Thursday, February 18, 2016

"7 traits of insecure leaders | Wearing a mask to church | Christians and zombies"Ministry Matters Preach. Teach. Worship. Reach. Lead. for Thursday, 18 February

"7 traits of insecure leaders | Wearing a mask to church | Christians and zombies"Ministry Matters Preach. Teach. Worship. Reach. Lead. for Thursday, 18 February



"When you really want to wear a mask to church" by Joseph Yoo

Bigstock/vectorfusionartOne Sunday, our five-year-old foster son wanted to wear his Ninja Turtle costume to church. “Not today, buddy. You can’t wear a mask to church.”
While he and I were going through our usual Sunday morning routine before people started coming (which often consists of playing catch in the sanctuary), a thought struck me: Don’t we all wear some type of mask to church?
I remember the point in my life when I started resenting the church.
I started seeing and noticing just how awful some church folks would treat my dad (a pastor). I saw the heavy expectation that the church placed on me because I was the pastor’s kid. I couldn’t wear this, say that, do this, eat that, watch this, listen to that…
I got tired of seeing people act a certain way on Sunday mornings and then completely different every other minute of the week.
Then I heard the call to ministry. I’ve always said that the pastors’ kids who goes into ministry are the really crazy ones. We have seen, experienced, and know what our parents went through… and we still follow the same path.
When I entered into ministry, rather than become disillusioned by the double lives people were leading, I began to see the tragedy of the expectation of perfection placed on people by the church — whether intentional or not.
Don’t we all carry some sense of burden of guilt and/or shame? Yet, instead of finding solidarity, a friend, common ground, grace, we’re worried that we’ll be “discovered” as a “fraud” and be met with judgment, contempt, and/or condemnation — whether this is deserved or not.
So we play charades. We wear our masks. We put on our Sunday best. We wear that smile that let’s the world know “all is good.” But underneath all that, we’re barely hanging on; our world is falling apart; we’re lost and broken.
And for whatever reason, we’re afraid that someone will find out how we’re really doing. Afraid that someone will see through our facade, through the show that we’re putting on.
We may worry that we’ll be excommunicated. Or that we’ll scare God away with our secrets. We may think that the power of grace isn’t powerful for us if people find out what I did or who I really am.
Perfection is as realistic as Superman is.
The idea that one person can follow all the rules, have their entire life in order, have the perfect job, the perfect family with the 2.5 kids and 3 dogs and 2 cats, perfect home, perfect in-laws — that’s unrealistic.
That’s not the type of perfection that God wants for us anyway. More than be “perfect” in our terms, I think God wants us make us whole.
The first step to wholeness begins by refusing to wear a mask — at the least in front of God.
The crazy thing is, we’re never too far from redemption. Not only do we have a God who’s relentless in pursuit of us, we also have a God who, like a loving father, waits on the edge of his chair for us to come home so he can embrace us with a big hug and a loving “Welcome back!”
You’d be surprised at how loving and understanding some of the folks at church can be when you stop pretending and start being real. Sure, there are awful stories of people who judge and scoff and turn their nose up. But I have faith in the church. I have faith in humanity. There are more people who will open their arms and hearts than there are people who’ll turn their backs with an air of snobbery, judgment and condemnation.
I regretted not allowing our foster son to wear his costume.
Yes, I was worried what someone folks would say, “The pastor let his kid wear that to church? To church?!?” (Even though no one would say or think that because my church has wholly embraced our foster son, who has autism.)
He wanted to express himself and how he was feeling, and I said to him, “No, buddy. Be someone else. Be more acceptable to the community.”
For all who’ve heard a message like that from the church, well, I apologize. That’s the church being more afraid than loving.
It’s not who the church is, and it’s not who God is. God loves us just the way we are — scars, flaws, and all.
And that love urges us toward the path of wholeness.
Joseph Yoo is pastor of St. Mark United Methodist Church in Santa Barbara, California. He is the author of Practical Prayer and Encountering Grace. He blogs at JosephYoo.com.



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"Can you be a Christian and not believe in zombies?" by Zack Hunt

Image courtesy AMC via FacebookI used to be a big fan of "The Walking Dead."
Don’t get me wrong. I still watch every episode, but I’m not putting my life on hold to make sure I see them the moment they air.
I know there are plenty of folks out there who still love the show, but to me it’s become rather repetitive; it doesn’t seem to be going anywhere in particular. Rick and company find a new safe place, but just kidding, it’s not so safe, so somebody dies, and they’re off to the next not-so-safe place.
Douse in gore and repeat.
But since the show does still hold some of my interest right now, I couldn’t help but notice the timing of its midseason return to television. Fittingly, the second half of Season 6 of "The Walking Dead" kicks off just in time for Lent.
Of course, if you’re giving up television for Lent, then the premiere date couldn’t be worse. But as a matter of biblical interpretation and Christian practice, the timing couldn’t be much better because, you see, zombies have way more to do with the Christian faith than you might realize.
Let me explain.
Good Friday is obviously still several weeks away, but if you’ll indulge me for a moment and let me skip ahead in the Lenten season, there’s a rather strange note from the story of Jesus’ death that we often skip over at church; many of us may not even realize appears in the pages of the Bible.
You remember how the temple veil was torn in half when Jesus died, right? Of course, you do. You’re smart like that. But do you remember what happened next?
Here’s what Matthew says occurred after the temple veil was rent asunder….
“The tombs also were opened, and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised. After his resurrection they came out of the tombs and entered the holy city and appeared to many.”
To be clear, this wasn’t Lazarus 2.0 and, according to the text, there weren't ghosts walking the streets of ancient Jerusalem.
There were animated dead bodies.
Or as they’re known in the scientific community: zombies.
Which means — terrifyingly — "The Walking Dead" is closer to reality than most of us are willing to admit. It also means you can’t be an orthodox Christian and not believe in zombies. For to reject the reality of zombies is to reject scripture itself.
Right?
I mean, the words are right there in black and white. The story may not be written in red letters, but it’s close enough in proximity to the words of Jesus to carry a rosy hue. The Bible is clear: bodies were raised from their tombs and walked around the city. It’s a "Walking Dead" spinoff series just begging to be made should TBN ever decided to break ground with a new TV genre: zombie spirituality.
So if it’s in the Bible, the question has to be asked: Can you be a Christian and not believe in zombies?
Now, before you answer too quickly with “Obviously you can. That is a ridiculous question,” consider the way we normally treat the Bible. For all the different reading plans available for our choosing, most of us read the Bible one context-less verse or two at a time, all the while assuming each context-less passage can be clearly and accurately understood through nothing more than a “plain reading” of the text.
Using that tried-but-not-so-true hermeneutic, we’re left to conclude that zombies roamed the streets of Jerusalem shortly after the crucifixion.
And maybe they did. Or maybe Matthew’s anecdote is some sort of spiritual metaphor. Or maybe there’s an entirely different explanation to this "Walking Dead" prequel. Whatever the case, this bizarre conundrum should serve as both a reminder and a challenge, particularly for those of us practicing Christianity in America.
As a reminder, Matthew’s zombie account should call our attention to a lack of humility about our own faith and the sometimes strange things we believe. We’re often quick to dismiss, denounce and denigrate people of other faiths because the things they believe in or the texts they hold sacred are weird or disturbing or simply too ridiculous to believe — at least to us. But as Christians, we believe a virgin teenager gave birth to a god-man, that this god-man could walk on water and create food out of thin air, and that before he died (and rose from the dead) he told his followers to remember his death through the ritual eating and drinking of his flesh and blood.
Those things may sound perfectly normal to us, but to anyone outside the Christian bubble, they’re downright weird. By no means does that mean we should be ashamed of our faith or simply dismiss those parts of Christian orthodoxy that don’t jibe with 21st century Western norms, but in an era in which ridiculing and ostracizing people of other faiths for their different beliefs and the different ways they practice those faiths has become something of an unholy (and very political) crusade, it’s worth swallowing a dose of humility and remembering that weird and strange are in the eye of the beholder.
As a challenge, Matthew’s zombie account should cause all of us to pause and reexamine how we read and use the Bible. In particular, it should challenge the widely-held assumption that the Bible is clear so long as we have a verse to prove our point.
From the full inclusion of the LGBT community and the treatment of immigrants to our relationships with Muslim neighbors and the care of the poor, the Church today lives and moves and has its being in a incredibly divisive time. Everyone is armed and ready with an arsenal of verses to prove why the Bible clearly supports their point of view and just as clearly destroys their enemies’ heresy. We revel in this proof-texting of our enemies’ damnation as if we had a divine calling to expose, daily, the obvious spiritual stupidity of anyone and everyone who can’t see what the Bible so clearly says.
And of course, it just so happens that what the Bible clearly says also perfectly lines up with our view of the world and the people living in it.
However, despite the Bible “clearly” affirming the existence of zombies, I have yet to meet anyone of any theological stripe who believes in the reality of zombies, let alone affirms the notion that in order to be an orthodox Christian one must believe in zombies.
I don’t suspect I’ll ever meet anyone who believes zombies are integral to Christian orthodoxy because obviously zombies don’t exist for a whole host of reasons — despite what a “plain reading” of Matthew’s gospel might lead someone to believe.
But that’s the rub.
We don’t hesitate to bring nuance and careful exegesis to an otherwise cut-and-dry passage in order to avoid affirming what it would seem we must affirm given the black and white words of the text. But for whatever reason, we can’t extend that same grace to the parts of the Bible which bring more serious consequences.
When it comes to zombies, the Bible requires careful interpretation.
But those proof-texts we use to condemn, exclude and ostracize our neighbors whenever they do or say or simply are something we don’t approve of?
Those verses are crystal clear.
Now, I have about as much faith in all of us agreeing about what every verse in the Bible means as I do in the existence of zombies. But if we can’t bring ourselves to extend the same humility and grace to the rest of scripture that we do to a passage that seems ripped out of an episode of "The Walking Dead," then we should drop the pretense of exegetical clarity and admit that the only thing clear about the Bible is our eagerness to use it as a weapon to destroy our enemies.



"7 traits of insecure leaders" by Ron Edmondson

Bigstock/alphaspiritChristians are called to walk by faith. This includes Christian leaders. A part of our calling in leadership means we won't always know what the future holds, but we steadfastly follow God’s leadership.
I must be honest. As I work with Christian leaders, and I observe the culture and leaders within the world, I sometimes see more confident leadership outside the church than within. How can this be? Having faith should never be mistaken as insecurity, however. In fact, a more opposite is true. People of faith have assurance in whom we are following. We can lead people with confidence, strength and conviction.
Insecurity always shows up in a person’s life. It can possibly be disguised, but it can’t be hidden. Insecure people — or people who aren’t secure in who they are personally or comfortable with their abilities — display some common characteristics. Insecurity is a normal emotion when we are exposed to something new, but as we mature in leadership — and especially in our faith and calling — we should guard against the negative impacts of insecurity.
Here are seven traits you might see in an insecure leader:
Defensive towards any challenge.
The insecure leader flares their insecurity when ideas or decisions they make made are challenged in any way. They remain protective of their position or performance. They are constantly looking over their shoulder expecting someone to question them or their authority.
Protective of personal information.
The insecure leader keeps a safe distance from followers. Their transparency is limited to only what can be discovered by observation. When personal information is revealed, it’s always shared in the most positive light. This is about them and their family. They only want you to believe — and know — the best about their world.
Always positions himself or herself out front.
Insecure leaders assume all key assignments or anything which would give attention to the person completing them. They are careful not to give others the spotlight. They use words like “I” and “My” more than “We” or “Our.” They tend to control information — everything goes through them first.
Limits others' opportunities for advancement.
The insecure leader wants to keep people under his or her control, so as to protect their position. They are leery of strong personalities or other leaders. They have “yes” people around them and guard against anyone who displays leadership potential. They hand out titles only to those they believe will never question their authority.
Refuses to handle delicate issues.
Insecure leaders fear not being liked, so they often ignore the most difficult or awkward situations. They talk behind people’s backs rather than to them. They are likely to say one thing to one person and something else to another, depending on what is popular at the time.
Makes everything a joke.
One huge sign of an insecure leader, in my experience, is they make a joke about everything. Again, they don’t want to handle the hard stuff — and want to be liked — so joking is often a coping mechanism used to divert attention from the issues they don’t want to face. When people laugh it gives a false sense of being liked to the insecure leader.
Overly concerned about personal appearance.
While this is not always the case, some insecure leaders are never far from a mirror. They are overly conscious of their clothing or hair. Afraid of not being in style or wanting to be accepted as hip or cool, they are constantly looking for the latest fashion trends or attempting to be cutting edge with the gadgets they carry. (I’ve observed the opposite here could also be true. The insecure leader is careful not to stand out, so they appear to have no concern for personal appearance at all.)
Please understand, all of us have moments of insecurity. Leaders, especially, if they want to be effective, must learn to recognize signs of insecurity, figure out the root causes of it, and attempt to limit insecurity from affecting their leadership. And, again, Christian leaders, we have reason to be confident — if we are truly following closely to our Leader.
What other traits have you seen that indicate someone is an insecure leader?
Ron Edmondson blogs at RonEdmondson.com.



