Sermons

Invitation to a Journey - Session 3: Being Formed

Invitation to a Journey

Session 3: Being Formed

based on the book Invitation to a Journey, by: M. Robert Mulholland Jr.

Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil.  After fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry.  The tempter came to him and said, “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.”

 Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’”

 Then the devil took him to the holy city and had him stand on the highest point of the temple.  “If you are the Son of God,” he said, “throw yourself down. For it is written:

“‘He will command his angels concerning you,
    and they will lift you up in their hands,
    so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.’”

 Jesus answered him, “It is also written: ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’”

Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor. “All this I will give you,” he said, “if you will bow down and worship me.”

Jesus said to him, “Away from me, Satan! For it is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.’”

Then the devil left him, and angels came and attended him.

Matthew 4:1-11 (CEB)

Welcome to Session 3 of Invitation to a Journey.

Before watching each video session, I encourage you to read the corrosponding chapters in the book which you can order here. I also invite you to have a pen and journal handy as we will begin each week with a contemplative Lectio Divina exercise using a related passage of scripture for each week. You may want to pause the video at various points to journal and reflect on your own spirtual journey as it relates to the themes we are discussing. I also invite you to use the comments section on this blog post to share any of your own experiences of how this material is resonating in your own life.

Below the video you will find a PDF of the notes, lectio reading, reflection questions, and next steps for each week. Feel free to download them as you follow along with the video.

Be sure to read chapter 2 before watching this session.

May God richly bless you as you enter into this journey toward a deeper relationship with Christ.

_____

Watch video session on YouTube here.

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Jesus as Savior

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Jesus as Savior
Series: Meeting Jesus Again - Part 3
2023 - A Lenten Journey
Luke 2:10-11; John 4:39-42; Mark 10:17-22

(based on the book Freeing Jesus, by Diana Butler Bass)


As Jesus continued down the road, a man ran up, knelt before him, and asked, “Good Teacher, what must I do to obtain eternal life?”

Mark 10:17 (CEB)

Listen to this week’s sermon here:

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“If you were to die tonight, do you now beyond a shallow of a doubt that you are going to heaven?”

This was the question asked of me by a well-intentioned Sunday School teacher shortly after my first visit to a Baptist church in 5th grade.  At the time, such an imminent death had not even crossed my mind, but such an urgent question will strike fear into even the most healthy young teenager.  I was later trained to ask this question of others, along with the crucial follow-up, “Do you believe in Jesus as your Lord and Savior?”

Obviously the only right answer was “yes,” a “yes” I was more than willing to give when they told me that saying yes to that question meant that I never had to go to confession in my old Catholic church again.  This was once and for all.  Come to the altar, pray a simple prayer, get dunked in a hot tub in the front of the sanctuary, and all was forgiven.  If that’s all it took to know for certain that I wouldn’t burn in hell for eternity, no matter what mistakes or sins I would inevitably commit in my life, the response was easy - “Sign me up!”

It took a long time for me to realize that while believing in Jesus is important, the real question Jesus was concerned with was whether people would become his disciples and follow him, learning to live and love as he did.  This issue of discipleship was a life-long journey, not a one time prayer, and while it was a far more difficult call, it seems to me much more aligned with the gospels than a magic formula prayer which Jesus never actually asked anyone to pray. 

“What must I do to be saved?”, people would ask him.  Jesus responded to one wealthy man by asking if he obeyed all the commandments and then told him to sell everything he had and give it to the poor (Mark 10:17-22).  There’s a lot to unpack in this scripture, but I want to focus just a moment on what Jesus does not say.  He never says anything about believing in him.  He never says anything about dying and going to heaven.  He never offers a prayer to be prayed or invites the man to be baptized.  All of the things that I were taught were absolutely essential for my eternal salvation are simply not in the text.  How could Jesus miss such a major life and death point when asked explicitly how to get saved?

