Lighten Up
August 31, 2008
Texts: Psalm 23, Romans 9:13-21, Matthew 11:28-30
In Randy Pausch’s book, The Last Lecture, he tells a wonderful story entitled “The $100,000 Salt and Pepper Shaker”. When he was 12 and his sister was 14, they went with their parents to Disney World. He writes: Our parents figured we were just old enough to roam around the park without being monitored. Their parents told them to be careful, picked a spot where they would meet in 90 minutes, and set them free.
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In Randy Pausch’s book, The Last Lecture, he tells a wonderful story entitled “The $100,000 Salt and Pepper Shaker”. When he was 12 and his sister was 14, they went with their parents to Disney World. He writes: Our parents figured we were just old enough to roam around the park without being monitored. Their parents told them to be careful, picked a spot where they would meet in 90 minutes, and set them free.
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Rock ‘n Roll
August 24, 2008
Texts: 1 Peter 2:4-10; Romans 12:1-18
Less discouragement, more determination; less distraction, more presence; less me, more we. It sounds like that could be a description of life in Christian community – but it’s actually an ad for Toyota. It’s been running during the Olympics – I’ve been on vacation, so I’ve been able to watch a lot of the Olympics. I’ve noticed that the commercials seem different to me this year – they aren’t so much about achievement and competition as about relationship, family and community. Ad after ad…and there have been plenty of them…talks about how we are connected to one another. From VISA to Hilton, from Toyota to Lockheed Martin, this season the advertising community seems to recognize that our deepest hungers are for relationships and connection.
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Less discouragement, more determination; less distraction, more presence; less me, more we. It sounds like that could be a description of life in Christian community – but it’s actually an ad for Toyota. It’s been running during the Olympics – I’ve been on vacation, so I’ve been able to watch a lot of the Olympics. I’ve noticed that the commercials seem different to me this year – they aren’t so much about achievement and competition as about relationship, family and community. Ad after ad…and there have been plenty of them…talks about how we are connected to one another. From VISA to Hilton, from Toyota to Lockheed Martin, this season the advertising community seems to recognize that our deepest hungers are for relationships and connection.
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Drawing Straight with Crooked Lines
July 27, 2008
Texts: Genesis 29:15-28; Romans 8:26-39
This time, the trick was on Jacob. When we left him last time, he was on his way to stay with his uncle Laban, and hoping to find a wife. He had become estranged from his twin brother Esau, the firstborn, through tricking Esau out of his birthright and the blessing from their father. He had dreamed of a ladder going from earth to heaven, and had realized upon waking that God was with him. And indeed, God promised to be with him always. And so Jacob has arrived at his uncle’s home, fallen in love with the beautiful Rachel, won permission to marry her after working for his uncle for seven years and after the wedding – surprise! The lovely Rachel is still single, and he is married to Leah, her older sister…this time, birth order has come back to bite Jacob – he has been tricked by Laban, who explains that the younger daughter may not be married before the older daughter. He is married to Leah, but he may work another 7 years for Rachel, which he does.
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This time, the trick was on Jacob. When we left him last time, he was on his way to stay with his uncle Laban, and hoping to find a wife. He had become estranged from his twin brother Esau, the firstborn, through tricking Esau out of his birthright and the blessing from their father. He had dreamed of a ladder going from earth to heaven, and had realized upon waking that God was with him. And indeed, God promised to be with him always. And so Jacob has arrived at his uncle’s home, fallen in love with the beautiful Rachel, won permission to marry her after working for his uncle for seven years and after the wedding – surprise! The lovely Rachel is still single, and he is married to Leah, her older sister…this time, birth order has come back to bite Jacob – he has been tricked by Laban, who explains that the younger daughter may not be married before the older daughter. He is married to Leah, but he may work another 7 years for Rachel, which he does.
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Right Here Right Now
July 20, 2008
Texts: Psalm 139:1-12, 23-24; Genesis 28:10-19a
Jacob was on the run – we learned in last week’s readings that he was the younger twin to Esau, that his father favored Esau but his mother favored Jacob. Jacob was an operator – not one to leave life as it found him – the second-born, who would end up with both the blessing and the inheritance of a first-born because he cheated his brother and tricked his father. Having succeeded in getting his brother’s birthright, he also earned his brother’s wrath, and Esau was threatening to kill him, so like any smooth operator, he left. Jacob ran away and was heading toward his uncle Laban’s house, where he hoped to find safety and a wife. And we’ll hear about that adventure next week. But this week, he is on the journey, and he becomes tired, and so stops for the night. He finds a stone to use as a pillow, and he lays down and goes to sleep.
