in his name, he gave power to become children of God, who were born, not of blood or of the will of the flesh or of the will of man, but of God. And the Word became flesh and lived among us, and we have seen his glory, the glory as of a father’s only son, full of grace and truth.”

| Centering Prayer |

I find it interesting

That the God who created the cosmos

Decided to get some “hands on” experience.

Why?

Why go through the trouble, the pain, the sorrow, the suffering

When a snap of the fingers would have done nicely?

The same God who wove the tapestry of the universe

Was willing to rend the heavens and step through.

The same God who acted with unlimited power and authority

Willingly chose to humbly submit,

Become wholly helpless and dependent upon others.

Life in the womb comes from the mother.

She supplies it all: food, nutrients, protection;

The warmth and love that only a mother can give.

The circle of care is extended at birth,

But only a little bit.

Responsibility rests largely upon the mother.

Men in most cultures like to make a big show of it,

But, in reality, the child looks to the mother for its every need.

The burden of responsibility lay heavily upon Mary,

Here, now, lay the creator and savior of the world,

Vulnerable, helpless, dependent.

I find it interesting that God chose Mary.

Mary, who?

A young, inexperienced, adolescent engaged in an arranged marriage.

Mary was poor,

From a modest Nazarene family.

When you have nothing,

Pride is the only substitute.

It is hard to be proud of the fact

That she was unmarried, pregnant, and with a shattered reputation.

It is really hard to be proud of the fact

That there was no doctor, no mid-wife, no assistance

Other than the supportive presence of Joseph

(yea, like I’m sure that was real helpful).

Where is Mary’s mother? Her mother-in-law?

Where were the other women in her life that

Could provide her with all the love and support necessary for childbirth?

Mary probably had nothing more than Joseph and

A childhood experience of watching animals give birth.

Yet, God took the risk

Was born onto a bed of straw

In a cold, damp cave,

Dug out of the rocks and cobbled together

for the purpose of feeding farm animals.

Think of the obstetrical dangers:

Women die in childbirth.

Babies can be born breach,

Or with the cord around the neck.

Think about infection, disease, and illness of infancy.

Yet, God took the risk.

The risk of

Infant and maternal mortality was very high,

Known to God from the beginning;

A hugely significant danger.

(According to Google)

“For most of human history,

Around 1 in 2 newborns died before reaching the age of 15.”

(https://www.google.com/search?q=infant+mortality+rate+0+AD&rlz=1C1ONGR_enUS974US974&oq=infant+mortality+rate+0+AD&gs_lcrp=EgZjaHJvbWUyBggAEEUYOTIHCAEQIRigATIHCAIQIRirAjIHCAMQIRirAtIBCTIxODU0ajBqN6gCALACAA&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8)

Yet, God took the risk.

Modern wisdom would suggest that God postpone this folly.

If a thousand years is as a day,

As is written in 2 Peter 3:8,

Perhaps it would be wise to wait a day

To be born in the safety of Highland, Strong, Unity, or RGH.

Yet, God took the risk.

When you consider

the history of the universe was on the line,

The one responsible for the future salvation of the world

Had plans to test the waters of the human condition,

Wouldn’t it at least be wise to consider

Pre-emptive prenatal care,

A planned C-Section,

At a modern birthing center,

By one of the best obstetricians available?

Yet, God took the risk.

The future was less than certain.

Oh, in hindsight, we speak with certainty about God,

“Of course it turned out that way. Why wouldn’t it?”

But when it comes to predicting the future

Of God’s intersection with humanity,

We fail miserably.

God’s agenda is God’s agenda.

God’s plan is God’s plan.

Not ours.

God has made a sport of

out witting, out playing, and out lasting

Every human initiative.

God hasn’t made a habit of chasing the sticks thrown to fetch.

And God isn’t likely to change for us now.

The baby Jesus faced danger at every turn.

It began with his birth, but quickly escalated.

In a chilling nod to Gaza and Israel today,

Herod slaughtered all the children

Sending the Holy Family fleeing into Egypt.

Danger waited around every corner for Jesus.

The wrong word,

The disrespectful look,

Bloodthirsty crowds,

A military occupation,

Authorities with a vested interest in maintaining the status quo.

God took a whale of a risk.

Humans with free will are about as predictable

As an Iranian mullah,

An alcoholic out of booze, or

A grizzly caught in a trap.

Yet, God took the risk.

God took the risk to bridge the gap between heaven and earth

And to, once and for all,

Cement not only a sacred past

But establish an eternal future for every one of God’s people.

God took the risk of a less than certain outcome

For your behalf, and mine.

God took the risk of a less than certain outcome

For your behalf, and mine.

I understand that it is hard to believe.

It is hard to believe in much of anything in today’s world.

When humankind is so cruel to one another,

Where terrorists assault villages and farms,

Concerts and festivals,

And soldiers assault trench, bunker, and tunnels.

It is hard to believe

When some lives appear to be valued more than other lives,

Where suffering has become the common denominator.

The wounds of war.

The wounds of death.