Throughout the gospels, salvation comes to people in a number of ways.  People who encountered Jesus were “saved” primarily by being restored, healed or made whole.  They were given welcome, acceptance, freedom, justice and reconciliation with God here on earth, as it would be in heaven; not just promised a ticket to heaven when they died.

Salvation is not a transaction to get to heaven after death; rather it is an experience of love and beauty and of paradise here and now.

Diana Butler Bass, Freeing Jesus, 98  

It is hard to love as God so loves the world when all we care about is escaping to heaven. 

On the other hand, when we fully experience, participate in, and share God’s love in this life, we need not worry about the next.  The same God who walks with us on earth walks with us through the veil of death. 

Salvation is not for our future alone, it is a new life that begins here and now.

 

 

Invitation to a Journey - Session 2: The Process

Invitation to a Journey

Session 2: The Process

based on the book Invitation to a Journey, by: M. Robert Mulholland Jr.

His purpose was to equip God’s people for the work of serving and building up the body of Christ until we all reach the unity of faith and knowledge of God’s Son. God’s goal is for us to become mature adults—to be fully grown, measured by the standard of the fullness of Christ. As a result, we aren’t supposed to be infants any longer who can be tossed and blown around by every wind that comes from teaching with deceitful scheming and the tricks people play to deliberately mislead others.  Instead, by speaking the truth with love, let’s grow in every way into Christ,  who is the head. The whole body grows from him, as it is joined and held together by all the supporting ligaments. The body makes itself grow in that it builds itself up with love as each one does its part.

Ephesians 4:12-16 (CEB)

Welcome to Session 2 of Invitation to a Journey.

Before watching each video session, I encourage you to read the corrosponding chapters in the book which you can order here. I also invite you to have a pen and journal handy as we will begin each week with a contemplative Lectio Divina exercise using a related passage of scripture for each week. You may want to pause the video at various points to journal and reflect on your own spirtual journey as it relates to the themes we are discussing. I also invite you to use the comments section on this blog post to share any of your own experiences of how this material is resonating in your own life.

Below the video you will find a PDF of the notes, lectio reading, reflection questions, and next steps for each week. Feel free to download them as you follow along with the video.

Be sure to read chapter 1 before watching this session.

May God richly bless you as you enter into this journey toward a deeper relationship with Christ.

_____

Watch video session on YouTube here.

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Jesus as Teacher

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Jesus as Teacher
Series: Meeting Jesus Again - Part 2
2023 - A Lenten Journey

Matthew

(based on the book Freeing Jesus, by Diana Butler Bass)

When Jesus finished these words, the crowds were amazed at his teaching because he was teaching them like someone with authority and not like their legal experts.

Matthew 7:28-29 (CEB)

Listen to this week’s sermon here:

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In recent years, American teachers have been caught in the crossfire of culture wars.  By any objective standard, they are underpaid and underfunded in the classroom while at the same time navigating constant attacks from parents and politicians telling them exactly how they can and can’t do their job.  School board meetings across the nation are often more contentious, and even violent, than congress.  On the whole, it would seem that teachers are among the most under appreciated and undervalued members of our society.

Christians were once on the front lines of supporting public education, believing that everybody regardless of race, gender, geography, or economic means, should have access to high quality learning.  These days, many Christian communities support a move away from public schools toward private religious education, homeschooling, and other means of keeping their children separated from the growing diversity in the culture around us. 

So what does all of this have to do with Jesus?  Quite a bit, actually, if we are willing to acknowledge Jesus as rabbi or teacher.

I’ve heard people condemn the idea of Jesus as teacher for the same reason they struggle with Jesus as a friend.  Many feel these roles are beneath Jesus.  He is Lord and God or he is nothing.  In our well intentioned attempts to keep Jesus elevated on his throne in heaven, I wonder if we’ve missed the whole point of why Jesus came in the first place.  He didn’t come on a white horse in the clouds to enforce his Kingship.  He came among the poor and the lowly as a friend and teacher, that all might have access to the God who loved them more than they could ever imagine.  He came not just so people would “believe in him” and get into heaven, but to teach us how to make the heavenly kingdom a reality on earth. 

