AfterWords: "Getting Ready--Baptism"

 

Luke 3:1-18; 22-23

At the end of today’s reading, Jesus comes to John the Baptizer and is baptized. Baptism becomes a part of the Christian life forever—a rite, an act of faith. But what is baptism?

In the United Methodist Church, baptism is one of two sacraments—the other is Communion. Sacraments are tangible acts that impart God’s grace—in Communion we share bread and cup; in baptism we go through water. Another way to think of ‘sacrament’ is as an outward and visible sign or symbol of an inward and invisible grace working in our lives. Baptism is an outward and visible sign of a change of heart, of a change of relationship with God, of a new relationship with the people of God around us. Baptism is how and when we become a part of God’s family.

But, baptism is not an end in itself. John quickly disabuses us of such a notion in his preaching. He invites the people to a “baptism of repentance.” Repentance means basically “to change directions.” Though some suggest that it means to make a 180-degree turn-around, I’m fine to understand it as an intentional, purposeful, grace-inspired change of direction. So, baptism is an outward sign of the beginning of something new, the beginning of living in a new direction. What does that new living look like?

As John responds to the people, tax collectors, and soldiers, we see the pattern of this repentant life: generosity, sharing, fairness, and contentment. John does not set a terribly high bar, but this does tell us something about human nature in the 1^st Century—it was not so different from our own in the 21^st Century. To live as generous, sharing, fair, and contented people today would be to live so counter-culturally, right? The Gospel calls us to live against the grain, to stand against a culture that encourages us to get more and hold on to it, to look out for ourselves and not worry about those around us, to always want more and to be more and to never be content. Baptism is an outward and visible sign that God is moving us to change directions in our hearts and minds, to live differently.

We do well to remember our baptism from time to time. If we were brought as an infant, as a child, we recognize that someone—our parents, our family—loved us so much that they brought us to the waters of baptism knowing that God could and would do something for us they could not do, wanting so much for us to be a part of God’s family. If we came a young people or adults, we were surrounded by friends and family (a church family) who cheered us on as we followed Jesus in a new direction in our lives. And, for those who have never been through the waters, the call of John echoes through the centuries to us today urging us to repent—to change directions in our lives as God’s grace gently beckons us—and be baptized: allow God to grace our lives through this outward and visible act as God changes our inward lives.

Amen

Sunday, January 12, 2025
“Getting Ready—Baptism”
Watch/Listen: HERE

AfterWords: "Getting Started - Who Am I?"

 

Luke 2:41-52

When we’re young, we begin questioning who we are around age twelve. Through adolescence, we strive to understand who we are apart from our parents and our families. Many people struggle a lot to figure that out, and a lot of parents resist their children’s quest for identity. Even Jesus, as a lad, had to find out who he was, and it got him into a little trouble with his mom and dad.

After their visit to Jerusalem for Passover, Jesus—unbeknownst to his parents—stayed in Jerusalem while they and their caravan began the journey back to Nazareth. They traveled a whole day before they realized he was not in the caravan. That meant an entire day of travel back to Jerusalem—two days already, now. On the third day, they found him in the Temple courts listening to and discussing with the teachers of the Law.

His parents were astonished, afraid, and a little frustrated—understandably so. When they confronted Jesus, he responded, “Why were you searching for me? Didn’t you know I had to be in my Father’s house?” Already, Jesus is aware of his relationship to God, that he is the “Son of God.” Whether he knows what all that meant, we don’t know. But, he is aware of his identity. He knows who he is.

We, too, through faith, have an amazing, beautiful relationship to God. John 1:12-13 shows us that through and by faith, we become children of God, we become a part of God’s amazing family…with all the rights and responsibilities that come with that.