"Choosing to be Christians together
 By Kira Schlesinger

Bigstock/STILLFXOnce a month, I attend a gathering of ministers in the small, Southern town where I serve. Some are ordained ministers, while others are lay people who head up a variety of ministries. Oftentimes, I am the lone representative from a mainline denomination. There is only one other ordained female pastor who attends. No one has been anything but kind and welcoming towards me, despite my differences, some more obvious than others. And yet, it is frequently a struggle for me to sit there in silence as certain assumptions are made about what political beliefs and social views we all hold in common as Christians. I often wonder if I might be run out of town if I voiced my disagreement or, at the least, be labeled a heretic.
I often think that it would be easier for me to stop going to these meetings. If only I didn’t hold such strong convictions about the Church or about community and Jesus’ wish for unity of those who believe in him, that we may be one as Jesus and the Father are one (John 17:22). If only I wasn’t a part of a tradition that, straddling Catholicism and Protestantism, has such a strong commitment to ecumenical relationships, maybe I would find it easier to sequester myself in my own denominational structures. At least in my own denomination, even if we don’t agree on certain issues, we hold certain things in common.
From these meetings and from relationships with others on the more conservative/evangelical Christian spectrum, I have learned that there is much to admire. I admire their ease with and passion for Scripture, the way their lives are oriented towards the Bible, something I don’t see much of with mainline Protestants. At least in my community, they are able to organize effective service ministries, addressing issues of hunger and homelessness.
However, despite my full belief in the words of the Nicene Creed, my commitment to prayer, the sacraments of the Church, and reading the Bible, I know that many of them would not consider me to be a Christian, would not consider me “saved,” if they knew my position on LGBT issues or that I tend to vote Democrat. And so I have to watch carefully what I say at these meetings. I have to control my facial expressions so I don’t give myself away, and it’s a shame because I truly believe that the Body of Christ is big enough for all of us. I believe that we’re better and stronger together, that we’re able to accomplish more Kingdom work in our communities when we work side-by-side instead of at odds.
My hope is that they can learn from me and others like me just as I have learned from them. Perhaps they can appreciate the beauty of liturgy and sacrament as I have appreciated their facility with extemporaneous prayer. Perhaps one day, we can tackle the systemic issues that cause poverty and hunger and homelessness rather than just dealing with the symptoms. Our call from Christ is into unity, not uniformity. As Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 12, the foot cannot say it is not a part of the body just because it is not a hand. And if the whole body were an eye, where would the sense of hearing be? Each tradition, each denomination has its gifts to the whole Body of Christ. Too often, we focus on our differences in polity or doctrine than on what we have in common — Jesus Christ.
To be honest, I was considering taking a break from attending these ministers’ luncheons until I was on silent retreat earlier this month, where the speaker reminded me that we’re not called into relationship only with those whom we agree. After all, that is a circle that only grows smaller until we are the only ones standing in it. So I pray that God continues to teach me through those who differ from me, even when those differences are painful. But I also pray that others are open to what I might have to teach them. The more I live and learn and pray, the more I realize that faithful Christians can come to different opinions on the same issue and that doesn’t make either of them a lesser Christian. In fact, how we deal with those disagreements might indeed show the world that we are Christians by our love.

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"Mediocre grace
 by Rebekah Simon-Peter
Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s classic 1937 book The Cost of Discipleship describes cheap grace as the preaching of forgiveness without requiring repentance, baptism without church discipline and communion without confession. It’s the sort of grace that allowed would-be disciples to avoid confronting the evils of Nazi Germany.
These days, cheap grace has competition. In an effort to appease a different kind of cultural complacency, grace has come to mean a bar that is set quite low. Offering this grace requires little to no accountability, enforces few if any standards, and bears almost no fruit. In churches, this low-level grace is most apparent in our communal and organizational life. It translates into a kind of laissez-faire, you’re off the hook, no accountability stance.
This isn’t cheap grace. It’s worse than that. It’s mediocre grace.
But mediocrity is not a biblical value. Jesus killed trees that bore no fruit. He spit out the lukewarm. He counseled followers to let their yes be yes and their no be no.
When it comes to perpetuating a culture of mediocrity in churches, there’s plenty of blame to go around — from the system, to pastors, to lay people, to denominationalism itself. Not to mention the larger culture that is rapidly changing, and lives that are overly busy. The list is long.
But you know the old saying: If you’re pointing a finger at someone, there are three fingers pointing back at you. The truth is, church culture can be shifted. But not by blaming others.
Here are four practices of low accountability/low fruit churches:
1. We neglect the secret of miracle-making. “Your faith has made you well” was a common refrain of Jesus. In the culture of mediocrity, we do not activate our faith in God, or in ourselves, to co-create miracles with the Divine. Instead of miracles we settle for the mundane. Then complain that nothing gets better. It sounds something like this: “How come young people don’t come to our church?” Or “How will we ever get people to help us bear the burden of our bills?”
2. We underestimate the size of mustard seeds. By confusing faithfulness with predictability (instead of trusting God in the midst of the unknown) we stunt our development as disciples. Our faith can’t even reach the size of a tiny seed. The culture of mediocrity means we no longer act as though we have been given the power to heal the sick, cast out demons or even actively proclaim the kingdom. The church is silent on important issues and passive in the face of injustice.
3. We buy the lie. Churches that dispense mediocre grace buy into the lie that wastes time, energy, talent and good will. It goes like this: “If this ministry / meal / outreach / worship service reaches just one person then it will all be worth it.” In churches that practice mediocre grace, this is often an excuse for not doing something well. It reinforces setting the bar for success low.
Those three are bad. But the worst of all is this one insidious and pervasive practice of mediocrity:
4. We let our yes be no and our no be maybe. You know what this looks like: people who commit to doing things, but never show up to meetings or get stuff done. Here mediocre grace means we can’t hold people accountable or even bring up broken agreements — lest we offend. In its worst forms, those who are authorized to decide, act and move things forward continually put the brakes on. Meanwhile, the church loses its reputation as a safe place and a trustworthy partner, and as a witness for justice and a voice for the poor. All the while giving — and energy — goes down.
What makes this one practice so damaging? If we are not accountable in the small things, like our word, then we’ll never have authority over the larger things, like manifesting the Kingdom in our corner of the world.
Our nodding acquaintance with theories about systems and group cultures has gotten us to the point where we don’t believe we can make any changes because we can’t change the system. News flash: We are the system.
One group I am working with has started to shift its culture of mediocre grace by addressing its habitual lateness. Everything from budgets to annual reports to event registrations to worship bulletins are turned in late. Deadlines are routinely ignored. So things can’t be planned or executed well. Occasions that take extra preparation get bogged down because timelines aren’t met. Although the people themselves love God and care deeply for each other, they give the impression that they don’t. While accepting this behavior without comment seems Christlike, it actually fosters resentment, resignation, and bad-mouthing. Definitely not Christlike.
In this group, the denominational executives are starting the culture shift from the inside out. By acknowledging how they themselves have participated in promulgating a deadline-amnesic culture, they are making gains. For years they excused others without question when deadlines were missed, endlessly extended registration periods, and offered mediocre grace. All the while bitterness crept in, along with hopelessness, and trust among otherwise friendly colleagues suffered. Over time the situation spiraled out of control — costing them money, respect and workability. It will take some time and intentionality to right this ship. But their courageous and transparent stance is sending all the right signals. It’s only a matter of time before mediocre grace gives way to both higher expectations and more miraculous outcomes.
It’s powerful to start a culture shift at the top. It demonstrates a willingness to take responsibility for what’s not working. It’s the opposite of the blame game. And it’s engaging.
But what if you don’t have that luxury? What if the powers that be don’t recognize a need to change, or don’t know how to? No worries. Start where you are. With the people in your setting.
If deadlines are routinely ignored, or people come to church meetings unprepared, introduce the idea of a guilt-free accountability plan. Start by holding yourself to higher standards. Visibly write down dates, or enter them into your calendar, and ask others to do the same. If you miss a deadline or don’t make good on a promise, be the first one to speak up about it. No need to wallow in guilt or excessive apology. Simply owning the behavior is often enough to clear the air. This guilt-free process reinforces safety and trust. It also allows others to own their mistakes more easily.
One pastor I coach has decided to address the culture of mediocrity in her midsize church by suggesting church teams create a group covenant. Intrigued by the idea, two teams have taken her up on the idea. They spent time hammering out the kind of agreements they’d like to operate with, and how to get there. Including a low-key, high-impact process for communicating lateness or the inability to follow through on a commitment.
Buoyed by their initial success, they now begin each meeting by reviewing their covenant out loud. Team members are encouraged to speak up about agreements not honored. As well as those met. No, it doesn’t change the past. But it does create a strong foundation for honesty respect to flourish. Instead of hiding out and counting on mediocre grace, this church is practicing the kind of straightforward communication that Jesus counseled. Friendships are being strengthened and new ministries are taking root.
It takes practice to move from mediocre to miraculous, from resignation to rejoicing. But I’ve seen it happen. Church culturescan and do shift — a bit at a time. The good news and the bad news about this is the same: It all starts with us.
Rebekah Simon-Peter blogs at rebekahsimonpeter.com. She is the author of The Jew Named Jesus and Green Church.

