Hello Everyone,
We continue our sermon series on “Ten Tough Topics”. On Wednesday, we talk about the “Gnostic Gospels” and on Sunday we think about “The Sins of the Church”. The final topic will discussed on Wednesday, March 16, on the topic “Forgiveness”.
Our Scripture Lessons on Sunday will be:
Isaiah 43:16-21 – Forget the past. Forget what we think we remember about the old ways of following God and of doing church. Forget those things because God is doing something new. God will make a way through the wilderness we are in. God will show us this new way so that we will bring praise to God.
Psalm 126 – This six verse Psalm can be divided in half. In the first three verses, the psalmist remembers what life was like when God restored the fortunes of Israel. In the second half, the psalmist call on God to once again restore Israel’s life, like new water flowing through the dessert. Perhaps we should be more like Isaiah above and less like the pining on the psalmist wanting to have the past restored to the present.
Philippians 3:4b-14 – If anyone can be proud of his upbringing in the Jewish faith it is Paul, and he tells us that in the first three verses. However, all of that is “rubbish”, he says. Actually, the Greek word that is translated “rubbish” really means dung, or the word we are all really thinking. Paul says his righteousness come not from works of the law but because of pistis Christou. This little Greek phrase is literally translated as “faith Christ”. The translator’s job is to decide between “faith in Christ” or “faith of Christ”. Paul then says he wants to know the power of Christ and his resurrection. However, he has not be made perfect (or reached the goal) yet. So he puts everything behind him and strains ahead toward the goal (with the power and guidance of the Holy Spirit.
John 12:1-8 – Some days after raising Lazarus from death and maybe the day before he goes into Jerusalem, Jesus is having dinner at Martha, Mary, and Lazarus’ home (they are sisters and brother). Lazarus is at the table and Martha is serving dinner. Mary takes some pure nard (an aromatic essential oil), anoints Jesus’ feet and wipes his feet with her hair. Judas (yes, THAT Judas) complains that she could have sold the nard and given the money to the poor. Jesus tells him to leave her alone. She bought the nard for his burial. He then says, “You always have the poor with you, but you do not always have me.” This last statement has caused a lot of consternation. However, Jesus was simply beginning a quote from Deuteronomy 15:11 and which his hearers would have recognized. “Since there will never cease to be some in need on the earth, I therefore command you to open your hand to the poor and needy neighbor in your land.” Jesus is not telling anyone to ignore the poor but to care for them while at the same time turning our hearts to Jesus.
Have a great week serving Christ in all that you do.
Peace in Christ,
Pastor Gary Taylor
Monday, March 7, 2016
Tuesday, March 1, 2016
Scripture Readings for Sunday, March 6, 2016
Hello Everyone,
Our sermon series on “Ten Tough Topics” continues tomorrow night with “Jesus and Christianity” (How could that be tough?). Worship at 6:00 PM at Peace United Church and 7:30 PM at Grey Eagle UMC. On Sunday our topic will be “Resurrection”, which is appropriate as we will end the month with Easter, the celebration of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ.
Our Scripture Lessons for this Sunday are:
Joshua 5:9-12 – At this point in the story of Joshua, he has led his people, the Israelites, across the river Jordan into Canaan. At the beginning of chapter 5, God tells Joshua to have all the men circumcised because those who came out of Egypt 40 years earlier had died and the males born during their wanderings had not been circumcised. With the circumcision complete and all the men had time to heal, we pick up the story. God declares to Joshua that the disgrace of being slaves in Egypt is now behind them. Literally, God rolled away their disgrace. Therefore, that place where the circumcision happened was to be called “Gilgal” which is related to the Hebrew word for “rolling”. After that the Israelites celebrated Passover. The day after they ate from the produce of the Canaan land and on that day the manna stopped.
Psalm 32 – The psalmist celebrates God who forgives those who confess their sin to God. The psalmist says that the wicked are tormented while those who trust in the Lord are surrounded by love.
2 Corinthians 5:16-21 – This is a very powerful passage. I almost feel like I should try to explain every verse but I will resist that urge. What I think his is saying is that since we have been changed by God’s knowledge of us through Christ, we can no longer view people as “them” or “other”. Since Christ is in us, we are a new creation and have been reconciled to God through Christ. Therefore, we should seek and work for the reconciliation of all people and creation. No longer are trespasses/debt/sins counted against humanity and we can be reconciled to God and our neighbors.
Luke 15:1-3, 11b-32 – This reading is one of five parables in Luke 15 and 16 and is the most famous. The five parables are “The Lost Sheep”, “The Lost Coin”, “The Lost Son”, “The Dishonest Manager” and “Lazarus and the Rich Man”. Our reading is the introduction to the first four parables and the parable of the “Lost Son”, aka “The Prodigal Son and his Brother”. In the introduction, Luke says that Pharisees and Scribes were coming to listen to Jesus but they were grumbling about the fact that Jesus “welcomes sinners and eats with them.” These parable are in response to their grumbling. Here is what I said about this familiar parable in 2013:
I pray your week is lived in service of God in Jesus Christ and the power of the Holy Spirit by serving your neighbors.