As part of the family of God, you and I do well to remember who and whose we are. We do well to begin this New Year recognizing who we are before God, and who we are for God. The Wesleyan Covenant Prayer is a good place to begin this New Year. May we pray this prayer with full conviction as children of God:

I am no longer my own, but yours.
Put me to what you will, place me with whom you will.
Put me to doing, put me to suffering.
Let me be put to work for you or set aside for you,
Praised for you or criticized for you.
Let me be full, let me be empty.
Let me have all things, let me have nothing.
I freely and fully surrender all things
To your glory and service.
And now, O wonderful and holy God, Creator, Redeemer, and Sustainer,
You are mine, and I am yours.
So be it. And the covenant which I have made on earth,
Let it also be made in heaven.

Amen.

Sunday, January 5, 2025
“Getting Ready—Who Am I?”
Watch/Listen: HERE

AfterWords: "Bridges--Old to New"

 

Luke 2:22-35

We look forward to the New Year as a time for making changes. We clean out the house and we strive to “clean out” our lives.

As we consider what we want to do better, or do differently, or stop doing, the Cleveland Clinic offers helpful suggestions[i]:

1. Focus on starting a new habit, rather than quitting an old one.
2. Choose realistic goals that are sustainable for the long term.
3. Make sure your goals are specific and measurable, not vague.
4. Be flexible and open to changing them along the way, if you need to.
5. Identify obstacles that might get in the way of your success.
6. Partner up with an accountability buddy.
7. Set up reminders to help you stay motivated.
8. Track your progress.

We need these because people are not doing too good a job of keeping their resolutions. The website, Discover Happy Habits[ii], reports that…

• The most popular resolutions…are…. improving physical heath (20%) and
  saving more money (20%).
  Others were exercising more (19%), eating healthier (18%), being happy (17%), and losing weight (17%). (NONE OF THESE ARE SPECIFIC ENOUGH)

However, by the end of February, almost 80% of those people of great resolve had abandoned their goals. Yikes!

One of the most helpful of the suggestions above for me has been accountability. I tell someone what I’m going to do, and they hold me to it.

You may or may not have noticed that God makes promises changes publicly as well—through the prophets: Jeremiah—I will put my laws in my peoples’ hearts and minds, and I will forgive them; Joel—I will pour out my Spirit on all people…young and old, male and female, slave and free; and Isaiah—I will bring good news, healing, liberty, release, and comfort to my people.

In our reading today, Simeon notes that God has made good on His promises. On this day in the Temple courts, there is the Child—the One in whom all of God’s promises come together.

Simeon stands on a bridge in time. He stands with one foot in the former world—the world of prophets. He is waiting for Israel’s consolation. And, he stands with one foot in the new world—the world of Jesus Christ, the Word made flesh, Immanuel…God with us. Likewise, you and I stand now on a bridge. From 2024 to 2025 may not be quite as significant a span to cross, but we stand here today looking back over 2024, assessing our lives, our ministry together, our thinking, our relationships with family and friends. Socrates was the one who said, “The unexamined life is not worth living.” So, we examine, we look back. And, we look forward to 2025—a chance to do things differently, to do things better, or to stop doing things that have hurt us or others.

But, if we look only at our own lives, then we have missed the whole point of the Gospel, we’ve missed the whole point of God coming to us. God coming to us is God saying “no” to self and “yes” to us—to someone other than self. So, as we look back on 2024, we should also take account of whether we lived for others, whether we did anything to better others’ lives. And as we look to 2025, we must ask how we might get outside of ourselves and bring life to others. As Christians, we have to think about someone other than ourselves.

We don’t know what happened to Simeon. He’s never mentioned again. Maybe he went to sleep that night and awoke in God’s presence. We do know that what and who he saw that day in the Temple courts is the One who moves us to live better, to serve others—the one who later tells us that we must love God, love our neighbor, and love ourselves. Because of Simeon, thanks be to God, we, too, can say and pray—For our eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared in the sight of all nations: a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and the glory of your people Israel.”

As we step into the New Year, let us go boldly as followers of Jesus looking forward to what God will do through our lives personally and through our family faith. May 2025 be the best year yet!