The wounds of hypocrisy.

The wounds of violated trust.

Wounded people often find it hard to believe.

It is hard to believe

Given the current status of organized religion;

Schism and decline,

All the while preaching about a peaceful, loving god.

It is hard to believe

when surrounded by the massive indifference

Of people who just don’t want to be bothered

By the suffering and injustice taking place right in our own backyard.

Nothing to look at here.

Move along.

Just move along.

I understand that it is hard to believe in Jesus Christ.

What I’m suggesting this evening

Is that just as God took a risk for you

So, too, should you take a risk in God

By extending to God your belief.

Belief isn’t certainty.

It is not being certain about heaven, the virgin birth, or that Jesus is the Son of God.

No pastor, priest, or pope is able to speak with certainty;

Present company included.

The only language we clerics know

Comes from the Word, the Sacrament, and experience.

Belief isn’t certainty.

I’m able to share with you about the God of my experience.

No one is able to make you believe the god of their experience.

If you want what I have,

Come with me.

Let us journey together.

Neither is belief proof,

Which particularly upsets me, because, as you know,

I am a child of the enlightened scientific era.

My discipline is in mathematics.

Math demands proof.

I can no more prove to you the divinity of Christ

Than I can jump over the moon.

Belief in a baby is daring.

It’s risky.

It does set you apart from the rest of the crowd,

The faceless masses of the dull,

The self-interested,

The endless consumers of retail garbage.

Belief in a baby makes you colorful,

A trend setter,

One who is ready and willing

To advance faith beyond where is has been

To what it can become.

Belief in a baby named Jesus

Makes one filled with hope.

The name Jesus means Savior.

Our hope is that Jesus will save us from the trials and temptations of this earth.

Our hope is that Jesus will save us into eternal glory.

Belief in a baby places our hope in God

And not in anything of this earth

Or in our less-than-perfect selves.

Ultimately, belief in this divine birth

Means that we are ready to match God’s risk even up.

Better than even up.

Give a little to get a lot.

We don’t need much;

have you seen just how small a mustard seed is?

That’s all the faith we need to take

A little risk.

A little belief.

That’s all the baby Jesus is asking.

Amen.

Luke 1: 26-38, 46-55

December 24, 2023 | Fourth Sunday of Advent

The Rev. Todd R. Goddard, Pastor

Rush United Methodist Church

Luke 1: 26-38, 46-55

In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a town in Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin engaged to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin’s name was Mary.

And he came to her and said, “Greetings, favored one! The Lord is with you.”

But she was much perplexed by his words and pondered what sort of greeting this might be.

The angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And now, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you will name him Jesus. He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give to him the throne of his ancestor David. He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.”

Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, since I am a virgin?”

The angel said to her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be holy; he will be called Son of God. And now, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son; and this is the sixth month for her who was said to be barren. For nothing will be impossible with God.”

Then Mary said, “Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word.”

Then the angel departed from her.

And Mary said, “My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has looked with favor on the lowliness of his servant. Surely, from now on all generations will call me blessed; for the Mighty One has done great things for me, and holy is his name. His mercy is for those who fear him from generation to generation. He has shown strength with his arm; he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts. He has brought down the powerful from their thrones, and lifted up the lowly; he has filled the hungry with good things, and sent the rich away empty. He has helped his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy, according to the promise he made to our ancestors, to Abraham and to his descendants forever.”

| Prayer |

An angel visited Zechariah

To tell him

His wife, Elizabeth, would bear a son, John,

Who will be great.

Who will be filled with the Holy Spirit.

Who will turn the hearts of the people,

To make ready a people prepared for the Lord.

“I am an old man,” the unbelieving Zechariah protested,

“and my wife is getting on in years.”

I am too old to get a new testimony.

“I am Gabriel.

I stand in the presence of God,

And I have been sent to speak to you

And to bring you this good news.”

Luke 1:19

“Oh, my. What am I going to do?”

Zechariah wondered.

For his disbelieve,

The angel Gabrial made Zechariah mute,

Unable to speak

Until the day

these things occurred.

…

The tone went off,

indicating a police emergency somewhere in the city of Miamisburg. 

The police officer with whom I was riding that night swore under his breath

since he only had a half hour left to his shift.

“Forty-one,” the radio squawked. 

“Just our luck, it’s in our beat,”

the officer said as he picked up the mike. 

“Over time tonight.”

“You have a car v train personal injury accident

at the Linden Avenue Chessie railroad crossing.”

It didn’t take long for us to get to the scene.

Sure enough, there was a three-engine freight train stopped,

blocking the crossing. 

We drove down the service road

to the lead engine,

our red and blue revolving flashing lights

reflecting off box cars, steel rail, and oil-stained ballast.

We found beside the lead locomotive

the engineer and conductor doing their best

to comfort a sobbing woman and

her two screaming, crying children. 

Scattered around us were the remains

of what once had been a rusty old pickup truck.

The story spilled out of this poor woman;

obviously a mother

whose household was at or below the poverty level. 

