Seventh Sunday of Easter- May 20, 2007

Today, I preached at Lake Harriet Christian Church. I'm helping them in the interim between pastors, so I shared the sermon as I have done on occasion with the Associate Minister, Tammy Rottschaefer. Here's my half of the sermon.

“All Together Now”

John 17:20-26

May 20, 2007

Lake Harriet Christian Church

Minneapolis, MN

I want to open this morning with a story of something that happened to me a few years ago. I was volunteering for a candidate for the Minneapolis school board and I was busy dropping off campaign literature just a few blocks north of here. As I was walking, I noticed a man in ahead of me walking his dog. We passed each other and then the man decided to ask me a question. He asked me if I was “saved.” I knew he meant if I had accepted Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior, so I said yes. He asked what church I belong to and I told him, Lake Harriet Christian Church. He then asked if the congregation accepted Christ as their Lord and Savior. I told him yes, though I now wished I had been a bit mischevious and said we worship Lord Voldemort of Harry Potter fame.

All the while I was feeling pretty uncomfortable. I felt like I was being interrogated for no good reason. And it was going to get worse.

He then asked if my church was in agreement that sex outside of marriage was wrong as well as gay relationships. Oh, boy the other shoe really had dropped.

Having been a member of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) , I knew that our tradition allowed each individual and each congregation to come to their own views on such issues faithfully. I knew that we Disciples had a wide range of opinions on everything including matters of sexuality. What was wonderful was that we were still all one, even though we had different political and theological views.

I told the gentleman just what I told you. We have different opinions on this issue, but adhering to our tradition we are one in Christ.

Any sense of satisfaction that I might have had in giving such an answer, was gone pretty much in an instant. The man then began to share a verse from the Bible, which was wildly misinterpreted, I must say, that the light should have nothing to do with the darkness or that which was damned. He talked about his wonderful church that had the “correct” view on this issue and said that many churches were “dead” because they allowed “other viewpoints” which were wrong and also sinful. I won't get into what else happened during this conversation since this is a family audience, except to say that he did a good job of getting me steamed.

Today's scripture is the conclusion of what has been called Jesus' “Priestly Prayer,” where he prays for his Disciples and the yet to be born church. As I read the text over and over again, I reminded of the phrase, “that they may all be one.” Jesus seems to be making a case here for unity.

Unity. That is something that we just don't have these days. We live in times that are very divisive, where people try very hard to divide people instead of bring them together. Politically, we've become a place where liberals hang out with liberals and conservatives with conservatives and never the twain shall meet. The other side is viewed not just as different, but as evil, as something that needs to be wiped out, instead of reasoned with, let alone prayed for. I don't know about you, but when I hear all the sniping and griping by people, I just want to say, “can't we all just get along?”

But Jesus isn't simply calling for people to just get along, he is calling for us to be grounded in God. We are not to be united for unity's sake, but to be united in God, so that the world might see that God loves them.

We Disciples have an interesting, slogan: “No creed but Christ.” The phrase came out of our early heritage and states, that we are not grounded on a particular creed or statement of faith, but on God as revealed in Jesus Christ and on that alone.

Lake Harriet has tried hard to uphold to that slogan, but also to this text. As most Disciples, we don't agree on everything. We have divergent opinions on everything- and yet we remain united, not on a creed or political position, but in Christ. That is what gathers us together as a community and sends us out into the world. This church, all churches, are to be a peek into God's coming reign where love rules.

Is it more important to be right or to be loving? This week, we heard of the death of the Reverend Jerry Fawell. For many, Rev. Fawell was a divisive figure because of his opposition to gay rights. I'm not here to condemn Fawell. But I do think the late reverend serves as a warning to us. Sometimes we get so caught up in trying to be right, that we might end up hurting people and damaging our witness of Christ.

The man I met on the street a few years ago thought he was being loving as well. But he was also caught up in trying to make sure he was correct and so was everyone else on a particular issue.

