What's in a Name?

What is in a Name? ,Exodus Chapter 3: 1-15
Dean Smith

Our Hebrew Text Today is from Exodus Chapter 3, verses 1-15.
As our story begins, Moses is living the nomadic life of a pastoralists with his family and the family of his father in law Jethro. Far from Egypt and the royal trappings of his early life, he has become a simple sheppard. While watching his flock he is intrigued by a distant fire that appears to not smoke. Please listen while I read from the New International Version:

1 Now Moses was tending the flock of Jethro his father-in-law, the priest of Midian, and he led the flock to the far side of the desert and came to Horeb, the mountain of God. 2 There the angel of the LORD appeared to him in flames of fire from within a bush. Moses saw that though the bush was on fire it did not burn up. 3 So Moses thought, "I will go over and see this strange sight—why the bush does not burn up."

4 When the LORD saw that he had gone over to look, God called to him from within the bush, "Moses! Moses!"
And Moses said, "Here I am."

5 "Do not come any closer," God said. "Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy ground." 6 Then he said, "I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob." At this, Moses hid his face, because he was afraid to look at God.

7 The LORD said, "I have indeed seen the misery of my people in Egypt. I have heard them crying out because of their slave drivers, and I am concerned about their suffering. 8 So I have come down to rescue them from the hand of the Egyptians and to bring them up out of that land into a good and spacious land, a land flowing with milk and honey—the home of the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites. 9 And now the cry of the Israelites has reached me, and I have seen the way the Egyptians are oppressing them. 10 So now, go. I am sending you to Pharaoh to bring my people the Israelites out of Egypt."

11 But Moses said to God, "Who am I, that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?"

12 And God said, "I will be with you. And this will be the sign to you that it is I who have sent you: When you have brought the people out of Egypt, you [a] will worship God on this mountain."

13 Moses said to God, "Suppose I go to the Israelites and say to them, 'The God of your fathers has sent me to you,' and they ask me, 'What is his name?' Then what shall I tell them?"

14 God said to Moses, "I am who I am . [b] This is what you are to say to the Israelites: 'I AM has sent me to you.' "

15 God also said to Moses, "Say to the Israelites, 'The LORD, [c] the God of your fathers—the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob—has sent me to you.' This is my name forever, the name by which I am to be remembered from generation to generation.

Today I would like to talk about names. People often use the phrase ‘first name basis’ to describe people that they know relatively well. It often refers to a person who is known well enough to talk with openly. As a middle school teacher, I know the importance of learning the first names of my students. When you can call on a child by her or his first name, you create a connection. This, of course, is one of the biggest problems for substitute teachers. Students instinctively know that they are not as accountable if they are just one of a group in a class.

During the first couple of days of school each September, I set aside some time to play some form of the ‘name game.’ Every successful teacher I know has some form of this game in her or his bag of tricks. These games help the students to know each other, and probably more importantly, help the teacher to know the students. In one of my classroom games, students sit in a circle and share their name and a favorite hobby. The students next pass around a ball and attempt to remember the hobby and name of the student who had the ball last. I must admit that as I have gotten older, this game has become a bit more difficult.

Tom Chiarella of Esquire magazine wrote that using a person's name confers a strange power. In the world of influence, he writes, "names are money. "Schoolteachers know it. Bartenders know it. Salesmen know it. Very polite children know it. " These people have figured it out. A name well used makes people feel seen.

Names today, of course, can be almost anything. Parents often prize themselves on their creativity. Sometimes, we know this makes it difficult for kids growing up with names like Apple, Sage Brush, London Bridge, or Shayd Green. If you want more examples, just Google the names of Frank Zappa’s children. USA Today recently reported on a case in Italy, however, where a court ruled that a family could not name their child Friday. The court ruled that it would bring the child shame and ridicule to be named after the character in Robinson Crusoe. In America, of course, there are no courts to regulate the creativity of ones parents. Many books have been written to guide the less creative and there are also websites updated frequently with the most popular baby names.

Now historically, many names were given to young children in order to honor important people from the Old and New Testaments. Names like Rebecca, Rachel, Mathew, Mark, and Thomas and many more come right from the Bible. In the medieval and classical world, names were often given as descriptors. In large Roman families, children usually shared their names. Siblings were often differentiated with nicknames such as ‘the elder’ or the ‘younger.’ Girls often took on the feminine form of their father’s last name. If a family had more than two daughters, they were often distinguished by ordinal numbers: For example, Cornelia Quinta, the fifth daughter of a Cornelius. Men often have had names like ‘the bald,’ ‘the fat,’ or the ‘unready.’ Names are indeed important in our society and truly then can be very powerful.

In our scriptural reading today, God has called out to Moses from a burning bush. As we are told, this bush is not consumed by the fiery presence of the Lord’s Holy Spirit. God tells Moses to go to Egypt to set His people free. God explains that he knows that His children are hungry and that they are suffering. Moses is to be sent to bring the Lord’s people out of bondage and slavery in the sinful lands of pharaoh and he is charged with bringing the Lord’s people home. This, of course, was a very important mission. We know historically that it will be a most important service to God’s people. Moses, however, was not all that excited by God’s call. In at attempt to get excused, if you will, he provided a list of reasons as to why he felt he was unsuited for this task. One of his concerns is that he does not know by what name to refer to God when he goes to the children of Israel in Egypt. Remember that Moses had been raised in pharaoh’s household.

Moses has no doubt been well exposed to the polytheism of Egypt. He has also been living in the western desert with his father in law Jethro, the priest of Midian. In the ancient world, nearly every town, mountain, or well spring seemed to have an associated god named with it. Moses asks God, if “I am going to the sons of Israel, and I will say to them, the God of your fathers has sent me to you,’ they may say to me “what is His name?” What shall I say to them?

At this point, I believe that God gives one of the most important theological statements in all of scripture. God declares in Exodus 3, verse 13, “I AM WHO I AM,” and he said, “Thus you shall say to the sons of Israel, “I AM has sent me to you.”

God goes on to say, “The Lord, the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Israel, and the God of Jacob has sent me to you.” This is MY name forever, and this is MY memorial name to all generations. ”

Wow! God has named Himself. Above all names that we humans pick to show our affection and our worship and devotion, this name must be revered. For this name was given by the Lord Himself. As a purely theological statement, this name rises above all others. Consider the awesome name that God uses for Himself when you consider Biblical stories from creation in Genesis, through Jobe and the Whirlwind, to John chapter 1, verse 1. All things are because of Him. HE IS, and creation exists because HE IS. God tells Moses to tell the children if Israel, “I AM WHO I AM, I AM has sent you.”

There are many names, many descriptors, which can be used for God. In fact, the Bible uses many different names. The name Adonai, which means Lord of All, occurs 449 times in the Old Testament. Elohim, the Strong One, is used more than 2500 times in the Old Testament. El Shaddai, one of my favorites, is probably best translated as the "Mountain." El Olam, means Everlasting God. With Jesus Christ, we have Emmanuel, God is with us. All of these names and more are used for our Lord. The name Yahweh, sometimes pronounced Jehovah, occurs more frequently than any other divine name. One estimate had it appearing 6828 times in the Old Testament. Yahweh is defined by many such as the Catholic Encyclopedia as meaning "He who WILL BE, IS, and HAS BEEN". All of these names are important and each provides a different view of our God.

My friend and minister, Gary Wolfer, has suggested a reason for why God decided to introduce Himself to Moses with this name. The truth is that Moses was afraid. He was afraid of this new God. Moses was afraid of this new mission and he was afraid to go back to Egypt. I believe that God is telling Moses, “I AM” now in the present and as you go to Egypt, I AM with you. As you confront the most powerful king on earth, I AM with you. As you lead MY people back to ME, I AM with you. I think that God was telling Moses: If you have faith Moses, to go to Egypt and confront Pharoh, I Will be right there beside you. The God of Moses, the God of Jesus is present throughout our history because God desires our presence and because He chooses us to join in His Holy work.

I AM, is the present tense, vocative for you grammarians. He alone IS and we are because of Him. In an ancient world where hundreds of god sprits were worshiped, the only true God calls Himself ‘I AM’. He exists. The Good News of Moses’ story is that Moses was sent by the God who is real, the God who IS, and the God by whose very word makes all things. I am memorized by the simple awesome wisdom of this name. He is certainly All Powerful, a God of Peace, Certainly, Creator and Sustainer of all things, truly, but most importantly, He alone, in His very words, HE IS.

I invite you to also consider that I AM is found in both the Old Testament and the New Testament. In the Gospel of John, we read that Jesus said:

· I AM the bread of life John 6.35

· I AM the light of the world. John 8.12

· I AM the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, yet he shall live. John 11.25

God Is, Jesus Is, and through God’s Creation and through Jesus’ saving Grace, we are. There is truly power in this name. If God’s name is timeless as I believe it is, and if his words and mission are timeless, and truly the Bible proclaims that they are, than we should also consider that this piece of scripture from Exodus 3 holds timeless words for us too. I believe that God uses this piece of scripture to tell us now in the 21st Century that HE IS and He uses this same scripture to call us to his service. In Exodus, God tells us through Moses that His name shall be remembered to all generations.