Her husband had just bought this second-hand truck.

This woman had taken their “new” truck out

to pick up her children at her sister’s house. 

On the way back, the clutch failed and

she coasted to a stop right on the railroad tracks. 

Not knowing what to do,

she and her children threw on the four-way flashers

and went to find help.

You know the rest of the story.

We took her down to the station,

got a statement and

encouraged her to call her husband. 

Mom sat across the table from me

Tearful and beside herself

While the children were exploring the police station. 

“Oh, my. What am I going to do?”

Just call him and tell him what happened,

I counseled, safely behind my clerical collar.

She hesitated and slowly dialed the old rotary phone.

“Honey,” she started carefully,

“the kids and I are alright.

We’re down here at the police station.

Your new truck was hit by a train.”

I could hear the screaming from the phone.

“You smashed my brand new fifty-dollar pickup truck?

How could you!”

He was filled with volcanic rage,

But she and her children were alright.

…

A portion of the Gospel for this morning

Is called the Canticle of Mary,

Or, more simply,

The Magnificat.

“My soul magnifies the Lord,

And my spirit rejoices in God my Savior.”

Luke 1:46-47

Because of the special significance of Mary,

The mother of Jesus,

for our Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox sisters and brothers,

We, Protestants have de-emphasized this passage.

We haven’t ignored it.

We just haven’t highlighted it.

St. Luke develops an interesting storyline

In his opening chapter,

Serving as a wonderful prologue

To the birth narrative of the second chapter.

Six months after the elderly and barren Elizabeth became pregnant,

this same angel, Gabriel,

came to an engaged virgin,

named Mary,

who lived in Nazareth. 

Like Elizabeth

He told her that she, too,

would become pregnant,

but that her pregnancy

would be the result of the work of the Holy Spirit. 

“The Holy Spirit will come upon you,” he said,

“and the power of the Most High will overshadow you;

therefore the child to be born will be called holy,

the Son of God.”

“Oh, my. What am I going to do?”

Mary certainly wondered.

Mary set out,

Went with haste,

To a Judean town in hill country,

Visiting the house of the muted Zechariah and her cousin, Elizabeth.

The child leapt in Mary’s womb.

Quickened,

As known in some cultures.

Leapt for joy, Mary described

As she began her song of praise.

“My soul magnifies the Lord,

And my spirit rejoices in God my Savior.”

…

Luke reports

Mary remained with Elizabeth about three months

Then returned to her home.

Luke 1:56

When Mary became pregnant,

both she and Joseph were in quite a pickle. 

It didn’t make any difference how she got pregnant. 

The fact remained that she was unmarried and pregnant. 

Mary and Joseph had one of three choices.

They could

1) go through the procedure of a legal divorce,

required at that time even for those who were engaged. 

The only problem

was that Mary would have been stoned to death as an adulterous. 

Um. No.

2) they could quickly marry

and take the ridicule of family and friends

when their child was born. 

The only problem with that was that

they would have been shunned by the community

for such a scandalous deed.

Sigh, and groan.

What’s behind door number 3?

The only other possibility was that they could

3) marry and then move to another town

where they wouldn’t be known and have their child.

Think a little deeper.

Consider the doubt

That must have grown.

“Was Mary really being faithful?”

Joseph probably thought to himself. 

“Maybe I was only dreaming about the angel Gabriel. 

Maybe Joseph snuck into our house late one night

and I was just too sleepy to remember,”

Mary may have thought. 

“After all, the Messiah is to be born in Bethlehem,

More than 90 miles south of here,

not here in Nazareth. 

Certainly, we have no reason to go to Bethlehem.”

“Oh, my. What am I going to do?”

(Beginning to sound familiar?)

Yes, this morning we find Mary in quite a pickle. 

Both she and Joseph would have to leave their homes in disgrace. 

Certainly, they would have to be married,

even though more than ten years separated their ages.

Mary would have been feeling much the same

as that woman who had just had her husband’s pickup truck smashed by the train. 

“Oh my, what am I going to do?”

“The children and I are alright,” the mother told her husband.

“My soul magnifies the Lord,” Mary proclaimed,

“and my spirit rejoices in God my savior.”

A donkey carried her to where the star rested,

To a stable in Bethlehem.

…

I suspect life serves up

for just about each of us

Moments when we are forced to ask

“Oh, my. What am I going to do?”

“I am going to pray out loud,”

I thought to myself.

If I’m talking

The medic will know I’m still breathing

And my airway is clear.

“Lord, Jesus Christ,

Have mercy on me,

A sinner,”

I repeated hundreds of times

To the tune of whirling Mercy Flight blades

As I was flown as a patient

on the air ambulance

from Geneva to Strong Memorial Hospital.

The flight medic eyed me.

“What are you doing?”

he yelled,

Leaning close over my face.

“I’m praying,” I replied

As loud and as forcefully as one lung would allow.

“Oh,” he said to me,

Giving me the look of suspicion.

You know the look.

He gave me that look.

I’m praying.

What am I going to do?

