January 7, 2022 — “Black Listed” (Acts 1:12-17, 21-26)

 “Then the apostles returned to Jerusalem from the hill called the Mount of Olives, a Sabbath day’s walk from the city. When they arrived, they went upstairs to the room where they were staying. Those present were Peter, John, James and Andrew; Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew; James son of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot, and Judas son of James. They all joined together constantly in prayer, along with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brothers.

In those days Peter stood up among the believers (a group numbering about a hundred and twenty) and said, “Brothers and sisters, the Scripture had to be fulfilled in which the Holy Spirit spoke long ago through David concerning Judas, who served as guide for those who arrested Jesus. He was one of our number and shared in our ministry.” Therefore it is necessary to choose one of the men who have been with us the whole time the Lord Jesus was living among us, beginning from John’s baptism to the time when Jesus was taken up from us. For one of these must become a witness with us of his resurrection.” So they nominated two men: Joseph called Barsabbas (also known as Justus) and Matthias. Then they prayed, “Lord, you know everyone’s heart. Show us which of these two you have chosento take over this apostolic ministry, which Judas left to go where he belongs.” Then they cast lots, and the lot fell to Matthias; so he was added to the eleven apostles.

“Black Listed”

To blacklist someone has always held the same definition and connotation. During King Charles II’s reign, however, it involved black books where he kept the names of those involved with his father’s murder. “Black book” can be used interchangeably with “blacklist,” but the latter is far more popular. A similar phrase is to “Blackball” someone, which means to reject a candidate for membership in a private organization, by secret ballot. Blackball may also mean to severely ostracize someone from social activities. The word blackball appears in 1770, referring to a negative vote. Voting through the process of a voter placing either a white ball, or positive vote, into a ballot box or a black ball, or negative vote, into a ballot box, means that voters will remain anonymous and are not forced to give any reason for a negative vote. In some clubs a single black ball means a candidate will be denied membership in the organization. In other clubs there must be two black balls to justify excluding a potential member.

We do not have many instances where someone is blackballed, or blacklisted in the bible, unless we want to include Jesus when Pilate has to deal with the Jesus “problem”:

 While Pilate was sitting on the judge’s seat, his wife sent him this message: “Don’t have anything to do with that innocent man, for I have suffered a great deal today in a dream because of him.” But the chief priests and the elders persuaded the crowd to ask for Barabbas and to have Jesus executed. “Which of the two do you want me to release to you?” asked the governor. “Barabbas,” they answered. “What shall I do, then, with Jesus who is called the Messiah?” Pilate asked. They all answered, “Crucify him!” “Why? What crime has he committed?” asked Pilate. But they shouted all the louder, “Crucify him!” When Pilate saw that he was getting nowhere, but that instead an uproar was starting, he took water and washed his hands in front of the crowd. “I am innocent of this man’s blood,” he said. “It is your responsibility!” (Matthew 27)

But we do have this account from the book of Acts where the Apostles are forced to pick a new member to take the place of Judas (the one who betrayed Jesus). What is important to note is that before they cast their lots, they prayed.

I believe we should always pray before we make a decision – especially an important decision that might involve our stewardship of time or treasure with the church, as well as our stewardship of time and treasure with our families and with our communities. We should never allow 0nly mob rule or the loudest voices to sway our decisions. Instead going to G-d in prayer is a sure guide to giving us peace with our decisions. The point is to prayer – and then to take the time to listen – before we decide.

Let us pray,

Lord Jesus, we know you will never black list us. Thank you for your love, mercy and grace – which is inclusive and unconditional. Amen.

Pastor Dave

January 8, 2022 —  “It’s Raining Cats and Dogs!” (Luke 2:1-12)

“In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) And everyone went to their own town to register. So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them. And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.” Luke 2:1-12

“It’s Raining Cats and Dogs!”