In this way, the God who sent Moses out to serve his people IS today sending us out to serve His church. The God who sent out Moses to free His people from bondage is sending us out today to deliver His people from bondage. Whether the bondage be actual slavery or any kind of inhumane abuse which is still seen in many parts of the world or whether it be neglect and malnutrition in our own neighborhoods, the Great I AM calls us to set His people free today.

We have considered names in their social context and we have seen how speaking to people using their own names help us to form connections. They help us feel seen. We know that names are deeply rooted in our culture. Finally, and most importantly, we found in scripture; a divine first person use of a name. God emphatically tells us His own name and He tells us how it describes God. From everlasting to everlasting, God is speaking to us “I AM” the eternal now, I AM with you always.

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January 20th, 2008
Hopewell
Scripture: Isaiah 49, 1-9 & John 4, 5-15

Sailors are notoriously superstitious when it comes to naming their ships. A ship’s name might denote its challenge, such as Enterprise, or the love of the Captain’s life. When not named after famous leaders, ship names often refer to a desire for success and safety in the coming travels. The name Hopewell fits this category and there have been many very different ships named Hopewell. The Destroyer USS Hopewell served from 1943 in the middle of World War II through the Korean and Vietnam Wars. Hopewell is also the name of the ship that carried Governor White and Raleigh’s colonists to Roanoke Island. I found a 1635 passenger list of colonists coming to Virginia on a ship named Hopewell. In 1833, a ship named Hopewell explored the islands off of Antarctica and encouraged the colonization of the Falklands. Notably, it was the name of the ship that Henry Hudson used for his first two journeys in North America.
Well, today I am not going to talk about naval history and I do not know anymore about ships named Hopewell. But I do want to talk about trusting in hope. In the Hebrew scripture that Braydon read for us, the prophet Isaiah shares God’s words of hope to a defeated people. The nation’s armies have been crushed by its enemies and the people’s homes and even the Lord’s temple itself have been sacked. Yet in the midst of this despair, God promises to restore the people and to restore the land. He promises that the Holy One will come. He will restore the tribes of Jacob and be a Light to the Gentiles.
In the Gospel reading, Jesus meets the Samaritan woman at a well where he is resting. In the course of their conversation, he tells her that he can offer her the water of life. She learns that He is the source of that spring and she is offered eternal life. It might seem to some listening that this woman was lucky enough to be standing by a true wishing well. I don’t think that was the case though.
Now Braydon turns 15 on Tuesday and I am sure that we will have a pie for him with a traditional birthday candle or two. Braydon does not really care for cake. Pie is usually his dessert of preference. We will sing happy birthday and then ask him to make a wish. Wishing is not just a traditional birthday activity. It is evident throughout our culture. Kids learn at an early age to wish on a falling star. Beauty contestants wish for world peace. Best wishes are sent in Christmas cards and kids often make their “wish” lists. When I was growing up, we always wished upon a truck loaded with hay. I do not know where that custom originated. It must have come from my mother’s English tradition. Wishes are often seen as expressions of good will. We wish people happy Birthday and Good Luck with a game.
Personally, I think that wishes are perfectly healthy. They reflect an individual’s expressed desires. Sometimes these desires might seem selfish, but most dreams are not bad in and of themselves. Wishes are rooted deep in our cultural psyche. Fairytales are often solved by the good fairy godmother who bestows a wish to the honest yet unsophisticated hero. The hero or heroines’ simple naivety keeps the wish pure. Just as often, of course, we find crafty genies and corrupt magicians who grant the kinds of wishes that do more harm than good.
This brings to mind the ancient Greek story of King Minus. According to legend, the king wished that everything he touched would turn to gold. He got his wish but then found that he could not touch his family or try to eat food without tragedy.
Wishes are desires. Some desires are free of any vices such as jealousy or self engrandizement. Most wishes, I am sure, only desire a positive outcome. Other wishes, of course, might be a bit more selfish or otherwise negative.
I realize that in today’s lexicon, we might occasionally use the two words, wish and hope, interchangeably. But, in my opinion, hope is much different from a wish. Hope embodies a selfless spirit of goodwill whether it is for ones self, a loved one, family, group, or a community. In the New Testament book First Peter, the author claims that the Lord has given us new birth into a LIVING HOPE through the resurrection of Jesus. That Living Hope, (1 Peter 1:3) Elpida zosan is rooted in God’s love for His people. John Wesley, in his XVIII sermon titled Marks of the New Birth contrasted Peter’s Living Hope with what he called a ‘dead hope.’ He defined this as a hope which is not from God. Wesley claimed that “such dead hopes evidently appear by its fruits; for, as it is the offspring of pride.”
Wesley went on to say:
This hope implies, First, the testimony of our own spirit or conscience, that we walk "in simplicity and godly sincerity;" Secondly, the testimony of the Spirit of God, "bearing witness with," or to, "our spirit, that we are the children of God…"
I think that it was Wesley’s belief that when our desires are rooted in God’s love, whether that desire is peace in the Middle East or a healthy diagnosis from a child’s doctor, this is a living lope. When the Spirit of the Lord walks with us, when our desires are openly offered up to our God and when they are seen with His desire for His children, then they are a living hope, they are living in our faith in Him. Simply put, place your dreams in a living hope that is rooted in your faith in God. Trust your dreams to God.
Senator Barrack Obama, in a speech of few years back, spoke of the hope of slaves sitting around a fire singing freedom songs; the hope of immigrants setting out for distant shores and of the hope of soldiers serving in foreign lands. Hope, in the face of difficulty, hope in the face of uncertainty, it is a belief in things not seen and a belief that there are better days ahead; it is a true gift from God.
Hope went with the navigator Henry Hudson when he sailed to explore an unknown world. Hope gave Harriet Tubman the ability to travel back to the Confederate South time after time to smuggle out slaves on the under ground railroad. Hope filled the hearts of British citizens throughout the island when Winston Churchill promised that they would fight Hitler. Hope strengthened besieged American soldiers at Bastogne and it strengthens those who serve in the military today. Hope gave Lincoln the ability to look past the deadliest American war to a great future union. Every day, it is hope that strengthens children and families who fight the battle of cancer. For some, there is a hope for one more week. These are not wishes. These are examples of living hope, a hope that is living in our Lord.
One may wish for a million dollars or hope for the ability to provide financial security to her kids, one might wish on a football game but still hope for a cure to a vicious disease. Some kids wish for the newest Air Jordan XXIII shoes while others hope for an end to famine. Some might wish on a star for direction while others hope on the Lord. Sometimes we are called to be agents of a living hope by praying for others, by serving in mission, by giving to our church and to the needy, by making choices that serve Him rather than serve ourselves.
It is true that sometimes in our walk; the answer to our prayers is not what we desire. Sometimes the Lord says no to our requests. Still, we lift up our hopes in our prayers. Every Sunday, we here at Prosser UMC and we the Body of Christ around the world, we pray for people who are hurting in our families, community, and the world. We lift up the desires of our heart for the health of His children. Sometimes His answer may not be what we desire, but when we bring these our hopes to Him, they are not merely wishes but are a living hope.
Jesus told the Samaritan woman that He offered the Water of Life. By trusting in His Word, she would have eternal life. When we trust today in His Word, we too can have eternal life. The well of life, Jesus’ well of the Water of Life, not a wishing well, it truly is the Hope Well.

