April 8, 2024 – The Coffee Shop Devotions: Coffee Brings People Together

“That night Jacob got up and took his two wives, his two female servants and his eleven sons and crossed the ford of the Jabbok. After he had sent them across the stream, he sent over all his possessions. So Jacob was left alone, and a man wrestled with him till daybreak. When the man saw that he could not overpower him, he touched the socket of Jacob’s hip so that his hip was wrenched as he wrestled with the man. Then the man said, “Let me go, for it is daybreak.” But Jacob replied, “I will not let you go unless you bless me.” The man asked him, “What is your name?” “Jacob,” he answered. Then the man said, “Your name will no longer be Jacob, but Israel, because you have struggled with God and with humans and have overcome.” Genesis 32:22-28

I always enjoy a good cup of coffee. I have become very fond of a Cafe Americano. Now, the origin of the Americano is interesting as told to me by a barista many years ago. The classic definition of the “Cafe Americano (shortened from Italian: caffè Americano or American Spanish: café Americano, literally American coffee) is a style of coffee prepared by brewing espresso with added hot water, giving it a similar strength to, but different flavor from, drip coffee. The strength of an Americano varies with the number of shots of espresso and the amount of water added.” There is a popular, but unconfirmed, belief that the name Cafe Americano has its origins in World War II when American G.I.s in Italy would dilute espresso with hot water. This allowed them to drink coffee that was more similar to the coffee they were accustomed to drinking at home — thus the name “Americano”. It was named after soldiers who were struggling to not only stay alive, but maintain some attachment to home.

Sometimes a name has more meaning than “we don’t know what else to call you.” The story of Jacob is a good example. It isn’t as if Jacob is unknown within his family and community. He is a man with a reputation for being cunning, if not shrewd. And so, when G-d changes his name, it carries more importance than “another name to remember.” This name speaks to his character, if not his origin — Jacob, or Israel, is a man who struggles his entire life.

Tell me, or think about this: what you are struggling with today? Over the years, I have found myself struggling with people who lack good communication skills. It seems to be endemic in my family, my church life, and my community. We have so many tools today to communicate with one another, and yet it seems people are talking past one another — or refuse to listen to one another. I guess we could all be renamed Israel since we all struggle with humans — especially we struggle with what it means to be American and who fits that name any more.

I have come to believe that all of us should force ourselves to sit at a table with those whom we struggle, pour some Cafe Americanos, and allow each other to speak and especially to listen to one another. If we don’t struggle to understand one another, then this life will continue to be more of a struggle than it needs to be.

Pastor Dave

April 7, 2024 – Easter +1

When it was evening on that day, the first day of the week, and the doors of the house where the disciples had met were locked for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.” After he said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord. Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you.” When he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.” But Thomas (who was called the Twin), one of the twelve, was not with them when Jesus came. So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord.” But he said to them, “Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands, and put my finger in the mark of the nails and my hand in his side, I will not believe.” A week later his disciples were again in the house, and Thomas was with them. Although the doors were shut, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.” Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here and see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it in my side. Do not doubt but believe.” Thomas answered him, “My Lord and my God!” Jesus said to him, “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have come to believe.” Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book. But these are written so that you may come to believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that through believing you may have life in his name.” John 20:19-31

What doubts did you wake up with this morning? Did you doubt you would make this meeting? Did you doubt anyone would show up? Did you doubt I would remember this meeting was at my church? What doubts are you wrapped up or locked behind today? Let me share some of my doubts with you this morning:

I doubt this devotion will make any inroads in alleviating your doubts.

I doubted anyone would read this post.

I doubted I could make it through one day without someone calling me asking for help.

Those are just a few of my doubts. So, with all of the doubts that are swimming through our brains, locking us behind doors of fear, the question is—will we allow Jesus in behind our walls and our doors of doubt and fear? Is there a difference between a doubter and a cynic? By definition, the doubter is someone who questions things. The cynic, on the other hand, is someone who believes that others are mainly motivated purely by self-interest. The cynic questions if something is worthwhile at all.

Here are the names of some famous cynics:

George Carlin, once said:

By and large, language is a tool for concealing the truth.

Woody Allen said:

Life is divided into the horrible and the miserable.

Are you a realist? Or Are you a doubter? How about a cynic? Now I know, of course, that you are not any of these—for you have a firm grasp on all reality. You believe without seeing—everything you read on the internet is true—there was no collusion and no obstruction—and a spaceship landed in Roswell, New Mexico, in 1947, and they took away my brain. Thomas wanted to get to the bottom of what the others were talking about. And if I were in his shoes, I would have wanted to see the same evidence too. Why? Because, well, “Hi, my name is Dave, and I am a doubter.”

So, let me ask one more question: “With all of the doubts that we hide behind, and lock ourselves up with, can Jesus break down the walls and the doors of our doubts?” No doubt about it. If Jesus can break through the walls and scaffolding of thousands of years of unbelief and doubt, well, he will break through ours as well.

So, if you agree with me and Woody Allen that “Life is divided into the horrible and the miserable”, then join the crowd of the cynics and doubters—Jesus loves us too…..scars and all.

Pastor Dave