Peace in Christ,
Pastor Gary Taylor
Our sermon series on “Ten Tough Topics” continues tomorrow night with “Jesus and Christianity” (How could that be tough?). Worship at 6:00 PM at Peace United Church and 7:30 PM at Grey Eagle UMC. On Sunday our topic will be “Resurrection”, which is appropriate as we will end the month with Easter, the celebration of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ.
Our Scripture Lessons for this Sunday are:
Joshua 5:9-12 – At this point in the story of Joshua, he has led his people, the Israelites, across the river Jordan into Canaan. At the beginning of chapter 5, God tells Joshua to have all the men circumcised because those who came out of Egypt 40 years earlier had died and the males born during their wanderings had not been circumcised. With the circumcision complete and all the men had time to heal, we pick up the story. God declares to Joshua that the disgrace of being slaves in Egypt is now behind them. Literally, God rolled away their disgrace. Therefore, that place where the circumcision happened was to be called “Gilgal” which is related to the Hebrew word for “rolling”. After that the Israelites celebrated Passover. The day after they ate from the produce of the Canaan land and on that day the manna stopped.
Psalm 32 – The psalmist celebrates God who forgives those who confess their sin to God. The psalmist says that the wicked are tormented while those who trust in the Lord are surrounded by love.
2 Corinthians 5:16-21 – This is a very powerful passage. I almost feel like I should try to explain every verse but I will resist that urge. What I think his is saying is that since we have been changed by God’s knowledge of us through Christ, we can no longer view people as “them” or “other”. Since Christ is in us, we are a new creation and have been reconciled to God through Christ. Therefore, we should seek and work for the reconciliation of all people and creation. No longer are trespasses/debt/sins counted against humanity and we can be reconciled to God and our neighbors.
Luke 15:1-3, 11b-32 – This reading is one of five parables in Luke 15 and 16 and is the most famous. The five parables are “The Lost Sheep”, “The Lost Coin”, “The Lost Son”, “The Dishonest Manager” and “Lazarus and the Rich Man”. Our reading is the introduction to the first four parables and the parable of the “Lost Son”, aka “The Prodigal Son and his Brother”. In the introduction, Luke says that Pharisees and Scribes were coming to listen to Jesus but they were grumbling about the fact that Jesus “welcomes sinners and eats with them.” These parable are in response to their grumbling. Here is what I said about this familiar parable in 2013:
The son who demands his share of the estate and then blows it all on wine, women, song, and partying. After being reduced to slopping the pigs he plans to go home to work as a servant for Dad. Of course, Dad will have none of it and the Welcome Home Party is on. However, Big Brother is upset. Dad gives him a choice – come in and enjoy the celebration or stew in your own anger. End of story. Where do you fit in the story? I think most of us, me especially, might very well be the big brother.
I pray your week is lived in service of God in Jesus Christ and the power of the Holy Spirit by serving your neighbors.
Peace in Christ,
Pastor Gary Taylor
Monday, February 22, 2016
Scripture Readings for Sunday, February 28, 2016
Hello Everyone,
Please don’t forget our Lenten Wednesday Worship Services. Peace United Church at 6:00 PM and Grey Eagle UMC at 7:30 PM. Our sermon series topic for Wednesday is “Evangelism and Tolerance”
Here are the readings for this coming Sunday, February 28, 2016:
Isaiah 55:1-9 – God invites all people to share in the feast that God has prepared. This feast is without cost, we only need to come. Why do we give our lives over to consumerism when our souls can fed by God and not things. We are invited to also seek the Lord for God will pardon us abundantly. However, to seek God is to learn that God’s way of doing things and God’s way of thinking (understanding, knowing?) are not the way humans do and think about things. So why do we persist in trying to make God into “mini-me’s”? Is God’s justice like our justice? Is God’s forgiveness like our forms of forgiveness? Difficult questions, right?
Psalm 63:1-8 – This psalm is 11 verses long yet the Lectionary Committee cuts the reading off at 8 verses. Why, you may ask? As happens so often in the Psalms often include a darker side: praising God on one hand and cursing enemies on the other. Usually the praises outweigh the cursing as here in Psalm 63. Our reading is the psalmist praising God for the provisions God give when the psalmist hungering and thirsting for the spiritual refreshment. Verses 9 and 10 the psalmist states that his enemies will meet their doom in the dust of the earth. The final verse then returns to praising God. We learn from the Psalms that it is okay to not only sing praises to God but to also give over our anger, hurt feeling, and frustrations to the One who can bear it all, even on a cross.