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Jacob was on the run – we learned in last week’s readings that he was the younger twin to Esau, that his father favored Esau but his mother favored Jacob. Jacob was an operator – not one to leave life as it found him – the second-born, who would end up with both the blessing and the inheritance of a first-born because he cheated his brother and tricked his father. Having succeeded in getting his brother’s birthright, he also earned his brother’s wrath, and Esau was threatening to kill him, so like any smooth operator, he left. Jacob ran away and was heading toward his uncle Laban’s house, where he hoped to find safety and a wife. And we’ll hear about that adventure next week. But this week, he is on the journey, and he becomes tired, and so stops for the night. He finds a stone to use as a pillow, and he lays down and goes to sleep.
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All in the Family
July 13, 2008
Texts: Genesis 25:19-34; Genesis 27:1-39
I’ve been thinking a lot about relationships lately – ten days ago I was in North Carolina at one of our national conference centers, Montreat, for a remarkable conference with clergy, elders, students, and national leadership in the PCUSA. I went with a friend from Indiana, saw other friends, made new friends and was reminded of how much our denomination can be a family.
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I’ve been thinking a lot about relationships lately – ten days ago I was in North Carolina at one of our national conference centers, Montreat, for a remarkable conference with clergy, elders, students, and national leadership in the PCUSA. I went with a friend from Indiana, saw other friends, made new friends and was reminded of how much our denomination can be a family.
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Church Unbound
June 29, 2008
Texts: Psalm 13, Genesis 21:1-14
As I consider the passage that Vicky read from Genesis, I am reminded of the old bumper sticker, “If you’re not outraged, you’re not paying attention.” This is, to quote one commentator, an appalling story. From our perspective, both God and Abraham behave badly here – God for creating such an evil test, and Abraham for acquiescing without protest. How is it possible that Abraham wouldn’t argue with God for his beloved son, his only son, Isaac? Although Abraham is supposed to be the model of faith, his isn’t a passive faith – he has argued with God about other things. By the way, for those who have been following the saga each week as we have been learning the story of Abraham, isn’t it interesting that Isaac is called Abraham’s only son? We know that there is another son, Ishmael, whom Abraham has sent away with his mother, the slave-woman Hagar.
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As I consider the passage that Vicky read from Genesis, I am reminded of the old bumper sticker, “If you’re not outraged, you’re not paying attention.” This is, to quote one commentator, an appalling story. From our perspective, both God and Abraham behave badly here – God for creating such an evil test, and Abraham for acquiescing without protest. How is it possible that Abraham wouldn’t argue with God for his beloved son, his only son, Isaac? Although Abraham is supposed to be the model of faith, his isn’t a passive faith – he has argued with God about other things. By the way, for those who have been following the saga each week as we have been learning the story of Abraham, isn’t it interesting that Isaac is called Abraham’s only son? We know that there is another son, Ishmael, whom Abraham has sent away with his mother, the slave-woman Hagar.
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Blessed to Be a Blessing
June 15, 2008
Texts: Genesis 16:1-16, 18:1-15
It’s a funny thing, that Abraham is held up to us as a paragon of faithfulness – and I guess it’s an oddly comforting thing, too. After all, the stories we had last week really showed Abram at his best: God called him to leave Haran and he did; God showed him the stars and promised him numerous descendents, and although he and Sarai were already quite elderly, he believed. In last week’s stories, Abram is the model of trust.
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It’s a funny thing, that Abraham is held up to us as a paragon of faithfulness – and I guess it’s an oddly comforting thing, too. After all, the stories we had last week really showed Abram at his best: God called him to leave Haran and he did; God showed him the stars and promised him numerous descendents, and although he and Sarai were already quite elderly, he believed. In last week’s stories, Abram is the model of trust.
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The Long Journey Home
June 08, 2008
Texts: Genesis 12:1-9; Genesis 15:1-6
Today’s sermon is titled The Long Journey Home, although it is, indeed, about Faith and Covenant. But much of Abraham’s journey, and indeed, much of the faith journey for anyone is a long journey home full of the challenge in such a paradox– so it seemed a more appropriate title.
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Today’s sermon is titled The Long Journey Home, although it is, indeed, about Faith and Covenant. But much of Abraham’s journey, and indeed, much of the faith journey for anyone is a long journey home full of the challenge in such a paradox– so it seemed a more appropriate title.
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