Blake Heffner February 18th, 2007

Today we celebrated the installation of Linda Behringer to serve as our licensed Pastoral Assistant.

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Blake Heffner February 11th, 2007

“Renovating Our Music” 2/11/07

Texts: Colossians 3:12-17 Psalms (selected verses)

INTRO – For the past few weeks, we have been focusing on three themes for our congregation this year- Ministry, Mission, and Music. This morning we arrive at the third and final theme: Music.

I don’t know whether you pay much attention to titles. The title of this message is sounds a bit odd. It’s not – but easily could have been -“Renovating Our Organ.” This year our nearly ninety-year-old organ is receiving a complete overhaul. Right after Easter, most of its guts will be pulled out and hauled to the Geiger and Sons Organ Company for rebuilding. It will return sometime around Thanksgiving with a very new, magnificent sound. It was tempting to focus this morning’s message on the value of an organ for worship.

The title is “Renovating Our Music.” And I’m not talking about changing our choirs or instrumental musicians. No, we need to focus on our congregational singing. The word renovation means literally “to make new again.” The pressing question for this year is: when the new organ comes, will we have a renewed passion for singing and making a joyful noise to God? I believe that nothing would please God more.

1. Passion

“I was glad when they said unto me, ‘Let us go up to the house of the Lord” (Ps. 122:1). Can you relate to that? The psalmist was enthusiastic about worship. His enthusiasm didn’t begin when he entered the Temple in Jerusalem. It didn’t get turned on like a switch when he entered the parking lot, outside the Temple. No, it began at home, when someone simply invited him to join in making the trip to worship in the Temple of Jerusalem. That trip might have lasted a few hours or a few days! Now that’s a level of enthusiasm that is very rare these days. How many of you started getting excited about coming to worship back on Wednesday or Thursday? How many us haven’t quite reached what could be called “enthusiasm” yet this morning? Please, don’t raise your hands! What is missing?

We certainly understand “enthusiasm.” Many of us were euphoric this past season when the Wilson Warrior football team was on its undefeated march to the State Championship. We were ecstatic all week long, couldn’t wait for Saturday to come. Afterall, we knew some of the players personally. And, there was the tremendous comraderie of attending with our friends. It was a natural “high” for the whole community. So, we perfectly well understand how the psalmist may have felt. What we may not fathom is how he could get so excited about worship!

You know as well as I that there are churches around where folks find worship exciting. At Shiloh Baptist Church music plays a big role. They do a lot of singing, a lot of clapping, and even dancing, because they believe that God is great and worthy of our praise. But, you may say, that’s a charismatic style of worship, and not our tradition. Right you are. So, the question is can we imagine – within our own style – reaching the level of gladness and enthusiasm which is worthy of the living God – our Creator and Redeemer?

Let me put it another way. Imagine Jesus Christ has come to join us today. He is incognito, of course. He’s come just to see and learn how much we love him. As we sing the first hymn, “May Jesus Christ Be Praised,” he looks around and listens. He sees many folks not even using a hymnal, many lips not even moving; some faces are looking tired or even bored, and eyes are staring off in a distracted way. How do you think he feels? Does he feel praised? Does he feel loved? Does he feel honored and worshiped? My friends, Jesus Christ is here every time we gather in his name, and we cannot draw near to Him without an attitude of praise and adoration.

2. Praise

So, it’s not surprising that the psalms continually summon us to praise the Lord. Why is praise so important? Our scripture lessons sum it up.

First of all, God “inhabits the praises of Israel.” God “indwells” or “lives in” the praises of his people. Surely God is present everywhere, but God is especially near to us when we exalt his name and offer him his rightful place as King of kings. No wonder Jesus taught us to begin the Lord’s Prayer with “hallowed be Thy name.” We are saying, “Your name is holy and above all names. You alone are worthy of our adoration.” That’s the posture of humility with which we ought to begin every prayer.

Secondly, the psalms indicate that praise is especially suited for singing. “O come, let us sing to the Lord; let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation!” “O sing to the Lord a new song; sing to the Lord, all the earth!” Finally, the psalms reach their crescendo in the last one of all: “Praise God in his sanctuary… Praise him with trumpet, lute and harp; praise him with tambourine and dance; praise him with cymbals – even loud clashing cymbals! Let everything that breathes praise the Lord!”

There are no exceptions, are there? Sing to the Lord all the earth. Let everything that breathes praise the Lord. That must certainly include you and me. There’s no “free pass” from the cosmic chorus of joyful praise. So, in a sense, if we can’t get ourselves to sing God’s praise, we’re missing something utterly essential.

3. Joyful Noise

Ok, someone is thinking, “Get me out of here! This is making me very uncomfortable.” Hold on a minute. What is the Lord really asking of us? Let me close with a few suggestions for non-singers.

· God is thrilled if we will just make a “joyful noise.” He doesn’t say anywhere that our singing has to be on key or sound beautiful. God simply wants us to put ourselves into worship as much as we would put ourselves into cheering at a ballgame. Because He is worthy of our praise. Don’t be self-conscious (afraid of what others around you will think); strive to be God-conscious – consider how God is before you, beholding you.

· If you don’t sing out loud, why not at least smile before the Lord. Praise him with your body language.

· If not with your voice, you can make a joyful noise with your hands. Psalm 47 begins, “Clap your hands, all you peoples; shout to God with loud songs of joy.” Perhaps we should invest in a few tambourines and create a percussion section! Even “shouting” is an acceptable way to express praise to God; because, as the psalm continues, “the Lord is awesome!” If clapping doesn’t suit you, why not quietly raise a hand. That is an ancient way of giving God glory and honor. May no one take offense at such an innocent and humble act of adoration.

· What if it’s not a matter of ability at all, but more a matter of will: “I just don’t want to sing!” I have heard this from younger folks, who don’t think it’s cool. The truth is there are times for all of us when we don’t feel like praising God. To this the Bible replies, “Let us continually offer a sacrifice of praise to God” (Heb. 13:15). Maybe it shouldn’t depend on how we feel. God doesn’t change like our feelings. If we offer praise as a sacrifice, God is especially honored

· If singing isn’t your gift, at least concentrate on the words of the hymn or chorus. You may even want to close your eyes for this. Very often the lyrics are prayers to the Lord, or reminders of his promises to us. Meditate on what is being sung, savor the meaning. You may actually get more out of the hymn than those who are singing.

· If making joyful noise isn’t your cup of tea, and you’re not good at following the word, there is one more possibility. Paul says, “Sing to God with thanksgiving in your hearts.” Consider “dancing inside!” Ask the Lord to put a melody in your heart that fills your whole being. You don’t have to dance literally, but let the music lift your heart into joyous communion with Jesus Christ. If we had a whole congregation of people who are dancing on the inside – and all we could hear during a hymn is the organ - I assure you God would be so pleased.

All right, there’s something to work at. This year, may each of us accept the challenge to come into God’s house with glad hearts, ready and willing to make some joyful noise. And, may the Lord who meets us here take delight in our singing and be honored by our praise. To this end, I propose that the lyrics of our next hymn become our fervent prayer:

Come, Thou Fount of every blessing, Tune my heart to sing Thy grace;

Streams of mercy, never ceasing, Call for songs of loudest praise.

Teach me some melodious sonnet, sung by flaming tongues above;

Praise His name – I’m fixed upon it – Name of God’s redeeming love.

Let us pray:

O patient and merciful God, you are worthy of the loudest cheering. You alone are full of majesty and deserving of all honor, glory and praise. Pour out your Holy Spirit and tune our hearts to sing your grace. Fill us with such enthusiasm for you that we may not be ashamed or timid when we gather to worship you. Loosen our tongues, open wide our mouths to sing your praise. O Lord, may our offerings of praise lift us into your holy presence – in the name of Jesus Christ we pray. Amen.

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Blake Heffner February 4th, 2007

“Mission in the New Millennium – Take it Personally” 2/04/07 Texts: Luke 10:1-12,17-20 Acts 8:26-40

A couple weeks ago, we began a three-part series on our congregation’s themes for this year: “Ministry, Mission and Music.” Today we’ll tackle the second theme, namely that of “Mission.” Let’s start by acknowledging “mission” is a hot topic these days. In fact, the idea of mission has caught on all over the place. Virtually every Fortune Five Hundred corporation has a mission statement, which nearly every employee can rattle off. This is because the corporate world has discovered the value of articulating the purpose or goal of an organization in a simple sentence or two. The captains of industry heartily agree with the proverb of King Solomon: “Where there is no vision the people perish” (Prov. 29:18).

