December 16, 2024 – Stuff That Needs To Be Said: Essential Words on Life, Death, Faith, Politics, Love, and Giving a Damn

“I refuse to be a Christian who lives in fear of people who look or speak or worship differently than I do. I refuse to be a Christian who believes that God blesses America more than God so loves the world.” (Pavlovitz, John. Stuff That Needs To Be Said: Essential Words on Life, Death, Faith, Politics, Love, and Giving a Damn (p. 72). John Pavlovitz. Kindle Edition.)

“The next day Jesus decided to go to Galilee. He found Philip and said to him, “Follow me.” Now Philip was from Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter.  Philip found Nathanael and said to him, “We have found him about whom Moses in the Law and also the Prophets wrote, Jesus son of Joseph from Nazareth.” Nathanael said to him, “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” Philip said to him, “Come and see.” John 1:43-46

I grew up in Millersburg, PA. Our rival school district when it came to sports was Upper Dauphin – which incorporated people who lived in Elizabethville, Lykens and such. When I lived in Millersburg, we did not like people who came from that school district up the valley. Interestingly enough, the older I got and the more I lived and asked questions, the more I realized that I had ancestors who came from Elizabethville, Fisherville, and Lykens and the surrounding valleys. You would have thought my whole family only came from Millersburg…but that was not true. It was the unspoken truth in my house.

I watched some of the Ohio State and the University of Michigan football game – and there, the fans won’t even say the name of the other school they dislike each other so much. The Georgia and Georgia Tech football rivalry is called “Clean, Old-fashioned Hate.” It is no wonder there has been and continues to be a growing dislike of people who do not look like us, do not attend the same schools, and do not live in the same states.  

And yet this distrust and “hate” goes way back – even to the time where Nathanael famously says, “Nothing good can come out of Nazareth.” You can hear the distaste for people from Nazareth in the words and sentiment of Nathanael. And yet, when he meets Jesus, his attitude changes completely. Why? Because he goes to meet this person from Nazareth after Philip pleads with him to “Come and See.” It is the easiest sentence in the Evangelism playbook – come and see.

How differently we might feel about people if we actually took the time to meet them, have coffee with them, learn about their lives, and share our stories.

Pastor Dave

December 15, 2024 – Advent 3C

“John said to the crowds that came out to be baptized by him, “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Bear fruits worthy of repentance. Do not begin to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our ancestor’; for I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children to Abraham. Even now the ax is lying at the root of the trees; every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.” And the crowds asked him, “What then should we do?” In reply he said to them, “Whoever has two coats must share with anyone who has none; and whoever has food must do likewise.” Even tax collectors came to be baptized, and they asked him, “Teacher, what should we do?” He said to them, “Collect no more than the amount prescribed for you.” Soldiers also asked him, “And we, what should we do?” He said to them, “Do not extort money from anyone by threats or false accusation, and be satisfied with your wages.” 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.” So, with many other exhortations, he proclaimed the good news to the people.” Luke 3:7-18

This is the third Sunday in Advent – it is called “Gaudete” Sunday – “Rejoice” Sunday – “Joy” Sunday – “Pick Candle” Sunday.  Today we begin with Paul, because he proclaims “Rejoice in the Lord always – again I say Rejoice”.  This phrase begins and ends with the word Rejoice – and the Latin word for “Rejoice” is “Gaudete” – that is why it is called “Gaudete” Sunday.  Now, let me ask you, how hard is it to “Rejoice” always?  Not easy, right? And wait, it gets better, Paul then says “Do not worry about anything.” How hard is that?

We currently live in a society where the various churches trying to scare the “hell” out of people. For example, they preach a Gospel of right belief – right practice. You must believe within the right and wrong, black and white world of which they live in – and if your life is off the tracks, then it is because you have erred in your faith. This is why I am glad I am a Lutheran – because we believe in the grey areas of reality — that life is not defined by narrowly defined right and wrong. And so we preach about our only hope: relying on the Amazing Grace of Jesus Christ. Of course, in the season of Advent, the first two Sundays brought us just that message – “The Day of the Lord is doom and gloom” – it is a terrible day – there will be wars and rumors of wars and earthquakes, dogs sleeping with cats – it is a day of judgment not of rejoicing”.  And now, this third Sunday in Advent, the message shifts, dramatically – from fear and foreboding – to “Joy” and “Rejoicing”.  So, what is going on?

Have you ever noticed that there are churches in our midst who like to play on people’s fears. And if you do not believe as they do you are going straight to hell. These churches tell us that G-d is a vengeful G-d, yes filled with grace, mercy and love, and if your life is going great, then you are on the right track. But if you are suffering in this life, or if your life is doom and gloom, it is because you are not living right. Different proclamations – different ideas of G-d’s amazing Grace.

“Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice. Let your gentleness be known to everyone. The Lord is near.” (Philippians 4:4-5) According to Paul, we are to focus on Joy, not fear.  So, how do we turn our fear into joy?  Well, we proclaim that we have a G-d who loves us so much that we have a safety net – we have a backup plan – and that safety net is the fact that G-d has our back through the person of Jesus Christ.  So, even though we are sinful and unclean people, and even though we suffer or are in pain or cry now, when we get to the next life, the life that Christ has won for us, our suffering NOW will pale in comparrison to the Joy to come.  And my friends, this is a message that sells – NOT FEAR – but JOY.

Pastor Dave