The Shepherds of Advent, December 8, 2013

The Shepherds of Advent

Second Sunday in Advent

Isaiah 11:1-10, Luke 2:1-20

December 8, 2013

Grace Presbyterian Church

Rev. Dr. Richard E. Miller

The Shepherds of Advent  This morning we’re going to look at the Shepherds of Advent. But before we start, I must share this joke with you. It has absolutely nothing to do with the rest of the sermon, but I couldn’t resist.  Two shepherds were leaning on their crooks at the end of a long day and the first asks the second, "So, how’s it going?" The second one sighed and shook his head, "Not so good, I can’t pay my bills, my health isn’t good, my kids don’t respect me, and my wife is leaving me." The first shepherd replied, "Well, don’t lose any sheep over it."

Now that I have that out of the way, I’d like to look at the Shepherds of Advent from three different perspectives - The shepherds of the scriptures, Jesus as the Good Shepherd, and finally when Jesus commissioned each of us to be shepherds on his behalf.

Shepherds of the Scriptures

The shepherds we heard about in our morning scripture were the first persons to see the baby Jesus after he was born. However, they didn’t hear about Jesus with a phone call, or see it in the local newspaper. Instead, an angel of the Lord appeared to them as they were out in the fields with their flocks. Understandably, the shepherds were terrified at such an event. But the angel immediately put them at ease by saying, “‘Do not be afraid; for see—I am bringing you good news of great joy for all the people: to you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is the Messiah, the Lord.”

This assurance from the angel calmed them down, and the angel went on to tell them that they could find the baby Messiah in Bethlehem. And so the shepherds went as fast as they could and saw Jesus.

Amazing Announcement  Why do you suppose the angels chose to reveal the birth of the long awaited Messiah to a group of lowly shepherds? Although shepherds were an important part of the nation’s economy, they were not considered the movers and shakers of Israel. Basically, they were rough, uneducated men who knew nothing else except how to tend sheep. It would have made more sense perhaps for the angel to tell the priests and rabbis. After all, they were the ones who were learned in the scriptures, who prayed daily in the Temple or Synagogue, and who gave to the Temple treasury. And of course, King Herod certainly expected to be notified immediately if the long-awaited Messiah arrived so that he could arrange a baby shower in his honor.

Perhaps the angel bypassed the scribes, priests, rabbis and the King because they were far too busy to recognize any angelic announcement. However, the shepherds were living under the stars and knew each one by name. They probably had all of their sheep safely in the sheepfold and were lying on their backs quietly watching the stars. And one of them might have said, “Look, there’s a shooting star!” Thus when an angel appeared to illuminate the darkness, he got the shepherds attention immediately. Looking Back Announcing the birth of the Messiah to shepherds makes sense in another way since in the Bible, Moses, Jacob and of course David, were all shepherds. In addition, many writers of scriptures speak of their relationship with God in terms of sheep and a shepherd. Ezekiel records that God was going to unite the two kingdoms so that “they shall have one shepherd.” [37:24] And in speaking of the coming Messiah, Isaiah says that “He will feed his flock like a shepherd, he will gather the lambs in his arms, he will carry them in his bosom, and gently lead those that are with young.” [40:1] In Psalm 23, we read, “The Lord is my shepherd.” This means that he is not a shepherd, he’s not the shepherd, he is my shepherd.

Jesus as the Good Shepherd

The next Shepherd of Advent was Jesus himself. In the Gospel of John, Jesus says, “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. I know my own and my own know me. My sheep hear my voice. I know them and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish.” [John 10 NRSV selected]

It was logical for Jesus to assume the role as shepherd. After all, he was of the house of David, the Shepherd King. And just as a shepherd would lay down his life for his sheep, so Jesus laid down his life for us. He emphasized this point in his parable of the Lost Sheep [Matthew 18:12-14].

In that parable, he said that if a shepherd had 100 sheep and one of them wanders off, he will immediately leave the 99 and diligently seek to find the one who is lost. In like manner, when we stray, Jesus will do everything he can to find us and bring us back into his flock.

Another important responsibility of a shepherd was to protect his sheep from wild beasts and robbers. He did this with his staff, a short wooden club with a knob on the end studded with nails. At night, the shepherd would enclose his sheep in a temporary sheepfold. Often this was simply a briar bush enclosure, with a small opening for the sheep to enter. When his sheep were safely inside, the shepherd would lay down and sleep across the opening of the sheepfold. Thus no animal could go in or out without awakening the shepherd. The shepherd literally was the door of the sheepfold. Jesus said, “Very Truly, I tell you, I am the gate for the sheep. Whoever enters by me will be saved, and will come in and go out and find pasture. I know my own and my own know me.. And I lay down my life for the sheep. So there will be one flock, one shepherd.” {John 10 selected NRSV]

Sometimes, several shepherds herded their sheep into the same sheepfold. In the morning, one of the shepherds would simply stand outside and call. His sheep knew his voice and immediately came out to follow their shepherd to pasture and water. In like manner, when Jesus calls us, we know his voice and are to follow where he leads us.