1. What’s New?

This morning we’re not going to focus on a mission statement for St. John’s – although we have one. No, we’re going to think about our missions in the classical sense: the ways that we reach out to our world by both spreading the good news of Jesus Christ and serving those in need. In terms of our weekly offering envelope, this is what falls under the term “Benevolence.”

We live in an exciting time because the idea of Christian missions has been changing dramatically. In this new millennium, mission is no longer merely “out there” in some far away place – it’s also “right here,” where many folks don’t know Jesus Christ and his love. It’s no longer the business of “professionals” – it’s for all of us, for you and me. It’s no longer nameless and faceless – we tend to respond more effectively to situations where we know someone personally. And, it’s not just something we participate in by writing a check – for many people, mission is increasingly something we actively enter into, investing our own time and effort.

What do I mean? When I was growing up, our home church supported a woman named Miriam Rogers, who worked for decades in South India. Miriam was a saintly older woman who walked with two crutches; I think because she had polio as a child. She served as a professional missionary in the area of Christian education. Since Miriam was someone we supported on a regular basis, we listed her on the Sunday bulletin, right under the pastor and music staff. Every five years or so, Miriam would get a furlough and the chance to visit Hellertown and other churches who were part of her support system. That was the way of Christian missions for more than a century: it was done by professionals who signed on for a long-term commitment, sponsored by a network of churches here in the US or another developed country. By and large our only contact with the mission field was through this one blessed woman.

Today, things are radically different. First of all, in the so-called Third World, missionaries from the West are identified with the colonizing process of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Now, as we learned through Gospel for Asia, it is more economical and socially effective to train and support “native missionaries” in a given country – people of the same ethnic group, who speak the language and understand the culture of a country.

Another fascinating feature of missions today is that it is no longer for “professionals.” In fact, more and more folks of all ages are getting involved in mission trips. Back in the nineties we took two such trips to the Fort Berthold Reservation in North Dakota to work on two churches out there. It was a fabulous learning experience. The star quilt is a constant reminder of the gratitude of the Native Americans who hosted us there. Lately, three of our own St. John’s family have made personal mission trips. Alison and Michele Lentz visited an orphanage in the Dominican Republic; Michele will be showing slides and telling her stories this Thursday evening @ 7 p.m. I encourage you to come. Also, Vicky Stevens just returned from a trip with Centenary College to the area devastated by Hurricane Katrina. She’ eager to tell us about that work in the near future! And, our friend Ed Hardwick has recently been to Rwanda and is planning another trip there this spring. Mission really catches on when we meet someone who’s been there!

2. It’s Not So New

This is not exactly a new idea. Just think about our gospel lesson, and how Jesus sent that early cadre of Christian missionaries out two by two. Let me lift up just a few important facets of the story:

A. It Was the Laity

First of all, it was carried out by lay folks like us. These were not professional, lifetime missionaries. Jesus had sent out the twelve disciples earlier. Now, he expanded the scope with seventy two spontaneous recruits. They were signed up for a short-term journey – maybe a week or several at the most. Their orientation lasted mere minutes, not days or weeks or months. And yet, Jesus felt they were well prepared for their task.

B. Mission Must Include Both Body and Soul

These early missionaries were preparing the way for the Lord himself. But, they were not all talk. In addition to telling the good news, they were empowered by the Holy Spirit to cure the sick and perform miracles. They came back testifying that even the demons submitted to them!

In the same way, the variety of mission projects we have identified for St. John’s this year includes both the needs of body and soul. A significant portion of our benevolence offerings supports the work of Church World Service – the ecumenical organization sponsors the CROP Walks for Hunger and One Great Hour of Sharing. CWS works to feed the hungry and provide wells for fresh drinking water, as well as disaster relief and refugee resettlement. On the other hand, we are supporting Chris and Sarah Ansell, who are in campus ministry at the University of Pittsburgh; they are working primarily in the areas of evangelism and discipleship. Through Pastor Kiran Pagarey, who has been with us in the past, we are also supporting a native evangelist in India named Pastor Umesh Bhalkar. Thirdly, through Ed Hardwick, we are supporting a Youth Pastor in Rwanda named Emmauel Nkurunziza. Specifically we are helping Emmanuel with tuition for his college education. It amounts to a mere three hundred dollars a semester!

C. There’s Nothing Romantic About It

Did you take note that Jesus did not paint a rosy picture of this endeavor? No, in fact, he prepared them for some rough sledding. “I am sending you out like lambs into the midst of wolves.” Yow, that’s intimidating!! These missionaries would be very vulnerable to resistance and rejection; they could even get hurt. We need to understand that this hasn’t changed one bit. Our efforts in North Dakota may not have had lasting effects. We discovered there are greater challenges out there than we could ever address in a week or two. Pastor Kiran tells us that even the native missionaries in India, like himself, have been subjected to persecution and grave danger. The Holy Spirit is with them; yet, they are still like lambs sent into the midst of wolves.

D. It’s Not About Us, But About Him

The seventy learned a valuable lesson at the end of their stint. They returned ecstatic at how the demons submitted to them. Jesus admits: They had “authority over all the power of the enemy. Nothing could hurt them!” But that wasn’t the main point. It wasn’t about what they could do, it was about what Christ Jesus had done. Similarly, the bottom line when it comes to St. John’s Church is not going to be the tally of what we have done. It’s not about how many dollars we can raise or how many people might feed or convert. It is about what the Lord has done for us and in us and through us. All the glory and praise must be given to Jesus Christ. That’s not just rhetoric. Our mission will not amount to anything if we are in it to get a reputation. But, when we wholeheartedly place ourselves at Christ’s disposal, incredible things will happen.

3. So Let’s Get Busy: There’s Something for Everyone

I like the story of Philip so much. We don’t have time to dissect it this morning, but we can glean one point from it: the Holy Spirit had a specific mission for Philip that day. You might say it was his fifteen minutes of fame! It happened because he was willing and ready to be led by the Spirit, and he had the honor of witnessing to and baptizing a very important man from Ethiopia. The seeds of Christian faith were planted in Ethiopia that day, and the church there is still very strong. We know this firsthand, because - some years ago - the Archbishop of that very church personally visited St. John’s. Perhaps not many of you remember back that far. Bishop Paulos was his name. Today he is the Metropolitan [or Leader] of all the Ethiopian Christians around the world! Mission today has to have such a human face. It seems for us to get serious about committing ourselves and our resources, we’ve got to have a personal connection. We are blessed to have such connections through Pastor Kiran and Ed and Chris Ansell, who is Helen Pearson’s grandson.

The point of the story about Philip is that the Lord has specific mission plans for everyone of us. There are literally hundreds of ways for you to get involved. It may not require traveling to a Asia or Africa. It could be right around the corner! Perhaps the Lord is calling you to volunteer for Meals on Wheels, or make soup for Safe Harbor Shelter, or make baby blankets for CareNet. You could volunteer at a local hospital, hospice, or nursing home – there is always more care to be given than the staff can handle. Maybe the Lord wants you to witness to someone you already know whose life is floundering, or who needs a sensitive friend. Perhaps He has kindled a conviction in you to support our local Christian radio station or a national radio or television ministry. Whatever it is, let’s pray earnestly that the Holy Spirit will lead each of us personally – as he did Philip – into new and/or deeper mission experiences this year.

How often do we pray - “Thy kingdom come on earth as it is in heaven”? That won’t happen until all of God’s people take mission personally by deciding to live – not for themselves, but for Jesus Christ, ready and willing to follow his Spirit wherever it leads. How about you, are you ready?

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Blake Heffner January 21st, 2007

“Diakonia = Ministry = Service” 1/21/07

Texts: Ephesians 4:11-16 Matthew 20:24-28

Consistory has chosen a threefold theme for this year: “Ministry, Mission and Music.” This message is the first of three in which we will begin to explore the themes that will be our goals all year.