I’m going to pray.

The Spirit of the Lord came to me

And told this country preacher to pray,

Bold and out loud

With breath I didn’t have,

With a Spirit given to me

By a merciful God above.

…

“Oh, my. What am I going to do?”

Many ask this question during Advent.

Hospice and overnight vigils.

Death and mourning.

Loss of job.

Separation and divorce.

Addictions. Substance abuse.

Sick kids and unbearable co-pays.

Accident and disability.

Unexpected pregnancy and loss.

You name it,

There are many reasons for lament

To paint our Christmas blue.

Disbelief leaves us mute,

Without witness or testimony,

As Zechariah experienced.

Mary knew a better way.

Even though Mary was a seemingly insignificant,

impoverished member of the Jewish community in Nazareth;

even though Mary faced almost certain public disgrace;

even though Mary would be forced to leave her home;

and even though tremendous doubt clouded their past and their future,

God came to her! 

Mary knows a better way.

God comes to the poor. 

God comes to the unassuming. 

God came to the last person who we could ever expect,

Gave her a new witness,

a new testimony,

and made her the mother of our salvation. 

…

“Oh, my. What am I going to do?”

When life runs you over

Magnify the Lord!

Confess and pray.

Christ came.

Christ is come.

Christ will come again.

Use what voice the Spirit has given you

To make a new witness,

A new testimony,

That brings glory to God in the highest,

That proclaims peace,

That ushers in justice,

That weaves a masterpiece of love

Of a Son given,

A Son denied,

A Son risen victorious over sin and death.

Never mind the look.

That’s what we do.

This is who we are.

Watch.

Wait.

Is it the angel Gabriel?

Is it the Spirit of the Lord?

Is it the bold witness of an unsuspecting girl

That is ready to burst

And break life wide open?

Come to Bethlehem and see.

Amen.

Mark 13:24-37

December 3, 2023

The Rev. Todd R. Goddard, Pastor

Rush United Methodist Church

“But in those days, after that suffering,

      the sun will be darkened,

      and the moon will not give its light,

and the stars will be falling from heaven,

      and the powers in the heavens will be shaken.

Then they will see ‘the Son of Man coming in clouds’ with great power and glory. Then he will send out the angels, and gather his elect from the four winds, from the ends of the earth to the ends of heaven.

“From the fig tree learn its lesson: as soon as its branch becomes tender and puts forth its leaves, you know that summer is near. So also, when you see these things taking place, you know that he is near, at the very gates. Truly I tell you, this generation will not pass away until all these things have taken place. Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.

“But about that day or hour no one knows, neither the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. Beware, keep alert; for you do not know when the time will come. It is like a man going on a journey, when he leaves home and puts his slaves in charge, each with his work, and commands the doorkeeper to be on the watch. Therefore, keep awake—for you do not know when the master of the house will come, in the evening, or at midnight, or at cockcrow, or at dawn, or else he may find you asleep when he comes suddenly. And what I say to you I say to all: Keep awake.”

| Centering Prayer |

Our gospel lesson for today from St. Mark

is a part of a chapter

that is very different from the rest of the book.

Up to the thirteenth chapter of Mark

the narrative has to do with the life and teachings of Jesus.

Following this chapter,

the narrative takes a turn toward Jerusalem,

taking the audience through the passion, death, and resurrection of Christ.

However this thirteenth chapter

sticks out like an underfed Thanksgiving turkey or

a reindeer with a red nose.

It is as if

Jesus underwent a complete change of personality.

Instead of preaching, teaching or healing,

Jesus begins to foretell the future,

specifically about the coming of the Son of Man.

He starts to prophecies:

making predictions about future events based upon current realities.

Biblical scholars have identified

the characteristics of this chapter as “apocalyptic,”

a common style and message that is found

in both Jewish and early Christian history.

Indeed, similar words and phrases can be found in the Old Testament book of Deuteronomy, Daniel, Ezekiel, and Isaiah,

as well as in the New Testament book of Revelations.

The common apocalyptic theme revolves around

The culmination of history,

An end time,

When all is revealed,

The Son of Man returns, and

God’s judgment is proclaimed.

In every case, apocalyptic scripture is authored

at a time of crisis or historical stress.

In the Old Testament

some of it was written during the time of Exile,

when people were taken from their land,

farms and houses were destroyed,

families where separated,

war, hunger, and starvation were widespread, and

people were taken hostage to a foreign land.

Sounds painfully familiar.

The Old Testament time of Exile was one where prophets looked at the social fabric,

connected the crisis of the community with unfaithfulness to God’s Laws, and,

on God’s behalf, proclaimed judgment upon the people.

In the New Testament,

apocalyptic writers borrowed from their Jewish roots

when their Christian community faced persecution and death

at the hand of the Romans.

Christians were hunted,

captured,

fed to the lions,

boiled in oil, and

crucified upside down before mass crowds.

Believe it.

Before the Roman emperor Constantine was converted

and brought with him the empire in 322 A.D.,

there were some truly dark days for Christianity,

marked by torture and martyrdom.