Our Calling to be Shepherds

We are Commissioned to be Shepherds  Now we come to our role as shepherds. It’s really quite simple. The shepherds that went to see the baby Jesus are no longer living. The shepherd Jesus has ascended into heaven. That only leaves us to carry out the functions of a shepherd. Peter writes that we have been called by God to “Be shepherds of God’s flock that is under your care, watching over them...” [1 Peter 5:2 NIV]

This echoes the sentiment expressed by Jesus after his resurrection. He appeared to his disciples on the Sea of Galilee, ate supper with them, and then had the following conversation with Peter.

‘Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?’ He said to him, ‘Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Feed my lambs.’ ¹⁶A second time he said to him, ‘Simon son of John, do you love me?’ He said to him, ‘Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Tend my sheep.’ ¹⁷He said to him the third time, ‘Simon son of John, do you love me?’ Peter felt hurt because he said to him the third time, ‘Do you love me?’ And he said to him, ‘Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Feed my sheep. [John 21:15-18 NRSV]

Feed my Lambs. Tend my sheep. Feed my sheep. These are the three marching orders given to us after Jesus was resurrected. It means that we are called to be faithful shepherds to our flock - the people who are under our care or under our aura of influence. Who are the members of our flock?

To begin with, we are to be shepherds to our family - to care for them and protect them in every way. As we gather together as families this Christmas season, we are to role models for Christ.

We are to be shepherds to one another, rejoicing and weeping together. Comforting and encouraging each other.

And we are to be shepherds in every circumstance in life - with family, church, school, work and recreation. Even at shopping malls and grocery stores we can, by our words and behavior, lead people to Christ. Shepherding includes feeding the hungry, protecting the innocent, leading the lost back home, visiting the lonely, comforting the sorrowful, and teaching the Word.

When the shepherds left the baby Jesus, Luke says that “they made known what had been told them about this child..”  In like manner, we are to make known to others what has been told to us about Jesus.

Shepherds Lead  Remember, a shepherd never stood behind his flock to drive them to safety. Rather he walked ahead of his flock to lead them to pasture and still water. In like manner, we cannot push people into belief but rather lead them to Christ. This means that we join the shepherds of Jesus’ birth to become the shepherds of Jesus’ resurrection. It means that we who have heard the message of the angel are to tell and live that message to all around us for we are now the shepherds of Advent.

He Knows the Shepherd  Some years ago a famous actor was giving an after dinner speech. He asked his audience if there was any famous writing that they would like him to recite. There was a silence. Eventually an old vicar raised his hand and said: "Psalm 23 please." The actor agreed, on one condition: that the clergyman should also recite the Psalm after he had finished. The clergyman reluctantly agreed. The actor recited the 23rd Psalm and received a tumultuous applause. The clergyman then recited Psalm 23 and there was not a dry eye in the place. At the end, the actor stood up and said: "Do you know the difference between my version of the 23rd Psalm and his? I know the psalm but this man knows the Shepherd". Amen.

Isaiah 11:1-10 NRSV

A shoot shall come out from the stock of Jesse,

   and a branch shall grow out of his roots.

The spirit of the Lord shall rest on him,

   the spirit of wisdom and understanding,

   the spirit of counsel and might,

   the spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord.

His delight shall be in the fear of the Lord.

He shall not judge by what his eyes see,

   or decide by what his ears hear;

but with righteousness he shall judge the poor,

   and decide with equity for the meek of the earth;

he shall strike the earth with the rod of his mouth,

   and with the breath of his lips he shall kill the wicked.

Righteousness shall be the belt around his waist,

   and faithfulness the belt around his loins.

The wolf shall live with the lamb,

   the leopard shall lie down with the kid,

the calf and the lion and the fatling together,

   and a little child shall lead them.

The cow and the bear shall graze,

   their young shall lie down together;

   and the lion shall eat straw like the ox.

The nursing child shall play over the hole of the asp,

   and the weaned child shall put its hand on the adder’s den.

They will not hurt or destroy

   on all my holy mountain;

for the earth will be full of the knowledge of the Lord

   as the waters cover the sea.

On that day the root of Jesse shall stand as a signal to the peoples; the nations shall inquire of him, and his dwelling shall be glorious.
Luke 2:1-20 [NRSV]

In those days a decree went out from Emperor Augustus that all the world should be registered. This was the first registration and was taken while Quirinius was governor of Syria. All went to their own towns to be registered. Joseph also went from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to the city of David called Bethlehem, because he was descended from the house and family of David. He went to be registered with Mary, to whom he was engaged and who was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for her to deliver her child. And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in bands of cloth, and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn. In that region there were shepherds living in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. Then an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, ‘Do not be afraid; for see—I am bringing you good news of great joy for all the people: to you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, who is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign for you: you will find a child wrapped in bands of cloth and lying in a manger.’ And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God and saying, ‘Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace among those whom he favours!’

When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, ‘Let us go now to Bethlehem and see this thing that has taken place, which the Lord has made known to us.’ So they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the child lying in the manger. When they saw this, they made known what had been told them about this child; and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds told them. But Mary treasured all these words and pondered them in her heart. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them.

The story of the candy cane Years ago, a candy maker in Indiana wanted to make a candy that could be used as a symbol for Christ, so he made the Christmas Candy Cane. He began with stick of pure white, hard candy. White to symbolize the Virgin Birth and the sinless nature of Jesus, and hard to symbolize firmness of the promises of God. He made the candy in the form of a "J" to represent the name of Jesus. The shape at the same time represented the staff of the "Good Shepherd" with which he reaches to lift out fallen lambs who have gone astray. He used three small red stripes to show the stripes of the beating Jesus received. A large red stripe was for the blood shed by Christ on the cross. This became known as a Candy Cane - representing he wonder of Jesus and his great love that came down at Christmas and remains the ultimate force in the universe today.

