Monthly Archives: September 2015

Unknown's avatar Rev. David J. Schreffler 4:44 am on September 7, 2015
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Hold Nothing Back — Rev. David J. Schreffler

 

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September 7, 2015

“While he was at Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, as he sat at the table, a woman came with an alabaster jar of very costly ointment of nard, and she broke open the jar and poured the ointment on his head. But some were there who said to one another in anger, “Why was the ointment wasted in this way? For this ointment could have been sold for more than three hundred denarii, and the money given to the poor.” And they scolded her. But Jesus said, “Let her alone; why do you trouble her? She has performed a good service for me. For you always have the poor with you, and you can show kindness to them whenever you wish; but you will not always have me. She has done what she could; she has anointed my body beforehand for its burial. Truly I tell you wherever the good news is proclaimed in the whole world, what she has done will be told in remembrance of her.”
Mark 14:3-9

“During the years that the Lord Jesus was on earth a large number of events took place. Among them there were only two that we are especially told to remember. First, we are to remember the Lord’s Table. And second, we are to remember the action of the woman in the home of Simon the leper…

Of all the events that have occurred throughout the world all through the centuries the vast majority are not worth remembering. Yet wherever the gospel is preached we shall remember this woman. …if we are to be remembered in a way that endures there is only one way to do it. We must for the Lord’s sake break the alabaster jar. And we must offer ourselves entirely to G*d.” A sermon “Mary Breaks An Alabaster Jar” John Sung (1902 – 1944) “For All The Saints” volume II (p. 794)

If we want to pour something out entirely, there is no quicker way to do it than to break the item open entirely. If you have a bottle of anything, to pop open the top means you can pour it out, but in a controlled fashion. But, if you break it open, it will pour out, and there is no stopping the flow. In the same way, we want to give of ourselves to G*d, but usually only in a “controlled” fashion. We pour out a little here, and a little there, thinking we are giving in a manner that many will “see our good works that glorify our Father in heaven”. (Matthew 5:16)

This is not why Mary is remembered — at least according to John Sung — and I agree. Mary did not just pour out a small amount over Jesus’ head, she shattered it (not over Jesus’ head) but shattered it in a manner that she could then pour it all on Jesus. She held nothing back, and because the ointment was so expensive, her deed is doubly blessed — she gave an expensive gift — she held nothing back.

When we give ourselves to G*d, we are giving an expensive gift — because each person is priceless. Dare we give G*d only a little here, and a little there? Or, should be break ourselves open and pour ourselves out to G*d? It is our decision….

Pastor Dave

Unknown's avatar Rev. David J. Schreffler 4:44 am on September 6, 2015
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“A Closed Mouth Gathers No Foot” — Rev. David J. Schreffler

 

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September 6, 2015
Sunday

Then he returned from the region of Tyre, and went by way of Sidon towards the Sea of Galilee, in the region of the Decapolis. They brought to him a deaf man who had an impediment in his speech; and they begged him to lay his hand on him. He took him aside in private, away from the crowd, and put his fingers into his ears, and he spat and touched his tongue. Then looking up to heaven, he sighed and said to him, “Ephphatha,” that is, “Be opened.” And immediately his ears were opened, his tongue was released, and he spoke plainly. Mark 7:31-35

“Jesus touches the man in ways that are quite tactile and visceral. He puts his fingers in his ears, spits, touches the mans tongue and then tells him to be opened. “Ephphatha.” An interesting word that, Ephphatha. Especially considering that most of what seems to go on in the church is our command to people to do the opposite, “Be Closed”, we say. (How I wish I knew the Aramaic for that!) Anyway, Jesus says the opposite, “Be Opened” and the church says be closed. Be closed to anything that does not fit the cultural status quo. You can make your own list of the things we say, “Be closed”, to. I am also intrigued by the sequencing of the healed response. We are specifically told that his ears were opened, his tongue released, and then he spoke.

Could it be that this miracle sequence is a parable that shows that Jesus would have us first listen before we open our mouths to speak?
My late Grandfather used to say, A still tongue makes a wise heart”
My Grandmother used to chime,
“The wise old owl sat on the oak,
the more he listened the less he spoke,
the less he spoke the more he heard,
why can’t we be like that wise old bird?”

Could it also be true that this miracle show that plain speaking can only come as the product and fruit of listening.” (The Listening Hermit blog) Peter Woods

Recently I posted this message on our sign out front of the church:

“A Closed Mouth Gathers No Foot”.

One of my members came to me and said “I don’t understand your message.” I explained to her that if we listen more, and talk less, we are less inclined to put our foot in our mouth — to say something that is offensive, or even something that is just plain stupid. All of us can learn something from those who have learned the art of listening. It takes time to be a good listener. If you are a prolific talker, some would say you like to “hear yourself”. If you are a prolific listener, I would say you like to “listen to others”. Which do you think may make you wiser?

Pastor Dave