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"Leadership, politics and the Bible by Dave Barnhart
There are countless books written for clergy about leadership. In this season of political horse races, with each candidate portrayed as humanity’s best and last hope for salvation while the others will likely return us to the stone age, I find it helpful to remember one important fact about the Bible’s great leaders:
They all had opposition.
Not just mild disapproval, either — outright hatred and hostility. In fact, if we read between the lines, we can see that many of them were hated by nearly half their followers.
David
During one of the three — three! — civil wars under David’s administration, as he fled Jerusalem, one protester followed his entourage shouting insults for miles (2 Samuel 16:5-8). He had his own interpretation of national politics: David was a usurper, and possibly a murderer, of God’s anointed royal family. He was a traitor who had even worked for the Philistines (1 Samuel 27). No wonder there were plenty of Israelites who wanted him gone!
David’s name means “Beloved,” but we can tell from the historical account that he was also hated by nearly half his kingdom. At the first opportunity, when his son Solomon died, the Northern tribes kicked his dynasty to the curb and set up their own kingdom.
It took seven years of war before the rest of Israel accepted Judah’s favorite son as their leader, but it’s clear their acceptance was grudging and tentative.
Deborah
Deborah has the distinction of being the only named female judge to lead her people. But her second-in-command didn’t seem to trust her military judgment. When she ordered her general, Barak, to engage the enemy in direct combat, he refused (Judges 4:8).
I had often read this as a sign of Barak’s timidity, but I think there is something more sexist going on in this passage. Would Barak have refused an order from a male judge? Probably not. But because his leader was a woman, he doubted her decision. “I’ll go,” he said, “but only if you go with me.” I do not think Barak was asking her to hold his hand. I think he was being insubordinate: “I’ll only go if you also put your life on the line, lady.”
Her response is classic. “Fine. But the victory will not belong to you — it will belong to a woman” (4:9). Indeed, the enemy general would be killed by a woman wielding a tent peg, not a man with a sword (4:21).
Moses
Moses straddled two worlds: Egyptian aristocracy and Hebrew. His own people resented his interference on more than one occasion (2:13-14, 5:21, 14:11-12), complaining that they would be better off without his notions of resistance. When he seemed to be gone on vacation too long, they rejected his leadership and his God (32). When they balked at going into Canaan, they decided to stone Moses and his leadership team, choose a new captain, and return to slavery (14:1-10).
Jesus
I’m often mystified when religious, political, or business leaders admire Jesus’ leadership. Here was a guy who lost as many followers as he gained, and whose downfall came from the people in his own hand-picked cabinet (John 6:66-71). Perhaps he didn’t have the right people on the right seats on the bus? Even after intensive leadership training, they didn’t understand his vision of the Kingdom, and when the crisis moment came they abandoned him.
Of course, in hindsight we can admire his leadership and pretend that we would be loyal followers, that we would always vote for Jesus and could see the genius of his leadership style, which often seemed to involve making as many people angry as possible (Matthew 23).
When we read the stories of stubborn Hebrews in the desert, rebellious tribes, or disciples who miss the point, we act as though we can’t relate to their frustration and fear. What I appreciate about this political season and our public discourses of moral disapproval is what it reveals about us. We are a contentious people. We are alternately frustrated, fearful and hopeful. Who would want to lead us?
For all the ways we express disgust with politics, we humans are political animals. We can no more escape our political nature than we can escape our social, spiritual and religious nature. We are creatures who organize, who create institutions and organizations that outlast us. We are creatures who think and strategize about the future. We can be skeptical of institutions and organizations, but one thing is certain: there are plenty of institutions — powers and principalities — who do a great job organizing against us.
For those of us called to ministry, to some form of leadership in the church, what do these biblical examples of leadership mean for us? Does it change the way we think of our work if we acknowledge that a 49% disapproval rating — or more — is normal?
I think it does. If I’m going to lead like Jesus, Moses, Deborah or David, I’m going to need some tough skin and the courage to keep going in the face of opposition. And if I find “politics” distasteful, I may want to find another line of work.
Dave Barnhart is the pastor of Saint Junia UMC in Birmingham, Ala.

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"Be wary of (loan) sharks in sheep’s clothing
 by Willie Gable Jr. / Religion News Service
Bigstock/ArrantPariah
(RNS)
One can never truly know the heart of another person.
But I can't help but wonder whether Rod Aycox, owner of a national chain of car title loan stores, saw the tragic shooting of nine men and women at Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church last June as an opportunity to buy off his most effective critics.
How else can one explain the announcement, in the wake of the murders, that he was donating $1 million to organizations that promote and protect civil rights — after years of making a fortune ripping off low-income people of color?
Aycox and his peers in the low-dollar, outrageously high-cost loan industry are used to buying influence, throwing money around and paying to keep dissenters quiet so they can expand their businesses and their bank accounts. Over the past decade, car title lenders have made more than $9 million in state campaign contributions and have hired hundreds of lobbyists as they work to fight off states’ efforts to rein in exorbitant interest rates and predatory practices.
The wheel-greasing has paid off in states around the country. Car title loans are an increasingly big business. While there are federal regulatory efforts underway to rein in the worst abuses of both car title and more traditional payday lending, the industry and the Aycoxes of the world are not going quietly. They are revamping their loans to look different and work the same way — that is, to trap the borrower in a cycle of debt. They are cozying up to nonprofits, civil rights groups, churches and others that have long connected payday and car title lending to the biblical prohibition against usury.
This recognition of payday and car title lending for what it is — preying on our brothers and sisters in contravention of God’s commandments — cuts across denominational lines. There is no tension between conservative and liberal doctrine. Christians who tend to favor free-market economic models as a manifestation of God’s will recognize that these loans are not honest, just as do those whose biblical interpretations take them in other directions.
That’s why religious communities from across the spectrum have consistently condemned high-cost lending as predatory and an exploitation of the poor.
The National Baptist Convention, USA, the nation’s largest African-American religious denomination, has joined forces with eight other major religious denominations and institutions to create the Faith for Just Lending coalition and call for an end to predatory payday lending.
Leading organizations in the civil rights community, such as the National Council of La Raza and the NAACP, are also fighting to stop the worst abuses of payday and car title lenders.
The public relations statement announcing the $1 million donation said the money would go “to support a number of local and national organizations including the Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church, the Anti-Defamation League, the Conference of National Black Churches, the Council on American-Islamic Relations, the Martin Luther King, Jr. International Chapel at Morehouse College, the NAACP, the National Action Network, the National Council of La Raza, the National Urban League, and the Rainbow PUSH Coalition.”
(It quotes Aycox as saying after the killings that "In a time like this, we have offered our prayers, but we know we have to do more — we have to take action and speak out.")
Aycox’s donations to the NAACP and La Raza must not lessen their commitment to fight for what is right and just. And the other groups taking money from Aycox may not realize that his donations are truly “blood money” — extracted from the blood, sweat and hard work of those who are deceived into a debt trap.
I urge those groups to look into donations with a practiced eye and a sense of great humility. Do not allow the possibilities to glorify God offered by these donations blind you to the real purpose behind and the real pain from which those dollars have sprung.
I have great faith that none of these groups will allow themselves to be bought off and co-opted for a few dollars and some change. Our communities cannot afford it.
Be vigilant, brothers and sisters. We must not allow our work together to be turned back by economic predators — wolves, or in this case, loan sharks — in sheep’s clothing.

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"How Scalia’s death affects key cases before the Supreme Court this year"
 by Richard Wolf / USA Today
Justice Antonin Scalia in March 2013
WASHINGTON
— The death of Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia is a major setback for the conservative legal movement, as will become clear in the months ahead.
This was to be the term conservatives roared back after one in which the court’s liberal bloc won most of the important cases, such as same-sex marriage and Obamacare. On tap to be decided in the next four months are cases affecting abortion rights, affirmative action, voting rights, the power of labor unions and President Obama’s health care and immigration policies — and conservatives stood at least a chance of winning them all.
Not anymore. Scalia’s untimely death Saturday at a Texas ranch leaves an empty seat on the Supreme Court — almost surely for the remainder of the 2015 term, and most likely for the duration of Obama’s presidency. While the White House and congressional Democrats would like to fill the seat, their chances of prevailing on those important cases and others improved markedly.
That’s because the court is now divided evenly between liberals and conservatives — in fact, tilted slightly to the left because Justice Anthony Kennedy often takes the liberal side. Tie votes would uphold the lower court’s ruling; only the abortion and immigration cases were decided in conservatives’ favor at that level.
Here’s a look at the biggest cases pending before the court, their current status and potential outcome in the wake of Scalia’s death:
Voting rights (heard Dec. 8): The court is considering changing the way state and municipal voting districts are drawn by allowing them to be based on the number of eligible voters, rather than total population. That would render non-citizens invisible in the count, along with children, prisoners, some ex-felons and some people with intellectual disabilities. The result: more rural, mostly white districts.
During oral argument in December, it seemed the conservative justices might have five votes to move away from using total population. But they couldn’t come up with a practical alternative, making it a long shot that the status quo — using total population — is reversed. For that reason, Scalia’s absence may not affect the outcome.
Affirmative action (heard Dec. 9): In a crucial test of university admissions programs that take race into consideration, the court’s conservatives appeared ready in December to cut back on affirmative action. At the least, it seemed the University of Texas-Austin’s program would be affected.
Scalia played a leading role during oral argument, noting that some briefs submitted to the court suggested that African Americans may do better at “less advanced” or “slower-track” schools. “­I don’t think it stands to reason that it’s a good thing for the University of Texas to admit as many blacks as possible,” he said. Without his vote, the school’s program still could be doomed because liberal Justice Elena Kagan is recused, setting up a possible 4-3 vote.
Labor unions (heard Jan. 11): This is the case that conservatives seemed most assured of winning, until now. During oral argument, the conservatives sharply criticized the current system in which public employees in 23 states and the District of Columbia must pay for the cost of collective bargaining, even if they disagree with union demands.
With Kennedy leading the way, the court appeared likely to strike down that requirement, which would reverse the lower court and deal a major blow to the financial clout of public employee unions such as the California Teachers Association. Now, a tie vote looms which would uphold the system.
Abortion (to be heard March 2): Abortion clinics in Texas are challenging a state law, upheld in lower courts, that imposes tough new restrictions on doctors and facilities. The case has shaped up to be the biggest one affecting reproductive rights since 1992.
Now, however, it appears that if supporters of abortion rights don’t win outright with the support of Kennedy or another conservative justice, a 4-4 tie upholding the Texas law would not set a new national precedent for federal courts to follow.
Contraception (to be heard March 23): Religious non-profits such as charities, schools and hospitals are seeking an exemption from the Affordable Care Act’s mandate that employers pay for contraceptives as part of standard health insurance plans. They stood a good chance of winning with Scalia on the bench.
Now, the most likely outcome is a 4-4 tie that would leave the so-called “contraceptive mandate” in place for those non-profits.
Immigration (to be heard in April): President Obama already had a decent chance of reversing an appeals court ruling and winning about six months to begin implementing his immigration plan, which would shield more than 4 million undocumented immigrants from deportation. But that was by no means a sure thing.
Without Scalia, the president still needs the vote of at least one conservative justice to win the case. A 4-4 tie would preserve the lower court’s decision against the program, but without setting a national precedent.