Our two scripture lessons underline the significance of ministry or service. It is in Jesus’ mind the most critical mark of a disciple. “If you want to be great [in the Kingdom of God], you must be the servant of [others]; and whoever wants to be first, must be the slave of all the rest - like the Son of Man, who did not come to be served, but to serve and to give his life to redeem many people.” You may never preach like Billy Graham or care for the poor and dying like Mother Teresa of Calcutta; you may never be called upon to lead a reformation like Martin Luther or Martin Luther King, Jr. Yet, if you will be a servant to those around you – after the pattern of your Lord – you will be “outstanding” in the Kingdom of God. Amazing!

Then Paul zooms in on service as the goal of all the Church’s ministry. Think about all the extraordinary gifts of the Holy Spirit. They are poured out upon people for one distinct purpose: “to equip the saints for the work of ministry, to build up the body of Christ.” Paul is serious: all the positions of leadership in the church – like apostleship and evangelism, preaching and teaching – all of these have one purpose: to equip “you” for the work of ministry and service, to build up the body of Christ!

There is a common thread running through both texts of scripture; that is the Greek word, diakonos - which is the root of our word deacon. It means “servant or minister.” The surest way for each of us to make a difference in the kingdom of God lies in simply and genuinely serve others, like Jesus did. Period.

Some churches have a neat way of stating this. In their weekly bulletins they list the staff: “So and so is the Senior Pastor; so and so is Pastor of Visitation; so and so is Youth Pastor. Right on down through the music ministry and administrative staff.” Then, on the bottom line it reads: “Ministers - every member of this congregation.” That’s it! The work of ministry or service is for all the saints – for each and every one of us. And we who are in the “professional” part of the church’s leadership are only here to “equip the saints for the real work of ministry and service.” Until we grasp this wholeheartedly, we will never live up to God’s design for St. John’s Church. Ministry is not mainly about things done in this building on Sunday mornings. It’s about what we do during the rest of the week!

So, let’s explore some basic aspects of diakonia, or biblical servanthood. Basically, if you think about what it takes to be a good waiter in a restaurant, you have an excellent understanding of the term diakonos. It literally means “one who executes the commands of another; especially an attendant, servant, minister.” We’ve all had good and bad service in restaurants.

Dietrich Bonhoeffer, in his superb little book Life Together, says before we can begin to serve others, we have to master two things: The Ministry of Holding One’s Tongue and The Ministry of Meekness. Interesting pair, wouldn’t you agree?

What in the world does holding one’s tongue have to do with service. Well, I had only to think about this for a couple minutes to realize that when I come upon someone at our house in a fix, my first temptation is to criticize them for getting there. “What are you doing? What were you thinking? Didn’t I tell you to do it differently?” Bonhoeffer hit me right between the eyes. If we are to serve others, we must begin quietly – without pre-judging the situation, without putting the other person down or making them feel inadequate. A servant, as we shall soon see, begins by getting down on the level of the person in need and understanding that – but by the grace of God – it could just as well have been me. Paul describes the verbal approach of a servant: “Do not use harmful words, but only helpful words, the kind that build up and provide what is needed so that what you say will do good to those who hear you.”

Secondly, according to Bonhoeffer, learning to serve requires us to cultivate a humble attitude toward others. Yesterday, Michele Lentz came to the Mens Breakfast and told us all about the trip to an orphanage in the Dominican Republic that she and Alison visited over Christmas vacation. “Orphanage Outreach” has ten principles for its volunteers. I was especially intrigued by the one that states: “Serve, don’t help!” We didn’t get to pursue the meaning of this at length, but I guess this relates to Bonhoeffer’s point. In helping someone, we sort of reach down, from a position of superiority; in serving, we come down and identify with the other person. In helping, we basically call the shots. We determine what we want to do and how. In serving, we submit ourselves to the other person, asking what they would like us to do. I believe this is the attitude of meekness that Bonhoeffer considers so vital. The apostle Paul lays this our plainly: “Do not think of yourself more highly than you should. Instead, be modest in your thinking.” And, “don’t do anything from selfish ambition or from a cheap desire to boast, but be humble toward one another, always considering others better than yourselves.”

If we have those two prerequisites down. We are ready to begin serving. Among the best pictures of servanthood is the one that Jesus gave us in that remarkable story of the Good Samaritan. We can distill at least three main elements: A,B & C.

A. Be Attentive

This story begins with the priest and the Levite arriving on the scene. They clearly notice the man lying by the road, but avoid any contact with him. We can entertain all kinds of reasons why they might’ve kept on going. If the man were actually dead, touching him would have made them unclean and unfit to perform their rituals in the Temple.

Let’s give them credit for at least noticing the poor victim. Today, we are so pre-occupied with our busy agendas that we can completely miss the fact that someone who works in the next cubicle is hurting, or someone studying across the table in the library is anxious or afraid, or someone who lives in our neighborhood is having financial trouble.

It’s so easy. Even waiters are sometimes too busy to notice that we need more water, or we are ready for dessert. Remember the old saying about crossing the street: “stop, look and listen.” That’s the way to be attentive to those around us. In order to serve someone effectively, we regualrly need to stop what we’re doing, see the people around us as our brothers or sisters, and then take the time to listen to their story.

B. Bear One Another’s Burdens

The priest and the Levite no doubt regarded their own concerns as more pressing than those of the wounded man on the side of the road. How easy it is for us to rationalize in the same way. We justify ignoring the plight of others by bearing down harder on whatever we happen to be doing. Am I right?

The Samaritan probably had important business to attend to as well. But, he not only noticed the victim, he stopped in his tracks and was ready to reach out to than man. The scandalous part of this story is that he was a Samaritan, someone despised by the Jews. Ordinarily, a Jewish man would not even speak to such a person, much less touch him. An analogy for us might be an illegal alien who doesn’t speak English. If the tables were turned, we might not feel comfortable interacting with him. Yet, this Samaritan is not shackled by social conventions. He kneels down to take this man’s burden into his own hands. Friends, don’t let social distinctions blind you to the desperate needs of people right you. Paul says, that if we bear one another’s burdens, we will fulfill the law of Christ!

C. Be Compassionate

Jesus says, “when [the Samaritan] saw him, his heart was filled with pity – or compassion.” The Greek word means he was moved viscerally – from his bowels – to help that man. The English word “compassion” means literally “suffering with.” He went over to victim and poured oil and wine on his wounds and bandaged them, possibly with material from his own clothing. He put that man on his own animal and took him to an inn.

In today’s world, the Samaritan could simply take out his cell phone and dial 911. Just reporting the crime might seem to be enough. But no, the original servant was willing to get his hands dirty, use his own valuable oil and wine and means of transportation.

Friends, Jesus doesn’t sugarcoat this. If we serve others, it will cost us something, maybe even dearly. Can you imagine this gesture? In a time before health insurance, the Samaritan offers money to the innkeeper and then promises to come back and pay whatever else the innkeeper spends on his care. That’s carte blanche!

But, my friends, isn’t that precisely the way Jesus loves us. He paid the whole price for our deliverance and healing. There is nothing left for us to pay. If we want to follow Jesus as servants, we will have to spend something significant of our time, our talents and our treasures. Elsewhere Jesus talks about heavenly rewards for good deeds, but not here. Jesus gives us the impression that the real value of serving is found in the serving itself. It allows us to participate in God’s awesome love in a tangible way. There is no way to reckon the joy and peace that accompanies such service.

Now, when we talk about “Ministry” here at St. John’s, it would be so easy to mention a dozen ways for you to serve the church as an organization. I purposely avoided this today, because I am convinced that our most important ministry is not supposed to happen within these walls. It happens when we reach out to our neighbors, our co-workers, to members of our community and especially strangers. It happens when we stop, look and listen, when we are ready to bear another’s burdens with compassion and love. Jesus said, “If we seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, all [our basic needs] shall be ours as well.” When we become the servants that God intends us to be, all the jobs around here will be taken care of. Let’s dedicate ourselves in 2007 to excelling in “ the work of ministry”!

Prayer…

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Blake Heffner January 13th, 2007

“Something More” 1/13/07

Texts: Matthew 11:2-6 I Thessalonians 1:2-5

“We brought the Good News to you, not with words only, but also with power and the Holy Spirit, and with complete conviction of its truth.” This is how Paul begins his first letter to the church in Thessalonica. This letter is regarded as the oldest piece of Christian literature we have, written some twenty years or so before the first gospel (Mark). This letter is remarkable for many things. We will focus on just one this morning – the fact that Paul’s message was delivered to them “not with words only, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit.” It was not simply on oral message; it was also visual and experiential. It had to be in Macedonia, where people worshiped many gods, and the God of Abraham and Moses was relatively unknown, except among the Jews living there. For Paul to win people to faith they needed to see the power of God demonstrated before their eyes.