Shepherd’s Duties  Although we tend to romanticize the shepherds and the part they played in the story of our Savior’s birth, their job actually was rather rigorous, especially for those who moved around from place to place. Such men were known as nomad shepherds. They owned their flocks, dwelt in tents and spent weeks and weeks in the high pastures with their sheep. Their job was to make sure their sheep had sufficient food and water, to heal them when they were sick, to rescue them when they were lost, and to protect them from wolves and robbers.  Since sheep are very helpless, the shepherd even had to lead them to food and water. But not just to any water. Sheep are frightened of running water, for if they fell in, their wool soaks up the water and they drown. The shepherd must either find still water or dam up a portion of a creek to create a quiet pool of water. This need is reflected in Psalm 23 where we read, “He leads me beside still water.” [23:2]

Lost  If sheep become lost, they cannot find their way back to the flock. In such cases, the shepherd must go and find them. He carries a rod or crook, the end of which was curved as a hook. With it, he rescued those who fell into holes and crevices. Throughout the year, shepherds would tend their sheep for weeks at a time up in the hills that surrounded the Jordan River or down on the plains that bordered the Mediterranean Sea.

Importance of Sheep  Sheep represented the chief wealth and livelihood of many families in Israel. This was partly due to the fact that much of Palestine was rocky and hilly and good for little else than raising sheep. Sheep were raised for their meat, milk and fleece. The skins were used as tent coverings, and at times sheep were even a medium of exchange. In addition sheep were used extensively as sacrifices of burnt offerings in the temple.

The Angel Appeared The announcement was made by an angel who appeared to the shepherds during the night. The shepherds were tending their sheep a short distance from Bethlehem. And most of them were asleep except for the shepherd keeping watch over their flocks. But suddenly, without warning, the intense, blinding light of the angel shone around them so brightly, it turned their darkness into daylight in an instant. They were terrified at the sight. I think we would be too if it happened to us.

Do Not Be Afraid  However, the angel knew how frightened they felt so the first words out of his mouth were, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord.

This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby, wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.” [Luke 2:10]

Then Luke writes: “Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests.” [Luke 2:13-14 NIV]

Spreading the News  Imagine how these shepherds must have felt! Although they were uneducated, they had heard of the prophecies of Isaiah that told of the coming of the Messiah. To hear that the prophecies of old had now been fulfilled was mind boggling to them. Once they had gotten over their fright, they hurried as fast as they could to Bethlehem to see the baby Jesus, the long awaited Messiah, lying in the manger. They then returned home, telling others what the angels had told them and that they had seen the Christ child with their own eyes. And they glorified and praised God for all they had heard and seen.

The Fugitive Becomes the Prophet, Nov. 17, 2013

The Fugitive Becomes the Prophet

Exodus 3:1-12, 2 Corinthians 12:1-10

Grace Presbyterian Church

November 17, 2013

Rev. Dr. Richard E. Miller

Qualifications of a New Pastor  As you know, you have elected a Pastor Nominating Committee whose task it is to find the right pastor to help lead you into the future. One of their jobs is to write a job description for your next pastor.

I thought they might like some help in doing this, so am suggesting the following qualifications that they might like to include. The next pastor for Grace Presbyterian should have the following attributes:

Will be between 29 and 34 years of age, be married with four children, and have forty years experience.

Will preach no more than ten minutes, condemn sin roundly yet hurt no one’s feelings, and include at least two amusing illustrations.

Will conduct Bible studies on Sunday mornings and Wednesday evenings.

Will donate $200 a week to the church.

Will have a burning desire to work with teenagers, taking them on mission trips and youth rallies, and spend great lengths of time with our older members.

Will make fifteen home visits a day and will always be in the office to be handy when needed.

Will always be at the hospital waiting for a member scheduled for surgery.

Will have a superb singing voice and know how to make apple butter.

Will be an active member of presbytery, chairing at least one major committee.

And will increase the membership of Grace by twenty percent each of the first five years.

Now I think these qualifications are reasonable don’t you?

Moses Now imagine if you will that one of the candidates who sent his information to the PNC said the following: “I am a modest and meek man and have spent the past few years as a shepherd. Although I try hard, I am a poor communicator and even stutter at times. Many years ago, I lost control of my temper and I murdered a man. I fled to another country to escape punishment and ended up hiding as a fugitive from justice for many years. And when God asked me to return to the scene of my crime, I tried to weasel out of it with several lame excuses.”

I don’t think the PNC would consider this candidate the person right for Grace Presbyterian, do you? Yet, God reached out to this stuttering misfit of a murderer and transformed him into one of the greatest prophets of the entire Bible. And his name was Moses. Can you imagine that? God’s choice defied all logic. Moses had no experience as a leader. He had no self-confidence and couldn’t speak very well. And he surely didn’t want to return to Egypt, the scene of his murder. Yet in spite of all Moses’ sins and shortcomings, God chose Moses to be the person to lead his people out of slavery into the promised land. God saw something in Moses that Moses couldn’t see and that was his untapped potential. And so, when Moses ran out of excuses, he finally returned to Egypt and led his people to freedom.