Last Updated: November 25, 2007
Isn’t it Ironic? Luke 23:33-43 (English Standard Vision) November 25, 2007
33 And when they came to the place that is called The Skull, there they crucified him, and the criminals, one on his right and one on his left. 34And Jesus said, "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do." And they cast lots to divide his garments. 35And( the people stood by, watching, but the rulers scoffed at him, saying, "He saved others; let him save himself, if he is the Christ of God, his Chosen One!" 36The soldiers also mocked him, coming up and offering him sour wine 37and saying, "If you are the King of the Jews, save yourself!" 38 There was also an inscription over him, "THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS."
39 One of the criminals who were hanged railed at him, saying, "Are you not the Christ? Save yourself and us!" 40But the other rebuked him, saying, "Do you not fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? 41And we indeed justly, for we are receiving the due reward of our deeds; but this man has done nothing wrong." 42And he said, "Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom." 43And he said to him, "Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise."
Isn't it Ironic: Today’s lectionary reading seems a bit out of place. In fact, the Christian year is about to start a new year with Advent next week. Yet here we are reading about the death of Jesus. Surely it would seem that this story in Luke should be part of the Easter Holy week celebration. I ask you to ask yourself, why would the authors of the common lectionary put this reading from Luke right before our Advent and Christmas celebrations?
Our scripture begins with soldiers mocking Jesus as King. Mathew tells us they even made him a crown of thorns. He is ridiculed by soldiers and criminals alike. After casting lots for his clothes, soldiers post a sign above his head that reads; here is the King of the Jews. According to the King James version and the Latin Vulgate, it is written in Latin, Greek, and Hebrew; the languages of the Roman world. While enduring the pain of crucifixion, he asks God to forgive those executing Him and He promises salvation to a criminal who believes in Him.
I have often been impressed by the monumental burials of ancient kings. The Norse men buried their kings in their own giant wooden war ships along with booty stolen from various lands. The great Chinese emperor Xin was buried with tens of thousands of life sized terracotta soldiers and horsemen. Kila and I were lucky enough to see some of these statues at Expo 86 in Vancouver. Probably the most famous of all was the ancient Egyptian pharaohs, whose near worship of death is still visible in phenomenal treasures such as Tutankhamen’s solid gold death mask and the giant pyramids. Indeed, the world over, kings have often gone to great extremes to mark their burials.
The wooden cross of Jesus, of course, does not seem such a marvel. In a most ironic move, all four gospel witnesses agree that roman soldiers chose to put a sign over Jesus head that read "Hic Est Rex Iudaeorum" in Latin, or “Here is the King of the Jews.” No stone tomb evidently will be provided this Jesus. He is not buried in a ship full of treasure but rather a donated crypt. The only monument erected for Him is this epitaph posted by the unbelieving soldiers. "Here is the King of the Jews" Their attempt to Mock Jesus is recorded by each Gospel writer in cold irony. Here is the King of the Jews. Isn’t it curious how in their mocking, those who rejected him were affirming His Truth?
Though irony is not often praised, it is a valuable tool in literature. Humorists from Will Rogers to Steve Martin are happy to use it. The truth is, of course, that very often we learn from Irony. There is a popular song by Alanis Morissette called, “Isn’t it Ironic.” Morissette lists what she believes to be various examples of irony such as rain on your wedding day. For some, these might seem to be ironic. For me, however, they sound more like bad luck.
The creator of the Jarvic artificial heart explains how he was going to college to be an architect. However, after his dad got sick with heart problems, he decided to go into medicine. The misfortune of the father’s heart attack became a huge benefit for all mankind. That is the happy irony, but perhaps less poetic for a song.
Speaking of a song, how many of you have heard the story from Dolly Parton about her coat of many colors? According to Parton, it is her favorite song she ever wrote.1 Dolly grew up in a poor home in Appalachia. When she was a child, her parents couldn't afford to buy her a coat for the cold winter. Her mother was given a box of rags, and from it, she sewed together a coat for Dolly. As she did so, she told her daughter the story of Joseph from the Bible and his coat of many colors and how Abraham gave a coat of many colors to his favorite son, Joseph. In her song, Dolly writes that she couldn’t wait to wear her coat of many colors to school. When she got to school, however, she found that the other students made fun of her for being poor. She writes:

So with patches on my britches
Holes in both my shoes
In my coat of many colors
I hurried off to school
Just to find the others laughing
And making fun of me
In my coat of many colors
My momma made for me

She continues; I couldn't understand it, for I felt I was rich
And I told them of the love my mama sewed in every stitch
And I told them all the story mama told me while she sewed
And how my Coat of Many Colors was worth more than all their clothes
The song concludes with Parton singing the moral of her story:
One is only poor, only if you choose to be
Although we had no money, I was rich as I could be
In my Coat of Many Colors my mama made for me.2
Parton’s song reached fourth on the Country charts and the album was ranked number 299 on Rolling Stone magazine's list of the 500 greatest albums of all time.3 Consider the Irony of this coat which now resides in Chasing Rainbows Museum in Dollywood, Tennessee. Dollywood ranks in the top 50 theme parks worldwide, and it is Tennessee's top commercial attraction with 2.2 million people visiting each year. Her coat would probably now sell for more money than the clothes of all of the kids in the school combined and many times over. That is a bit ironic.
Harcourt’s Standard Dictionary, 1957, defines Irony as a “…discourse in which what is literally said is meant to express its opposite.1” The American Heritage Dictionary goes on to define Socratic irony as a “profession of ignorance and of a willingness to learn …2
In Irony, it is the exception that proves the rule. True irony can be like the light house in the dark that is so out of place that it teaches the right way. Today’s scripture is all about irony and it is about using that irony to understand the deeper message. Irony is forcing a man to wear a crown, the symbol of lordship that is made of thorns that tears into the skin. Irony is when that man is the Anointed of God. It is the irony of the Gospel that God comes to save us and we execute him. It is the real irony of the Gospel that He uses that execution to offer us redemption.
Consider if you will the irony of the Father of the prodigal son who squandered his inheritance. Yet here is that father waiting each night on his porch, waiting for the return of his son. Ironic for me is the hated Samaritan, who gave of his own to help treat a Jewish man. Now the Jews detested the Samaritans and felt that they did not practice the true faith. But in Jesus’ story, the irony is that it is not the lawyer or priest who cares for the man but a Samaritan who his people detest. Isn’t that ironic?
Why would a shepherd leave 99 sheep to go looking for one that was lost? That is just so odd. Why would that one sheep matter so much?
As Advent season approaches, consider the irony of a King who is proclaimed by angels but born in a cattle manger. Consider the irony of a child given gold, frankincense, and myrrh at birth and crucified a common criminal. To me, ironic is a Creator God making Himself a man so that His created people can know Him. This holiday season, there are many ironies in our community, nation, and world. We have those who waste while others starve. Kids who never ski buy the most expensive ski jackets while others shiver without a coat. In the richest country in the world, we fail far too often to provide basic nutrition, clothing, and health to our poorest neighbors. This is truly ironic. But we can learn from these ironies. We can turn them into opportunities. That is ironic. We have the ability to turn pain into an opportunity to serve our Lord and our neighbors. In three languages, John tells us the sign read "Hic Est Rex Iudaeorum" Our King is Here. Truly, He reigns today.
1-3 Wikipedia
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The Bible Version DebateTuesday, June 19th, 2007

In our scripture for today, John reminds us that there were many parts of Jesus’ life that are not recorded in the scripture. Obviously large parts of Christ’s life is left out of the Bible. We know of His birth, we know of an adolescent trip to Jerusalem with His parents, and we know a great deal about His ministry that filled the last few years of His life. We know instinctively, then, that there are many parts of our Lord’s life that we do not have recorded. Still by faith we believe that we do have sufficient evidence of His life and a record of His message for us. The scripture, therefore, is incomplete regarding the daily events of Jesus’ life and yet it is fully sufficient for us.

Listen to the King James version as it records the Gospel of John, Chapter 20:verses 30 & 31. “And many other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book: But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name."

Just so that you know, The Contemporary English Version of the Bible phrases it this way; “Jesus worked many other miracles for his disciples, and not all of them are written in this book. But these are written so that you will put your faith in Jesus as the Messiah and the Son of God. If you have faith in him, you will have true life.”

The King James Version uses words that are a little more dated. Rarely do many people today use the phrase “that ye might believe.” The CEV uses vocabulary that is a little more appropriate to the 20th or now 21st Century. Some people no doubt like the poetic beauty of the seventeenth century writing while others are more comfortable with the modern writing. Both translations, however, translate John’s testimony that the Gospel was recorded in order to bring us faith and life.

Finding an agreeable translation for every person is, of course, not always easy. Every generation has a story about how different words have morphed over the years. As a middle school teacher, I can tell you that expressions such as “groovy” are definitely no longer in the adolescent vocabulary. I also learned the “sick” and “phat,” spelled with a “ph,” are the new slang terms for the 1980’s “cool” or the 1940’s “swish.” Some times teenage slang appears as foreign as conversational Spanish 101. This of course, is nothing new.

Consider the story of a rather old fashioned lady who was once planning a two week vacation with her husband to a particular camping ground in Sydney Australia. Always one to be proper, she wrote to a particular camping ground and asked for a reservation. Now a bit on the shy size, she wanted to make sure that the camping ground was fully equipped, but didn't know quite how to ask about the toilet facilities. She just couldn't bring herself to write the word "toilet" in her letter.
After much thought, she finally came up with the old fashioned term "Bathroom closet" but when she wrote it down, she still thought she was being too forward, so she started all over again, rewrote the letter, and translated the bathroom closet as the B.C."Does the camping ground have it's own “B.C." is what she wrote.
Well, the camping ground owner wasn't a bit old fashioned, and he just couldn't figure out what the old lady was talking about, so he showed the letter around a few of the campers and the only thing they could translate for B.C. was Baptists Church, so he wrote the following reply. Dear Madam,I regret very much the delay in answering your letter, but I now take the pleasure of informing you that a B.C. is located nine miles north of our camping ground, and is capable of seating 250 people at one time.I admit that it is quite a distance away if you are in the habit of going regularly but no doubt you will be pleased to know that a great number of campers go there and many take their lunches along and make a day of it. They usually arrive nice and early and stay quite late.The last time my wife and I went was six years ago, and it was so crowded we had to stand up the whole time we were there. It may interest you to know that there is a special supper planned there to raise money to buy more seats so that everyone will be able to sit in comfort.I would like to say that it pains me very much not to be able to go more regularly, but it is surely no lack of desire on my part, just that I am so busy most of the time.As we grow older, it seems to be more of an effort to go, especially in the cold weather. If you decide to come down to our camping ground perhaps I could go with you the first time you go, sit with you and introduce you to all the other folks.The letter ended, Remember this is a very friendly community.

I too have had some unique experiences with the difficulty of translating my meaning into a different language. My mom is a Brit, and try as you might to deny it, they really do speak a different language over there. I thought that I knew most of the Queen’s vocabulary having grown up with a Nottingham mum but when I went to school in England, I got quite an education.
One day I was working at an archaeological dig and it was quite hot. After a full day in the dirt digging, my mate Miles asked me if I would like to join in for a drink at the Pub. That sounded great. I said “sure, let me just go and change my pants.” Now Miles and the other students’ look of astonishment didn’t phase me. Of course, at the time I did not know that in England your pants are your underwear. As my friend looked at me I said “Well, they are dirty you know.”
Clearly I had a lot to learn about translation.