I can’t help but wonder if the diminished value of teachers in our society has also contributed to our diminished respect for Jesus as our teacher.  Don’t get me wrong.  We love Jesus.  We worship Jesus.  We believe in Jesus.  We are grateful that Jesus forgives our sin.  But when it really comes down to it, do we really listen to him as our teacher?

He said to them, “Do you know what I’ve done for you? You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and you speak correctly, because I am.  If I, your Lord and teacher, have washed your feet, you too must wash each other’s feet.

John 13:12-14

Are we willing to follow his teachings? 

Are we willing to serve and wash the feet of others, even our enemies, as he taught us to do by his own example?

Teachers were once highly respected.  We hung on their every word, not only the curriculum they taught, but on their example as role models in our lives.  Perhaps we should work to re-establish the honored position of teachers in our society, and while we’re at it, maybe it’s time we let Jesus be our teacher as well.

What if Jesus really meant everything he said? 

And what if we really trusted and obeyed?

 

 

Invitation to a Journey - Session 1: What is Spiritual Formation?

Invitation to a Journey

Session 1: What is Spiritual Formation

based on the book Invitation to a Journey, by: M. Robert Mulholland Jr.

So, brothers and sisters, because of God’s mercies, I encourage you to present your bodies as a living sacrifice that is holy and pleasing to God. This is your appropriate priestly service. Don’t be conformed to the patterns of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your minds so that you can figure out what God’s will is—what is good and pleasing and mature.

Romans 12:1-2 (CEB)

This spring I am working through the book, Invitation to a Journey, by my former seminary professor Dr. Robert Mulholland. We are hosting live group sessions at my church on Wednesday nights and due to the personal nature of the discussions in the group, I have chosen not to record those live sessions. However, I am putting together short weekly videos, around 30 minutes, to walk through this rich resource with you online.

Before watching each video session, I encourage you to read the corrosponding chapters in the book which you can order here. I also invite you to have a pen and journal handy as we will begin each week with a contemplative Lectio Divina exercise using a related passage of scripture for each week. You may want to pause the video at various points to journal and reflect on your own spirtual journey as it relates to the themes we are discussing. I also invite you to use the comments section on this blog post to share any of your own experiences of how this material is resonating in your own life.

Below the video you will find a PDF of the notes, lectio reading, reflection questions, and next steps for each week. Feel free to download them as you follow along with the video.

Be sure to read the prologue and introduction to part 1 before watching session 1.

May God richly bless you as you enter into this journey toward a deeper relationship with Christ.

_____

Watch video session on YouTube here.

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Jesus as Friend

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Jesus as Friend
Series: Meeting Jesus Again - Part 1
2023 - A Lenten Journey

John 15:15; Matthew 9:9-12, 11:19

(based on the book Freeing Jesus, by Diana Butler Bass)

I don’t call you servants any longer, because servants don’t know what their master is doing. Instead, I call you friends, because everything I heard from my Father I have made known to you.

John 15:15 (CEB)


Listen to this week’s sermon here:

___________________

What comes to mind when you think of a friend?  Do you make friends easily or do you find yourself relatively isolated?  Do you feel accepted, included and truly loved among your friend circle, or do you generally find yourself surrounded by acquaintances, colleagues or others who may not really know you for who you are?  No matter how many friends you have, how often do you feel lonely?

For years, loneliness has been a growing epidemic in American culture.  Consider just a few statistics below from the Barna Research Group (www.barna.com/research/friends-loneliness):

In 2018, a study from health insurer Cigna found that most Americans report feeling lonely, left out and not known. This research mirrors a host of other reports and commentary on the increasing isolation of Americans.

The majority of adults has anywhere between two and five close friends (62%), but one in five regularly or often feels lonely. 

The interactions Americans have with their neighbors (those who live within easy walking distance)—which happen either weekly (39%) or daily (28%)—are usually friendly but consist mostly of a brief greeting with very little interaction otherwise (37%).