Amen

Sunday, December 29, 2024
“Towards Bethlehem—Mary”
Watch/Listen: HERE

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[i] https://health.clevelandclinic.org/new-years-resolutions

[ii] https://discoverhappyhabits.com/new-years-resolution-statistics/

AfterWords: "Towards Bethlehem - Mary"

 

Luke 1:46-55

We Protestants don’t talk a lot about Mary. I mean, when was the last time you heard a sermon about Mary or did a Bible study on Mary? Thank goodness we have Christmas, or we might never get around to talking about or thinking about Mary.

When I lived in Mexico, I developed a great appreciation for Mary. This appreciation—believe it or not—grew out of riding the ‘Ruta 70’ (Route 70 city bus) from near our apartment to the seminary downtown and back every day.

You may not have noticed, but I really look a lot like a “gringo” (Caucasian, 6’3”, blue eyes, etc.). So, I was a curiosity on the city bus. Some folks were warry of me—avoided eye contact, stayed away. Some were English language learners and wanted to try out their English. And, some were just curious about this fellow who seemed somewhat out of place on the city bus.

Everyone I talked with got around to asking me what I was doing in Monterrey, Mexico. I would respond that I was a teacher. And, they’d ask, “What do you teach?” I would respond that I taught Biblical Studies at the Methodist seminary. “Oh…so you’re an evangelico (Protestant)?” “Yes,” I would respond. And then they would ask THE question, the litmus test of every good Mexican Catholic.

¿Qué opinas de Maria? What do you think about Mary?

In the beginning, I responded as any good, southern Methodist: “Oh, we don’t worship Mary. We worship God as we follow Jesus.”

This response may have been theologically “spot on,” but it was conversation suicide. They would smile. And, the conversation would be over.

I needed to figure this out. Conversations were ending abruptly, and that meant that relationships didn’t have a chance. Only through relationship do we begin to shape each other's lives. So, I began to think about Mary, and I began to search the Gospels to see what I could learn about Mary. Mary doesn’t say much in the Gospels, and the Gospels themselves don’t say much about Mary. But, I came upon this passage in Luke that changed everything for me—Luke 1:46-55:

“My soul glorifies the Lord
⁴⁷ and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
⁴⁸ for he has been mindful
    of the humble state of his servant.
From now on all generations will call me blessed,
⁴⁹ for the Mighty One has done great things for me—
    holy is his name.
⁵⁰ His mercy extends to those who fear him,
    from generation to generation.
⁵¹ He has performed mighty deeds with his arm;
    he has scattered those who are proud in their inmost thoughts.
⁵² He has brought down rulers from their thrones
    but has lifted up the humble.
⁵³ He has filled the hungry with good things
    but has sent the rich away empty.
⁵⁴ He has helped his servant Israel,
    remembering to be merciful
⁵⁵ to Abraham and his descendants forever,
    just as he promised our ancestors.”

After reading and re-reading this passage, after praying, after thinking, after doing this through a long weekend, I was ready. I was ready for someone to toss me that question again.

I didn’t have to wait long. It was a Tuesday on the way home in the afternoon. A middle-aged couple were in the seat behind mine. I was turned sideways in my seat watching the city go by. I eventually made eye-contact with the man, he smiled, and we started to chat. The question came around to why I was in Monterrey, and then—right on cue—he asked the question: ¿Qué opinas de Maria? I was ready.

“I love Mary! Have you read the song she sings in Luke 1? Have heard those words? She sings about the goodness and greatness of God. She sings about the importance of humility. She sings about the justice God will bring—about how the great and powerful will be brought low and the lowly and powerless will be lifted up. If we could have the same spirit as Mary, if we could embrace her attitude, what a different world we would have. Yes, I love Mary.”

After helping them lift their jaws off the floor (they had never had an evangelico respond in this manner!), the conversation continued…and we talked together all they way to my bus stop.

My answer, theologically ‘spot on’ and conversation enlivening!

I took this discovery back to my seminary students, told them the story, talked things through with them to tweak and shape the response to make sure it was culturally receivable and theologically correct. Within two weeks, they were coming back with amazing and exciting stories of engaging conversations and even some decisions of faith.