Lake Harriet Christian Church has been a place where we strive to be loving and united. I hope it remains that way. I hope that we can be a witness to the world of what God's kingdom is like, a place more concerned with loving each other and God than in trying to be right. I hope that we can be a shinning example of what true community is all about.

I feel sorry for that man I met. He missed the opportunity to see what it meant to be truly united in Christ. I wasn't expecting that he'd change his mind, but it would have been nice if we saw each other as brothers in Christ. But I am proud of this small community that serves as an example of being One in Christ. Amen.

Sixth Sunday of Easter-May 13, 2007

“Do You Believe in Miracles?”

John 5:1-9

May 13, 2007

Community of Grace Christian Church

Minneapolis, MN

This is probably going to be one of the rare occasions where you will see me employing a sports analogy to a sermon. This is a big event, kind of like Haley's Comet.

I love watching the Olympics. I know a lot of people say there are over-commericalized and not that interesting, but I still get a kick out of watching them. I love seeing all the nations march into the stadium and I definitely love the lighting of the Olympic Flame. If I had to choose between the Summer or Winter Games, I would say I love the Winter Games. There is something thrilling about seeing the skiers as the barrel down a mountain at unbelievable speeds, doing something I will never, ever, ever, do.

I think I've watch every Winter Olympics since 1976, but the one that I remember the most was the 1980 Winter Games which were held in Lake Placid, New York. The moment that I remember most vividly from those Games was the semifinal game in hockey between the United States and the Soviet Union. The Soviets had probably one of the best hockey teams in the world and the US was made up of college players. It was the hockey equivalent of David versus Goliath. I don't know if many of you here remember those times, but I can. Life in the US was at a lowpoint. The economy was flat, interest rates were climbing, the Soviets were soon to invade Afghanistan ratcheting up Cold War tensions, and to top it off, in November of 1979, Iranian revolutionaries took over the American embassy were holding over 50 US citizens hostage. In the midst of all this gloom and doom, here was this upstart hockey team that kept winning. This game with the Russians was a big one: whoever won, would go to the gold medal round. I remember the tension I had in watching this thrilling game with my Mom. It seemed as if the entire nation held its collective breath not sure if the young Americans could really beat the experienced Soviets. As the clock ticked the final moments away, you could hear the cheers of the people in the hockey arena grow louder and louder, anticipating that the US would actually beat Russia. With only a few seconds left, ABC sportscaster, Al Michael says something that I remember to do this day. It wasn't a question, it was an affirmation. As the game ended and as it was certain the US would be the victor, he said with confidence, “Do you believe in miracles?” A second later, he Michaels answered his own question by saying, “YES!”

The United States wasn't expected to get very far in hockey that year. International hockey was the province of so-called Superpowers, like Canada, Finland and the Soviet Union. And yet, the US won against the Soviets and then went on the win the gold medal.

Do you believe in miracles?

Today's text is an odd one. It's odd because both Jesus and the man that he healed asked some pretty stupid questions. Jesus sees this man who can't walk at the Pool of Bethsaida. We find out that this man has been in this condition for 38 years. When Jesus sees this man, he ask, “Do you want to be healed?”

Huh?

Here's a man that can't walk. What do you think? Of course he wants to be healed, he wants to walk, leap and run. Who wouldn't?

Well, I guess not this man. Instead he says that he has been here for 38 years and that whenever the water gets troubled, isn't able to get to the pool in time.

Wrong answer, dude. Here's a better one: yes.

So what is going on here? We have Jesus asking a question that seems stupid, and a man that seems more willing to offer excuses than in wanting to be healed.

I think this little exchange between the man and Jesus tells us about the man's faith or lack thereof. It seems to me that this man would have been hungry to find someone, anyone who could help him. When Jesus asked him if he wanted to be healed, you'd expect the man to say, “Yes, yes I do. Do you know someone who can help me?” But he didn't do that. He wasn't expecting to be healed, on the contrary, he had become quite confortable with his predicament. “Oh, I'd like to be healed,” the man seems to be saying, “but since I can't get to the pool and be healed, I'm going to stay right here.”