Given our cultural tendency toward individualism, isolation, lack of trust and vulnerability, overfilled schedules, fear of rejection, and countless other factors that play into our limited friendships, it may be difficult to relate when we hear Jesus calling his disciples “friends.”

Jesus, after all, is in heaven, sitting at the right hand of the Father, just like we say in our Creed every Sunday.  We know a lot about him from the Bible or from our childhood Sunday School teachers, but do we really know him.  If we’re honest, sometimes it may feel like he’s just too far away to be called a “friend.”

Religious leaders often mocked Jesus for being a “friend of sinners” (Matt 11:19).  In other words, Jesus was one of those people who hung out in “the wrong friend circles.”  I’m sure we’ve all met someone like that.  At first we thought maybe they could be a good friend, but then we found out who they hung out with, or something they believed that we didn’t like, or they’re affiliated with the wrong political party, the wrong religion, or any other number of groups we would prefer to stay away from.  Is it possible that if Jesus were still on earth, we might avoid him too, if for no other reason than we didn’t want to be associated with his friends?

Reflect this week on what friendship really means to you.  Try talking to Jesus as a friend.  Hang out with the kind of people Jesus hung out with.  Ask others about their friendships and why they would or would not consider Jesus a close friend.  Really listen to their stories. 

Deep down, what emotions come up when you think of Jesus as friend? 

What do you hear Jesus, your friend, saying to you?



 

 

Seeing Beyond the Frame

Seeing Beyond the Frame
Series: Called - Part 6
Matthew 17:1-9

While he was still speaking, look, a bright cloud overshadowed them. A voice from the cloud said, “This is my Son whom I dearly love. I am very pleased with him.

Listen to him!” 


Matthew 17:5 (CEB)

Listen to this week’s sermon here:

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Jesus has called his disciples and they have followed him for nearly three years.  They have hung on every word, shared in his ministry of healing and reconciliation, seen countless miracles, and generally committed their lives to his teachings.  So why now, after three years of dedicated discipleship, do they finally hear a voice from heaven?  And why, of all things God could say in this supernatural vision, are they reminded to “listen to him?” 

In the previous chapter we find Peter declaring exactly what this heavenly voice says.  “Jesus, you are the son of God.”  They already knew.  If they hadn’t been listening to him, Peter could have never come to such a conclusion and they wouldn’t be on the mountain in the first place.

It’s one thing to listen to Jesus when all is going well.  It’s easy to listen when we are reveling in the affirmation of the crowds that are growing every day as more and more people are fed and healed.  It’s easy to listen when  we are secure in the knowledge that Jesus can calm any storm and even death is no match for his power and authority.  It’s easy to listen when it seems like everything is under control and nothing can stop us from establishing God’s kingdom on earth.  But when all is going well, are we really listening to Jesus?  Or could it be that we are listening to that voice that tempted Jesus in the wilderness, promising ongoing approval and affirmation, comfort and security, power and control?

This mountaintop experience with Jesus comes right on the heals of a cryptic teaching about being willing to lose one’s life in order to save themselves.  Jesus has already realized that his death was both inevitable and immanent.  They could not stay on the mountain and the valley into which they would descend was quite literally the valley of the shadow of death the Psalmist so eloquently describes. 

So here’s the big question.  Will we listen to Jesus when the direction he leads leaves us powerless and weak?  Will we listen to Jesus when there is no promise of security or even survival?  Will we listen to Jesus when we not only lose the approval of the crowds, but even when we face outright rejection as their shouts of “Alleluia” turn to enraged chants of “Crucify!”

God has a way of showing up in our lives in the moments we most need it, even when we don’t recognize it.  The disciples had no idea what was coming, but their need to truly listen to and trust in Jesus would be more crucial and more challenging than ever.  They didn’t always get it right.  A few would still argue over who would be the greatest in the kingdom.  Some would deny and betray him.  Others would simply fall asleep or walk away.