Paul  Now let’s return to our PNC. Not only did Moses apply to be your pastor, so did a volatile, headstrong young man who said, “My name is Paul. I used to make tents for a living. I’m considered rather headstrong and zealous in what I feel is right. Some might even call me bullheaded.

I’ve never been married and don’t plan to be. I’ve stood by and watched a man stoned to death. I’ve heard voices when no one around me could hear them.

Two Candidates  So now the PNC has two applicants: an escaped murderer and a bullheaded man who hears voices. Before we reject both applicants, maybe we should ask ourselves why God chose Moses to lead his people out of slavery and chose Paul to start churches all over the known world - both of whom would likely be disqualified by PNCs of every congregation.

All are Imperfect  One reason is quite clear. God chose Moses and Paul because couldn’t find anyone who was perfect. Everywhere God looked were men and women who were seriously flawed and imperfect, just like each of us here this morning. Seriously flawed and imperfect is another way of saying that all of us are sinners. So that means that no matter how hard your PNC looks, your next pastor will not be perfect. He or she will have flaws and shortcomings just like you.

Power made Perfect in Weakness The second reason is found in our New Testament reading where Paul wrote: “Three times I appealed to the Lord about this, that it would leave me, but he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for power is made perfect in weakness.’ So, I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me.” [2 Corinthians 12:8-9]

Isn’t that wonderful? Even though Moses and Paul and each of us here this morning are flawed, imperfect sinners, it doesn’t matter! God can use us anyway because God’s grace is sufficient for each of us. God’s great power is made perfect in our weaknesses! And as a result, we can do great things for Christ.

Herein lies the hope of Grace Presbyterian Church and the Church Universal throughout the ages. God’s power is made perfect in our shortcomings, past or present. It didn’t matter one whit that Moses had murdered a man. God knew that Moses could lead the Israelites to freedom. And it didn’t matter one whit that Paul had persecuted Christians and had consented to the stoning of Stephen. God knew that Paul could be transformed into a great evangelist for the Church.

We are like Moses  So what does Moses and Paul have to do with us. Whether we realize it or not, or like it or not, we have a great deal in common with Moses.

(1)    For instance, like Moses when he murdered the Egyptian guard, we hope no one is watching us when we sin, especially God. It is said that the test of our faithfulness is when we know that no one will ever find out.

(2) And, like Moses, we run away from the consequences of our sins. We may not flee to another country, but we either deny committing them (I’m not guilty) or give a reason why it was OK to do what we did. Virtually everyone who has been accused of a crime or inappropriate behavior claims to be innocent at first. And we are the greatest rationalizers in the world. We have to be simply because we want to avoid the horrible feeling of guilt. So before we sin, we must convince ourselves that it is justified. 

We are like Paul  If we look at Paul, we realize that he had many reasons he could have used to quit the ministry to which God called him. According to his own words, he had been beaten with rods and pelted with stones. He had been shipwrecked and, on his extensive travels, met dangers from rivers and robbers, dangers in the city and in the wilderness and on the high seas, and dangers from false brethren. Paul could have used any one of those as an excuse to abandon his calling as a Christian, but he didn’t.

In like manner, we can list a dozen excuses why we aren’t able to be more active  at Grace, or reasons why we can’t pledge more money, or why we should say “No” when asked to serve. Older members might say, “I’ve put in my time. Let the younger ones take over.” Younger members might say, “I’m not qualified,” or “I don’t know the Bible well enough to teach,” or “I just don’t have the time.” 

Twenty-Eighty Principle The fact is that in an average congregation, twenty percent of the members do eighty percent of the work. Are you one of the twenty percent who are actively involved here at Grace, or one of the eighty percent who do little more for Grace than show up on Sunday morning?

God’s Calling  The facts are these:

 In spite of our weaknesses, problems and excuses, no matter what they might be, God calls each of us to serve him.  And in spite of our weaknesses, God has chosen us to do great things for him.

Seminary A vivid memory of mine is the day I arrived at the seminary to start my three years of classes. I was scared to pieces that I would flunk out. After all, all of the rest of the incoming class had majored in religion, or Bible, or theology. I had majored in business. I faced the daunting challenges of learning Greek and Hebrew, doing exegetical analysis and preaching, studying theology and philosophy, learning about church government, and taking classes in Christian Education and Church history. Not only that, as I was taking these classes, I had a wife and two children. I was commuting 100 miles roundtrip every day to the seminary and preaching in three churches every Sunday morning. How God could take a mediocre student such as myself and empower him to complete all requirements for ordination is one of the great mysteries of my life.

New Pastor  Sometime next year you will call a new pastor. I have two thoughts to share.

Under no circumstance should you consider that person your savior and one who will lead Grace Presbyterian to great heights and prosperity. Church vitality and growth is a group effort all the way.

Don’t tread water until your new pastor has arrived. Start now to energize Grace into the congregation God wants it to be. How?

Paul asks us to be living letters of recommendation for Christ. That means inviting people to church. Most new church members join because someone first invited them to worship or a church function. So begin inviting!

He asks us to give of our time, talent and treasure to Grace. If you are not already doing this, then begin giving!

