Jesus, as advertised?

Scripture:

2 Kings 2:1-2, 6-14 and Psalm 77:1-2, 11-20  • 

1 Kings 19:15-16, 19-21 and Psalm 16  • 

Galatians 5:1, 13-25  • 

Luke 9:51-62

What kind of Jesus, gospel and faith are Christians showing the world? Is the Jesus the world sees through Christians, the Jesus of the gospels? In "Truth in Advertising," Debie Thomas breaks down this week's gospel account of Jesus setting his face toward Jerusalem, and the cross, treachery, and suffering which awaits him, and his response to those who encounter him.

She says Jesus is not much of a salesman, as he answers the disciples and would be followers. Why, or why not? What are we "selling" the world? What is Jesus "selling?" In his book of the same title, Bonhoeffer writes about the cost of discipleship. At one point he says Christ calls us to "come and die." What does he mean?

In "Freedom," appropriate for this weekend before the 4th of July, David W. Peters discusses the freedom in that great freedom Epistle of Paul to the Galatians. What are we free to do, or not do? What is freedom in Christ? In what we do and say, are we acting in the freedom Jesus offers us, or in our own self interests? Are they exclusive of each other? How can we align them if they are at odds.

Read the Rev. Joseph Pagano's "The Way."

What is your name? Your story? Why it matters.

Scripture:

1 Kings 19:1-4, (5-7), 8-15a and Psalm 42 and 43  • 

Isaiah 65:1-9 and Psalm 22:19-28  • 

Galatians 3:23-29  • 

Luke 8:26-39

This week's gospel has Jesus visiting the village of the Gerasenes where a man the villagers called Legion lives in the tombs, shackled and driven by demons. He was a creature of terror to himself and others, yet they bound him and kept him in their midst.

Enter Jesus. Legion approaches Jesus, and unlike the villagers, recognizes who Jesus is, really is. And he shouted at the top of his voice, What have you to do with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God?" And then Jesus asked, "What is your name?" Why is that important? What does the name "Legion" signify? 

Who are we, really? What demons keep us from being what God calls us to be? What forces seek power over us -  to take us over, bind us, take away our true names, and separate us from God and each other? What, who, can save or redeem us from that which steals our joy, our purpose and worth, and bring us out of our tombs, and that which binds us? How is this accomplished? Read Debie Thomas' "Legion."

Read Dan Clendenin's "God’s Gentle Whisper ."

Your story, our story, our names are important, worth saving, worth sharing, that others might be saved, too, and for God's peace. The same peace and presence Elijah, in his deep despair, found, as he fled in terror from Ahab, Jezebel, and the prophets of Baal, who sought to kill him.

Trinity Sunday, the Nature of God and Pentecost Sunday

Scripture: Proverbs 8:1-4, 22-31, Psalm 8, Romans 5:1-5; John 16:12-15

Ever since I was a little boy I remember singing "Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God Almighty, God in Three Persons, Blessed Trinity," and several variations later.

What does it mean, "God in three persons?" How can there be one God in three persons? Does it matter? 

Jesus introduces the frightened, bewildered disciples to the Holy Spirit - the Counselor, the Advocate - the παράκλητος (paracletos) -  which is Greek for "to call to be alongside us," by saying , "I still have many things to tell you, but you cannot bear them now." What did he mean, and why did he say that? 

There have been many treatises, sermons, analogies, and explanations about the nature of the Trinity. Read what Debie Thomas has to say in "The Trinity: So What?"  And Michael Fitzpatrick's "God in 3-D"

For a wonderful homily on Pentecost read The Rev. Canon Frank Logue's "It's 9:00 Somewhere. It's 9:00 Somewhere.

"The Answer, my friend, is blowing in the Wind," Pentecost

Scripture: Acts 2:1-21 or Genesis 11:1-9  •  Psalm 104:24-34, 35b  •  Romans 8:14-17 or  Acts 2:1-21  •  John 14:8-17, (25-27)

The Lectionary this week contrasts the experience of the Tower of Babel and the Pentecost. Both involve people speaking different languages. In one case they became confused and disperses. In the other case "simple Galileans" were heard to speak and communicate with others in different languages. Why confusion on the one hand, and communication on the other?