He saw that he couldn't get to the pool and that there was no one to help him get there. So, there was really no way for him to be healed. His excuse was one of a man who had lost hope and could really see things changing.

As much as I've been putting this man down, I think I identify with him. You know, lately I've been down about things, especially being the pastor of a new church. You put a lot of blood, sweat and tears into this venture and sometimes it seems that there is very little that you get out of it. All of the setbacks start to make you think that nothing will ever change. I've felt that and I know others have as well. Maybe you've been in a situation where things have always been the same way and it seems like they will never change. You start to lose hope, just like this man. His excuse about not getting to the pool in time is really just his reality. He can't walk, so he can't get to the pool, so he won't be healed.

The thing is, we tend to see things like this through human eyes. If it can't be done, then it can't be done.

I've seen this behavior more often than not in church. We are too small to do effective ministry. We can't open our doors to gay and lesbian people because everyone will leave. We can't plant a new church, because that will drain our small church. It goes on and on. We live our lives in fear, seeing scarcity when our God promises abundance.

What if we believed that God can take the small, weak and seemingly insignificant things in our lives and make something beautiful out of it? Could God take a small number of people at a church and make us into something? Can we believe in Jesus and take up our mats and walk?

As much as we talk about God, I tend to think a lot of people in the church, including yours truly, tend to be functional atheists. Yes, we talk about believing in God and we say the right words, but when it comes down to it, we believe we are on our own.

But the thing is, we are not alone. We have a God that deals in the impossible. The Good Shepherd takes care of us and will always be with us.

Do you believe in miracles?

In short this is a story about faith. Do we have faith that God is with us? At times I tend think not, but the reality is, God is with us. We need to have faith that God can do the unimaginable even when it seems nothing will change.

The US Hockey team of 1980 wasn't expected to win against the Soviets let alone win a gold medal and yet they did both. If a hockey team can do that, what more can God do for us? It's time for us to get up from our mats of hopelessness and walk in faith.

Do you believe in miracles? I do. Thanks be to God. Amen.

Sixth Sunday of Easter-May 13, 2007

“Do You Believe in Miracles?”

John 5:1-9

May 13, 2007

Community of Grace Christian Church

Minneapolis, MN

This is probably going to be one of the rare occasions where you will see me employing a sports analogy to a sermon. This is a big event, kind of like Haley's Comet.

I love watching the Olympics. I know a lot of people say there are over-commericalized and not that interesting, but I still get a kick out of watching them. I love seeing all the nations march into the stadium and I definitely love the lighting of the Olympic Flame. If I had to choose between the Summer or Winter Games, I would say I love the Winter Games. There is something thrilling about seeing the skiers as the barrel down a mountain at unbelievable speeds, doing something I will never, ever, ever, do.

I think I've watch every Winter Olympics since 1976, but the one that I remember the most was the 1980 Winter Games which were held in Lake Placid, New York. The moment that I remember most vividly from those Games was the semifinal game in hockey between the United States and the Soviet Union. The Soviets had probably one of the best hockey teams in the world and the US was made up of college players. It was the hockey equivalent of David versus Goliath. I don't know if many of you here remember those times, but I can. Life in the US was at a lowpoint. The economy was flat, interest rates were climbing, the Soviets were soon to invade Afghanistan ratcheting up Cold War tensions, and to top it off, in November of 1979, Iranian revolutionaries took over the American embassy were holding over 50 US citizens hostage. In the midst of all this gloom and doom, here was this upstart hockey team that kept winning. This game with the Russians was a big one: whoever won, would go to the gold medal round. I remember the tension I had in watching this thrilling game with my Mom. It seemed as if the entire nation held its collective breath not sure if the young Americans could really beat the experienced Soviets. As the clock ticked the final moments away, you could hear the cheers of the people in the hockey arena grow louder and louder, anticipating that the US would actually beat Russia. With only a few seconds left, ABC sportscaster, Al Michael says something that I remember to do this day. It wasn't a question, it was an affirmation. As the game ended and as it was certain the US would be the victor, he said with confidence, “Do you believe in miracles?” A second later, he Michaels answered his own question by saying, “YES!”