As many of you know, I have a lot of hobbies. From ancient history to StarTrek, I can be rather eclectic. You may not know that I collect Bibles. I do not know when it started or why but for some reason I like to read the scriptures from various eclectic sources. My oldest Bible is really not all that ancient, it is a King James Version from about the time of the Civil War. I once found a late Eighteenth century version on EBay but by the time I was ready to make a bid, it had jumped well past my means. This may be a surprise to some, but Bible collecting has become very popular. One of the unfortunate truths is that traders on the Internet have started shredding Bibles of the Fifteenth, Sixteenth, and Seventeenth centuries so that they can be sold a page at a time. That seems like a sin; maybe that was the 11th commandment missed by Moses.
Most of my Bibles have all been printed in the last fifty years. I have around twenty King James versions and several contemporary versions such as the New Century Version, RSV, NIV, and the Good News. I have a Parallel Bible that includes four translations, a Latin Vulgate, a couple of German testaments (though I can not read a word,) and a growing number of Greek New Testaments thanks to Gary’s Monday evening class.
For me, reading the scriptures through the voices of different translators has added a depth of dimension. I was truly surprised, therefore a few months ago when I was talking with a friend about my collection and she told me that her son was at a seminary that only uses the King James version. In fact, all other translations are considered flawed. I thought this was a joke, but I soon learned that it is indeed a very serious debate. I was curious and began researching the King James-Only debate.
At this time, having read only a few books on the topic, I am an admitted novice to the question. The debate centers on the manuscripts used to write the early English versions of the Bible. For a millennium and a half, the Catholic church had used Jerome’s Latin Vulgate and there was no real argument on what the Church had accepted. In a world of little wealth and a staggering 3-5% literacy rate, For the most part, only clergymen and some nobility had access to a Bible. It was their charge to interpret it for the masses. With Martin Luther and the Reformation, however, the idea of translating the scriptures into the language of the people spread rapidly across the continent.
In England, early translators such as Whycliff were called heretics but eventually, the idea was accepted. The Great Bible was commissioned in the reign of Henry VIII and in 1611, during the reign of James Stuart, the King James Version was printed.
Instead of just translating the Latin Vulgate into English, the translators decided to go back to the original Greek that the New Testament authors had used. The problem was that for fifteen hundred years, the words had been copied and recopied by scribes. These pre-printing press manuscripts all showed slight word changes. Like the kids’ game of telephone, as the years and the millennia passed, manuscript copies inevitably contained slight word differences. In fact, of the more than five thousand pre-Guttenberg printing press manuscripts available to us today, no one is exactly the same. Not one!
This meant, of course, that the translators would be required to look through a great many different manuscripts and try and pick the words that agree most of the time. The translators of the King James Version had access to a very small number of manuscripts and none of them were complete. Where they may have lacked in the quantity of available manuscripts they excelled in language. The translators crafted a truly beautiful rendition of the scripture.
Near the end of the Nineteenth Century, modern translators began to look at the larger body of manuscripts that had been collected by scholars across Europe. By comparing the text from thousands of available manuscripts, the scholars tried to piece together the words of the lost originals. In the past one hundred years, various Bible translations have been published. Some versions like the American Standard Version do their best to carefully translate every word verbatim. Other versions such as the Living Bible and Good News concentrate on translating the idea or message from the text and more freely substitute modern words in order to preserve the significance of the text.
The debate has turned many evangelicals against themselves. If scripture, the Word of God, is indeed infallible then how can there be multiple and quite different translations of the one Word? For those who believe that the Bible is without error, the publishing of various translations with clear differences in syntax and lexicon can be a concern. Though advocates of the King James-Only debate base their argument on a much more thorough case for the validity of a small specific set of manuscripts, I believe that a part of their call for the supremacy of the King James Version comes from a desire to have a single standard translation.
While this may just seem to be an academic debate, you should know that it has unfortunately divided a number of congregations. There are strong opinions on both sides of the argument. But, are you ready for the miracle? Get this! Of the thousands of pre Guttenberg manuscripts, there is not a single Christian belief that has changed or that is challenged by the different versions. More than five thousand manuscripts, all showing slight differences in text and vocabulary, and yet ALL confirm the story of Jesus. Not one of these ancient papyri contradicts the orthodox belief of the Trinity and the Spirit of the Gospel. Want to see a real miracle? Imagine how easy it is to pollute a story by just telling a few friends a story and then see how quickly the story changes. From the children’s game of telephone to TVs Entertainment Tonight, we have all seen how quickly a story can take on a life of its own. Yet through fifteen hundred years and thousands upon thousands of scribes, the story of God remained the same. God preserved His story through the multiple witnesses of countless manuscript versions. That is for me a great miracle.
As I have noted, there are those that enjoy the beauty of the seventeenth century vocabulary of the King James version. Others enjoy various flavors of the modern translations, however, the message remains the same. As my sister in law Suzanne pointed out, good bread on a cracked plate, is still good bread. Regardless of the fact that there might be some disagreeable words in various translations, the Word of God remains true. The word of God, in the King James Version, The NIV, a Korean translation, or any other true translation, remains the Bread of Life.
Now I realize that I have done an abominable job of summarizing the King James-Only or the revised textual theories. As noted, many full length books have been written on the debate. But perhaps we are missing the forest for the trees. Before I knew of this debate, a debate which still seems rather silly to me, I knew only that our Bible had been handed down for nearly two millennia. Now that I understand the process by which the story was passed down and the amazing truth of how God’s message has been preserved in so many different manuscripts, I find myself indebted to the argument if only to the fact that it has highlighted a true miracle of transmission. God’s game of Telephone does not get static. Unlike the popular TV commercials, there are no dropped calls from God. Through multiple lines, His word stays true.

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May 1, 2006
Scripture: Luke 24:36b-48 & Acts 3:12-19

WASL for Disciples
Once Upon a time, there was a woman who was taken from her husband and kids by a mean witch. She was transformed into a pretty rose that would sit in the witch’s garden along with several other identical rosebushes. Each of the rosebushes were the same shade of red, had identical fragrance, and shape. In fact, they all had the same number of petals, leaves, and thorns.
After much pleading, the witch agreed to let her visit her family every night when the sunset. But as soon as the sun rose in the morning, she would find herself one of the three identical rosebushes again. Still, she wanted to be with her family night and day, of course. She continued to plead for her freedom. Finally, the witch said that if her husband truly loved her, he could identify her among the other beautiful roses.
That night, she told her husband, “tomorrow morning go out to the field before noon and look at the witch’s rose garden. If you can pick a rose from the bush that is me, I will be set free.”
When the sun began to rise, she was suddenly gone and back in the garden. After tending to the children, but well before noon, her husband went to the field and found the beautiful red rosebushes exactly alike. He looked carefully and then picked a rose. Instantly his wife was returned to him. But how did he know which rosebush was his wife?
Truthfully, this puzzle had me stumped. We have here in our congregation some experts on roses and they, no doubt, probably already figured out that the husband just looked for the rosebush that had no dew on it. Since, after all, she was able to spend the night in her own house; she would not have been covered by the night’s dew.
Ok time to be honest here. When I first read the story, I didn’t get it. I was thinking that somehow his wife must have had a brighter shade of red or been a bit of a thorn in his side, if you know what I mean. Once I turned the page, however, it seemed so simple. Once I had someone explain the answer to me, that is, it seemed so clear that I wondered how I could have missed its meaning beforehand. You see, I am the kind of learner who needs to have things explained to me. Like I mentioned in the children’s message earlier, some learners like me get it best when people take the time to slowly explain things.
In our first scripture today, we read in Luke chapter 24 that following His resurrection, Jesus found the disciples in the upper room, the same room where he had shared the first communion with them. At this time, of course, following his unexpected execution and then the crazy stories of his missing body, His friends were no doubt a bit disheveled. Actually, I think I would use the term “freaked out.” Then, Jesus appeared to them. The scripture reports that he had some food and invited them to examine His wounds in order to fully believe. This helped the kinesthetic tactile or hands on learners, like Thomas. He then opened their minds to the scripture and explained their meaning.
This was not, of course, the first time that the Lord had spoken to the disciples about scripture. I want to be careful here and not offend anyone, but to tell you the truth; I don’t really think that the disciples were always the sharpest tools in the shed. There were quite a few instances where they seemed a bit thick. Jesus, of course, believed in NCLB, you know, No Christian Left Behind. Yup, Jesus the Master Teacher, was not going to let His disciples fail the Worshiper’s acts of service and love, that’s WASL for short.
So lets examine their early education. The Lord healed a sick Centurion’s child, raised a young man from the dead, healed lepers and the blind, and cast out demons. Yet on board a ship in a storm, the disciples despaired and called out to Jesus that they were going to be lost at sea. Perhaps they were not the best auditory learners.
Later, Jesus told the disciples that the Son of Man must suffer and Peter actually argued with Him. When they witnessed the miracle of the transfiguration and saw Jesus actually talking with Elijah and Moses, Peter was thinking about putting up a tent for the new guests. Maybe they were not always real visual learners either.
Did you know that after Jesus feed 5000 people with a couple loaves of bread and a few fish, He and the disciples got into a boat, and Jesus warned them, "Watch out for the yeast of the Pharisees and that of Herod?" According to Mark (8:14) the disciples thought that Jesus meant that since they didn’t have any bread for the journey, they shouldn't buy any bread from any Pharisee they might see on the other shore because something was wrong with the yeast they used. Jesus seemed a bit exasperated in Mathew 16:12 when he explained to them that they needed to be concerned about the words of the Pharisees. Actually, come to thing about it, they probably would not have done real well with metaphors on an SAT test either.
Right after hearing the Lord say that He would suffer and be condemned to death, the disciples, totally not getting His words, broke out into a debate as to who would sit at His right side and be the greatest of the disciples.
When Mary anointed Jesus with perfume, she was disciplined by the disciples for wasting expensive perfume that could have been sold for cash. When Jesus tried to tell them that He would soon be executed but then would be raised up after 3 days, they still didn't get it. In fact, on the night Jesus was arrested, the disciples ran for their lives. Peter couldn't even stand up to a servant girl who identified him as a friend of Jesus.
It really seemed like they just were not going to get it. They needed to hear, see, touch and then say it for themselves. But you know what, they did. Jesus opened their minds and their hearts, the Master and very patient Teacher once more explained the scriptures to them and they did finally get it. They were not left behind.
In our second scripture in Acts, we read that Peter and John explained to a large crowd that included priests and Pharisees that Jesus’ crucifixion had been foretold by the prophets. Through faith they explained the meaning of the scriptures and taught others to understand Jesus’ resurrection. Through the mercy of Christ, they got it and now they were the teachers.
In Washington State, the WASL, or Washington Assessment on Student Learning, is required for graduation. Students need to show that they are able to read and write. They need to show competency in mathematics and science. In short, they need to demonstrate a basic or standard degree of learning that the state feels is necessary to be a productive citizen.
WASL for disciples, that’s the Worshiper’s acts of service and love commands us to love our neighbors. It helps us to competently hear Gods voice, not just the buzz of the media. It requires us to demonstrate our ability to forgive others while serving with kindness. It calls on us to feed His sheep.
With the disciples WASL, of course, you don’t need a number 2 pencil, just the ability to believe, oh and this Teacher always gives “make ups.”
The noted bishop and church father, Saint Augustine once said that, “Understanding is the reward of faith. Therefore seek not to understand that you may believe, but believe that you may understand.” There with Jesus in the upper room, following His death and resurrection, when the disciples truly believed, they were ready to fully understand. God opens our eyes and opens our understanding so that when he opens the scriptures to us, we may open our mouths and tell others about Him. Jesus gives us the commission, the power, and the message.
Monday, April 24th, 2006