Isn’t this basically how Jesus answered the disciples of John? John was in prison, and his followers must have been very distraught. So, John sent them to Jesus (as the youth say today) “to scope him out” - to discover for themselves whether Jesus is the Messiah, the Anointed One, who has come to save the world. So they approach Jesus with the sixty-four thousand dollar question: “Tell us, are you the one John said was going to come, or should we expect someone else?” Were they somewhat skeptical? Were they discouraged? We don’t know, but Jesus realized right away that merely telling them the truth would likely not convince them. They needed to see it for themselves. So, he answers: “Go back and tell John what you are hearing and seeing: the blind can see, the lame can walk, the lepers are being made clean, the deaf hear, [even] the dead have been brought back to life, and the Good News is being preached to the poor. How happy are those who have no doubts about me!” Do you think they were convinced? Matthew gives us the impression that they are indeed.

1. Pastor Kiran and the Situation in India

Last spring, Pastor Kiran Pagarey of India came to St. John’s and told us about missionary efforts in his native land. It is virtually the same there today, as it was for Paul in Macedonia. The Hindus have 330,000 gods. They are a very religious people. So, if one is to make any impression upon them regarding Jesus Christ, one has to do more than talk about the good news. People need to see the truth of the gospel demonstrated in the power of Holy Spirit.

Kiran tell the story of preaching in a hostile village. He was only 20 years old. The folks from the neighborhood brought a woman to him who had a flow of blood for days on end. Kiran was afraid. He knew the story of the woman who was healed of that kind of malady by reaching out and touching the hem of Jesus’ garment. But, just telling the story to these people would not suffice. They wanted to see what his God could do for this woman. Kiran prayed earnestly – with great fear and trembling. He didn’t even wait around for the results. After the prayer, he got on his bike and headed for home. Along the road, that same woman met him with some vegetables just picked in the fields – to say thank you. Kiran was so beside himself he didn’t even recognize her. Only later, was he told that she was healed completely that day. And because there were so many eye witnesses, folks in that village began to believe in Jesus Christ.

2. Our Situation

We live a totally different cultural context. Just about everyone in this country has heard about Jesus from early childhood. Almost everyone knows the basic elements of his story – that he was born in Bethlehem, died on Good Friday, and was resurrected on Easter. The story is so familiar there’s nothing “new” for most folks. What seems to be lacking is what Paul brought to Thessalonica: a powerful demonstration of the good news through the Holy Spirit. Do you agree? It’s one thing to have heard that Jesus healed a blind man named Bartimaeus; it’s another to have seen that healing with your own eyes. It’s one thing to have heard that Jesus raised Jairus’ daughter from her deathbed; it’s quite another to have witnessed a resurrection firsthand.

But that, my friends, is precisely what people in our culture need – they need to see the gospel demonstrated before their eyes, in the power of the Holy Spirit. Maybe you do too!

3. Something More!

More than thirty years ago, Catherine Marshall wrote a book about this very thing, called Something More. In this book, she describes how the Holy Spirit is very much still at work in our world doing the same things that we read about on the pages of the New Testament. In story after story, Mrs. Marshall demonstrates how the Holy Spirit is doing miraculous things in our day – before our very eyes. The Spirit is still restoring sight to the blind, hearing to the deaf, cleansing lepers and raising the dead. This book made a huge impression on me, at a very impressionable time in my spiritual journey.

The challenge that lies before us this year is to become a people that are not just talk. Talk is cheap, as they say. We need to bring “something more” to the table: the conviction of those who have witnessed the power of the gospel in the Holy Spirit. Otherwise, how will our relatives and neighbors ever take Christ seriously - unless they see his Spirit at work in our lives?

* How will they take seriously Jesus’ words about loving one’s enemies, unless they see that awesome love in our words and deeds? After all, Jesus said, even the pagans love those who love them. Our love must have that “something more” to be taken seriously.

* How can we suggest that someone trust Jesus to guide them through a difficult time, unless (like the psalmist) we can recount how we sought the Lord and he answered our prayer and delivered us from confusion?

* How can we encourage folks to trust God with their finances, and give generously, unless we have seen firsthand how you can’t out-give God? Can you and I testify that “giving by faith is an essential part of living by faith”?

* How can we begin to talk about the Holy Spirit’s power, until we have seen it at work healing our diseases?

This year we will hear a lot about three words: Ministry, Mission and Music. But before we can get excited about such words, we had better get excited about Jesus Christ and serious about the power of his Holy Spirit in our lives. That wasn’t reserved for a few disciples of John the Baptist – it’s essential for every disciple in every generation. Healing was not just for a blind man named Bartimaeus, but for everyone who cannot see the Kingdom of God in our midst. Resurrection was not reserved for Saul of Tarsus on the road to Damascus; new life, new perspective is meant for every child of God – from the youngest, like little Madilynn Mae Andrew, to the oldest among us. I invite you to join me in praying that 2007 will be a dynamic year of seeing the Word of God become flesh in our very lives, bringing us new love and joy, new peace and reconciliation, new insight and understanding, new vitality and zeal, and a new sense of purpose and mission. Jesus Christ is worthy of nothing less!

Prayer:

O Lord, open our eyes to your presence and power in this world. Open our hearts to believe the promise that we will find you – if we seek you with all our hearts. Open our minds to your truth and goodness.

Help us to seek you in the regular reading and studying of your Word this year. Help us to find you when we gather regularly for worship together. Help us to find nourishment and encouragement in the fellowship of other Christians this year.

O Lord, above all, have your own way with us. Lead us and guide us. Move mightily among us with your Holy Spirit. And send us forth to serve you in love, joy and peace – in the name of Jesus Christ we pray. Amen.

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Blake Heffner December 31st, 2006

“Great Exhortations” 12/31/06 Texts: Deuteronomy 30:15-20 Romans 13:8-14

INTRO: It’ New Year’s Eve Day, the time when traditionally we contemplate making resolutions designed to improve our lives. Have you set any personal goals yet? Well, the Bible is filled with exhortations (or encouragements) toward improving our lives. Let’s explore a few of them that might inspire us toward some meaningful resolutions for the year ahead.

1. At the End , Moses Urged: Choose Life!

It was Moses’ last speech. It was time to turn over the leadership to Joshua and bid his people farewell before they entered the Promised Land. Together they had witnessed God’s almighty hand in the Exodus and His distinctive guidance and providence in the wilderness for forty years. Yet, the people seemed so wayward, so vulnerable to failure. Moses would not be able to steer them straight any longer, so he offers one last urgent sermon:

“Listen! What I am telling you today is not too hard for you to understand. It’s not way out there beyond your reach. No, it’s the most basic, simple instruction: ‘Choose life, not death! If you choose to obey the commandments that the Lord has given you, and walk in his ways; if you will love the Lord your God above all things, then you will be blessed and enjoy a long life! If, however, you decide to go your own way, do your own thing, you will be in deep trouble. If you turn to other gods and serve them, you will surely be cursed and die. It’s your choice! I strongly recommend you choose life!”

Life is all about choices, isn’t it? Erma Bombeck, at the end of her life, looked back and reflected upon how some choices had robbed her of life. Like Moses, she tells us things are not too hard to understand or actualize. You may have heard this list before, but it is worth re-visiting now & then.

