February 24, 2023 – “Who Are The “Needy?”

“Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when was it that we saw you hungry and gave you food, or thirsty and gave you something to drink? And when was it that we saw you a stranger and welcomed you, or naked and gave you clothing? And when was it that we saw you sick or in prison and visited you?’ And the king will answer them, ‘Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these who are members of my family, you did it to me.’” Matthew 25:37-40

We see them standing at the entrance of the parking lot of the grocery store – or the entrance of the parking lot of the mall – we see them in Pennsylvania, West Virginia, and most likely all around this country. And when we see them with their signs made of cardboard saying “Help me – will work for food” – or “Disabled Vet and homeless – please help” – there is a visceral reaction or feeling that runs through our entire body – at least that is what happens to me. This feeling usually revolves around some thought like “They are just hoping people will give them money” – or “If we follow them home, they probably live in a nice house.” I see it as the true dilemma for a Christian – called to respond as Jesus suggests in Matthew 25 saying “When you did it to the least of these who are members of my family, you did it to me.”

And so we are at a stalemate: do we help, or do we not help? Are we judging others just by going through that exercise?

As the presiding Bishop of the ELCA once said, we are not the morality police. Our calling is to give to those in need, according to our ability and our faith. When we are called to serve the needy, we may also serve the greedy. But it is not our place to judge – G-d will do that.

Let us pray: Dear G-d, following your teachings is not always easy. Help me to see into my own heart to find the place to help where needed and called. Amen.

Pastor Dave

February 23, 2023 – “Sabbath as a Spiritual Discipline”

“He said to them, “Have you not read what David did when he and his companions were hungry? How he entered the house of God, and theyate the bread of the Presence, which it was not lawful for him or his companions to eat, but only for the priests? Or have you not read in the law that on the Sabbath the priests in the temple break the Sabbath and yet are guiltless? I tell you, something greater than the temple is here. But if you had known what this means, ‘I desire mercy and not sacrifice,’ you would not have condemned the guiltless. For the Son of Man is lord of the Sabbath.” Matthew 12:3-8

When we hear someone talk about Sabbath, we tend to think of a weekend worship service. The day of the Sabbath can be Saturday, or Sunday – where we attend worship offering up our prayers, praise and thanksgiving to G-d. But the act of Sabbath is something different and can be done on any day.

In Jesus’ time the Jewish religious leaders made the seventh day of rest unrecognizable from what G-d intended. Following what they THOUGHT was the example of the prophet Nehemiah, they decided how far a person could walk, the weight they could carry, and even whether or not they could be HEALED on the Sabbath. Jesus’ approach to the Sabbath, however, was based on common sense. He and the disciples usually ignored the unbiblical traditions of the Jews regarding the Sabbath because Jesus felt they were missing what was at the heart of Sabbath, and who was Lord of the Sabbath. As Jesus said, “The Sabbath was meant for man, not man for the Sabbath” (Mark 2:27), and as Matthew Henry said “G-d never designed it to be a burden to us, therefore we must not make it so to ourselves.”

When we are to remember the Sabbath, as G-d inscribed as the third commandment (yes in some denominations it is the fourth commandment), it can be a reminder to worship G-d – and it can be a reminder to find some holy time and space in your day and do nothing but reflect on your relationship with G-d – not to add more rules and regulations to it, but to use it for our benefit.

During Lent, we should be finding time to reflect on our relationship with G-d, and in that regard, it should be more than just a Sunday affair. Taking a Sabbath can happen any day of the week, any day and time we can carve out for quiet, rest and reflection.

Let us pray: Dear G-d, you are Lord of the Sabbath. Help me to keep sabbath as often as possible, and to honor the Sabbath every day. Amen.

Pastor Dave