Sleeping in on Easter
Have you ever slept in a bit late and woken to the morning sunlight and birds’ chirping and warm morning activities of spring? Thanks to my wife, an early riser who frequently spoils me by taking care of the kids while I sleep, I have often been blessed with sleeping in on lazy Saturday spring mornings when the warming bright sun burns off the shadows of my bedroom and gently clears my mind. As my eyes adjust to the full color reality of my room and the night’s dreams dissipate from memory, I realize that I am part of the new day. Perhaps this is what it was like for the disciples. In Luke 24, we learn that Jesus joined them in the upper room. After visiting with the women who came to care for his body and then meeting with others who walked the road from Jerusalem, He went to his disciples in the upper room, traditionally the same place where he had shared communion with them. There, He opened their eyes to the scriptures and they finally began to fully understand. The friends who had walked with Him, who had given up their lives to follow Him, awoke to the meaning of the scriptures. It must have been amazing to have the Lord open up their minds to understand the words of the prophets. Where priests, Pharisees, and the governing elite had tried to show a monopoly in understanding the scriptures, suddenly the texts were made so clear to a bunch of fishermen. Like late sleepers, they were not the first to know of His resurrection on that first Easter. The day had already begun, the Son had already risen that morning. But maybe the fact that these loved disciples, these early founders of the church; maybe the fact that His own disciples were not the first means that even me, after sleeping in for such a very long time, I too can have the scriptures opened in my heart and I too can come to understand the true meaning of Easter.

Saturday, April 8th, 2006

When you are thirsty, ask.

In the Gospel of John, chapter 4, we read about a woman who is getting water at a Jacob’s well in a small Samaritan town named Sychar. As she fetches her water, Jesus sits down next to her and asks for a drink of water.The woman asks Jesus how, he, a Jew, could ask her, a Samaritan, for water. He tells her if she knew who she was addressing, she would ask Him for the water of life. Not really knowing what Jesus was offering, the woman asks for that water. He goes on to tell her that He knows that she has had many men and yet by telling her this, He shows her that He truly knows her. As the Lord reveals more to the woman, Jesus tells her that He is the Christ. As the disciplines approach, she goes off to tell the town folk. The apostles, meanwhile have returned from the food quest and are shocked to see that Jesus was talking to this woman. They offer Him food. He replies that He already has food. He is sustained by doing the Father’s work. Then He points to the woman now bringing back the town folk to meet Jesus and He remarks to His friends that the harvest approaches. Personally, I am intrigued by many of the deep elements in this story. First of all, Jesus ends up staying two days in this Samaritan town and the people came to know Jesus partly because of the witness of this woman. Jesus chose to come and talk to a woman who was not perfect of course, none of us are. But He did pick a person who many of the town folk may have called the least and yet by her faith, the town was truly blessed.Interestingly, we are never even told, as far as I can tell, if Jesus even received the cup of water he requested. Of course, He did not come to answer his thirst but the thirst that the woman had, the thirst of the town, the thirst that we all share. Consider this point. Why does she get it and yet the apostles keep seeming to not get it? Why is she blessed with a wisdom which it appears the truly loyal but very often .. well not thick… but slow to catch on… apostles just don’t get it? Why is she able to believe that He is Christ? These apostles had seen many awesome miracles such as healing the blind and feeding the five thousand, and yet for the most part, they still called Jesus Master or Teacher. They often seemed to be confused about His message. The Samaritan Woman did not see such miracles. She only heard Jesus tell her about her own life and yet she believed. Why? I think it might partly be because she asked. “Lord, Give me that water” she said. I believe that He did give her that water and she became a well or a fountain springing up the water of life for her community. Don’t get me wrong. The faith of the apostles founded the church. Jesus took the time to explain to them that they would labor and suffer for the Father but they would help sew a mighty harvest. After His resurrection, Jesus opened the minds of the apostles and enabled them to understand how what they experienced with Jesus was foretold by the scriptures. The apostles would go on to start the church with a great faith. Even still, I think that in retrospect, they were impressed by the faith of the little known Samaritan woman who said to Jesus, “Lord, give me that Water.”I believe that Jesus did give the Samaritan woman the water of life that she requested even though she did not really understand what it was she was requesting.

Sunday, March 5th, 2006

Children's Sermon for 40 Days and the start of Lent

How old do you think I am? I am 40. Yikes! Being 40 started me thinking about this number. You know, the number 40 is mentioned a lot in the Bible. Noah's Arc: It rained for forty days and forty nights.After leaving Egypt: Moses went to Mount Sinai to be with God for forty days.Promised Land: Before entering the promise land, the children of Israel wandered for Forty years in the desert.King David: Reigned for forty years.King Solomon: Reigned for forty years.After Baptism: Jesus went out in to the wilderness and fasted for forty days.** In fact, the number 40 appears in the Bible many more times. Very often, it is a number that is used for showing a long amount of time, but it also meant a time to get ready. After 40 days on the Arc, Noah found a new world. After 40 years in the wilderness, the children of Israel entered the promise land. After 40 days fasting in the wilderness, Jesus started his teaching. Last Wednesday was Ash Wednesday and it was the start of the forty days before Easter. We call this time Lent. For us this 40 days before Easter, gives us time to prepare for the celebration of Easter.

Saturday, November 26th, 2005
A Beacon of Hope for the World - First Sunday in Advent

First Sunday in Advent
The Hope Candle

There once was a boat trying to find its way home through a dark storm. The wind howled and lifted the waves up and crashed them broadside against the weathered boards and sent waves of frothy salt water over the gunnels flooding the deck.With only their cold faces visible beneath their raingear, the small crew huddled in the center of the little boat around its compass. The captain’s faith was tested as he clenched tight the old oak wheel. The rain pelted down stinging their eyes and the howling cold winds burned their ears. As the scared crew approached the rocky shore, in the distance the darkness was pierced by a single bright white beam of light. As the sailors corrected their route towards the shinning beacon, their hearts lifted and hope strengthened them for the rest of the journey as the lighthouse showed them the way home.Today we light the fist candle of Advent. This is the Hope candle We light these beacon as a symbol of the light of the Christ Child who became the Light and the Hope of the World. As we travel through the storms of life, may we concentrate on His Light and let it guide us through the troubled waters and indeed lead us home to His outreached arms.