Now, this is an interesting one, don’t you think? I am sure this must sound like we Americans have lost our minds to someone from another country hearing it for the first time. There are a lot of things we have seen falling from the sky, but cats and dogs — nope. So, how did this expression come about? Some say it originated in England in the 1500’s, when houses had thatched roofs. A thatch roof consisted of straw piled high, with no wood underneath. In cold, foggy England this was sometimes the only place for an animal to get warm. Cats, other small animals and the occasional dog would wind up on the roofs. – and when it rained really hard, some of the animals would slip off the roof and wash up in the gutters on the street. Hence, the saying, “It’s raining cats and dogs” ended up referring to a particularly heavy rain. Kind of gruesome, isn’t it?

We like to think of Mary and Joseph standing around Jesus while he sleeps in a manger, out in the open with animals standing watch. Most likely, when they were told there was no room in an inn, the young, expectant family were instead showed to the part of a house where the animals stayed – an adjacent room – or a cave which, yes, had a manger for the animals to eat from. Most likely families would keep their animals under roof and walled in, rather than leaving them outside where thieves could take them or other animals attack them.

No matter, there is a connection between the animals and the birth of Jesus that we cannot forget – they were some of the first witnesses to see the birth of the Christ child. As such, we need to keep them in mind as part of all creation that will be redeemed when Christ comes again.

Let us pray,

Lord Jesus, whether we are sailing in clear skies or it is raining cats and dogs, we trust that you are with us. Protect us throughout our lives, and be there when we finally leave this life to return to G-d. Amen.

Pastor Dave

January 9, 2022 – Baptism of Our Lord

“As the people were filled with expectation, and all were questioning in their hearts concerning John, whether he might be the Messiah, John answered all of them by saying, “I baptize you with water; but one who is more powerful than I is coming; I am not worthy to untie the thong of his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. His winnowing fork is in his hand, to clear his threshing floor and to gather the wheat into his granary; but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.” Now when all the people were baptized, and when Jesus also had been baptized and was praying, the heaven was opened, and the Holy Spirit descended upon him in bodily form like a dove. And a voice came from heaven, “You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased.” Luke 3:15-17, 21-22

The Baptism of Jesus made the early church, shall I say….uncomfortable. After all, if baptism is for the remission of sin…..they why did Jesus have to be baptized? I am sure you have delved into the question before, but it always good to review – especially when Baptism involves one of the most misunderstood and most important aspects of our faith—the Holy Spirit. And the baptism of Jesus presents us some important questions: Is baptism about forgiveness? And if it is, then is Jesus really sinless or not?

So, let’s begin with John’s baptism, because that did come first after all—and it may help us understand the baptism of Jesus. If you recall, John’s baptism was a baptism of water—a baptism of repentance. It was a baptism where many, in fact all of Judea and Jerusalem we are told, came with contrite hearts, confessing their sins. And John would baptize them with water and tell them they should prepare and believe in the one who was coming after Jesus. There was no Holy Spirit—there was only repenting for one’s sins.

But, when Jesus was baptized, he received the Holy Spirit, and the confirmation that he was G-d’s Son—which means, of course, that he is sinless. And this, my friends, is huge. It makes baptism a big, big, deal. And the fact that G-d allows you and me to be baptized with a baptism like Jesus is a big deal. After all, the early church could have determined that no one else could have a baptism like Jesus—that it was too special for anyone else. But as we know—baptism is available to all—because through it we receive not only the Holy Spirit—but the forgiveness of sins.

My friends, G-d confirms that we are “children of G-d” through our baptisms, and G-d seals the deal by infusing within us the Holy Spirit. We are marked with the cross of Christ, sealed with the Holy Spirit, and all of this is G-d’s work, G-d’s doing. And no matter how much we fail, how much we fall short in this life, nothing that we do or don’t do can remove that identity. You see, G-d loved us before our baptism, and G-d confirms that love through our baptism. Yes, we can neglect that relationship, we can ignore it, we can deny it—but we cannot destroy it—G-d loved us first, still loves us, and loves us unconditionally.

Pastor Dave