Trust

Proverbs 3: 5-8

1 Peter 5: 6-8

Matthew 6: 25-34

Trust

 Some years ago when I was learning to fly, my instructor, Dana Sutton,  told me to put on a parachute for that day’s lessons. I was reluctant to do so, but did as was told. I was not sure I could trust the parachute, and more than that I was not at all sure I could trust myself to bail out if it came to that. I do not like heights when I feel I can fall. 6 feet up on a stepladder is the extent of my comfort zone.

We went up that morning, did some aerobatics, rolls and stuff, which were okay and then all of a sudden Dana put the plane into a steep and extended spin and dive. I was totally unprepared for what was about to happen. After another second the engine stalled, and the plane seemed fully out-of-control. It was evident that Dana was not going to help me at all. After a few seconds, which seemed like eternity, my brain began to function again. I quickly corrected the situation as I had been taught. The plane leveled off, the engine restarted.

When I could speak again I turned to Dana and began to vent my frustrations on him. He very calmly said to me, "There is no position you can get this airplane into that I cannot get you out of.  If you want to learn to fly, we will go back up there and we will do it again. And, even if you cannot trust the parachute, you know you can always trust me.”  I did trust Dana. I trusted him with my life.

God tries to tell us the same thing.  "Remember this. As you serve me, if you trust me, you will be all right. You can trust me with your life, now and forever.” Too often we try to depend upon our own parachute and fail to trust the one who is fail proof—one  to whom we can trust our eternal life .

In reflection I find it strange that at that time of my life I was very willing to wholeheartedly place total trust with my physical life to Dana, another fallible human being, and a parachute packed by someone I didn’t even know, but at that same time I was still reluctant to fully trust God who is infallible and can hold my life safely for eternity. Part of it was I wanted to control my own life, rather than be obedient to God’s pull on me.

There is a well loved old gospel song that says, "Trust and obey for there is no other way to be happy in Jesus but to trust and obey." There is a reason that the hymn had both words trust and obey. Whoa! We were afraid of that. We don't much like having to obey anybody else. We like to be free to do our own thing.  We cannot be fully obedient to God unless we fully trust him. We cannot fully trust him if we do not truly believe in him.  We have to believe in God’s love shown to us through Jesus, and learn to trust God’s promises, even when things do not look promising, before we will be obedient to his call on our life.

The oldest book of the Bible is Job.  And the first lesson the oldest book of the Bible chronicles is a blistering account of a man’s life in turmoil.  It reveals the tragedy that befalls the most righteous man in the world.   And then, suddenly, when Job is at his lowest point, it shows how God intervenes and equalizes everything that Job has suffered.  

That’s why James said in his letter in the New Testament, “You have heard of the endurance of Job and have seen the outcome of the Lord's dealings, that the Lord is full of compassion and is merciful”.  God did not undo the tragedies Job suffered but in the end he gave Job an abundant life.

The first message God publicly demonstrated to mankind was that he is completely trustworthy and faithful.  And when we trust God like Job, it supplies a visible witness to the world that God is reliable. Whenever you are tempted to distrust God, pull apart from all the distractions, get quiet, and reflect on his character.

We all go through times in our lives when things look bleak and we are not sure we will find a way out.  Many, if not most of us can have faced situations that appeared desperate.  Myrna and I have faced several situations in our life together when we wondered how we might endure. But looking back on those times we see that through prayer and trust in God, even though we had doubts at times, he guided us, and did not leave us orphaned.  We may have made mistakes, bad choices, but when left to God he turned those situations into something good.  That is God’s grace at work, not our brilliance at packing our own parachute.

The Lord said in Hebrews 13:5, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.”  He pledged through the prophet Isaiah that “though a mother might forget her offspring, I will never forget you.”  Just before Jesus ascended into heaven he said, “I am with you always, even to the end of the world.” These are just a few of God’s promises to us.

We lose loved ones. People lose jobs. Some have physical problems. Others are lonely and depressed. We experience all kinds of troubles. But Jesus says the solution to a troubled heart is trust, and he tells us to trust in 3 things. "First of all, trust in my presence. Secondly, trust in my promises. Thirdly, trust in my person." 

Jesus is always present for us. We know God’s promises are true because of the resurrection. And we can trust in Jesus the person because Jesus was God incarnate.