IF I HAD MY LIFE TO LIVE OVER - by Erma Bombeck
(written after she found out she was dying from cancer). Or, How to make the most of the time we’ve got!}

I would have gone to bed when I was sick instead of pretending the earth would go into a holding pattern if I weren’t there for the day.
I would have burned the pink candle sculpted like a rose before it melted in storage.
I would have talked less and listened more.
I would have invited friends over to dinner even if the carpet was stained, or the sofa faded.
I would have eaten the popcorn in the ‘good’ living room and worried much less about the dirt when someone wanted to light a fire in the fireplace.
I would have taken the time to listen to my grandfather ramble about his youth.
I would have shared more of the responsibility carried by my husband.
I would never have insisted the car windows be rolled up on a summer day because my hair had just been teased and sprayed.
I would have sat on the lawn with my grass stains.
I would have cried and laughed less while watching television and more while watching life.
I would never have bought anything just because it was practical, wouldn’t show soil, or was guaranteed to last a lifetime.
Instead of wishing away nine months of pregnancy, I’d have cherished every moment and realized that the wonderment growing inside me was the only chance in life to assist God in a miracle.
When my kids kissed me impetuously, I would never have said, “Later. Now go get washed up for dinner.” There would have been more “I love you’s” More “I’m sorry’s.”
But mostly, given another shot at life, I would seize every minute…look at it and really see it .. . live it and never give it back. STOP SWEATING THE SMALL STUFF!!!
Don’t worry about who doesn’t like you, who has more, or who’s doing what.
Instead, let’s cherish the relationships we have with those who do love us.
Let’s think about what God HAS blessed us with, what we are doing each day to promote ourselves mentally, physically, emotionally.

Again, that’s not deep or esoteric advice. But, you will agree those are ways to choose life in the everyday sense. Maybe, there’s a resolution or two for each of us in that list!

2. Before Coke, Jesus Urged: Give Live Love!

Have you noticed the slogan on bottles of Coke lately? GIVE LIVE LOVE. What an original idea! Isn’t this really Jesus’ main message? If we are to choose life, we must choose to “give and live love!” We’ve heard this many times before. Paul summed it up in our lesson from Romans 13: “The only obligation you have is to love one another. Whoever does this has obeyed the Law… [The whole Law] is summed up in one command, ‘Love your neighbor as you love yourself.’ If you love someone, you will never do him or her wrong. ”

We fully understand what Paul is saying, don’t we? Love is not so-called “rocket science.” Yet, in this era of hyper-busy-ness, when we are consumed by our personal schedules and agendas, we find it very hard to consistently give and live love for others. Do you agree? To effectively care for those around us – relatives, friends, neighbors and strangers – we have to swim against the raging stream of busy-ness. It takes time and energy to care for others – as we naturally care for ourselves. I don’t know about you, but I need to be more resolved in this area.

Years ago a sociology professor at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore assigned his class to visit a city slum and interview 200 boys. “On the basis of your findings, predict their future.” Shocked at what they saw in the slums, the students estimated that 90 percent of the boys interviewed would someday serve time in prison. Twenty years later the same professor asked another class to locate the survivors of the 200 boys and compare what happened. Of the 180 boys they could find, only four had ever been to jail. Why had the predictions by the earlier class proven false? A common denominator - over 100 of them remembered having the same high-school teacher, Miss O’Rourke, who had been a tremendous influence on them at the time. After a long search, Sheila O’Rourke was found in a nursing home in Memphis. When asked for her explanation she was puzzled and replied, “All I did was love every one of them.” Never doubt the power of love, especially the love of God in Christ Jesus.

That was the effect of one teacher during one year in the life of those hundreds of young men! Imagine what effect we can have on the people around us if we simply and consistently love them! “Giving and living love” shouldn’t be something we have to ‘add on’ to our agendas. It has to be our agenda, PERIOD. It is the only way to choose life! Let’s focus on this in 2007!

3. Before Nike, James Urged: Just Do It!

The apostle James realized the problem is not lack of knowledge on our part; it’s often failure to put into practice what we know. So, he urged us, long before Nike, to “Just do it!” Just take what we have learned and “walk the walk,” as they say. Friends, let’s be honest, isn’t it true that we often think about doing the right things, we just don’t always follow through.

One summer, a man spent the day on the beach in Jacksonville, Florida. The undertow was unusually strong that day, and more than once, lifeguards jumped down from their towers to rescue swimmers from the treacherous surf. Finally, the man went to the lifeguard station to express his appreciation for the dedication of these men. When he walked inside, he noticed a sign on the wall in large red letters: IF IN DOUBT, GO! And the man said, “Those same words should be on the walls of every church and on the wall of
every person’s soul.”

“If in doubt, go!” Let’s resolve to be quicker to act upon the promptings of the Holy Spirit this year. If we wonder that we haven’t seen someone lately, let’s pick up the phone. If we know someone has been grieving, let’s send a card and then pick up the phone. Like Erma Bombeck, let’s not let the state of our house keep us from inviting a friend or neighbor over for lunch or supper. Let’s not sweat the small stuff – and so much of our fretting is over small stuff. Could it be we have hurt someone – even unintentionally? If there is any question in our minds, let’s “just go” to them and try to make amends. When we get these little things down, we’ll be ready to move on to deeper and broader forms of love.

Friends, in 2007, may the Lord to help us to choose life, give love, and make time to act upon our intuitions – in Jesus’ name, for his glory!

Prayer:

Heavenly Father, we praise you for the New Year that lies before us. It is a clean slate, thanks to your grace. Because, if we are in Christ, all things are made new: the past is finished and we have a fresh start. Lord, fill us with your Holy Spirit and enable us to make the most of this new beginning. Set before us goals that, by your grace, we can achieve. Show us how to love those around us – by being more patient, more kind, and less irritable, less self-centered. Lord, help us as a congregation to keep our eyes upon Jesus, who is the Pioneer and Perfecter of our faith…

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Blake Heffner December 31st, 2006

“Great Exhortations”

Texts: Deuteronomy 30:15-20 Romans 13:8-14

INTRO: It’ New Year’s Eve Day, the time when traditionally we contemplate making resolutions designed to improve our lives. Have you set any personal goals yet? Well, the Bible is filled with exhortations (or encouragements) toward improving our lives. Let’s explore a few of them that might inspire us toward some meaningful resolutions for the year ahead.

1. At the End , Moses Urged: Choose Life!

It was Moses’ last speech. It was time to turn over the leadership to Joshua and bid his people farewell before they entered the Promised Land. Together they had witnessed God’s almighty hand in the Exodus and His distinctive guidance and providence in the wilderness for forty years. Yet, the people seemed so wayward, so vulnerable to failure. Moses would not be able to steer them straight any longer, so he offers one last urgent sermon:

“Listen! What I am telling you today is not too hard for you to understand. It’s not way out there beyond your reach. No, it’s the most basic, simple instruction: ‘Choose life, not death! If you choose to obey the commandments that the Lord has given you, and walk in his ways; if you will love the Lord your God above all things, then you will be blessed and enjoy a long life! If, however, you decide to go your own way, do your own thing, you will be in deep trouble. If you turn to other gods and serve them, you will surely be cursed and die. It’s your choice! I strongly recommend you choose life!”

Life is all about choices, isn’t it? Erma Bombeck, at the end of her life, looked back and reflected upon how some choices had robbed her of life. Like Moses, she tells us things are not too hard to understand or actualize. You may have heard this list before, but it is worth re-visiting now & then.

IF I HAD MY LIFE TO LIVE OVER - by Erma Bombeck
(written after she found out she was dying from cancer). Or, How to make the most of the time we’ve got!}

I would have gone to bed when I was sick instead of pretending the earth would go into a holding pattern if I weren’t there for the day.
I would have burned the pink candle sculpted like a rose before it melted in storage.
I would have talked less and listened more.
I would have invited friends over to dinner even if the carpet was stained, or the sofa faded.
I would have eaten the popcorn in the ‘good’ living room and worried much less about the dirt when someone wanted to light a fire in the fireplace.
I would have taken the time to listen to my grandfather ramble about his youth.
I would have shared more of the responsibility carried by my husband.
I would never have insisted the car windows be rolled up on a summer day because my hair had just been teased and sprayed.
I would have sat on the lawn with my grass stains.
I would have cried and laughed less while watching television and more while watching life.
I would never have bought anything just because it was practical, wouldn’t show soil, or was guaranteed to last a lifetime.
Instead of wishing away nine months of pregnancy, I’d have cherished every moment and realized that the wonderment growing inside me was the only chance in life to assist God in a miracle.
When my kids kissed me impetuously, I would never have said, “Later. Now go get washed up for dinner.” There would have been more “I love you’s” More “I’m sorry’s.”
But mostly, given another shot at life, I would seize every minute…look at it and really see it .. . live it and never give it back. STOP SWEATING THE SMALL STUFF!!!
Don’t worry about who doesn’t like you, who has more, or who’s doing what.
Instead, let’s cherish the relationships we have with those who do love us.
Let’s think about what God HAS blessed us with, what we are doing each day to promote ourselves mentally, physically, emotionally.