Apocalyptic sprang forth in these crisis environments

like ice cold water from a mountain stream.

“Parousia” became the key desire.

Parousia means “the coming, to become present, God present with us.”

Christians facing martyrdom

prayed fervently for Parousia,

for Jesus to come and to free them from persecution.

Expectations were high:

Come, Jesus come!

Kick out the oppressors and

rise up the oppressed into a new kingdom

– on earth as it is in heaven –

where peace, love, and justice will reign.

It was this context

in which our gospel author was writing.

In today’s world,

Apocalyptic could only find agency

In a Hamas tunnel or a Ukrainian trench.

The thirteenth chapter of St. Mark’s gospel

was written in the midst of deadly persecution

to a people facing violence and death at every turn,

because of their faith,

their choice to become a disciple of Jesus Christ.

Antiochus IV, and his legions of Roman soldiers,

were tightening down the civil strife and unrest

that engulfed Judea in the second half of the first century.

It is in this context that Mark recalls from the oral tradition

Jesus’ answer to the disciple’s questions:

when? and

what will be the signs?

I understand Jesus to be

anticipating the needs of all those who would, and will, suffer for him.

Jesus was not only speaking to his disciples,

But he is also speaking to the members of the first century church, and

to you and me today.

Jesus will return and

God’s kingdom will be established

after the temple is destroyed,

after much suffering, and

after many cosmic disruptions:

the sun and moon will darken,

the stars will fall, and

the heavens will be shaken.

Then the event will take place,

the Son of Man will come,

not like MacArthur landing on a beach,

but from a cloud,

with power and majesty.

Justice will be executed and

the elect will come from everywhere to join him.

But when will this be?

(I’d like to know,

You know,

So I can plan accordingly)

Jesus clearly tells his disciples that

it can happen at any time.

Just like a budding fig tree is a sign

of the end of the rainy season in Palestine and the start of the hot summer,

so too will there be signs of his coming.

Only God knows exactly when.

If everyone knew, well, then

no one would have to keep watch.

No one would have to act

with a sense of imminence and urgency.

The early church acted with a sense of imminence and urgency

Unlike any time before or since.

That first century church took the Gospel and shared it,

as if there was no tomorrow,

because they believed there wasn’t.

They made it their imminent concern

to spread faith in Jesus Christ

– his redemption and salvation –

to all four corners of the globe.

Success was most pronounced in places of

crisis and persecution.

“If Jesus planned on gathering his elect,

then we should try to make as many people his elect

as quickly as we can,” or so it was reasoned.

When they talked about saving people to Jesus Christ,

they actually meant it.

For only the elect, the chosen, the few, the faithful

would be gathered and saved.

As time went on and no big event took place,

no flashy Parousia occurred,

the church faced a crisis of faith.

Theologians returned to the drawing board.

Either Jesus wasn’t coming, or

he is coming in some other fashion than a global consuming apocalyptic event.

After 2,000 years,

With few exceptions,

the church (and I) have stopped waiting

for a literal, big time event.

Yes, there are still a few,

mainly from conservative fundamentalist backgrounds who are still in crisis,

who still wait,

who still calculate the coming of the Lord,

who run the numbers and roll the dice.

But for the large part,

the end has been rethought.

As for me and my house,

The end has come, and is yet coming.

This message of Jesus

is something that has obtained greater clarity with

notable life events and

with the passing of time.

For me,

after prayer, biblical study, and a lifetime of spiritual development,

the coming of Jesus is an event that occurs

when we surrender our will to God’s will,

when we receive the forgiveness of our sins,

and when we claim Christ’s salvation as our own.

The Holy Spirit fills us in our salvation.

The death of this mortal body

Ceases to be a life-and-death struggle or apocalyptical crisis.

Death becomes an occasion for celebration.

The struggle and pain of this mortal life is ended.

The final journey is complete.

Christ has come, we say.

Christ is come.

Christ will come again.

But, for many,

the coming of Jesus is an event that occurs at the onset of death.

No one knows when death comes,

not even the death-row felon.

It can be as quick as the next heartbeat or

as long as the slow 2 to 20 year progression of Alzheimer’s disease.

Death can be at our doorstep with the change of a traffic light or

Death can wait for over a hundred years.

When death comes,

and I can assure you it will for each of us,

that is when our Lord will come.

How or why, I don’t know.

I only know that it takes faith to believe;

faith in the assurance of Jesus when he said,

“Lo, I will be with you always.”

Christ will come to judge the quick and the dead.

Until that time comes,

we are told to keep watch,

to actively wait,

to act with the same sense of imminence and urgency

that empowered the early church.

This is the message that is ours this day.

This is the value of the biblical apocalyptic for our church 2,000 years later.

This is the value of apocalyptic, for your faith and mine.

Advent is the time of watching,

of waiting expectantly,

for the coming of Jesus.

The past narratives of the annunciation, conception, and birth of Jesus,

the writings of the Old Testament prophets, and

the proclamation of John the Baptist in the wilderness

all become the living sign and symbol

of the Christ that is certain to come.