The United States wasn't expected to get very far in hockey that year. International hockey was the province of so-called Superpowers, like Canada, Finland and the Soviet Union. And yet, the US won against the Soviets and then went on the win the gold medal.

Do you believe in miracles?

Today's text is an odd one. It's odd because both Jesus and the man that he healed asked some pretty stupid questions. Jesus sees this man who can't walk at the Pool of Bethsaida. We find out that this man has been in this condition for 38 years. When Jesus sees this man, he ask, “Do you want to be healed?”

Huh?

Here's a man that can't walk. What do you think? Of course he wants to be healed, he wants to walk, leap and run. Who wouldn't?

Well, I guess not this man. Instead he says that he has been here for 38 years and that whenever the water gets troubled, isn't able to get to the pool in time.

Wrong answer, dude. Here's a better one: yes.

So what is going on here? We have Jesus asking a question that seems stupid, and a man that seems more willing to offer excuses than in wanting to be healed.

I think this little exchange between the man and Jesus tells us about the man's faith or lack thereof. It seems to me that this man would have been hungry to find someone, anyone who could help him. When Jesus asked him if he wanted to be healed, you'd expect the man to say, “Yes, yes I do. Do you know someone who can help me?” But he didn't do that. He wasn't expecting to be healed, on the contrary, he had become quite confortable with his predicament. “Oh, I'd like to be healed,” the man seems to be saying, “but since I can't get to the pool and be healed, I'm going to stay right here.”

He saw that he couldn't get to the pool and that there was no one to help him get there. So, there was really no way for him to be healed. His excuse was one of a man who had lost hope and could really see things changing.

As much as I've been putting this man down, I think I identify with him. You know, lately I've been down about things, especially being the pastor of a new church. You put a lot of blood, sweat and tears into this venture and sometimes it seems that there is very little that you get out of it. All of the setbacks start to make you think that nothing will ever change. I've felt that and I know others have as well. Maybe you've been in a situation where things have always been the same way and it seems like they will never change. You start to lose hope, just like this man. His excuse about not getting to the pool in time is really just his reality. He can't walk, so he can't get to the pool, so he won't be healed.

The thing is, we tend to see things like this through human eyes. If it can't be done, then it can't be done.

I've seen this behavior more often than not in church. We are too small to do effective ministry. We can't open our doors to gay and lesbian people because everyone will leave. We can't plant a new church, because that will drain our small church. It goes on and on. We live our lives in fear, seeing scarcity when our God promises abundance.

What if we believed that God can take the small, weak and seemingly insignificant things in our lives and make something beautiful out of it? Could God take a small number of people at a church and make us into something? Can we believe in Jesus and take up our mats and walk?

As much as we talk about God, I tend to think a lot of people in the church, including yours truly, tend to be functional atheists. Yes, we talk about believing in God and we say the right words, but when it comes down to it, we believe we are on our own.

But the thing is, we are not alone. We have a God that deals in the impossible. The Good Shepherd takes care of us and will always be with us.

Do you believe in miracles?

In short this is a story about faith. Do we have faith that God is with us? At times I tend think not, but the reality is, God is with us. We need to have faith that God can do the unimaginable even when it seems nothing will change.

The US Hockey team of 1980 wasn't expected to win against the Soviets let alone win a gold medal and yet they did both. If a hockey team can do that, what more can God do for us? It's time for us to get up from our mats of hopelessness and walk in faith.

Do you believe in miracles? I do. Thanks be to God. Amen.