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"The Flint water crisis
By Jim Hawkins
Something in the water
Many of us take water for granted. If we want safe, reliable water we simply turn on the faucet. Imagine that the water flowing out of the faucets in your home had a horrible odor, like rotting fish or gasoline. Imagine that one day the water was yellow, another day green, and other days blue or various shades of brown. The residents of Flint, Michigan, don’t have to imagine that nightmare scenario; they have experienced it. Those who live in Flint no longer take water for granted.
The problems began with a budget crisis. The city was $15 million in debt, so in 2011 Michigan governor Rick Snyder appointed an emergency city manager who had extraordinary powers to run the city. One cost-saving measure was to change the source of Flint’s water. For decades the city has been buying water from the city of Detroit, which treated water from Lake Huron. Detroit was facing fiscal challenges of its own and increased its charges to Flint and other Michigan cities, nearly doubling Flint’s charges between 2004 and 2013. In the spring of 2013, Flint decided to join a new, regional water authority, which would build a pipeline from Lake Huron but wouldn’t be completed until 2016. The state-appointed emergency manager at the time suggested the city take water from the Flint River. The water from the Flint River has a high chloride level, and the chlorideladen water corroded the lead pipes, leaching toxins into the water supply. “When they changed, almost immediately the taste, the odor, the color were different,” Flint resident Jackie Pemberton told a reporter from Time magazine.
Soon problems mounted. The city urged residents to boil water before drinking it after elevated levels of E. coli were discovered. The local General Motors plant stopped using city water because it was causing damage to car parts. Local schools started using bottled water. Complaints poured in, and by March 2015 the city council voted to return to using water from Detroit. The emergency manager, a different manager than the one who suggested using water from the Flint River, overruled the council’s decision, saying such a move would bankrupt the city. In June, the federal Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued an internal memo that Flint’s water had high levels of lead because the state had not monitored properly. The state didn’t change course, and the EPA chose to influence state officials quietly “behind the scenes” instead of making those findings public.
Dr. Mona Hanna-Attisha, a pediatrician at Hurley Medical Center, determined that Flint children had high levels of lead in their systems. Days after her warning came out in September 2015, the city issued an advisory about the high level of lead in the water supply. By then the problem had been growing for nearly a year and a half.
“They were being neglected,” Hanna-Attisha said. “Moms were complaining. People were going to town-hall meetings and getting arrested. But nobody listened to them. It had to take evidence that their children were being poisoned for people to listen, and that is too late.”
The danger of lead
“Lead is particularly dangerous because once it gets into a person’s system, it is distributed throughout the body just like helpful minerals such as iron, calcium and zinc,” according to children’s health provider the Nemours Foundation. Lead in the bloodstream “can damage red blood cells and limit their ability to carry oxygen to the organs and tissues that need it, thus causing anemia.” According to the Mayo Clinic, the potential effects of lead poisoning in children include “developmental delays, learning difficulties, irritability, loss of appetite, weight loss, sluggishness and fatigue, abdominal pain, vomiting, constipation, and hearing loss.” Lead poisoning in adults can lead to “high blood pressure, abdominal pain, constipation, joint pains, muscle pain, declines in mental functioning, pain or numbness of the extremities, headaches, memory loss, mood disorders, reduced sperm count, abnormal sperm, miscarriage or premature birth.” Lead poisoning is particularly dangerous in children younger than six; lead can damage their rapidly growing brains, potentially leading to diminished ability to concentrate and possibly even lowered IQ.
“The first step in treating all degrees of lead poisoning is to remove the source of the contamination,” according to the Mayo Clinic. For children and adults with low levels of lead poisoning, simply eliminating more exposure to lead is enough to reduce the levels of lead in the blood. For those with higher levels of lead poisoning, health professionals may recommend one of two treatments: chelation therapy (“medication that binds with the lead so that it’s excreted in your urine”) or EDTA therapy, in which the patient is treated with one or more of three different medications. EDTA therapy is only recommended for those with very high levels of lead in their bloodstream and who may need more than one treatment. While these treatments can be effective in many patients, the Mayo Clinic warns that in “severe cases, however, it may not be possible to reverse damage that has already occurred.”
Owning the problem
Governor Snyder, in speaking to the people of Flint, asserted, “Government failed you — federal, state and local leaders — by breaking the trust you placed in us.” Others argue that the failure rests primarily with the state. “You cannot separate what happened in Flint from the state’s extreme emergency-management law,” said Curt Guyette of the ACLU of Michigan. “The state was in charge of the city,” said Eric Scorsone, a government professor at Michigan State University. “So the state kind of has to own the problem.” Some, including the Reverend Charles Williams III, blame the state’s governor, who appointed all four emergency managers who have controlled the decision-making in Flint since 2011. Williams believes that the only way Snyder can legitimately stay in office is for him to “move to Flint, and take a shower right now.”
Dana Milbank, a columnist with The Washington Post, wrote, “The Flint disaster, three years in the making, is not a failure of government generally. It’s the failure of a specific governing philosophy: Snyder’s belief that government works better if run more like a business.” Milbank states that while the EPA should have made their warnings public, it was Snyder and those he appointed who made the fateful decisions.
Guyette agrees that the governor’s businesslike approach, with the focus on the bottom line, is a problem. “The bottom line is making sure the banks and bond holders get paid at all costs, even if the kids are poisoned with foul river water.”
Fixing the problem
“Our trust has been broken in the city of Flint,” said newly elected mayor Karen Weaver, “and until we get safe pipes, people are not going to trust the water.” Marc Edwards, an engineering professor at Virginia Tech University, said that the first step in fixing Flint’s water system is to discover exactly where all the pipes are. The city will need to recoat the pipes with a protective film for a short-term fix or replace every inch of pipe in the water system. According to CNN, Flint has switched back to Lake Huron as the source for water; however, the highly corrosive waters of the Flint River have already damaged the pipes, and lead levels are still high.
CNN reports that more than 210,000 new and replacement water filters have been distributed. According to NBC News, since the cost of filters can be hundreds of dollars, Swiss scientist Raffaele Mezzenga believes his new filter, designed to remove lead and other contaminants, can be made cheaply enough for everyone to purchase. In the meantime, NPR reports that families in Flint are relying on bottled water for everything. Church volunteers are handing out thousands of bottles of water brought to them in 18-wheeler trucks each day.
In addition to cleaning the water, fixing the pipes, and investigating what went wrong, an important aspect of fixing the problem involves dealing with the health issues. Groups such as the Flint Child Health and Development Fund have emerged to “address and mitigate the short and long-term impacts,” according to CNN. Dr. Hanna-Attisha sees hope for the future of Flint’s children if we take a “whole child approach” to ensure that these children have quality education and wholesome food —although such a goal is easier said than done.
Be sure to check out FaithLink, a weekly downloadable discussion guide for classes and small groups.

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This Sunday, February 21, 2016

Second Sunday in Lent:

Genesis 15:1-12, 17-18
Psalm 27
Philippians 3:17–4:1
Luke 13:31-35
Scripture Texts:
Genesis 15:1 Some time later the word of Adonai came to Avram in a vision: “Don’t be afraid, Avram. I am your protector; your reward will be very great.” 2 Avram replied, “Adonai, God, what good will your gifts be to me if I continue childless; and Eli‘ezer from Dammesek inherits my possessions? 3 You haven’t given me a child,” Avram continued, “so someone born in my house will be my heir.” 4 But the word of Adonai came to him: “This man will not be your heir. No, your heir will be a child from your own body.” 5 Then he brought him outside and said, “Look up at the sky, and count the stars — if you can count them! Your descendants will be that many!” 6 He believed in Adonai, and he credited it to him as righteousness.
(vi) 7 Then he said to him, “I am Adonai, who brought you out from Ur-Kasdim to give you this land as your possession.” 8 He replied, “Adonai, God, how am I to know that I will possess it?” 9 He answered him, “Bring me a three-year-old cow, a three-year-old female goat, a three-year-old ram, a dove and a young pigeon.” 10 He brought him all these, cut the animals in two and placed the pieces opposite each other; but he didn’t cut the birds in half. 11 Birds of prey swooped down on the carcasses, but Avram drove them away.
12 As the sun was about to set, a deep sleep fell on Avram; horror and great darkness came over him.
17 After the sun had set and there was thick darkness, a smoking fire pot and a flaming torch appeared, which passed between these animal parts. 18 That day Adonai made a covenant with Avram: “I have given this land to your descendants — from the Vadi of Egypt to the great river, the Euphrates River —
Psalm 27: (0) By David:
(1) Adonai is my light and salvation;
whom do I need to fear?
Adonai is the stronghold of my life;
of whom should I be afraid?
2 When evildoers assailed me
to devour my flesh,
my adversaries and foes,
they stumbled and fell.
3 If an army encamps against me,
my heart will not fear;
if war breaks out against me,
even then I will keep trusting.
4 Just one thing have I asked of Adonai;
only this will I seek:
to live in the house of Adonai
all the days of my life,
to see the beauty of Adonai
and visit in his temple.
5 For he will conceal me in his shelter
on the day of trouble,
he will hide me in the folds of his tent,
he will set me high on a rock.
6 Then my head will be lifted up
above my surrounding foes,
and I will offer in his tent
sacrifices with shouts of joy;
I will sing, sing praises to Adonai.
7 Listen, Adonai, to my voice when I cry;
show favor to me; and answer me.
8 “My heart said of you, ‘Seek my face.’”
Your face, Adonai, I will seek.
9 Do not hide your face from me,
don’t turn your servant away in anger.
You are my help; don’t abandon me;
don’t leave me, God my savior.
10 Even though my father and mother have left me,
Adonai will care for me.
11 Teach me your way, Adonai;
lead me on a level path
because of my enemies —
12 don’t give me up to the whims of my foes;
for false witnesses have risen against me,
also those who are breathing violence.
13 If I hadn’t believed that I would see
Adonai’s goodness in the land of the living, . . .
14 Put your hope in Adonai, be strong,
and let your heart take courage!
Yes, put your hope in Adonai!
Philippians 3:17 Brothers, join in imitating me, and pay attention to those who live according to the pattern we have set for you. 18 For many — I have told you about them often before, and even now I say it with tears — live as enemies of the Messiah’s execution-stake. 19 They are headed for destruction! Their god is the belly; they are proud of what they ought to be ashamed of, since they are concerned about the things of the world. 20 But we are citizens of heaven, and it is from there that we expect a Deliverer, the Lord Yeshua the Messiah. 21 He will change the bodies we have in this humble state and make them like his glorious body, using the power which enables him to bring everything under his control.
4:1 So, my brothers, whom I love and long for, my joy and my crown, my dear friends, keep standing firm in union with the Lord.
Luke 13:31 Just at that moment, some P’rushim came up and said to Yeshua, “Get out and go away from here, because Herod wants to kill you!” 32 He said to them, “Go, tell that fox, ‘Pay attention: today and tomorrow I am driving out demons and healing people, and on the third day I reach my goal.’ 33 Nevertheless, I must keep travelling today, tomorrow and the next day; because it is unthinkable that a prophet should die anywhere but in Yerushalayim.
34 “Yerushalayim! Yerushalayim! You kill the prophets! You stone those who are sent to you! How often I wanted to gather your children, just as a hen gathers her chickens under her wings, but you refused! 35 Look! God is abandoning your house to you! I tell you, you will not see me again until you say, ‘Blessed is he who comes in the name of Adonai!’”[Luke 13:35 Psalm 118:26]
John Wesley's Notes-Commentary for Genesis 15:1-12, 17-18
Verse 1
[1] After these things the word of the LORD came unto Abram in a vision, saying, Fear not, Abram: I am thy shield, and thy exceeding great reward.
After these things — (1.) After that act of generous charity which Abram had done, in rescuing his neighbours, God made him this gracious visit. (2.) After that victory which he had obtained over four kings; lest Abram should be too much elevated with that, God comes to tell him he had better things in store for him.
The word of the Lord came unto Abram — That is, God manifested himself to Abram, in a vision - Which supposeth Abram awake, and some sensible token of the presence of the divine glory, saying, Fear not Abram - Abram might fear lest the four kings he had routed, should rally and fall upon him. No, saith God, fear not: fear not their revenge, nor thy neighbour's envy; I will take care of thee.
I am thy shield — Or, emphatically, I am a shield to thee, present with thee, actually defending thee. The consideration of this, that God himself is, a shield to his people, to secure them from all destructive evils, a shield ready to them, and a shield round about them, should silence all perplexing fears.
And thy exceeding great reward — Not only thy rewarder, but thy reward. God himself is the felicity of holy souls; He is the portion of their inheritance, and their cup.
Verse 3
[3] And Abram said, Behold, to me thou hast given no seed: and, lo, one born in my house is mine heir.
Behold to me thou hast given no seed — Not only no son, but no seed. If he had had a daughter, from her the promised Messias might have come, who was to be the Seed of the Woman; but he had neither son nor daughter.
Verse 5
[5] And he brought him forth abroad, and said, Look now toward heaven, and tell the stars, if thou be able to number them: and he said unto him, So shall thy seed be.
And he brought him forth — It seems, early in the morning, and said, look now toward heaven, and tell the stars: so shall thy seed be - 1. So innumerable, for so the stars seem to a common eye. Abram feared he should have no child at all, but God tells him his descendents should be so many as not to be numbered. 2. So illustrious, as the stars of heaven for splendour; for to them pertained the glory, Romans 9:4. Abram's seed according to the flesh were like the dust of the earth, Genesis 13:16, but his spiritual seed are like the stars of heaven.
Verse 6
[6] And he believed in the LORD; and he counted it to him for righteousness.
And he believed in the Lord — That is, believed the truth of that promise which God had now made him, resting upon the power, and faithfulness of him that made it: see how the apostle magnifies this faith of Abram, and makes it a standing example, Romans 4:19-21. He was not weak in faith; he staggered not at the promise: he was strong in faith; he was fully persuaded. The Lord work such a faith in every one of us.
And he counted it to him for righteousness — That is, upon the score of this he was accepted of God, and, by faith he obtained witness that he was righteous, Hebrews 11:4. This is urged in the New Testament to prove, that we are justified by faith without the works of the law, Romans 4:3; Galatians 3:6, for Abram was so justified, while he was yet uncircumcised. If Abram, that was so rich in good works, was not justified by them, but by his faith, much less can we. This faith, which was imputed to Abram for righteousness, had newly struggled with unbelief, Genesis 15:2, and coming off, conqueror, it was thus crowned, thus honoured.
Verse 7
[7] And he said unto him, I am the LORD that brought thee out of Ur of the Chaldees, to give thee this land to inherit it.
I am the lord that brought thee out of Ur of the Chaldees — Out of the fire of the Chaldees, so some: that is, from their idolatries; for the Chaldeans worshipped the fire. Or, from their persecutions. The Jewish writers have a tradition, that Abram was cast into a fiery furnace for refusing to worship idols, and was miraculously delivered. It is rather a place of that name. Thence God brought him by an effectual call, brought him by a gracious violence; snatched him as a brand out of the burning. Observe how God speaks of it as that which he gloried in.
I am the Lord that brought thee out — He glories in it as an act both of power and grace.
To give thee this land to inherit it — Not only to possess it, but to possess it as an inheritance, which is the surest title. The providence of God hath secret, but gracious designs in all its various dispensations: we cannot conceive the projects of providence, 'till the event shews what it was driving at.
Verse 8
[8] And he said, Lord GOD, whereby shall I know that I shall inherit it?
Whereby shall I know that I shall inherit it? — This did not proceed from distrust of God's power or promise, but he desired this, 1. For the strengthening of his own faith. He believed, Genesis 15:6, but here he prays, Lord help me against my unbelief, Now, he believed, but he desired a sign, to be treasured up against an hour of temptation. 2. For the ratifying of the promise to his posterity, that they also might believe it.
Verse 9
[9] And he said unto him, Take me an heifer of three years old, and a she goat of three years old, and a ram of three years old, and a turtledove, and a young pigeon.
Take me an heifer — Perhaps Abram expected some sign from heaven, but God gives him a sign upon a sacrifice. Those that would receive the assurances of God's favour, must attend instituted ordinances, and expect to meet with God in them. Observe, 1. God appointed that each of the beasts used for his service should be three years old, because then they were at their full growth and strength. God must be served with the best we have. 2. We do not read that God gave Abram particular directions how to manage these, knowing that he was well versed in the custom of sacrifices. 3. Abram took as God appointed him, though as yet he knew not how these things should become a sign to him. He divided the beasts in the midst, according to the ceremony used in continuing covenants, Jeremiah 34:18,19, where it is said, they cut the calf in twain, and passed between the parts. 4. Abram, having prepared according to God's appointment, set himself to expect what sign God would give him by these.
Verse 12
[12] And when the sun was going down, a deep sleep fell upon Abram; and, lo, an horror of great darkness fell upon him.
And when the sun was going down — About the time of the evening oblation. Early in the morning, while the stars were yet to be seen, God had given him orders concerning the sacrifices, Genesis 15:5, and we may suppose it was at least his morning's work to prepare them, and set them in order; which when he had done, he abode by them praying and waiting 'till towards evening.
A deep sleep fell upon Abram — Not a common sleep through weariness or carelessness, but a divine extasy, that being wholly taken off from things sensible, he might be wholly taken up with the contemplation of things spiritual. The doors of the body were locked up, that the soul might be private and retired, and might act the more freely.
And lo, a horror of great darkness fell upon him — This was designed to strike an awe upon the spirit of Abram, and to possess him with a holy reverence. Holy fear prepares the soul for holy joy; God humbles first, and then lifts up.
Verse 17
[17] And it came to pass, that, when the sun went down, and it was dark, behold a smoking furnace, and a burning lamp that passed between those pieces.
When the sun was gone down the sign was given — The smoaking furnace signified the affliction of his seed in Egypt: they were there in the furnace of affliction, and labouring in the very fire. They were there in the smoke, their eyes darkened that they could not see to the end of their troubles. 2. The burning lamp speaks comfort in this affliction; and this God shewed Abram at the same time with the smoaking furnace. The lamp notes direction in the smoke; God's word was their lamp, a light shining in a dark place. Perhaps too this burning lamp prefigured the pillar of a cloud and fire which led them out of Egypt. 3. The passing of these between the pieces was the confirming of the covenant God now made with him. It is probable this furnace and lamp, which passed between the pieces, burned and consumed them, and so compleated the sacrifice, and testified God's acceptance of it, as of Gideon's, Judges 6:21, Manoah's, Judges 13:19,20, and Solomon's, 2 Chronicles 7:1. So it intimates, 1. That God's covenants with man are made by sacrifice, Psalms 50:5, by Christ, the great sacrifice. 2. God's acceptance of our spiritual sacrifices is a token for good, and an earnest of farther favours.
Verse 18
[18] In the same day the LORD made a covenant with Abram, saying, Unto thy seed have I given this land, from the river of Egypt unto the great river, the river Euphrates:
In that same day, the Lord made a covenant with Abram, saying, Unto thy seed have I given this land - He had said before, To thy seed will I give this land, but here he saith, I have given it; that is, 1. I have given the promise, the charter is sealed and delivered, and cannot be disanulled. 2. The possession is as sure in due time, as if it were now actually delivered to them. In David's time and Solomon's their jurisdiction extended to the utmost of these limits, 2 Chronicles 9:26. And it was their own fault that they were not sooner and longer in possession of all these territories. They forfeited their right by their sins, and by their own sloth and cowardice kept themselves out of possession. The present occupants are named, because their number and strength and long prescription, should be no hindrance to the accomplishment of this promise in its season; and to magnify God's love to Abram and his seed, in giving to that one nation the possession of many nations.
Psalm 27