We are called

to carry out our Christian commission to make disciples of all the earth,

baptizing in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost,

We are called

to spread the Good News of the Gospel of Jesus Christ – to love our God and our neighbors – as if there is no tomorrow,

because there may not be.

Jesus has given to us this sense of urgency.

Watch.

Wait.

The time is coming.

It is coming soon.

Be prepared.

Prepare others.

Prepare the world for the coming of the Lord.

The good thing about urgency

is that it makes one put life into perspective.

Priorities have to be made.

If something just isn’t important enough, it doesn’t get done.

There is just enough time to get done everything that needs done,

So don’t become distracted by the irrelevant.

Disregard the unimportant.

When our priorities get out of alignment,

we lose the sense of urgency,

of the imminence of Christ, and

we fall deaf to this morning’s Gospel message.

To a large extent this church,

and every church,

has lost some of its sense of urgency.

The maintenance of the building becomes more important than

Filling our pews or growing our Sunday School.

The pastor’s popularity becomes more important

than winning people to Jesus Christ.

Restructuring of the institutional framework becomes more important

than creating disciple making ambassadors and placing them into the mission field.

It is easy to forget that

Each of us is a hair’s breadth away from disability, coma, or death.

It is easy to slow down and become complacent with the status quo.

With a loss of inertia and momentum

It quickly becomes too much effort to change and grow.

But scriptures tell us this morning that

this is no time to be complacent.

• There is no time to kick back and relax.
• There is no time to allow negative or pessimistic attitudes to keep us from moving forward.
• There is no cost that is too big to keep us from completing the will of God for us and for our lives.
• There is no time to be held back for a lack of committed people. The Lord has you and me.
• There is no time to toil over figures which add up to defeat or failure.

Lean into Christ.

Together we make three.

There is a majority the general population who are unchurched,

who need to be made disciples of Jesus and baptized by his Spirit.

What does apocalyptic mean for us today?

It means that

we are called to recapture the zeal and vitality that was once ours,

both here (at Rush) and for the church around the world.

This apocalyptic urgency is a gift to us,

to you and me and our church.

It is a gift from God.

It is one of God’s many ways to inspire us,

to cheer us on,

that we might thrive and grow into the future.

Leave here today with a sense of urgency in everything you do.

Open yourself and allow yourself to be filled with the Holy Spirit.

Watch and listen for what God is calling you to do.

Pray.

Listen.

Discern.

Then do what God wants you to do.

Do it with excellence.

Do it with a sense of urgency.

That is the only way to keep watch!

Behold, the Lord is closer than you think,

even behind the next door.

The word of our Lord.

Thanks be to God.

Amen.

My apology for my silence the past two and a half months.

I’ve been recovering from a high speed automobile collision. Death nearly kissed me. However, God has a new testimony for me, its content and direction still being revealed.

Weekly sermons return, with my return to full-time pastoral ministry, effective December 1, 2023. Thank you for following my blog, my weekly post. It is fitting that my return begins with the first Sunday of Advent.

Watch. Wait. Christ is coming!

The Rev. Todd R. Goddard, Pastor

Rush United Methodist Church

Three Newsletter Articles for Three Months (August – October, 2023)

The Lord’s Prayer has been a staple in my life, an anchor for my spiritual journey. As I’ve aged, matured, and gathered life experiences, my appreciation and understanding of these sacred directions for prayer has evolved and borne great fruit. Prayer is one of my spiritual disciplines, which I practice at numerous times of the day, drawing deep on memorized prayers, scripture, or free thought and expression.

It is my practice that, at the end of the day, I recite the Lord’s Prayer, slowly, thoroughly, and without interruption or intruding thoughts. A tangential distraction causes me to stop, breath deep, and start again from the top. Rarely does it take more than three or four attempts to exercise the Lord’s Prayer in deliberate completeness. When successful, anxieties cease, and blessed sleep gently comes.

The Lord’s Prayer is recorded in both Matthew 6:9-13 and Luke 11:2-4. The text from Matthew is longer and falls on the ear of a Gentile audience, many with little or no religious experience. Luke is short, sweet, and to the point, intended to be consumed by former Jews who have left behind their orthodox rabbinical upbringing and started the spiritual journey as disciples of Jesus.

The Bible you are reading is a better translation than the dusty Bible on a bookshelf that hasn’t been opened in years. Versions draw from multiple source documents in the original Greek, Aramaic, and Latin. Translations attempt, sometimes better, other times worse, to correlate the old with the new, across cultures, times, and distance. New language becomes old with the setting sun. What was new yesterday isn’t in use today. Consider how English has changed just in the short span of our lifetime.  

This photograph is an etching of the Lord’s Prayer in old English, created by my friend, Russell, who is completing his term in Federal prison. He created it, sent it to his mother who framed it, and she gave it to me. It is a kind gift, which I greatly treasure. It is written in English, yet, can any one read it for me?  My point is, knowing and respecting the limitations of language brings great sensitivity and insight into scripture and interpretation.