In the end, that mountaintop experience would pale in comparison to the glory they would see when he showed up in a locked room and held out his nail scarred hands saying, “Do not be afraid.”  It’s hard to listen when you are being led straight to a cross and a grave. 

As you walk through the valleys of your own life, are you listening for the voices of security, approval and control, or to the voice of Jesus, son of God?

 

 

Holiness in Action

Holiness in Action
Series: Called - Part 5
Matthew 5:21-48

You have heard that it was said to those who lived long ago, Don’t commit murder, and all who commit murder will be in danger of judgment.  But I say to you that everyone who is angry with their brother or sister will be in danger of judgment.

Matthew 5:21 (CEB)


Listen to this week’s sermon here:

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 “The Bible clearly says…” 

No, not really. 

We hear and even say such authoritative and absolute statements about scripture all the time, but if we’re really honest, our certainty is not in what the Bible actually says or means, but in the particular interpretation of particular scriptures we have been taught most of our lives.  It would not take long talking with people from different backgrounds or different denominations to realize that people interpret scripture in very different ways.  If the Bible was so absolutely clear we wouldn’t be arguing about infant vs. adult baptisms or whether women can preach or even whether God actually created everything in 6 literal 24 hour days only 6,000 years ago despite the overwhelming scientific evidence for a much older earth. 

The point is not to fight to the death about who is right or wrong on any given scripture, but rather to understand scripture on it’s own terms and not demanding that it answer modern questions that the Biblical writers never even thought about. 

This week we find Jesus himself reframing or perhaps even “re-interpreting” several core scriptures that people thought were absolutely clear, including a few of the ten commandments themselves like murder and adultery.  When we think of “right” interpretations, these verses are about as clear as it gets, or is it? 

You have heard it said, do not murder, but I say do not be angry… You have heard, do not commit adultery, but I say do not lust…

The list goes on, but Jesus is making a point about how we are to interpret scripture.  It’s not enough to stick to the letter of the law.  It’s about the heart.  We can obey all the commands, follow all the right worship practices and sacrifices, celebrate all the right festivals and do everything exactly as the Bible says and still completely miss the point.

Underneath of Jesus’ re-interpretation of scripture is a question of the heart, a question of motive, a question of relationships, and a question of love.  What good does it do that you chose not to kill someone if you treat them as if you wish they were dead?  What good does it do not to cheat on your spouse when you’re constantly thinking about being with someone else?  What good is it to honor an oath when you can simply avoid making an oath and get away with lying or breaking informal promises all you want?  How can we truly understand the unconditional love of God when we are always seeking revenge against those who hurt us? 

Maybe the point of scripture then, is not to give us a checklist of do’s and don’ts to keep us out of trouble with God, but rather a guide for cultivating loving, grace-filled, thriving communities of people who bear the image of God while honoring and celebrating the image of God in one another. 

What if we interpret scripture through the lens of loving God and loving others instead of using scripture to excuse the many ways we choose not to love?

 

 

Salt & Light

Salt and Light
Series: Called - Part 4
Matthew 5:13-16

“Let me tell you why you are here. You’re here to be salt-seasoning that brings out the God-flavors of this earth…

 … Here’s another way to put it: You’re here to be light, bringing out the God-colors in the world. God is not a secret to be kept.”


- Matthew 5:13a, 14a (MSG)


Listen to this week’s sermon here:

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In Jesus’ day salt was a precious commodity necessary for life, but not nearly as accessible to everyone as the salt shakers on our own kitchen tables.  Light, also, was crucial, especially in an agricultural society, but was of course limited primarily to set hours of natural daylight which changed throughout the year.

I wonder if something has been lost in Jesus’ metaphor in today’s culture where we are oversaturated with both salt and light.  An abundance of artificial light disrupts our circadian rhythms and can suppress our natural melatonin levels by up to 50%, causing trouble with sleep and a number of related health disorders.  Similarly, the CDC reports that nearly 90% of Americans 2 years old or older consume far too much sodium, with 70% of our salt intake coming from processed and restaurant foods often beyond our control.  Given the increase of high blood pressure and risk of heart attacks, strokes and other issues, doctors would rarely suggest that someone should consume more salt. 