Again, that’s not deep or esoteric advice. But, you will agree those are ways to choose life in the everyday sense. Maybe, there’s a resolution or two for each of us in that list!

1. Before Coke, Jesus Urged: Give Live Love!

Have you noticed the slogan on bottles of Coke lately? GIVE LIVE LOVE. What an original idea! Isn’t this really Jesus’ main message? If we are to choose life, we must choose to “give and live love!” We’ve heard this many times before. Paul summed it up in our lesson from Romans 13: “The only obligation you have is to love one another. Whoever does this has obeyed the Law… [The whole Law] is summed up in one command, ‘Love your neighbor as you love yourself.’ If you love someone, you will never do him or her wrong. ”

We fully understand what Paul is saying, don’t we? Love is not so-called “rocket science.” Yet, in this era of hyper-busy-ness, when we are consumed by our personal schedules and agendas, we find it very hard to consistently give and live love for others. Do you agree? To effectively care for those around us – relatives, friends, neighbors and strangers – we have to swim against the raging stream of busy-ness. It takes time and energy to care for others – as we naturally care for ourselves. I don’t know about you, but I need to be more resolved in this area.

Years ago a sociology professor at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore assigned his class to visit a city slum and interview 200 boys. “On the basis of your findings, predict their future.” Shocked at what they saw in the slums, the students estimated that 90 percent of the boys interviewed would someday serve time in prison. Twenty years later the same professor asked another class to locate the survivors of the 200 boys and compare what happened. Of the 180 boys they could find, only four had ever been to jail. Why had the predictions by the earlier class proven false? A common denominator - over 100 of them remembered having the same high-school teacher, Miss O’Rourke, who had been a tremendous influence on them at the time. After a long search, Sheila O’Rourke was found in a nursing home in Memphis. When asked for her explanation she was puzzled and replied, “All I did was love every one of them.” Never doubt the power of love, especially the love of God in Christ Jesus.

That was the effect of one teacher during one year in the life of those hundreds of young men! Imagine what effect we can have on the people around us if we simply and consistently love them! “Giving and living love” shouldn’t be something we have to ‘add on’ to our agendas. It has to be our agenda, PERIOD. It is the only way to choose life! Let’s focus on this in 2007!

1. Before Nike, James Urged: Just Do It!

The apostle James realized the problem is not lack of knowledge on our part; it’s often failure to put into practice what we know. So, he urged us, long before Nike, to “Just do it!” Just take what we have learned and “walk the walk,” as they say. Friends, let’s be honest, isn’t it true that we often think about doing the right things, we just don’t always follow through.

One summer, a man spent the day on the beach in Jacksonville, Florida. The undertow was unusually strong that day, and more than once, lifeguards jumped down from their towers to rescue swimmers from the treacherous surf. Finally, the man went to the lifeguard station to express his appreciation for the dedication of these men. When he walked inside, he noticed a sign on the wall in large red letters: IF IN DOUBT, GO! And the man said, “Those same words should be on the walls of every church and on the wall of
every person’s soul.”

“If in doubt, go!” Let’s resolve to be quicker to act upon the promptings of the Holy Spirit this year. If we wonder that we haven’t seen someone lately, let’s pick up the phone. If we know someone has been grieving, let’s send a card and then pick up the phone. Like Erma Bombeck, let’s not let the state of our house keep us from inviting a friend or neighbor over for lunch or supper. Let’s not sweat the small stuff – and so much of our fretting is over small stuff. Could it be we have hurt someone – even unintentionally? If there is any question in our minds, let’s “just go” to them and try to make amends. When we get these little things down, we’ll be ready to move on to deeper and broader forms of love.

Friends, in 2007, may the Lord to help us to choose life, give love, and make time to act upon our intuitions – in Jesus’ name, for his glory!

Prayer:

Heavenly Father, we praise you for the new year that lies before us. It is a clean slate, thanks to your grace. Because, if we are in Christ, all things are made new: the past is finished and we have a fresh start. Lord, fill us with your Holy Spirit and enable us to make the most of this new beginning. Set before us goals that, by your grace, we can achieve. Show us how to love those around us – by being more patient, more kind, and less irritable, less self-centered. Lord, help us as a congregation to keep our eyes upon Jesus, who is the Pioneer and Perfecter of our faith…

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Blake Heffner December 24th, 2006

“Christmas Wonder” December 24, 2006

Texts: The Christmas Stories in Luke and Matthew

[Sing] I wonder as I wander out under the sky

How Jesus the Savior did come for to die

For poor orn’ry people like you and like I

I wonder as I wander out under the sky.

This Advent I’ve watched with awe as the characters of the Christmas story seemed to come to life before my eyes…

Joseph. We know him as the carpenter, the artist with handtools. Joseph is the provider, who told the angel, “I’ll take the job! I’ll take care of God’s Son and his mother.” Over the years, our nativity figurines have become worn and weather-beaten. This fall a handful of artists offered many hours of careful labor to restore and repaint them. Take a close look when you get the chance; they are absolutely beautiful. What a wonderful gift!

Mary. We see her as a young woman, maybe a mere teenager. Yet, she was willing to believe the angel Gabriel, that nothing is impossible with God. Mary offered herself as the Lord’s servant: “Here I am! Let it be with me according to your word!” This past week I was touched as a young husband and wife offered themselves to the Lord just as freely. They recognized their need for a Savior and a new beginning, and – like Mary – they invited Jesus Christ to live in their hearts. How priceless is that?

The Shepherds. They witnessed the angelic host, then hustled to Bethlehem to find the baby in the manger. The last thing we hear about them is “they returned glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen.” Last Sunday afternoon, it seemed like a motley crew – over thirty of us, of all ages, gathering to sing Christmas carols. We visited a nursing home where one woman had her daughter push her wheelchair behind us – just to catch more of the joyous songs. It was a special evening; so many hearts were touched. And, I believe, like the original shepherds, the singers themselves returned home glorifying and praising God for the wonderful things they had heard and seen.

The Magi. Certainly they’re the strangest characters of the nativity scene. We don’t know exactly where they came from or where they went. But we do know that they followed the light of that star over Bethlehem and brought their precious gifts for the infant King. This week, I was fortunate enough to travel with three wise people. We came from the East too and visited a young, unmarried mother of four, bearing gifts for their Christmas. She graciously welcomed us in and then told us all about her kids and their trials as a family. She expressed gratitude for all the presents she could not have provided. It was a sacred and wonderful moment.

Many others joined in this magi-like giving - albeit indirectly - through the gifts to Northampton County residents and the Operation Christmas boxes. How marvelous it is that Jesus said, “As you have done it to the least of these my brothers and sisters, you have done it to me!”

The Innkeeper. We have no idea who was on duty that night, minding the inn in Bethlehem. All we know is that business was so good there were no vacancies. Well, not exactly – there was some space round back where the animals were. They would provide warmth, and the manger could serve as a basinet. Just like an innkeeper, our Consistory is usually all business, especially this time of year when we have to create a new budget proposal. This past Monday evening, though, it was amazing. In spite of the business at hand, the meeting turned into a conversation about the vitality of our church family and the need for us to stoke the flame of love and fellowship in the months to come. Oh yes, we eventually did crunch some numbers, and nobody got home much before 11. But, like that original innkeeper, we came away with the wonderful insight that business isn’t everything; it’s not even close to the most important thing!

The Angel. Angels are God’s messengers. I suspect that they come in all shapes and sizes. One of them came up to me this week and said the most unusual thing: “I can’t wait until God comes and fixes all this… and you especially!” I did a double-take and started to grin. We both knew what she meant, but it came out a little funny. It was a priceless moment of laughter.

You know something, that angel really hit the nail on the head. Christmas is all about God coming to fix things… you and me especially! It’s captured so well by that carol “I wonder as I wander… how Jesus the Savior did come for to die for poor orn’ry people, like you and like I…”

When we are utterly honest, won’t we admit that we are the ornery ones who need some fixing? We’ve needed it since our ancestors ate that fruit and were unceremoniously escorted from the Garden. The little word for it is “sin” – something we don’t often connect with Christmas. Yet, sin is the very reason God sent his Son into this world – to fix it! We are the lost sheep that the Good Shepherd comes to gather in his arms. We are the anxious ones to whom Jesus says, “My peace I give to you, not as the world gives.” We are the ones with so many ailments and conditions; to whom Isaiah declared, “By his stripes we are healed.” Oh, my friends, we are the ones with broken hearts to whom Jesus calls, “Come to me, all you that are weary and carrying heavy burdens and I will give you rest.” We are the ones who find ourselves shackled by old habits and dim outlooks; to whom Jesus says, “If you continue in my word… you will know the truth and the truth shall set you free.”