July 20th, 2005

God's Family -
He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband's will, but born of God. - John 1:10-13 (NIV)

For this reason I kneel before the Father, from whom his whole family in heaven and on earth derives its name. - Ephesians: 3:14-16 (NIV)

Now this is the commandment--the statutes and the ordinances--that the LORD your God charged me to teach you to observe in the land that you are about to cross into and occupy, so that you and your children and your children's children may fear the LORD your God all the days of your life, and keep all his decrees and his commandments that I am commanding you, so that your days may be long. Hear therefore, O Israel, and observe them diligently, so that it may go well with you, and so that you may multiply greatly in a land flowing with milk and honey, as the LORD, the God of your ancestors, has promised you. Hear, O Israel: The LORD is our God, the LORD alone. You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your might. Keep these words that I am commanding you today in your heart. Recite them to your children and talk about them when you are at home and when you are away, when you lie down and when you rise. - Deuteronomy 6:1-7 (NRSV) All who received him, who believed in his name, he gave power to become children of God.- John 1:12 (NRSV)

My wife and I are so-called “second batchers.” We recently were blessed with a baby who is now two years old. Our older children are 15 and 12. As you can imagine, we have a ready set of baby sitters. The other day I found myself considering how for years my family had been incomplete without my knowing. We were a happy family of four, but now I can not imagine ever being without our youngest child.Perhaps one of the blessings of age is learning that we do not really know what it means to be complete. Growing up, we know our mom and dad, brothers and sisters. When we mature and find a spouse or our brothers and sisters do the same, God introduces us to the girls and boys of a wondrous fresh generation. New to us, God has loved them since the beginning of time. Similarly, grand parents can be blessed with a family still larger and as every child is born, they can not believe that the family was ever any smaller. Perhaps this is what it will be like in Heaven. As part of the family of God, we will find love and a sense of belonging with the souls we do not yet know. Humankind will find true peace in His mansionFather, we thank for your countless blessings and for including us in your family. Amen.

May 1, 2005
Logical Love , No Reason to Doubt
Scripture Reading: Acts 17: 16-31 (CEV)

Scripture: While Paul was waiting in Athens, he was upset to see all the idols in the city. He went to the Jewish meeting place to speak to the Jews and to anyone who worshiped with them. Day after day he also spoke to everyone he met in the market. Some of them were Epicureans and some were Stoics, and they started arguing with him. People were asking, "What is this know-it-all trying to say?" Some even said, "Paul must be preaching about foreign gods! That's what he means when he talks about Jesus and about people rising from." They brought Paul before a council called the Areopagus, and said, "Tell us what your new teaching is all about. We have heard you say some strange things, and we want to know what you mean." More than anything else the people of Athens and the foreigners living there loved to hear and to talk about anything new. So Paul stood up in front of the council and said: People of Athens, I see that you are very religious. As I was going through your city and looking at the things you worship, I found an altar with the words, "To an Unknown God." You worship this God, but you don't really know him. So I want to tell you about him. This God made the world and everything in it. He is Lord of heaven and earth, and he doesn't live in temples built by human hands. He doesn't need help from anyone. He gives life, breath, and everything else to all people. From one person God made all nations who live on earth, and he decided when and where evey nation would be. God has done all this, so that we will look for him and reach out and find him. He isn't far from any of us, and he gives us the power to live, to move, and to be who we are. "We are his children," just as some of your poets have said. Since we are God's children, we must not think that he is like an idol made out of gold or silver or stone. He isn't like anything that humans have thought up and made. In the past, God forgave all this because people did not know what they were doing. But now he says that everyone everywhere must turn to him. He has set a day when he will judge the world's people with fairness. And he has chosen the man Jesus to do the judging for him. God has given proof of this to all of us by raising Jesus from the .

Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson went on a camping trip. As they lay down for the night, Homes said, “Watson, look up into the sky and tell me what you see.” Watson looked up and said, “I see millions and millions of stars.” Holmes asked, “And what does that tell you?” Watson took a moment and then thoughtfully answered, “Astronomically, it tells me that there are millions of galaxies and potentially billions of planets. Theologically, it tells me that God is great and that we are small and insignificant. Meteorologically, it tells me that we will have a beautiful day tomorrow. What does it tell you Holmes?” Holmes deduced, “Someone stole our tent!”You know, a little logic can be a good thing.

Far too often it seems that we Christians decry logic as being at odds with our faith. Perhaps, however, we are often ignoring this wonderful gift from God.In our scripture reading for today, we find Paul in Athens. He has decided to go to the Areopagus. The Areopagus, or hill of Mars, (dedicated to Mars, the heathen god of war,) was the place where the Athenians held their Supreme Court. Athens is a city with a great historical legacy. At the time of Paul it was already a millennia old. Athens was where great men stood up to call on Greeks to fight the invading Persians. The city walls had withstood the Spartans during the great Peloponnesus war. It had seen the birth of many great philosophies. Socrates was condemned in the Areopagus. Plato formed the school of philosophy known as the Academy. His student Aristotle would be a teacher to Alexander the Great and would influence science for two thousand years. At the time of Paul, the city had long since lost its independence and was part of the massive Roman Empire. It still was however, a place of learning. In fact, It was the Harvard of the day! Learned men from the city were hired as tutors throughout the known world. At the time, two different philosophies were popular among the educated elite. In his way, Paul confronts the learned men and talks to them on their level. He starts a dialogue to introduce them to God.Over the past two thousand years, many Christians have struggled to align their faith in God and their belief in the natural scientific world. For many, the safe answer has been that faith and science, religion and reason, logic and love, just don’t mix. Science and modern thought have further complicated the issue. One of the more famous philosophers of the past few centuries, Immanuel Kant wrote in his 1788 essay a “Critique of Practical Reason,” that human reason cannot establish the "fact" of God. Philosophically, according to Kan, God just can not be proven to exist.For many, Charles Darwin’s 1859 book “The Origin of Species” further complicated the question due to his stated thesis that variation within species occur randomly and that the survival of an organism is determined by its ability to adapt to its environment; in other words creatures evolve over time in relationship to environmental factors. This, of course, gave birth to the theory of evolution. The century has taken us from the Scopes Monkey Trial of 1925 to the unbelievable images of the Hubble telescope. On the promotional webpage for his PBS program Universe, the noted physicist, Stephen Hawking, describes the cosmology of the “Big Bang” theory. He writes; "The ideas which have grown over two thousand years of observation have had to be radically revised. In less than a hundred years, we have found a new way to think of ourselves. From sitting at the center of the universe, we now find ourselves orbiting an average-sized sun, which is just one of millions of stars in our own Milky Way galaxy. And our galaxy itself is just one of billions of galaxies; in a universe that is infinite and expanding. Huge questions remain to be answered, he says, before we can hope to have a complete picture of the universe we live in.”For many today, the clash of Christian faith verses reason creates an open hostility to the laws of the natural world. As a middle school teacher I often hear parents, teachers, and even students ridicule the evolution taught in their science classes. Yet they far too often feel that the science being taught ridicule’s their own faith. I think there is another way to look at this question.Today we live in a world that is in many ways very similar to the First Century Roman world when the Apostle Paul stayed in Athens. Paul found himself confronted by some of the most learned men of the time. These men knew of the philosophies of Epicureanism and Stoicism. According to John Wesley, the Epicureans entirely denied providence, and held the world to be the effect of mere chance. The Stoics held, that matter was eternal; that all things were governed by irresistible fate. When confronting these philosophies, however, Paul did not back down, nor did he say, “sorry religion and reason don’t mix, end of discussion.” Instead, Paul logically talked to them about God. He showed them that in their own sanctuary they had already acknowledged a god labeled the Unknown God. He asks them to consider that in some way they have already known of God all along. He goes on to argue astutely that God is more than human philosophy. Since God created the heavens and the earth, it would be illogical to limit God to human made temples and items of worship. He claims that “If we are God’s offspring, we should not think that the divine being is like gold or silver or stone – an image made by man’s design and skill.” God is outside of His creation and thus can not be limited by it.I believe that we can logically discuss God. In Dr. Gregory Ganssle’s Editorial, “Can You Prove God's Existence,” the author argues that the concept of “proof” has become distorted to the point of making honest discussion irrational. He writes: I cannot prove beyond the possibility of doubt--in a way that will convince all philosophers--that the Rocky Mountains are really here. I cannot prove that the entire universe did not pop into existence five minutes ago and that all of our apparent memories are not illusions. I cannot prove that the other people you see have minds. Perhaps they are very clever robots. He thus deduces that there is no interesting philosophical conclusion that can be proven beyond the possibility of doubt. So the fact that arguments for the existence of God do not produce mathematical certainty does not by itself weaken the case for God's existence. It simply places the question of God's existence in the same category as other questions such as that of how we know other people have minds. While there is no doubt that believing in God is the most important step of faith one can take, I do believe that God has created a logical world that sings of His creation in every part of the natural world. Consider the human body. Inside the arm there are many muscles and tendons and bones. circulates water, oxygen, and necessary nutrients to keep the arm ready for use and a healthy skin covers the entire limb. A God of all creation could have easily made an external shell or a solid block for an arm that would do the same lifting that our celebrated arms do for us. Why then did God create such a complicated structure below our shoulder? I do not know any Christian who doubts that muscles and bones lie just beneath the skin. They accept it as part of creation. Some could say that the arm provides proof of an evolutional tie to apes and other simpler mammals. I say, however, so what? For me, this illuminates the complexity of God’s creation. If I had a hollow shell arm or a rock solid arm, it would be so much easier to just say, “Hey, look at this magical arm, I must be created.” That, however, is not the way of the Lord. God wants us to believe in Him, not just the power of creation. He wants a relationship with us personally.For me, the logic of creation comes down to love. Let me share my personal explanation for creation. Consider if you will an infinite God. Our God has existed and always will exist. Now forever, is of course a very long period of time. We can not really know just how long it is, as by its very nature, we can not really comprehend it. Infinity is beyond the scope of true comprehension. No computer could ever calculate it. For as long as there are numbers, for as large as there may be a national debt, for as many stars are in the sky, or miles from one side of the universe to the other, infinity, is infinitely that and more. So our God has always and will always be. He is the Great I am. So I ask you, how long BEFORE God created the world and man did He exist? The only answer that I can figure is, FOREVER. Imagine, being alone. I get lonely when I don’t see anyone for a few days or a week; Months and years are too much to consider. Imagine an infinite oneness. Imagine, forever singular. For me, I can understand an infinite desire for companionship. For me, God’s desire for a relationship with us just makes sense. God desires to know me. He desires me to know him. God loves me. Ok, how about another logical puzzle? My dad once asked me the following: Let’s say you are walking alone in the jungle. You come across a pool of quicksand and there inside is a person struggling to get out. What do you do? Help, of course! Grab a stick and try to fish out the struggling traveler. Ok, but Why? Isn’t this an irrational waste of resources? Couldn’t you just walk around the pool? Or is there something that God has deposited deeper within us? Perhaps it is logical to help other people, perhaps it is reasonable to give of our time, labor, and money to help other people, perhaps it is rational to serve others because He first did this for us.I believe that the world we live in is a logical example of the gift of God’s love for us. In fact, the more photographs I see from the Hubble telescope and/or the more I learn about the mapping of the human genome, the more I am in awe and wonder of the Lord. Perhaps in an awesome example of a wisdom born of an eternity, God has made His presence far more obvious than many of our scientists and philosophers have ever considered. Let us Pray: Heavenly Father, you gave us the rainbow. Scientists tell us that it is reflected light through the prism of water left in the sky. We know however that it is a symbol of your promise. Help us to continue to marvel at all of your creation regardless of whether we look at it through the eyes of poet or scientist. Thank you Dear God for your gift of Life and for the comforting presence of your Holy Spirit. Amen