We must believe in God and in his grace. But belief in God is not enough. The vast majority of people in this country say they believe in God.  Unfortunately, the vast majority do not place their trust in God. That is evident by the situations we see on the news every night, from violence to greed to prejudice to hatred and divisiveness. They all illustrate how most people try to live their lives trusting to themselves and obedient to their own desires. Belief in God is not enough. We must trust him fully, and then work to become obedient to his will for our lives.

Not sure if you have ever heard of a man named Blondin before, but this true story is a good example of trust. Blondin was a 19th century acrobat, famous for his tightrope act 160 feet above Niagara Falls on a rope which was stretched over a thousand feet long.

In 1860 a Royal party from Britain saw Blondin cross the tightrope on stilts, and again blindfolded. After that he stopped halfway and cooked and ate an omelet. Next he wheeled a wheelbarrow from one side to the other, and returned with a sack of potatoes in it. Then Blondin approached the Royal party. He asked the Duke of Newcastle, "Do you believe I could take a man across the tightrope in this wheelbarrow?"

"Yes, I do", said the Duke.

"Hop in, then", replied Blondin. The Duke quickly declined Blondin's challenge. He might have believed Blondin could do it, but he wasn't about to trust him with his life.

When it comes to God, this kind of belief is not much good to him. God is looking for followers who will trust him fully with their lives.

Amen

Live your faith

Exodus 16: 13-18

1 Corinthians 9: 24-37

Mark 1: 40-45

Faith In Action

If you will, join me in a little exercise of our imaginations.  Close your eyes, feel yourself relaxing, letting the worries of the day fall away from your thoughts.  Take a few deep breaths.

Imagine yourself far away from McConnelsville, in Israel, near the Sea of Galilee.  You can hear the sea birds and you can feel the cool breeze on your face.  You are in your small village, having just finished a long day of work.  You take some time to walk out away from the commotion of the village, seeking some quiet after a busy day, making sure not to wander in the direction of the group of lepers which you know live nearby.  As you walk you find yourself on a small hill overlooking a group of tired looking men.  They can't see you, but you can see and hear them talking.  One man stands out.  The others are obviously deferring to him.  He's not at all striking in appearance, but there's something about him, something in his expression which intrigues you.

As you sit, partially hidden behind a bush, you hear, then see, another man approaching.  This man is obviously not doing well.  As he comes closer, you get a good look at his face.  White splotches cover what you can see underneath the rags.  Scabs and sores are everywhere.  This man, you realize shockingly, is a leper, and he's coming towards this group of men below you. Most are appalled and begin to back away. One man, though, continues to stand there.  Even as, you can't hardly believe this, the leper kneels right before him, prostrating himself with his hands outstretched before him.  You then hear a raspy voice, full of emotion and desperation, "If you want to, you can make me well again."

Then you hear a quiet, compassionate voice say, "I want to."  Then with more authority than you've ever heard in your life he says, "Be healed!" 

In Mark 1:40-45 which was the basis of our imaginative journey, we find a leper in need of something good, something real, something life-changing. Jesus healed the man.  Jesus saw a need, and he met it. A life was transformed.

Transforming lives is what Habitat does, by giving people a hand up, not just a hand out. Habitat is a Christian organization, providing the opportunity for people to extend God’s love through action. Habitat also transforms communities, all around the world, as people who need homes find that by their own hard work joined with others who volunteer their time, talents and other resources, their dream can come true.

All of us who call ourselves Christians are given a similar opportunity as Jesus was given in this passage. We, too, can participate in the transformation of lives, by doing what Saint Francis once said: “Preach the word; if necessary use words.”

I wonder if what we say is good news would be better accepted as being really good, if more of us acted in a way which showed God’s goodness.  Today in our society we are faced with a society that is spiritually eager and starving, but not so much interested in what we in the church have to say. Habitat is one way to reverse this trend, by showing the Gospel in action.

Habitat for Humanity’s vision is a world where everyone has a decent place to live. Habitat has an open-door policy: All who desire to be a part of this work are welcome, regardless of religious preference or background. Their policy is to build with people in need regardless of race or religion. Volunteers and supporters from all backgrounds are welcomed.

The organization is driven by the desire to give tangible expression to the love of God through the work of eliminating poverty housing. Habitat’s mission and methods are predominantly derived from by a key theological concept:  putting faith in action, just as Jesus did.

 

Once we accept Jesus Christ as our Savior we begin a journey of faith—a race if we are to follow what Paul wrote to the Corinthians. It is a journey to become more and more like Jesus and live more and more as he has commanded us to live. We are saved by grace, not by works, but as James wrote in his letter to the churches, faith without works is dead. Paul, too, calls us to use our God given gifts and faith to bear fruit.  To put faith in action requires commitment, and risk taking, and perseverance. Paul speaks of all of those in his letter to the Corinthians.