Pentecost is sometimes called the birthday of the church, and we celebrate the gift of the Holy Spirit to the church. What is Pentecost? What does it mean?  In "What Does it Mean? Pentecost Homily" Christopher Burkett tells us, among other things, that it is a time when one can hear in the language of a broken heart, the spirit of eternal love - a time when we hear the whisper of God in our own hearts.

In "Nothing but' Misses the Point," The Rev. Canon Frank S. Logue tells us that reductionists who define the world as "nothing but" physical explanations or empiricism miss the point. At the same time it can't be reduced to mere emotionalism or hysteria. What is it then?

In "Messy Church" Jo Bailey Wells tells us that in some sense God prefers a little of the chaos of Pentecost to the strict order and central administration with which the Tower of Babel was built. What does she mean, and why?

In "Astounding, Day of Pentecost," The Rev. Joseph S. Pagano discusses the experience of the Holy Spirit, and what it means in trying to explain it.

Why pray? What do we pray for? What should we pray for?

Scripture: Acts 16:16-34  •  Psalm 97  • Revelation 22:12-14, 16-17, 20-21  • John 17:20-26

This week, Jesus prays for us in John's gospel account before his passion. What does he pray for? Do we pray? Why do we pray? What do we pray for? What should we pray for? We can find some answers in Jesus' prayer for us. Relationship with God and one another are a couple of good reasons. And through good relationship we can learn what Jesus means "that they might be one," who our neighbors are, and how we can love God, each other, and ourselves. Debie Thomas in "On Behalf of Everyone," works through this, and ends by saying Jesus prayed for us "because he loved us too much not to. May we bravely and humbly do likewise." 

Jesus' prayer for us concludes with "so that the love with which you [the Father] have loved me may be in them, and I in them."  As Paul exhorted us in his first letter to the Corinthians, "Do all things in love."

More Than We Can Ask or Imagine

Scripture:

Acts 16:9-15  • 

Psalm 67  • 

Revelation 21:10, 22-22:5  • 

John 14:23-29 or John 5:1-9

This week, we visit Lydia,  a wealthy trader in purple cloth, who listened to the good news shared by Paul, and after being baptised, she and her husband invited him to stay in their home in Philippi. The Rev. Ben E. Helmer tells us Easter prepares us with tools to defeat that which drags us down, and if we step out in faith, like Lydia, we can accept and expect God's abundant gifts which surpass all understanding, and exceed all we can desire. Read his "Such Good Things," and see how that is possible.

The Rev. Debi Thomas, explores the depths of Jesus' question, "Do you want to be made well?" The man had not walked for 38 years.  No introductions, no small talk, sermon, no "if you have faith." Jesus point blank asked the lame man if he wanted to be made well. The man never asked for healing. Perhaps he had accepted defeat, was jaded, or awash in self pity. We don't know. Jesus simply tells him to take up his mat and walk. Read The Rev. Thomas' "The Question That Hurts," to see why it hurts, and how healing begins.

If You Love...

Scripture: Acts 11:1-18  • Psalm 148  • Revelation 21:1-6  • John 13:31-35

Before his ascension, Jesus gives us a new commandment. If you love, love as I have loved you... this is how you will be known - if you love one another.

As Christians, how are we known? The media focuses on the sensational. Even so, the media provides a reason to examine how others perceive our faith, generally, as a church, and individually.

How did Jesus love? How do we love... if we love. Do we love as Jesus loved, and loves us? What keeps us from loving as Jesus loves?

Debie Thomas gives us insight in her "If You Love," as does The Rev. J. Barrington Bates in "The Way of Love," including how we use social media.

The Rev. Charles Hoffacker in "Time" discusses different understanding of time in  this week's passage from Revelations, "See, I am making all things new."

Finally, Michael Fitzpatrick , a former chaplain and PhD candidate, tells us of the shekinah, the glory of divine presence, as he and we seek a new home, discussing our Revelations passage, and what that 

means for us in "The Home Of God Is Among Mortals."