God is With Us  However, God does not ask us to undertake them alone. He promises to be with us at all times. The only thing that persuaded Moses to undertake the awesome task to which He had been assigned was the knowledge that God promised to be with him all the way.

Final Thoughts God wants to use us just as we are. No matter what we have done in the past, and often because of what we have done, we are better prepared and more receptive to be God’s instrument than ever before. After their call to service, Moses and Paul were no less sinners than before. God reaches out to sinners like us and uses us for his divine purposes. He makes sinners into prophets, winners out of losers. What has God in store for you? What gifts and talents lay dormant? What excuses have you made to get out of what he wants you to do? Take time to listen to his voice for he is calling you today to do great things for him. Remember, God’s power can be made perfect in our weakness. Amen.

Exodus 3:1-12  NRSV

Moses was keeping the flock of his father-in-law Jethro, the priest of Midian; he led his flock beyond the wilderness, and came to Horeb, the mountain of God. There the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a flame of fire out of a bush; he looked, and the bush was blazing, yet it was not consumed. Then Moses said, ‘I must turn aside and look at this great sight, and see why the bush is not burned up.’ When the Lord saw that he had turned aside to see, God called to him out of the bush, ‘Moses, Moses!’ And he said, ‘Here I am.’ Then he said, ‘Come no closer! Remove the sandals from your feet, for the place on which you are standing is holy ground.’ He said further, ‘I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.’ And Moses hid his face, for he was afraid to look at God.

 Then the Lord said, ‘I have observed the misery of my people who are in Egypt; I have heard their cry on account of their taskmasters. Indeed, I know their sufferings, and I have come down to deliver them from the Egyptians, and to bring them up out of that land to a good and broad land, a land flowing with milk and honey, to the country of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amorites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites. The cry of the Israelites has now come to me; I have also seen how the Egyptians oppress them. So come, I will send you to Pharaoh to bring my people, the Israelites, out of Egypt.’ But Moses said to God, ‘Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh, and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?’ He said, ‘I will be with you; and this shall be the sign for you that it is I who sent you: when you have brought the people out of Egypt, you shall worship God on this mountain.’

2 Corinthians 12:1-10 NRSV

It is necessary to boast; nothing is to be gained by it, but I will go on to visions and revelations of the Lord. I know a person in Christ who fourteen years ago was caught up to the third heaven—whether in the body or out of the body I do not know; God knows. And I know that such a person—whether in the body or out of the body I do not know; God knows— was caught up into Paradise and heard things that are not to be told, that no mortal is permitted to repeat. On behalf of such a one I will boast, but on my own behalf I will not boast, except of my weaknesses. But if I wish to boast, I will not be a fool, for I will be speaking the truth. But I refrain from it, so that no one may think better of me than what is seen in me or heard from me, even considering the exceptional character of the revelations. Therefore, to keep me from being too elated, a thorn was given to me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to torment me, to keep me from being too elated. Three times I appealed to the Lord about this, that it would leave me, but he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for power is made perfect in weakness.’ So, I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me. Therefore I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities for the sake of Christ; for whenever I am weak, then I am strong.

Walking on Water Without the Stones, Nov. 10, 2013

Walking on Water Without the Stones

Proverbs 3:1-8, Matthew 14:22-36

Grace Presbyterian Church

November 10, 2013

Rev. Dr. Richard E. Miller

The Water Strider If you’ve ever sat and watched the activities of pond life, you no doubt have laid eyes upon Water Striders. Water Striders are six legged insects that not only walk on water, they also jump up and down on the water. They can do this because they have superhydrophobic legs that distribute their body evenly over the tension of the water surface. They are so adept that they can propel themselves across the water’s surface at 100 times their body length per second. If swimmers could do this, they’d be able to swim 400 miles per hour. I think that would break a few Olympic records, don’t you?

Humans But how about us? Can any of you walk on water? Without the stones? I don’t know how many of you know this, but over the years I have walked and jumped up and down on water many times without the stones. I don’t talk about it very often for it might appear that I’m bragging. However, if the truth be known, I do slip upon the ice sometimes.

Back in 1999, a man by the name of Ron Major proposed to install a submerged hydraulic operated platform just an inch below the surface of the Sea of Galilee. His plan was to charge tourists to be taken out to the platform and it would appear from land that they were walking on the water, just as Jesus did about 2,000 years ago.

Jesus on the Water  That event in Jesus’ life took place while Peter and the disciples were out on the Sea of Galilee in a boat. A great storm came upon them in the night and their boat soon was close to capsizing. Just before dawn, during the fourth watch, they noticed someone who looked like Jesus walking toward them on the water. Peter said, “Lord, if it is you, bid me come to you on the water.” He said, “Come!” So peter got out of the boat and began walking on the water toward Jesus.

He was doing just fine when he suddenly noticed the strong wind. He panicked, took his eyes off of Jesus, and began to sink. Peter cried out, “Lord, save me!” Jesus reached out and caught him saying, “You of little faith. Why did you doubt?” The word for faith in Greek is also translated as trust. So when Jesus said to Peter, “You of little faith” he was really saying, “Why did you suddenly no longer trust me to keep you upon the water? Take courage. It is I. Never be afraid. Trust me. Have faith in me.”