All this began in that humble stable long, long ago, when [as Paul proclaims] the Son of God laid aside his crown, “emptied himself and took the form of a servant, being born in our human likeness. He humbled himself in obedience to the Father, even to the point of death on a cross. There-fore, God has highly exalted him and given him the name that is above every name. One day, at the name of Jesus, every knee shall bow, in heaven and on earth and even under the earth, and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”

This is why George Beverly Shea, that great singer, once wrote:

“There’s the wonder of sunset at evening,

The wonder as sunrise I see;

But the wonder of wonders that thrills my soul

Is the wonder that God loves me.”

Have you taken the time lately to marvel at how much God loves you? He knows all about you – and still says, “I love you! I forgive you! I need you to show my love to others!” Jesus’ love is the wonder of all wonders! Tonight, I invite you to volunteer to become a character in the story of that great love.

We began with an American folk hymn, let’s end with another.

[Sing] “What wondrous love is this, O my soul, O my soul!

What wondrous love is this, O my soul!

What wondrous love is this

That caused the Lord of bliss

To bear the dreadful curse for my soul, for my soul,

To bear the dreadful curse for my soul.”

Please turn to number 177. As Richard brings us into the right key, let’s sing verses 2-4:

When I was sinking down, sinking down, sinking down, When I was sinking down, sinking down, When I was sinking down Beneath God’s righteous frown, Christ laid aside his crown for my soul, for my soul, Christ laid aside his crown for my soul.

To God and to the Lamb I will sing, I will sing, To God and to the Lamb I will sing, To God and to the Lamb Who is the great “I Am,” While millions join the theme, I will sing, I will sing, While millions join the theme, I will sing.

And when from death I’m free, I’ll sing on, I’ll sing on. And when from death I’m free, I’ll sing on, And when from death I’m free, I’ll sing and joyful be, and thro’ eternity I’ll sing on, I’ll sing on, and thro’ eternity I’ll sing on.

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Blake Heffner December 17th, 2006

“Your Greatest Joy Is Still Ahead!” December 17, 2006

Texts: Isaiah 35 & 40 (sel.) Luke 1:46-55

INTRO: This morning we have great joys to celebrate!

* Yesterday, the Wilson Warriors football team won the state championship! This is likely a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Let’s recognize the players in our midst this morning with a rousing cheer. Praise God from whom all blessings flow!

* The brand-new pew cushions which surprised us this morning. They are a Christmas gift to St. John’s from an anonymous benefactor. Let’s take a moment to thank God and ask Him to consecrate them…

* And, this morning it has been our joy to welcome a new sister into God’s family through the sacrament of Holy Baptism. Madison Grace Pagats is a precious child of God!

* Think of your fondest Christmas memory… Where were you, who was with you, what made it such a joyous experience?

This certainly is an exhilarating moment! And, you have likely enjoyed euphoric moments in times past! Without taking anything away from these memories, my claim this morning is that, without a doubt, “our greatest joys are still ahead of us!” This is not merely my claim; it is the Bible’s proclamation – from beginning to end: Because Jesus Christ has come into this world and he is coming again, there are unspeakable joys ahead for everyone who receives him and believes in him.

I. The Joy of Perfect Justice

The prophet Isaiah declared (in his ninth chapter): “for unto us a child is given, to us a son is born; and the government will be upon his shoulder… and he will establish justice and righteousness for evermore” (9:6-7). Mary was captivated by this very thought in her song. She interpreted the meaning of this child conceived by the Holy Spirit to be God’s instrument to establish justice: “[God] has stretched out his strong arm and scattered the proud… He has brought down the mighty from their thrones and lifted up the lowly. He has filled the hungry with good things and sent the rich away empty-handed.” In other words, the Messiah will turn everything around. “Every valley shall be lifted up, and every mountain and hill be brought low. [What has been] crooked will be made straight; and the rough places in life will become smooth!”

Freely translated, everything that has been wrong will be made right one day. You and I both know that this side of heaven there are no guarantees that the good guys always win. It’s dog eat dog out there, and the poor are getting poorer while the rich are getting richer. In the last century alone, millions of innocent people have been victimized on the basis of their ethnicity or religion, and it is still happening.

Mary and the prophets declare that the King of kings will put an end to this. He will establish perfect justice, wherein everyone gets what they deserve.
Have you suffered injustice, have you been treated unfairly or rejected? This has not gone unnoticed by Almighty God. Your valley will be lifted up! The crooked places in your life will be made straight, because Jesus is coming again to finish what started in Bethlehem! “We shall overcome one day” (as the spiritual says), and on that day we will rejoice in perfect justice!

II. The Joy of Complete Illumination

Again, it was Isaiah who declared, “The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness, on them has light shined” (9:2). He was not speaking about the star of Bethlehem. That was merely a sigh pointing to the child who is the true “Light of the World.”

We still live in that condition called “deep darkness.” Think about it. There is so much confusion; morally everything is gray these days. Secularism is rising around the world. People seem to have less and less conviction and more and more indifference to the things of God. Even among us who believe, there is so much we do not understand, so many questions without a clear solution. Are you with me? Can you personally sense this darkness and our need for illumination?

But, there will be a day, the Bible says, when everything that has been hidden will be revealed. When Jesus returns we shall realize the meaning of those prophetic words: “Arise, shine, for your light has come and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you. Darkness shall cover the earth, [yes] thick darkness the peoples, but the Lord will arise upon you and his glory will be seen upon you… You shall see and be radiant. Your heart shall thrill and rejoice!” On that day you and I will have no more questions, no more doubts; we shall rejoice in complete illumination!

III. The Joy of Perfect Healing

This morning we read from Isaiah 35 that “the desert will rejoice and blossom… streams of water will flow in the dry wastelands.” Isaiah interprets this vision to mean that “the eyes of the blind will be opened, the ears of the deaf will unstopped, the lame shall get up and leap like a deer, and the tongues of the dumb will sing for joy.” This was fulfilled, as you know, in the life and ministry of Jesus (see Matthew 11:2-6).

If you perhaps cannot identify with those who are victims of injustice, or those who live in deep darkness, you can certainly identify with the need for healing. We need healing on all levels – physically, emotionally, and spiritually.

Everyone of us has some area of life which is like a desert, where flowers do not blossom and things just don’t work as they should. Physically, the older we get, the more ailments we seem to have. They tend to discourage us. Spiritually, we can identify even more with the picture of blindness and deafness, lameness and the inability to speak. But, friends, it is precisely in these dry and barren areas where the Lord wants to bring rivers of living water and new life. The Holy Spirit’s present mission is to open our eyes and ears to the kingdom of God, to strengthen our weak legs and enable us to leap and dance for joy. This joy is possible today. And, the day is coming when we shall rejoice in perfect healing – for “when he appears, we shall be like Him!” (I John 3:2).

IV. The Joy of Salvation

There is another form of joy, which Jesus describes in Luke 15. In fact he does it three ways. It is the joy of a lost sheep being found by its shepherd, a lost coin being found by its owner, and a lost son returning home to his father. Each of these stories ends the same way, there is a great celebration for, as Jesus says, “There is more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents that over 99 who need no repentance.” This is called the joy of our salvation. Some of us are still living in that far away country. We even know where home is, we long for the comforts of home, but there is something that keeps us from making the trip. How about you? You know that Jesus came to seek and save the lost – but maybe you think: “Someday, some other time, I’ll get things straight with Jesus. I know he’ll wait for me.”

Yes, the Lord is very patient with us. But, the longer the prodigal son stayed away from home, the more love and joy he missed. When he finally came home he was treated royally. If you aren’t sure where you stand with Jesus, why not straighten things out right now? Just tell him that you are that lost sheep, that lost coin, that lost son, and you want to be rescued from your old ways. You are a sinner in need of a Savior, and you are craving the acceptance and forgiveness of your heavenly Father. This Christmas, why not ask Jesus to be born in your heart – or reborn. This is our ticket to the most ultimate joy, a joy that even the angels share. We will experience even “the desert singing and shouting for joy!”