Verse 2
[2] When the wicked, even mine enemies and my foes, came upon me to eat up my flesh, they stumbled and fell.
Light — My counsellor in all my difficulties, and my comforter and deliverer in all my distresses.
Strength — The supporter and preserver of my life.
Verse 3
[3] Though an host should encamp against me, my heart shall not fear: though war should rise against me, in this will I be confident.
In this — That God is my light.
Verse 4
[4] One thing have I desired of the LORD, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the LORD, and to enquire in his temple.
Dwell. … — Have opportunity of constant attendance upon God.
To behold — That there I may delight myself, in the contemplation of thy amiable and glorious majesty, and of thy infinite wisdom, holiness, justice, truth, and mercy.
Verse 5
[5] For in the time of trouble he shall hide me in his pavilion: in the secret of his tabernacle shall he hide me; he shall set me up upon a rock.
The secret — In his tabernacle, into which mine enemies cannot come. He alludes to the ancient custom of offenders, who used to flee to the tabernacle or altar.
Rock — A place high and inaccessible.
Verse 9
[9] Hide not thy face far from me; put not thy servant away in anger: thou hast been my help; leave me not, neither forsake me, O God of my salvation.
Away — From thy face or presence, or from the place of thy worship.
Verse 11
[11] Teach me thy way, O LORD, and lead me in a plain path, because of mine enemies.
Because of — That I may neither fall into their hands by my folly, nor give them any occasion of triumphing over me.
Verse 13
[13] I had fainted, unless I had believed to see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living.
The living — David was thus earnestly desirous of this mercy in this life, not because he placed his portion in these things; but because the truth and glory of God, were highly concerned in making good the promise of the kingdom to him.
Philippians 3:17–4:1

Verse 17
[17] Brethren, be followers together of me, and mark them which walk so as ye have us for an ensample.
Mark them — For your imitation.
Verse 18
[18] (For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ:
Weeping — As he wrote.
Enemies of the cross of Christ — Such are all cowardly, all shamefaced, all delicate Christians.
Verse 19
[19] Whose end is destruction, whose God is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things.)
Whose end is destruction — This is placed in the front, that what follows may be read with the greater horror.
Whose god is their belly — Whose supreme happiness lies in gratifying their sensual appetites.
Who mind — Relish, desire, seek, earthly things.
Verse 20
[20] For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ:
Our conversation — The Greek word is of a very extenslve meaning: our citizenship, our thoughts, our affections, are already in heaven.
Verse 21
[21] Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself.
Who will transform our vile body — Into the most perfect state, and the most beauteous form. It will then be purer than the unspotted firmament, brighter than the lustre of the stars and, which exceeds all parallel, which comprehends all perfection, like unto his glorious body - Like that wonderfully glorious body which he wears in his heavenly kingdom, and on his triumphant throne.
Verse 1
[1] Therefore, my brethren dearly beloved and longed for, my joy and crown, so stand fast in the Lord, my dearly beloved.
So stand — As ye have done hitherto.
Luke 13:31-35

Verse 31
[31] The same day there came certain of the Pharisees, saying unto him, Get thee out, and depart hence: for Herod will kill thee.
Herod is minded to kill thee — Possibly they gave him the caution out of good will.
Verse 32
[32] And he said unto them, Go ye, and tell that fox, Behold, I cast out devils, and I do cures to day and to morrow, and the third day I shall be perfected.
And he said, Go and tell that fox — With great propriety so called, for his subtilty and cowardice. The meaning of our Lord's answer is, Notwithstanding all that he can do, I shall for the short time I have left, do the works of him that sent me. When that time is fulfilled, I shall be offered up. Yet not here, but in the bloody city.
Behold, I cast out devils — With what majesty does he speak to his enemies! With what tenderness to his friends! The third day I am perfected - On the third day he left Galilee, and set out for Jerusalem, to die there. But let us carefully distinguish between those things wherein Christ is our pattern, and those which were peculiar to his office. His extraordinary office justified him in using that severity of language, when speaking of wicked princes, and corrupt teachers, to which we have no call; and by which we should only bring scandal on religion, and ruin on ourselves, while we irritated rather than convinced or reformed those whom we so indecently rebuked.
Verse 33
[33] Nevertheless I must walk to day, and to morrow, and the day following: for it cannot be that a prophet perish out of Jerusalem.
It cannot be, that a prophet perish out of Jerusalem — Which claims prescription for murdering the messengers of God. Such cruelty and malice cannot be found elsewhere.
Verse 34
[34] O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, which killest the prophets, and stonest them that are sent unto thee; how often would I have gathered thy children together, as a hen doth gather her brood under her wings, and ye would not!
How often would I have gathered thy children together — Three solemn visits he had made to Jerusalem since his baptism for this very purpose. Matthew 23:37.
Verse 35
[35] Behold, your house is left unto you desolate: and verily I say unto you, Ye shall not see me, until the time come when ye shall say, Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord.
Your house is left to you desolate — Is now irrecoverably consigned to desolation and destruction: And verily I say to you, after a very short space, ye shall not see me till the time come, when taught by your calamities, ye shall be ready and disposed to say, Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord. It does not imply, that they should then see Jesus at all; but only that they would earnestly wish for the Messiah, and in their extremity be ready to entertain any who should assume that character.
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Sermon Story "When God Comes" by Gary Lee Parker for Sunday, 21 February 2016 with Scripture: Genesis 15:1 Some time later the word of Adonai came to Avram in a vision: “Don’t be afraid, Avram. I am your protector; your reward will be very great.” 2 Avram replied, “Adonai, God, what good will your gifts be to me if I continue childless; and Eli‘ezer from Dammesek inherits my possessions? 3 You haven’t given me a child,” Avram continued, “so someone born in my house will be my heir.” 4 But the word of Adonai came to him: “This man will not be your heir. No, your heir will be a child from your own body.” 5 Then he brought him outside and said, “Look up at the sky, and count the stars — if you can count them! Your descendants will be that many!” 6 He believed in Adonai, and he credited it to him as righteousness.
(vi) 7 Then he said to him, “I am Adonai, who brought you out from Ur-Kasdim to give you this land as your possession.” 8 He replied, “Adonai, God, how am I to know that I will possess it?” 9 He answered him, “Bring me a three-year-old cow, a three-year-old female goat, a three-year-old ram, a dove and a young pigeon.” 10 He brought him all these, cut the animals in two and placed the pieces opposite each other; but he didn’t cut the birds in half. 11 Birds of prey swooped down on the carcasses, but Avram drove them away.
12 As the sun was about to set, a deep sleep fell on Avram; horror and great darkness came over him.
17 After the sun had set and there was thick darkness, a smoking fire pot and a flaming torch appeared, which passed between these animal parts. 18 That day Adonai made a covenant with Avram: “I have given this land to your descendants — from the Vadi of Egypt to the great river, the Euphrates River —
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God has come to appear to Abram to confirms the promise of a child from him and Sarai. When God came Abram at first to share about the promise of a child to be born to him, but Abram said that his nearest relative is another person. God went on to request Abram to bring some animals a nd cut them in half and lay them down on the ground for God. After he did this, some birds of prey attempted to eat the dead animals, but Abram shooed them away. Then it became horified for Abram and God put him to sleep. How many times do parents of children who are differently abled go through this time of horrified mental state as they continue to serve, love, and give to God. Yet, God comes in little ways even when some people similar the birds of prey try to take the children to place them in government run institutions to keep them out of society. Yet, God has given people who are differently abled the ability, gifts, and graces to bring His church into more light of Himself to be the kingdom on earth as it is in Heaven. How do you respond to the darkness that comes over you as God begins to speak to you? Hw do you stay with God and see more light and His promises fulfilled as God fulfilled His promise and gave Abram a son, Isaac, and changed His name to Abraham to preparing for the Jewish Nation then for the Messiah for salvation for all people? Come let us remember God's promises for our lives and His church as we take and eat His Body and drink His blood through our participation of the Holy Sacrament of the Holy Eucharist. We come to receive from God singing the Hymn "Standing on the Promises" by  R. Kelso Carter, 1849-1926