Trusting in God is not a new concept. After all, each of us affirms that fact everywhere we go. How? By every coin and bill we carry, each of which states, “In God we trust.” However, our currency didn’t always have this great statement of faith. It all started with the Rev. M. R. Watkinson, pastor of a small congregation in Ridleyville, Pennsylvania in 1861.  He deplored what he called the godlessness of a nation seven months into the Civil War. So he sat down and wrote Salmon P. Chase, Secretary of the Treasury. He said to Mr. Chase, “One fact touching our currency has hitherto been overlooked. I mean the recognition of the Almighty God in some form on our coins.”  Rev. Watkinson went on to suggest the theme of “God, Liberty, Law.” Secretary Chase thought it was a wonderful idea and promptly instructed James Pollock, Director of the Mint in Philadelphia, to inscribe the word, “In God We Trust,” on all coins. Many years later, in 1955, the Congress of the United States passed a bill to inscribe “In God We Trust” on all paper currency [first appeared in 1957].  

In God we trust. Why should we trust God? God said that he has borne us from our birth and carried us from the womb and will carry us into our old age with our gray hairs. “I am God, and there is no other. My purpose shall stand, and I will fulfill my intention. I have spoken, and I will bring it to pass. I have planned, and I will do it.” [Isaiah 46] In our scripture from Proverbs it says, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight. “ [Proverbs 3:5] Trusting in God is vital for us individually and as Grace Presbyterian.  Why?  Because, very simply we can’t make it through life alone. We need help. Where is that help? The psalmist answers that question by saying, “Our help is in the name of the Lord who made heaven and earth.” [Psalm 124:8]  All of us must depend upon God for guidance and strength.

Blind Skier  Trusting God can be scary at times since we can’t see the future. We feel like the people who are totally blind skiing down a mountain. Such people have a guide skiing with them, telling them to go left or go right. Talk about having to trust someone with your life! For many years I took teenagers on one to two week long Mission Trips. Sometimes, in the evening after supper, we would have everyone pair up. One would be blindfolded while the other one would lead them through the woods. The blindfolded youths had to trust their partners to lead them safely through without hitting any trees or stumbling over any rocks.

Storms of Distraction  Just like Peter, each of us encounter storms of life - times when we feel as though we are being tossed around on a raft by gigantic waves. And when those times occur, we realize that we are completely powerless and helpless to get through the mess we’re in. Such times can be brought on by a mortgage crisis or by health problems, or concern over a child’s behavior or losing our job. The list of such storms in our lives could go on and on. Then it is that we finally cry out, “Save me!” And Jesus comes to us and says, “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.”

To trust God with all our hearts instead of relying on our own insights is vital. To acknowledge God in all our ways is essential. Far too often, we act upon our own desires instead of trusting in the Lord. We trust the Lord with all our heart by surrendering our future and the future of this congregation to him and when we allow God to take control, personal and congregational anxiety and worry lessen. Why should we do this? We are to "let go and let God" simply because God knows far better than do we what is best.  We are to "let go and let God" because fretting and stewing about the future does not enhance his kingdom here on earth.

So I encourage us this morning to go forth into the future trusting God and trusting each another. Is this easy? Not always. If you’re like me, you’ll trust one day and not the next. Or you will trust a little bit one moment and more the next. Trust is a fluid and ever-changing dynamic. Jesus is the only one who trusted God fully and completely every moment of his life. We will never duplicate that, but our individual trust relationship with God and each other can and will grow stronger if we consciously work at it.

As we leave here this morning, I ask this question. “Who in this world do you trust completely?” If you have such a person in your life, consider yourself greatly blessed. I would also ask “Who trusts you 100% at all times and in all things?” Be careful never to betray that trust, for it has been said that “To be trusted is a greater compliment than to be loved.” [George MacDonald]

Final Thoughts   Charles Albert Tindley, born 1851, the son of slaves, taught himself to read and write at age 17. He worked as a janitor at the Calvary Methodist Episcopal Church in Philadelphia. But as he was doing this, he attended night school and earned his divinity degree. In 1902, he became the pastor of the 130 member church where previously he had been the janitor. At the time of Tindley’s death, his church had 12,500 members. He was a prolific hymn writer, one of which was “Stand by Me” written in 1905.

“When the storms of life are raging, stand by me. When the world is tossing me like a ship upon the sea, thou who rulest wind and water, stand by me.

In the midst of faults and failures, Stand by me. When I do the best I can, and my friends misunderstand, thou who knowest all about me, stand by me.

When I’m growing old and feeble, stand by me. When my life becomes a burden, and I’m nearing chilly Jordan, O Thou “Lily of the Valley,” stand by me.

Let us leave with the comfort in knowing that whenever we ask God to stand by us, he will. Always. And then we too can walk on water without the stones. Amen.

Proverbs 3:1-8 NRSV

My child, do not forget my teaching,

   but let your heart keep my commandments;

for length of days and years of life

   and abundant welfare they will give you.

Do not let loyalty and faithfulness forsake you;

   bind them round your neck,

   write them on the tablet of your heart.

So you will find favour and good repute

   in the sight of God and of people.

Trust in the Lord with all your heart,

   and do not rely on your own insight.

In all your ways acknowledge him,

   and he will make straight your paths.

Do not be wise in your own eyes;

   fear the Lord, and turn away from evil.

It will be a healing for your flesh

   and a refreshment for your body.