Our journey, or race, with Christ is not s speed sprint. It is an endurance race. It lasts a lifetime. Once we accept Christ as our Savior we are to go into strict training. We are to constantly prepare ourselves, by prayer and by study of God’s word, to continue the race as long as we draw breath. The prize we gain upon completion is not material rewards. If we stay on God’s path he will provide us all we need, just as he did for the people of Israel in the Exodus. He will give us the strength we need, and bless us, but we need to remember the blessings are given so we may be a blessing to others.

 

Habitat teaches us about being a blessing to others.  A Habitat family is blessed with the opportunity to own a home, but they must not only work on their own house, they must work on the house of someone else. It is a form of paying it forward. And, the volunteers who use their God given skills to help accomplish a house are blessed by the relationships developed and the satisfaction of knowing someone will now have a safe and pleasant house to live in.

 

 Jesus’ love was and is given unconditionally. His love was and is all inclusive, available to anyone who seeks it. As his followers we are called upon to extend God’s love in the same way. God gives each of us many opportunities to do pay his love forward.  It is up to us to keep our hearts open to God,  our eyes and ears open to the opportunities to serve others that he gives us, and our hands open to reach out with compassion to those in need and put our faith in action.

 

Amen

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Your life is a sermon

Daniel 9: 3-10

Hebrews 2: 10-18

 Matthew 4: 1-11

Sermons

A man was being tailgated by a stressed out woman on a busy boulevard. Suddenly, the light turned yellow, just in front of him. He did the right thing, stopping at the crosswalk, even though he could have beaten the red light by accelerating through the intersection.

The tailgating woman was furious and honked her horn, screaming in frustration as she missed her chance to get through the intersection, dropping her cell phone and makeup.

As she was still in mid-rant, she heard a tap on her window and looked up into the face of a very serious police officer. The officer ordered her to exit her car with her hands up. He took her to the police station where she was searched, finger printed, photographed, and placed in a holding cell. After a couple of hours, a policeman approached the cell and opened the door. She was escorted back to the booking desk where the arresting officer was waiting with her personal effects.

He said, "I'm very sorry for this mistake. You see, I pulled up behind your car while you were blowing your horn, flipping off the guy in front of you, and your head out the window cussing a blue streak at him. I noticed the 'What Would Jesus Do' bumper sticker, the 'Choose Life' license plate holder, the 'Follow Me to Sunday-School' bumper sticker, and the chrome-plated Christian fish emblem on the trunk. Naturally, I assumed you had stolen the car."

There is an old song that says, “They will know we are Christians by our love.”  Saint Francis of Assisi once taught his followers, “Preach the Gospel. If necessary. use words.” 

What the young lady, who professed her Christianity loudly on her car, forgot was, our lives are sermons. We preach our beliefs by the way we live our lives every day.  No amount of words will ever have a greater impression on others than the way we treat others, and who, when, and how we choose to help others.

Jesus came out of the wilderness vulnerable and tempted. He did not yield to those temptations. Instead he began his ministry of preaching, teaching, and serving others.

Two things drew people to Jesus. First, he served people’s needs, without strings. He met their needs when no one else did. Second, spent time with and developed relationships with people no “church” people—Pharisees and Sadducees-- would.  It was not his preaching that drew them to him. They were willing to listen to his preaching and his teaching because he cared about them and served their needs. Because he extended love to them, without being judgmental.

That is an essential lesson for us to reflect upon during Lent. People will be drawn to church because of how we live our lives and serve them outside church. Whether we admit it to ourselves or not, what we truly believe about God and the teachings of Jesus is transparent. It is certainly transparent to God. And, we cannot hide our true beliefs from others.  Lent is a time for us to see ourselves as others see us.

Lent is a time for us to ask ourselves, what is the sermon we preach everyday with our lives?

Religion in political campaigns-- statement of principles

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Religion in political campaigns
‘Interfaith Statement of Principles’NEW YORK, N.Y. — The United Methodist General Board of Church & Society is among 14 endorsers of an “Interfaith Statement of Principles” on religion in political campaigns. The statement, released Feb. 21, says freedom of religion is one of the United States' “most cherished liberties.”

The statement sets forth four standards of ethical behavior by candidates.