Friends, are you one who has been wounded by injustice? Do you feel like you have been living in darkness? Are you searching for genuine and complete healing? Do you feel a sense of being lost and far away from home? Come, then to Jesus Christ – the Babe of Bethlehem, whom the angel declared will bring great joy to all the people!

Prayer: “O holy child of Bethlehem! Descend to us we pray; cast out our sin, and enter in; be born in us to day. We hear the Christmas angels The great glad tiding tell; O come to us, abide with us, Our Lord Emmanuel.” Amen.

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Blake Heffner December 10th, 2006

“Pathways to Peace” December 10, 2006

Texts: Isaiah 9:6-7; 26:3 Colossians 1:15-20

INTRO: Isaiah foretold that the child who is born to us, the Son who is given will be called “the Prince of Peace.” The angels declared to the shepherds that his birth would bring peace on earth and good will toward all. Yet, our world is still desperately lacking peace, and our lives are no different. Nonetheless, the Bible urges us to “seek peace and pursue it” (Ps. 34:14). Let’s consider some of the pathways to peace in God’s Word.

I. Peace through Stillness

In this season, how often we find ourselves in such a dither that we don’t have any peace. We have so many things to do, so many places to go, that it feels more like chaos than peace. When things get crazy, the psalmist tells us to: “Be still and know I am God.” He is not suggesting we escape to a beach in the Caribbean. You may remember that Psalm 46 begins with imagery of an earthquake, where the mountains are shaking in the heart of the sea, the ocean waves are raging. The psalmist goes on to tells us that the Lord puts an end to wars by breaking bows, shattering spears, and burning shields with fire. It is amid this picture of violence that we read: “Be still, and know that I am God.”

The simplest pathway to peace for you and me is to stop for a moment –each day and just sit in the presence of the Lord. Just take a break from our frenzied activities, and be still. Sit down, maybe put on your favorite Christmas album, begin to breathe deeply and say the name of Jesus. It’s amazing how “pacifying” it is. This puts everything into perspective. We can let go and let God help us create an agenda we can live with!

II. Peace through Concentration and Trust

Sometimes, though, the tension and anxiety in our lives come from more than busy-ness. There are storms and stresses that just about bowl us over. You know what I mean: someone is very ill, another is out of work and has bills to pay, or a marriage has hit the rocks. Perhaps, someone very special has died at this time of year, and all we can think about is how much we miss that person. In such overwhelming situations, we can begin to despair of ever finding peace or joy again.

There’s a little verse tucked away in the prophecy of Isaiah that’s brought me through such situations in the past - chapter 26, verse 4. The version I memorized long ago runs like this: “Thou dost keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee, because he trusts in thee.” “Perfect peace” – that sounds like something we only dream about!

Peter could verify this. Remember that windy night; the disciples were in their fishing boat. The waves were tossing them all around. Then, suddenly someone sees Jesus walking on the water! They were terrified – thinking he might be a ghost. Jesus identifies himself and says, “Don’t be afraid!” Peter says, “Lord, if it’s you, let me to come to you on the water!” You know the rest of the story. Jesus says, “Come!” And Peter leaps out of the boat and actually begins to walk on the water toward Jesus. But, when he notices the wind, he begins to think about the danger of drowning. He starts to sink like an anchor, until Jesus reaches out and catches him.

The point is that we often look more at the troubles that surround us than at the Lord who is right in front of us. If we could just keep our minds concentrated on Him, we’d experience the perfect peace Isaiah describes. Whenever we take our eyes off of the Lord, we succumb to anxiety and despair. This season, keep your mind “focused” on the One who is Lord even of the winds and waves in our lives – and He will give you peace.

III. Peace through Reconciliation

In our epistle lesson today, Paul alludes to another form of peace – the peace of reconciliation: “Through the Son, then, God decided to bring the whole universe back to himself. God made peace through his Son’s sacrificial death on the cross and so brought back to himself all things, both on earth and in heaven.” We live in a day when “conscience” doesn’t seem to bother many folks. Few people realize that their lack of peace may come from being separated from the living God through sin.

Martin Luther, however, had an extremely sensitive conscience. He tried everything to please God. He confessed his sins, he fasted and prayed fervently; yet, he felt no peace. He knew that whatever he did could never satisfy a holy God. Then the Spirit revealed to him the good news that we don’t have to appease God. That is why God sent his only Son into the world! In terms of Colossians 1, Jesus was “making peace by the blood of his cross” so that all things might be reconciled (or brought back) to God! This realization brought indescribable peace and courage to Luther, and it still does to everyone who receives Jesus Christ as Savior.

Reconciliation has two dimensions. We often emphasize the vertical one – reconciliation between ourselves and God. All we have to do is confess our sins and accept Christ as God’s free gift of grace. For many folks it stops there. They have become “children of God,” but they still may not enjoy serenity in their soul. This is where other dimension of reconciliation comes in. Jesus taught that if we harbor anger or resentment toward another person, it will affect our peace with God. In fact, there is no peace with God without our making peace with our neighbors. How often Jesus tells us that we cannot enjoy the forgiveness of our sins by God unless we extend that forgiveness freely toward others. Similarly, we will never experience the peace of Christ until our fists become open hands reaching out to our enemies, our clenched teeth give way to a warm smile, and our hardened hearts overflow with the love that conquers a multitude of sins. When we let God’s mercy flow through us toward that person who has hurt us, we experience true freedom and healing. This Christmas, why not identify anyone who has offended you, and just let go of your claims of injustice. Ask the Lord to fill your heart with His forgiveness toward that person. The Bible doesn’t suggest this as an option. No, it is a mandate; we are called to be ministers of reconciliation. This is our surest pathway to that peace which the world cannot give or take away.

IV. Ultimate Peace

Finally, in these days, we are constantly reminded that there is no peace in the world. Every evening the news media tell us about the violence in Iraq or Lebanon or Israel or somewhere else in the world. The death toll is terrifying, and we almost grow numb to the carnage. Beyond that, we shudder that other nations are developing nuclear weapons. In this world, there never seems to be any lasting sense of peace. When one hot spot cools off, another heats up.

Yet, Jesus is called the Prince of Peace. Isaiah declares: “Of the increase of his government and of peace there will be no end!” And we say, “Come, Lord Jesus!” Come, and put an end to this systemic hatred and violence. Come, bring on the day when “they shall beat their swords into plow-shares and their spears into pruning hooks; and nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more!” (Isa. 2:4).

This is the sentiment expressed in the Christmas carol we are about to sing: “I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day.” This carol was inspired by the angel’s message to the shepherds: “peace on earth, good will to men and women!” The jubilance of the bells on Christmas day is disturbed by the thought that “there is no peace on earth… for hate is strong, and mocks the song of peace of earth good will to men” Yet, the bells seem to respond: “God is not dead, nor doth He sleep; the wrong shall fail, the right prevail, with peace of earth, good will to men.”

Centuries ago, the Puritan Thomas Watson summed up this whole message in a paragraph: “God the Son is called the Prince of Peace. He came into the world with a song of peace: “On earth peace…” He went out of the world with a legacy of peace, “Peace I leave with you, My peace I give unto you.” Christ’s earnest prayer was for peace; he prayed that His people might be one. Christ no only prayed for peace, but bled for peace: “Having made peace through the blood of His cross.” He died not only to make peace between God and man, but between man and man. Christ suffered on the cross, that He might cement Christians together with His blood; as He prayed for peace, so He paid for peace.”

Friends, as we approach Christmas this year, let us “seek [this] peace and pursue it” in all its dimensions. Be still and experience God’s presence. Turn your eyes upon Jesus, and trust him to carry you through whatever storm is shaking your boat. Discover anew how Jesus has made peace with God by the blood of his cross, and share that peace, that reconciling love, with others. Then finally, listen to the bells that ring and remember that the Lord has a day when ultimate and lasting peace will come – on earth as it is in heaven!

Prayer

Great and gracious God, our heavenly Father, we praise you for sending your only Son into this world that we might have true and lasting peace: peace within and peace without. O Lord, bring us into this peace today, and in the days to come help us to share this peace with everyone we meet. May Jesus Christ, the Prince of Peace, be glorified in our lives. Amen.

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