Jesus says we are salt and light in a metaphorical sense, but cultural realities shape and change the way we understand such metaphors.  Could it be that in our world, people are craving a bit more darkness, an escape from light pollution, and a place to rest their eyes and their bodies?  Could it be that there is a movement to turn away from processed foods and lower salt intake to lower our blood pressure and increase our overall health?  If this is true, what implications might such a cultural oversaturation of salt and light have on our role as Jesus’ followers to be salt and light in the world?

I suggest that one of the biggest problems is that salt and light are found in overabundance in some places while lacking in others.  As Christians we tend to stay close to our own kind.  We gather all of our lights together in brightly lit sanctuaries, Christian concert venues, and other places those outside the faith would rarely come.  Perhaps these places have become so “bright” that most people simply avert their eyes as they would from a solar eclipse.  Instead of the welcoming light of a warm fire or candlelit space, they turn away squinting their eyes as we shine the spotlight on their differences or their “sin.” 

In the same way, we must remember that there is a big difference between being “salt” and being “salty.”  Too often the world finds Christians “salty.”  Rather than bringing out the natural beautiful flavors in this world God created and loves, we over salt and over season to the point where the feast of love and grace we have to offer becomes unrecognizable and unpalatable. 

Salt is valuable where the food is bland or where something needs to be preserved, but it does little good in the middle of the ocean when someone is dying of thirst.  Light is necessary to guide someone through the dark, but it does no good to shine a flashlight at the sun to help someone find their way. 

If we are to be useful as salt and light, perhaps we need to spend more time in the places it is most lacking.

 

 

#Blessed

#Blessed
Series: Called - Part 3
Matthew 5:1-12

Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

 Matthew 5:3 (NRSV)


Listen to this week’s sermon here:

___________________

Blessings are tricky things.  We live in a culture where #Blessed is more about feeling lucky or fortunate in various circumstances ranging from a miraculous medical recovery all the way down to getting the latest pair of designer shoes.  It’s so commonplace it has almost become a joke, or at the very least a form of false humility when we really want to boast about something but publicly attribute it to some external blessing, presumably given to us by God.

The Beatitudes turn this idea of blessings on its head. 

Why? 

Precisely because those who Jesus calls blessed are the last people who would ever post #Blessed on their social media feed.  Consider the following contemporary framing of those Jesus calls blessed: 

  • "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven."

    • Empty yourself and become humble, then receive a share in the responsibility for God's kingdom.

  • "Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted."

    • Out of care for God's world, mourn for the suffering of others and you will find comfort for your suffering.

  • "Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth."

    • When you are comforted, become comforting to those who are suffering in your midst and you will inherit a share responsibility with God for those who are suffering.

  • "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled."

    • When you inherit responsibility for those who suffer, you recognize when suffering is unjust. You will not be satisfied with what is unrighteous in the world until righteousness wins and God satisfies you with it.

  • "Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy."

    • In being filled with righteousness and meekness, you will temper your zeal for righteousness with mercy, and in turn will be shown mercy.

  • "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God."

    • When you receive mercy, your heart will be made pure and free from judgment and selfish intent, then you will experience the true nature of God.

  • "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God."

    • When you experience the true nature of God, you will have peace and will share it with the world, then you will be called a child of God.

  • "Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven."

    • When you are called a child of God, you can withstand all manner of pressures to swerve from the path of righteousness, you will experience beatitude.

 

When we consider the many ways we feel “blessed,” how do they compare with the way Jesus sees those who are truly “blessed”? 


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(source: The Beatitudes: An Eight-Fold Path - https://tcpc.ipbhost.com/topic/3644-the-beatitudes-an-eight-fold-path/)

 

 

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