1. Standing on the promises of Christ my King, 
through eternal ages let his praises ring; 
glory in the highest, I will shout and sing, 
standing on the promises of God. 
Refrain: 
Standing, standing, 
standing on the promises of Christ my Savior; 
standing, standing, 
I'm standing on the promises of God. 
2. Standing on the promises that cannot fail, 
when the howling storms of doubt and fear assail, 
by the living Word of God I shall prevail, 
standing on the promises of God. 

Refrain: 
Standing, standing, 
standing on the promises of Christ my Savior; 
standing, standing, 

I'm standing on the promises of God.  
3. Standing on the promises of Christ the Lord, 
bound to him eternally by love's strong cord, 
overcoming daily with the Spirit's sword, 
standing on the promises of God. 
Refrain: 
Standing, standing, 
standing on the promises of Christ my Savior; 
standing, standing, 
I'm standing on the promises of God. 
4. Standing on the promises I cannot fall, 
listening every moment to the Spirit's call, 
resting in my Savior as my all in all, 
standing on the promises of God. 
Refrain: 
Standing, standing, 
standing on the promises of Christ my Savior; 
standing, standing, 
I'm standing on the promises of God. 
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AGAINST THE DATA by Thomas R. Steagald

Genesis 15:1-12, 17-18
In Genesis 1 and 2 there are two “creation” accounts. The first is the majestic poem whose meter and verse we have known since childhood: “In the beginning when God created the heavens and the earth, the earth was a formless void and darkness covered the face of the deep” (Genesis 1:1-2). Later in the text, later in creation week, comes the second account: how God kneels down in the garden God had planted, scoops up the damp earth, and forms the first human. God’s fingerprints have covered us from the start; forever since we stained God’s palms. God breathed divine breath into the little mud man and there was life as bright as the light, but Adam was a lonely soul until God made Eve. Once together, they populated the world.
What we have before us in our text for today is nothing other than a third creation account—this time, the forming of the holy people Israel. The story begins in Genesis 12, when God first appeared to Abram with the promise of land and offspring and the benediction that Abram’s soonto- be extended family would be a blessing for the entire world. Time and familiarity, for us, knock the sharp edges off the incredibility of what God said, but for a truth, each of God’s promises was as incredible as the other. God would give the nomad Abram land? God would give the aging and childless Abram and Sarai children? God would make them a blessing to others when, in many ways, they were without blessing themselves?
But Abram did what God told him, went toward the land, and the promise waited.
We do not know how much time has elapsed since Genesis 12, but when God appears in Genesis 15, God’s first words are “Do not be afraid, Abram, I am your shield” (v. 1). That this word, of all possible words, is what God chooses to speak is indication that in fact Abram is already afraid, that he needs a shield.
Later in the text, the writer of Genesis will offer valediction to our exalted ancestor: “[Abram] believed the LORD” (15:6), which is to say Abram trusted God’s outrageous promises (the promises in chapter 12 and the renewed promises here in chapter 15), “and the LORD reckoned it to him as righteousness” (v. 6). It is a crucial moment for Abram, Israel, the world—and indeed, as evidenced by Paul’s citation in Romans, for the church’s confession of faith as well.
But even righteousness has questions and doubts. “So shall your descendants be” (15:5), God said to Abram as he gazed up at the stars. “[I] give you this land to possess” (v. 7).
Abram replied, “[But] how am I to know that I shall possess it?” (v. 8), suggesting that in Genesis 15, even as God does that famous “faithful” accounting regarding Abram, the patriarch is doing some accounting of his own and fears the red ink he sees. The years are adding up, after all— he and Sarai are withering away. Yes, they are in the new land, but whatever God means by “possessing” it, they surely do not.
God has given them little else, and least of all children, offspring, sons as the foundation of this great nation. There was nary a glint in Sarai’s dimming eyes, and a slave born in Abram’s household, Eliezer of Damascus, was father Abram’s beneficiary. However long it has been since Abram’s original vision, time enough has passed for Abram to have his doubts. What or who can shield him, his wife, even the promises themselves, from the ravages and impotencies of old age? Abram has faith, but he also has questions. An army of data encamped against the near outposts of God’s pledge.
We now have privilege to witness one of the most mysterious and ancient of rituals: the ratification of covenant: God’s signing with the divine presence the promissory note of land and children and blessing. It is such a strange scene—God commands Abram to slaughter and arrange dismembered pieces of heifers and goats, rams and uncloven birds into a kind of pathway, a line in the wilderness sand where God will sign. Birds of prey, surely the most unpleasant of creatures, descend like agents of doom onto the carcasses to disrupt the moment, devour the promises. But if all that is mysterious to us—what do the animals signify, other than prefiguring temple sacrifices? Does this ritual have antecedent or is it unique? For Abram it was a terrifying experience.
When the sun had gone down, Abram fell into a deep sleep and had night terrors as the Lord, in the form of a smoking fire pot and flaming torch, passed between the pieces. This time God does not tell Abram to “fear not,” as if to suggest that there are times when fear is an appropriate attitude as we encounter God. This is God, after all—who binds the divine presence to Abram, and the rest of us, by grace and not by right, by choice and not by compunction. “To your descendants I give this land,” God says yet again (15:18), but there is still that matter of children.
Soon will come the unhappiness with Hagar and her son Ishmael (an unfortunate episode born of haste and self-determination whose consequence we are still sorting out all these generations later). But for now, Abram and Sarai trust what God has told them—this is their best moment as they believe against the available data—and surely God never loved them more; nor they God.
For God too believes against the data, trusts that this old groom and his shriveled bride can do what he has called them to do: possess the land, have the children, bless the world. It is the kind of divine trust we account to God as righteousness, even as God seems to continue to call us to go, to do, to be what God alone can make us.
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WORSHIP ELEMENTS: FEBRUARY 21, 2016 by Laura Jaquith Bartlett

Second Sunday in Lent
COLOR: Purple
SCRIPTURE READINGS: Genesis 15:1-12, 17-18; Psalm 27; Philippians 3:17–4:1; Luke 13:31-35
THEME IDEAS
Today’s Scripture readings remind us of the enduring faithfulness of God. If only our faith were strong enough to trust God every moment! Through the Scriptures, we discover that God stays with us even in our doubt. Be inspired by these striking images of comfort: the Lord protects me (Psalm 27); Jesus seeks to gather us under his wings (Luke 13). Through the coming of Jesus Christ, we
know firsthand the power of God’s kept promises!
INVITATION AND GATHERING
Call to Worship (Genesis 15, Psalm 27, Luke 13)
Wait for the Lord; be strong!
The promises of God will never be broken.
With God as our light, what is there to fear?
The promises of God will never be broken.
Blessed is the one who comes in the name
of the Lord!
The promises of God will never be broken.
Opening Prayer (Genesis 15, Psalm 27, Philippians 3)
God of promises fulfilled,
we gather as descendants of Abraham;
we stand before you
as faithful testimony to your covenant;
we assemble as living proof
that your love for humanity
knows no limits.
When we feel overwhelmed
by the stresses of daily life,
we need only look at the stars in the sky
to remember your abiding faithfulness.
When we are overcome with despair
by the pain of war and poverty in our world,
we need only see the light of a single candle
to remember the one you sent
as our light, our strength, and our salvation.
We pray now in the name of that light,
Jesus Christ. Amen.
PROCLAMATION AND RESPONSE
Prayer of Confession (Genesis 15, Psalm 27)
Eternal God,
we are quick to join
Abram’s doubt and impatience,
but we find it difficult to copy
Abraham’s faith and trust.
We want to believe your promises,
but the here-and-now problems of daily life
consume our focus
and erode our faith.
Open our eyes to your light.
Open our hearts to your love.
Open our minds to your possibilities.
Speak to us today, O God,
and strengthen our faith,
that we, too, may know
the everlasting power of your love.
Words of Assurance (Psalm 27)
When God is with us, whom shall we fear?
The God of salvation will never forsake you.
God’s patience knows no limits.
Wait for the Lord.
Be strong and take heart.
Response to the Word (Psalm 27, Luke 13)
(Use this as a responsive reading in the bulletin, or have eight
readers in the midst of the congregation each speak one of the
bolded attributes of the proper noun that the worship leader
speaks. Allow plenty of time between each word.)
Light:
shining, burning, beacon, warmth, glowing, showing,
salvation, love.
Rock:
stronghold, fortress, foundation, strength, protection,
redeemer, salvation, love.
Hen:
mother, parent, safety, care, protection, nurture,
salvation, love.
Jesus:
prophet, blessing, transformer, promise, fulfillment,
savior, salvation, love.
THANKSGIVING AND COMMUNION
Offering Prayer (Genesis 15, Luke 13)
Faithful God,
you have kept your promises to us.
Our lives give witness
to your abundant blessings.
May we faithfully keep
our promises to you.
Strengthen our commitment
to live as true disciples of Jesus Christ.
Your love sustains us,
guides us, and empowers us.
Take these gifts as signs of our promise
to give ourselves completely into your care—
to live without fear;
to trust your love without reservation. Amen.
Prayer after Communion (Genesis 15, Philippians 3)
Dear God,
we give thanks for your promised care.
In the sharing of this meal,
we participate in the fulfillment
of your greatest promise.
We celebrate our kinship
with your Son, Jesus Christ,
made known to us
in the breaking of the bread of life
and the sharing of the cup of salvation.
May your Holy Spirit strengthen us,
that we may go into the world
to imitate Christ and live as witnesses
of your promised love. Amen.
SENDING FORTH
Benediction
Go in the love of God,
whose promises are never broken.
We go in the light of Christ,
whose love transforms us.
Go in the power of the Holy Spirit,
whose fire sustains and encourages us.
We go now into the world as witnesses
of God’s love, light, and power.
CONTEMPORARY OPTIONS
Contemporary Gathering Words (Psalm 27)
Light, space, zest—that’s God!
With God on our side, we’re fearless,
afraid of no one and nothing.
Come on in—we’re in God’s place!
We’re ready to offer anthems and songs
that will raise the roof!
Let’s join in making music to God.
We want to sing God-songs!
Praise Sentences (Philippians 3)
Brothers and sisters, Christ is our example.
Christ is our life.
Brothers and sisters, Christ is our salvation.
Christ is our savior.
Brothers and sisters, Christ is the Lord.
Christ is the Lord!
From The Abingdon Worship Annual 2010 edited by Mary J. Scifres and B.J. Beu, Copyright © 2009 Abingdon Press. The Abingdon Worship Annual 2016 is now available.
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WORSHIP CONNECTION: FEBRUARY 21, 2016 by Nancy C. Townley