Sunday, April 24th, 2005
In the Dark? Follow the Son!In the Dark?
Scripture: Mark 12:28-34
(New International Version)

One of the teachers of the law came and heard them debating. Noticing that Jesus had given them a good answer, he asked him, “Of all the commandments, which is the most important?” “The most important one,” answered Jesus, “is this: ‘Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.” “Well said, teacher,” the man replied. “You are right in saying that God is one and there is no other but him. To love him with all your heart, with all your understanding and with all your strength, and to love your neighbor as yourself is more important than all burnt offerings and sacrifices.” When Jesus saw that he had answered wisely, he said to him, “You are not far from the kingdom of God.” And from then on no one dared ask him any more questions.

I once read an Upper Room daily devotional that painted the picture of a young English woman who following a bad day, found herself walking along a dark highway devoid of any street or porch lights. The road was black, the night was dark. The author explains, “I stumbled in the dark down the muddy, winding road from the bus stop and narrowly avoided falling into the ditch.” A city born and bred, she had understandably forgotten that in the country there are no street lights. Angry at her own foolishness and afraid of all kinds of dangers, she was no doubt praying hard. Then a car approached. Its high beams momentarily illuminated the countryside and helped her not to stumble on the treacherous path. As other vehicles came down the road, she moved on. Finally, she made it to her destination by borrowing the light from passing cars. As each one came by, its headlights illuminated the road. That light, combined with her memory of the road, allowed her to get to the security of home. We all occasionally find ourselves in spiritually dark places. Though we may feel that God has left us and that we can not continue, we can rely on the spiritual illumination of our friends, our loved ones, and even strangers sent by the Lord to brighten our way. In the 10th chapter of Luke, Jesus tells us the parable of the Good Samaritan. The man who was attacked by robbers on the road to Jericho must surely have felt that he had fallen into dire darkness. We learn that a priest and a Levite saw him though both moved on as though they did not see him. When I read this story, I think of that awkward shifting of ones eyes that so many of us are guilty of when we stop at an intersection where a homeless man stands begging for food or money. And yet, we know that there was the Samaritan. The man who had mercy on the stranger brought him to town, and paid for his recovery at a nearby inn. You know, I do not know, but I believe that if you spoke with that man from Samaria, he wouldn’t take any credit for the mercy he showed his neighbor. I believe that he would say that it was the Lord working through him, that it was the Lord’s light shining through him.The Upper Room story I just shared with you is one that I am sure will be with me all of my life. You see, I read it on December 14th, 2001; while Kila was hours away from giving still birth to a baby daughter. In the next few days, weeks, and months, the pain and hurt of our loss was met with mercy and comfort from family, from members of this church, from the community. When I later thanked a friend for his comfort he replied to me, “that wasn’t me, that was Jesus.”Jesus provides us, his children, with both the ability to be comforted in Christian love and the ability to share his love with others. Remember how he answered the man who questioned him on the greatest commandment. Jesus replied, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your strength, and with all your mind, and love your neighbor as yourself.The light of the Lord shines through different people in many different ways. There are people who visit nursing homes and those who work with community projects such as Jubilee Ministries. Some people regularly give , while others faithfully serve their church on the prayer chain. Some volunteer to work for the bazaar, others bring food to the hungry, some will mow an elderly neighbor’s lawn, others drive friends to church and stay late to pray with them. The question for me is how do I enable the Lord to shine through me?I hope that I am not like the wealthy businessman who decided to take a walk and eat his lunch at the same time. As he strolled near a large park, he purchased a hotdog and a soft drink. On two occasions, men approached and asked “Can you help me. I’m hungry?” Each time the businessman looked straight ahead and kept walking.Later, for dessert, he bought a chocolate éclair from a vendor. Just as he was about to take his first bite of pastry, he had to jump out of the way to avoid a young boy on a skateboard. The éclair fell to the ground, landing in a wet area. The businessman picked it up and tried to clean it, but it was useless. The pastry was caked with mud.As he was about to throw the éclair away, an ideas struck him. He walked over to one of the beggars and handed him the dirty pastry. “Here, my good man, is something for your hunger.” He smiled to himself, and walked back to the office.That night the businessman dreamed he was sitting in a large, crowded car with waitresses running back and forth, bringing customers delicious cakes and tortes. The waitresses all ignored the businessman, though he waved at them continually. Finally he caught the eye of a young woman and asked for something to eat. She returned in a few minutes with a dirty piece of pastry.The man was outraged. “You can’t treat me this way,” he insisted. “I have the right to be served like anyone else. I expect to get good value for my money.”“You don’t seem to understand,” the waitress said kindly. “You can’t buy anything here. We don’t accept money. You have just arrived in heaven, and all you can order here is what you sent ahead while you were on earth. The only item we have listed in your name is this muddy éclair.” Current Mood: hopeful

Wednesday, April 20th, 2005
Second Chances

Kila and I recently watched the Mel Gibson movie, “The Passion.” We watched it, in fact in Spokane on Maundy Thursday. I do not know how many of you have watched the movie, but let me tell you, it sure is powerful. I do not think I need to worry about ruining the end of the movie for you. (Unless you were not paying attention to Gary two weeks ago.) When we got home, Kila’s mom asked us if we enjoyed the movie. I didn’t know how to answer. Kelsi answered, “I think Dad liked the book better.” Truly, I think that like the Gospels, people will find different parts of the movie that speak to them individually. I was moved by the scene where Peter denies Jesus three times. This must have been particularly painful for Jesus as he had already warned Peter. As we know, Peter who so adamantly protested that he would always be there for his Lord, will then deny Jesus three times during the night. Fear and self-preservation took over. This is something that I can so easily see myself doing. Without a thought, so easily, Peter denies Jesus to get over the first challenge. Another hurdle comes and without thinking he again denies the Lord. When the final accusation is made he is nearly as emphatic in his denial of Jesus as he had been in his promise back in the Upper Room. And then, of course, the crowed.

In our scripture today, we read that following the Resurrection, the followers of Jesus are told to go to Galilee, where they will see him. Obediently, they go to Galilee, but for a time, nothing happens. And that’s where our reading for today starts. With no new instructions from Jesus, Peter says, “I am going fishing.”Of them all, Peter was probably the one who, despite the Resurrection, felt the worst. After all, he was the only one who, on the evening of Jesus’ arrest, had been given an opportunity – or three opportunities to be specific – to declare his allegiance to Jesus. Instead, as we know, he had three times denied that he even knew Jesus. The shame and guilt of all his denial still hung in the air between him and the Risen Christ.So now, Peter decides to go fishing. He and six other disciples launch out on the Sea of Galilee. They fish all night, but catch nothing. In the morning, Jesus stands on the shore. At first, the disciples don’t recognize him, but them John says, “It is the Lord!” And Peter jumps into the water and swims for shore.Eventually, Jesus takes Peter aside, and asks, “Do you love me more than these?” Jesus may have been indicating the other disciples and asking, in effect, “Do you love me more than they do?” But its more likely Jesus was indicating the boat and fishing equipment, thus asking if Peter was prepared to give up his fishing career and all that goes along with that once and for all and spend the rest of his life spreading the Gospel. Jesus then asks Peter three times, “Do you love me?” Each time, Peter says yesJesus’ responses – “Feed my lambs,” “Tend my sheep,” “Feed my sheep” -- were ways of telling Peter he was to be a shepherd to the growing Christian flock.