1 Corinthians 10:1-13 – This passage will be useful for this Sunday’s installment of our Sermon Series “Ten Tough Topics”. Our topic will be “The God of the Old Testament”. Paul’s letter to the Corinthians was a letter to a church divided. They argued over communion and the right way to worship. Sin was creeping into the fellowship of believers. In our passage, Paul is using examples from the Old Testament to warn the Corinthians away from immorality and false worship. In the examples he cites the Israelites’ sins that led many of them to die. Verse 5 states (or strongly implies) that many died because God was not happy with them. From the NET Bible: “But God was not pleased with most of them, for they were cut down in the wilderness.” However, Paul comes back to the idea that God is loving: “And God is faithful: He will not let you be tried beyond what you are able to bear.” How are we to understand God in the Old Testament exacts fierce judgment as opposed to the God who is Love in the New Testament? I will share my thought about this on Sunday.
Luke 13:1-9 – Ooh, I love this passage. Verses 1-5: Did you hear about the shooting in Michigan this weekend? Were the six people who died any worse sinners (and thus deserving to die) than the shooter who is alive and in custody now? Hopefully, all of you will be shocked that I am asking these questions. Hopefully you will all agree with me that no one who died deserved it. More thoughts about this on Sunday. Verses 6-9: My wife and I plant a one year old apple tree (standard size) we bought from a nursery. I dig a hole, place the tree in it, and backfill the dirt. Then each year I go to see if there are apples. None three years in a row. I grow frustrated and tell my wife that I am going to pull out the tree. She begs me to wait one more year and she will fertilize it with good manure and I can check in another year. Then, if there is no fruit I can pull it out. So, why do we expect new believers to be perfect fruit bearers right from the start? God is working on us that we may bear God’s kingdom fruit. Maybe not today, but some day. (In Methodist speak: the sanctifying and perfecting Grace of God is working on our spiritual growth.)
Peace in Christ,
Pastor Gary Taylor
Please don’t forget our Lenten Wednesday Worship Services. Peace United Church at 6:00 PM and Grey Eagle UMC at 7:30 PM. Our sermon series topic for Wednesday is “Evangelism and Tolerance”
Here are the readings for this coming Sunday, February 28, 2016:
Isaiah 55:1-9 – God invites all people to share in the feast that God has prepared. This feast is without cost, we only need to come. Why do we give our lives over to consumerism when our souls can fed by God and not things. We are invited to also seek the Lord for God will pardon us abundantly. However, to seek God is to learn that God’s way of doing things and God’s way of thinking (understanding, knowing?) are not the way humans do and think about things. So why do we persist in trying to make God into “mini-me’s”? Is God’s justice like our justice? Is God’s forgiveness like our forms of forgiveness? Difficult questions, right?
Psalm 63:1-8 – This psalm is 11 verses long yet the Lectionary Committee cuts the reading off at 8 verses. Why, you may ask? As happens so often in the Psalms often include a darker side: praising God on one hand and cursing enemies on the other. Usually the praises outweigh the cursing as here in Psalm 63. Our reading is the psalmist praising God for the provisions God give when the psalmist hungering and thirsting for the spiritual refreshment. Verses 9 and 10 the psalmist states that his enemies will meet their doom in the dust of the earth. The final verse then returns to praising God. We learn from the Psalms that it is okay to not only sing praises to God but to also give over our anger, hurt feeling, and frustrations to the One who can bear it all, even on a cross.
1 Corinthians 10:1-13 – This passage will be useful for this Sunday’s installment of our Sermon Series “Ten Tough Topics”. Our topic will be “The God of the Old Testament”. Paul’s letter to the Corinthians was a letter to a church divided. They argued over communion and the right way to worship. Sin was creeping into the fellowship of believers. In our passage, Paul is using examples from the Old Testament to warn the Corinthians away from immorality and false worship. In the examples he cites the Israelites’ sins that led many of them to die. Verse 5 states (or strongly implies) that many died because God was not happy with them. From the NET Bible: “But God was not pleased with most of them, for they were cut down in the wilderness.” However, Paul comes back to the idea that God is loving: “And God is faithful: He will not let you be tried beyond what you are able to bear.” How are we to understand God in the Old Testament exacts fierce judgment as opposed to the God who is Love in the New Testament? I will share my thought about this on Sunday.
Luke 13:1-9 – Ooh, I love this passage. Verses 1-5: Did you hear about the shooting in Michigan this weekend? Were the six people who died any worse sinners (and thus deserving to die) than the shooter who is alive and in custody now? Hopefully, all of you will be shocked that I am asking these questions. Hopefully you will all agree with me that no one who died deserved it. More thoughts about this on Sunday. Verses 6-9: My wife and I plant a one year old apple tree (standard size) we bought from a nursery. I dig a hole, place the tree in it, and backfill the dirt. Then each year I go to see if there are apples. None three years in a row. I grow frustrated and tell my wife that I am going to pull out the tree. She begs me to wait one more year and she will fertilize it with good manure and I can check in another year. Then, if there is no fruit I can pull it out. So, why do we expect new believers to be perfect fruit bearers right from the start? God is working on us that we may bear God’s kingdom fruit. Maybe not today, but some day. (In Methodist speak: the sanctifying and perfecting Grace of God is working on our spiritual growth.)
Peace in Christ,
Pastor Gary Taylor
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