The diverse coalition of national religious organizations calls on all candidates for public office to honor the United States’ traditions of religious liberty and avoid sowing religious discord.

The statement encourages candidates for public office to respect “essential American ideals and values,” such as religious freedom for all, no religious tests for public office, and separation of church and state.
The statement sets forth four standards of ethical behavior by candidates. “Candidates for office bear the primary responsibility for setting the proper tone for elections, according to the Statement of Principles.

4 principles

Candidates for public office should:

Attempt to fulfill the promise of America by seeking to serve and be responsive to the full range of constituents, irrespective of their religion.

Conduct their campaigns without appeals, overt or implicit, for support based upon religion.

Reject appeals or messages to voters that reflect religious prejudice, bias or stereotyping.

Engage in vigorous debate on important and disputed issues, without deliberately encouraging division in the electorate along religious lines, or between voters who characterize themselves as religious and voters who do not.

“Candidates for public office are, of course, free to worship as they choose,” the statement emphasizes. “And they should feel comfortable explaining their religious convictions to voters, commenting about their own religious beliefs, explaining, if they wish to do so, how those beliefs shape their policy perspectives, and how they would balance the principles of their faith with their obligation to defend the Constitution if the two ever came into conflict.”

Inappropriate, unsettling, divisive

There is a point, however, where an emphasis on religion in a political campaign becomes inappropriate and even unsettling in a religiously diverse society such as the United States, according to the statement. “Appealing to voters along religious lines is divisive,” it declares, adding that voters who insist on adherence to these principles contribute to the protection of religious freedom.

The statement, organized and drafted by the Anti-Defamation League, the Baptist Joint Committee for Religious Liberty and the Interfaith Alliance.

Other endorsers are American Islamic Congress, American Jewish Committee, Islamic Society of North America, Hindu American Foundation, Muslim Advocates, National Council of Churches USA, Sikh American Legal Defense & Education Fund, Sikh Coalition, Union for Reform Judaism and United Church of Christ Justice & Witness Ministries.

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Religion in Political Campaigns
An Interfaith Statement of Principles

Freedom of religion is one of our nation’s most cherished liberties. It is at the very foundation of America. Our nation’s Constitution protects religious freedom for all, prohibits religious tests for public office, and mandates separation of church and state. These are essential American ideals and values, which candidates for public office should respect.

Candidates for public office are, of course, free to worship as they choose. And they should feel comfortable explaining their religious convictions to voters, commenting about their own religious beliefs, explaining, if they wish to do so, how those beliefs shape their policy perspectives, and how they would balance the principles of their faith with their obligation to defend the Constitution if the two ever came into conflict.

There is a point, however, where an emphasis on religion in a political campaign becomes inappropriate and even unsettling in a religiously diverse society such as ours. Appealing to voters along religious lines is divisive. It is contrary to the American ideal of including all Americans in the political process, regardless of whether they are members of large and powerful religious groups, religious minorities, or subscribe to no faith tradition.

Voters should be encouraged to make their decisions based upon their assessment of the qualifications, integrity and political positions of candidates. A candidate’s religious beliefs — or lack thereof — should never be used by voters, nor suggested by political candidates, as a test for public office or as a shorthand summary of a candidate’s qualifications.

Candidates for office bear the primary responsibility for setting the proper tone for elections. Anyone who legitimately aspires to public office must be prepared to set an example and to be a leader for all Americans, of all faiths or of no faith.

What is ethical is every bit as important as what is legal. Therefore candidates for public office should:

Attempt to fulfill the promise of America by seeking to serve and be responsive to the full range of constituents, irrespective of their religion.

Conduct their campaigns without appeals, overt or implicit, for support based upon religion.

Reject appeals or messages to voters that reflect religious prejudice, bias, or stereotyping.

Engage in vigorous debate on important and disputed issues, without deliberately encouraging division in the electorate along religious lines, or between voters who characterize themselves as religious and voters who do not.

Abiding by these principles, candidates for public office help ensure decency, honesty, and fair play in political campaigns, and they honor America’s oldest and most fundamental values. Likewise, voters who insist on adherence to these principles contribute to the protection of our religious freedom.

Date: 2/22/2012©2012

Churches respond to 2012 winter twisters - UMC.org

By Barbara Dunlap-Berg*

6:00 P.M. ET Feb. 29, 2011

A tornado destroyed Harveyville (Kan.) United Methodist Church.
UMNS web-only photos by Julie Pohl.