I was taught as a child the Lord’s Prayer from the 1662 Edition of the Anglican Book of Common Prayer, as replicated in the United Methodist Book of Worship. Though I didn’t know the source, rote memory has burned these directions of Jesus into my spiritual DNA. Accepting each word at face value frees me to contemplate deeper meaning and understanding.

“Our Father which art in heaven” is an introduction that reveals much about the one praying and the divine recipient of our prayer. “Our,” implies a collective whole. It doesn’t begin with an individualistic “My”. The Father is shared by all creation. The paternal reference to God is an attempt to personify the loving parenthood of our creator. We share a common father, whose creative effort is the source of life, and whose every effort is for the benefit and welfare of humankind. This makes us sisters and brothers, united with God’s Son, Jesus Christ, whose common family trait is love. When we forget our common father and unity with Christ, we begin to fail and fall from grace.

“Hallowed be thy Name;” From Exodus we know that the word ‘hallowed’ means to render sacred, to consecrate, or to be made holy. Both casual and profane uses of God’s name does not render to God the justice ‘hallowed’ expects. God’s name should never be used to express selfish anger, the execution of a contract, or in threat of damnation.  What if we fail to uphold our word, sworn in God’s name? What if we assume divine power that isn’t ours to claim or wield? God’s name is holy; treat it as such, with sparing respect and reverence. The use of God’s name should only be in the context of worship, bringing focus to glory, honor, and praise. Otherwise, I attempt to limit my use of God’s name to extend God’s blessing and love. These uses demonstrate sacred respect.

“Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done, in earth as it is in heaven.” The word ‘Thy’ implies ownership and stewardship. This isn’t my kingdom, or your kingdom. Let’s get this straight: this is God’s kingdom. God created each of us, gave us life, and set us in God’s kingdom to fulfill God’s will. This is our purpose in life. Thy will is easily misunderstood as my will. The first step of kingdom transformation begins with personal transformation; from the self-centered ‘I’ to the God-centered “Thy.” Understanding God’s will takes effort to watch, listen, and discern. God’s will often becomes known in private and confirmed in community. Prayer is confirmed or dismissed by a community of praying sisters and brothers. God’s kingdom in earth, as it stands today, is incomplete. More needs done, and it is our job to do it to the very best of our ability. Jesus equates a future completed earthly kingdom with the current heavenly kingdom. This perfection is that which God’s seeks.

…

The wind gently blew down the St. Lawrence River valley, from left to right, west to east, carrying with it the aroma of summer weed pollen and fresh marine vegetation. Our family pop-up camper occupied a site right on the beach looking north. A central campfire was surrounded by numerous pup tents. Canada, a whole civilization, was on the north side, who’s presence was felt, but inhabitants too distant to be seen. The sun was yet to rise, giving a hint of light and warmth to those who dared to stir. Bacon cracked in the cast iron frying pan. A bowl of batter and whisk were poised at the ready. Squatting, our stomachs waited for our daily bread.

My dad was the pastor of the Sinclairville United Methodist Church in the late 60s. The ten, or so, elementary school aged kids and I were recent graduates of his acolyte orientation program. Successful graduates were given the privilege of lighting the altar candles prior to worship and extinguishing them at the end. Our final pass/fail project was to memorize and recite both The Apostle’s Creed and The Lord’s Prayer. The promise of a St. Lawrence camping trip and belly full of bacon and pancakes marked our success.

Jesus taught his disciples to pray “Give us this day our daily bread.”

He doesn’t say to look for discounts and sales, load up the freezer, or to stock up for a rainy day. The image of Bread from Heaven from Exodus 16 should linger. This day; means today. Daily bread; sufficient from start to finish, sunup to sundown. No more, no less. We are compelled to trust that just as the Lord has provided for today, so, too, will the Lord provide for our every nutritional need tomorrow. Excess that we stock away will only turn to rot.

Jesus responds to the temptation by the devil in the wilderness to turn stones into bread with his answer, “It is written, ‘One does not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’” (Matthew 4:4). The word from the mouth of God feeds us, just as certainly as our evening supper. Seek, knock, open, find. Feast on the word of God, as found in scripture and Gospel. Drink from the fountain of the water of life, and thirst no more. Drink from the cup shared with you, and taste the salvation of God.  

The God of my experience has abundantly provided for my physical, emotional, and spiritual sustenance each and every day of my life, from bottle and breast, to the skim and Kashi I had for breakfast this morning. Fresh each day, the word of God has sustained me, just as it is able to sustain you.

“And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive them that trespass against us” Jesus taught. Trespass. Sin. Debts. Whichever. Whatever. What works for you is the best translation to use.

An honest, transparent, authentic petition for forgiveness requires absolute humility. It recognizes the fact that a sin has been committed, either with an intentional act to harm (commission), or, by a failure to act (omission). It requires an admission of guilt, a confession of our moral failure. No one likes to admit they are wrong, your pastor not withstanding! But, wrong I am, to confront evil, injustice, racism when ever and where ever I’ve found them. I am wrong to break any of the ten commandments, just as I am wrong to exaggerate the truth. Sin is not confined by size or impact. Big, or small, frequent or infrequent, sin is sin. Harming another requires sincere forgiveness.