Mary doesn’t speak much. Little is actually said about her. But, she is important to our faith. She is more than a pronoun in a Christmas song. She truly is an example of faithfulness. So, today, as we draw near to Christmas morning, I say to you what I said to so many on Ruta 70…

I love Mary. Her song in the Gospel of Luke shows us how we are to respond to God—in humility, in praise of God’s power and justice. If we would embrace that same spirit, that same attitude that we find in Mary, what a different world this would be, how different our own lives would be….

Amen.

Sunday, December 22, 2024
“Towards Bethlehem—Mary”
Watch/Listen: HERE

AfterWords: "Towards Bethlehem" (Isaiah)

 

Isaiah 61:1-4, 11

When we look at the world around us through the lenses of television, movies, and social media, we see that the favored ones are the powerful, the wealthy, the strong, the good-looking. But, those lenses are not the only way to see the world.

In Isaiah, we see that the favored ones are of a different sort. Speaking to those returning from the Babylonian captivity to the broken, destroyed, neglected world they were taken from, Isaiah reveals the favored ones to be the poor, the brokenhearted, those who have been captives and prisoners, those who mourn. Through God's Spirit, Isaiah promises good news, healing, freedom, light, praise...repair, renewal, and regrowth. Indeed, Isaiah is pointing the people to something yet to come, another act of God’s redeeming work in this broken world. He points them towards Bethlehem.

After Jesus is born in Bethlehem, and the world changes, everything changes. As Jesus begins his ministry in Nazareth (Luke 4) at the local synagogue, he reads the same words from Isaiah 61: 

¹⁸ “The Spirit of the Lord is on me,
    because he has anointed me
    to proclaim good news to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners
    and recovery of sight for the blind,
to set the oppressed free,
¹⁹ to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”

Reading these Spirit-filled words, Jesus indirectly speaks against the strong, the rich, the free, the enlightened...at least, against those who think this way and ignore God in the process. But, the story does not end there. In Acts 2:1-4a (Pentecost), that same Spirit that Isaiah speaks about, that Jesus talks about, is poured out on the church. Now, what does this mean for you and for me?

Because we, too, receive God's Spirit, these words first spoken by Isaiah and repeated by Jesus are now our words. These words and this work are now yours, mine, ours: the Spirit of the Lord is on us—on you and on me, because he has anointed us to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent us to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor. These ancient words are now our words because that same Spirit is now upon us…all because Jesus was born in Bethlehem. Amen.

Sunday, December 15, 2024
“Towards Bethlehem—Isaiah”
Watch/Listen: HERE

AfterWords: "Towards Bethlehem" (Joel)

Joel 2:12-13; 28-29 (Acts 2:1-4; 14-16)

We continue our journey towards Bethlehem this week, hearing again the ancient voices of the prophets as they pointed to something new that God would do as a part of redeeming the broken world in which we live. Hear today the words the prophet Joel spoke to the people almost 3000 years ago as Jerusalem and the surrounding areas are facing possible starvation. A plague of locusts has stripped the land bare. The people do not even have enough grain to make the bread for the Temple offering. Farmers have no harvest, and everyone has just the grain remaining from the last harvest.

Plagues and starvation—these are so far outside our own experience. Right? Or are they…?

Plagues—are unpredictable. The locust swarms in Joel’s time came when they came with no warning. Plagues usually come this way. Unlike the predictable rainy and dry seasons, the locust swarms happened when the happened, and when the happened, the results were devastating—potential starvation.

We know something of plagues—the bubonic plague—The Black Death— that killed around 35 million people in Eurasia and North Africa in the 14^th Century, the so-called “Spanish Flu” of the early 20^th Century that killed over 50 million, and “COVID-19” of the early 21^st Century that killed over seven million. So, plagues—those unexpected, unpredictable disasters that happen upon our lives—these, we do know.

Starvation—From the number of pictures of food I see on social media, I’d say not too many folks are starving. The CDC reports that our national obesity rate is around 40%...so not too many of us in the US are starving. But, this last month, our food pantry here at McAllen First UMC served over 165 families. According to our regional food bank, almost 150,000 people in the RGV face “food insecurity.” Maybe physical starvation is a thing….