Matthew 14:22-36 NRSV

After Jesus had fed the 5,000, “he made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead to the other side, while he dismissed the crowds. And after he had dismissed the crowds, he went up the mountain by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone, but by this time the boat, battered by the waves, was far from the land, for the wind was against them. And early in the morning he came walking towards them on the lake. But when the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified, saying, ‘It is a ghost!’ And they cried out in fear. But immediately Jesus spoke to them and said, ‘Take heart, it is I; do not be afraid.’

 Peter answered him, ‘Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.’ He said, ‘Come.’ So Peter got out of the boat, started walking on the water, and came towards Jesus. But when he noticed the strong wind, he became frightened, and beginning to sink, he cried out, ‘Lord, save me!’ Jesus immediately reached out his hand and caught him, saying to him, ‘You of little faith, why did you doubt?’ When they got into the boat, the wind ceased. And those in the boat worshipped him, saying, ‘Truly you are the Son of God.’

When they had crossed over, they came to land at Gennesaret. After the people of that place recognized him, they sent word throughout the region and brought all who were sick to him, and begged him that they might touch even the fringe of his cloak; and all who touched it were healed.”

The Bread of Heaven - November 3, 2013

The Bread of Heaven

Exodus 16:1-5, 13-15, John 6:35-51

Grace Presbyterian Church

November 3, 2013

Rev. Dr. Richard E. Miller

Where Were You?  Where were you on the evening of July 20, 1969? Now if you weren’t born yet, you don’t have to answer. And I know its hard to believe, but I remember that evening quite clearly. I was driving a bus full of twenty-two rambunctious teenagers from my church in Cincinnati to West Virginia. Why? Because we were on a Mission Trip to the inner city of East Wheeling to conduct a Vacation Bible School at Laughlin Memorial Chapel and do some rehab work on three houses. On our way there, we stopped to get gasoline and noticed a TV turned on in the service station that was showing a once-in-a-lifetime event. Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin were on the Apollo 11 space flight and were just a few minutes away from touching the moon’s surface in their landing craft called Eagle. And so all of us piled out of the bus, hurried into the station, and watched Neil Armstrong step onto the surface of the moon. We then heard him say, “That’s one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind.”

Communion on the Moon  As famous as that quote is, another even more meaningful event took place while Apollo 11 was sitting on the lunar surface. And it involved Buzz Aldrin, the other pilot along with Armstrong. Buzz was an elder at the Webster Presbyterian Church in Webster, Texas. After the Eagle had landed, Buzz said, “I’d like to take this opportunity to ask every person listening in, whoever and wherever they may be, to pause for a moment and contemplate the events of the past few hours, and to give thanks in his or her own way.

Then, since he knew they were doing something unprecedented in human history, he felt he should mark the occasion somehow. Before the flight began, he had asked his pastor to help him. And so the pastor consecrated a communion wafer and a small vial of communion wine for Buzz to take with him. So there, on the silent surface of the moon, 250,000 miles from home, Elder Buzz Aldrin read a verse from the Gospel of John, and took communion.

Here is his own account of what happened: "In the radio blackout, I opened the little plastic packages which contained the bread and the wine. I poured the wine into the chalice our church had given me. In the one-sixth gravity of the moon, the wine slowly curled and gracefully came up the side of the cup. Then I read the Scripture, 'I am the vine, you are the branches. Whosoever abides in me will bring forth much fruit. Apart from me you can do nothing.” [John 15:5]

As I read this account of communion, It was amazing for me to think: the very first liquid ever poured on the moon, and the very first food eaten there, were the communion elements. And of course, it's wonderful to realize that some of the first words spoken on the moon were the words of Jesus Christ who made the Earth and the moon - and who, in the immortal words of Dante, is Himself the "Love that moves the Sun and other stars."

Preparing Hearts for Communion  And now here we are this morning, solidly secured to planet earth, preparing our hearts and minds for the bread and cup of communion. As we do this, I’d like to look more closely at bread. Bread comes in many varieties, such as white, wheat, honey wheat, light wheat, rye, raisin, pumpkin, zucchini, and pumpernickel. We refer to those who bring home a pay check as being a breadwinner. We speak of the midwest as being the breadbasket of America. Bread is a synonym for money. We talk about needing to know which side our bread is buttered on. We speak of casting our bread upon the waters. If we look at the Bible, we find many uses for bread.

Manna Our Exodus scripture reading tells of that time in history when the Israelites had escaped from being slaves to Pharaoh. They had fled Egypt and now found themselves in the wilderness without anything to eat. They complained bitterly to Moses saying it would have been better to remain slaves where they had food to eat rather than die out in the wilderness. God gave the Israelites food to eat. Each evening quail flew into their camp which they could eat. The next morning, a fine flaky substance covered the ground. The people wondered what it was and Moses said, “It is the bread which the Lord has given you to eat.” (Exodus 16:15) And later we read: “The house of Israel called it manna; it was like coriander seed, white, and the taste of it was like wafers made with honey.”  [Exodus 16:31] The Israelites could collect manna for only one day at a time. If they kept any for the next day, the manna would spoil overnight and become inedible. The exception to this was Thursday when they could gather two days supply of manna to last through the Sabbath.

