Martin Luther King, Jr.

“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because God has anointed me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the blind, to set free those who are oppressed…” Luke 4:18

On May 17 1957, nearly 25,000 demonstrators gathered at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C., for a Prayer Pilgrimage for Freedom, featuring three hours of spirituals, songs, and speeches that urged the federal government to fulfill the three-year-old Brown v. Board of Education decision. The last speech of the day was reserved for Martin Luther King’s “Give Us the Ballot” speech, which captured public attention and placed him in the national spotlight as a major leader of the civil rights movement.

Dr. King was a preacher, a pastor, and a civil rights activist. His was not an easy path. In January 1956 during the Montgomery bus boycott, he received a threatening phone call late in the evening. He couldn’t sleep. He was at a breaking point with exhaustion – he considered giving up. He spoke to G-d and, in time he heard the voice of G-d saying: “Stand up for righteousness, stand up for truth. G-d will be at your side forever.”

Jesus was sitting in the temple one day, and the people were waiting with anticipation at what he might say. He opened a scroll of the Hebrew bible. He found this passage from the prophet Isaiah (61:1-2) and read it aloud: “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because God has anointed me to bring good news to the poor. Today this scripture has been fulfilled.” Jesus was announcing that He was the awaited Messiah who was prophesied to free the oppressed, and release those bound by disease. Whether you are a follower of Jesus or not, Jesus did change the course of human history and we believe today that He has come to forgive sins. His teachings, especially regarding love of neighbor and being a servant of all still inform and inspire the lives of millions of people across this country.

Dr. King preached a similar message. In his “I have a dream” speech he said, “I have a dream that one day every valley will be exalted, every hill and mountain will be made low, the rough places will be make a plain…and the glory of the Lord will be revealed. I have a dream my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.”

Where are we today in the march to equality, in the hope for righteousness for all, and in proclaiming our love for all people, no matter the color of their skin, the faith they proclaim, or the contents of their bank account? Take time today to read passages regarding Jesus’ love; and then take your petitions to G-d – and listen for G-d’s still, small voice. Listen to the Spirit that will guide you in how you can live into the love of Jesus Christ in service to everyone you encounter.

Pastor Dave

November 16, 2020 — The Pulsing Tremor of Raw Energy

“Then the Lord said to Samuel, “See, I am about to do something in Israel that will make both ears of anyone who hears of it tingle.” 1 Samuel 3:11

“…a certain slave minister…, on occasion, held secret religious meetings with his fellow slaves. How everything in me quivered with the pulsing tremor of raw energy when…(he) would come to the triumphant climax…: “You—You—you are not slaves. You are God’s children.” This established for them the ground of personal dignity, so that a profound sense of personal worth could absorb the fear reaction.” (Howard Thurman. Jesus and the Disinherited (p. 50). Beacon Press. Kindle Edition.)

I have not been to many rock concerts, but the few that I have been to have left me with the same malady – a ringing in my ears. On some occasions, the ringing extended into the following day. Of course, the obvious reason for the ringing was the volume level of the music – it was always too loud. And I have never understood the reason for the extreme level of the volume. Personally, I do not mind feeling the reverberation of the organ on Sunday morning, but I do not need to hear ringing in my ears from a rock concert for days; but I guess the rock musicians feel differently.

The Lord tells Samuel that what he is about to do will leave a ringing in the ears of anyone who hears of it. What is he about to do? The Lord is going to punish the house of Eli because his sons were blaspheming G-d — and Eli did not restrain them.

My friends, the Lord is able to do amazing things in our lives. Some of them leave us tingling all over; others just hit us in the ears. But the Word of G-d has the potential to make us quiver – to feel as Howard Thurman writes, “the pulsing tremor of raw energy.” I find that when I hear a congregation singing in four-part harmony, my ears tingle, and my body has a slight tremor. And when I hear a great sermon, my ears ring with joy. When I hear a brother or sister say “I am sorry” or “Let me pray with you”, my ears sing.

How has the Lord made your ears ring this week?

Pastor Dave