Second Sunday in Lent
COLOR: Purple
SCRIPTURE READINGS: Genesis 15:1-12, 17-18; Psalm 27; Philippians 3:17–4:1; Luke 13:31-35
CALLS TO WORSHIP
Call to Worship #1
L: Open your hearts to God’s love today.
P: In the midst of winter darkness, we seek the brightness of God’s love.
L: Don’t be afraid. God is with you.
P: With the Lord’s help, we can overcome the darkness.
L: The Lord is your light and your salvation.
P: Even though everything around us is disturbing, yet God’s love is constant. Thanks be to God. AMEN.
Call to Worship #2
L: Today is a day to sing praise to God!
P: God continually blesses us, each and every day.
L: Even in the midst of cold and darkness, the warmth of God’s love is real.
P: We can count on God to be here for us.
L: Let your hearts rejoice and your voices shout praise to God.
P: For God is great and worthy to be praised. AMEN.
Call to Worship #3
[Using THE FAITH WE SING, p. 2208, “Guide My Feet”, offer the following Call to Worship]Solo: sings the first verse, a cappella
L: The race is set before us.
P: We journey with Jesus to places unknown
L: Soon we will arrive in Jerusalem
P: But Jerusalem is noted for killing the prophets and those whom God sends.
L: Fear not! God is with us and will guide us on this journey of faith.
P: We place ourselves completely in God’s care.
Choir: sings the third verse, a cappella
Call to Worship #4
L: We are on a journey of faith. Jesus is our leader and our guide.
P: We place our trust in him.
L: As the daylight hours grow longer, our journey takes on a urgency.
P: We must prepare our hearts for Jerusalem
L: Do not fear! God goes before us, into Jerusalem, into the world.
P: Amen!
PRAYERS, LITANY/READING, BENEDICTION
Opening Prayer
Lord, we come to you this morning with so many concerns and issues that demand our attention. Our lives are burdened; our spirits are tired. Guide our lives and our steps as we walk this Lenten journey, inward and outward. Help us to discern what you would have us do, that others may be healed. In Jesus’ name, we pray. AMEN.
Prayer of Confession
There is a certain winter in our spirits today, O Lord. We feel that the journey on which we have embarked will demand too much of us. There are so many other things in our lives which claim our spirits, our energy, our hopes and fears. It is easy to be like Jerusalem, turning our backs on those whom you send. The world shouts its solutions to us and then deserts us when we are in need. Forgive us for the many times in which we have strayed from your pathway of life; when we have chosen not to hear the cries of those in need; when we have belittled the gifts and skills you have given us in order to avoid serving others. Heal us, O Lord. Place us back on your path to Jerusalem, to live, for we ask this in Jesus’ name. AMEN.
Words of Assurance
When God called your name, God called you to a journey of faith. Do not be afraid to look inside to see those things which are holding you back from being who God created you to be. Place your trust in God who is always with you, loving you into wholeness. AMEN.
Pastoral Prayer
Lord, you called us to this journey. We aren’t very willing to let go of the things that bind us, even those which harm our spirits and diminish our souls. We cling to our problems as though they provide some degree of comfort and stability. Help us to let go of the pain, the problems, the chains that bind our souls. Open our hearts to hear your word. Place us on the journey with confidence and assurance of your presence. As we have offered the names and situations of those near and dear to us in our prayers this morning, help us to remember that we, too, are always in your loving care. When we have fallen, lift us up, Lord. When we think we can go no further, pick us up and carry us until we can walk again. When we wonder if you made the right choice in calling us to our ministry and mission, easy our fears, confirm our hopes, bless our hearts with your loving presence; that in all things you may be glorified. AMEN.
Litany/Reading
Using THE FAITH WE SING, p. 2208, have a soloist offer the sections as suggested below.
Soloist: singing verse 2 “Hold my hand”
Reader 1: I have such fear about this journey. There is so much going on in my life right now! I don’t think I can take on a Lenten journey. There are people whose faith is so much stronger than mine is. How can I serve the Lord? I don’t know what to do. I don’t have the fancy words that would bring comfort to the hearts of people who are troubled. I can’t even solve my own problems. You ask me to reach out and take your hand, O Jesus, but I fear that I may fall and falter. Hold my hand, precious Lord. Hold my hand.
Soloist: singing verse 3 “Stand by me”
Reader 2: I can’t do this, Lord. I can’t serve you. I can barely take care of myself. There are so many things which are burdening me right now. I can’t stand, or walk, or serve in the way you should be served. I fear that what I have to offer won’t be enough. I am sinking in my doubts. Lord, stand by me, please stand by me
Soloist: singing verse 4 “I’m your child”
Reader 3: I have heard it said that God has adopted us to be God’s own children. How can this be? Why would God want someone as lacking as me? I’m not sure what it means to be your child, O Lord. I don’t know if I measure up - certainly I don’t measure up to Christ. Sometimes I feel hopeless, discouraged. I need your presence and your love. You have called me your child. You have given me the name “beloved” - I am your child, Lord, I am yours.
Soloist: singing verse 6 “Guide my feet”
Reader 4: There are too many times which I feel as though I am spinning around in circles. I am called to go here; to go there; to be this kind of person; to be that kind of person. You have reached out to me, one who is called beloved , and you have laid your claim on my heart. I feel your presence with me as you hold my hand, stand by me, and call me your own. Now, Lord, guide my feet. I place all my trust and my life in your care. AMEN.
Benediction
Be strong in the Lord. You can walk in God’s ways, for God is with you, offering you peace, hope, courage, and joy. God’s love abides with you always. Go in peace.AMEN.
ARTISTIC ELEMENTS
Note: I recommend putting a brief paragraph describing or explaining the symbolism used in your visual display in the worship bulletin. This a good teaching tool for the congregation.
The traditional color for this Sunday is PURPLE.
The theme for Lent is JOURNEY INWARD/JOURNEY FORWARD. The idea is that discipleship is a journey that is first lived inward, introspectively, reality-check, and then lived forward in service. The worship center will remain covered with the base cloth of burlap or other neutral rough material. Each week something will be added to the worship center and perhaps other things removed, until all are placed at the foot of the cross. I recommend that you have someone construct an “old, rugged Cross”, about 6-7 feet tall, on a free standing base. This cross will be used during Holy Week, but you want to plan far enough ahead to have it ready.
The focus of today‘s gospel lesson is the mission of Jesus which is misunderstood by Jerusalem. Jesus laments for the city that kills the prophets and does not respond to those whom God sends. God continually sends God’s love and message to us, but we turn a deaf ear, focusing instead on our creature comforts, ignoring the healing love of God.
SURFACE: Place several risers on the worship center. The tallest riser, approximately 1 foot above the main level of the worship center, should be placed to the upper left as you are facing the worship center. The other risers, about 4-6” high, may be placed, one at the center and the other slightly to the right of the middle one.
FABRIC: Cover the worship center in burlap or other neutral colored, rough fabric. On one of the risers on the worship center, place a piece of cream colored or rough blue fabric, approximately 15” square, draping over the riser. You will set a pile of rocks or bricks on this riser.
CANDLES: On the middle riser, place a white pillar candle, about 10” high, representing Christ. Place votive candles, arranged in clusters, on several of the other risers. Place a small pillar candle, preferably white or purple, on the riser on which you are setting the rocks or bricks for today’s worship. This is a reminder that the very fabric ofJerusalem will be in rubble soon.
FLOWERS/PLANTS : No plants or flowers on the worship center
ROCKS/WOOD Some rocks and wood may be placed on the center and at the base of the worship center. Select a riser on the worship center and place a stack of old bricks or large stones - these rocks/bricks represent Jerusalem. Smaller pebbles may be placed near the base of the rocks. The rocks will be set on the riser over which the cream/blue fabric panel is placed.
OTHER: No cross on the worship center at this time

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WORSHIP FOR KIDS: FEBRUARY 21, 2016 by Carolyn C. Brown

From a Child's Point of View
During Lent we wait for God's easter promises to come true. Today's texts provides an opportunity for children to explore one of God's other promises—the covenant with Abram—to think about what it means to live according to God's promises Psalm 27, the Transfiguration story, and Paul's challenge to the Philippians), and to look ahead to the Easter promises (Luke 13).
Old Testament: Genesis 15:1-12, 17-18. This is a complicated passage for children, but a part of the familiar story of God's promises to Abram. Recalling some of the rest of this story (Abram's moves and Isaac's birth) will help children understand the promises God made in this chapter.
To help children follow God's conversation with Abram, read from the Good News Bible and take time to explain Abram's concern about not having a son.
If children hear nothing else in this reading, most of them will tune in to the details of the gory covenant-making ritual. The idea that God passed between the split animals in the form of a flaming pot and torch—which, in effect, said to Abram, "May I be split open and left to die if I do not keep the promises I have made to you today"—has great appeal to children. (Remember, this is the age of "blood-brother" rituals and tree-house rites.) The message to children is that God is serious about this and other promises. God's promises can be trusted.
Psalm: 27. This psalm falls neatly into two related halves. Verses 1-6 could be titled "trusting God when everything is going well." Verses 7-14 follow with "trusting God when everything is going wrong." Heard together, the halves remind us that God's promises to not guarantee that everything will always go as we wish it would; but no matter how things are going for us, we can and must trust God's promises. This is a point that older children understand and appreciate, but it is too subtle for them to grasp on their own. They depend on the worship leaders to make the point in introducing the psalm or while exploring the psalm in the sermon.
The Good News Bible offers the easiest translation for children to understand. But if the psalm is read with great passion (see Liturgical Child 2), children can hear past the more difficult vocabulary of other translations to the feelings expressed.
Gospel: Luke 13:31-35 or Luke 9:28-36. Both these passages look forward to Jesus' coming death and resurrection, and both are difficult for children to understand.
In Luke 13 , Jesus responds to Herod's threat with the resolve to continue his ministry and go to Jerusalem to fulfill God's promises by dying on the cross. The focus of this passage, however, is less on Jesus' understanding of God's promises than on Luke's readers' (that's us!) anticipation of the promise fulfillment that is to come. Given the poetic "three-day" language, the mother-hen images, and the references to prophetic history, this anticipation can be communicated to the children best by talking in your own words about the coming of Easter and the importance of Jesus' death and resurrection.
The Transfiguration story in Luke 9 promises that God supports those who live by God's promises. In this case, God gives Jesus support to face his coming death so that he may fulfill God's promises. If you read this passage, review the material for Last Sunday After the Epiphany (Transfiguration Sunday).
Epistle: Philippians 3:17 –4:1. This passage is also hard for children to understand when they hear it read, but with adult help, they can understand its message—that we are to live as we believe God's promises. If we believe that God is building a kingdom of love, we should live loving lives, rather than selfish lives focused on getting whatever we want at the moment. Good examples of living according to God's promises can be seen in Paul, Jesus, and Abram.
Watch Words
Promises, especially God's promises to Abram, often lead us to speak of covenants. For children, covenant terminology may or may not be familiar. So if you use it, take care to provide definitions as you go. Or avoid misunderstandings by staying with the language of promises.
Let the Children Sing
"God Will Take Care of You," which may be listed as "Be Not Dismayed Whate'er Betide," celebrates trust in God's promises. Although many children will not grasp all the language of the verses, the phrase repeated in both the verses and the chorus contains the heart of the message and enables even nonreaders to join in the singing.
"O Wondrous Sight! O Vision Fair" retells the Transfiguration story in song.
The Liturgical Child
Your presentation of these rather complex passages is crucial to how well children will be able to "hear" them.
1. Before reading the Genesis passage, challenge worshipers (especially the children) to listen for the two promises God made to Abram. Either right after the Scripture reading or during the sermon, identify the promises and their source in the text so that children can check for themselves.
2. Emphasize the difference in the two halves of Psalm 27. Ask two people to recite the psalm. As the psalm is introduced, they take their positions, standing back to back at the center of the chancel. They may simply stand without expression, or they may assume positions that reflect their parts of the psalm. The first turns to face the congregation, recites verses 1-6 with happy exuberance, and returns to place. The second then faces the congregation to present verses 7-14, with appropriate expression, and returns to place.
If one person reads the whole psalm, that person can emphasize the difference in the two halves by pausing between verses 6 and 7, turning slightly, and assuming an appropriately different expression and tone for the second half.
3. When reading Luke 13 , imagine that you are an actor portraying the scene in the role of Jesus. Read the narrative lines in a matter-of-face stage-director voice. Read Jesus' lines with great force to portray the humor when he called Herod an old fox and to communicate Jesus' pain in thinking about Jerusalem.
Sermon Resources
1. To pave the way for talking about God's promises, cite some of the promises that are crucial to our relationships with one another. Teachers promise to teach their students what is true and important. When we join a sports team, we promise to attend practices and follow the set disciplines so the team has a chance to win. When two people marry, they promise to love and take care of each other and to be a family. Scouts, Indian Guides, and other clubs require that members make promises when they join.
Describe what it feels like to live according to one of these promises on a good day and on a bad day. For example, it is easy to live by the promises made to teammates when you are playing with friends and the teamis winning. It is harder, but just as important, to live by the promises when the team is losing and you feel as if all your work is getting no results. (You might want to tell about a team that goes through both experiences in the same season.)
2. Tell stories of several of God's Promises, such as the promise of the rainbow, the promise of the Messiah, and the promise of the fulfillment of the kingdom of God's love on earth.
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SERMON OPTIONS: FEBRUARY 21, 2016