Late-winter tornadoes and high winds roared across several Midwestern states early Feb. 29, leaving death and destruction in their wake.
But even as United Methodists grieved loss of life and assessed damage, they sought ways to be Christ in their communities.

In Harrisburg, in southeastern Illinois, six people were confirmed dead, and many were missing. Earlier reports from state officials said 10 had died. The undamaged First United Methodist Church became a hub for disaster relief.

The Rev. Paul E. Black, director of communication ministries for the Illinois Great Rivers Annual (regional) Conference, said the EF-4 twister hit south of Marion and moved northeast through Creal Springs, damaging several buildings. It continued to Carrier Mills and missed the main residential section. Then it hopscotched up U.S. 45 to Harrisburg. The tornado continued northeast to nearby Ridgway, which according to news reports received massive damage.

To date, no United Methodist church or parsonage in the conference was damaged or destroyed.
In Harrisburg, “the Walmart and a farm implement dealership sustained heavy damage, and a strip mall located across the highway was destroyed,” Black said. “The latest updates show 300 homes damaged or destroyed and 100 persons treated for injuries. Officials are proceeding with evacuating the Harrisburg hospital, sending patients to nearby Marion.”

Schools are closed, and Saline County officials are asking people to stay home while emergency crews assess the damage.

The United Methodist Cache River District is mobilizing disaster response. The Midwest Mission Distribution Center is on alert, ready to ship emergency kits and other supplies to assist in cleanup.

Several church members underwent early response training through the United Methodist Committee on Relief because of flooding last spring in southern Illinois. They will go to work as soon as the assessment is completed. Another early response training session, already set for March 17 at First United Methodist Church, Harrisburg, will proceed on schedule.

Harrisburg Mayor Eric Gregg said, “The loss of life breaks my heart. The outreach is heartfelt and appreciated. Many of our people went to Joplin to help, and today we are the ones who find ourselves in need.”

Kansas and Missouri also hit

In Kansas, what is believed to have been a tornado flattened the Harveyville United Methodist Church. About 40 to 60 percent of the town sustained damage. The town of about 230 is southwest of Topeka near the Kansas Turnpike.

Dozens of homes were damaged in Harveyville, Kan.

The storm downed trees and power lines, according to Lisa Elliott Diehl, Kansas Area communications director for The United Methodist Church. “Dozens of homes were damaged,” she said, “along with an apartment building.” The Rev. Dennis Irwin, pastor of Harveyville United Methodist Church, has been in contact with his congregation. While several members’ homes sustained damage, no injuries were reported.

High winds and hail hit other areas of Kansas, Diehl said.

Three deaths were reported in southwestern Missouri, where a suspected tornado hit a mobile home park outside Buffalo.

Grace Community United Methodist Church, Buffalo, sustained minor damage.

“We just accounted for the last of our church members,” said church secretary Lee Ella Oglesbee. “No one is hurt, although one elderly couple's home is a total loss. The worst of the storm seemed to be confined to a few square miles.

“It's a small town,” she added, “so, of course, several of us know the woman killed and the people who were injured.  But they were not part of our congregation.”

UMCOR assesses needs
Thirty miles away, First United Methodist Church, Lebanon, Mo., had only a few loose shingles.

To support United Methodist disaster relief – Disaster Response, United States, UMCOR Advance No. 901670 — through The Advance, donate online or give a check through your local church.

“Several area business, campground travel trailers and mobile homes were damaged,” said the Rev. Barbara L. McKenzie, associate pastor. “Trout season begins tomorrow, so the campgrounds and motel in the Bennett Spring State Park area were filling up. 

“We’ll know more later about other damage. Right now, a lot is secondhand reports.”

In Branson, Mo., a popular tourist area, 32 people were treated at one hospital for minor injuries. News reports said what was believed to be a tornado moved through downtown Branson, heavily damaging the city’s famous theaters and sucking furniture from hotel rooms.

Forecasters cautioned that more tornadoes could hit the Tennessee Valley and southern Appalachians as the storm system moved east.

Tom Hazelwood, disaster response executive for the United Methodist Committee on Relief is in contact with his counterparts in the affected annual conferences to assess relief needs.

“We are inviting people to follow Tom’s Twitter feed as well as to check back at the UMCOR website and Facebook page for updates,” said Linda Unger, UMCOR staff writer.

*Dunlap-Berg is internal content editor for United Methodist Communications, Nashville, Tenn.
News Media contact: Barbara Dunlap-Berg, Nashville, Tenn.,(615) 742-5470 or newsdesk@umcom.org.