Daily Bread Many years later, when settled in the Promised Land, the Israelites would grow wheat or barley from which to make their bread. The grain would be ground into flour with a hand mill and fresh bread would be baked every day. The oven they used often consisted of earthen jars which were heated very hot. Then the bread dough would be placed on the sides of the jars to bake. The result was a very thin bread. So when they prayed, “Give us this day our daily bread,” they really meant “daily.” Of course today, bread lasts for days on the counter and can be kept longer in our freezers.

This eventually evolved into what the Israelites called “The Bread of the Presence.”  This consisted of twelve loaves of bread that rested upon a special table in the temple twenty-four hours a day. The loaves were lined up in two rows of six and stood for the twelve tribes of Israel. More importantly, the loaves represented the presence of God in the Temple and hence in their individual lives. Overall, it served as an offering of thanksgiving to God. Thus, for them bread pointed to God’s power and strength which sustained them as his chosen people.

Breaking Bread Together  Another way in which bread was important to the Israelites was as an outward sign of covenants between people. When two people broke bread together, they established a sacred obligation to be faithful in their friendship. [Psalm 41:9]

This idea logically carried over to the Jewish meal.  At every meal, the head of the family, normally the father, would take a large piece of bread and pray, “Blessed art thou, O Lord our God, King of the world, who bringest forth bread from the earth.”  He would then break the bread, eat a piece, and pass the rest for other family members to eat. Then they would enjoy their meal.

Living Bread  Since Jesus and his disciples were Jews, they followed the same practice of breaking and distributing bread before a meal. However, Jesus enlarged upon the traditional meaning when he said, “I am the living bread which came down from heaven; if anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever; and the bread which I shall give for the life of the world is my flesh.” [John 6:51]

The Last Supper   Finally, during the Last Supper, Jesus startled his disciples by saying, “This is the last time I will be eating with you.” He then picked up the bread, just as he had done hundreds of times before, and said, “This is my body which is for you.  Do this in remembrance of me.” [1 Corinthians 11:24] By saying these things, Jesus was telling his disciples that whenever they gathered together and broke bread in his name, he would be there in the midst of them.

Bread of the Presence of Christ As we break bread together this morning, we are assured of Christ’s presence with us. Instead of twelve loaves, we have one loaf. We become aware of his presence when we open our hearts and listen for his guidance and direction.

Remember that Paul wrote, “The bread which we break, is it not a participation in the body of Christ? We who are many are one body, for we all partake of the same loaf.” [1 Corinthians 10:17]  This means we do not come to the table as observers, but as participants.  As our host, Christ has invited us to break bread with him and one another. Each of us is a part of the one loaf...the community of faith...the Body of Christ.  This means that no matter how we might differ in background, ages, or personalities, we share a common spiritual bond.  As we break the bread, we will be affirming the special bond of love we enjoy in Christ, and be witnessing to the presence of our Lord among us. Remember, when Christ ascended into heaven, he no longer was physically present to the world. We are now Christ’s visible body here on earth. People see and meet Jesus through us. As such we are the aroma of the living bread of Christ to the world. [2 Corinthians 5:20]

As we partake of the living bread which came down from heaven, remember that the Lord’s Supper isn’t where sinners find Christ, but where sinners celebrate being found by him. Amen.

Exodus 16:1-5 NRSV

The whole congregation of the Israelites set out from Elim; and Israel came to the wilderness of Sin, which is between Elim and Sinai, on the fifteenth day of the second month after they had departed from the land of Egypt. The whole congregation of the Israelites complained against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness. The Israelites said to them, ‘If only we had died by the hand of the Lord in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the fleshpots and ate our fill of bread; for you have brought us out into this wilderness to kill this whole assembly with hunger.’ Then the Lord said to Moses, ‘I am going to rain bread from heaven for you, and each day the people shall go out and gather enough for that day. In that way I will test them, whether they will follow my instruction or not. On the sixth day, when they prepare what they bring in, it will be twice as much as they gather on other days.’

 In the evening quails came up and covered the camp; and in the morning there was a layer of dew around the camp. When the layer of dew lifted, there on the surface of the wilderness was a fine flaky substance, as fine as frost on the ground. When the Israelites saw it, they said to one another, ‘What is it?’ For they did not know what it was. Moses said to them, ‘It is the bread that the Lord has given you to eat.
John 6:25-35 NRSV

The background of this morning’s scripture is this. Jesus had finished feeding the 5,000 with bread and fish. He then left the crowd and joined his disciples on the other side of the Sea of Galilee. The people whom he had fed searched for him and eventually found him. Our scripture tells us what happened next.

“When they found him on the other side of the lake, they said to him, ‘Rabbi, when did you come here?’ Jesus answered them, ‘Very truly, I tell you, you are looking for me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate your fill of the loaves. Do not work for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures for eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. For it is on him that God the Father has set his seal.’ Then they said to him, ‘What must we do to perform the works of God?’ Jesus answered them, ‘This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent.’ So they said to him, ‘What sign are you going to give us then, so that we may see it and believe you? What work are you performing? Our ancestors ate the manna in the wilderness; as it is written, “He gave them bread from heaven to eat.” ’ Then Jesus said to them, ‘Very truly, I tell you, it was not Moses who gave you the bread from heaven, but it is my Father who gives you the true bread from heaven. For the bread of God is that which comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.’ They said to him, ‘Sir, give us this bread always.’  Jesus said to them, ‘I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.”