THE RIGHT WORD
GENESIS 15:1-12, 17-18
I purchased another book, Thesaurus of Alternatives to Worn-Out Words and Phrases, to help me find the right word for every occasion. Communicators are not the only people searching for the right word, or principle, to assist them to live effectively. Abram discovered that the right word was "the word of the Lord."
Abram's circumstances did not match his understanding of God's purpose. This believer was no apprentice, but during a difficult moment in his life was reminded that God was his "shield and exceeding great reward." In a vision God disclosed three characteristics of himself, three words, which reaffirm Abram's understanding.
I. The Word of the Lord Satisfies Life's Disappointments (vv. 1-6)
Abram had answered God's call and followed God faithfully. Still, there was a missing piece to the puzzle of God's promise: Abram did not have an heir. God's word corrected Abram's misunderstandings about his role in God's plan to bless the earth. The word of the Lord also confirms our purpose in God's plans, plans that are often beyond our comprehension. Further, the word of the Lord convinces us that faith and obedience are effective. Abram received a much needed word of reassurance. He "believed the Lord," or more accurately, he leaned upon the Lord. God was able to do what Abram was not.
II. Another Word of the Lord Strategically Details Life's Direction (vv. 7-11)
"I am the Lord," is the common formula of God's self-proclamation. Abram was old but not finished. When God spoke, his word renewed Abram's mission to possess the land. Even though Abram's life was not shaping up as he anticipated, God's plan was still the same. That word clarified Abram's vision by establishing a covenant and a call to action. The covenant became effective by Abram's obedience to follow God's instructions. With every step of obedience Abram grew more confident. When the birds of prey invaded the covenanting process, Abram drove them away as if he were driving away any remaining doubts about God. Abram had decided that nothing would stop him now!
III. The Word of the Lord Also Secures Life (vv. 12-15)
The darkness identifies insecurity that eventuates from fear and the unknown. God's word provides security for your life by terminating the turmoil of extreme persecution (v. 13). God's word also transposes injustice with extravagant prosperity (v. 14). You can be confident, just as Abram was, that God's justice reserves retribution for the faithless and reward for the faithful. Further, God's word transcends the temporal with eternal peace (v. 15). One sign of disfavor with God was to have no heir. Another sign of disfavor was to die prematurely, ravaged and dismembered in a battle of faith so that one's body parts could not be gathered for burial. God's promise assured Abram of his pleasure. Abram would live a long life, die in peace, and meet his ancestors in burial.
Look no further for a word to empower you to live successfully. God covenanted that day, to make real what he had already promised. Abram's vision ended with a likeness of God's presence, a flaming torch, and a likeness of his people's presence, a smoking fire pot, passing between the animal parts. The setting sun anticipated the dark years of Egyptian bondage, a bondage such as you may now feel. But through the darkness, God's promise flames with hope that you will be faithful and realize what God has already begun. The word of the Lord is the word for which you are searching. (Barry J. Beames)
HEROES NEEDED
PHILIPPIANS 3:17–4:1
"Brothers and sisters, join in imitating me, and observe those who live according to the example you have in us." Charles Barkley made himself famous by declaring that he was not a role model for children. Parents should be role models and I am not your parent, he said. Well, who are your role models? Who are your heroes?
The man had organized community action volunteers all over the southwest. He was meeting with another group of Christian volunteers and he asked two questions: Who are your heroes and who are your enemies? He told them Jesus could not be used as an answer. An interesting pair of questions: Whom do you want to be like and who are your enemies? These Christian volunteers had a horrible time with both questions. Most of the volunteers could name somebody whom they admired, but they refused to name anybody as an enemy.
Paul has no trouble with either one. You ought to be imitators of me, and those who are living like I am living, and your enemies are those who are enemies of the Cross.
I. We Learn to Walk with Christ as We Imitate the Heroes
Living in faith is not living by a rule book; it is catching the spirit, the flavor, the quality of life of another Christian. That is why the church lives by the spoken word, the lived life of fellow believers who walk with Christ. That is one reason each community of faith needs a few old saints. The Christian faith is not done by the numbers. It is an attitude that is caught.
It is like the gentleness of a Mother Teresa, to whom young women all over the world come to feel and to live in her spirit. The way artists want to paint alongside a great artist to catch the energy and the spirit of the master. Don't tell young Christians how to live; tell them who to copy, show them one who has been walking in the steps of Jesus for a lifetime and say, "Do it like she does. Copy the way he has struggled in his life."
II. Watch Out for the Enemies
There are enemies of the Cross. There are those who will try to tell you that nothing is really important enough to undergo sacrifice. There are those who would want to say that God wants everybody to be happy and prosperous and any talk of a Cross is a setback for God's goodness. Why all this talk about sin and confession and repentance? Be positive. You are a child of God and you were meant for wonderful things.
Many years ago there was a very popular book called I'm O.K. You're O.K. One of the Christian saints suggested what Jesus might say from the Cross to that notion, "If everybody is OK, what am I doing up here?"
One of the greatest enemies of the Cross is our fascination and preoccupation with material possessions, the things of this earth. For some it is what we will eat, and what we will wear, and what we will drive, and where we will vacation, and the list goes on of the things that can be enemies of the Cross of Jesus.
Christian people need to encourage one another to have Christian heroes, Christian models. Young Christian disciples need to be encouraged to get to know the saints of a church and to listen to them. And we need to stop pretending that we do not have enemies. There are enemies of the Cross and we need to identify them so we can do as Jesus tells us and love them. Jesus says love your enemies, and pray for them. How are we to follow those instructions if we do not admit that we have enemies and opposition? Paul says, "Copy me." The principle is still valid—there is always some gentle faithful saint within your Christian community you can copy. Find your heroes and know your enemies. If we can identify what we want to become and know who we do not want to look like, it strengthens us for the long journey to the joy and grace of God's kingdom. (Rick Brand )
BLESSED OPPOSITION
LUKE 13:31-35
Recently I heard about a congregation where, at the conclusion of a hymn a young man jumped to his feet and shouted at the people, "You don't mean a word of it! You sang, 'All to Jesus I surrender,' 'Where he leads me I will follow,' 'Jesus, I my cross have taken.' How many of us have done or would really do that?" The congregation sat stunned under the impact of his words. The question haunted the people as they sat in the pews speechless, even after they realized the outburst was a preplanned part of the youth-sponsored special service (from William Powell Tuck, The Way for All Seasons, 163).
Do we really want to follow wherever Christ leads? Have we surrendered all to Jesus? Have we taken up the cross as our own? Those are tough questions. But they are not to be avoided if we intend to take Jesus Christ seriously. He never suggested that he would be content with the spare time or spare energy or spare change of his followers. He set no limits on the loyalty he expected, no constraints on the commitment he required. He not only insisted that his followers be distinctive in their devotion to him, he also told them that they should expect to suffer for that devotion.
As the ministry of Jesus neared its climax, he traveled to Jerusalem, teaching and healing along the way. The disciples knew that Jesus was heading for trouble. He was about to intrude on the center of the Jewish political and religious establishment. Others were concerned as well. Some Pharisees came to warn him. Pharisees were often opponents of Jesus. They were rigidly righteous and by their standards Jesus looked like a spiritual slouch, inattentive to the finer points of the Mosaic law. But apparently not all the Pharisees had it in for Jesus. A few of them came to warn him that King Herod wanted him dead. "Turn back," they urged.
Maybe you've heard warnings like that at one time or another. Perhaps you didn't like the way people on the bottom rung of the company you work for are treated. You saw that the working conditions are poor. They're underpaid. They're not dealt with respectfully by certain supervisors. You were about to take the matter to top management but more experienced voices in the company said, "Turn back!" Or maybe where you work some product that is being made isn't reliable or safe. Others know this but they hid the truth because its correction was too costly or convenient. You began to speak up but some warned, "Turn back!"
Or maybe you're at school and you see just how rotten some students are treated. Maybe they don't dress as nice or look a little goofy or tend to be awkward or tongue-tied. So they get teased a lot, never included. You decide to reach out and be a friend but other people in your circle say "Turn back!" You might find yourself rejected too. It's hard to do the right thing when you might have to pay a high price for it.
So the Pharisees warned Jesus to turn back and not to go to Jerusalem. Herod had already killed John the Baptist. Jesus would be next. But instead of heeding the warning, Jesus had a mission to accomplish. Threats and the likelihood of death would not turn him from his path. Regardless of the cost, he intended to do what God had called him to do.
How many of us are willing to do what God calls us to do? Isn't it true that we often reinterpret the will of God so that it fits more comfortably with our spiritual timidity? We squirm under the very thought of facing opposition, rejection, ridicule. So we define for ourselves a notion of faithfulness that will not seriously put us at odds with the mainstream of our cultures. Our Lord expects better of us.
In the historically based movie Braveheart, William Wallace rallies the people of medieval Scotland to fight for freedom against the oppressive and much more powerful forces of England. The Scottish nobles want to come to terms with the English because they fear for their lives. Wallace, challenging them to stand firm, declares, "All men die but not all truly live!" In different words, Jesus said the same thing. Some have listened and found strength to follow him.
Clarence Jordan, founder of the innovative interracial community Koinonia Farm in Americus, Georgia, endured much harassment, threats, and attacks. He was visiting with a minister in a less controversial church. The man gave Jordan a tour of the building. The minister showed him the lovely stained glass and beautifully designed sanctuary. Then they stepped outside and the minister lifted his arm and pointed to the huge cross atop the steeple. "That cross alone cost well over $10,000," he said. "You got cheated!" Jordan declared. "Times were when Christians could get them for free."
One of the leading contemporary thinkers said, "In Christianity the cross is everything that deserves to be called Christian." The cross tells us that survival is overrated. Faithfulness to God is what matters most of all. The faithfulness of Christ won for us salvation. Our faithfulness, regardless of the cost, is our glad gratitude to the One to whom we owe all. (Craig M. Watts)
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