I have heard of Peter’s denial of Jesus many times and this scripture where Jesus asks Peter three times to confess his love is also very familiar. However, until Gary gave this scripture topic to me, I had never put the two together. For me, I guess I just thought that Jesus was pestering Peter. You know, trying to get him to repeat his devotion annoyingly multiple times. But that is not what this story is about at all. Far from nagging Peter, Jesus is providing the gift of opportunity for Peter to reconfirm his devotion to the Lord for each and every denial he had previously made.  ReflectionsI wonder how many of us have found ourselves in Peter’s position. We come to a place in certain relationships where damage has been done, and we are responsible. Perhaps we have blabbed something a friend told us in confidence, undercut a coworker, let somebody else take the blame for our mistake, lied to our spouse, failed one of our children, not followed through on something we promised to do, or, like Peter, failed to live up to our profession of Christ.Sometimes, we can approach the person we have failed and apologize. The relationship can be mended if the other person is willing. But sometimes the damage is too great or the hurt too deep or the betrayal too frequent, and the trust cannot be re-established. No matter how genuine our repentance, the relationship is done for. Or perhaps the injured party is no longer around, leaving no opportunity to right the wrong. Are we then struck there with our shame and sorrow? This encounter between Jesus and Peter shows us something important about that.Peter is so ashamed he cannot even bring himself to raise the issue of his failure. Most likely, he feels he is in no position to ask for forgiveness. He failed in Jesus’ darkest hour; what could he possibly say?Jesus, however, knows that this old business has to be cleared off the “books” if Peter is to be a whole person again. So it is Jesus who initiates the conversation that leads to the restoration of their relationship. Jesus gives Peter a second chance to confirm his love.Jesus could have said to Peter, “Get down on your knees and confess, and then we can see eye to eye again,” or at least asked Peter “Are you sorry?” But Jesus doesn’t do any of those things, he begins by offering Peter the chance to declare his love. He gives Peter a chance to replace each denial with a declaration of love.

Second Chances
You know, the generic light bulb is now rather ubiquitous but back at the turn of the century it was cutting edge technology that took a lab as advanced as today’s Intel Micro Processor computer labs. In fact, it took many workers to cast the glass and carefully setup the filaments so that they would not pop when first used. The process for the production of light bulbs was state of the art. According to one of Thomas Edison’s biographers, one night he and his team were finishing the creation of a light bulb. It took a whole team of men 24 straight hours to put just one together. The story goes that when Edison was finished with one light bulb, he gave it to a young boy helper, who nervously carried it up the stairs. Step by step he cautiously watched his hands, obviously frightened of dropping such a priceless piece of work. You've probably guessed what happened by now; the poor young fellow dropped the bulb at the top of the stairs. It took the entire team of men twenty-four more hours to make another bulb. Finally, tired and ready for a break, Edison was again ready to have the bulb carried up the stairs. He chose to give it to the same young boy who dropped the first one. Now that in my opinion is true forgiveness.Consider the story of Alfred Nobel, the Swedish inventor and businessmen. One morning he read in the newspaper his own obituary! Some newsman was trying to get ahead of the curve, wrote up the obituary for the most famous people, and this one got into the newspaper before the man died! What was more shocking was the content: Nobel was remembered primarily for the destruction his dynamite had caused, included many s in war. That was not how Nobel wanted to be remembered. In response to the mistaken obituary, Nobel established a trust which funds the Nobel Peace Prize and other awards for scientific accomplishment. Today, that is how we remember Alfred Nobel. He was given a second chance by a mistake in a newspaper.There are indeed many great stories of second chances. We all know Charles Dickens’ story A Christmas Carol. Scrooge is offered a second chance in life after three ghosts teach him a great lesson about life. In his book, A Forgiving God in an Unforgiving World, Ron Lee Davis retells the true story of a priest in the Philippines, a much- loved man of God who carried the burden of a secret sin he had committed many years before. He had repented but still had no peace, no sense of God's forgiveness. In his parish was a woman who deeply loved God and who claimed to have visions in which she spoke with Christ and he with her. The priest, however, was skeptical. To test her he said, "The next time you speak with Christ, I want you to ask him what sin your priest committed while he was in seminary." The woman agreed. A few days later the priest asked, "Well, did Christ visit you in your dreams?" "Yes, he did," she replied. "And did you ask him what sin I committed in seminary?" "Yes." "Well, what did he say?" "He said, 'I don't remember'" What God forgives, He forgets.  ConclusionIt seems we humans mess up so often in so many different ways and yet still He calls us. We have a Lord who is King of Second Chances, a God who will ask us to carry the light back up even though we dropped it before. Peter felt tremendous shame and guilt over his denial of Jesus on the eve of the Crucifixion. But without even waiting for Peter to apologize, Jesus gave Peter an opportunity to reaffirm his love. When Peter had done that, Jesus pointed him toward the new business of sheepherding the growing Christian flock.Similarly, Jesus gives us all second chances to clear up old business that hangs between ourselves and others, and between ourselves and Him, so that we can move into the future where He wants us to be


Saturday, January 22nd, 2005

The Master Gardener and His Potting Soil, based on I Corinthians 1: 10-18
The Master Gardener

Once upon a time there was a Master Gardener. The Gardener had a large wonderful green house. In it he grew beautiful flowers from all over the world. The desert cacti blossomed next to exquisite beautiful flowers from the rain forest. The green house was alive with vibrant colors. The Gardener knew just what potting soil to give each plant. The cacti were given loose compost with pumice and coarse builder’s sand. His Orchids had a blend of peat moss and fir bark with just a bit of charcoal. Even his fragile alpine flowers had a unique mixture of sand, peat moss, and pumice. The Gardener knew that if the soil mixture wasn’t right for each plant, the plant would not grow strong and survive. The Gardener grew many beautiful flowers. All the plant shared in the warmth of the same SON and were given just the right amount of life sustaining water and He alone provided them just the right potting soil in which they could flower, in which they could grow, in which they could multiply. There would be times when he would run low on one type of soil or another but he used the flowers themselves to make more. White Clover and peas and even beans produced more nitrogen for the potting soil. He used alfalfa which shot its roots sometimes six or eight feet deep to churn the dirt. Rich compost was made from the donated clippings of other plants. Sometimes plants would be harvested and die, but still he was able to use remnants of previous crops to supplement the compost of future plantings. With the help of the Gardener other plants were able to do their part enriching the soil. Some would loosen the soil, others would provide shade for smaller saplings, even the marigolds helped to protect the tomatoes from predators. Indeed the Gardener used different plants from different environments to enrich the soils of other flowers. Today, there is a lot of talk about our nation being divided between conservative and liberal, red and blue, urban and rural, East and West side of the state. Such divisions could also be used to describe the church in Corinth when Paul wrote them in his first letter. Some members were swayed by brilliant rhetoric, others were influenced by knowledge, others were impressed by spiritual gifts, and still others attached importance to wealth and social status. In the face of these fractures, Paul calls for the Corinthian church to be "united in the same mind and same purpose." (l:10) Unity was a problem then, and it is a problem now. Some people place an emphasis on the traditional obligations of religious life, and they appreciate moral clarity. They focus on keeping the Ten Commandments, and living a disciplined life in a community of faith. Others see religion as a liberation movement. They stress the commandments of Jesus to love God and to serve your neighbor. We're not talking about right and wrong here. Both sides are important to the church, and both have deep roots in Scripture and tradition, and both are necessary for a fully formed faith. But these diverse perspectives create a very tricky tension, and can pull people in opposite directions. What this scripture says to me is that we need to look at the total message that Christ brought rather than pick what we want here and pick what we want there and choose up sides. Perhaps it doesn’t matter what our voting ballots say, but it matters what we do with our actions…actions that speak much louder that political rhetoric. South east Asia and the regions that were pummeled by the great Tsunami on December 26th provide us the opportunity to rise above our divisions and, regardless of political affiliation, to serve our fellow man and in such to serve the Lord. Consider the way Christians around the world and in our own small communities, thousands and thousands of miles distant from the epicenter of this horrific disaster have joined together to provide disaster relief, illustrates what truly binds us together; Christ’s love. Christ’s commandment. Love your neighbor. In this scripture reading, Paul doesn't expect the Corinthians to have identical views and perspectives. But he does expect them to be united in their determination to follow Jesus. We can be united today in the way we choose to live our lives. When we help our neighbor, when we give of ourselves to help feed the hungry or clothe the poor, we are doing our part to celebrate the unity of God’s family. We are all flowers in the Master Gardener’s garden. He alone provides us just the right soil that will strengthen our roots and our soul, He alone provides us the Water of Life, and He alone provides the SON. We, however, have the opportunity to reach out as His Church and in His name do our part to fortify His garden to help other flowers grow and to blossom.