March 31, 2023 – “The Lord is One”

“And one of the scribes came up and heard them disputing with one another, and seeing that he answered them well, asked him, “Which commandment is the most important of all?” Jesus answered, “The most important is, ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ The second is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.” And the scribe said to him, “You are right, Teacher. You have truly said that he is one, and there is no other besides him. And to love him with all the heart and with all the understanding and with all the strength, and to love one’s neighbor as oneself, is much more than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices.” And when Jesus saw that he answered wisely, he said to him, “You are not far from the kingdom of God.” And after that no one dared to ask him any more questions.” Mark 12:28-34             

“Don’t you think we would be better served in our Christian communities if we stopped the arguments over all the peripheral things that divide us and focused on the things that Scripture says are most important? So let’s join this teacher each day as we approach Scripture and ask, “O Lord, what is most important?” Then let’s commit to being obedient to what the Lord tells us and reveals to us!” (heartlight.org: Mark 12:28)

In the conversation between the scribe and Jesus, the scribe asks Jesus, “Which commandment is the first of all?” Jesus answers with Deuteronomy 6:4 – 5, what is commonly known as the Shema – the most important scripture for Jewish worship: “Hear, O Israel: The Lord is our God, the Lord alone. You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your might.”

The Shema is prayed in every worship service in the synagogue. It is so important because it defines Judaism as worshipping “The One G-d” – in the context of the pagans who have many, many G-ds. This aspect of Judaism, “Hear O Israel: the Lord our G-d, the Lord is one” was an important and defining aspect of Judaism – in the context of their surroundings. G-d, the One G-d, the only G-d, had chosen this people to be a special, priestly nation. Jesus, then, makes the Shema and the commandment to “Love your G-d”, and as importantly to “Love your Neighbor” to be the central defining commandments for Christianity.

It was a defining moment in the history of people that Israel claimed to worship One G-d.

It is this One G-d who continues to love us beyond all measure, through the Trinity: Father, Son and Holy Spirit. It is not three gods, but One G-d whom we know in our lives as creator, redeemer, and sustainer. It is beyond our understanding, yet we can experience the love of G-d so personally and intimately each and every day.

Let us pray: Dear G-d, help me show love every day – love for you, love to my enemy, love to my neighbor. Remind me each day that a life focused on love is what you value as most important. Amen.

Pastor Dave

March 30, 2023 – “Breaking Down Walls”

“And he began to speak to them in parables. “A man planted a vineyard and put a fence around it and dug a pit for the winepress and built a tower, and leased it to tenants and went into another country.When the season came, he sent a servantto the tenants to get from them some of the fruit of the vineyard. And they took him and beat him and sent him away empty-handed. Again he sent to them another servant, and they struck him on the head and treated him shamefully.And he sent another, and him they killed. And so with many others: some they beat, and some they killed. He had still one other, a beloved son. Finally he sent him to them, saying, ‘They will respect my son.’ But those tenants said to one another, ‘This is the heir. Come, let us kill him, and the inheritance will be ours.’ And they took him and killed him and threw him out of the vineyard. What will the owner of the vineyard do? He will come and destroy the tenants and give the vineyard to others.” Mark 12:1-9

“We need to know that those who reject the Son of God today also face dire consequences. While God is supremely generous about grace, the consequences of rejecting that grace and having to face the full wrath of God are horrific.” (heartlight.org: Mark 12:9)

The Parable of the Wicked Tenants begins with these words, “A man planted a vineyard, put a fence around it…”.  Why do so many people put a fence around themselves and refuse to share their fruit with others? When we put up fences between us and our neighbors, we are, in essence, putting a fence up between us and G-d. But there are many reasons why people decide not to share their G-d-given fruit with others.

First, they believe that what they have is only theirs. Selfishness and ego get in the way. What is theirs is theirs and it will never be shared with anyone.  They forget that all we have comes from G-d. Second, by hoarding their things, they believe they have more – more blessings, more possessions, more security. Their seems to be comfort in stuff.

I know that at times we pray for G-d to put a hedge of protection around us so that we are protected from our enemies. But this hedge of protection can become a wall that separates and isolates us from the “others” around us. G-d asks us to love G-d with all our heart and soul, which then compels us to love the “others” around us—not just in our own personal sphere, but those all around the world.

Let us pray: Dear G-d, your love compels us not to put up walls, but to break down all barriers around and between us. Help me break down my walls and to share generously and to welcome others instead. Amen.

Pastor Dave