Forgiveness requires one to cease and desist. Stop the sin; and vow to sin no more; that’s called repentance. Forgiveness requires reparations. Fix and repair the damage I’ve done. Make it right, as if sin hadn’t occurred in the first place.

Forgiveness is a three-way intersection. Sin is the abuse of another. We sin against God. And we harm ourselves. Our forgiveness is a willingness to repair what we’ve broken, bringing restoration with others, with our God, and within ourselves. Forgiveness comes first from God, through the redemptive act of Jesus Christ, and is given to us as a gift of grace as a tool to wield, that God’s kingdom may become perfected on earth as it is in heaven.

There is a word that connects the two phrases about trespasses. The word is “as”. Forgiveness given is to be balanced with forgiveness received. A world out of balance abuses the perfect nature of God’s intent for the redemption of humanity.

Lastly, forgiveness is a habit of experience that we are to teach by word and example to the next generation. Just as we have received forgiveness as a gift from God, so, too, are we to pass the gift on to our children. Give it away. Teach it well. Be certain to make the connection between forgiveness and the cross of Jesus Christ. He died to take our sin away; vow to not to muck it up again. You’ve cleaned up; keep yourself clean; and, lend a hand to help others keep themselves growing among moral, ethical, and spiritual lines, too.

…

When we gather for worship, the Lord’s Prayer plays a prominent part in the liturgy, the ebb and flow of Word proclaimed and Prayers at the Eucharistic Table. Though visited occasionally by the three-year lectionary guide, it is our United Methodist habit to include the Lord’s Prayer on a weekly basis. It is elemental to our faith.

When we have no words, Jesus gives us words. When lost, the Lord’s Prayer provides orientation and stability when most needed. When my mind races down tangential rabbit holes, the Lord’s Prayer provides me center, quiet, and peace. Balance is restored, forgiveness is granted, danger is averted. God’s kingdom is lifted high, God’s power and glory is acknowledged, and God’s name is appropriately hallowed.

A quick back-of-the-napkin summation tells me I’ve celebrated 271 funerals, 128 weddings, and led more than 1,824 worship services. I estimate I’ve recited the Lord’s Prayer over 19,000 times each night before sleep. That is a lot of Lord’s Prayer. It has become for me the common strand of spiritual DNA that links me to sinners and saints, past, present, and future. It joins Jesus to my hip, sharing heart and hands.

Standing in the Lyons, NY cemetery recently, reading from my 1965 Book of Worship, my aging fingers traced the sacred words, illuminated by the afternoon sun, as we bid good-bye and laid Paul to rest. The 21,223^rd recitation of the Lord’s Prayer was just as deep and heartfelt as the first. Prayer changes this disciple for the better, and can do the same for you, too.

Jesus says, “And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.” Too often, this thought is broken into two, leading to the misunderstanding that God would somehow lead us into temptation. No. This is a recognition that evil and temptation are a present and dangerous part of the world. This recognizes God’s promise to be present, to give us strength, and to give us guidance to steer clear of temptation and evil. When we do fail and step into the mire of sin, God’s promise, made manifest by the redemption of Jesus Christ, throws us a lifeline and gives us a second chance.

God desires our righteousness; our adherence to law and fidelity to faith. Healing and well-being follow.

You and I will face temptations and evil. Count on it. Ignore it at your own peril. Pastors and faith leaders are magnets for the evil of this world. I know this to be true. The Lord’s Prayer gives me confidence to square off with the devil and stair him down. No one can do this on individual merit or strength. You and I are free to lean heavy into God’s presence and power.

“For thine is the kingdom, the power, and the glory,” Jesus continues. This is God’s kingdom. Thanks for asking. Not yours, not mine, not Albany’s, nor Washington’s. This is God’s kingdom and we are so privileged to be citizens benefiting of God’s love, mercy, and grace. God’s power reigns supreme. There are no competitors. We need fear no enemy, no government, no competitor to our faith and values. When we know God has all power, we are freed from a fear-based existence. Living free from fear is a life transformed, a new heaven, and a new earth. To God be the glory, a recognition of what God has done throughout salvation history, from the first day of creation to your most recent heartbeat. To God be the glory, winning victory over death, the creator of mortal life, the giver of eternal life.

“For ever and ever,” Jesus concludes. Time is suspended in God’s kingdom. “A thousand years is like a day to the Lord” the apostle Peter reminds the Church. The Alpha and the Omega invites us into an ocean of grace to eternally benefit from God’s love and power. These are not circular theological discussions meant to appease the uninformed and ignorant. The Lord’s Prayer is our stake in the sand, making our claim as disciples of Jesus, confident in our faith, placing our complete and whole trust in the Lord.

Beloved, join me in prayer; the Lord’s Prayer.

Todd