Emotional and spiritual starvation have become epidemic in the world here at the beginning of the 21^st Century. We now know that our amazing smartphones with their unbelievable apps that connect us to thousands, even millions, of people around the world are leaving us emotionally starved. Some strive to address this emotional starvation with food, some with shopping, and still others with another app.

In the 17^th Century, French mathematician and philosopher Blaise Pascal writes Pensées:

“What else does this craving, and this helplessness, proclaim but that there was once in [us] a true happiness, of which all that now remains is the empty print and trace?

This [we] try in vain to fill with everything around [us], …though none can help, since this infinite abyss can be filled only with an infinite and immutable object; in other words by God himself.”[1]

In other words, “There is a God-shaped hole in the heart of each of us which cannot be satisfied by any created thing but only by God.”

Our spiritual starvation is as real as an empty stomach, and we try to fill it with food, with new gadgets, with new clothes, with new experiences, with social media, with “everything around us.”

Conclusions—The people of Jerusalem and the surrounding areas craved protection, safety, and security from the plagues of their world. And, once the plague hit, the hungered for the grains, fruits, and vegetables that would quell the emptiness of their stomachs.

We crave to be protected, to be safe, to be secure from the plagues of this world. We hunger to be full, to be satiated.

Joel proclaims that these things will come. God will give to the people, to us, the very thing we need. We will live securely in the assurance of life unending. Our spiritual hunger will be satiated as God pours himself into us through His Spirit. True security, true satiety comes to us through Bethlehem. Today, we can turn to God for security, today we can allow God to begin filling the emptiness of our lives. Oh, the gift that God gives us all in Bethlehem….

 

Sunday, December 8, 2024
“Towards Bethlehem—Joel”
Watch/Listen: HERE

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[1] “The Correct Quote of Blaise Pascal.” It’s Just Me: SARAH. Last modified October 14, 2011. https://itsjustme.wordpress.com/2011/04/19/the-correct-quote-of-blaise-pascal/.

 

AfterWords: "Towards Bethlehem" (Jeremiah)

 

Jeremiah 31:31-34

The season of Advent begins today (Dec. 1st). Really, we Christians should greet each other on the first Sunday of Advent with, “Happy New Year!” because this is the beginning of the new Church year. But, Advent—what is that? Advent comes from the Latin adventus, a word that translates best as “to come to.” Every year (if not every day!), we need this season to be reminded that God has come to us, so Advent is that initial season of the church year when we remember.

I really love this season for the lights, the decorations, the music. And, I love this season because it reminds us that we are connected to an ancient story. This is the season we hear the words of the prophets of old reminding us that this Jesus story is not something new but something ancient that God planned long ago…a plan for God to come to us.

The prophets of the Old Testament serve as harbingers, leaving hints of things to come. Some of their prophecies are straight up, clear; others are suggestions of what will be. Our reading today from the prophet Jeremiah comes some 600 years before Jesus’ birth. But, his words had everything to do with Jesus’ birth.

Jeremiah talks about a new covenant, a new agreement between God and humanity—

    ·   God’s law will be within … written on hearts.
    ·   God and the people will belong to each other.
    ·   God will be known.
    ·   Sins will be forgiven…and forgotten.

What better place to have God’s law than written in our hearts?

For God to be ours and for us to belong to God?

To know God, to really know—not just know about—but to know God?

And, to have our missteps and mistakes, our “trespasses,,” our sins – all forgiven…all forgotten?

In Jeremiah, we get a glimpse of things to come. Today, in this season of Advent, we begin our journey towards Bethlehem. Today we begin looking with anticipation and expectation to what will happen when God fulfills his promise “to come to” us. As we gather each Sunday for worship over the next few weeks, let us remember that the lights, the tree, the Chrismons, the poinsettias, the wreaths—all of these point us towards the One who comes to us in Bethlehem.

Amen

Sunday, December 1, 2024
“Towards Bethlehem”
Watch/Listen: HERE